It was very dark at 5am when we awakened at the anchorage to get ready to weigh anchor by 6:30. The wind was down to 10-12 from the NE and we knew that it would be an easier day than yesterday.
From our anchorage, we headed out through Dusenberry Creek which was very similar to the Tombigbee with its thick forest growth, narrow passages and birds. It was so still and we wished that we were on a sailboat and could turn off the engine and just listen. We entered Jewfish Creek where we were going to anchor last night and saw about 40 boats anchored with less wind protection than we had at R48A. The anchorage looked like a marina and the adjoining marina was empty.
We followed the egrets and cormorants into Barnes Sound to Card Sound Bridge and then into Little Card Sound and had the company of dolphins along the way. We were coming up to the bridge through a narrow channel and met a towboat that gallantly let us have the right of way. You always appreciate those acts of kindness. We returned the courtesy to a sailboat coming down the narrow coral reef channel under full sail. Even through the narrow sections like Cutters Bank, we had depths of 7 feet and the channel was well marked.
The water turned greener and the wind increased to 15-20 knots as we approached Biscayne Bay and we could see Miami far in the distance. We entered Featherbed Channel and saw the cut-off for Biscayne National Park and wished that we could have stopped there but we had to consider that we might be able to make the Bahamas weather window for Saturday. Decisions…decisions….
Miami is very impressive from the water, especially with 40 sailboats racing off its shore. We squeezed through the Rickenbacker Causeway bridge and entered the Intracoastal leading us to Ft. Lauderdale. We passed many cruise boats staging for departure and we joked that if we do not get a weather window to the Bahamas during the next few weeks, we could always take the one day $99 special cruise there which would be far cheaper and a lot less work but we would not have the adventure that we signed up for.
We had to wait for 2 bridges to open for us and at the Venetian Bridge, the bridge tender had the south bound boats go first and then forgot about us lowly slow trawlers going northbound and started to close the bridge. WHOA---she did reopen it at the last minute which averted us making contact with the bridge itself. A little too close and personal.
The Intracoastal ride up to Fort Lauderdale is lined with hi-rises and condos which are still being built. There is still money left in America apparently. We were waked a number of times by fast Miami speedsters but most boaters observed the no wake and slow speed restrictions. We were worried that we would not get to the Las Olas Marina in Ft Lauderdale by 5pm and phoned ahead to get a dock slip and get our packages, including a life raft, put in a secure area for pick-up.
We made it by 4:55, tied up to a floating dock with Charlie and Jeannette on "Highlander" and will be paying $1 a foot with the Boat US discount which is a great price for this area. We have pushed it the past 2 days to position for a possible crossing to the Bahamas on Saturday. Do we go or not—stay tuned.
From our anchorage, we headed out through Dusenberry Creek which was very similar to the Tombigbee with its thick forest growth, narrow passages and birds. It was so still and we wished that we were on a sailboat and could turn off the engine and just listen. We entered Jewfish Creek where we were going to anchor last night and saw about 40 boats anchored with less wind protection than we had at R48A. The anchorage looked like a marina and the adjoining marina was empty.
We followed the egrets and cormorants into Barnes Sound to Card Sound Bridge and then into Little Card Sound and had the company of dolphins along the way. We were coming up to the bridge through a narrow channel and met a towboat that gallantly let us have the right of way. You always appreciate those acts of kindness. We returned the courtesy to a sailboat coming down the narrow coral reef channel under full sail. Even through the narrow sections like Cutters Bank, we had depths of 7 feet and the channel was well marked.
The water turned greener and the wind increased to 15-20 knots as we approached Biscayne Bay and we could see Miami far in the distance. We entered Featherbed Channel and saw the cut-off for Biscayne National Park and wished that we could have stopped there but we had to consider that we might be able to make the Bahamas weather window for Saturday. Decisions…decisions….
Miami is very impressive from the water, especially with 40 sailboats racing off its shore. We squeezed through the Rickenbacker Causeway bridge and entered the Intracoastal leading us to Ft. Lauderdale. We passed many cruise boats staging for departure and we joked that if we do not get a weather window to the Bahamas during the next few weeks, we could always take the one day $99 special cruise there which would be far cheaper and a lot less work but we would not have the adventure that we signed up for.
We had to wait for 2 bridges to open for us and at the Venetian Bridge, the bridge tender had the south bound boats go first and then forgot about us lowly slow trawlers going northbound and started to close the bridge. WHOA---she did reopen it at the last minute which averted us making contact with the bridge itself. A little too close and personal.
The Intracoastal ride up to Fort Lauderdale is lined with hi-rises and condos which are still being built. There is still money left in America apparently. We were waked a number of times by fast Miami speedsters but most boaters observed the no wake and slow speed restrictions. We were worried that we would not get to the Las Olas Marina in Ft Lauderdale by 5pm and phoned ahead to get a dock slip and get our packages, including a life raft, put in a secure area for pick-up.
We made it by 4:55, tied up to a floating dock with Charlie and Jeannette on "Highlander" and will be paying $1 a foot with the Boat US discount which is a great price for this area. We have pushed it the past 2 days to position for a possible crossing to the Bahamas on Saturday. Do we go or not—stay tuned.
