Marathon to Miami

Our friends from Woodland Park, Dave and Leslie, returned via Miami from their vacation in Ecuador. They rented a car and drove to Marathon to spend two wonderful days with us before heading back to Colorado.  We enjoyed seeing some of the same sites that we had visited together over 25 years ago, when we did a bareboat charter on a sailboat.

Conch chowder, fish baskets and key lime pie in Marathon.

Big and fast boats at Holiday Isle, Islamarada, FL.  We were told they were on a poker run out of Miami.  Lamborghini was there - on display. Zoom in to see the motorcycle & Lamborghini.

We found another pretty spot.  Great scenery and great day.

 King and Dave, who knows what they're talking about??

Lots of fresh-caught fish to choose.

Leaving the restaurant.

Tranquil seas and winds took us from Marathon to Shell Key anchorage.  We were the only boat for miles, but the mosquitoes found us!

A deserted sailboat that had gone aground along the Intercoastal Waterway. There's lots of skinny water all around.

Tarpon Basin anchorage, Key Largo, had a lovely dinghy dock provided by the local government. We walked across the street to Absolute Title Company to sign the closing paperwork on our house sale.  

Our house in Spicewood sold and closed and funded.  We are happy it sold and wish the new owners as much pleasure living there are we had.  We lived there 16 years, longest we have lived in one house. We had enjoyed numerous visits from family and friends.  Good memories.  

John Pennekamp Park is a destination park in Key Largo. We planned to go offshore on a glass bottom boat tour, but when we arrived the seas were predicted to be very rough (6' waves) and the staff was recommending taking dramamine.  I recommended we tour the facility and skip the rough waters and that is what we did.

A Wyland Mural hangs in the on-site museum, with an accompanying movie about the park.

We left Tarpon Basin anchorage about 8 a.m., headed for Marine Stadium Anchorage in Miami.  We only got a very short distance, maybe a mile, when both engines were over-heating.  King turned the boat around and we re-anchored very close to the channel.  Water depths are very shallow in most of the Keys and we had picked up mud. The raw water strainers were completely blocked.  Both strainers had to be cleaned and we were on our way after about an hour delay.

The weather and waves were good on Friday, but for only one day. So, we purposefully cut our time short in Key Largo, or it would have been a week before the weather improved enough to go to Miami.  Jennifer and Pierre from Wild Raven Adventures were camped at Elliot Key and needed to also cross Biscayne Bay.  They had to paddle out to us because we could not get into the shallow land.  They have a speaking engagement in Miami so they rode along with us rather than cross the predicted very rough waters of Biscayne Bay.

Here they come paddling their canoe. 

Not a good picture of Wild Raven crew, but the only one I took.  It was an experience to anchor and then load their 500 pounds of gear up the swim ladder and then put their boat on the front of Blue Moon.

Miami and boats and more boats of every shape and size, from the tiny fishing boat to very large cruise liners.

Miami with the canoe on the front of Blue Moon.

Rain is coming.

 Jennifer taking pictures from the deck.  We are going under a bridge with lots of boat traffic.

We anchored at Marine Stadium.  The view of downtown Miami was spectacular.

This is a very busy anchorage.  Lots of activity early on Saturday morning.  

Sights along the waterway.  Buildings on the right are Trump Towers Three.

Another fabulous sunset from our anchorage at Maule Lake.  

 Homes built along the waterway.

We arrived at Oleta River State Park in North Miami.  Jennifer, Pierre and Jasmine are staying at the campground and preparing for their presentation, ''Montreal to Miami".   We rented a car yesterday and visited the three W's every boater knows - WalMart, West Marine and Walgreen's.  

Google map of Oleta State Park and anchorage.  We are the blue dot in the center of the picture.  The boat just to the south of us is a large trimarran.  It is still here, don't know how long it must have been here.

We met our boat neighbor, Jules, who is also from the Quebec, Ontario area.  He is towing us from our anchorage up to the campground.  Our dinghy motor quit.  King realized the electric motor he bought didn't specify 'for use in salt water'. It was a cheap motor - now we know why.  So, we have a new motor on order - one that likes salt water.