March 3

March 3, 2015

So we are still sitting under the bridge in Ft. Lauderdale. We were going to leave around noon today but the tide was coming out and would have made it difficult to sit at the bridge before it opened because I am right there. And there was a lot of mega-yacht moving going on so we [I] decided it would be better to wait until 6 am. Good tide, no traffic.

We called a cab to go to Sailorman and West Marine and the Napa store for gear lube. We waited for almost an hour for the cab, who kept texting us to tell us he was waiting “outside” and would we come out.  We were standing in the parking lot at the entrance to the marina [there is only one!] and he was definitely not there. I kept texting [which is not easy on a flip phone] back that we were still waiting and finally we gave up and caught the bus. That put us behind considerably because we had to walk about 6 blocks from where the bus stopped. We were back here by 1 pm but I was wiped out and we had stuff to do. Gail gave us a free “Flyte” - a group of semi-volunteers who are all linked by phone, and you text the when you want a ride somewhere. It costs $20.00 to join and minimal fees when you us the service but we couldn’t make it work on our phone or the Tablet.  Thanks Gail, it was good try.

We passed a 1970 Cougar hardtop, beautiful, only $15,000.00

 

Not impressed with Sailorman much. It’s a discount, consignment store.  Their courtesy flags were $23.00. They didn’t have any of the things we were looking for. Went to West Marine and their courtesy flags were $19.00 and didn’t look anything like the one Sailorman had for the Turks and Caicos. I decided to wait and by one when we get there. It won’t be any more expensive and I’ll at least get the right one. And I’d rather spend locally. West Marine didn’t have what w needed either. We stopped at a motorcycle shop to check out headsets but he couldn’t help us either. Everything needs a damned smart phone

Around 3:30 we decided to go for a walk and see what we had missed downtown. There is a ‘Riverwalk” sidewalk that goes for miles along the river front on both sides and we set out to go downriver. The big boats that were in the slips beside C-Soul were all leaving at the same time so we watched them leave. It’s amazing what bow thrusters can do!

The train runs right through downtown along the main street. It was interesting sitting in the restaurant last night and watching it go past the window.

It’s a very beautiful walk along the river. There are elaborate buildings and sidewalks, There are memorial bricks all along the walk.

We stopped at Briny’s Irish Pub for some ice cream and ended up with a burger. Oh well, we can at the chicken tomorrow when w an ea anchor. And luckily, we did not go further or eave today because we ran onto Alethea!!! Nate and Jen [Wyatt stayed home] came over to see us and we almost passed on the boardwalk!  They look very different without coats and mitts and toques! So we stopped and talked for awhile and then they headed back to their boat.

So Barb, my sister, googled “Chevy Toy” [the boat in a previous blog] and here’s what she found:

          “It was built in 2004, is 157' long, has 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, and is a charter yacht that rents for $130,000/ week plus expenses.  So, if we siblings all went together and rented it so we could be near you for a week, it would only cost us $26,000 per couple, plus expenses.  What do you think?  I don't want to get the brothers too excited about doing it until I know you'd like our company.”

So, there’s the info in case any of you are interested!!

So we are off tomorrow asa we wake up and before 7 am because the three bridges we have to go under are closed between 7:30 and 9:00 am

Here are our tourist pics...

Pearl leaving

Beauty car!

Memorial bricks

More memorial bricks

Road runner

Broward Centre for performing arts

Tour boat

heading out past TOY

East Indian palm

Neat sculptures

Bird of paadise

Jen and Nate

The boat behind Hannah B is the dinghy !

Inside Briny's Irish Pub

MArch 2

March 2, 2015

Today was a slow, unproductive day. I did laundry and was finished by 10:30 am and then we had visitors: Bruce and Gaileen from Pearl.  We  were sitting having coffee and breakfast and all of a sudden the sun disappeared and a white wall was right at the back of the boat. The boat was so big it had to be moved up river by two tugs!

We watched some monster boats com through the bridge and by the time Rick was ready to go for groceries it was noon so he had to eat his lunch. We walked over to Publix [6 blocks] and by the time we finished getting groceries back to the boat it was 2:45. It took almost an hour to re-pack the meat, sort the pasta and rice and other stuff it was 4:00 pm, so we aren’t going to get to sight see.  Rick is going to walk up to the gas station for diesel and I will get dinner ready.

We walked past a funeral home with obviously a funeral in progress. There was a man standing there to direct traffic and stop people from taking up the funeral parking places. On the way back we passed him again and this time he was in a full black suit directing traffic. The temperature is 83 here today. 

So, did I say anything intelligent like, ‘hello’ or “gee, it’s warm today”? No, I smiled as I passed him and said,

Being tugged through

rear tug

Bruce and Gaileen from Pearl

Yup, that's a coconut

View under the bridge along the marina docks

view from the bridge

view from the bridge

an odd tree

bringing home the bacon, and chicken, and rice...

remember how big C-Soul looks? tucked in two "ordinary" boats between

and another one

This is called "Chevy Toy"  Chevy Chase or the guy who owns Chevrolet Motor??

“You must be dying in that suit.”  [I didn’t have on anything that identified me as a Canadian].

So it’s cooler this afternoon and I can’t believe I am relieved! I think when Rick gets back I will convince him to at least go for a downtown walk. I’d like to see some of the galleries and parks here.

Tomorrow we are leaving and still not sure if we will go outside to Miami or straight over to the Bahamas.  C-Soul is heading down to Miami to wait for friends and we will see them when they cross over. PEARL is also considering heading over to the Bahamas now. They’ve done this for many years and are seasoned ocean-crossers.

So we’ll see what tomorrow brings. It will be a challenge to back the boat out and navigate back down the river!

March 1 SUnday

March 1, 2015

Wow, already !!!  Time flies when you’re on a schedule!This will be short and sweet.

We came back through the bridge and into the ICW this morning around 9 am and headed down the river towards ft. Lauderdale or, as the officer at HS called it “Ft. Lahdeedah”

It rained on and off all the way down the canal, and we had no excitement until we reached the New River. Gail had advised that me to take a Valium before  entering the river.  

The pics you will see show a staggering amount of wealth here. The sad part is that the value of ONE of these boats would pay for a whole year’s worth of school lunch programs across the county there or here; or provide enough money to pay for a cleanup of the derelict boats in the river; or build a new hospital.

We are sitting in downtown Ft. Lauderdale. We had showers and tomorrow I will do the laundry. We will stay here tomorrow night and then head out in he morning for Miami or the Bahamas... not sure which yet. Tomorrow we also need groceries and some sightseeing because it’s an intriguing city.

The downtown section of the river was like driving in a very narrow street. There were water taxis, tour boats, stupid huge mega-yachts and little fishing boats and paddle boards all running up and down and back and forth. What a rush! It was great fun! And I didn’t hit anyone.

We passed the marina and had to turn around and head back. I call the marina while Rick turned the boat then I took it and tried to park us in a slip. I was right at the bridge with big boats coming at me and trying to back up to take a good run at the slip without hitting the monster sailboat behind me. No sweat!! OK, maybe a little!

Goin' fishin'

Our mast did not come up to the first spreader. This boat is 2 1/2times bigger than ours

Water taxi

Parallel parking on the river

Can you SEE the people standing on the floor above the garage?

Tour boat

Painting on the bridge

Maybe tiles, not sure

Nothing stops.

Parked behind us. Did not hit them!!

Enjoy the pics!! We had fun getting them! It's 11:00 pm and the bridge is still opening and closing and there are still people running up and down the river, partying.