Saturday, December 31st

Musical entertainment along the canal continues into the early hours of the morning.  One of the final songs in last evening's repertoire is Stairway to Heaven,  a popular Led Zeppelin tune from the early 70s.  The music ends, but in the silence, I lay awake replaying the haunting lyrics of that song in my mind..."there's a feeling I get when I look to the west, and my spirit is crying for leaving..."  Wide awake now, I retreat to the aft cabin to read myself to sleep.

In contrast to last evening, all is calm here in the Little Havana canal this morning.  Hopeful fishermen depart for the reef at daybreak.  The late night revelers are fast asleep this morning.  A few barking dogs and muted conversations en Espanol break the morning silence.  The Spanish spoken here is of the blistering speed variety.  Our understanding of these conversations is limited to a single palabra here and there.  Despite our limitations in conversational Spanish, we are adjusting to the rythym of life here in Little Havana.

[caption id="attachment_2586" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Sunrise Cafe Cuban Restaurant in Tavernier"][/caption]

Our new young friends return to Fort Lauderdale for New Year's Eve revelry.  We hit the pavement by bicycle to explore our new digs.  First stop is the Cuban Restaurant in Tavernier to acquire freshly baked bread for our New Year's Eve dinner aboard Cutter Loose.  Then it is north along the Route 1 bike trail for an out and back to Port Largo for lunch and exploration of the harbor.  The charter fleet is just returning from the reef with a boatload of satisfied fishermen displaying their catch.  Back at Cutter Loose, the bike odometers show 24 perfectly flat miles for the day. 

The canal is eerily dark and quiet tonight.  Based on last night's performance, our expectations are for more of the same, or perhaps kicked up a notch on the occasion of New Year's Eve.  Other than sporadic fireworks, it is a calm here in the Little Havana canal.

Soon, the relentless passage of time and tide will turn the page of a new year.  Looking back, 2011 has been an exciting year of discovery in which our lifestyle has changed dramatically.  The end of work and the transition to cruising has been, and continues to be a most fulfilling adventure.  Since June, our daily routine has been one of incessant variety.  Our travels have taken us from Frenchman Bay in northeast Maine to Key Largo in the Florida Keys.  Along the way, we have witnessed new places , met new people and enjoyed reunions with old friends.  In 2011 alone, we have cruised a total of 165 days, sailing Cutter Loose over 3100 nautical miles in the process.  The experience has been outstanding beyond expectation.

Today on this final day of the year, we are also fondly remembering our visit to the majestic Tetons in August with friends Dar, Barbara, Tom and Mary.  The alpine bicycling and hiking experiences in the mountains and alongside the emerald glacial lakes brought us up close and personal with nature.  There is something about a mountain experience that cleanses the soul.  The combination of mountain and sea experiences have made 2011 a year that will not soon be forgetten. 

We are especially grateful to family and friends that have remained in touch and provided support during our travels.  Being many miles from our network of friends and family at home is one of the sacrifices of the liveaboard lifestyle.  The old addage "out of sight, out of mind" applies here.  Being away places us at risk of falling out of touch with folks that mean so much to us.  Your phone calls and e mails are important inasmuch as they help us to remain connected with life ashore.  Among your New Year's Resolutions, please resolve to stay in touch with us.  We promise to reciprocate.

With that thought in mind, we wish you all a very happy and healthy 2012.

Friday, December 30th

[caption id="attachment_2562" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Entering the narrow residential canal at Tavernier"][/caption]

There is no rush to weigh anchor this mornning.  Our destination is Tavernier, located at the southern tip of Key Largo, a scant seven miles south of our anchorage at Rodriquez Key.  We will dock Cutter Loose on a residential canal in Tavernier abutting the home of friends Brian and Joyce.  Our arrival coincides with high tide.  At the dock, we are greeted by Brendan, Stephan, Lance and Sarah who catch our docklines.  We are promptly bestowed with gifts of fresh yellowtail and tuna filets, the results of yesterday's fishing expedition.

While Brendan and friends return to the reef for more fishing and snorkeling, we settle in to our new surroundings.  This neighborhood is a weekend destination for folks whose primary residence is located in or near Miami.  People come to their homes in the Keys to escape the City.  They fish the reefs by day.  In the afternoon and evenings, they relax and party.  The canal is the focal point of the neighborhood.  Nearly every home is equipped with center console fishing boats docked on the canal.  Neighbors meet and greet one another in the yards that abut the canal.  Returning fishermen clean and filet their catch alongside their docks.  There is commraderie amongst neighbors.  Most of the residents are Hispanic.  They barely notice that we are here.

[caption id="attachment_2564" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Little Havana canal in Tavernier"][/caption]

The first thing we learn about our new surroundings is that there will be no need to use the stereo system aboard Cutter Loose during our stay.  Music here is provided free of charge by neighborhood residents.  One resident in particular seems to have been designated as  the neighborhood DJ.  His stereo system has sufficient power to entertain the entire canal.  Frequently, neighbors express their support and appreciation for the Dj's musical selections.  But at other times, certain neighbors try in vain to compete with the DJ.    Musical selections range from salsa to reggae to hip hop.

In truth, the DJ is not really a professional DJ.  The home diagonally across the canal with the powerful stereo is the scene of a large family gathering where music and dancing are part of the celebration. 

[caption id="attachment_2565" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Brendan, Stephan, Lance and Sarah on the hunt aboard Reef Rover"][/caption]

At dusk, the home fishing team returns with the catch of the day.  They prepare a meal of fresh yellowtail with braised bok choy, the surplus of which is shared with and gratefully accepted by the crew of Cutter Loose.  It is comforting to be nourished by these considerate young fish mongers here in Little Havana.  We will remain in Tavernier for a few days to explore Key Largo.

Thursday, December 29th

At 7 AM, the anchor is up at dead low tide in Dinner Key.  The Miami skyline disappears astern as Cutter Loose moves south through Biscayne Bay.  This is ideal sailing.  The coral reefs and islands to our east provide protection from ocean swells.  Each tiny island is a key and each key has a name...Soldier Key, Ragged Keys, Boca Chita Key, Elliott Key.  In the openings between the keys, slender fingers of deeper water lead towards the ocean.  Sand bars on both the Bay side and the ocean side of these cuts render the openings  unnavigable.  This entire ecosystem is part of the Biscayne National Park.  No tourists.  No campsites.  No lodge or hiking trails.  Traffic here is limited to an occasional fisherman and a few cruising boats headed south for the winter.

[caption id="attachment_2540" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Mangroves along Angelfish Creek"][/caption]

Biscayne Bay is a shallow body of water with depths averaging about ten feet.  The Bay becomes even shallower to the south.  With this thought in mind, we leave the Bay, navigating our way east through the mangrove-lined banks of Angelfish Creek and into the deeper aquamarine waters of Hawk Channel.

[caption id="attachment_2541" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Cutter Loose in Angelfish Creek"][/caption]

Our course takes us southwest between Key Largo to the west and an endless chain of underwater coral reefs to the east that buffer Hawk Channel from the open ocean.  This is an incredible coastal setting.  We can scarcely believe that we are here.

[caption id="attachment_2543" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The chartplotter tells the story of Hawk Channel...Key Largo to the west and nothing but coral reefs and Atlantic Ocean to the east"][/caption]

Our destination for today is Rodriquez Key.  This is a popular overnight anchorage, roughly midway between Miami and Marathon.  Tonight the weather is exceptionally calm.  There is just a hint of a breeze and Cutter Loose is lying motionless, which is incredible given the expanse of open water that surrounds us.

[caption id="attachment_2542" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Power napping in the relatively open waters of Hawk Channel"][/caption]

Monday, December 26th through Wednesday, December 28th - layover at Dinner Key

Cutter Loose remains at anchor near Dinner Key on the western shore of Biscayne Bay.  The dinghy dock at Dinnner Key Marina provides convenient access to Coconut Grove with its trendy shops, restaurants, theaters, galleries, Starbucks, private schools and academies.  A Fresh Market foodstore (very similar to Whole Foods) is located on the waterfront adjacent to Dinner Key Marina.  The Grove, taken together with Coral Gables is one of the most desirable neighborhoods in the City of Miami.

[caption id="attachment_2497" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Streetscape scene in The Grove"][/caption]

A former Naval air base here on Dinner Key was acquired by Pan American Airlines as the base of operations for its twin engine Commodore seaplanes.   The inaugural flight from Dinner Key to Panama occurred on December 1, 1930.   For a fare of $35, passengers could board one of Pan Am's flying ships for a round-trip flight to Havana or Nassau.  Pan Am discontinued its use of these facilities in 1945, after which the terminal building became (and still is) utilized as Miami's City Hall.  Several of the former hangars on the waterfront are now utilized as marinas and sailing centers.  Today, retro Pan Am handbags (popularized by the current TV series of the same name) are hot-selling commodities in the village.

[caption id="attachment_2501" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Lunch with fellow Irene survivors Barbara and Scott"][/caption]

On Monday, we arrange to meet friends Barbara and Scott for lunch in Coconut Grove.  We first bonded with these Key Biscayne residents in Shelter Island, NY on the days leading up to the arrival of Hurricane Irene in August, 2011.  Like us, they opted to ride out Irene on a mooring at the Shelter Island Yacht Club.  Like us, they overnighted ashore without electricity at the Chequit Inn during the passage of Irene.  It is good to be with these folks again, this time under less threatening circumstances.  After lunch, Scott and Barbara provide a narrated automobile tour of the lovely communities of Coconut Grove and Key Biscayne.  A big thank you to Barbara and Scott for getting together with us and introducing us to your hood.

[caption id="attachment_2516" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Cutter Loose at anchor near Dinner Key where Pan Am Clipper Ships once landed on Biscayne Bay and taxied to the terminal. Miami skyline in background."][/caption]

The temperature tonight is perfect for dining and lounging in the cockpit of Cutter Loose, recounting the events of the day.  We gaze at the lights of the City and the movement of aircraft across the night sky on final approach to Miami International.  We try to imagine Pan Am Clippers landing in these waters. This is a remarkable place to spend the night at anchor.

[caption id="attachment_2496" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Coco Walk, an intown specialty mall with multiplex theater"][/caption]

On Tuesday, we continue our stroll through the Grove, enjoying lunch at a sidewalk cafe and a movie at the local stadium seating multiplex in which George Clooney delivers a strong performance in the film Descendants.  When we return to the dinghy dock, the wind is up in advance of an approaching cold front.  The whitecaps join us in the dinghy for the lumpy ride back to Cutter Loose.  We arrive at the boat looking like a couple of soggy wharf rats.  Tonight we watch the Kennedy Center Honors on the ship's TV as the wind increases in intensity and begins its gradual shift to the northwest, then north.

[caption id="attachment_2498" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Egret transit"][/caption]

The cold front passes in the early morning hours, leaving 10 knot winds and crystal clear skies in its wake.  At 9 AM on Wednesday, the temperature is 62 degrees, headed to a high of 72 later this afternoon.  Not exactly survival conditions, but a noticeable change in temperature and humidity nonetheless.

Wednesday's exploration includes a stop at nearby Miami City Hall, which was the former Pan American Airlines terminal building.  City staff were quite accommodating, urging us to examine the historic Pan AM photographs throughout the building.

[caption id="attachment_2518" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Historic Pan Am photos on display at City Hall"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2520" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Vizcaya mansion and museum"][/caption]

Next on the agenda is a visit to Vizcaya, the winter home of International Harvester vice president James Deering.  This waterfront residence was constructed between 1914 and 1916, but was designed to resemble much older structures dating back to the Italian Renaissance.  Most of the furniture, fireplaces, doors and even ceilings were purchased in Europe and transported to Miami for this project.  The mansion is surrounded by ornate gardens.

[caption id="attachment_2519" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Vizcaya Gardens"][/caption]

We have thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Dinner Key/Coconut Grove.  But it is time to move further south in the Keys.  Next stop: Key Largo.

Sunday, December 25th - Christmas Day

On this, our first Christmas in the subtropics, we extend a hearty Merry Christmas to family, friends and other followers of this blog.  It is emotionally difficult to be so many miles away from loved ones on Christmas Day.  For those who have written or called, we are most appreciative of your efforts to reach out to us during this special time of year. 

Cutter Loose is on the move today.  We depart Miami Beach Marina and re-enter Government Cut towards the ICW, only to be hailed on VHF 16 by Miami Dade Marine Patrol with a stern warning to reverse direction.  The main ship channel where all of the cruise boats are moored is closed today for security purposes.  Apparently, there is a concern that terrorists may use the occasion of Christmas to stage an attack on thousands of defenseless visitors on holiday.

We obediently comply, making a 180 degree turn in Government Cut and retracing our steps toward the ocean inlet.  We enter the alternative Lummus Channel and turning basin to the south.  Lummus Channel houses the docks that service freighters and container ships.  These lowly vessels pose a less attractive target to terrorists.

As we rejoin the ICW, Cutter Loose is within a few hundred yards of the waterfront promenade in the downtown area of Miami.  The waterway leads south under the Rickenbacker Bridge and into Biscayne Bay.  The Bay is a shallow lagoon bordered on the west by the south Florida mainland and on the east by a series of barrier islands.

[caption id="attachment_2476" align="aligncenter" width="1260" caption="Miami skyline"][/caption]

Cutter Loose is anchored near Dinner Key Island Park.  Immediately to our west is the village of Coconut Grove, the southernmost neighborhood in the City of Miami.  From our placid anchorage, we enjoy an outstanding view of the Miami skyline.  Tomorrow, we will dinghy ashore to explore Coconut Grove.  But in the meantime, we settle in to enjoy the remainder of Christmas Day.  Pat prepares an excellent Christmas dinner of pork tenderloin, yams, brussel sprouts and fresh bread while we listen to Christmas music on the stereo.  It is a small but cozy celebration aboard Cutter Loose.

Saturday, December 24th - lay day in Miami Beach

[caption id="attachment_2462" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Art deco hotels on Ocean Drive"][/caption]

The morning begins with a relaxed, perfectly flat 20 mile bicycle tour of Miami Beach from South Point Park along Government Cut, then north to 79th Street via Ocean Drive and Collins Avenue.  Once north of South Beach, Collins Avenue becomes a continuous row of highrise condominiums.  A few blocks inland, smaller two and three story apartment buildings and modest homes dot the landscape.  After lunch and people watching at a sidewalk cafe on the Lincoln Street pedestrian mall, we tour the discomforting Holocaust Memorial and ride through Flamingo Park.

Under sunny skies, the temperatures soar into the 80s today.  Aboard Cutter Loose, the air conditioner is working hard to keep the cabin cool and dry.  It is difficult to make the transition to a Christmas mindset under these conditions.

Somewhere south of Fort Lauderdale and north of Miami Beach, English ceases to be the primary spoken language.  We use this as an opportunity to improve on our conversational Spanish.  Both residents and visitors alike are highly diverse.  There are many different languages spoken in this community.

[caption id="attachment_2464" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Candlelight Christmas Eve service at Miami Beach Community Church"][/caption]

Back aboard Cutter Loose, we take advantage of our slip to focus on chores, including laundry, an engine oil change and a haircut.  In the evening, we attend the Christmas Eve Candlelight service at the Miami Beach Community Church, one of only a few churches in South Beach.  Parishioners and visitors reflect the overall diversity of the community.  From caucasian families to gays and drag queens to African Americans, Hispanics, Asians and the homeless, this congregation welcomes everyone.  The soloists render a professional performance and everyone seems genuinely comforted in hearing the familiar passages, singing traditional carols and raising their candles to illumiate the dimly lit sanctuary.  Perhaps there is reason to believe that peaceful coexistence may actually be achievable.

[caption id="attachment_2461" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Menorah on the Mall"][/caption]

After the service, we stroll along the pedestrian mall and Ocean Drive.  Temperatures have fallen into the mid-seventies and a slight ocean breeze makes for a comfortable evening walk.  A lively outdoor Hanukkah concert is taking place on the mall.  Compared to Friday night, the tone of the celebration on Saturday evening is more subdued.  Sure, the flamboyantly dressed attention seekers are still reveling in the party atmosphere that is South Beach.  But most folks are gathering in small groups to enjoy a quiet Christmas Eve dinner.

It is after 11 PM by the time we return to Cutter Loose.  At this hour, we are thankful to be able to walk to the boat in a marina, thus avoiding a potentially wet ride in the dinghy.  It has been a complete day.  Needless to say, we will not be staying awake for Santa's arrival tonight.

Friday, December 23rd

After a restful night's sleep at our Las Olas mooring, we are underway at 7 AM in order to make the 7:30 AM opening of the 17th Street Bridge.  Once through this bridge, we steer Cutter Loose into the turning basin of Port Everglades.  We are surrounded by giant cruise ships and container ships as we depart the ICW and turn east into the Atlantic Ocean.  Port Everglades is a Class A inlet with protective jetties and an abundance of lighted buoys.  This is a safe and easy inlet to navigate.

This morning, there is a 10 knot breeze out of the southeast which pushes against the ebb tide, creating chop in the channel.  After making our turn to the south, we motorsail 20 miles south to the Port of Miami in 2 to 3 foot waves.  The NOAA marine weather forecast for today is right on the mark, but Pat is not pleased with the motion of the ocean.

[caption id="attachment_2434" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Entering Government Cut in Miami"][/caption]

At 11 AM,  we are abeam of Government Cut, another Class A inlet to the Port of Miami.  Immediately inland of the entrance jetties is the Miami Beach Marina to the north.  We decide to secure a slip here for a few days to explore this town. 

The first order of business is to thoroughly remove the salt from the decks of Cutter Loose.  Within a few hours, she is looking respectable.  Although there is a partial breakwater to protect the marina from the wakes of passing motor vessels, the concrete barrier is no match for the high speed jet tour boats and go fast pleasure boats that rule these waters.  Cutter Loose is rolling in her slip.  There are no floating docks, which means that we must continually adjust docklines to compensate for the three foot tidal range.  

[caption id="attachment_2435" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Promenade at Miami Beach Marina"][/caption]

Undaunted, we are off on foot to explore this retro beach destination.  The claim to fame of Miami Beach is its art deco architecture, a style reminiscent of the 1930s and 1940s.  A large historic district has been created to protect the boutique art deco hotels that line Ocean Drive and Collins Avenue.  Many of the smaller art deco hotels in South Beach feature outdoor cafes on the front porch and sidewalk, a perfect vantage point for sipping mojitos and people watching.  And there are plenty of people to watch, many of them twenty-somethings whose primary aim is to attract attention.  This clientele is attracted to the music-thumping bars and night clubs on Ocean Drive.   We tire of this scene and return to Cutter Loose around 9 PM, just as the action is shifting into first gear.  Round midnight, South Beach will be the place to see and be seen.

[caption id="attachment_2436" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Collins Avenue streetscape"][/caption]

 

Sunday, December 18th through Thursday, December 22nd - lay days in Ft. Lauderdale

Eight action-packed days have passed since our arrival in Fort Lauderdale.  This is by far the longest stay in any one location of our journey thusfar.  It is both a productive and enjoyable visit, due largely to the hospitality extended to us by Joyce, Brian, Stephani and Robin.  Time has evaporated since our arrival here last Thursday afternoon.

Perhaps most noticeable is the fact that the weather has been perfect...a mixture of clouds and sun with daily high temperatures in the upper 70s and lows in the lower 70s.  A constant ocean breeze keeps the palm trees swaying and the cabin well ventilated.  Sunny skies are the rule here, not the exception...a definite morale booster in winter.

Sunday begins at First Pres where the seats are comfortable, the choir is powerful and the message is inspiring.  Following the service, we stroll past the shops on Las Olas Boulevard and pause for coffee and pastries at the Italian bakery.  Later in the afternoon, we meet Joyce and Brian at the Fort Lauderdale Yacht Club where a fundraiser is underway for the local opera society.  We are seated in the wings, eavesdropping on the band without actively participating in the event.   After all, we are dressed in shorts while the opera society patrons are attired in evening wear.

[caption id="attachment_2423" align="aligncenter" width="150" caption="Pat and Joyce laugh it up with new friend Peter the jazz keyboardist at the Fort Lauderdale Yacht Club"][/caption]

 

On Monday, we visit the largest West Marine in the world, a vertiable supermarket of marine supplies.  Our visit takes longer than anticipated and there is no time for lunch before our early afternoon appointment with officials at the local U.S. Customs and Border Control office at Port Everglades.  Here we finalize our local boater option registration.  This registration permits us to clear U.S. Customs upon our return to the U.S. from the Bahamas by a simple telephone call rather than reporting in person to the local Homeland Security office.  This appointment also takes longer than anticipated.  It is now mid-afternoon and we are starved.  A panini lunch at a sidewalk cafe on Las Olas Boulevard is the perfect cure.  Later this evening, we dine with trawler friends Laura and Bill at an eatery on the Riverwalk, near Kindred Spirit's dock space alongside the New River.  We first met Laura and Bill in St. Marys City, GA where we enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner together.

Tuesday is a dawn-to-dusk work day.  The morning begins by delivering our damaged dinghy to the inflatable repair shop in the suburbs.  Then it is on to Costco and Publix for provisioning. While Pat attends to the laundry, I shuttle the provisions to Cutter Loose in our newly patched dinghy. 

Wednesday begins with additional provisioning followed by lunch with Stephani and Robin.  In the afternoon, we relax by the pool at Stephani and Robin's lovely home in the western suburb of Cooper City, returning to Cutter Loose at dusk.

Thursday is our final day in Fort Lauderdale.  The day begins with a bike ride to the now familiar Las Olas Boulevard for coffee and pastry, then on to Publix on Andrews Avenue for final provisioning.  In the early afternoon, we board Captain Brian's Reef Rocket shuttle and blast off for John Lloyd State Park where we enjoy an outdoor lunch at a beachside restaurant.  After lunch, we bid farewell to Joyce and Brian and agree to meet again at their home in Tavernier on the southern edge of Key Largo.

[caption id="attachment_2421" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Blasting off aboard Reef Rocket"][/caption]

We wish to thank Joyce, Brian, Stephani and Robin for the generous hospitality extended to us during our stay in Fort Lauderdale.  We will miss their company.  But we also know that Cutter Loose will call once again in this fabulous port, probably sooner rather than later.

Saturday, December 17th - lay day in Fort Lauderdale

Each day spent in Fort Lauderdale makes it more difficult to think about leaving.  We are being spoiled by the amenities of the City, the support of friends and convenient access to interesting events ashore.

[caption id="attachment_2376" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Fort Lauderdale Riverwalk"][/caption]

Today is a delightful day to tour the City by bicycle.  Our first stop is for breakfast at the Floridian, a local Las Olas landmark with a relaxed atmosphere reminiscent of a 1970s-style coffeehouse.  Further west on Las Olas, we cycle along the downtown Riverwalk where pleasure boats and restaurants line the New River.  The downtown office district is empty today, which makes it easy to navigate the city streets. 

[caption id="attachment_2375" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Occupy Fort Lauderdale protest march on Las Olas Boulevard"][/caption]

The retail district of Las Olas Boulevard, however, is snarled with traffic and holiday shoppers.  Traffic comes to a complete stop when a boisterous group of Occupy Fort Lauderdale protesters march into the core of the trendy Las Olas business district.  Under the watchful eye of Fort Lauderdale's finest, the protestors are well-behaved.

Soon, traffic is moving once again as we cycle east, across the Las Olas Boulevard Bridge to the beach where live music flows from the beachside bars and restaurants.  The walkways and beaches are full of tourists today, happy to be outdoors on a warm, sunny afternoon.  

[caption id="attachment_2373" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Bike Fridays at Ft. Lauderdale Beach"][/caption]

Tonight, we are guests at a dinner party at the home of Joyce and Brian.  Mary, Reggie and Keith round out the party.  With the decorated live tree and colored lights throughout their lovely home, it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

[caption id="attachment_2396" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Pat, Eric, Brian, Joyce, Reggie, Mary and Keith"][/caption]

Friday, December 16th - lay day in Fort Lauderdale

[caption id="attachment_2374" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Cutter Loose at her mooring near the Las Olas Boulevard Bridge in Fort Lauderdale"][/caption]

Shortly after daybreak on Friday, we lift anchor in Lake Sylvia and retrace our steps to the Las Olas Boulevard Bridge where Cutter Loose is now secured to a City mooring.  Lake Sylvia is very secure, but the closest dinghy dock is miles away.  Friends Stephani and Robin have arranged our own private dinghy dock at the home of a friend.  The property is located on a residential canal just minutes from our mooring via dinghy.

[caption id="attachment_2381" align="alignright" width="300" caption="our very own dinghy dock"][/caption]

 

After lunch at Georgio's, Stefani and Robin orient us to the network of streets and highways in Fort Lauderdale between Las Olas Boulevard on the north, the beach to the east, 17th Street on the south and Route 1 on the west.  They have offered us the use of their car during our stay here in Fort Lauderdale.  We are overwhelmed with their generosity...our very own private dinghy dock, AND a car, AND the company of friends!  It doesn't get much better than this!

Meanwhile, back on the home front, neighbors Jim and Marnie discover an important Fed Ex package at our front door.  It contains our long-awaited decal and transponder from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection that permits us to re-enter the U.S. from the Bahamas.  Marnie wastes no time forwarding the package to us via overnight mail.  Meanwhile, our Island Packet friends Chuck and Jeanne in Pittsburgh have agreed to act as recipients of our fowarded mail from the postal service.  They keep us advised when important documents arrive in the mail.  We are blessed with friends at home in Pittsburgh and here in Fort Lauderdale that provide behind the scenes support for our voyage.

[caption id="attachment_2384" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Guests of Joyce and Brian at Fort Lauderdale Yacht Club"][/caption]

After our orientation tour of Fort Lauderdale, we join Joyce and Brian poolside at the Fort Lauderdale Yacht Club for Friday afternoon appetizers.  At sunset, the cannon blast  announces the retirement of the colors.  Everyone stands and salutes while appreciating the backdrop of dusk on the New River.

[caption id="attachment_2385" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Impromptu party at Fort Lauderdale Yacht Club on the shore of the New River"][/caption]

 

As fortune would have it, we secure tickets to Friday night's performance of a spectacular Christmas pageant at the First Baptist Church.  Members of the cast are selected from the 12,000 members of this mega church.  The performance and the sanctuary is more akin to a Broadway production than a church pageant.  The evening begins with secular Christmas music, as performed by the church choir and a full orchestra complete with strings.  Each song triggers a change in set and costumes.  The second set begins with the Christmas story and ends with the Crucifixion and the Ascension. 

The lighting, costumes and special effects are nothing short of first rate.  The various sets include live camels, donkeys, goats and sheep, angels flying overhead suspended from a ceiling trapeze, an ice skating rink that rises up from the stage floor, glitter dropped from the ceilings and perfectly timed pyrotechnics for emphasis.  The dance routines are perfectly choreographed.  After the final scene, the entire cast makes its way in costume to the foyer and sidewalks to greet the guests leaving the sanctuary.  We are both entertained and inspired by the talent and hard work of this congregation.

[caption id="attachment_2372" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Christmas pageant at the First Baptist Church"][/caption]

Thursday, December 15th

From Boca Raton Lake, the journey past Hillsborough Inlet to Fort Lauderdale is a mere 14 nautical miles.  Under normal circumstances, a 14 mile trip on Cutter Loose could be accomplished in about two hours.  A total of eight restricted bridges along this stretch turn this leg into a four hour experience.  Thankfully, there is little boat traffic in the ICW early on a Thursday morning.  The bridges are opening just for us.  As we draw closer to Fort Lauderdale, the homes become even more luxurious and the boats have become enormous.  House gaping and boat watching make today's journey along the ICW pleasurable.  

Arriving in Fort Lauderdale is something of a milestone.  We have traveled 1200 miles along the ICW since leaving Rock Hall on October 22nd.  From here, vessels continuing south with mast heights greater than 56 feet must exit the ICW and enter the Atlantic Ocean through the Port Everglades inlet.  We will confront this challenge in the next leg.  But for now, we will pause for a few days to enjoy the company of friends and savor the amenities of this city of canals.

Cutter Loose is anchored in Lake Sylvia, just south of the Las Olas Boulevard Bridge.  The lake is surrounded with attractive homes and the anchorage is packed to capacity with cruising boats, waiting for a weather window to sail east to the Bahamas or south to the Keys.  Fort Lauderdale is a major crossroads for cruisers.  The outlines of cruise ships are visible on the horizon as they enter and leave Port Everglades inlet, just a mile to the south.  The ritual is for cruise ships to blow their whistles at condo dwellers along the inlet.  The condo dwellers respond in-kind by beating on pots and pans.

[caption id="attachment_2353" align="alignright" width="225" caption="Pat, Stephanie and Joyce enjoy a high school reunion in Fort Lauderdale"][/caption]

We enjoy a champagne welcoming party aboard Cutter Loose this afternoon, courtesy of Pat's high school friends, Joyce and Stephani.  They have been busy preparing appetizers to commemorate our arrival in Fort Lauderdale.  Joyce and Stephani are accompanied by their spouses Brian and Robin.  After catching up in the cockpit until dark, Captain Brian escorts us to dinner at a nearby waterfront restaurant aboard the motor vessel Reef Rocket.   Afterwards, we board Reef Rocket for a lightshow tour along the New River where residents have overachieved in decorating their homes and yards for the holidays.

[caption id="attachment_2344" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Holiday lightshow on the New River"][/caption]