Some Fun in the Florida Sun — INDEPENDENCE CHRONICLES

After boxing up the holidays in California we eagerly returned to the Independence in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. At the first sign of warm weather we lowered the tender in the water and explored the myriad of ‘rivers & channels’ in our watery back yard. A majority of the waterways have a speed restriction so it is not too difficult to run about in the dingy. This is, after-all, how we go grocery shopping. Not a bad set-up, as the ‘Dingy Dock’ is right across the street from the grocery store and the docking fee is transferable to the bar when you are done shopping! After spending a few weeks locally, seeing the sites and completing projects on the boat, we decide it is time to hop over to the West Coast of Florida and see our friends in Sarasota & Punta Gorda. Just a quick trip in a rental car for the weekend and then we are back to the boat on Monday. The following week the weather permits and we take the Independence down South to Biscayne Bay to check her engines, the auto-pilot and re-calibrate the compass. All systems perform perfectly and it is great to be out on the open water again. We anchor in Biscayne Bay and the next day we run the tender into Dinner Key Marina to check out Coconut Grove. Coconut Grove has an amazing history of Seaplane aviation and was the largest marine air terminal in the world in 1929. The Pan American Airways Seaplane Base began flying Clipper Seaplane service between the United Sates and Latin America in 1929 and flew this route until 1945. The property was sold to the city of Miami the next year and the Terminal Building became the the Miami City Hall in 1954. Coconut Grove is a sweet little town, slightly in transition at present, as many of the larger properties are under construction. But there are a couple sweet little streets that still have some ‘deco’ style charm and a few inviting establishments. After two nights at anchor in The Bay we head back to the Bahia Mar Marina to enjoy more of the local flavor of Fort Lauderdale.

The Southport Raw Bar restaurant (Fort Lauderdale, FL) is like Sam’s Anchor Cafe (Tiburon, CA) back in the good old days & it has a dedicated dingy dock. You pick up your groceries across the street & then have a beer and oysters when you re… — The Southport Raw Bar restaurant (Fort Lauderdale, FL) is like Sam’s Anchor Cafe (Tiburon, CA) back in the good old days & it has a dedicated dingy dock. You pick up your groceries across the street & then have a beer and oysters when you return.

Dogs are welcome at the Southport Raw Bar and Larry fell in love with this Vizla puppy

A great weekend with our friends Connie and Rich in Punta Gorda. We got a ride on their new Grady White - nice boat!!! Bentley loved the pink hippo toy we gave her.

The people watching is only exceeded by the car watching on the A1A in Fort Lauderdale

Upon returning to Fort Lauderdale from Punta Gorda we learned there had been some excitement at the fuel dock. No one was harmed in the fire but the small vessel on fire drifted back into David MacNeil’s (‘WeatherTech’ floor mat Founder & CEO) … — Upon returning to Fort Lauderdale from Punta Gorda we learned there had been some excitement at the fuel dock. No one was harmed in the fire but the small vessel on fire drifted back into David MacNeil’s (‘WeatherTech’ floor mat Founder & CEO) mega yacht. Evidently, the new paint job will run about a million bucks!!! Upper photo courtesy of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Cruising into Biscayne Bay, Miami, Florida

They still love us!!! So great to be back on the water.

Not sure if this was a crab pot line or just a loose/floating line, either way it looks like the line cutters did most of the work but the captain finished the job…my new ‘Lobster’ scissors did the trick. Perhaps I will use them on Lobster soon…

Dinner Key is home to a great deal of Seaplane and aviation history

We leave the boat on anchor in Biscayne Bay and take the tender to the very popular dingy-dock. From there we see the sights of Dinner Key/Coconut Grove, FL.

Rum Sundays are back! At anchor in Biscayne Bay with the Miami skyline currently in view as we swing on the hook and enjoy reading our friends fantastic book he wrote about his amazing father.

Recent sunrises and sunsets on Biscayne Bay, Miami, FL

Back in Fort Lauderdale we had to experience a typical locals weekend spot ‘The Sandbar’. You anchor your boat, dingy, etc. and enjoy a cold one in the sun. The perfect option for social distancing! If your brave, you can order lunch from the ‘Th… — Back in Fort Lauderdale we had to experience a typical locals weekend spot ‘The Sandbar’. You anchor your boat, dingy, etc. and enjoy a cold one in the sun. The perfect option for social distancing! If you’re brave, you can order lunch from the ‘The Sandbar’ mobile restaurant.

The Middle River Channel in Fort Lauderdale takes you to downtown

The main channel entering Fort Lauderdale. The bridge is open for a large vessel…speaking of large vessels…notice how tall the mast is on the sailboat behind the bridge. That is the M5 or Mirabelle V.

This is the Mirabella V. She is a sloop-rigged super yacht and is the largest single masted yacht ever built. She is 255 feet long and her mast is 290 feet tall. Now you know why she looks so much taller than the bridge in the previous picture.

We take the tender over to Whiskey Creek and check out the cultural and historical history…..and the bar! — We take the tender over to Whiskey Creek and check out the culture & history…..and the bar!

We were shocked to find another Downtowner Saloon (this one is on the channel heading toward down town Fort Lauderdale). It makes us reminisce about Sue St. Marie, Michgan and our how much fun we had there…Hi John!!!

We will miss Fort Lauderdale and its great Saturdays with free yoga in the park, the farmers’ market where you can buy the best empanadas and the best jambalaya at the bar of Coconuts.