Magnolia departed Stuart FL headed south on the Intracoastal Waterway towards Palm Beach with some of the most expensive real-estate in the country. Perhaps that explains why 2-300HP engines are not enough and there MUST be 3! One of those are you kidding me moments!
The passage from Lake Worth to Miami is about 65 miles which is right on the edge of completing in daylight hours particularly with the shortened winter days of December. To avoid rushing to make a daylight entrance into Miami Magnolia made the passage down the ICW during daylight hours and then anchored just inside Lake Worth Inlet. The crew took a couple hour knap and just before sunset we got underway for an overnight passage to Miami comfortable we would be departing and arriving in the light.
Our friends and mentors Ty & Suzanne owned a boat name Liberty which they sailed on the east coast and then across the Atlantic as far east as Turkey. “Taia” below was once known as Liberty and is now sailed my a wonderful family with young children aboard. Lovely people whom we met in the Abacos last fall. We ran across them as we were headed to our anchorage near Lake Worth Inlet and as they arrived from Saint Augustine.
After our knap and boat preperations we were off but first be had to share the inlet with another private yacht, though much different and BIGGER than Magnolia!
The picture below was taken about 1 mile off shore as we headed out into the ocean for our over night hop. It really is nice and MUCH safer to be offshore. There is nothing to bump into (not that much anyway) and you don’t worry too much about shallow water!
We arrived Miami without incident and as planned finding a nice anchorage right on the west side of Miami Beach.
The big motivation to visit Miami was visit with cousin and fellow GenIV Kyle McAndrews. Consequently the Admiral directed her barge be brought around so she could head into town. (Truthfully Annette’s dinghy is called “Blossom”, Magnolia “Blossom”, get it?)
We met Kyle for Sunday Brunch walked down to the beach followed by a Mojito or two at an outside café at the Lincoln Street pedestrian mall. It was a non-stop gab fest of catching up and enjoying perfect Sunday afternoon.
It was looking like a perfect sunset was coming so we hopped in Blossom and enjoyed the sky as the sun set behind downtown Miami.
We really enjoyed our visit and always great to catch up with family. We will be getting underway to Key Biscayne and then on down the Florida Keys to Marathon Florida later in the week. Vessel and Crew are well!