Ft Lauderdale FL - Mile 1064

We hung out an extra day in Vero with our catamaran friends from Portsmouth but still wanted to make Fort Lauderdale by the weekend so we put in a long day Thursday covering a record 65 miles (statute not nautical as is the ICW tradition). It was a good run with the one issue being timing the opening schedule of 13 or so bridges.

 

As we crossed some of the inlets we started getting Ocean water coming in that was vivid blue. Like the color that you draw water when you are a kid. This one is called St Lucie. As a bay sailor it is really a treat to sail in clear blue water.

 

By the end of the day, we knew we were in Southern Florida because we shared our secluded anchorage with 20,000 condo owners.

 

Looking ahead at the next day's run through Boca Raton, Delray, Pompano Beach, and into Ft Lauderdale we counted 27 draw bridges many with restricted opening schedules. There was just no way. It would have taken forever with delays at the bridges and although we are getting much better at holding position in current waiting for a bridge many other boaters have not mastered this trick and it is just not tons of fun as it gets more crowded. A few bridges are workable but at 27, we decided we were Ocean sailors.

 

We did a ~40 nautical mile run from Lake Worth inlet to Port Everglades inlet at Ft Lauderdale. You can't use all the inlets in Florida as some are shallow and don't have enough of a breakwater to be safe but the two we chose were deep, wide, and well protected. Big ships use them too though so we raced to get out before a cruise ship came in and came in with freighter traffic at Port Everglades.  The outside run was in 10 to 15 knots with 4+ foot waves. It was a little choppy at times but the sailing was nice and it feels like stealing miles for free after so many miles of motoring plus we got here by 2:00 in the afternoon which we could never do on the ICW with those bridges.

 

I like Ft. Lauderdale. It is around 80 degrees and I went swimming in November here. We had a nice dinner with my brother Scott who lives here. It is definitely very developed but the Las Olas Marina where we got a slip is very reasonable and just 3 blocks from the amazing Ft Lauderdale Beach.

 

The city is also a total boating city with rivers and canals and huge boats everywhere. We took the dinghy on a long trip up the New River right into the downtown area. It is narrow and crowded but people still drive their  massive mega yachts all through its narrow twists and turns.

 

1064 miles traveled. 180 to Key West.