January 14 - Miami to Ft Lauderdale, FL

This morning we left Bayside Marina in Miami and cruised along the ICW to Ft Lauderdale. As we left the marina, we had a good view of some of the large cruise ships. The trip up to Ft Lauderdale was an intersting one - lots of fabulous homes, hotels and apartment buidings. We passed a number of very large yachts, some at least three times longer then the Marco Polo II. When we arrived in

Ft Lauderdale, we counted 7 super  large passenger ships getting ready for their cruises to warmer climates. The cruise through the canals and rivers of Ft Lauderdale is a treat. Soon we came to Cooley's Landing Marina where docking space was reserved for us. We'll be here for the next 9 nights. If any of you happen to be in the area, be sure to stop by and say hello. 

                                   

January 13 - Tavernier to Miami, FL

Today was a fantastic one -  lot of sun, not much wind and temperature around 75. Debbie and Nate got some sun before returning to snow covered Michigan. After going under US 1 bridge, we continued via the Biscayne Bay to Miami. What a great view it was to see Miami's skyline! Our marina was in the very center of town - the Miamarina at Bayside. All around the marina are shops and restaurants. We were assigned to C pier from where we had a good view of

the hustle and bustle of Bayside. From our boat we could also see a few of the cruise ships. This evening we were treated to a nice dinner by Nate and Debbie. Since they  had to depart in the early morning, we turned in earlier then normal.

January 12 - Marathon to Tavenier FL anchorage

We left Marathon at 11:00 a.m. for the 45 mile cruise to Tavenier, located on the western end of Key Largo. The route we followed was the ICW or also referred to as the Inside Route. The route is well marked and takes one through the shallower waters in the lee of the Keys. We cut through some mangroves, dodged a number of crab pot markers and saw dolphins and turtles. The weather was cloudy, but just fine for cruising. We anchored in the protected Tavenier Harbor.

January 11 - Marathon, FL

When we cruised from our anchorage at Little Shark River to Marathon, we felt an unusual vibration that started at about 1400 rpm. Later this vibration was only felt when cruising at about 1800 rpm. Since we had not hit anything, we thought that a rope or some other debris might have become entangled in the prop or drive shaft.  The only way to find out was to locate a diver. We finally found Barnacle Bill, a 70 year old man who dives daily. Bill cleaned off some barnacles from our prop and replaced a worn-out zinc. This took care of the problem. While Henk was waiting for the diver, Thressa, Nate and Debbie 

went to visit the Turtle Hospital. Here injured or sick turtles are brought for treatment. When possible, turtles are later released to their natural enviroment. In the late afternoon we visited the condo where Kirk and Lynne Rottschafer were staying .                                   

January 10 - Key West excursion - Marathon, FL

This Tuesday we went to Key West, the most southern point in the US. It was very busy - two cruise ships in town. We, along with many other tourists, stopped at the marker seen here. After driving past Hemingway's home, we walked through the old town. The sidewalk cafes and cigar shops gave the town a Cuban flavor. A stop for Key Lime pie was on our schedule. Later Nate and Henk wolved down a hot dog. Afterwards we took a walk along the docks and visited a turtle cannery museum.                                          

January 8 and 9 - Marathon, FL

This morning we said good bye to Les and Jane Wong. The rest of the day was spent in port - cleaning and getting ready for Nate and Debbie Barendse. In the late afternoon we joined the Rottschafers for a sunset cruise through the harbors and canals of Marathon. What great fun we had! The next morning we picked up a car from Enterprise and went shopping - the first stop was at West Marine, followed by a stop at Publix. In the afternoon it was off to the Miami International Airport to pick-up Nate and Debbie. We got back to Marathon around 9:00 p.m.

January 7 - Little Shark River to Marathon, FL

We left our anchorage at 8:00 a.m. and headed southward to the Six Mile Bridge, located just to the west of Marathon. The  seas were smooth with  winds around 5 mph. As we entered the harbor of Marathon, we were welcomed by a school of dolpins. Some of them swam for a few minutes along our boat. We continued on to Burdine's Marina and Restaurant for our slip assignment. Shortly after having tied-up, we were welcomed by friends from Grand Rapids, MI. Kirk/Lynne and Tim/Nancy Rottschafer had been out fishing and stopped by to say hello. At 6:30 p.m. we got together for a glass of wine, followed by a fish dinner at a nearby restaurant. The Rottschafers had taken along the filets of some 12 fish caught earlier in the day. Some were fried, others were broiled and yet others were prepared with a delicious topping (the specialty of this restaurant). These were served together on one very large tray. Everything was so good that nothing was left behind. What a way to finish this great day. Once back at the boat, Les and Jane started packing since they were returning to Bonita Springs on Sunday morning.