MONDAY
TOTAL MILES TRAVELED TODAY: 0 NM
With Dan starting his schooling and exploring with Robert, i was a busy Monday for us all. Robert and I waved Dan off then started out on foot to find the nearby Best Buy for a new camera. The neighborhood became “less desirable” as we neared our destination, causing us to wonder about the accuracy of our information. It was correct but not the Best Buy we were seeking. Instead, it was Best Buy Repo. Guess I will have to camera shop without Robert’s astute assistance on another day.
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| OFF TO SCHOOL |
Next, we decided to further our exploration of the area via the dingy. With all day to amuse ourselves, we spent several hours ogling at the boats in the channels, having lunch at Coconuts Bahama Grill and even taking a walk on the Fort Lauderdale Beach. Even though the shore was strewn with Man-O-War jellyfish and the water was rather cool, several people were frolicking in the surf.
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| CRUISING WITH ROBERT |
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| LUNCH AT COCONUTS BAHAMA GRILL |
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| FORT LAUDERDALE'S LOVELY BEACH ---AND IT'S SNOWING BACK HOME IN VERMONT |
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| THESE BEACHED MAN-O-WAR CAN STILL INFLECT A PAINFUL STING |
Once back on Quest we had the best show yet. About 5:15 this large boat (maybe 70 t0 80’ in length) came barreling around the corner and approached the closed bridge way too fast under existing wind and current conditions. In fact, he was going way too fast under any conditions for this channel. Anyway, the two men on board were not equipped for the task. I think the captain was under qualified and obviously lacked knowledge of the area, the first mate clueless and the boat severely hurting mechanically. The first indication of trouble was the fact that the 3ed Avenue Bridge does not open between 4:30 and 6:00 due to evening traffic. We were lucky they didn’t hit us as they were jockeying to avoid crashing into the bridge. As the aghast spectators gathered, the bridge tender did open his precious span if only in a desperate attempt to protect it. After much jockeying, he made it through but not without crashing his starboard side into the bridges strategically placed protective barrier. Once through, he spun almost completely sideways in the canal and caused much angst among the docked mega yachts and cruisers, not to mention the now present Dockmaster. I don’t know how he managed to avoid all the boats but it seemed more pure, dumb luck than operator ability.
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| HE MADE IT THROUGH AFTER HITTING THE RIGHT SIDE BARRIER |
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| NOW HI IS TOTALLY SIDEWAYS IN THE NARROW CHANNEL |
After our school boy finished his first night’s homework we three set out for the waterfront Pirate Republic Bar and Grill for a leisurely dinner watching the activity on the water. Got to try their clams in garlic sauce! Since Robert has to be at the airport by 5:00 AM in the morning and Dan has a long day (8:00 AM to 8:00 PM), we called it an early night and retreated back to Quest.
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