Looking forward Looking back 12/31/2012 Fort Lauderdale

 We thank you for your kind thoughts, and prayers that have accompanied us on our journey. We look back at the last six months, remembering friends that we left behind in Michigan, but whom we carry in our everyday travels as their words of advice and knowledge keep us going. We think of all the wonderful people we have met, fellow travelers, Marina employees and owners, people in small towns and large cities that have helped us along the way and visit this blog.

This holiday has been different; we have shared it with new friends keeping in touch with old friends and family by phone and e-mail. I am grateful there is no snow here but I missed the smell of evergreen and baking cookies, the tray our neighbors bring over every year, in general this is something to be said about being “home” for the holidays.

I went and looked at my post for last year on this day; Muskegon was in a deep pause before a winter storm hit New Year’s Day. I have included those pictures to contrast as to where we are today.

The weather window we have been waiting for to make our crossing to the Bahamas is opening and we hope to make the trek on Wednesday or Thursday. Our blog post may be farther apart as we will be relying on public internet and have heard pros and cons about the speed.

I will post when we leave and the New Year is promising to be as exciting as 2012 has been

our route this year 2400 nautical miles 

The apartment/condo high-rises decorate the
building - some large displays like this tree
others have individual balcony displays

12/31/2011 sunset on Lake Michigan Grand Haven Pier

Fort Lauderdale Beach 2:00 PM  

Grand Haven Pier 1/1/2012

sand castles on beach Fort Lauderdale

a rose in my garden 1/1/12

sea grass washed up on beach

Patty walks with me collecting shells
S/V Nautical Dreamer

The fish are made from Plastic water bottles. 

My collection of shells from our walk 12.31.12

to Fort Lauderdale, and then some

Hello Everyone 12/27

We are in Fort Lauderdale staying at the Las Olas Marina. At first we had some misgivings about our choice, we are right next to the Las Olas Bascule  bridge which sounds alarms and sends out loud speaker messages when it opens. There is also the traffic noise, however we found that everything pretty much levels off come evening and we are walking distance to the beach, sheltered from the winds- great laundry and showers, what more can you ask for.

We have great neighbors and shared a wonderful Christmas Dinner with Dale, Patty and Oliver (s/v Nautical Dreamer. With front row seats on all the Mega yachts that come through the bridge.

We had a lovely time opening presents with Jennie and Meghan via Skype in the Captains lounge.

The best news was receiving our new Sirius weather module for our Ray marine chart plotter. Of course the connection cable is to short but Tom found one in town so I am hoping we will have it up and running by the end of the day. No more weather sunrises.

As to when we will be taking off for the Bahamas - Weather is not looking great to leave this weekend and we are still provisioning. We are hoping to jump 1/2 or 1/3- I think arriving on New Years Day may be a customs nightmare. 

Wishing everyone a super New Year

Laura and Tom

Christmas Dinner

Meghan gave us these great glasses - they tip but don't spill

look closely and you can see all the decorations on this house

there are lots of side canals for residents to dock their boats.
there are also signs where they lease these docks out
curious

we went through several patches where there were dozens of
coconuts in the water - didn't spot the trees - just the nuts

many of the homes have large collections of sculptures in their yards -
I just loved this one, it took a while for me to realize
it was not a person

the bridge by our slip

this palm is growing out of this tree

at the beach - having a great time collecting shells

having a hard time identifying this bird- if anyone has a clue
let me know

Tom relaxing

Jennie and Meghan horse back riding in Corpus Christi Tx.

Oliver

December 23rd, North Palm Beach to Lake Boca Raton

Sunday morning we had to leave North Palm Beach and head for our Christmas layover in Fort Lauderdale. Christmas packages were waiting for us. The temps had warmed up to the mid 50's and the wind was not quite as brisk as it had been but we still had a little excitement getting out of our slip. 

This part of the ICW is nicknamed Condo alley. Now we are back to large houses, over powered boats and very little green space. It is almost comical to see the extent people will go to in hiding from a lower income neighbor. Huge perfectly manicured hedges will shelter a multi-storied house from a small bungalow. Oh well, the little guy is holding on to his small piece of paradise. 

We also have numerous bridges to go through most on a timed schedule. This run was 12 and trying to hold position in a current with smaller motor craft whizzing by making a wake makes for some tense moments. 

We finally arrived at our first nights destination Lake Boca Raton which is actually a cut in section where boats gather. We had a peaceful night after the party left. 

our route down the ICW

by Michigan standards this is not a Lake

Leaving North Palm Beach Marina

waiting for our first bridge

land of mega boats

took a while for me to figure this out but I believe it is a mooring
station with a step ladder attached - or a very small
diving platform

this area is big on fishing and big towers on fishing boats

they were floating this house down the ICW

This house was covered with Bougainvillea 

The Ocean Ave Bridge was one of the prettiest bridges we
went through, looked like castles.

of course there were Osprey

Great Blue Heron

boat with a living room window?  WHY?

the water was so clear in Lake Boca Raton we could see
the anchor chain. Low tide was 5'5"  but we would leave at
high tide 8'

party rafted boats, there had to be over 20, but they
all left just at sun set

Sunset Lake Boca Raton