On the surface it wouldn't be obvious that Fort Lauderdale has been a particularly enjoyable stay. One might think that the dink parking issue in Hollywood, the dragging anchor in Middle River, and the power boats that went out of their way to wake drag us in Middle River (with the clear intent of letting us know they didn't like us being parked there), would take the shine off a place. Yet, almost in spite of itself, Fort Lauderdale has been a good stay. Much of the credit for that goes to Friends Bill and Ann and John and Stephen. Getting to spend some time with them, catching up and telling stories, trips to various this and sundry that, nothing but solid gold. But after 12 days, a few hours at a giant marine swap meet / flea market this morning, and a visit to the heart of Fort Luaderdale's beach tourist mecca this evening, I'm feeling the need to be away from the crowds, on big water and under way. It is time for moving on.
It has been more than a month since Kintala spent a night at a dock, but we are in the Fort Lauderdale Marina tonight. This afternoon we stowed the dink and motor, heaved the anchor out of the mud of Middle River, and passed through one of the two bridges between us and the ocean. This gives us a head start on tomorrow's plan for an easy jump to Miami. The afternoon and evening at the pier let us get the usual time-to-go boat-stuff done. One of those was a pump-out. Florida in general, and Fort Lauderdale in particular, are all about their clear and clean waters, something that I am in total agreement with. But the most convenient pump-out for our departure was priced at $40. The pump out boat would have been glad to visit us in Middle River for $75. Demanding some long green for boaters to be green seems a bit disingenuous. (There is a free pump out, but it is located 2 miles off the ICW and out of the way for boats coming and going from the ocean.)
The marina facilities are neither bad nor great, but the price for this little bit of "average" is anything but. They charge a lot and the staff gives off a very heavy vibe of not being the least bit interested in much of anything, particularly anything that has to do with a cruising sailboat or its crew. (My guess is the owner of the mega yacht parked next door has a completely different experience with the staff.) Still, the Middle River anchorage with its easy dink access right at a very nice city park, has been one of our favorite in-a-city stops. Had we been able to find a place in the middle of the anchorage the power boat near hits would have been a non-issue. All in all this has been a good couple of weeks, and we will surely come this way again.
4 comments:
Fair winds as you travel to the Keys.
I never really understood the stinkpot/raghead rivalry. Of course, I understand it going in the raghead to stinkpot direction, they do stink, and their seamanship is often lacking, and they're loud. Now why do they hate sailboats though? Is it a dislike based on a form of jealousy they're not even aware they're feeling? To go out of their way to wake roll you is just unbelievably hostile.
Judy it's not really hostile, it's just teenagers being teenagers. It's the same mindset that makes them vandalize things - because it's there and they perceive that aggravating old farts like us is fun.
Grown men acting like teenagers, and as Tim so eloquently put it,"Flaunting their manhood in a playpen" I had a great laugh over that one. Keep the funnies coming!
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