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| The Art Deco area of South Beach, Miami |
Bel Amie from Marine Weather..." and apparently drifted off into a sound, weather verbiage induced sleep. Toward the end of the broadcast it was the aromatic hazelnut coffee along with the familiar tinkling of the spoon against a ceramic mug that had the power to rouse me. Remember Pavlov's dog? I awoke attempting to recall anything that was said. "Approaching cold front, stalled trough, squalls, the Euro model, the GSS model," are all words that I vaguely recalled but, in my drowsy state failed to process in any logical order. After downing my first cup of coffee I asked Joe for the highlighted condensed recap of the morning forecast. This is how each day begins aboard the Simple Life.
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| A dolphin off the coast during the sail to Miami |
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| The dinghy dock on Collin's Canal, Miami |
One positive feature of having a weather delay in Miami Beach is that there seems to be no shortage of activities or opportunities for sightseeing. Simple Life has been anchored in Sunset Lake for nearly a week. The lake offers great protection in all wind conditions and has excellent holding.
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| Simple Life's anchorage in Sunset Lake, Miami Beach |
We've dinghied to nearby Collins Canal where there's a dinghy dock across from a Publix Market! Great provisioning while staging for the Bahamas during this weather layover. The local bus which cost $.25 travels throughout South Beach. We've done a fair amount of walking but, it's nice to hop the bus when carrying chairs and umbrellas after a day on South Beach where so far there have been no celebrity sightings. Not even one Kardashian.
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| Our neighbors in Sunset Lake Jim and Bentley from Salty Paws |
Our neighbors in Sunset Lake, Jim and Bentley aboard Salty Paws invited us to join them for delicious tuna roll ups and spring rolls. They caught the tuna while sailing with a hand line! Delicious treats and great company. Joe and I invited them over to Simple Life last night for Shrimp Mozambique one of our Portuguese favorites from back home.
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| Art Deco architecture |
During our first day in South Beach we went on a bender when it came to sightseeing. Joe steered us toward Lincoln Road, a well known highlight during any visit to Miami. He must have read that somewhere. It's a trendy outdoor mall with shops and inviting alfresco cafes where the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Queen Latifah have reportedly braved paparazzi and adoring crowds.
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| An array of colorful lifeguard towers on South Beach, Miami |
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| Bold colors are everywhere in Miami |
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| An iconic lifeguard tower on South Beach, Miami photo by Joe Boulay |
No one adored us as we navigated the crowds at the mall we simply saw all types, ages and sizes of people watching people. Heading east at the end of Lincoln Road is South Beach where we planned to take a short stroll just to check it out for the future. The short stroll became a longer one that led us to its end at South Point at Nikki Beach another favorite of the rich and famous where Ferraris and Bentleys seem to be the transportation of choice. I personally wouldn't recognize a Bentley from a Ferrari but, Joe certainly took notice. It was nearing sunset and it quickly became apparent that as usual we'd overdone our first day in town. One thing we need to work on when arriving in a new port is pacing ourselves on our first day of "shore leave." Although, it seems that we'll not be bored or lacking activities during our stay here in Miami Beach and I'm sure Joe will be researching even more ways to keep us on the verge of vacation saturation.
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| A crowded day on South Beach, Miami photo by Joe Boulay |
Posted with Blogsy
We look south beach area. We could stay a month there. You are hitting all the great spots. Don't miss the Lincoln Theater for a movie. Great writing. Great read. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteHayden
Thanks Hayden, by the looks of the forecast we'll probably still be here when you arrive. The varnish work on your boat looks fabulous! Looking forward to seeing all the refit upgrades. See you soon.
DeleteNicely composed. Sounds like you are having a great time. Of course, what would one expect when it involves sailing. We hope to be doing the same this fall. Planning continues as we hold on for dear life here in MI with temperatures -3 to -11 and chill factors -20 and better. Just hunker down and have lots of fires, candle light dinners and Hallmark movies. All good. Happy Sails to you and Joe. Smooth sailing and have a safe crossing. Pat and Deb
ReplyDeleteBrr, you I remember cold temps and must say I don't miss them. We are hoping for a crossing on Sunday. We'll see what transpires between now and then with the weather gods.
DeleteI noticed that you do your cruising along the east coast and the Bahamas, Have you ever crossed the stream and visited Bermuda? Whether you race or cruise to the island, it's well worth the visit, Good luck crossing the GS to the Bahamas.
ReplyDeleteHaven't sailed there yet although we honeymooned there quite awhile ago. Very nice and enjoyed it. Hope to sail there sometime.
ReplyDeleteRaced there a few times from Newport and Marion. Quite an experience.
DeleteHave you crossed the stream? Cold weather and basketball games on the weekend are all that keep us interested in the north country. Curious as to how the crossing was to the Bahamas'?
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