Biscayne Bay

After raising the anchor at 8am, we motored west back to the ICW ran up the Miami River until we were blocked by freighters maneuvering in channel; by that time we were actually pretty close the Miami International airport. The Miami River is quite industrial, with shipyards, condos, crab fishing fleets all 'cheek to jouwel'. After re-entering the ICW we toured the Bayside marina/shopping complex; would have stayed for a short stroll and even a Cuban coffee but they charge $15.00 for a hour at their day-use docks. So we proceeded south and checked out the marine stadium area off Virginia Key. Michael had a crew meet or two down here in years past; interesting to see from the water. Trip down Biscayne Bay was very nice with warm weather and calm conditions. Tied up in Elliot Key national park boat basin at 4pm after 38 nm. today.




Crab fleet docked along the Miami River.


Here's freighters being maneuvered. We can't figure out how they turn these guys around anywhere along the Miami River, especially here in the western section.

These four motor yachts (click on each to higher rez versions) have all  had several damage inflicted on them. First two are 50-something foot Atlantis sportcruisers and the other two are Azimut 47 foot flybridge models. All four made by the Azimut/Benetti Group in Italy. They are all on the hard at the Dodge Island container and cruise ship port docks. They all appeared to be brand new. We wonder what catastrophe occurred on their delivery to Miami, and if they are on the next ship back to the factory for repair?

After a bit of googling, it seems that this ship, the Seaboard Intrepid, arrived about two weeks before our arrival down here. Could the Azimut and Atlantis motoryachts be under this mess? The US Coast Guard had alerts out about 30 shipping containers having fallen off this 544 foot long ship about 30 miles south of Key West.


This is one of the passages thru the reef to the Atlantic ocean that's south of Key Biscayne in the vincity, as you can see, of Stiltsville. A dozen or so home built on stilts.


All of them in very shallow water of just a couple of feet. Here's what it looked like approaching one of the homes.


The one had docks but numerous keep-out signs posted.


Elliot Key is US national park, with a nice small boat basin. Think we saw about 3.2 feet as the shallowest water on approach. Inside water is 5 feet or more. Park Service charges about $20 for an overnight stay onboard; cold showers included! Rich braved it--in the summer we suspect those ambient-temperature showers are satisfactory, but not with the weather were having this winter.


There's a 1/2 mile long boardwalk on the ocean side of the Key.



Turtle carcass sans shell.


A good amount of floatsam washed up too.