Lessons

On Sunday, we pulled into Biscayne Bay just as one of the worst northerners (multiple days of high winds and some rain) hit the Miami area. 

Lessons we learned from Sun-Tues:

1.  When a review of a mooring says "no protection from northern winds," they're not kidding- you'll rock and roll and wonder why you're paying $22 a night to be so uncomfortable- like roller coaster in your bed uncomfortable... Well the bad kind of roller coaster in your bed...

2.  It's not a good sign when you have to use your manual bilge pump on your dinghy in order to pump out the rain water from the night before.

3.  Miami has the best food in Florida- hands down.

4.  Trust your instincts about anchorages, moorings etc - and never (or try to never) arrive in a location so late in the day that you don't have time to make a good anchoring choice.

4. I love dog-friendly, covered, coffee shop book stores with free wifi.

 

By Tuesday we had had enough and we ventured across the bay to the Bill Baggs Florida state park and anchored in No Name harbor.  The water was calm, the anchorage was protected from strong wind and there was a great Cuban restaurant at the end of the harbor.

Lessons learned from Tues- Thurs:

1.  Trust your instincts about anchoring (theme?)

2.  Just because other people haven't anchored by sunset doesn't mean they won't show up at 9:30 at night and try to anchor right next to you in the dark.

3.  Golden silk spiders are super creepy- but generally harmless. ( mostly they're creepy because they make giant webs in the trees and hang out right above your head...shiver*). 

 

4. Don't needlessly suffer through rough weather- find a better shelter if possible.