Stormy Miami

Since I last wrote we've been getting to know Biscayne Bay and testing our anchor once again during a couple of days of fierce storms! Luckily it held this time! We'd spent two perfect days just sailing around the bay and enjoying different anchoring spots. We knew storms were on the way, but decided to anchor the night before they were due in a sheltered inlet to the west of Virginia Key - just beside the Miami Stadium and the 'Rusty Pelican' restaurant. From there we were confident we could easily make it the few miles back under Rickenbacker Causeway bridge to our pre-booked dock at lovely Dinner Key Marina. Well, this is what happened. Firstly, don't believe the marine guide books which tell you that a short dinghy ride will take you to the wonderful 'Rusty Pelican' restaurant - or the other restaurant - 'Joe's Tiki Bar' - nearby. You can dinghy around for ever but there is nowhere to tie up - all possible spots have large signs threatening fines of from $40 -$60 dollars for 'unauthorized' docking! So I cooked a non-gourmet dinner, and we admired a view of the city which reminded us of Toronto's skyline as seen from the north docks.
Next morning we awoke to raging winds with gusts of 30+ knots, and wild seas. Making the decision to stay put and ride it out was an easy one, as taking our boat anywhere near the shore, let alone a busy dock area, would have been disastrous! We noted that everyone else in the anchorage felt the same! So we spent that day and the following night watching the anchor and cosily reading our books. Bill cooked a gourmet meal of delicious tinned chili and rice. We were relieved that we had moved from our previous exposed anchoring spot. Though dark clouds still hung over the city the next morning we took advantage of a short weather window to scuttle back across the bay to our dock. We celebrated at Monty's restaurant that evening, choosing from the delights offered at the raw bar - stone crab legs, oysters, and shrimps, washed down with a variety of 'Happy Hour' fruit juices lightly touched with rum! Now we have decided to stay in this lovely place until Thursday morning as we are having some electrical work done on the boat. (A new inverter - the piece of equipment that allows us to use the microwave and make toast at anchor!! Bill says it is essential!) The shops are lovely, there is an excellent 'Pusateri' -style grocery store a short walk away, and a Starbucks up the road. The weather is perking up. What more could we want?