Exploring Miami

We had anchored off Key Biscayne Yacht Club upon our arrival from Bimini. It was Easter weekend, the sun was hot, and everyone who owned a boat was using it. We swam and generally enjoyed the spectator sport of watching boats of all shapes and sizes cruise by, or stop for a short while to test the warm waters of the bay. But, after a glorious sunset had turned the bay waters crimson, most of the boats sped away back to their marinas, and we were left with just a few quiet sailboats for company. It was a perfect way to get acclimatized, once again, to the delights of southern Florida.
The next day we pulled up our anchor and made our way to check in at Customs and Immigration at the Cruise Ship docking area. We had decided to spend a night at MIA Marina, in the heart of downtown, so that we could avoid a long taxi ride, and also so that we could have a chance to explore a part of the city we had never visited before.
Immigration procedures at the Homelands Security Office in the docks went smoothly – we’d called the previous day and been given a number. Our taxi ride there was the first of many in which we, complete strangers in Miami and armed only with a tourist book, had to give directions to the Haitian driver who could hardly speak English! We carried a map with us ever after!
Now we were free to enjoy and explore the delights of the Bayside area, and also further afield. MIAMarina is part of the ‘Bayside Marketplace’. It’s an area of shops, restaurants of every nationality, and music. Each evening at 7 p.m. there was a different concert at the waterfront – our favourite performer was David Fernando with his Latin jazz group. Each day we would take our computer to Mambo’s Cuban coffee house to drink coffee and check e-mails.
We badly needed food on board, and were directed to take the free overhead ‘Metromover’ train to 10th Street where we would find a brand new Publix supermarket at the Mary Brickell Centre. We were so pleased to discover this lovely area – rather like Yorkville in Toronto – particularly as we happened upon a restaurant called ‘Balan’ at Happy Hour. We visited this twice to enjoy Happy Hour champagne and delicious dips and pita bread.
After four days of ‘extreme civilization’, and having managed to have a few electrical and other problems fixed on the boat, we headed out and back south to Coconut Grove. The wind in Biscayne Bay was brisk and we had a few hours of great sailing, only being passed by a sleek catamaran!
This time we decided to take a mooring ball in the brand new mooring field and not go into the Dinner Key Marina. So far it has worked out really well. When it is too rough to take the dinghy in without getting wet, we just call the shuttle to pick us up. We have planned a few areas we would like to explore on foot, or by public transit, and, as the weather is supposed to be rather stormy for most of this coming week, we’ll enjoy all that Coconut Grove has to offer.
Our next stop before sailing north to Fort Lauderdale will be the South Beach area of Miami – famed for its Art Deco revival architecture, white sand beaches and large gay population! Lots to look forward too!