Matters of Perspective

Yacht Stargazer

We're still here in Miami, but since my last blog we've moved down to a shipyard on the Miami River to have our decks painted. We're only a little south and west of our old marina, but we're quite close to Little Havana  and it feels like a world away. I'm very conscious of my inability to say anything more than hello and thank you in Spanish, but so far I've managed the laundromat and its unique card system, as well as the deli counter at the nearby, brand new Winn-Dixie.

Yacht Turquoise

I had planned to blog this week about all the interesting, funky little restaurants recommended by the yard office people that we had planned to try during our stay here. But after our first outing, and it was actually a very nice evening, to the local BP station with its surprising wine department and restaurant, we both woke up in the middle of the night with food poisoning. The next several days are best not talked about, but let me just say they put a damper on our enthusiasm for funky little places. We finally put ourselves on the road to recovery with the BRAT diet—that's bananas, rice, applesauce and toast—and it was amazing how good those plain, simple, real, things tasted after the jello, coca cola and chicken broth. It's all a matter of perspective and I think it's been a hard reset for both of us on how we'll eat in the future. Hopefully less sugar and less salt and maybe fat, although we really aren't terrible in any of those categories. 

So—this week I'm opting not to blog about food, but about boats—really big boats, or yachts, with whom we're sharing space and services here. When we first came down to check the yard out, Stargazer was in the shed and we were were told that she is a 60 year old yacht originally built in Louisiana for Henry Ford. She's a beautiful yacht, 180 ft overall, and seems to be having a fairly major renovation. My photo here is an actually an image from web, as Stargazer's berth is dim and she's simply too long for my camera.

Yacht B.B. Sea

On the other side of the design equation is another 180 ft yacht, Turquoise, built recently by a shipyard in Turkey. She came in after we did, was here about a week and off-loaded contents into two pods. She's already left for a larger shipyard up the river, where she'll be hauled and have her bottom done, before returning here for the rest of her work. Whether you are interested in this style of boat, or not, you still may be interested in the Proteksan Turquoise, the builder's website, where you can see the interior of Turquoise under "Yachts in the Water".

In the other bay of the paint shed is a beautiful, smaller yacht, B.B. Sea, built  in 1963 by Trumpy.  The paint shed is quite dim and the glare from the light at the open end didn't help my photography, but this is a lovely classic yacht, and looks beautifully maintained. We're wondering why she's here and what she's having done.

Jamaican Coast Guard Cutter

Across the river is a Jamaican Coast Guard Cutter, in for a scheduled overhaul. It has a crew of 22, 5 more than usual, and as I've had to share my otherwise exclusive Women's shower and restroom with them, I've learned that they are all volunteers and that this is considered a plum job. While they're in the States, the crew loads up on duty free goods to take back home to family and friends. Space is apparently very tight on board, but I have been less than thrilled to compete with the parade of men in and out of the ladies room from 6 pm to 10 pm nightly, despite the edict not to use the women's facilities. I know they're not thrilled with me either, and in the last couple of days, I have conceded defeat.

Reported "off station" (note Morris 34 on right)

What looks like a huge navigation aid is being refurbished here and tickles Paul's sense of humor—note his caption. It belongs off Tavernier Key and contains compressors and other support gear for the diving operations of the University of North Carolina's marine research program. 

There are lots of different size boats here, but we have been joking about feeling like a peanut. We generally feel like we're a smaller boat when we're in Florida, but here even more so. On the contrary, when we're in Maine, we feel like a bigger boat and when we're in Canada, where boats our size are uncommon, we feel even bigger. Again, it's all a matter of perspective!

A Warm and Short Winter

Settling In, Cat Fashion

We really had a good time in Sarasota, and spending time with our friends in Siesta Key, the beautiful southern portion of the barrier island in the Gulf off Sarasota. Because we had Bubba with us, we weren't able to take them up on their offer of lodging, so instead we wracked up points at our pet-friendly hotel. Bubba loved the big beds and all the extra pillows-- the better for hiding a small animal! What he never enjoys is that we were away for most of the days, and out for breakfast and dinner besides.

Me and My Pink, No-Gear Bike

Our friends recommended a bike ride on one of the area's paved trails and with only a little arm twisting, I was able to convince Paul it would be fun. We opted for the 10 mile round trip on the Legacy Trail, heading south towards Venice, with an incentive of lunch there.


It was a fairly warm and windy day and we were ready for a break by the time we reached Venice, which was very noticeably populated by older people than we've seen anywhere else in Florida. The trip back was easier and despite our distance being more like 14 miles, we all had a great time. I can't speak for my spouse, but I'm ready to ride bikes again.

One of the things I always enjoy about our marina here is the occasional visit by manatees. One recent afternoon we spent a half hour being amused by a group of five manatees, including a couple who were well over 7 feet long. They were feeding on the long grass that washes in across Biscayne Bay when the winds are from the east. Paul's photos don't quite capture their peculiar noses-- and manatees don't make photography simple, but I think you'll get the idea.

Marina Mascots

The week after we were in Sarasota, we had visitors from home, escaping the not so cold winter in New Hampshire. It's always fun to have guests, and I particularly enjoy having female company, especially an old friend with whom I go way back.

We did some leisurely sight-seeing, including a visit to the Deering Estate in Cutler, once the site of the only inn between Miami and Key West. Despite it being a very warm, almost hot day in town, the estate on Biscayne Bay near Coral Gables was cool and breezy. We took a nature walk, enjoyed the more planned landscaping-- and truly enjoyed the rockers on the back porch overlooking the water.

Stone House, Deering Estate

The buildings at the estate were much simpler than the grand mansion, Vizcaya, built by James Deering, the half brother of the environmentalist and art collector, Charles Deering, who developed this estate. But it was easy to imagine the rooms filled with art, as they frequently are when used for local shows. The building did include one memorable feature, a porch ceiling which had been decorated by pressing shells, sand dollars, star fish and even sea weeds into the wet plaster. (Thanks to my friend for the photo.)

Shell Ceiling, Stone House

We also made a pilgrimage walking down Ocean Drive in South Beach, admiring the beautifully restored Art Deco hotels and taking full advantage of the amazing people watching opportunities.

It was a quick visit-- and now we're home alone again and our time in Miami is growing short. It's been a quick and a warm winter here and we're beginning to make lists of things we think we want or need to get done here. Then we'll start up the waterway again towards Jacksonville, where we'll spend a few weeks--  before heading seriously north.