Tuesday 17 Dec, West Palm FL day 2: Road trip to Fort Lauderdale.
Ready for our exploring by car, the alarm goes at 7am and we are in the car heading to Fort Lauderdale by 9:30. It’s a 50 mile drive down the highway but an accident ahead takes us off to local road infested with traffic lights. So we don’t arrive till 11:30.
First stop is down town: a walk along the New River, where we had hoped to moor if we came to Fort Lauderdale. It’s a very pleasant landscaped setting with great views, all looked down upon by tall modern condos. There are lots of yachts moored along the river’s edge, many larger than Cloudy. And we agree this would be a wonderful place to spend a night or 2, though turning Cloudy around in this very narrow river may be a challenge.
After a very nice coffee, where the barista tells us the best places to see, we set off towards the beach via Las Olas Boulevard. The boulevard is quite special. An avenue of decorated trees down the middle and lined with glamorous looking shops and eateries. We vow to return in the evening.
As we cross The Seven Isles (a system of housing on waterways) we are mesmerized by the waterfront houses, gardens and boats moored at each dwelling. So we do a small detour up and down the roads admiring the various architectures, stopping on the many bridges to get the best views and photos. We decide we could live here! (if we ever win the lottery, which we do not buy tokens for).
During one such stop, we have our first encounter with a manatee, which was resting next to one of the bridges.
Then it’s a big bridge over Middle River and we are on the Central Beach peninsula. At the beach we head north; a crowded beach on our right, and hotels, condos and classic beach cafes to our left. We note the “Bay Watch” type life guards. But no sign of Pamela Anderson or any of her lookalikes, only masculine young guys covered in tattoos. But otherwise it’s exactly as you imagine a busy Florida beach front to be… except we don’t see any bikini clad rollerbladers. Maybe that’s California?
After a couple of miles the glamour reduces so we do a u-turn heading all the way south, heading for some dive shops. On the way we investigate the only real anchorage in Fort Lauderdale, on a patch of water called Lake Sylvia. As expected, it is crammed with live-aboard boats at anchor. Some almost touching each other. We are pretty sure we could not fit Cloudy in there but we walk to the water’s edge and shout to the nearest anchored yacht. They say they have 11ft water but the entrance is only 7ft. So it would have to be a high tide entry if we came in.
At the first dive shop we find prices much higher than expected. In fact we are sure things were cheaper in Dubai (where everything is usually more expensive). I need a new BCD. The one I got with the boat is size XXL, way too big for me. The BCDs here start at $700!
While inquiring about SpareAir small cylinders, we are presented with an alternative: a hose assisted diving system. A long air line which connects to a cylinder onboard, which would allow a dive to scrub the hull without the faff of wearing a BCD. Very interesting. But is it interesting enough to pay $500? Don’t think so.
The next dive shop, Lauderdale Diver, is a much more pleasant experience. BCDs are the same price but the British guy owning the shop is very informative and he presents us the Hookah system. Basically a small gas powered low pressure compressor that floats on the surface with long air lines for divers below. We really do need some sort of compressor in the Pacific, where filling our dive tanks will be a challenge in the remote islands. At least having this Hookah system I could clean the bottom of the boat and we could have the occasional dive without using our dive tanks. The downside is the price … nearly $3,000! And while we would still be challenged to store it on board, it’s significantly smaller (and cheaper) than a scuba compressor.
We also talk about spear guns. Oana is really not keen on me having one. With my track record the only thing she thinks I will successfully spear is me! Or (more likely) if I do spear a fish, sharks will come into the kill in a feeding frenzy. Ok, maybe I’ll forget the spear, for now!
Next shop is run by a small Chinese woman with an anger management problem. But she does have a discounted BCD for $289. That’s more like it. So we grab it and go.
For eating we try the recommended Pelican’s Landing with views over the waterways and surrounded by super yachts. Seriously super super yachts, the likes of which we have not seen since Palma, Majorca. But among all this wealth, the restaurant does not have electricity today, so no food! Oana suggests they get power from a nearby super yacht but they don’t seem to understand the irony.
So we go for dinner at the opposite end of the spectrum: we buy some yummy things from the nearby Publix supermarket and eat under a tree in the car park! Trouble is we buy way too much and we remind ourselves never to shop when we are starving hungry.
By now it’s dark so we head back to Las Olas Boulevard to see the evening life. And boy is it busy. The glamorous shops are all open and the restaurants and bars filling up. The only shop we stop at is the National Geographic Fine Art Gallery, where they have THE most amazing photos on display at the most amazing prices ($thousands). However, we are totally transfixed by some of the photos, especially of wildlife.
Then we settle into a bar for a cocktail. Very nice atmosphere apart from two rather drunk girls next to us who are one moment screaming abuse at each other and the next all hugs and tears whilst non-stop talking without apparently taking a breath. Well, all entertainment I suppose.
With the parking ticket expiring we head the 50miles back to West Palm and Cloudy Bay. On board we have welcome showers. It’s been very humid and sticky today. But worth it. We are both quite taken with Fort Lauderdale. A very pleasantly “alive” city.