The trip from Boca Raton to Ft. Lauderdale was a quick one. We were in the ICW all the way and glad of it, as it was blowing hard out of the east and the ocean looked pretty rough. Many people were busy over the weekend putting up their Christmas decorations. It really seems strange to us to be getting close to the holidays when it is so warm - in the 80s. That, and the fact we have not been to a mall in months, where we imagine the holiday decorations are rampant!
Once in Ft. Lauderdale, we docked on the New River right downtown. This worked out well, as it was reasonably priced and we were able to get some work done on the boat. We have know since we bought the boat that the watermaker needed to have some major service done to it. The company that sold the unit to Monarch's original owner was able work on it right at the dock, and now we are fully operational. While in Ft. Lauderdale, we were able to rendevous with Com. Bob Hommel from the DYC. He was cruising the river in his center console, saw Monarch at the dock and called us. He picked us up at the grocery store, so we would not have to carry our provisions back to the boat, and then had us out for dinner the next night. This trip has allowed us to make new friends and see familiar ones.
Carl Meyers had recommended that we stay on the New River. He liked the boating activity here. BOY was he right. Think Woodward Avenue. One of the most interesting things we saw were big boats being towed on the twisty-turney river. Large boats are not able to navigate under their own power, due to the constricted width and hairpin turns of the river. They would have one tug in front, and then another in the stern pointed the opposing direction to act as a brake - we kept watching for them to bounce off the bridge but it never happened. But Commodore Jerry didn't have a problem on Monarch!!!
Our dock on the New River was along the Riverwalk. The area is paved with bricks and lined with beautiful plantings of palm and tropical trees, shrubs and flowers. We were up each morning walking this path.
With all of the foliage, there were numerous 'critters' (as my Mom used to say) including iguanas. These were on land just off the bow of the boat one morning.
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