We anchored in Key Biscayne on Monday after a 6 hour trip from Key Largo.  Very calm and uneventful, not many boats in our path either way.  We thought we would go to No Name Harbor which had been recommended, but Gary thought it might be too small for our boat so we went around to an area just off of Hurricane harbor.  For some reason the anchorages everyone raves about are very small, so we tend to stay outside "on the fringe" as it may be.  There were 3 sailboats there when we anchored and it was a great place to spend the night. We checked out No Name in the dinghy the next morning and decided that we would try it for the day and see if we wanted to spend the night.  

Long story-short version-   We tied up to the concrete dock, pumped out (main draw free pump out for $2. day wall dockage) and decided to unload the bikes and tour the park.  It was a beautiful state park, and the lighthouse setting was fabulous as it has been refurbished with great pride...It was blowing a steady 15 mph NE wind and when we decided it was just not big enough to accomadate our needs ,we are swingers!!  need lots of room. In this anchorage you have to move off the wall at 6pm and anchor in the small cove, and there were already several boats there so we decided to move on.  Getting off the wall was a challenge,  along with her other "issues" the Sea Angel is not the most manueverable old gal on the seas but with a little coaxing she comes through, and off we motored through a sudden downpour. 

We headed towards the Marine Stadium in Miami which had been recommended to us by a sailor in Key Largo. This stadium was built in the mid 60's as a boat racing venue. It is a long lagoon with bleachers on the South Side.  It hosted  boat races from outboards to unlimited hydroplanes.  It has also seen concerts and boxing (on a barge in front of the stadium) to religious services and political rallies. In 1992 Hurricane Andrew came through and with the ensuing damage it was closed down after city engineers said it was structurally unsound.  In the past few years there has been a grass roots movement to bring it back to its former glory. 

Gary was totally enthralled! It is now covered with graffiti, the seats are mostly still intact, and having raced boats himself he could litteraly hear the thunder of the old V-12 Packards of the unlimited hydroplanes . If he could have transported himself to those days he would have.  It was a very personal experience for him.

Unfortunately there is no way for the cruiser to get ashore here, i.e., no dinghy dock.  So we decided to move on to the Venetian Causeway Anchorage.  It was a little dicey getting in as there are a lot of submerged piling on the charts and once we did get in there was no room with all the boats already there so we decided to explore.  We followed the Sunset Islands around and came upon a great spot between a multi-million neighborhood and the Julia Tuttle Bridge.  No other boats, a great dinghy ride to the secure dinghy dock by the anchorage and so far no sirens blaring....no riff raff allowed!

Tomorrow is my day.....South Beach!!!!