We left Palm Beach in the morning and continued South down the ICW. I had plotted a short leg and that turned out to be a good thing as we were getting a late start and would encounter many ‘restricted’ bascule bridges that only open at set times after the hour.
Come on bridge.. open
Just starting
OK go quicker before we trim off the flybridge
We past several bars that looked like fun places to tie up for a bit.
No signage on restaurant but still packed
Banana Boat restaurant in Boynton Beach
There was lots of traffic on the ICW and we watched many boats pass us.
More wave runner ladies
What you don’t want to go 6 knots?
Bluefoot pirate boat
We also saw many boats just tied up in front of amazing homes.
MV Checked Out a 96′ Westport
Who needs 5 Outboards
Cabochon – a polished but un-faceted gem
MV Sexy – I’m not sure about the red painted electronics
Can you put a whale tail on my yacht?
And I could have snapped 100 pictures of just amazing homes and beautiful architecture.
Just the right amount of palm trees
Love the open air arched structures
Corner lot anyone?
I’ll take my ceilings vaulted
amazing wall of windows with the blinds pulled. Solarium anyone?
Nice iron work
Then there was this.. Hey Mom & Dad can I have a water slide setup in the back yard for my 8th birthday?
Umm.. I think you slide is taller than your home.
The flag below @ half mast reminded Kelly & I that we are only 12 miles or so from the school shooting in Parkland, FL. When will this new form of violence cease? I believe that all human consciousness needs to communicate. We all need to look after each other to remain healthy. Example: when a child is bullied/alienated in school (or a coworker @work) that is the time that people need to reach out with kindness and listen. We are all connected via social media and it will either save us or tear us apart, be kind.
Flag @ half mast
As we sit in the aft cockpit and take in the day the sun is setting between two high-rise buildings.
Sunset between the high-rise buildings
and we watched as the sun climbed high on the tall buildings before disappearing.
The route leg from Jensen Beach to Palm Beach was beautiful but crowded with boat traffic. This section of the ICW is lined with expensive homes.
Some of the homes are situated on “fingers of land” that have these straight water fairways lined with docks.
Fingers of land, flat bottom surface and a close pass by the red daymarkerWater Fairways
The speed along the ICW changes back and forth between “Idle – No Wake” in manatee zones and “25MPH in Channel” zones where boats are allowed to produce more sizable wakes. With exception of only a few homes the standard solution for docks is to use boat lifts. Kelly & I wondered if M/V Simple Life is too large/heavy for a boat lift. I joked that anything it “technically possible” even if not the norm. As we travelled South we saw boats almost as heavy on lifts.
Boat Lifts:
Viking model/size unknown
Hinkley – supported by stern only. I dare you to stand on the bow.
Then there are those folks who need a boat that is just a bit to big for a boat lift.
M/V Who Cares
We even saw Grand Celebration moored as we made our way around Peanut Island Park in Rivera Beach.
The Grand Celebration is a Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line cruise ship, originally built for Carnival Cruise LineNot sure what you call this type of boat?
We saw many wave runners enjoying the great weather.
That’s some ‘bad hat’
Sandbar People:
These ‘Sandbar Girls” were having too much fun taking selfies on one of the many sandbars that line the ICW channel.
Sandbar Girls
Maybe this crew should have paid more attention to the sandbars?
I love that while they are coming up with a plan the trolling motor is spinning away on the bow
We almost stopped early in the leg to anchor at Peck Lake but many of the anchorages were crowded along the way.
Peck Lake anchorage just South of Port Lucie Inlet
As we approached Palm Beach where I planned to anchor I wondered if my pre-selected anchorage would be full like many we passed along the way.
Catana 431 with a hard catamaran dingy in North Palm Beach
Tight Anchorages:
My concerns we justified when we arrived and struggled to find a spot with enough swing room for us with the strong reversing currents. The captain on the catamaran made a face at me as I noisily lowered my 90# anchor and all chain rode. I don’t agree with making faces at people when you think they anchored too close to you. I have always thought … Everyone is free to anchor in a free anchorage. Fairness is whomever gets there last should pickup anchor and leave if swing room becomes an issue. Barring that some idiot has not let out twice the recommended scope to be “extra safe from dragging”. While I have been known to let out more rode than needed in an empty anchorage, should it get crowded, I’ll be the first to shorten scope before dinghying over to that boat which anchored after me asking them to shorten scope or weigh anchor.
Anchored:
Once on anchored, we had a great view of the high-rise buildings during the day
as well as at night.
The bridge was something to gaze at as well, being lit with glowing lights.
MV Simple Life 
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