More from Florida

I found a Hamburger Bean on the beach- this means great luck!

 When we first started sailing and meeting other cruisers, one piece of advice kept being repeated regarding having visitors on board while voyaging: boat guests can chose the date or the place to visit, but not both.

Now that we have some experience, we understand the logic behind this cruiser's rule - it allows for a little more flexibility. Cruising on a schedule is very difficult because there are so many variables that can affect timing. Pinpointing where we'll be in four days is hard, let alone four weeks. We live by the marine weather forecast more so than the calendar.

Suggesting the place to meet can be tricky as well since we're often cruising in places we've never been before. We don't know if it will live up to a visitor's idea of a good vacation spot. And contrary to popular opinion, the boat isn't like the Lotto 649 commercial portrays it. I'm always worried visitors won't get what they bargained for once onboard. Will they be able to sleep? Will they be scared, sick, bored? This isn't to say we don't like guests, but this type of travel isn't a resort-type vacation where everything is predictable. It's an adventure which requires a lot of flexibility and an open mind from anyone who participates.

My mother is a great guest because she understands all this; she comes with an adventurous spirit and no set expectations. She was ready with her answer when I asked "do you want to chose the date or the place?" She wanted to see the Florida Keys so we invited her to join us in Miami for Christmas and we would sail the keys together.

In November we realized we were a month ahead of 'schedule'. I asked her again: the date or the place? She stuck with the Keys so we changed the date to meet on November 23rd in Miami. A week before her arrival, we knew we wouldn't make it to Miami in time so if she wanted to keep the date, we'd have to change the meeting place to Fort Lauderdale. Did I mention how meeting up requires flexibility?

Even after her arrival, the daily plan was often tweaked as new opportunities arose - and everything turned out to be so fantastic! She absolutely loved her time on board. We sailed offshore from Fort Lauderdale to Miami and spent a little time in Coconut Grove. We had heavenly days anchored in No Name Harbor, Key Biscayne, which was our home base for most of her trip. We ended up seeing the Keys on a road trip with a rental car, focusing our time in Key West. 

A happy birthday for mom in Fort Lauderdale.

An anchorage with an amazing view of the Miami skyline. 
Surreal spot to spend the night.

South Beach, Miami - art deco scene.

 

We are now Key Lime Pie true connoisseurs!

Giving Dave a ride to shore.  No Name Harbor.

 

She was very lucky with the weather. It didn't rain. It was hot and gorgeous and just windy enough to keep the no-see-ums away (most of the time). We celebrated her birthday. We had some seriously delicious meals onboard, if I do say so myself, as well as some amazing meals in restaurants. She got to see a lot of wildlife including dolphins and a manatee up close. 

She endured one rolly night in an exposed anchorage. The wind picked up more than we expected, causing the boat to bounce heavily in the waves. The motion woke Dave and I at 3am. "I wonder if she's awake" I whispered to Dave. "Well if we're awake, she probably is too" he said. I went to the main cabin to check on her and woke her up in the process. Oops! I can't believe she had been sleeping through it!

She was fine with the nighttime dinghy rides as well, which can border on scary when it's pitch black out and wavy. We knew the three of us would fit however, since our dinghy capacity was put to the test with the one-legged veteran and his duffel bag in Georgia.

Highway 1 through the Florida Keys is littered with mountains of debris resulting from hurricane Irma. The pickup period ended in October but people are still in cleanup mode, piling trash on the roadsides. Authorities are arguing that this can't go on forever and are threatening to fine people who dump but the reality is, they're going to have to bring back crews and trucks to deal with the piles.

Ernest Hemingway's house in Key West.

End of the road!  Mile Zero - Key West.

A lot going on in the hotel parking lot!  Key Largo.

We were very pleased with Key West - a fun place that I would go back to visit again any time. An unexpected surprise was the neighbourbood of Wynwood near Miami that we visited since we had extra time with the rental car. Wowza! This area is being revitalized with a strong focus on street art that is really impressive. 

My mom tried to order the mozzarella advertised on the wall.
The waiter told her "That's art.  You can't order the art."

Wynwood Walls. 

Is it Christmas yet? For us, the only reminder that Tis' the Season is the music we hear in the shops around town. Once in awhile a friend from home will text that it snowed and I think 'Oh that's right...it's winter there now". During our time in No Name Harbor, however, we were invited to a Full Moon Party at the Cape Florida Lighthouse which had a Christmas theme. We walked into a world of contrasts: there was a blizzard of soap suds (along with a warm breeze), Christmas trees (among the palm trees) and Christmas lights (and tiki torches). 

Full Moon Party - Cape Florida Lighthouse.

 

I'm okay with it snowing soapy suds!

When our holiday time with my mother came to an end, she reluctantly returned to Canada, and Dave and I tackled our next big task: provisioning for Cuba! We're getting ready for the next chapter and it's pretty exciting...

Touring Stiltsville off Cape Florida.

A happy sailor!