A Random Encounter at the Dinner Key Dinghy Docks...

For whatever compelling reason an otherwise nondescript image of an idle moment can indeed evoke a vivid recollection of a past impressionable encounter.

And the image shown above of me idly posing along the City of Miami Dinner Key Marina dinghy docks is indeed of one such nondescript, idle moment.

For you see, it was after having come ashore and after having secured my dinghy on what seems to have been but yet another bright sunny morning, that I happened to encounter another fellow along the docks that I hadn't recalled ever having previously met.

And after mutually acknowledging one another with a casual "good morning" and after then exchanging a pleasantry or two, the fellow proceeded to launch into a mild diatribe of sorts.

In but an instant that lean, tall, slender fellow with a dark complexion and dark shades was soon carrying on about how the City Marina was ruining his and other fellow boaters life with all their new rules and regulations that they were now imposing.

And without missing a beat, that talkative, super-active yet engaging fellow was rapidly explaining that he'd been out at anchor in the Dinner Key Harbor for as far back as '88 and was now carrying on of how he and others out at anchor weren't drug abusers while emphatically explaining that the new rules that were now being imposed were too onerous and that the Cuban Miami City officials were all corrupt and racist and that he had had enough of Miami and that he would be leaving for Phoenix the following morning to go live with his brother and that he had a painting job all lined up and waiting for him and that...

Yet that wasn't by any means the extent of that fellow's random commentary for his narrative was also interspersed with personal recollections of having been an Air Force brat back when he was a youngster and of having lived in Spain for a number of years while his dad was in the service and of having travelled extensively throughout Europe at one time.

Nevertheless what seemed to resonate the most with me for whatever reason was his sorrowful account of when a personal friend of his was found deceased early one morning in a nearby park with a needle stuck in a vein.

This was but a day after his friend was awarded seven-figures by a jury for having been severely and unjustifiably beaten months earlier by officers of the Miami Police Department.

That talkative fellow went on to explain that his friend would indeed routinely smoke a little weed but sticking a needle in his arm was simply out of the question and not something he'd ever done before or had ever even contemplated doing.

He afterwards emphatically proclaimed that he was convinced that none other than Miami's finest had staged a drug overdose in retribution for his friend having won his case against the City of Miami and the Miami Police Department.

And in hindsight I kinda, sorta remember this incident making national news a while back but I simply just don't remember any more than but a few details of the case and of how contentious the trial was.

Yet the irony of it all is that I kinda, sorta remember having met in passing this same loquacious fellow back in '88 when I was briefly at anchor in Dinner Key Harbor.

For you see, that lean, tall, slender fellow with a dark complexion had the brightest, silver-blue eyes imaginable, a physical attribute that was for some odd reason somewhat unnerving to gaze upon after he pointedly removed his dark sun shades to reveal the color of his eyes.

It simply isn't often that one comes across a person of color with such intense crystal clear, silver-blue eyes not that it should matter one way or another but it is most certainly a physical attribute that one is inclined to remember and I do indeed seem to recall having come across someone with the same features way back when.

Well I never did get in a word edgewise insofar as that conversation was concerned for somehow I sensed that the fellow simply wanted to vent a few frustrations before departing Miami for good the next morning.

In any event I did find that fellow to be rather engaging in a personable sort of way. Nor did I regret having taken the time to listen to all his random commentary.

Well what the heck... it wasn't like I had anything better to do at that particular moment.



View of Dinner Key Harbor, September '88.

Setting Sail and Key West Bound... Day One...

Living aboard a boat by oneself can most certainly become somewhat monotonous after a while and can be especially true if one happens to stay in any one place for too long.

It's simply just too easy to grab a mooring ball or drop an anchor somewhere in the confines of an anchorage and simply not venture off anywhere for weeks on end.

And while Coconut Grove and all its upscale business establishments is conveniently located within walking distance of Dinner Key Harbor, it is nevertheless but another busy tourist destination in Miami.

The monotony of it all can set in after awhile and have one yearning for a change of scenery if nothing else. Consequently I finally resolved to heed a bit of advise posted on a Cruiser's Forum message board and set sail for a new destination.

It felt good to unleash Blondie-Dog from her mooring and sail on out away from Dinner Key Harbor. The feeling was most liberating and it felt good to be finally sailing in earnest again.

Light winds made for little initial progress but once the winds picked up, S/V Blondie-Dog was swiftly gliding over the pristine blue waters of Biscayne Bay.

I had initially intended to anchor off of Elliott Key for the evening but elected to continue my swift sail and drop a hook off the entrance to Jewfish Creek. I'd negotiate that narrow channel in daylight the next morning.

All in all it was ten hours of blissful sailing... well at least the last eight of them anyway. The only downside to day one was while at anchor that evening. Blondie-Dog was anchored downwind of mosquito infested mangroves and it goes without saying that I involuntarily donated a pint of blood.

My first clue that those mangroves were infested with mosquitoes should have been while under sail. A helicopter could repeatedly be seen swooping down upon the mangroves as if it were on a combat mission in a jungle somewhere. That chopper might have been spraying DDT or Agent Orange for all I know.

A recently purchased mosquito netting did nevertheless help keep some of the mosquitoes away. The No-See Ums were however another matter and had no problem finding their way in through the mosquito netting mesh.

I'd also like to think that the mosquito repelling coils that I had burning in the cabin had some effect in chasing the No-See Ums away but all it seemed to do was to scent up the boat's cabin as if it were an early Seventies head-shop.

All in all, day one was a most enjoyable day of sailing.

Miami Herald Sports Pages Gone Missing...

Living aboard a sailboat by oneself can most certainly lead to somewhat of a solitary existence, so for better or worse I often find myself frequenting a local tavern here in the Grove. The cold beverages, flat screen TVs and camaraderie with fellow bar-flies have a way lifting up my spirits.

Nevertheless after a few cold ones the other day, I felt compelled to make use of the men's room. Conspicuously missing from above the urinals were the usual Miami Herald sports pages boasting of the Miami Heat's latest basketball successes.

The fact that my Dallas Mavericks had KO'd the Heat the previous evening might have had something to do with the missing sports pages...



Me... sipping on a cold beverage after indulging in a bit of dockside bar graffitti. Gilbert's Dockside Bar & Grill, Key Largo.
http://360floridakeys.com/resorts-motels/gilberts-resort/gilberts-large-tiki-bar/

(Awright MAVS!!! NBA Champions!!! ... Dwayne and his little buddy Lebron along with the rest of the Heat got PUNKED!! I say PUNKED baby!! Go Mavs!!)

Sailing Regatta Slicing through the Mooring Field, Dinner Key Harbor

There is a certain sameness about living aboard a boat and hearing the same sounds throughout the day while one is down below, is most certainly a good part of the sameness of it all. After awhile the sounds all just seem to blend in with one another and though quite audible are hardly perceptible.

These sounds for the most part consist of halyards gently and not so gently clanging up against the mast... all depending of course on just how hard the wind might be blowing that day.

Yet occasionally there are instances when an ever so-subtle-sound will immediately grab one's attention and have one springing up into action to check in on the source of an unexpected faint yet rhythmic sound.

One sound that never fails to bring a smile to my face is that of dolphins ever so gracefully swimming by the hull of the boat early in the morning and then surfacing to exhale and catch yet another deep breath of air.

Somehow I always find myself saying hi to the dolphins for whatever compelling reason as they swim on past.

Nevertheless one sound that happened to grab my attention the other day was that of what seemed to be a whole flotilla of sailboats swiftly gliding through the mooring field. I gotta believe that there's a marina regulation prohibiting boats from sailing through the mooring field but I certainly wasn't gonna complain about it.

In fact that was me wishing that I were sailing along with them while giving a thumbs up as they all sailed on past.

Dinner Key Mooring Field Shuttle...

There are times when winds pick up and blow out of the northeast resulting in a lot of chop in the water throughout Dinner Key Harbor... and it goes without saying that this most certainly makes for a wet and uncomfortable dinghy ride to and from one's boat.

Fortunately Dinner Key Marina does nevertheless offer a shuttle service to and from the mooring field throughout the day. It's kinda like a water taxi of sorts. The service runs at the top of each hour between the hours of five and eight. One just needs to call on VHF channel 68 and let the office know that you want to be picked up.

It's best however that if one does call that you don't conclude your radio transmission with "and Go Mavericks!!", or "Beat the Heat!!" or some-such because the response may well be, "Your in the wrong town buddy and if you want to be picked up, then you better get onboard with the Heat"...

(Go Mavericks!!, Go Mavericks!!, Go Mavericks!!.... out.)

Domino Park, Little Havana...

At the epicenter of Little Havana is "El Parque de Domino"... and all throughout the day, senior and not so-senior citizens can be boisterously heard playing dominoes.

A number of tables have nevertheless been set aside for those wishing to play chess and it is not uncommon to overhear a lot of "trash talking" going on as bishops slice across the diagonals and pawns zealously capture unsuspecting pieces.

Hanging Around Roosters in Little Havana...

While roaming the streets of Little Havana for the past couple of weeks, I've had the privilege of meeting up with a number of colorful roosters aimlessly wandering about as well.

And of course it goes without saying that I'm always happy to exchange a few pleasantries with these over-sized hens before heading off to my favorite Cuban diner for a lunch plate of "arroz con pollo".

It also goes without saying that I always purposely avoid any mention of what's on the lunch menu for fear of antagonizing any of my feathered friends 'cause I certainly don't want any of them suddenly going postal on my sorry ass.

Oh by the way just in case I haven't previously mentioned it... I'll have ya'll know that Cubans absolutely love Miami. But what ya'll probably didn't know it that they collectively love Miami because they perceive it to be so close to the United States.

Sailing Biscayne Bay Just for the Heck of it...

Yeah man!

I love it when steady winds fill the sails and the boat lurches forward while gently gliding across the water. It's effect on one's brain is better than any over the counter anti-depressant that I can think of.

Me thinks that I should be sailing more often...

Hanging Out on Calle Ocho while Hobnobbing with the Queen of Salsa, Celia Cruz...

I gotta admit that I've done very little sailing lately and instead find myself wandering about Miami whether it be in BaySide, South Beach, Coconut Grove or even Little Havana.

Nevertheless it was while strolling about Little Havana the other day that I happened to have a most delightful surprise.... no less than the late renowned Queen of Salsa, Celia Cruz could be heard calling out her trademark catch-phrase, "Azucar"!!.

I along with a number of her many other adoring fans immediately scrambled on over to give her a big hug.

Que en paz descanses.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celia_Cruz

Strolling Along Calle Ocho in Little Havana...

Coconut Grove does indeed have a number of upscale establishments all mostly catering to upscale European tourists... and it goes without saying that all these upscale establishments all think very highly of the services they have to offer and charge its patrons accordingly.

Calle Ocho on the other hand is but a mere three or four miles away from the Grove and can be found smack in the middle of Little Havana. This community is exclusively Hispanic and is dotted with quite a number of cafes and tobacco shops.

Calle Ocho is most certainly deserving of its iconic reputation and has a definite vibrant and boisterous feel about it. Also to be found alongside this street is a domino park complete with benches and tables. Senior and not-so-senior citizens gather here to play dominoes all day. Elderly women can also be seen playing alongside the men folk.

The clatter of dominoes can continuously be heard and later seen gleefully being slammed down upon the cement tables. This scene is almost always invariably followed by animated commentary by both spectators and players alike... all in Spanish of course. (ie: "No Seas Burro!!)

Along Calle Ocho are also a number of tobacco shops all beckoning tourists to spend both their euros and dollars on boxes of handmade cigars. The tourists all invariably arrive in large tour buses courtesy of the Cruise Lines.

These buses will suddenly pull up alongside the curb when one least expects it and unload a throng of camera wielding tourists in but an instant. It's always a mad scramble off those buses and it's best if one stays way clear of an arriving tour bus.

The tobacco shops all have an antiquated charm about them and though I am by no means a smoker, I gotta admit that it certainly was an intriguing sight to observe tobacco leaves cut and then rolled into coveted cigars. There were literally hundreds of fragrant cigars lined up against the walls and stacked all the way up to the ceiling.

Incidentally, a trip to Little Havana must include indulging in the local fare. Be sure to treat yourself to a plate of morros and cristianos and platanos maduros. The food is all good and all reasonably priced. Bring your appetite and don't even think about wanting to feed your face another fast food burger and fries while in Little Havana.

I suppose that the only missing feature of Little Havana to make it completely authentic were all those old classic Chevrolet cars still purportedly being driven throughout the streets of Havana, Cuba.

Sailing the Intercoastal and not feeling any magic...

Sailing from Key Largo along the Intercoastal and on up to Miami left me feeling somewhat flat and not feeling the same magic that I once experienced while sailing these same waters some twenty-some years ago while aboard S/V BratCat.

For whatever reason all I could think about was of making the most of every whiff of air to fill the sails and of scurrying on up to Miami all in two days. This two day sail felt more like a boat delivery if the truth be told.

Somehow all I felt was a small measure of satisfaction and of relief after having successfully negotiated the shallow channel waters and of not running aground. There simply was little magic this time around... all of which has me thinking of the joyful exhilaration that I experienced when previously sailing these same waters long ago.

Among my more memorable memories when previously sailing the Intercoastal was of anchoring off in Card Sound and later going ashore along with my then wife, for a delightful plate of crab cakes and cold beer at Alabama Jacks.

This previously quaint dockside bar & grill is still there but is now obscured from the sound by overgrown mangroves. The place has been expanded somewhat to accommodate larger crowds yet now seems to mostly cater to old disgruntled bikers of all things. Alabama Jacks no longer seems to possess the charm that it once did.

Another vivid memory when previously sailing the Intercoastal happened later that same evening when two jet fighters, evidently on a training mission from Homestead AFB, could be seen and heard flying low over the water and then screaming straight up into the night sky with their afterburners glowing bright orange.

S/V BratCat may well have unwittingly been a training mission target for all I know. Every halyard on that boat seemed to continue rattling for a good thirty minutes afterwards. Even the barnacles that had been steadfastly clinging onto the bottom of her hull all chose to release their tight grip after those two jets went vertical directly above the mast.

In any event there simply were no memorable moments this time around. Then yet again there were but I simply didn't notice any for lack of having a companion aboard to share in the experience.



The top image is of me aboard S/V BratCat coming upon a channel marker somewhere along the Intercoastal.

Meeting New Friends While Strolling about on South Beach...

Strolling about South Beach certainly was a lot of fun and a far cry from the usual boredom of Boot Key Harbor Marina... and while strolling about that sandy beach, I was casually asked by a young lady to lather on a good amount of tanning oil on her back and elsewhere.

It goes without saying that I was only too happy to oblige her. She even gave me her phone number so that we could hook-up later this week for an evening of Salsa dancing.

I'll be sure to call her.

Mooring Ball 48, Dinner Key Harbor, Coconut Grove, Miami...

S/V Blondie-Dog is presently tied-off to a mooring ball once again and is quite happy with the change of scenery.

There's something to be said about tying off to a mooring and of not having to worry about whether one's anchors will drag during a blow. Yeah, I already know... I'm but a day-sailor at heart if the truth be known.

Besides, I happen to rather like the basic amenities provided by a marina. Nothing can quite gladden the heart of a sailor like a hot shower.

So watch out all you exceedingly attractive young and not so young ladies strolling about Coconut Grove! I have finally arrived!!