9 February, 2020 Party central at the anchorage

Several bridges passed under, one RR bridge to life; 36 Sm; 5.3 engine hours slow

It was a nice 72 degrees and clear at the anchorage this morning with Northeast winds  @10-15 with gusts 25.  Anchor up we were underway at 0750, setting course toward Miami, uncertain of distance to travel today.  Small craft advisory for winds has been issued so the larger bodies of water will be rough and offshore nasty with 4-6  footers As we continue south, anchorages are getting scarce as folks down here are increasingly onerous to cruisers and there are increasing no anchor restrictions.  What anchorages remain are filled with boats--often times many derelict.  Like California that has more cars than the freeways can handle--traffic jams, I am convinced Florida has many more boats than there are boat slips.  So we are looking, as we head south, for protected anchorages with room, good holding and maybe a place to take the dinghy ashore.

Early this morning, not a lot of boat traffic except the charter fleet racing past and waking us really bad in and around Lake Worth inlet.  However, about noon time out came everyone.  Mostly not so bad due to the majority of the trip today was in slow speed or no-wake zones.  Again, folks down here seem to have a different speed setting for no-wake then the rest of us.

Cannot remember where we passed the major shipping docks but big yachts, big cruise ship and container ships.

Stern of cruise ship

Container ship

This is not an exception down here---amazingly huge yachts

Seven foot tall RR bridge had to wait for scheduled opening.

We rejected one anchorage because we had not travelled too far and it looked more exposed to NE and east winds so we continued south.
Not surprising, but active and prominently displayed TRUMP banners on the mega homes and mega boats.

Both the charts and active captain recommended Lake Boca Raton at AICW MM 1047.8.   as having a protected anchorage with excellent holding.  However, nothing real close for a paddling dinghy.  As we entered the anchorage, it was packed.  Sunday afternoon.  The larger sailboats, sailing cats and trawlers were not junk and clearly were here waiting out the blow.  We dropped anchor in a temporary spot way too close to the 30-40 party boats.  Young folks having a good time.  Secured at 1300 in 8 feet of water.  (map) Only 50 feet of rode, not much swing room.  Listened to the mix of music: country, pop, rap, latin all blaring from the boat speakers within the anchorage.  Later in the day most of the afternoon crowd was leaving, so we fired up the diesel and repositioned  for a more secure location and reset the anchor.  Plenty of rode, 7:1 at least.  Wind blowing and forecast to blow 20 with gusts all night.  Peacefully quiet now, except the whistle of the wind in the sailboat rigging, palm tree fronds rustling and our canvas buzzing.  Anchor alarm set, but probably will not be great sleep.

Sport--recognize the hat

1375.7 Hobbs; 1835 SM elapsed.