20 November 2024
Depart: Lake Worth FL anchorage 8:00
Arrive: Lake Rogers anchorage, Boca Raton, FL 12:10
Distance: 27 nm
Today we woke to the sun peaking out from behind the cloudy skies.
Yesterday, before anchoring, we discussed our route for today - ocean or bridges? We considered that we would
1) fight current out the inlet as well as in the Hillsboro Inlet if we went via the ocean,
2) have to backtrack from where we anchored back to the Lake Worth inlet
3) have a dozen bridges to deal with on the inside
Clark and I made a list of 14 bridges checking to see how many we would need to have opened between Lake Worth and Pompano Beach.
Ultimately, even with so many bridges to deal with, we decided that the travel time would be less on the inside. Considering the fact that, on yesterday's voyage, we were rocking and rolling even with stabilizers engaged, I voted for bridges. Given that, Clark went further into the anchorage than usual since that meant he would not have to retrace our path to get back to the inlet.
Our plans for tomorrow are to stop at a 'dock and dine' restaurant to meet up with Clark's friend from elementary school. Based on that and the location of an anchorage along the way, we knew we would have a short travel day regardless of all the bridges we needed to transit.
We found a bit of excitement as we reached the Southern Boulevard Bridge. The Coast Guard was there to greet us. They motored towards us as we approached and then haled us on the radio. It's always interesting to see a boat with a machine gun on the front approaching.
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| USCG guarding the bridge |
An interesting 3-way conversation ensued. The USCG officer asked us if we planned to go through the bridge. We answered in the affirmative. He hesitated and then said that he had a delay on his side, so he would let us pass.
Clark told the officer that we needed to figure out if we could get through without lowering our mast. Clark had his binoculars and was trying to read the clearance numbers on the board. The USCG officer radioed the bridge tender and asked her for clearance data.
I laughed out loud (fortunately not over the radio) as the bridge tender then read him the written regulations saying basically that she was not allowed to give out that information. Then, the officer asked the bridge tender, "When will you be opening the bridge.\?" (It's scheduled for the quarter hours.) Once again her response cracked me up, "When you tell me to!"
It was agreed that Clark would "sneak up" on the bridge at low speed to read the board and eyeball the clearance to decide if we could go through without dropping the mast. Of course, what that really meant was that he would stand in the back, look over the top of our boat, and let me know if I should drive through or pull back. As we committed ourselves to go under, the bridge tender said, "Looks like you have 23'". Now she tells us!
We managed to make our way through the bridge past the crews on the two USCG boats watching us intently. I waved as we passed the second boat, and one of the 3 guys onboard waved back.
In fact, the next vessel coming down the ICW, a barge of some sort, was told to hang out after going through the Royal Park Bridge. I guess we just made it to the bridge in time to make it out of there without a delay of some sort.
The rest of the day was less exciting than being greeted by the USCG. Still, we had to keep alert to slow speed zones, other boaters, and of course our bridge chart to know if we could go, lower, or call for an opening.
We passed Ibis Isle along the way. Clark said, "Is that an island up ahead?" Google Maps says, "Yes!" It is apparently an island of condos and houses with only one road in and out.
Granted it is a rather long island. I captured some pictures as we passed by.
At the very end of the island, I saw equipment tearing down an existing structure making way for something, most likely, bigger and better.
As we approached the Ocean Avenue Bridge in Boynton Beach, FL, I grabbed the camera. What a pretty bridge! We checked our chart for clearance and decided that we could make it under if we lowered the mast. Of course I got to drive!
As we passed under the bridge, I looked up; it looked tight, and I felt a bit uncomfortable with how close to the top of the boat the bridge seemed to be. I heard no screaming from behind me, so I continued onward. After we passed out the other side, Clark said that he had his arm up and couldn't reach the bottom of the bridge, so we had a couple of feet above us. I had my adrenaline rush for the second time today!
I saw a water tower with writing on it so I grabbed my camera to note our location.
By 11:00 we had reached bridge # 11. Given it was high tide, this one, the Spanish River Bridge, required that we fold the mast.
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| Looking back at the Spanish River Bridge |
I found the information for the next bridge, Palmetto Park Bridge, confusing. Clark said it was 19' clearance at high tide, but then said it was "+4" at center. I thought we could add the two, but no. It meant that it was 19' or take the number on the clearance board and add 4'.
Well, it was high tide or thereabouts, so we had the 19' number to work with. We need 17' plus a few inches due to solar panels on top of the boat. Clark decided we would not only need the mast down but the antennas as well. He had me slowly, very slowly approach the bridge as he crawled out on the tiny-width ledge to lower the antennas on both sides of the boat. My third adrenaline burst of the day - I hate when he climbs out there and holds on by his fingernails!
If I thought it was tight going through the other bridge, this one felt worse - almost claustrophobic! We made it through to go look for a place to drop anchor saving two bridges for tomorrow.
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| Tightest bridge of all today |
I got to navigate the bridge, of course, while Clark enjoyed the view from his perch behind the helm. I hope I never have to find out what happens if he changing his mind at the last minute!
One thing I noticed on today's travels that somewhat surprised me was the amount of construction work going on. We saw lots of places under construction with most of what we saw new construction.
Shortly after passing under that last bridge, we approached the place where Clark hoped to anchor for the night. Unfortunately, we found a lot of boats already at anchor. He scoped out the area further along, but decided that where he would have room to drop anchor was not a good spot because it got shallow quickly near by. When the tide turned, we could find ourselves sitting on the bottom as the water would drop about 2.5'.
Clark decided we needed to backtrack to an anchorage we had passed along the way just after the Spanish River Bridge. Oh joy! That meant we got to go under the 19' bridge a second time. Having just gone under the bridge, we knew we would not scrape off the top of our boat, so I told Clark he could have the pleasure of driving under this time.
I had to check Google Maps to know where we ended up. Turns out we dropped anchor in Boca Raton. Too bad we have no way to access shore here (at least none that I know of) as we have friends from our home town of Rumson, who live here in the winter season.
We had the anchorage completely to ourselves, and as the first speeding boat went by giving us a good wake, I thought I knew why the other anchorage was packed. Later in the day, while cooking dinner, I had to watch my pans slide around on the burners as we felt another boat's wake.
Some time during the afternoon, an interesting boat went by - a sailboat with its mast down. The stern showed "Amara Zee from Lafitte LA". This vessel is a traveling non-profit theater organization.
Late in the evening, Clark grabbed my phone and went outside to take pictures of the lights reflected in the water. He said, "The water is calm, so I should be able to capture some good shots." I would say he was pretty successful!
BTW: Clark told me that his memory of yesterday's travels was the following ...
"We picked up anchor and we moved." Now wouldn't that make an interesting blog update.
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