Miami by Sailboat – Big Brews and Smooth Coffee

Nikki Wynn

Oct 25, 2016 — 4 min read

Sailing into Miami the water was so still the reflection of the clouds gave us the feeling we were floating in the sky. Who knew the ocean could be so glassy.

I have always thought of Miami as Dallas with an ocean. I’ve spent a fair amount of time in Miami and lived in Dallas for almost ten years. To me, both cities have a similar feel, especially because everyone seems to have this urge to impress (or out-do) one another. Fancy cars, expensive clothes, big soirees, body parts plumped-up with plastic. They both resemble their TV-drama selves; Miami Vice vs. Dallas, now that would be a showdown. It’s the soap opera style drama that makes the people watching in both cites some of the best around.

That need to impress extends beyond just looks. It creates some incredibly fantastic neighborhoods filled with odd art galleries, curated boutiques and cafes with menu items I can’t pronounce. My inner glam girl and foodie rejoices at the sights while the rest of me tries not to break anything.

Of course, there is a lot of sub culture and underground society to be discovered here too, but we only had one day. So, we focused on the important things like stocking up on craft coffee and brews.

I like the energy and creativity of the big city, but there was something extra surreal about hopping in our dinghy at the end of the day. Twenty minutes later we’re back bobbing around with the sound of the wind whipping our lines and the water lapping at our hulls. It’s like living on two different planets at the same time.

If you are wondering about our new friend Steve…well, he is an interesting character. He is big time into sneakers (as in athletic shoes), travel and sailing. We’re hoping to see Steve again sailing around the Abacos…so we’ll make sure to give you a tour of his boat and introduce you to his awesome partner Brenda.

Into The Horizon We Go

I have never been so excited to disappear in my whole life. We’ve driven down empty roads that felt never ending and stood at the top of mountains that seemed to reach the sky. Yet, I know we are about to reach a new level of feeling infinitely tiny as we disappear into the horizon.

We’ve got a couple of weeks in Ft. Lauderdale to take care of a few projects on Curiosity, provision (see how much ice cream my freezer will hold) and wait on a weather window to cross the Gulf Stream. We’ve talked to a lot of different boaters about sailing to the Bahamas and one piece of advice has been a standard among them all. Do not cross with any northerly winds stronger than 10 knots.

The Gulf Stream is like a river within the Atlantic ocean that is 45 miles wide and flowing north at about 2-4 knots. If there is a strong wind out of the north, blowing against the current, it can make for extremely nasty and dangerous conditions. We’re just starting to get a little layer of salt on us…we don’t want to put ourselves in any situations that might wash it off. So, we’ll heed the warnings and wait for a good weather window.