Boca Raton, FL to Singer Island, Palm Beach, Shores FL

Ian & Debbie collecting the lines when leaving Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club.

"Island Hopper" departed the dock at 9:00 AM heading to the Camino Real bridge for the 9:30 AM opening, which was actually scheduled to open at 9:40 AM. We waited carefully in the wind until the bridge opened for recreational crafts. Today is hot humid in the mid 80's with winds south 15 to 20. There is a 60% chance of rain later this afternoon. Skies are cloudy, but there is still a lot of blue sky. The second bridge we needed to go through by scheduled openings was Palmetto Bridge. We waited for the 10:00 AM opening. We traveled two additional bridges that did not have to open for us, then approached the Atlantic Avenue Bridge that opened on the 1/2 and full hour. Today is a slow moving day due to all of the bridges. The next bridge, the George Bush Bridge opens on demand, which saves us time. Then there are 7 additional bridges with three that need to open in order for us to pass through it.

A beautiful Palm Beach home on the ICW

The Old Biltmore Hotel

Today's destination is Singer Island, Palm Beach Shores. We are staying at Sailfish Marina for two nights.(www.sailfishmarina.com) Sailfish Marina, established in 1952, is a full service marina and resort. There are two pools, hotel rooms, restaurant and bar. A water taxi is available to take us to the Palm Beach area. We arrived at Sailfish Marina and the water passage was shallow with areas out of the passage just a few feet sand covered. A few boats went aground. The weather has held off. Blue and sunny skies, but the winds is gusty. We ate dinner at Sailfish Marina Restaurant.

The low tide was right near the passage area

A boat that needed Sea Tow's assistance to get them off the sand bar

West Palm Beach was long considered Palm Beach's less-priviledged stepsister. Sprawling West Palm has evolved into an economically vibrant destination of its own, ranking as the cultural, entertainment, and business center of the entire county and territory to the north. High-rise buildings like the mammoth Palm Beach County Judical Center and Courthouse and the State Administrative Building underscore the breadth of the city's governmental and corporate activity. The heart of revived West Palm Beach is a small, attractive, easy-to-walk downtown area, spurred on by active historic preservation. Along five blocks of beautifully landscaped Clematis Street, which ends at the intracoastal waterway, are boutiques and outdoor cafes, plus the 400 - seat Cuillo Center for the Arts, which features and pre-Broadway shows and concerts; and Palm Beach Dramaworks, an intimate theater, which often shows new plays. Molly's Trolleys (http://www.molleystrolleys.com/) is a free and frequent trolley service that makes continuous loops down Clematis Street, the city's century-old main street, and through CityPlace, a shopping-restaurant-theater district. (http://www.cityplace.com/) Palm Beach is a town of unparalleled Florida opulence with the ornate architectural work of Addison Mizner, who began designing homes and public buildings in the 1920's and whose Moorish-Gothic style has influences virtually all community landmarks. Thanks to Mizner and his lasting influence, Palm Beach remains a playground of the rich, famous, and discerning.