Lake Boca Raton to New Middle River Municipal Marina

Lake Boca Raton was glass smooth as we weighed anchor.  We made the 0720 opening of the Camino Real Bridge and docked at noon just west of the Andrews Avenue Bridge in downtown Fort Lauderdale.  It was a very smooth passage with the route lined by multi-million dollar homes and high rise condos.  The New Middle River was busy with vessels of all sizes from paddle boards to mega-yachts.  It is amazing to see the mega-yachts negotiate the river and dock. Water taxis are everywhere.

Foreign Affair and water taxi

We headed to Las Olas Avenue for lunch after checking in at the marina office.  We had one of the most delicious pizzas at Louie Bossi's Restorante.  The weather was perfect for eating outside and people-watching as we relaxed with our wine.

Louie Bossi's Restorante

After lunch we headed back to the boat and along the way we stopped to take a tour of the Stranahan House which is the oldest house in Fort Lauderdale.  The house served many functions over time.  It was a trading post and public meeting house, a bank, a restaurant and a residence.  Frank Stranahan bought 10 acres of land on the New Middle River and established a thriving business with the Seminole Indians.  His wife, Ivy came from Miami to teach in the town's one room school house and about a year later married Frank.  Together they successfully developed numerous other businesses and promoted the development of the settlement which grew up around his trading post.  The house today is on the National Register of Historic Places and surrounded by high rise construction.