Miami and the Gulf Stream Lindsay McRory April 14, 1996 The sail to Miami was quick and uneventful. During the day there was not a boat to be found, but come dark the coast was transformed into a highway of freighters and cruise ships. We remained close to shore so I was never concerned about getting in the way of something substantially bigger than Hakuna Matata. Kita and Wes commented on how much they enjoyed the night sail. I'm not sure why; they slept through most of it. Denise found it to be an uncomfortable trip. The winds were a nice 10-15 mph, but we had a long five- to eight-foot north swell with choppy two- to three-foot east waves. Prior to our departure the wind had been blowing 20 to 25 knots for three days from the north-northeast. Even though the wind lightened up and was coming from the east, I should have known there would still be a swell lingering from the north winds. Waiting another day would have made a huge difference. Miami's harbor entrance is surprisingly low-profile when compared to New York, Seattle, or Vancouver. Only a dozen or so buoys mark the entrance. There are no big lights or lighthouses. The main channel angles slightly to the south. When entering from the north the channel isn't obvious until you're right on top of it. Once through Miami Harbor we headed south to Key Biscayne where we are currently anchored. Key Biscayne is nice--a taste of what lies in store for us. We've been swimming off the boat, taking the dinghy to sand bars for swimming and snorkeling. It looks like we have a couple of good days of weather, although there is a cold front expected over southern Florida late Tuesday. Monday we do the big Gulf Stream crossing, although we're not expecting much of a fight. We'll clear customs at Cat Cay, then we'll go anchor at Gun Cay.