Previous Memorial Day entries have been about what the
"holiday" really means to me, and it still does -- what our service men and women sacrificed to
make this country great (in spite of our problems). It makes me think of my father who fought in
WW II, and friends, Ray, Ron, Bruce, who served in Vietnam. I've always abhorred the other side of the
day, the commercial part of it, but it does signal the "start" of the
summer season and I suppose one has to accept that along with the true
meaning. So contrary to my other
entries, this is mostly a photo album of a trip we took yesterday around Peanut
Island, which has become a party island during the Memorial Day weekend.
There seem to be two groups of boaters there, young families
and then large groups of young people who are there to "seriously" party. Ironically, Palm Beach County has an new
ordinance that makes drinking on the island itself a misdemeanor, so that is
the safe place where the families can congregate. But it is legal to drink "off the
island" so hundreds and hundreds of boats are anchored, beached, rafted
around the island -- mostly party hardy types -- downing booze like there is no
tomorrow. No Memorial Day thoughts there
and amazing, these same people get in their boats and go back to wherever they
came from that same day. So it's not OK
to drink on the island, but OK to pilot your boat home drunk (there are marine
police about, but how many boats can they check on their way out?).
The partiers look at us, two old folk in a boat, as a relic
species, a societal vestigial organ, and perhaps we are, although when we were
that age, we might have thought the aged eccentric, but always treated them
with respect. Perhaps that is a word (respect)
that has become extinct in our society in many ways.
Is it any wonder that a study by the Yale School of Public Health of entries in Facebook by individuals in the 20-29 age range found:
74 percent
berated older individuals
41 percent
mentioned physical debilitation
27 percent
treated the elderly as children, and
37 percent
advocated banning them from public activities such as driving and shopping.
One group even advocated facing a firing squad when one
turns 69. Guess my time is up!
So, with that in mind, we planned a trip to reconnoiter the
scene, choosing to leave our home during the noon hour, knowing that we would
be returning well before the worst of the mayhem. (In fact, this
year some fights broke out while "under the influence.")
Even though we left early, the boat traffic was already heavy
and some Florida boaters don't seem to be aware that even in "speed zones"
such as Lake Worth, they are responsible their own wake. Entering the Lake, immediately south of the
PGA bridge I try to time my run so I am either well behind or well ahead of the
big sportfishes and yachts that run the Lake as if they own the water and
everyone else be damned. This still puts us at the mercy of these large vessels
approaching us, the greatest danger being when we are between two markers and
can't run outside of them. I'm amazed
that these boats don't slow down to give a smaller boat a safer passageway, but
most don't. I had a 41' Hatteras approach
us at full bore which left six foot wakes, tightly spaced and with curlers on
top, ones I had to take on my port quarter.
Although we took these off of plane, there were a few anxious moments. We knew the Lake would be rough and I knew
our boat could take it, but the boat seems to take it better than our
backs. Unfortunately, between piloting
our boat and hanging on, it is impossible to get photos of these inconsiderate,
dangerous boats or their wakes.
But, thankfully, it is slow speed all around Peanut Island
and although we had boats on both sides, and ones approaching from all angles,
it is fairly easy to navigate, although, again, many Florida boaters seem to
lack knowledge of the rules of the road and what it means for the burdened
vessel to give way or for the privileged vessel to maintain course and speed.
So here are a few photos of our trip. First, leaving the placid waters just south
of the PGA bridge..
Entering Lake Worth, traffic coming at us, going south...
After passing under the Blue Heron bridge, one beholds Peanut
Island on the North Side....
Looking east, rafting on the northern sandbar of Peanut....
This is what the rafting looked like on the Northwest side
of Peanut...
Heading south along Peanut's west side....
Tent colony on Peanut's west side (overnight tenting is
permitted in designated areas and they are immune from the law that does not
permit drinking on the island...go figure)
On the south side of the island, the old Coast Guard station
and the West Palm ferry...
Larger boats on the northeast side of Peanut....
Passing Sailfish Marina which is to the east of Peanut --
home to some large sportfishes...
And the rafting goes on and on -- here on the northeastern
sand bar right near the narrow channel...
There are some derelict boats near the Island, but this one
is someone's home...
Finally, home, and our safely boat in its lift, a paddler
surfboarder goes by with a doggie on the bow (wow!)...
