Gran Vida's Great Half-Looped Adventure: West Palm Beach

City lights make a nice backdrop

We decided to swing on the hook for awhile and one great place to do so is West Palm Beach. Palm Beach is a very high-end, happening place. Someone told us it is the most expensive zip code in the States. We're not sure if that's true and not that we care about such things anyway, but it IS a great place for people/boat watching. The folks hanging out downtown pretty much sum up the dichotomy of the States: you see street people sleeping on benches beside chauffeur driven cars waiting for their owners to come out of the wealth management building. As well there are some pretty spectacular yachts in this neighbourhood to shake our heads at and wonder just who has that much money and what we would do if WE had that much money. Probably not buy a ginormous yacht to leave sit at a dock as a tax write-off.

Market day

Craft show

But the real advantage to anchoring in Palm Beach is the convenience. There's a large free dock to park the dinghy which has access to free water to fill our tanks. A vibrant downtown which always has something going on -- free concerts, farmers' market, dog shows, car shows, craft and flea markets etc etc. And a grocery store and large movie theatre within a few blocks.

Visitors from the North!
Brenda driving in salt
water for the first time.

We spent about ten days anchored at Palm Beach. While there, we enjoyed a visit with friends Stephano and Brenda from Harbour West Marina, our home port in Penetanguishene, where a couple of afternoons were spent on the boat, taking in the sights and sharing meals and libations.