Thursday, April 14, 2011
This is the date of my mother’s 86th birthday. My brother and I planned an interesting and special day for her. In the early afternoon, we all met on Atlantic Avenue near the Inter-coastal Waterway. There are two “party boats” docked near the public park and are available to cruise along the Inter-coastal.
We thought Mom could sit comfortably on the boat and leisurely watch the Florida world go by. She always enjoyed riding on boats and this would be a unique experience for her. It was a surprise gift and she was happy about it.
The Lady Atlantic
The boats were large pleasure boats and there were about 25 or 30 people aboard for this cruise. Although the day started sunny, there were report of thundershowers south of us in Ft. Lauderdale.
The Inter-Coastal Waterway
When we boarded the Lady Atlantic, Mom seemed excited about the adventure. She found a comfortable seat on the middle deck and made herself “at home”. The cruise lasted about a couple of hours and was very pleasant.
Looking Aft Along the Inter-coastal
As The Lady Atlantic plied the calm waters, the captain described where we were and told us about the history of the area and described who lived in the houses. He told funny stories about the people and which houses were distinctive and why. We learned about the different types of Florida pools.
A Winter Home
Of course, it was amazing to think that almost all of the houses and apartments were only used for a small part of the year. Most, if not all, of this valuable real estate was owned by “snow birds” who only visit in the winter.
A Permanent Resident
The captain described the state parks and wildlife refuges along the shore that we passed. There was much to see and everyone relaxed and enjoyed the ride. It was a successful surprise.
Beautiful Delray Beach
Afterwards, we went to a restaurant along the shore for an early dinner. I think everyone had a good time and enjoyed the day. Most important, Mom enjoyed her celebration.