Boating Hidden Waterways In Fort Lauderdale…The Venice Of America

Our winter home is located on one of the widest canals in Fort Lauderdale, and when our boating friends Norm and Nancy asked us to join them for a day on the water we grabbed our sunglasses and jumped onboard. (Yes…I think Nancy could pass as my sister…in more ways than one!)

Fort Lauderdale is known as The Venice Of America…and it might surprise you to find out there are more canals in Fort Lauderdale than there are in Venice, Italy! 

Peepaw and I were both happy to put our lives in the hands of two very capable sailors. Nancy actually lived onboard her boat in both Chicago and Philadelphia for years! (Can you imagine living on a boat in Chicago or Philly in the wintertime?) In fact Nancy only recently came ashore to marry Norm and settle down in a condo in the building where we Snowbirds spend our winters…and we’re glad they chose to be our neighbors!

Here is a photo of her largest vessel, a 47 ft. steel hulled, Dutch built sloop called Ons Jool.

She bought that vessel in England and sailed to Spain where she sold it on the Mediterranean coast. She sailed that huge boat from England to Spain (a five day journey) with only one other crew member onboard! That was her longest trip at sea…from Falmouth, England to La Corruna, Spain. Whew…I can’t imagine the courage and planning that boating trip must have taken!

And Norm is also no stranger to the sea. (These nearly newlyweds met in a sailing club in Fort Lauderdale.) Norm has sailed without going ashore from Norfolk to Fort Lauderdale. Both these adventure seekers have been boating up and down the Atlantic Coast from Maine to Key West MANY times. And you may remember the dinner I cooked onboard what was originally Norm’s 34 ft. catamaran last year. (You can read about that vessel and my great cooking adventure right HERE.)

Most retired people are looking to downsize their homes, but Norm and Nancy decided it was time to downsize their boats! So they have traded in their huge vessels for a 20 ft. Mako. They call it their “dinner boat”. One of the best reasons to have a smaller boat is the ability to pass UNDER the drawbridges in Fort Lauderdale instead of having to wait up to 30 minutes for the bridge to go up to allow larger, taller vessels to pass through.

When you think of the canals in Fort Lauderdale, consider the deep and wide IntraCoastal Waterway as the freeway since all of the large vessels (and small ones too) are using this main thoroughfare to cruise up and down the East Coast of America. The water level changes dramatically with the ocean tide and the water can be rough depending on the amount of boating traffic and the winds and tidal ebb and flow.

But THIS is where our friend’s smaller boat makes a huge difference. We were able to get off the “freeway” and head to the “back roads” of the Venice of America. We cruised into neighborhoods where larger vessels could never go…and it was awesome!

We were even able to lower the canvas “roof” on their boat…and cruise right under some of the fixed bridges that criss cross Fort Lauderdale.

We saw many people like these folks…out enjoying the water in ways we rarely see on the busier waterways.

After several hours of sightseeing it was time for lunch, so we headed back into the main channel and headed to downtown Fort Lauderdale to a place with the perfect name. The Downtowner.

Peepaw caught on quickly to his duties as a deckhand.

We docked the boat at the floating public dock, and Peepaw worked on his boating knots. (Not bad for a rookie!)

Then we headed up the ramp to the Downtowner, one of the oldest restaurant/bars in the area. (It’s a “locals” hangout so you know it’s a great spot.)

Our waiter told us the special that Saturday was a “Make your own Bloody Mary Bar” and Nancy and I couldn’t resist. (The boys were our Designated Drivers/Captains that day.)

Hmm…I wondered if this spread counted as a serving of veggies or fruits that day?

I loaded my drink with “everything but the kitchen sink” as Dad used to say. And that Bloody Mary was delicious! Horseradish and dill pickles were the star in that glass!

Our lunch was amazing, as it usually is at the Downtowner. 

Nancy chose the tuna…

And the rest of us chose the wonderful grilled fish sandwich…always the freshest catch of the day!

So after our leisurely lunch by the dock we headed back to the boat for our journey back home. 

We passed what will eventually be the tallest condo building now under construction in Fort Lauderdale…

And we sailed by the historic Stranahan House…built in 1901 by Frank and Ivy Stranahan. It served as a trading post, and was later converted into a home for the couple in 1906. It’s the oldest surviving structure in Fort Lauderdale today.

The multimillion dollar homes along the IntraCoastal Waterway are amazing.

This “compound” is actually ONE property…

The landscaping is beautiful surrounding each of the homes on the water, and the outside living spaces are just that-LIVING spaces!

We headed home and we turned down our own “street”…

It’s always fun to see our building from a different vantage point…from the water!

And as we docked that beautiful “dinner boat” we all exclaimed how much FUN we’d had…exploring the many canals and private waterways in the city.

Yes Dear Readers…Our boating adventure reminded me of my long ago trip to Venice…but with no passport required!