Living near the water in South Florida has a lot of advantages. I got to experience one of the best ones this summer.
I took a two-hour, narrated yacht cruise aboard the Lady Atlantic on the Intracoastal Waterway, from Delray Beach to Boca Raton and back. The waters were calm and peaceful, the route was beautiful as we passed impressive mansions lining the shores, and the boat was mostly shaded and comfortable for our journey.
I had made reservations in advance (recommended) and boarded the yacht on a Saturday for the 5:30 p.m. sightseeing tour as part of a group of four couples. Lady Atlantic was docked at Veterans Park on East Atlantic Avenue in Delray. We planned to eat dinner at a nearby restaurant after we got back to town, although they sell food and drinks on board the cruise. We got in line early to secure a good spot on the middle deck (which is covered), and we grabbed a couple of small tables that were located at the stern of the boat overlooking the water, pulling up eight chairs at our prime spot. We were ready to cruise!
A server came around with paper menus listing the drinks and appetizers available, and we ordered something for everybody in our group. We also were located close to the inside bar, for those who wanted to go in and get a drink quickly.
At 5:30 our vessel started to move, turning slowly around to go south on the water and waiting for the drawbridge at Atlantic Avenue to go up at 5:45. As a two-year resident of Florida, it was my first time seeing the tall bridge spans standing up from the vantage point of a boat on the water, and I got a little thrill from finally getting to do that.
We slowly cruised south out of downtown Delray and toward Boca Raton, looking from side to side depending on what our narrator was telling us over the intercom about the sights on either bank of the water. There were many interesting, huge properties along the way, some with pools and elaborate yards and gardens, and we learned about some of the pro athletes who had mansions on the Intracoastal as we passed by them. It was easy to stand up and walk around to get good photos of the sights, as the waves were never rocky on our cruise.
As we made our way to Boca, we learned a little about the area’s history from our excellent narrator. My friends and I were also surprised to see how many houses along the way seemed to stand empty; we soon learned that these impressive homes were just one of a few properties that someone might own. Because we were doing this cruise in the summer, many homeowners were gone and probably staying up north. It also meant that everything in the area was less crowded — a nice bonus!
Like clockwork, when we got to our destination in Boca at 6:30 p.m., the vessel made a U-turn and we headed back the other way to complete the journey in two hours. We got to see the churning waters and the picturesque properties from the other direction now.
After we returned back to Veterans Park, everybody lined up to slowly disembark, with help from the staff. My friends said they wanted to do another cruise sometime, maybe to go north toward Manalapan Island, another option offered. We are hoping to see manatees in the water there in the wintertime.
Delray Yacht Cruises also offers 1:30 p.m. boat tours, holiday lights cruises during December, and private charter cruises. For more information, visit www.delraybeachcruises.com.