The Flagler Memorial Bridges - new one in front and the old one behind.

This gave us a chance to enjoy this anchorage and pretty town. There is a free trolley which takes you up town to the Public Supermarket, Macy’s Dept Store and the shopping precinct. 

The City Dock

The dock looking out to the anchorage

The current in the ICW can be quite strong (2kts) and when the wind direction is anything but the direction of the current, Five Islands swings around in circles, sailing forward over the anchor chain then swinging back. This was the first time this had happened and after 4 days and nights resulted in me sitting up on our last night and doing anchor watch.

We weren’t the only ones having trouble with the currents, wind and wakes. This mono had it’s dinghy painter (rope to tie it up) snap and anchor pulled out. It drifted up against the catamaran and had to wait until the owners came home to help them separate. We went to the dock where it was pulled in to and helped them tie up.

West Palm Beach is a lovely anchorage.

The other thing that we had not had experience with before but had our first taste of was the American medical system.  John was not feeling well so we attempted to see a Dr at a Medical Centre in town. The process was just too hard as they couldn’t register us (foreigners/aliens) and we would have to contact a number and do the process over the phone then once this was done we could go back and see a Dr. As a consequence John didn’t see the Dr, thank goodness it wasn’t anything major. Our first and hopefully last interaction.