Monday January 29, 2018 - Oleta State Park to Miami

What a difference a day can make. I was up at 5:30 to get an early start.  I am now spending the first part of the morning listening to weather - trying to determine if later this week will be good for my "crossing".  Just as I went forward to weigh the anchor, it began raining - better wait (it stopped after about 5 minutes).  I was underway at around 7:30am and did a great job timing the only two draw bridges I had in my way to my first stop.  It rained off and on until about 1pm but I was lucky to almost always be in the right place at the right time and never got soaked.  As long as I'm on True Blue, it is pretty easy to stay dry since I have a dodger and a bimini and a connector that goes between.  That allows me to at least keep from having to close the boat up completely.  It was a fairly stressful day.  I ended up anchoring 3 more times.  The first spot, Sunset Lake, no longer allows overnight anchoring.   That was one.  Then I anchored temporarily off a boat ramp, marine police station so I could go to the Publix for groceries.  It was a rough anchorage - lots of current, chop, and crowded.  I raced through the grocery store.  Then I perfectly timed making it to the East Venetian Causeway bridge for the 5 o'clock opening.   I motored around the south side of the causeway for a while and finally got anchored between two of the man made islands.  A quick shower and dinner and I was done for the day.