Up a Not So Lazy River

Page Three

A quiet place to lay over, one of the city's many public marinas, this one located at SW 4th Avenue.

As we continue up the river, we leave the inner city just as suddenly as it springs up. On the right bank, just before the Fourth Avenue Bridge, there is Chinnock Marine, another boat yard. On the other side of the bridge is yet another city marina which has both long term dockage and launching ramps. This is one of the most popular spots for transients as it is well landscaped with good facilities. It is also tranquil on weekdays and evenings, with only the bridge noise to disturb you. Though seemingly well-hidden, people flock to this park-like area on weekends, an area that is loaded with flowering trees. 

By now, the river has made so many twisting turns that you probably have to look at your compass to find out which direction you're going, but the general direction is west, or inland. 

The aptly named Sailboat Bend neighborhood.

We next meet with yet another residential neighborhood, that is also lush with tropical foliage and homes of distinctive character. Lining the banks are boats and yachts of all sizes and description. Boats, boats, everywhere there are boats. This is the aptly named Sailboat Bend neighborhood, recently reclaimed from a deteriorating slum area. You'd never guess by looking at it that this neighborhood was once a dangerous place to be on foot.

Citrus Isles, where boats and homes blend together

Now we come to the Davie Boulevard Bridge, about two miles inland, but at this point you have now traveled five water miles, what with all the twisting turns. Passing under the bridge you enter the Citrus Isles and River Oaks neighborhoods that are crammed with unique architecture set within a south Florida hammock (our word for jungle). Here on the north side of the river residents respect their natural surroundings so that many homes do not have yards, so to speak, but are homes built into the original Florida landscape. It's one of the few places where you get a glimpse of what the original landscape used to look like.

A typical residential canal.

On the left are the Citrus Isles, a series of residential canals that are just jam packed with boats. Here, many homeowners pay for their mortgages by renting out dock space to non-residents for long term dockage. Far inland, the area is well protected from hurricane storm surge. When hurricanes approach, there's always a huge armada of yachts heading up river to seek safety far inland. Indeed, yachts as safe as they can get here.

1

2

4