22 June West Palm Beach

With the freezer offline awaiting an engineer we need to shop more frequently. (That's my excuse for requesting a morning out.) I've found there is a free public dinghy and yacht dock downtown, a 2 mile ride from the anchorage. It's available to all from 5am to midnight, no overnight stays or we'd be there with the big boat.

Lake Worth is formed between the mainland and a half mile wide spit of rock protecting us from ocean swell. On the mainland are big houses, marinas and the high rise blocks of the city. On the spit are exclusive mansions with private docks for ones super yacht. I understand the former Kennedy mansion is on the ocean side of this tongue of rock and it sold for an eye watering $70m recently. I read Rod Stewart, Bon Jovi and billionaires like Bill Gates have palaces here too. Exclusive real estate one would assume, with towering hedges for privacy and perfectly manicured gardens tended by the armies of gardeners we see and hear.

There are also old timers who have been living on their boats for 40 years and never paid a cent in dock or anchorage fees.

floating shed with van topped tender

Back with the mundane everyday life...If we time our run to the city to coincide with the ebb and flow of the 'river' we can maximise our ride. The docks are top notch and with space under the bridge to leave dinghy in the shade because it is hot and humid today and everyday.

free public dock

My first impression of West Palm Beach is of a well groomed town with high end restaurants, many closed, and light traffic, very few people on the sidewalk and very few cars. The city seems to be taking the opportunity of less people to dig up and repair the roads. Lots of roadwork projects.

We walk the quiet roads to Rosemary Square shopping mall and find a Starbucks with tables a shaded courtyard with the tables set 6m apart. David has his first cappuccino for seven months, or, since we left the US.

Rosemary Square

Fired up with our caffeine hit we jog into the supermarket, sweep the shelves, and jog back to the dinghy. All with social distancing as reports indicate Covid-19 cases are rising in Florida. Back on Jackster we wash our hands thoroughly and I wash all the packages with disinfectant before. Now is not the time for us to relax our guard.