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Back in Miami for a bit of work and my usual weekend stay stretching it through the President Day’s holiday celebrating a friend’s birthday.

Got a chance to stay at a lovely apartment 50 floors up looking over spectacular views of the Miami Port and the Biscayne Bay, which offers an entirely different view of the enormity of this port and the economic impact for the state of Florida exceeding over 43 Billion in revenues.

The best part of the weekend was a boat ride with ten other amigos throughout the Bay on a cloudy day where you can see and experience the grandeur of this body of water that combines the best of leisure and industry in what is one of the largest and most successful ports in the world. The boat ride offers you are the opportunity to feel and connect with the Bay.

Boating in Florida is a hugely popular pastime that competes with the port commercial interest. The port is surrounded by several islands where the 1% has built these beautiful magnificent estates that from the boat one can admire (while feeling slightly deprived).  What I found interesting was the enormous size of the cargo and cruise industries that are in and out of these waters seamlessly with those who see the port as their playground for waterskiing, boating, canoeing, and other water sports. Every day like clockwork, 5-7 cruisers leave the port with new arrivals every morning. (At present, the cruise industry is struggling with how best to handle the Coronavirus crises and has already taken a severe hit. They will not be the only ones as this pandemic has devastated both the business and leisure travel industry).

A more longstanding crisis for all of Miami is the rising sea levels caused by climate change which will also impact the port as the sea waters make its way through the porous limestone which the city’s skyscrapers, highways, and port are built on already causing flooding on not so rainy days.
Until this happens, do visit Miami and take that boat ride as it is the only way to enjoy the Bay and all its splendor.

My photos are a combination of pics taken on the Bay as well as from the apartment using my telephoto lens throughout the weekend on sunny and cloudy days and during day and evening hours.