GATEWAY TO HEAVEN
Miami is the United State's youngest city, having been established in 1896. In its early days, access was only by sea, which is still the case for the many sailors heading south on the 3000-mile Intracoastal Waterway (ICW ) that safely brings boaters from chilly Boston in north-eastern USA. The sea dominates this low-lying region, with the Atlantic on its eastern seaboard and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Hemmed into the west by the myriad waterways of the Everglades swamp, the region is a natural wilderness and very volatile, prone to changeable weather when hurricanes arrive.
Jutting out between these mighty waterways are the world-famous Florida Keys, a boating paradise. Sailors use Miami and its adjoining city Miami Beach as a base before heading the 90 miles east to the Bahamas, while others enjoy island hopping down the famous Keys to Key West. Both Key West and Miami are also major cruise ship terminals, so for those of us lucky enough to sail its waters, there is plenty of shipping to watch for.
