Monthly Archives: April 2021

MIAMI STYLE

Witnessed for MariPHAW by Maritime Historians

J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. & Hector L. Arroyo Jr.

MIAMI is a very interesting place to experience, especially from the naughty, err I mean nautical end of things / To watch the sunrise over the eastern Atlantic, breathing in that fresh morning salt air from offshore, watching a lone or perhaps a whole flock of pelicans gliding inches above the water’s surface or seeing a sailfish jumping off your port bow / Miami, not Yurami, needs to be experienced for its hidden charms /

Continue to scroll down as we give you a glimpse of this tropical wonder along with the Majestic Ladies that come and go on most days giving many a passenger and crew member above the keels, a better understanding of the seas beyond their sandy shores /

Please be so kind and realize that all the DigiPics on this web site have been photographed by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr., copyrighted and have been watermarked for added protection / Thank you for your understanding and Enjoy!, Enjoy!, Enjoy! /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [031118–9543]

“Captain Robert at your service / Please wear your lifejacket at all times and be prepared to leave lunch back at the dock as I take you around the fabulous Port of Miami, not Yurami, at WARP speed / Beam us through Scotty too Hottie /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [031118–0013]

“Ease it up just a tad Scotty, I think that we just became part of someone’s starboard quarter” /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [0311189555]

And from the marine radio’s Channel 13 we hear “This is the Private Yacht STAATEN EYELANDT singling up in the North River, be backing out shortly and bound for sea, any concerned traffic please acknowledge, STAATEN EYELANDT out” / The multi–billion dollar vessel was recently constructed at the Fincantieri yards on Shooter’s Island in the Port of New York [I’ve been known to stretch the truth just a smidgeon!!!] /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [031118–9572]

This NORWEGIAN is GETting AWAY shortly /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [0311189908]

Watch her closely, I did say she’s GETting AWAY! /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [0311189908]

“What do you want Captain Frank, one or two whistles?” / “Ten!!!” / “Capt. let me look that one up in the book, hold on a minute or two, thanks” /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [0311189934]

“Oops, she’s gone!” /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [031118–9754]

Perhaps this scene might look better if there were “Two SILHOUETTEs On the Shade /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [031118–9829]

Now, that’s a stern close up! /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [0312180262]

The medium sized EMPRESS of the SEAS, loaded to the rafters, is outbound just inside the breakwaters of Miami /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [031218–0295]

Yo dude, I’m not ready yet to return to the Frozen Apple, I just got here /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [0312180324]

Better than a selfie when you’ve got on–demand maritime photographer J. Fred at your service /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [0312180341]

There’s certainly many a VICTORY in all our lives /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [0312180368]

NCL’s NORWEGIAN JADE is but a mile and a quarter behind /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [0312180439]

And let’s face it, we really can’t get enough ENCHANTMENT of the SEAS /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [0312180544]

These people obviously don’t know where the best swimming pool is, do you? /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [0312180651]

If swimming’s your thing, then stay right there in the foreground, but there are many more things to do on board the SKY /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [0314181845]

Now that’s my kind of message to everyone afloat and ashore / Can we all agree to that? / Please help to keep all of the trash out of the ocean’s waters, wherever you should be, thanks / I’ll drink to that /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [0314181855]

Another great product from the yards of Fincantieri / Is that yard located on Shooter’s Island or in Italy? / I forgot exactly where, oh well /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [0314181975]

The DISNEY MAGIC clears the breakwater and is bound for sun and fun for all ages, thanks SteamBoat Willie /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [0316183073]

And there is once again another VICTORY for us coming about /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [031618–3116]

A mandatory harbor pilot is getting the red hot NORWEGIAN SUN safely from its berth out to the open seas for some much needed fun and relaxation /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [0316183133]

Another NAVIGATOR of the SEAS is underway for many to yet explore the wonders of our planet Earth with the SKY just astern /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [0316183159]

Viewing the colorful outbound NORWEGIAN SKY after having spent a delightful visit on Fisher’s Island / Colorful hulls of this degree first started out in the 1960’s I believe, when the American Export Isbrandsten trans–Atlantic liner, s.s. INDEPENDENCE, sported a continuing psychedelic sunburst on both her sides after a multi–million dollar renovation in April of 1968 / I know for as a younger Merchant Mariner, I caught a job on her for some eight months just before her withdrawal from service in the twilight of another era / Prior to that, the Japanese had painted colorful displays of flowers on their ferry’s immaculately white hulls /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [0319184164]

They come and go on most days like clockwork / The cruise industry has grown immensely ever since Princess Cruises ran with the idea of ‘The Love Boat’ back in the seventies and made a 20,000 gross ton vessel into an overnight success / Not being a qualified architect, I often wonder why the PACIFIC PRINCESS was never lengthened /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [0319184210]

The unique mega cruiseship CARNIVAL VISTA can certainly add more to Miami’s vista when she’s on the scene /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [0319184259]

An ECLIPSE at sea displays and leaves timeless memories with each one of us /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [0319184290]

As she’s taking a multitude of passengers and crew to many new and exciting points of the compass /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [0319184414]

Looking in from the sea towards the ship’s hull, we see her wash from an angle that very few people are privileged to see /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [0319184500]

She’s certainly pushing some water as this cruiseship clears the Port of Miami for a destination that’s unknown / Perhaps it’s going out on an extended worldie / Oh Captain, I’m available for the best lookout you’ll ever have ON DECK /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [0319184520]

Leaving some unforgettable memories behind of what was once… /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [0319184574]

In early for the morning disembarkation and out again in the late afternoon after a sometimes hectic turnaround in any port /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [0315182278]

Slowing down for a briefy and beneath the palms once again / I think it’s time to eat at Smith & Wollensky, for following my endless love of the ships and the seas for 70 years, err I mean months, has given me quite a reward in the development of my Maritime Interest / Thank You Frank Braynard, Don Hoffman, my fascinating daughter Tina & her rather interesting and ever loving husband Mike /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [0314182023]

As another boatload of well experienced senior pilots returns, it’s a job well done by those ever busy pilot boats VIZCAYA, BISCAYNE and the MIAMI / They work hard at keeping the cruiseship industry and all of the other vessels that use the Port of Miami daily, safely at its peak /

Copyrighted by J. Fred Rodriguez Jr. [0316183057]

I sincerely hope that you’ve ENJOYED!, ENJOYED!, and again ENJOYED these DigiPics and the thoughts from my vast archives and the wacky wacky world of a Merchant Mariner for the ENCHANTMENT of the SEAS shall never end for us /

After being a Merchant Mariner for 31 years on brown and blue water, I still enjoy going to sea and being ON DECK for I’ve discovered that no two days are ever quite the same / JFR

END OF STORY