We’ve been hanging around West Palm Beach as our Bahama plans changed (wind and bad weather). After a couple of days anchored by Phil Foster Park, we moved the boat towards Peanut Island. Our first night we got moorage at the Sailfish Marina Resort. We wanted to stay at a marina to fill our water tank, do laundry, dump garbage, and pump out.

The marina also has a lovely restaurant which we dined at and enjoyed a Sunset street fair with local vendors. I had some tasty Stone Crab Claws and Wahoo Fish. There was live music and next to the restaurant was a tiki bar. The bathroom was even cool!

It was a short dinghy ride to Peanut Island so we took a little time exploring, but saved the Peanut Island major adventure for the next day. We also learned an important lesson while here: ask how much it costs to pump out. We are used to the free pump outs on the west coast, but we were a bit shocked to find out our pump out was $50 here.

The next day we left the marina and found anchorage next to Peanut Island. The water was so clear, I could see the anchor hit bottom. After a quick kayak ride, we were on the beach.

The sand was soft and white, like flour, while the water line was sprinkled with sea shells. As the waves receded along the beach, the shells would make a musical sound. A man made reef bordered one side which attracted all sorts of fish, inviting snorkelers to play in the shallow waters.

We promptly donned our snorkel gear and were greeted with a myriad of fish including parrot fish, sting rays, and a green moray eel.

The island offered more than the warm water. It included a fishing pier, campground, walking paths, mangrove trails, and a historic area. wildlife could be spotted throughout. At one point, I spotted four Turkey vultures sitting in a tree staring at me.

The island was created as a dumping ground from dredging projects in 1918. It was named Peanut Island for a planned peanut oil shipping operation that did not succeed.

The historic section of the island includes an old boathouse, Coast Guard House, and blast shelter for President John F Kennedy as he wintered in Palm Beach.

In 2005, the island was renovated to include the present day amenities while the historic section is currently under renovations and expected to be complete in 2025.

We stayed in the area for a few days and also incorporated some homeschool lessons. We are currently studying the different Native American tribes. One lesson was how the Navajo did sand paintings, so we tried our hands at our own sand painting creations. A little sand mixed with food coloring did the trick.

In the end, we had to depart this oasis and head north. While leaving, we fueled up at a floating fuel barge for $4.99/gallon (compared to $6/gallon found elsewhere). They were extremely accommodating and had a great sense of humor!