In 1893, Lt. William Henn, a well-known naval officer and yachtsman, wrote an account of a cruise through Florida waters. Starting on the Gulf coast he and his party rounded the peninsula and stayed in the Miami area for a while before sailing north.

On the morning of March 24 [1891] we had a splendid morning, with a light northeast wind, and all of us felt sorry it was to be our last at lovely Miami. Our friends came down to the wharf to see us start, and fairly loaded the Minnehaha with green cocoanuts, tomatoes, and flowers. After exchanging salutes with commodores and the Yacht Club at Cocoanut Grove, we turned our head toward "Bear Cut," and steered for the open sea.

[The party was forced to anchor and stay in Biscayne Bay overnight due to lack of wind, but proceeded up the coast the following day.]

We put out our trolling-lines, and were soon busy with kingfish. We made good progress, and at 3:30 P.M. arrived off New River bar, which seemed to be smooth; but we decided on anchoring outside until we saw what the weather was going to do, for if the night promised well we made up our minds to give up the expedition to New River, and make a dash for Jupiter Inlet, the state of New River Bar auguring well for finding Jupiter Bar passable.

We were now about to undertake the longest and most dangerous run on the southeast coast of Florida; for we had between fifty and sixty miles to go, with no available harbor, if the sea should rise, for more than two hundred miles, unless we could regain Biscayne Bay. Jupiter Inlet had no more than four feet of water on the bar, and except in fine weather and with smooth water was a dangerous one to attempt. Hillsboro and Lake Worth Inlets, both of which we would have to pass before reaching Jupiter, were no better. If Jupiter Bar was impassible, we would be in an awkward predicament.

Tomorrow we will continue Lt. Henn's account of the journey to Jupiter.