5 Quirky Things We Love About Boca and Delray

With all due respect to the Chamber of Commerce, City Hall and the tourism bureau, sometimes the best things about cities can’t be found in a brochure.

In that spirit, we offer 5 quirky things we love about Boca Raton and Delray Beach.

In no particular order:

1. www.bocasurfcam.com –this elegantly simple website provides a real time, easily refreshed, view of Boca’s beach. Images update every minute so you can see the waves and maybe even some of your friends playing hooky on a Monday morning. The same site offers a link to www.lakebocacam.com which is a beautifully picturesque view of Lake Boca with the Boca Resort in the background. The City of Boca Raton provides a cool view of South Beach at www.evsboca.com with up to the minute weather conditions. Depending on the time of day, you can usually see some pretty spectacular boats on the Lake Boca cam. A word of caution: viewing these cams while you work may lead to a strong desire to ditch the suit and tie and head to the beach.
2. If you love local history (and we do) you may want to check out the Spanish River Papers, a scholarly publication produced by the Boca Raton Historical Society. The papers celebrate their 40^th anniversary this year and offer a treasure of documents and papers outlining Boca’s rich history.

Printed back issues are available for purchase; our favorite is volume III published in 1975 which include lots of information about Frank H. Cheseboro (1850-1936) one of Boca’s first permanent residents who kept a daily diary of early Boca life. It seems Mr. Cheseboro and his sister Libby got lost for five days in the Florida “flatwoods” in 1935—when Mr. Cheseboro was 84 and his sister 81—an ordeal that was chronicled in local newspapers. Facing “buckets” of mosquitos and conditions equaled only by the harsh conditions of the Everglades, Alaska’s wilderness and Death Valley, Libby and Frank survived and lived to tell about it. Apparently they got lost on the way to Detroit after they left US 1 near Hobe Sound. Their tales and many others can be found online at www.bocahistory.org.

1. Is the Blue Anchor Pub in Delray haunted? Absolutely, according to legend.

For a hundred years or more The Blue Anchor has been haunted by the spirit of a young woman called Bertha Starkey who was stabbed to death at the bar by her jealous seafaring husband after he found her in the arms of another man. Her footsteps and spine-chilling wails were often heard by employees after the pub closed for the night at its original location in England.

Even today, at its Delray Beach location, the haunting appears to continue.

Strange, unexplained events have been documented in a host of TV and newspaper accounts. “How do you explain the eerie sounds of footsteps in the ceiling late at night or the sudden shattering of a half-inch thick reinforced glass shelf behind the bar on the anniversary of Bertha’s gruesome demise? “asks British owner Lee Harrison. “And how do you explain table candles extinguishing themselves and then re-igniting seconds later? Or heavy kitchen pots lifting themselves off meat-cleaver size hooks and crashing to the floor? It’s all very creepy!

In fact, experts in the field of paranormal studies have told us they are not aware of any previous case where a ghost has travelled more than 4,000 miles to set up residency in another country.”  As they might say, only in Delray.

1. Another only in Delray experience can be had at the Sundy House, 106 S. Swinton Ave. Once the home of the city’s first mayor, this meticulously restored property is said to be Delray’s oldest home and was built in 1902. But aside from its historic charm, there are a couple of quirky facts that make the Sundy House one of a kind. The restaurant and hotel is immersed in what is known as the Taru Gardens a tropical oasis that features several hundred species of plants and trees from all over the world. More than 100 of the species provide something that can be eaten, often at the restaurant. Back in 1998, before owner Tom Worrell purchased the property, the Sundy House featured a shell rock parking lot and a few trees. Since then it has been transformed into a completely unique environment that also includes a natural swimming pond. It simply has to be experienced to be believed. Free educational tours are given at 2:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. The tour is a can’t miss experience.
2. If you are an adventurous sort you may want to dive or snorkel the Delray Wreck. Located about 150 yards offshore on the south end of the beach, the wreck of the S.S. Inchulva has been intriguing divers from decades. The S.S. Inchulva wrecked after a vicious hurricane on Sept. 11, 1903. It now sits on the ocean floor in five pieces waiting to be explored by divers and other daring souls. Nine people out of a 28 member crew were lost in the tragic wreck, but a magistrate cleared the captain of all blame. The wreck of the Inchulva inspired entrepreneurs John and Jenna Ferber to create an interactive “movie” entitled “The Search for Linton’s Treasure”. Participants wander Delray looking for clues to the missing treasure. Visit www.delrayinteractivemovie.com for information and tickets.

What are your favorite “quirky” spots and activities in Boca and Delray? Send us a line and we’ll include them in an upcoming feature.