“Welcome to paradise,” said Randy Scism, the owner and founder of Marine Technology, Inc., as we walked into the covered MTI hospitality tent at the end of the Miami International Boat Show docks. Scism gestured at a large opening in the west side of the tent.

“Take a look at downtown Miami,” he said. “You don’t get a view like that every day. I love it.”

Big and beautiful from above—welcome to the second day of the 2016 Miami International Boat Show. Photo courtesy/copyright Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix (click image to enlarge).

We had to admit, we loved it, too. It was our last stop today before we left the show, and we’d braved a serious wall-to-wall crowd on the narrow docks to get there. But MTI’s end-of-the-line dock space did feel a lot like paradise. The view across Biscayne Bay to the Miami skyline—we could even see the building where we’d rented an apartment for the show—was amazing. And the mid-70-degree temperature and gentle breeze coming across the water sure didn’t hurt.

Earlier in the day, speedonthewater.com photographer Pete Boden got an even better—and much bigger-picture—view of the show in John Woodruff’s Windship Jet Ranger helicopter. Boden went out to capture the new Cigarette-AMG 41’ SD GT3 performance center console in action (read the story), but also grabbed an aerial overview of the event in its new home.

Like all the attendees, we had to battle our way back across the bay this evening—just as we did yesterday. The show organizers have a lot of work to do on the people-moving front. But Scism was right. You don’t get a view like that every day, and while there is room for improvement as there would be with any new event location, there was a lot to love about it.

Related stories
Speedonthewater.com Exclusive: Cigarette-AMG 41’ SD GT3 In Action
Exhibitor Response To New Miami Boat Show Venue Positive So Far
Cigarette-AMG 41’ SD GT3 is World’s Most Powerful Stern Drive Center Console
Countdown to Miami: Inside the 2016 Boat Show