History of Blue Lagoon

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In 1974 the Miami Rowing Club obtained a launching site on the Canal entering the Blue Lagoon. Both Academia Cubana de Remos and Miami Rowing Club (MRC) established operations at Blue Lagoon on the access canal. At the time the Blue Lagoon was know as Maule Lake owned and operated by the Ferre family's Maule Industries. 

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The Big Five Club rowed out of their own boat house on the 8th Street canal adjacent to their club house. All three clubs practiced at Maule Lake.

Maurice Ferre soon decided to forego a career in his family's business and entered into City of Miami politics. C.O. was an employee of Maule Industries and instrumental in getting a location for MRC at the canal entering Maule Lake. 

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When Maurice Ferre became Mayor of Miami he took C.O. with him as Assistant City Manager. The City of Miami then negotiated with Fernando Puig of Big Five and MRC to provide space for rowing at Virginia Key. MRC was to be located where Rusty Pelican is now. The Big Five was to be located where MRC is now. Eventually the Big Five Club decided against moving to Virginia Key and eventually dropped rowing.  MRC then negotiated a 20 year lease for Big Five's location. The older and founding members of MRC opposed moving to Virginia Key due to distance from homes and felt rowing in salt water would damage equipment. 

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Aldo Berti (American Barge Club) then located his boat house at the Blue Lagoon and for years was the only club rowing in the area and now taken over by Miami International Row House.

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 A big thank you to Aldo Berti for giving us the opportunity to purchase our current location and set up RowHouse for all to enjoy the sport of rowing at such a great location.