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Mysterious grand piano found on Biscayne Bay sandbar

BY LAURA EDWINS

A grand piano recently appeared on a sandbar in Biscayne Bay, about 200
yards from the Quayside condominiums off Northeast 107th Street. Whoever
put it there placed it at the highest point of the sandbar so that it's
not underwater during high tide.

How and why the piano got there is a mystery. A grand piano weighs at
least 650 pounds and is unwieldly to move, said Bob Shapiro, a salesman
at Piano Music Center in Pembroke Park. ``You don't take it out there in
a rowboat,'' Shapiro said.

This much is clear, however: The piano isn't going anywhere anytime
soon. Unless it becomes a danger to wildlife or boaters, authorities
have no plans to haul it away.

``We are not responsible for removing such items,'' said Jorge Pino, a
spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
``Even a car can become a habitat for wildlife. Unless the item becomes
a navigational hazard, the Coast Guard would not get involved.''

The marine patrols of both the North Miami Police Department and
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said the same thing.

From Quayside, the shape of the piano is visible to the naked eye, but
with a pair of binoculars or a telephoto lense, seagulls can be seen
landing on the instrument and water lapping at its legs.

Throwing away a grand piano may seem like a waste of money, but it may
not be. In decent condition, a used grand piano would cost at least
$3,000 to $4,000. But many pianos wear out from the literally tons of
pressure on the internal parts. Cheaper models aren't worth the cost of
rebuilding.

``It could be worth nothing,'' Shapiro said. ``Pianos don't grow old
gracefully. They just wear out.''

Miami Herald staff writer Scott Andron contributed to this report.

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http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/01/2...#ixzz1C98j5GIx

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