Category: Cruising Inspiration
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Navigation Notes — Crossing the Gulf Stream for the First Time
For boaters trekking to The Bahamas for the first time, the Gulf Stream can seem like the most intimidating stretch of ocean imaginable. It is, after all, one of the most powerful forces on earth, churning billions of gallons of seawater out of the Caribbean and shooting it toward Europe at up to three knots. …
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Getting Ready to Boat to The Bahamas Checklist
Traveling to a new cruising destination can be stressful, but going across the Gulf Stream and legally getting into a new country is another matter. Cruising The Islands of The Bahamas is a magical experience, but there’s a lot to know, and it can seem like too much trouble. It isn’t, and it’s well worth…
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Boater’s Guide to Florida — East Coast
Even the state motto, “The Sunshine State,” speaks to glorious beaches and warm winters. As places go, Florida is a little bit wacky and eccentric. There’s a sometimes uncomfortable mix of retirees, snowbirds, college students, working families, and vacationers coming from all over the world. There’s a constant, delicate balance of a fragile ecosystem that…
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ICW Side Trips Worth Taking
Looking to spice up your trip along the Ditch this year? One of the things we love about the ICW is how we’re always discovering new stuff. Sometimes we’re in a rush, and sometimes we’re not. And when the weather pins us down, every once in a while, we find a new love for an…
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6 Places for Nature Along the ICW
One of the things we love about the ICW is how much of it is undeveloped wilderness. Coming from South Florida, the ICW meant concrete canals lined with high-rise condo buildings to us. When we lived there, we longed to get away and explore places like the Keys or the Everglades, where the coast still…
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How To Properly Tie to a Mooring Ball
In life, sometimes you get too much instruction, and sometimes you get too little. We find this is the case with moorings balls — boaters are more or less left on their own to figure it out. If they’re new, the results can be stressful. Cruisers on the ICW are often new, and even if…
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Boater’s Guide to the Florida Keys
The Florida Keys are America’s tropical island paradise. Islands that promise island life that you can drive to, without ever setting foot on a boat. Of course, boaters like to boat there, too. Home to the continental US’s only living coral reef, the Keys have clear water, great diving, world-class fishing, and some of the…
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Boater’s Guide to The Bahamas
During the depths of winter, nothing warms the cockles of your heart like being on a sandbar in The Bahamas, sipping a cold Kalik, and laughing about those poor saps up north. But The Bahamas are a boater’s paradise year-round. The Islands of The Bahamas is a nation made of hundreds of islands and cays…
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Boater’s Guide to Chesapeake Bay
While you can get to major cities such as Norfolk, Annapolis, Washington DC, and Baltimore during a Chesapeake Bay cruise, the charm lies in its laid-back, country-lane feel. In the Chesapeake Bay, you can play on a sandbar, taste fresh catch, visit the capital city, spot deer on a country lane, watch Navy ships in…
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Boaters, Don’t Run A-Foul of Fishing Gear
Here’s a topic that we’ve had to learn about through trial and error. While I have some fishing experience, the different gear we’ve encountered along the US East Coast has been shrouded in mystery. Navigating a cruising boat means sharing space with fishermen and their gear. Sometimes, a cruising guide will note to be careful…