Category: Cruising Inspiration
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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…
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2024 Bahamas Pet Travel Requirements and Updates for Boaters
Getting your pet permission to come to the Bahamas has always been a bit of a hassle for boaters. It’s just one of the many things to check off your list when crossing to The Bahamas. As with crossing any international border, you must get permission from the appropriate authorities and complete all the paperwork…
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Should We Take the Dismal Swamp Canal? The ICW’s Alternate Route Explained
Every year, we ask the same question: should we take the Dismal Swamp or Virginia Cut? We’ve made the trip up and down the ICW a dozen or more times now, and on each trip, we weigh the pros and cons of the scenic Dismal Swamp Canal versus the more traditional Virginia Cut. For those…
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Maine Anchorage: Buckle Harbor, Jericho Bay
Buckle Harbor, Maine seems like a tight anchorage next to a nondescript island. However, a closer look reveals a cozy harbor, all-tide beach, and a small network of trails with whimsical surprises. Buckle Harbor is in a perfect location and is near Mount Desert Island, Eggemoggin Reach, and Penobscot Bay. It’s a great spot for…