Before I left my job at OneWater Yacht Group, I was on location for a sea trial and photo shoot in Miami for a Sunseeker Predator 65. Having never been on either (of this scale) I wasn’t sure what to expect. The first day, we hosted sea trials with Boat TV, Power & Motoryacht and Boat International. I left Fort Lauderdale at dawn and arrived by 7:30am. As I approached our yacht, (which was at the Miami Beach Marina), I realized I would need some help getting on the boat. Remember, they have fixed docks here in Florida. It’s hard to see in the photo below, but the swim platform is actually about 3′ below the dock, so my best bet was to swing my leg around to the steps.
Fisher Island
Our first stop was in front of Fisher Island where the film crew could get some great angles with a gorgeous backdrop. Fisher Island is a luxury country club and is only accessible by boat or ferry.
The weather forecast was calling for 20kn winds, so we headed out to sea to start our sea trials.
Channel Markers
Heading out to sea, you will follow the channel markers for quite a ways. You do need to be aware of other marine traffic around you as well.
Before you knew it, we were pretty far off shore.
Sunseeker Predator 65 Sea Trial
Time to put this bad boy to the test. The Predator 65 is known for its’ agile hull and IPS drives that allow just the right amount of lean to feel the thrill – I on the other hand was terrified. LOL!
Using the joystick, the yacht turns on a dime at about 30 degrees, side to side. I didn’t enjoy this part of the trip, but for those that love adrenaline, this is the yacht for you. To get a feel of how it was, be sure to watch our YouTube episode.
Photo Shoot
We spent the following two days (dawn to dusk) doing a photo shoot complete with models and a full crew. First we needed to find a great spot for a back drop and headed towards downtown Miami.
Miami does have a very impressive skyline, but it was too choppy for us to find the right scene.
Vizcaya Museum & Gardens
Hoping that the Vizcaya Museum would be a great backdrop, we headed towards the Key Biscayne bridge towards Deering Channel.
It was extremely shallow and our draft was only 5’3″ and soon we were in 4′ waters.
Unfortunately, the museum didn’t work out as it had some kind of tent structure in front of it. Our crew decided to head south in search of another spot. Make sure you stay in the channel or have outboard engines as you will end up on the sandbar.
In search of the perfect photo shoot spot
Our crew headed south to Hurricane Harbor in hopes we would find a gorgeous estate for our photo shoot backdrop.
There were plenty of boats anchored nearby and we entered the harbor. Soon we were in very shallow waters again and we did not find that amazing estate.
Heading south towards No Name Harbor, we hoped to find the perfect spot. But it was not to be. Instead, we headed to Cape Florida to use the lighthouse as our backdrop. Going south to Cape Florida, you’ll pass “Stilt City”. These are homes people have built and stay in for weekends and vacations. Many were destroyed after the last few hurricanes. It is extremely shallow, so you can only access during high tide.
Photo Shoot Sunset in Miami
Soon the sun was setting and we only had time to capture some amazing shots of the sunset and the city. Because many of the shots were drone shots, I actually had to stay below in one of the cabins, so I wasn’t in the shot. It was definitely an interesting experience.
This “office view” certainly beat my regular desk, so I was not complaining.
As always, thank you for following our journey. Be sure to subscribe to our channel (link below) and blog to stay updated. You can also follow us on social @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney.
Last weekend Scott and I took the Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi down to Hollywood, FL. It was a pretty cool trip down the ICW (Intracoastal Waterway).
The entire trip took about 45 minutes. We picked up our first water taxi in DT Fort Lauderdale, at Los Olas (about 2 blocks from our home). Then we transferred to the Hollywood water taxi at the 17th Street stop.
Sight seeing tour
The Fort Lauderdale water taxi is a great way to see the famous sites in Fort Lauderdale. In fact, my college roommate was just here and she took it for the first time. It is a great mode of transportation, but remember that it is also a sight seeing tour, so they announce the sites along the way.
After we transferred to the Hollywood water taxi, we passed by Port Everglades. This is the largest container port in Florida and the 3rd largest cruise terminal in the world.
The super-sized cranes at the Port are the largest of their kind in the world at 175′ and valued at $13.8 million each.
Along the route, you’ll pass by mangroves and marinas. We were hoping to see some manatees, but no luck.
What to see and do in Hollywood, FL.
Once you arrive in Hollywood, you’ll walk across the street and head towards the beach. Here you will find Margaritaville Beach Resort with plenty of dining, shopping and activities.
Finally, we arrived at the Hollywood Broadwalk (yes, broadwalk, not boardwalk). This is lined with shopping, restaurants and rental stores. You could spend all day here, laying by the beach, renting a bike or shopping.
We were shocked to find this artifact! Watch the video (link below) to find out what we think it is.
So if you are looking for a fun way to explore Fort Lauderdale, the ICW and Hollywood Beach, I highly recommend the Water Taxi!
Since moving to Fort Lauderdale last year, Scott and I have enjoyed so many cool experiences. The warm weather allows us to be outside almost every weekend. Let’s look back on everything we did in our own back yard!
Our first month here
One thing you will learn about living in Fort Lauderdale, is that there is something to do every single weekend. You will not be bored. In May, we took the water taxi to the Los Olas Beach for an airshow over the beach!
We found a 9-hole golf course just a few miles from our home. While we didn’t see any gators, we did stumble upon some tortoises.
There is also no shortage of walking routes or restaurants!
Summer in Fort Lauderdale
June, July and August are definitely the hottest months here in Florida. In fact, twice we ventured out and I ended up getting very sick from heat stroke. I have learned my lesson and now we take better precautions.
We do miss hiking in the PNW, but we have found a number of parks with some pretty cool walking trails.
Our first venture of the summer was to the National Everglades Park to ride on jet boat and see some gators. That was a must do!
Being so close to the Florida Keys, we hopped in the car at the end of June and headed to Key Largo for a long weekend.
Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi
It is easy to get on the water, as Fort Lauderdale has a water taxi that cruises up and down the new river. We’ve taken this water taxi a number of times, including Christmas in July, Christmas Light Cruise and our trip to Hollywood.
Summer is only just starting
Hurricane season begins July 1st, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying the outdoors. We had heard about a cool farmer’s market called the “Yellow Green Market“, so we had to check it out. It’s a site to see if you are in Fort Lauderdale.
Scott and I have seen some videos about Boca Inlet, so we headed north to check it out. The walk to the inlet was very long and hot. This is one of the days I got heat stroke. It was still a fun day! Here’s the video link of that day.Click here.
We’ve walked a number of times to the Los Olas Beach, which is about a 5 mile round trip from our home. Making this journey in July was brutal!
One morning, Scott and I decided to get up at dawn and watch the sunrise. That was pretty cool!
Summer went by fast for us. For two weekends in August, I was on an epic work trip traveling on a 76 yacht in the Exumas, Bahamas. After that trip, we spent most weekends, laying by the pool.
Fall in Florida
There’s a joke on the internet that Fall in most places is full of beautiful leaves and Florida is simply one palm leaf on the ground. We do miss the changes in seasons, but on the other hand, we love that we did so much this past Fall.
We started September, with another trip to the Florida Keys, this time to Duck Key.
Since September is the peak of hurricane season, we didn’t venture far after Duck Key. Instead, we took advantage of the great weather and enjoyed the scenery in Fort Lauderdale.
During September, when Hurricane Ian hit the west coast, Fort Lauderdale experienced a King Tide that flooded many docks and roadways in downtown.
Staying close to home in September, we drove up to Lauderdale by the Sea. This town is just 15 minutes north of us. It is a very cute town with a beautiful beach and plenty of great restaurants. Sadly, the Angler’s Pier was badly damaged when Hurricane Nicole hit the east coast just a week later.
The year is not over
With three months left in the year, we still had plenty of weekends to explore. October was taken up by FLIBS – Fort Lauderdale Int’l Boat Show. We did walk to the show the weekend before it opened, to check out the super yacht docks.
It seemed like every weekend in November had a festival. The month kicked off with the Day of the Dead festival. Downtown Fort Lauderdale closed off the streets, brought in food trucks, mobile bars and hosted a parade.
The following weekend we headed up to Palm Beach for the Luke Bryan concert. It was so nice, being at an outdoor concert in November! Plus, there was no shortage of bars!
The next weekend, Downtown Fort Lauderdale hosted their first Mutts and Martinis festival. We met some great vendors and Scott was selected to be a judge for the cutest dog contest.
As Thanksgiving was approaching, we decided to enjoy our long holiday weekend aboard Royal Caribbean. It was our first ever cruise on a large cruise ship and since it was just a 3-day trip to the Bahamas, we decided to check it out.
Christmas in Florida
Our close friends Ben and Maria flew in from Seattle to join us in Key West at the start of December. Key West knows how to do Christmas. We highly recommend heading that way.
Downtown Fort Lauderdale didn’t disappoint either. As we mentioned earlier in the blog, we took a water taxi cruise to see the holiday lights, plus we enjoyed Winterfest. Winterfest is Fort Lauderdale’s Holiday Boat Parade and it is a big deal here!
Scott and I were supposed to fly back to Seattle on December 23rd, but due to weather our flight was cancelled. Ironically, Christmas Eve was brutally cold here at about 38 degrees with the windchill factor. So we decided to walk to the Los Olas Beach and check it out. While it was nice that it wasn’t 90 degrees, it was brutally cold!
So much to see and do in South Florida
This has certainly been a year filled with experiences and amazing memories. Since moving here, we have yet to see a manatee, whale or a dolphin. But we have seen plenty of other critters and wildlife.
Whether you are visiting or moving to Fort Lauderdale, know that there is plenty to see and do. Scott and I are looking forward to 2023 and we’re excited to see where our adventures take us this year.
As always, thank you for following our blog. Be sure to subscribe and also follow our YouTube Channel (link below). You can follow us on social @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney. Cheers, Scott and Ally
Last month we headed back down to Key West with our friends Ben and Maria. Our first stop was Robbie’s of Islamorada of course. It never disappoints and is a must see. This time the pelicans were in full force when we were trying to feed the tarpon.
We stayed three nights at the Opal Resort in downtown Key West which was walking distance to most restaurants and shops. Our room was fantastic and as you can see our ocean view was blocked by a cruise ship. Luckily, it left that evening.
Our first night in Key West
Since this was the first time Ben and Maria have been to Key West we had to hit all of the famous restaurants and bars. We grabbed dinner at Sloppy Joe’s and had drinks at Dirty Harry’s and Captain Tony’s Saloon. What we didn’t know, was the history behind Captain Tony’s which we learned the following night on our haunted pub crawl.
Be sure to look for our Boating Journey sticker!
We were there December 1st and the entire town was decked out for the holidays!
Southern Most Point
The next morning the four of us headed towards the southernmost point, an attraction none of us have been to before. If you recall, the four of us have been to the easternmost point on Saint Croix, so this was cool that we got to do this together. Word of caution though, there will typically be a line for photo opportunities.
The Cable Hut
The walk there was fun and entertaining.
We had to stop at the Green Parrot for a cocktail and then had a wonderful lunch at the First Flight Brewery, located in original Pan Am Office.
Shipwreck Museum
Later that day, Scott and I decided to check out the Shipwreck Museum. The museum offers a rich history of the shipwrecks and the wreckers that would salvage the goods off of the boats. There were hundreds of shipwrecks outside of Key West, due to the shallow reefs. The story goes, that “wreckers” would flash lights to deceive captains and then the ships would run aground. The wreckers would then steal the goods off of the ships.
The view from the very top lookout was amazing and I had no idea there were that many boats in the Harbor.
Haunted Pub Crawl in Key West
That evening we watched another amazing sunset and enjoyed a wonderful dinner at Bruschetta Francesca. All of the pasta was handmaid and it was amazing.
After dinner we were pleasantly surprised by a bicycle parade. The bikes were all lit up and people had on costumes.
From there we headed to our haunted pub crawl. Key West is also known as bone island if you want to know the story there you have to do the pub crawl. Our tour guide was fantastic he wouldn’t allow us to film but I did get some cool pictures of each of the houses he took us to.Â
The story behind Captain Tony was he had a wife and a lover and the wife ended up killing the lover. Her tombstone is actually in the bar itself. The wife was then hung by the town hanging tree and that tree is still growing inside Captain Tony’s Saloon. During the building’s construction, while removing old flooring, workers discovered the skeletal remains of several people. They kept one of the skeleton’s and it sits behind the bar.
Our guide walked us to more haunted houses and shared each of their stories. Let’s just say, Key West is one of the most haunted cities in the US!
Snorkeling in Key West
The following day we had a snorkel trip scheduled with Fury Water Adventures and we headed out to Archer Key. Unfortunately it was extremely choppy and the current didn’t make for pleasant snorkeling so we cut that portion of the trip short.
The boat was loaded with paddle boards, noodles and kayaks. In addition, this was the first excursion, that put out breakfast bites of fruit and pastries.
Next we headed to a sandbar called Woman Key and while we had a good time, it wasn’t nearly as warm as it was in Duck Key. On top of that we did see sea urchins and we were barefoot so that made us a little uneasy walking through the sand and rocks. They did provide beer and sparkling wine for us at the sand bar.
Our captain and first mate of the boat were fantastic and lunch was the best we have ever had on an excursion. They offered salad, fried chicken, pasta and a veggie platter! Amazing.
Fort Zachary in Key West
We got back early in the day and so Scott and I decided to walk to Fort Zachary just about a mile and a 1/2 from the hotel. Along the way, we walked through the Truman Annex, a gorgeous neighborhood. The first weather bureau is located here too.
This Fort was fully surrounded by Confederate territory yet it was maintained by the Union during the Civil War. In 1971 it became a National State Park.
Key West Holiday Parade
Once again we enjoyed a beautiful sunset at the hotel and then headed off to another amazing dinner this time at the A and B Marina.
Being in key Western the holidays we have no idea what to expect but they had decorated the whole town beautifully. That evening we got another surprise with the town parade for the holidays. It was the perfect ending of a fantastic weekend in Key West.
We are glad we finally stayed in Key West. This allowed us to learn about its’ history and enjoy live music and libations. The nightly parades were a bonus and it helped to kick off the holiday season.
As always, thank you for following our journey! Be sure to subscribe to our blog and vlog (see video below), as we have more boating adventures to come. Follow us on social media @BoatingJourney #boatingjourney.
In our last blog, Scott and I decided to hop on a Royal Caribbean Cruise for the weekend and head to the Bahamas. The cruise left on Friday and arrived in Nassau, Bahamas the following morning. We booked two shore excursions before we left.
Originally, we had booked an excursion to Pearl Island, but sadly it was cancelled at the last minute. We were able to book a snorkeling trip via the Royal Caribbean excursion app. Our ticket instructed us to meet at the dock at 8:30am for a 9am departure. We ended up waiting on the dock with about 75 people until 9:15am, when our guide finally guided us to the catamaran. This snorkeling trip cost $69/pp and it included an open bar, but no food. You ad the option to pay $64/pp and pay for your drinks on the boat – but why would anyone do that? The trip was scheduled for a 9am departure with a 1:30pm return. (Already we are late).
Snorkeling Excursion
Our catamaran cruised down Nassau Harbor for about fifteen minutes. At one point, their sister catamaran pulled up next to us to toss some snorkeling gear. That vessel looked a bit sketchy!
Soon, we had arrived at our snorkeling spot. We were surprised that we didn’t really leave mainland or the area.
Scott and I didn’t use our fins and it was a good thing. It was so incredible crowded on this excursion, that we would have kicked everyone in the face. The water was a bit cooler, but that is expected. We saw lots of fish, but after 30 minutes we were done. There were just too many people.
At one point a local pulled up in a sketchy skiff and was selling fresh coconuts. For $5 he would cut the top off and give you a straw!
Overall, we were disappointed in this excursion (which is rare for us to say). They had only one bartender and most of the guests were paying for their drinks and to ring someone up took time. We barely got two drinks in. Next thing you know, they were returning back to the ship after an hour.
Since the excursion was supposed to last until 1:30pm, they cruised past the ships and then back around to waste time. We were still back before 1pm.
Our Last Night in Nassau
Scott and I still had a half a day to spend on the ship when we got back. We tried laying out, but the music was blaring and kids were screaming. We then decided to go hang out at the pool bar, but it was closed. So we ended the day playing putt putt golf and walking the ship.
All four ships were leaving at sunset and we were the third one out. The ship would sail to Coco Cay (very slowly) over night for our third day of excursions.
For dinner, we at the the Chop House steak restaurant and enjoyed a fantastic bottle of Northstar wine from Washington.
Good Morning Coco Cay
We woke up around 6:30am to enjoy the sunrise at Coco Cay. This is Royal Caribbean’s private island that offers all kinds of activities.
While Coco Cay is included as part of your cruise, not everything on the island is free. In fact that water park, beach club, cabanas are all extra. We decided to book the beach club at $79/pp. This would give us an open bar (with our beverage package) and complimentary lunch and beach chairs. We were told we could disembark at 7:30am, but we ended up waiting until 8:15am before they let us off the ship. Once off, you walk the dock and follow the signs to the Beach Club.
After a fifteen minute walk, we found the beach club!
Scott and I grabbed a couple of beach chairs (there are not many chairs by the pool) and spent the day relaxing in the sun.
There were so many birds on our beach and they were trying to find the shade.
Lunch on Coco Cay
They recommend that you make lunch reservations as soon as you arrive to the club. This turned out to be a smart move. Lunch is included with the beach club and as we were looking over the menu, deciding if we wanted a starter, a bento box showed up! Turns out, they bring you EACH starter in the bento box! If you look at the menu, you’ll see that steak and lobster was an option. Unfortunately, we didn’t want that much food while playing in the sea.
Our day on Coco Cay was the best part of the trip. We spent the day relaxing, unwinding and not having a worry in the world.
The Third and Final Night of the Cruise
For our final night, we made reservations at Giovanni’s, the Italian Restaurant. We love Italian food and Italy was where we celebrated our first wedding anniversary. Unfortunately, the food was just okay. It was cold when it arrived and we were too tired to send it back. The wine, however, was fantastic! Always one of our favorites. Keep in mind, if you order a bottle of wine, that is NOT part of the beverage package.
The cruise ship left Coco Cay in the evening and we awoke at 5:30am in Fort Lauderdale. Scott and I carried our own bags, so we were able to disembark at 6:15am and be to work by 8am. We are glad we tried cruising and this was a nice quick weekend. After this trip, we don’t think we would do another cruise, as it is just not our style of travel that we prefer.
As always, thank you for following our journey! Be sure to subscribe to our blog and vlog (see video below), as we have more boating adventures to come. Follow us on social media @BoatingJourney #boatingjourney.
Scott and I decided to spend Thanksgiving weekend cruising to the Bahamas on the Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship. This was our first time on a major cruise ship. Back in 2019, we did take the Star Clipper ship through the Leeward Islands, but it only held 135 people. Not having cruised before, we had no idea what to expect or if we would like it. We booked a balcony room and added the unlimited beverage package.
This trip departed from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale on Friday at 4:30pm and headed to Nassau, Bahamas (arriving in the morning.) Ironically, that is only about a 120 nm trip, so the cruise ship must have traveled at a very slow speed through the night. The second night it traveled to Royal Caribbean’s private island, Coco Cay and then headed back to Fort Lauderdale on Sunday night, arriving at 5:30am (just in time for us to go to work).
Pre-departure Preparations
About a week before our departure, Royal Caribbean had us download their app and the app included our daily planner (by the hour), a map and shore excursions. During this time, you also select your boarding time, which starts as early as 12pm. Since this was all new to us, we decided to book the first window, so we could explore the cruise ship for a few hours before we left port.
About a month before we left, we booked two excursions including a day at Pearl Island in Nassau and the Beach Club in Coco Cay. Unfortunately two days before we left , Pearl Island was cancelled. Luckily, we found a snorkeling trip at the last minute.
The ship did not require any kind of testing and in fact, you don’t need a passport. You can use your state ID and birth certificate.
Departure Day
Port Everglades is about 20 minutes from our home, so we planned on taking Uber around 11:15am, just to give us plenty of time. Well, it’s a good thing we did. Scott entered the Royal Caribbean address on our ticket for the Uber driver and it took us to their corporate office! Soon we realized we didn’t know what terminal we were leaving from and you have to tell the guard at the gate what terminal you are traveling too. Luckily, when we told him “Liberty of the Seas”, he knew what terminal we needed. We were shocked to see that no where on our app or ticket, does it tell us what terminal.
There was a bit of a traffic jam leading to terminal 29 and finally we arrived at the ship around 11:45am. We hopped out of the Uber and instantly a porter grabbed our bags and hauled them off. God, I hope we see our luggage again! (You do have the option to carry on your own bags as well).
Going through security and customs
Scott and I followed the crowd into the welcome building (hoping we were headed the right way). If you want more details about all of this, be sure to watch our YouTube video (link below).
We’re not sure if it is normally packed with people, but when we went through security, we walked through the entire building in less than 15 minutes.
As soon as you board the cruise ship, you must go to your muster station and show the attendant that you took the safety course. After we checked off our muster station, we then headed up to the 11th deck to get our beverage package bracelets (per our app). However, when we got up there, we learned we didn’t need any bracelets.
By now it was 12:30pm and we couldn’t check into our room until 1pm, so we decided to walk around the ship and get the lay of the land.
kid’s poolputt putt golfthe bridge and helicopter padflow rider
We were also starving, but unfortunately none of the restaurants were open except a pizza by the slice restaurant. (Seemed odd to us….) There were plenty of bars that were open though. While we were enjoying a slice of pizza, the server offered us a dining package at 40% off. Confused, we asked “what is that?!”. Turns out, if you want to eat anywhere except the buffet or main dining room, you have to pay extra. Since it was 40% off, we caved in and bought it. We also made our dinner reservations (Steak Restaurant and Italian Restaurant) for the next two evenings.
Your room key is also called your “Sea Pass” . This is what you use for the drink package and it also has your main dining room table number on it. We decided we would at least eat in the main dining room our first night. While we were checking out the ship, we decided to hunt for our table.
Turns out that no one showed up for dinner with us and we had the entire table to ourselves. They serve a pre-set menu and I will say, the food must come from a kitchen far away. Don’t expect the food to be hot at all.
Finding our Room
As we walked around the ship, we were trying to figure out where the hallway was to our room. We soon realized, that they keep the doors locked to the hallway until check-in time. At 1:15pm, they made an announcement and the doors opened. Turns out, your room keys are left in a pocket on your door (strange, but okay). When we got to our room, I saw one suitcase, but not the other two. Luckily, Scott found them a ways down the hall.
Our room was bigger than I expected. Since we had only been on the Star Clipper, we didn’t know what to expect. The Star Clipper room barely had room for both of us! LOL.
Finally Leaving for Nassau, Bahamas
We were the last cruise ship to leave Port Everglades. I loved that Scott was able to take this journey with me, so he could see what my cruise to the Bahamas this summer was sort of like. The sunset was amazing and we enjoyed it until it went below the horizon.
Tune in next week, as we take you to the Bahamas and share our excursions with you. As always, thank you for following our blog. Please be sure to subscribe to both our blog and channel (see video below). You can also follow us on social media @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney. Cheers, Scott and Ally
Last month, Scott and I headed back to The Keys and stayed at Duck Key for our friend Jared’s 40th birthday. We met Jared and his family in Seattle when we owned The Wine Alley and became good friends. Our group rented houses in Duck Key near Marathon in The Keys. The trip to Duck Key took us about two and half hours, as we did not run into any traffic this time.
Since our VRBO wasn’t ready when we arrived, we decided to take our friends to Robbie’s for lunch. If you haven’t been to Robbie’s before, it’s a must see, as it is very eclectic and they have great food.
Scott and I were at Robbie’s in February 2015 when we owned The Wine Alley. There are dollar bills pinned everywhere, so back in 2015 we pinned one up. I searched and searched for our bill, but I couldn’t find it. Let us know if you find it some day!
We just got new stickers, so we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to add ours.
In addition, Robbie’s is known for feeding the Tarpon. Be sure to watch our YouTube episode – this scene is hilarious. You do have to watch out for the pelican when you are handling fish.
Staying in Duck Key
Duck Key is an island on the east side of US 1 and is built much like Fort Lauderdale, with numerous canals.
The townhome that Scott and I rented was part of a large HOA on the island. We had an end unit with a southern view that was fantastic! Surprisingly, the rates were fairly affordable considering it was Labor Day Weekend.
Our backyard was also home to plenty of friendly iguanas.
That evening, our group of thirty headed to the Lazy Days restaurant for dinner. Here we enjoyed a beautiful sunset. Having had a sunset view for the past twenty years, we really do miss seeing this every night.
Exploring Key West
The last time Scott and I were in Key West (February 2015), we got a surprising warning on my phone. The weather channel had just issued a freeze warning – their first ever! Great, all we brought with us was shorts, flipflops and tank tops. We barely spent any time in Key West, because we were so cold.
Our group parked in the garage next to the Opal Key resort (where we will be staying in December) and explored the city by foot.
Key West is a very walkable city with lots to see. You can also take a trolly through the city if you didn’t want to walk. If you love museums, shopping, restaurants, bars and live music, this is your place. There is plenty to choose from.
The other cool part about this city is that they have kept all of the historical buildings (and trees) in great condition.
When we return in December, we are planning on doing this ghost tour! If you have done this tour, let us know your thoughts. Also, if there is something we should definitely check out in Key West, let us know that too.
End of US 1
Turns out our group wasn’t that interested in the museums, so we decided to check out a few bars and restaurants. First stop was the Green Parrot.
After enjoying some amazing cocktails at the Green Parrot, it was time for lunch and we headed to the infamous Sloppy Joe’s Restaurant. They have music and yep, the original Slobby Joe is on the menu!
Key West Sights
Everywhere we walked, we came across one cool sight after another. Key West is not short on things to see. Check out his Banyan Tree below!
Key West even has a clothing optional bar and no, we did not visit this one!
We spent about five hours in Key West and then headed back to Duck Key to relax before dinner. The drive from Key West to Duck Key is just over an hour, depending on traffic.
Snorkeling in Duck Key
Our group originally had reserved a 22′ Hurricane bowrider boat, but the rental company screwed up and was overbooked. Time for plan B, and luckily I found Sole’ Watersports at Hawks Cay across from our VRBO. They offer daily snorkeling trips to the reef at Coffins Patch and Grassy Key Sandbar, located about five miles southeast of Duck Key.
The boat was a tourist style pontoon boat and it had a cover for protection from the sun.
The ride was smooth, but by the time we arrived to the reef bad weather was on its’ way. Our group still jumped in to snorkel. Though we saw plenty of fish, the 3′ swells did make it a bit uncomfortable, especially for the kids. In addition, our visibility was pretty limited due to the chop in the water.
Grassy Key Sandbar
We spent about an hour snorkeling and then we headed to Grassy Key Sandbar. I wasn’t sure what to expect, as I have only been to a couple of sandbars. Let’s just say, it ended up being an epic day. The kids played, the adults imbibed and we soaked up some much needed sun.
The excursion left at 9am and we returned back to Duck Key around 1pm. We grabbed a quick lunch at Hawks Cay before getting ready for Jared’s 40th birthday party.
Visiting Duck Key
This was such a fun weekend and one we will not forget. We miss our friends and it was awesome seeing everyone. We wrapped up the three day weekend with a wonderful bbq dinner and celebration. Duck Key, we will certainly be back again!
As always, thank you for following our blog. Be sure to subscribe to our Boating Vlog on YouTube (see video below). You can also follow us on social @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney. Next week, we’ll take you on a tour of a 1996 Hatteras 52′, so tune in.
Finally after eight days and five hundred nautical miles, I was back on the New River headed home. In our last blog, I made the journey back to Fort Lauderdale from the Bahamas. Unlike other inlets like Haulover and Boca, the Stranahan River inlet is pretty mild. This is the main inlet to Port Everglades where all of the Fort Lauderdale cruise ships are based out of.
Because we were coming back into the US we needed to clear customs. The captain of our yacht used the CBP mobile phone app to check in our crew. He took a photo of our passports and uploaded them to the platform.
The winds were pretty strong that day and I was surprised to see so many small boats out there. In fact as we were coming back, there was a mayday call on the VHF for a small capsized boat.
Water Taxi Route on the New River
Scott and I have taken the water taxi on this route a number of times. That amenity is one of the favorite things we love about living in DT Fort Lauderdale. But there’s something about riding down the river on a yacht versus a taxi. Big yachts come down the river during our walks and I always wondered what it was like to be on one. Well, now I know.
The New River is somewhat narrow and you also have to cross under a number of bridges. Typically the larger boat has the right away, but don’t’ count on every boater following that rule. Plus there are all kinds of vessels on the river including dinghys, jet skis and tiki huts that you have to watch for. Our captain was very experienced and instead of passing by the oncoming vessels, he stayed put and let them pass by us.
Venice of America
When we left for the trip, it was before dawn and it was pitch black. It was pretty cool to see everything along the New River in the daylight. Scott and I can walk to the 7th avenue bridge, but that’s as far as we can go on foot. As the yacht crossed under the bridge, I was curious what the rest of the river looked like. Cruising down the new river, you will see everything from mansions to old homes, vacant lots, large yachts, tiki huts and fancy RV parks. They call Fort Lauderdale the Venice of America due to all of the canals.
The entire trip from Port Everglades to Roscioli Yachting Center took us about an hour and half. So if you plan on doing this, give yourself plenty of time. I never get tired of seeing yachts, so the trip was pretty cool. There are many other ways to cruise the river if you don’t own a boat. You can rent one with a captain, take the Jungle Queen, hop on the water taxi, take a gondola or rent a jet ski.
Finally we’re home
Soon we were in the industrial part of the river. We passed by Safe Harbor, which is one of the largest super yacht ship yards in Florida.
After eight days of cruising and working at the same time, I was ready to be home. Seeing Scott waiting for us at the dock was just what I needed. This was certainly an epic trip and I respect the job that these captains do. They have to work under difficult conditions and yet the passengers rarely know that.
As always, thank you for following our blog. Please subscribe and leave us your comments. You can also follow us on social media @BoatingJourney. Be sure to check out the full tour on our YouTube Channel (link below.
After spending three days in Staniel Cay exploring the magical sites of Staniel Cay and the surrounding islands, my crew headed to the Atlantis Resort & Marina on Nassau. This was a 113 nm journey that took us about three and half hours cruising at about 34knots.
We entered Nassau from the southern end of the channel. Most boats do not go this way due to the shallow “bombies” (large reefs just under the water) but our captain was very experienced and knew the safe route to take.
Entering Nassau Harbor, you will find grand homes, industry and other marine vessels.
Atlantis Resort & Marina on Paradise Island
The Atlantis Resort is located on Paradise Island, which is owned and operated by the resort. Our captain called to the dockmaster before entering the marina to ensure we had a slip ready. As we cruised in a manatee swam past the yacht. (Watch our video for the footage).
The Atlantis marina is very nice with large slips for all sizes of yachts. They do have a minimum dockage of 50′. This means if you have a 30′ boat, you’re still going to pay for 50′. The marina office was located across from where we were docked and it was a longer walk than I expected.
Accommodations at Atlantis
There are four main hotels at Atlantis and I stayed in the Cove. It was located the closest to the marina and is connected to the Royal. I had a great room with a view of the ocean. When you book your reservation, you have to pre-pay for your stay and give them every guest name (you can’t change it afterwards). The cost of my room was about $486 per night. Be prepared to pay not only sales tax but a 10% VAT on top of everything too.
When you check in, you’ll get a complimentary thermal water bottle and they have water filling stations all over the resort. Looking at the map below, you can see how large of a complex the resort is.
The Marine Life & Aquarium
The following day, I took some time to explore the grounds. I headed to “The Dig” which is the aquarium. You can see all that they offer here, including swimming with the dolphins, snorkeling with the marine life.
Atlantis, Paradise island is home to the largest open-air marine habitat in the world, encompassing 14 lagoons, 8 million gallons of ocean water and more than 50,000 aquatic animals.
Atlantis has a team of 165 marine experts that care for, rescue and rehabilitate over 250 marine species. A portion of Atlantis’ marine interactive programs goes back to the Atlantis Blue Project Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to saving sea species.
Pool Time
Later that day, I headed down to the Cove Pool to relax and read my current book, Over the Top by Adrian Flanagan.
The pool had plenty of lounge chairs with umbrellas. My only caution would be the prices of the pool bar. I kid you not, I paid $28 for a Rum Punch!
That evening I had a wonderful dinner at Olives enjoying a delicious ravioli dish.
Back to Bimini Bay
The following morning, our crew left around 9am for Bimini Bay. I managed to find a home for one of our stickers at the marina – so look for it!
We fueled up in Nassau Harbor, just outside of the marina.
As we cruised to each island, I spent most of my time up on the fly bridge or cockpit enjoying the moment and experience. Just 6 months ago, we were living in cold wet weather in the PNW.
Who would have ever imagined that I would soon be cruising the crystal clear turquoise waters in the Bahamas for my job? There is something therapeutic about being on the water with nothing else around you. I certainly didn’t take this moment for granted.
The trip to Mega Marina at Bimini took us about three hours, cruising around 27 knots. We decided to save on fuel since we were not in a hurry to get to Bimini. It’s amazing how beautiful the water is at Bimini compared to Nassau.
I don’t think cruising through the Bimini Channel will ever get old to me.
Our group stayed at Mega Marina this time, which is a bit larger and right next to the Hilton Hotel.
Finally after eight days, it was time for our crew to head back to Florida. We left around 8am hearing that bad weather was moving in. Our trip back was pleasant and smooth. I stayed on the fly bridge the entire way and reflected on the journey I had just experienced. I know I am very fortunate to be living this life and this is one of the many reasons we chose to move closer to the Caribbean.
As always, thank you for following our journey and blog. Be sure to watch our video below and subscribe to our channel. You can also follow us on social media @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney. Cheers, Ally
My (Ally) trip to Staniel Cay was one of my all-time epic trips and I’m thrilled I get to share it with all of you. Many of you have asked why I didn’t stay on the yacht at each stop. Remember, this was a work trip for me and all of our staff stayed in hotels so we could keep the yacht clean and tidy. Why you ask? Well, The Sunseeker 74 Sport Yacht that we were traveling on, is brand new and this was our opportunity to show it off to potential clients.
Our crew left Chub Cay Sunday, August 14th early in the morning and headed straight for Staniel Cay Yacht Club. This would be our longest journey at 121 nautical miles and the trip took about 5 hours.
We passed by Nassau on our way and we rarely saw any other vessels on the sea with us.
Arriving to Staniel Cay
As we approached Staniel Cay Yacht Club, we had to sit out a storm before we headed to the marina. The marina is very small and tight and without assistance from the marina it would be difficult for us to dock. Since a huge squall was moving through, we knew their crew wouldn’t come out.
Staniel Cay is a fairly large and populated island (compared to the other cays in the Exumas). The Yacht Club is owned by Makers Air and they have their own airline that services Staniel Cay. For that reason, the yacht club flies in their provisions on a daily basis. This is why you have to order your “dinner” when dining in the dining room first thing in the morning.
Staniel Cay Marina
The marina has fixed linear docks, so you better be very good at docking. In addition, a smaller yacht (say under 40′) wouldn’t do great here due to the height of the docks.
photo credit: Staniel Cay Yacht Club (not our flotilla)
Luckily, the marina office was located right at the end of the dock. Here you can buy ice and also make golf cart arrangements. By the time we arrived, they were completely out of golf carts, but I was able to have a staff member help me with my bags to my cottage.
Just across from the marina office are steps down to the water, you’ll find nurse sharks hanging out looking for snacks.
At night, the marina totally lights up and it’s an awesome scene.
Accommodations on the island
The yacht club does offer villas, but they were all sold out. I would love to come back here and stay in one. Apparently when you rent a villa, you get a Boston Whaler runabout with it. How fun!
I was able to find accommodations on VRBO at the Chamberlain Cottages. The cottages are walking distance from the marina, but if you have luggage, this is a long haul.
These are about seven cottages each have two bedrooms (some with only one bath). I was fortunate that my cottage (the swimming piggies) had a separate room and bath on the first floor, from the rest of the cottage.
Exploring the Exumas
Our group spent three nights on Staniel Cay. The first night we hosted a cocktail party for our clients at the yacht club. We really lucked out with awesome weather.
The following morning, I went on an excursion with Staniel Cay Adventures for a day of snorkeling and exploring. These guys were awesome! I highly recommend that you hire a local if you want to explore the Exumas. They know the waters, the tides and the special places to visit.
Had I known how far we were headed (45 nm) that day on a 27′ boat, I might have had second thoughts! LOL
Our first stop was the Exumas Land and Sea Park. Here they have a visitors center and a giant whale skeleton. I didn’t explore the island (I was worried about bugs), but I was told they had a number of trails throughout the island. Instead, our crew played with Seabobs before bad weather started moving our way.
Snorkeling the plane wreck at Norman’s Cay
The trip to Norman’s Cay took us about 45 minutes. It was certainly a soggy boat ride, as we got hit with a pretty bad rain storm.
As soon as I jumped in I realized the current was too strong for me (it was about 15 knots). So our guide handed me a line to hang on to while I snorkeled through the plane. Be sure to check out my YouTube video for the footage of my snorkel. It was a bit scary snorkeling around a jagged metal plane, but our guides really helped me out.
Back in the 1970’s and 80’s, Norman’s Cay was a frequent stop for drug transportation during Carlos Lehder’s drug running days with the Medellin Cartel. One story about the sunken plane is that it crashed due to the weight of the cargo on it.
Lunch & the Sea Aquarium
From the plane wreck, we headed to lunch at MacDuffs Restaurant located on the other side of Norman’s Cay. The food and service was fantastic. This is a very small restaurant, so don’t come in with a crowd, without reservations.
I was shocked by how many cicadas there were. They were so loud and they were shedding their shells on the trees.
Everywhere we went, the water was crystal clear and so incredibly beautiful. I don’t think my photos do it justice. Guess we’ll just have to come back.
After lunch, our crew took us to the Sea Aquarium. When we arrived, I was hesitant to jump in after working so hard at the plane wreck. But they assured me this would be epic.
Now I know why it’s called the “Sea Aquarium”. As soon as I jumped in, I was surrounded by hundreds of beautiful fish. Be sure to see my action footage on YouTube (link at the end of this blog).
Surprise ending to a fabulous day in the Exumas
It was almost 5:30pm when we finished snorkeling at the Sea Aquarium. I assumed we were headed back home, but instead our guides had one more surprise. With the tunes cranked, we were flying through the islands headed for a surprise. You really have to see my video footage to grasp this adventure. At one point we were in 1′ of water, as we approached a sand bar (normally covered at high tide). We all hopped off and soaked up the moment. It was such a cool experience.
Day Two in the Exumas
One thing that was on my bucket list for this trip was to swim with the famous pigs on pig island.
Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. Instead I went with another group and spent the day on our Sunseeker 74 Sport Yacht. I actually didn’t get in the water to play, as I had thrown my back out a few days earlier and I needed to rest up.
While we were anchored out, this old sailboat came into the bay and anchored with us. Not sure what its’ story is.
As our day ended, our crew wanted to enjoy the sunset on another sand bar. We hopped into the AB Jet Tender and the six of us headed to a sand bar across from pig beach.
It was a great ending to such an epic journey.
Surprise stop!
On our way back to the marina, our crew felt bad that I didn’t have a chance to see the pigs. Next thing I know we were at pig island at dusk for a quick hello. They are very docile at night, and we didn’t spend much time with them. Still, I was thrilled to at least say hello.
One thing to note about Staniel Cay is that the island runs off of generator. Unfortunately, we lost power every night we were there. My cottages didn’t have power during most of my stay. So on the last night, I headed to the yacht club for a quick bite, since they were on generator power. Here I met an old sailor (he was in his 80’s) and he had traveled around the world on his sailboat for most of his life. It was so cool sitting there talking to him and listening to his stories.
Time to leave for Nassau
Three days was just enough time to explore Staniel Cay. I do want to return with Scott and share my experiences with him and much more. Things I wish I would have experienced were the Thunderball Grotto, Swimming with the Sharks at Compass Cay and Iguana Island. That just gives us an excuse to come back. Another thing to note, is it is very very buggy here. The noseeums are awful and you will need a strong bug repellant during your stay.
Tune in next week, as we head to the Atlantis Resort on Nassau, a much needed break after being on a pretty secluded island.
As always, thank you for following our journey and blog. Be sure to watch our video below and subscribe to our channel. You can also follow us on social media @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney. Cheers, Ally
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