Author: Allison

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Our First Time on a Cruise Ship

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 pool
putt putt golf
the bridge and helicopter pad
flow 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

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The Fort Lauderdale Boat Show 2022

Last month Scott and I attended the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show for the very first time. This is a five day show held at the end of October and while I worked the show, Scott got a chance to tour it.

This show is so large that it’s the largest in-water boat show in the world and includes seven locations. We only visited the Bahia Mar exhibit where I was working. See photo above.

There’s no way I can possibly describe the show in a blog, as it’s just massive and you’ll see I say that over and over in our YouTube episode. The Bahia Mar exhibit included brand new boats and yachts from manufacturers and brokerage yachts and superyachts. Plus, it had huge displays of vendors everywhere you turned. The best part about the electronics tent is they kept it cold as a meat locker. This was a very pleasant treat as it was extremely hot during the show.

Super Yachts Everywhere

They had a super house boat – if that’s what you call it? I wish we would have toured this!

Unlike most shows we have attended, this is a manufacturer show, similar to an auto show. The manufacturers go all out to build massive VIP tents that are actually air conditioned (well, at least Sunseeker was where I was working!).

No matter if you are looking for a center console, a catamaran or a yacht, the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show is where you will find your boat. This has been one of the best things about moving to Fort Lauderdale, is the access to so much boating!

Tour the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show on our YouTube Channel

If you plan on attending the show, give yourself at least three days to cover the show and that’s probably just for Bahia Mar. Scott was there two full days and he barely touched the display. I had displays from one end of the show to the other and over five days I walked 42 miles! We want to thank Informa and the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show for welcoming us as Influencers to the show – it was quite the experience. Until next year!

As always, thank you for following our blog and please be sure to check out our YouTube channel (see video below). Please be sure to subscribe to our channel and follow us on our next adventure. Next week we’ll share more boat tours from the show and later this month we go on our very first cruise! Stay tuned.

Cheers, Scott and Ally

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2003 Westship 103′ Sportfish Tour

Scott and I had the rare opportunity to tour a Westship 103′ Sportfish a few weeks ago. Yes, you heard me right! This yacht is 103′ long and there are only two in the world including this one! We have never been on a sportfish before and this tour totally shocked us. This yacht is absolutely stunning and beautiful!

Exterior Tour

Since we have never been deep sea fishing or spent time on a sportfish, we won’t attempt to use the right lingo in the description or tour. This yacht is for sale by OneWater Yacht Group and there is a full detailed description on the listing here.

Right now, the yacht is docked at the owner’s house just north of Fort Lauderdale. Imagine owning a home on the water with space for a 103′ yacht? What I loved immediately are the steps to access the yacht.

On the stern, you have a large entertainment area plus two very large freezers. Where do they get ice to keep their fish cold you ask? This yacht comes with an ice-maker and an ice crusher!

On the lower deck, you will find all of the space for deep sea fishing, including a custom fishing chair in the center. There is also a live well on the lower level.

The walk arounds are nice and wide, which I love. However, most owners who own a yacht of this size have crew that handle their lines.

On the bow, they are storing a 17′ tender using a heavy duty crane.

Interior Space

You enter the interior, by pressing a button to open the slider doors. The doors open with air pressure and automatically close behind you.

Heading up to the captain’s bridge, you will find a huge helm station with gorgeous captain chairs. The leather of these chairs is as soft as baby skin!

The bridge is also a spot more entertaining. Imagine going fishing, then hanging out up in the bridge watching your favorite football team!

Head back down stairs and you find a beautiful salon and wet bar. This yacht is almost twenty years old, but it doesn’t show it. The soft goods are timeless and this yacht smells great!

If you prefer to dine inside, the dining room has space for six to eight guests. Remember, this is a fishing boat! What fishing boat has a dining room like this? Well, the Westship Sportfish obviously does.

The galley is located next to the dining room and this galley is larger than the one in our apartment!

Sleeping Quarters

Next we head down to the sleeping quarters. Here you will find four staterooms. Two are mirrored with twin beds and forward you will find a VIP stateroom with an island berth.

The master stateroom on this Westship Sportfish has more storage than our apartment too!

Engine Room

There are crew quarters and if you watch the video (see below), Scott will take you on a tour. You access the engine room through the crew quarters. This yacht is powered by twin MAN MTU 16V2000M91 diesel engines with 2000HP. Scott is over 6′ tall and he was able to stand in the engine room!

We hope you liked this tour. For more details, be sure to watch the full YouTube video tour.

As always, thank you for following our blog! Be sure to subscribe to our vlog on YouTube and follow us on social media @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney. Next week we head to FLIBS (Fort Lauderdale Int’l Boat show) for our first time ever, so tune in next week.

Cheers, Scott and Ally

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United States Sailboat Show 2022

Scott and I returned to Annapolis to attend the United States Sailboat Show last week. This was the third time we have attended the Sailboat Show. I know, you’re wondering why would we attend the Sailboat Show and not the Power Boat Show? Well, we’ve attended both in Annapolis and honestly the Sailboat Show has a better vibe and we enjoy it more. It was also nice to attend the show as an attendee and not an exhibitor. It’s difficult for me to completely enjoy a boat show, when I’m working it.

Press Passes

Now that our YouTube channel is growing (we have almost 5500 subscribers) and have a legitimate media company, we are able to get press credentials. To us, that’s a pretty cool thing! We’ve worked really hard on this blog and vlog since 2015 and it’s nice to see our hard work paying off.

Scott and I headed to the show first thing Friday morning to get a jump on the crowds. Our plan of attack would be to tour our favorite catamarans on Friday and mon-hulls on Saturday. We definitely found some favorites, so tune in over the next few weeks and we’ll take you on a few tours.

Being from Seattle, we are not used to seeing so many catamarans. At the Boats Afloat Show in Seattle, we were lucky if two catamarans were on display. This weekend, we had our pick of over thirty catamarans to tour.

The weather was absolutely perfect for the show. Blue skies and mid-70’s temperatures. Sometimes I do miss that.

Vendors, Vendors and Vendors

If you are looking for boat parts, clothing, financing, insurance, lessons or vacation charters you will find them here. Scott and I talked to a number of sailing companies that offer lessons in the Caribbean and we are seriously considering getting our ASA101 thru ASA 107, plus ASA 114 Catamaran Cruising next year.

Scott talked to the Annapolis School of Seamanship about getting his 100-ton Captain’s License. They have a great program and it’s too bad they don’t have a satellite office here in Florida.

Meeting Other YouTubers

The highlight of the weekend for us, was meeting the YouTube channels that we support through Patreon. (We also have a Patreon account, but we only have one supporter – LOL – Some day.) During the show, we were able to head over to the YouTube booth and meet three of our channels. As soon as we arrived, we immediately ran into Beau & Brandy from Beau and Brandy Sailing and Gary and Brooke from Sailing One Life. They happen to be friends and ironically, we have had two near misses with Beau and Brandy.

The last two times we have visited St. Thomas, we had planned on meeting up with Beau and Brandy. However, on both occasions, they were flying back to the US! It was so nice to finally hug each other and meet in person, rather than Zoom.

We found Gary & Brooke’s channel thru Beau and Brandy. Gary and Brooke have made it thru the Panama Canal and now are in Mexico. That’s a bucket list for us (the canal that is).

At the end of the YouTube booth we found Lihn, Teal and Emma from Onboard Lifestyle. These guys are from Seattle and they lived on Lake Union right below our first apartment in DT Seattle. Teal is amazing when it comes to boats, so this is a channel you will want to subscribe to and start from the beginning!

A trip to the Annapolis Sail Boat Show wouldn’t be complete without a pain killer from Pussers!

DT Annapolis

This was my second trip to Annapolis this year, as I was there back in April for work. I love Annapolis and I especially love the history and quaintness of downtown. There are tons of cute shops, restaurants and bars.

My Favorites

I couldn’t resist a few of my favorites during our visit too. Every dog we encountered I had to say hi! Isn’t this gal a cutie?

I will also admit, I miss one of my favorite boating brands, Boston Whaler. I couldn’t resist getting a photo!

Patreon Meet-Ups

One benefit of being a Patreon of a channel, is the personal connection with the creators. We have monthly Zoom calls and local meet-ups when they are in town. We’re hoping to connect again with Brooke and Gary when they head to Florida next month.

Our first meet up was with Beau and Brandy at a location walking distance from the show. We didn’t know what to expect and it was so cool to meet everyone we talk to each month on Zoom. Beau and Brandy moved from New York to Florida and had never sailed before. They never took sailing lessons before buying a sailing boat This is a channel you want to start from the beginning!

The following day we had a meetup with the crew of Sailing Parlay Revival. Colin and his crew bought a hurricane damaged Lagoon 450 after Hurricane Irma, repaired it and now they are sailing around the world. Bucket list!

Our last Patreon meet up was with Brooke and Gary of One Life Sailing. I thought the event was 4:30pm to 6:30pm and at 4pm I looked at my calendar and said to Scott “Oh crap! Their event is 3pm to 5pm!” We were so bummed that we missed out on most of the meetup. We did get to spend time with Gary’s parents and get their perspective on their son’s sailing adventure. They are so supportive of their journey and that is so cool to us! Thank you to Brooke and Gary for giving us all t-shirts! What a fun surprise.

All Good Things Must End

What a fun weekend we had and I really needed this. It was awesome to meet everyone and and spend time at the Sail Boat Show. I can’t wait until next year!

If you didn’t notice, we also have new Boating Journey swag and you can also order swag for yourself. Check out our link here!

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be showcasing some of our favorite boats, so be sure to tune in and check them out. In addition, we just launched our new store! So if you are interested in getting some Boating Journey swag, check it out here!

As always, thank you for following our journey! Be sure to subscribe and also subscribe to our channel on YouTube (see video below). You can also follow us on social media @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney.

Cheers, Scott and Ally

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1996 Hatteras 52′ Tour

Scott and I toured a 1996 Hatteras 52′ Yacht this week that is for sale by Denison Yachting. This yacht is a fantastic liveaboard and it comes with a liveaboard slip. It is moored in the Loggerhead Marina in Hollywood, FL which is about 40 minutes south of us.

Since this yacht is 26 years old, I was expecting it to be run down and stinky. To my surprise, this yacht is in fantastic condition and has no smell at all! Wow, that has to be a first for us. It was nice to tour a Hatteras and see how it should look like. Remember last summer, when we flew to Fort Lauderdale and toured a Hatteras? I still can’t believe that yacht was for sale!

Tour this Hatteras 52′

Normally in my blog, I write about our latest YouTube episode. This time, I decided to keep it short and have you watch the tour on YouTube. Pictures just don’t do it justice. What I loved about this yacht, is that the owner made it very homey. It has couches that you would find in your home, he created an office space and the salon even has a fireplace. That’s exactly what we’re looking for.

You are probably wondering if we are interested in it for ourselves? It’s almost in our budget and comes with a liveaboard slip, so why are we not jumping at the bit you ask? Well, tune in to our channel in the coming weeks, as we will talk about boating in Florida. Insurance, financing and the costs of slips are much different than Seattle and that’s because we are in Hurricane territory. We won’t be buying a boat until at least next Spring after we do our research and figure out what we can afford. Plus our lease isn’t up until April and our plan is not to have a condo and a boat.

If you are interested in this yacht, contact Paul Denton at Denison Yachting. You can find his information and the listing here.

As always, thank you for following our journey. Please be sure to subscribe to our channel and follow us on social @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney. Tune in next week, as we head to the US Sailboat Show in Annapolis, MD.

Cheers, Scott and Ally

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Exploring Key West & Duck Key

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.

Cheers, Scott & Ally

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Reflecting after Hurricane Ian

This has certainly been a heart breaking week in the wake of Hurricane Ian. When Scott and I moved to Florida, we knew that one of the biggest threats would be hurricanes. It wasn’t a matter of “if,” but rather “when” one hits. I have the NOAA hurricane app on my phone and I watch it regularly. On Friday, September 23rd Hurricane Ian was still only a tropical depression.

Preparing for Hurricane Ian

The following morning, Scott and I walked to the beach to watch the sunrise at 5:45am. It was a gorgeous morning and it was hard to believe that such a destructive storm was just a few hundred miles away. As you can see by the image above, we were not sure where it would hit.

We live on the 12th floor and our unit is surrounded by cement buildings. Scott and I were confident, that if a hurricane did hit us, we would actually be pretty safe here. Chances were we would lose power and be stuck on the 12th floor for a few days.

In Seattle, we worried about earthquakes and we had an “earthquake kit”. So when hurricane season arrived, we collected the items we thought we needed. This included plenty of drinking water, breakfast bars, canned protein, nuts, batteries, flashlights, straws that purify water, fans, crackers, jerky and fruit. Hurricane season is not over until mid November, so we still have about seven weeks to go. If we don’t end up using it, we’ll donate the food to the local food bank.

Watching the storm become Hurricane Ian

I drove to work on Monday, September 26th and it was raining a bit, but nothing too major. The weather forecasters did warn us of tropical storms approaching.

By Tuesday, September 27th we knew the west coast of Florida would get hit. My co-workers in Tampa were scrambling to evacuate or secure their homes, as they were going to get a direct hit. In the meantime, Fort Lauderdale started to get doused with torrential rains, thunder and lightening. It was pretty spectacular and frightening at the same time.

Not knowing how large Hurricane Ian would be, our offices decided to close on Wednesday, September 28th, the day it would make landfall. I woke up that morning wondering what we would experience. We had a lot of rain and winds were about 25mph. Living in Seattle, we were used to big wind storms – that was one of our biggest weather threats.

Somber realization

I kept the Weather Channel on throughout the day and as I watched the storm progress, my heart sank for everyone getting a direct hit. No longer was the hurricane heading directly to Tampa , but rather Naples and Fort Myers were now the direct target. My college roommate lives in Naples and I texted her right away. She texted back, with a photo of water streaming down her street and it was still rising. A few hours later, I checked in with her again and sadly, she had a foot of water on her entire first floor. Within just a few hours Fort Myers, Sanibel Island and Naples were destroyed by the storm surge. In many cases, the storm surge from Hurricane Ian was over 12 feet! Everything in its path was destroyed.

photo credit: Bloomberg

What’s hard to fathom is that half of our state is living life as they normally would, grocery shopping, boating, playing at the beach; while the other side is homeless, no power, no food and in many places they have no access to get out. It will take years to recover from this deadly storm and without actually seeing it in person, we have no concept of what they are going through. It is another reminder to never take what you have for granted. If you grumble every day you go to work, be grateful you have a job. If you grumble about traffic, be grateful you have roads and a car to drive in. This storm could have hit us too and while we would have been okay, our community would not have been.

This is truly a biblical event that we will never forget. I pray that hurricane season is over and that these communities can begin the recovery process soon.

Supporting the community after Hurricane Ian

There are many ways people can help in the wake of Hurricane Ian. I work for OneWater Yacht Group and I was extremely proud to learn that our parent company OneWater Marine was providing RVs for those employees who lost their homes. In addition, they launched a relief fund www. hurricanereliefnow.com.

Two other amazing organizations are the Red Cross & Florida Disaster Fund. They both could use your cash donations. While many of us want to drive supplies to the affected areas, we have found out that the area is still inaccessible.

As these communities begin to rebuild, give them your support. When they are ready for us, visit their hotels, restaurants and shops. They will need it.

Thank you for following our blog and journey.

Scott and Ally

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Cruising down the New River in Fort Lauderdale

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.

Cheers, Scott and Ally

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Cruising to Atlantis Resort on Nassau

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

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Exploring Staniel Cay in the Exumas

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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