Scott and I bought our first boat in 2017 and we still have the same personal floating devices (pfds). We decided we should test one of our pfds to see if they still work. We had no idea what to expect!
Scott was the brave one and walked into our pool to see if it would inflate. Since we had two, he also dissected the other one to see how it was put together. Be sure to tune into our latest video to see if it inflates and to see how the inner workings work.
This week’s blog is going to be short and sweet, as we want you to tune into the video. Next week we head to the Fort Lauderdale Int’l Boat Show, so tune in!
As always, thank you for following our journey! Please be sure to subscribe to our blog and our vlog – see link below. Follow us on social @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney.
Recently, Scott and I took a quick trip to Sarasota on the west coast of Florida. Scott’s uncle lives just north of Sarasota and we decided to make a weekend trip out of it since we have never been to Sarasota. The drive took us about 4 hours going straight across the state on I-75.
We stayed at the Westin, just overlooking the bay. I picked this hotel because it has a rooftop bar and we would finally be able to see a sunset! Looking at the image below (facing southeast) you can see how FLAT Florida actually is!
Finding a place for dinner
Sarasota has a few very well known areas with great restaurants. One very popular area is St. Armands Circle on Lido Key.
Unfortunately, the traffic to get to Lido Key was nuts, so we decided to walk down to the marina and grab a bit to eat there. Our first attempt was at O’Leary’s Tiki Bar. Sounded cool, however, there’s no table service. You actually stand in line for your food and drinks – no thanks. So we headed back to the other side of the marina and found Marina Jack’s. We had a great view, some live music and the food and service was just okay.
There’s a park along the marina walkway and they have constructed a giant statue of the VE Day moment when a sailor randomly kissed a nurse.
After dinner, we hurried back to the hotel to catch our first sunset since being in Key West last December. It did not disappoint!
Kayaking with the manatees in Sarasota
Since moving to Florida, I have rarely seen any wildlife. I saw one manatee in the Bahamas when we arrived at Atlantis, but that has been it. No dolphins, no whales, no sharks (guess that’s a good thing). We booked our kayak trip with Sea Life Kayak Adventures and they were fantastic! I would highly recommend them! Scott and I took an Uber to the park, because we knew parking was very limited.
Our instructor gave us a brief introduction and then we were off! We had about 15 people in our group.
We left Ted Sperling Park and began to circumnavigate Otter Key in search of manatees.
I am so glad I wore my lightweight water shoes for this trip. They work as tennis shoes and also are water shoes. You can buy them here!
During the trip, our instructor stopped and dove down to bring up sea urchins! He actually handed them to people to hold. What?! I thought they were spiny and dangerous?
The trip was nearly done and we were feeling defeated, but suddenly our guide spots a group of manatees. So we all paddled as fast as we could and before we knew it, about five of them were under our kayaks. It is important to remember that they are still endangered and you can’t touch them or come into contact with them. Watch our video for the footage of our encounter.
The mangroves
As we were heading back, I mentioned “look at those tunnels in the mangroves – I bet you can take a boat back there”. Next thing I know, we were in that tunnel!
I got tangled a few times and then at one point, Scott says, “Oh, wow, they are everywhere”. What are everywhere I wonder!? Then I see them – Mangrove tree crabs. YUCK. They are everywhere – get me out of here! Watch the footage – it’s pretty funny.
The entire trip took about three hours and I would definitely do it again.
When in Sarasota, go to the circus
Let’s be honest – I hate the circus. They treated animals horribly, but their story is pretty fascinating. Scott and I had to go to the Ringling Museum and mansion as that is what founded the city.
The Ringling is the former estate of John and Mable Ringling. It features a museum of art, circus museum, Ca D Zan (the home of john and Mable), the historic Asolo theater and the bayfront gardens.
I recommend spending time in the Tibbals Learning Center. As you enter through the front lobby you are greeted by a giant mural entitled “The Greatest Show on Earth” painted by William Woodward in 1990 which captures the excitement of the ringling Bros and Barnum & bailey experience.
You’ll be transported back in circus history as you stroll through the poster gallery. As you walk thru the museum, you will come upon the Howard Bros Circus Model. It consists of more than 42000 pieces and covers 3800 square feet. The model is a historically accurate rendition of an early twentieth-century circus. The logistical engineering required to move the circus’s entire “tented city” from town to town each day via the railway was nothing short of a miracle.
From there visit the historic circus galleries featuring John and Mable’s magnificent turn-of-the-century private Pullman railcar, the Wisconsin, historic circus wagons of all kinds, an artistic display of painted wagon wheels, and a sideshow bannerline.
The Ringling Mansion
From this museum, we walked through the gardens and toured the first level of the mansion. The photos don’t do it justice, so be sure to watch our video (see link below).
The estate is massive and the mansion was beautiful. Everything about it was designed to the finest detail.
The stained glass windows are the original glass and considering these face out onto the water, it’s amazing they are still in tact.
For a kitchen during the 1920’s, this would still be considered a gourmet kitchen today!
Overlooking the bay in Sarasota
The tour finished outside the mansion on the palatial patio overlooking the bay. I can only imagine the parties they hosted here.
There were so many Banyon trees and they were giant! I walked through one that reminded me of a fort. Unfortunately, I was not digging the weird black lizards!
Scott and I finished our tour of the Ringling by walking through the gardens. One museum we did miss was the Art Museum. We’ll have to check it out next time as we hear it’s amazing.
Our impression of Sarasota
We finished our final day in Sarasota enjoying a great dinner at Clasico Italian Chophouse and we wrapped up our weekend with one more amazing sunset.
This was a great trip and we are looking forward to returning to explore more. With it’s abundant things to do on the water, Sarasota is a great destination for boaters and land lovers. We’ll be back!
As always, thank you for following our journey! Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel (link below) and our boating blog. Follow us on social @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney.
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.
Finally it was departure day! Our crew enjoyed hot showers at the Moorings marina and grabbed some breakfast early on Sunday before heading to Saba Rock for our first night at anchor. Ben got up each day at 7am and reserved our mooring ball with the BoatyBall app and for this visit, he got the very last ball available. This will not the be first time this happens.
While moored in the marina, the Moorings keep the dinghies tied off to the front of the boats. When you leave the port, the dinghy floats underneath the catamaran towards the stern so you can put it on the davit. That seemed like a pain, so Scott and Ben managed to bring it around while we were in the slip and get it up on the davit.
The trek to Saba Rock was easy and pleasant the entire way. We had 20 knot winds from the south east and the Moorings 433 Powercat did great. Our journey took us just about an hour and a half going 14 knots at 2800 RPM (which seemed high to me). Having never grabbed a mooring ball before, the four of us were a little nervous.
Ben had hook duty and then Maria & I were on line duty for each side. Before we left the port, we got our mooring lines ready on the boat. While there are cleats on the bow of the boat, you never use those for a mooring ball; instead use your cleats at the forward position on the port and starboard side of the boat. We caught the hook right away, but lost it quickly as the wind moved us forward. Scott threw it in reverse and we tried again, this time nailing it. We were officially moored at Saba Rock.
Exploring The Baths
The four of us hopped in dinghy leaving Saba Rock and headed to Leverick Bay just a short dinghy ride away. From there we parked the dinghy at what appeared to be the dinghy dock, walked a few steps and found Cyril who owns Cyril’s Taxi Service.
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He gave us a quick tour of eastside of the island which included a stop at the very top.
Once we arrived at The Baths, we decided to grab a quick bite at the Mad Dog sandwich shop. The BLTs were fantastic! Also at the top, you will find shops and a restaurant that offers a pool. We had drinks after exploring The Baths and they were much needed.
When molten volcanic rock cooled just off the coast, it formed the gigantic granite boulders now known as The Baths. It is easy to buy your ticket when you arrive. We didn’t know that our National Parks Permit would get us in, so we didn’t bring it. But at $3.50 per person, we were happy to contribute. Our crew followed the main trail down to the beach, where we came upon more shopping. There are signs directing you where to go and folks were tell us to go right and start the trail clock-wise. Instead our crew went left, thru the Caves first and then onto Devil’s Bay.
There’s an infamous shot of The Baths and somehow, Scott and I failed to capture it. It was pretty crowded when we were there, so it was probably because of the people. These photos don’t do The Baths justice. They were so big and impressive. Be sure to watch our YouTube video below for the full tour.
We found the trail back up the hill to be much easier from this direction, than if we would have taken the stairs we used when we arrived. The entire exploration took us about an hour and a half.
Saba Rock & Bitter End Yacht Club
Ben made us dinner reservations at the Bitter End Yacht Club the day before (highly recommend you plan ahead). We tried getting into Saba Rock for dinner, but they were full. Instead, we took the dinghy over for drinks to explore this famous rock, before heading to the Bitter End. Be aware, that the dinghy dock is jam packed! It may look like there’s no room, but they will squeeze you in!
Saba Rock was packed with people and it was difficult to get service. We were lucky to get a round of drinks. They do have a very nice gift shop and all four of us bought a shirt.
After exploring all day in the hot sun, our crew was hungry and ready for dinner. The Bitter End Yacht Club is a 5 minute dinghy ride across the channel from Saba Rock. They just reopened after Hurricane Irma destroyed it years ago. The food and service was amazing and we’re so glad we swapped Saba Rock for the Bitter End Yacht Club for our first evening.
We can’t wait to come back and spend more time here. Just being at anchor in this paradise was heaven!
We were almost killed on our first night
As I mentioned above, the BEYC is about a 5 minute dinghy ride across the channel. Here’s what it looks like:
During the day you will find all kinds of traffic, including ferries.
Our crew learned a brutal lesson on our first night of the charter. We left BEYC around 9:30pm and hopped in the dinghy with our goodies. Because we never travel at night at home, it didn’t occur to us to grab a flashlight or turn on our phone lights so others could see us. As we were traveling across the channel in the pitch dark, we suddenly saw a 30′ yacht tender coming straight at us! He was going about 15 mph from Saba Rock (too fast!) and we started screaming “Hey! Hey!”, but they couldn’t hear us. At the very last second, we diverted and they saw us, coming within 3 inches of slicing our boat in half. The wake their boat created when that happened completed soaked us and we were all very shaken up. Thank God, no one was hurt – it was truly a miracle!
Here’s the yacht tender the next day.
Needless to say, we always had a light if we traveled at night. Our first night saved and we were anxious to start our next leg of the journey. Tune into our next blog, as we head to Cane Bay and explore Monkey Point.
As always, thank you for following our journey. As I type this, I (Ally) am actually living in Florida full-time, so subscribe to the blog and vlog (link below) for an update on that journey. You can follow us on social @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney
On February 25, 2022, Scott and I finally arrived in the British Virgin Islands after a week of testing and waiting. We took a red eye flight from Seattle to St. Thomas, via Miami. The total travel time was about 12 hours. Our flight had been changed a few times, arriving into St. Thomas later than we had expected. As a result, we chose not to take the last ferry to Tortola as we might miss customs. Instead, we booked a hotel at the Windward Passage hotel, which The Moorings recommended. It’s located directly across the street from the Charlotte Amalie Ferry Terminal.
I will say the location was great, but the rooms were not very clean. Good enough for one night though. After checking in, we were hot and hungry, so we headed down the main boulevard to find dinner. Lucky for us, we stumbled upon the Green House. We grabbed a view table and made ourselves right at home. The food and service was fantastic and a restaurant we would recommend in the Virgin Islands.
Heading to the British Virgin Islands
The following morning, we had a reservation at 9am to head to Tortola. We checked our bags and then grabbed breakfast next door to the ferry terminal at the Petite Pump Room. Just like last year, the service is a bit slow, so plan accordingly. There are three ferries that work out of this terminal and we had reservations on the Road Town Fast Ferry.
Just like last year, this ferry had an upper deck. The weather was great, so we were happy to grab a seat up above and enjoy the view.
The ride takes just under an hour. When you to the Tortola Ferry Terminal, you can either scan their QRcode to get tested for covid at the terminal, or show your negative test results at the check-in desk before customs. Scott and I got thru customs and immigration within 20 minutes. Maria and Ben had arranged for a taxi to pick us up and they were waiting for us when we arrived.
The Moorings British Virgin Islands Base
The base is about 10 minutes from the ferry terminal, so it’s a quick trip.
The front desk is located in an open air lobby and they have a few shops around the base.
Check-in for the boat was not until 4pm at the earliest, so we stowed our luggage in the large room next to the lobby.
From there, we went to the bar on the base and grabbed a drink and a quick bite to eat.
Provisioning in the Virgin Islands
When our crew put our provisioning list together, there were a few items we knew we had to get locally. Luckily the Rite Way grocery store was a short walk away.
As we mentioned in our video, we chose to have The Moorings deliver the heavy stuff like bottled water, wine, beer, vodka (mostly our beverages).
I had noticed that many provisions had been sitting in the sun while we were walking around the base waiting, so I was anxious to see how ours would be. We ended up “hanging out” at the base all day and in hindsight, I wish we would have explored Tortola during the day.
We checked with the desk right at 4pm asking if our boat was ready and she said “no, in fact, you may not get your captain’s review tonight”. That made me raise my eyebrows, as we were paying almost $1100 for a sleep over so we could take off first thing in the am. Instead of being nasty, I pleaded with them and finally at 5:30pm our boat and captain were ready! Yea.
As soon as we got on board, I started to put the food away. Sure enough some of the lunch meat was warm and not edible. Bummer.
On Board “Cool Change”
Our Leopard 433 PC was named “Cool Change” and was a 2020, so we were surprised we got a newer boat when we were scheduled to get a 3-5 year old boat. I will say the boat was in fantastic shape, but the heads did stink. We’re thinking the heads must have used salt water and that’s why they stunk. During the review, we found a few things, so a technician came down to fix them right away. Just like last year, I recorded his review, so we could easily go back and see what he said. We highly recommend this, especially when it comes to the generator and how to empty the holding tanks.
Quick Tour of the Leopard 433 PC
This Leopard 433 PC from Moorings is what they call an “owner’s version”. There are two types of catamaran builds: charter or owner. In a charter version, you have four staterooms, two on each side with a shared head. On an owner’s version, the starboard side is all for the owner, so it has much more space. We gave Ben and Maria the owner’s version and then used the extra stateroom for our luggage. It was tight, no doubt still.
The salon / galley offered lots of space for everyone!
Owner’s stateroomOwner’s mid cabin and head
We picked the aft stateroom on the port side, which was actually slightly bigger than the forward one.
The forward cabin also has another “berth” in the far forward V (see the pillow?). No thanks! I think most sailors use that for storage.
Our luggage room.
After putting everything away and unpacking, we were ready for dinner. The Moorings base has two restaurants, including one wood fired pizza restaurant. So the four of us grabbed a quick bite and came home with left overs for the next few days!
Needless to say, we were anxious to wake up and leave the next morning. However, we were still missing our inverter and we needed to go back to Rite Way and grab a few provisions, that they missed.
Stay tuned and see how our first day of cruising went in the BVI!
As always, thank you for following our journey! Please subscribe to our blog and our channel (link below) and follow us on social @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney. Lots of exciting things are happening right now, so stay tuned!
Last weekend Scott and I had the pleasure of interviewing a wonderful couple who are living aboard their 50′ Vista. Laurie and Scott have lived on their boat for over nine years and are moored in the Wharfside Marina on Bainbridge Island. In fact, we would have seen their boat during our trek to Bainbridge this past summer, but they were cruising.
If you recall, we interviewed another liveaboard, Jeff on MV Why Knot last year and he lives on his 32′ Nordic Tug. While it’s a dream of ours to liveaboard, we also have a lot of questions about adapting to a home on water. Scott and I really appreciated the time Laurie and Scott spent with us aboard their 50′ Vista, named MV Float Plane.
Living aboard at the Wharfside Marina
There are quite a few liveaboards living at the Winslow Wharf Marina. Just walking distance from the ferry, this is an ideal location. We asked Laurie and Scott if they have always owned a yacht, and the answer was no. They owned a 22′ runabout while raising their kids and they had never been on a boat of this size. When their kids grew up, they wanted to downsize and have waterfront property. Then they got the idea of living on a boat, instead of waterfront property. Next thing you know, they were boat shopping! Scott said a captain spent time with him teaching him how to operate the boat and after a few sessions, he was set.
Since moving aboard, Laurie has always worked a few blocks away. In fact, her current office offers garage parking, storage and shower facilities. How amazing is that?! Scott currently is working remotely, but pre-covid, he did take the ferry to Seattle every day and used van-pool to get to his office.
One thing we did learn about their marina, is they do not offer any services, which means they don’t have a pump-out service. What they do have is a portable pump. About once a week, Scott rolls the pump down the dock, pumps out, then he has to pump out the pump into the city sewer system. He said, it wasn’t a big deal.
The marina also doesn’t have laundry facilities. For a while Laurie was using a local laundromat, but they closed during covid. They always had a washer / dryer combo, but had never used it. Now that’s all they use. Since it’s a combo, you have to do smaller loads.
What they love and don’t love about living aboard
Let’s start with the challenges of living aboard (save the best for last).
Shopping. Parking. Garbage. When you live in a house or condo, you typically park in a garage and go straight into your building. Living on a boat, you park your car in a parking lot. When it comes to shopping, you park, go get a cart, then haul your stuff to the boat and then return the cart. If it’s pouring down rain, all of your goods can get soaked. Keep in mind, when the tides are really low, the ramps will be steep, making it a bit more work. Then there’s garbage. Unlike a home, the dumpster is up at the marina office. Whenever Laurie and Scott leave the boat they always take a bag of garbage with them.
Storage. They have a rule, if you buy something, then something comes off. However, as you will see in the tour next week, this yacht has TONS of storage! Plus they do have off-site storage too.
Freezing Weather. Laurie and Scott get asked all the time about the weather and if living on a boat is cold. Actually, their floating home was very comfortable. The only time weather is an issue, is when there is snow on the docks and when freezing temps force the marina to turn off the water. Because they live full time on the boat (keep it warm), they never have to worry about freezing pipes on the boat.
Hauling Out. Since this is their home, when they haul out they have to find a place to stay. While some boat yards allow you to live aboard, you can’t let the grey water drain out into the yard. So that is a bit of an inconvenience when you want to shower or do dishes.
The pros of living aboard.
Comradery. They have made so many friends in the marina and they are like family. They have happy hour together, enjoy barbecues and even travel together. That is one thing Scott and I really miss about owning a boat. Spending the weekend down at the marina with other friends.
The Views. This marina faces both east and west, so they get to see the sunrise and sunset every day. Scott shared some of his amazing shots with us and we agree this is a major plus.
Simplicity. Life seems easier when you don’t have a lot of stuff. It is a very “freeing” feeling to purge stuff you no longer need. Yet, they are still hanging on to their chain saw; you never know when you might need one!
Stress Reducing. Living on the water, surrounded by water, nature and marine life is good for the soul. There’s nothing better than sitting on the bow with a cocktail and enjoying all that is around you.
What type of boat do they live on?
This liveaboard yacht is a 1993 50′ Vista made by Horizon. They have never seen another one and we have never heard of this model before. Ironically the name of the boat is MV Float Plane. They bought it from a pilot and it turns out that Scott is also a pilot, so they kept the name.
We love the spaciousness of this yacht and next week, we’ll take you on a tour. We want to thank Laurie and Scott for inviting us onto their floating home and taking time to meet with us. Scott and I are very envious of them and we hope some day we can do the same.
As always, thank you for following our journey. Be sure to tune in and subscribe to our blog and vlog for the full tour next week. We have a few fun adventures coming up, so you don’t want to miss out on those.
Friends of ours, have listed their boat for sale and Maria was curious as to what they should and should not leave on the boat. Since I’m (Ally) in the boat business, I thought I would answer her question here in this week’s blog.
Should you stage your boat?
Take time to clean the boat and get it ready for a showing. Maria did ask me if it should be “staged”? Great question! Depending on the size and type of the boat, determines if staging in necessary. When we sold our Bayliner 3055, we did stage it for photos, but not tours.
When we sold our Bayliner 4087, we did stage a few extra things like wine for photos, but we did make sure all of the towels and pillows were set up properly. At the end of the day, it’s up to you and how you want your boat to look.
There are two rules when it comes to selling your boat.
Remember that selling your boat, is not much different than selling your home. Do not leave any personal belongings on the boat. This includes valuables, personal photos and clothing. Potential buyers are going to be opening lockers and drawers, so unless you want to share your stuff with them, take it home.
If it’s on the boat when you list it, it’s FAIR GAME. That means, the potential buyer assumes, that the price includes everything that is on it. Back to the first rule – if it’s personal or meaningful to you, remove it.
So what do you leave on the boat?
This brings us back to Maria’s original question, which was “Should we leave all of the galley ware on the boat?” Really, it’s up to you. When Scott and I sold both boats, we left everything on (except a few items). We left dishes, silverware, cups, glasses, utensils, towels and cutting boards. Why? A few reasons.
Link to this set can be found in our shop.
One, we wanted to make the boat turn-key for the new buyers. Second, we didn’t know how much space or what the set up might be on our next boat. Example, maybe your dishes are too wide for the drawer or cabinet of your new boat? Maybe the utensils are too long? You get the idea. We would rather buy these again for our next boat.
Things we did take home were our personal PFDs, custom pillows and our sleeping pillows. No one wants to use those.
Other items
We also left all of the linens, towels, cleaning supplies, safety gear, charts and spare boat parts on the boat. If we didn’t want to store it or have any use for it, we left it on. Our last boat came with all kinds of spare parts and we bought a lot too. All that stayed on board.
Original Boat Accessories
The other thing we made sure to put back on the boat (we stored it in the aft cabin), were the original boat linens and pillows. Our broker had told us not to remove anything permanently as it lowers the value. Instead, we vacuum sealed everything and stored it tightly.
The other thing we recommend, is remove any clutter or old cleaning supplies. For some reason, both owners we bought our boats from, left over 20 solvents on each of our boats and no one wants that.
So in the end, what stays on the boat is really up to you, as to what you keep on the boat and what you take home. Just remember, if it’s on the boat while it’s being shown, it’s included with the boat!
We hope this was informative. Watch our quick video that goes a bit more into detail below!
As always, thank you for following our boating journey! Scott and I have some great blogs and vlogs coming up, so please be sure to subscribe to get notifications. Follow us on social at @boatingjourney too!
For the past couple of months, many of our followers have asked us “what’s next for Boating Journey?” In this week’s blog and episode, we’ll share our thoughts and plans for 2021. First, let’s go back to why we started Boating Journey.
Back in 2012 I started reading true story sailing books as an escape from my reality (working non stop running our wine shop). That got me hooked and we started dreaming about cruising the world. I was fascinated by the details each author shared in their books. How did they remember all of the details of each trip or destination? So in 2013, Boating Journey was born (see that first post here). I decided to document our travels including boat shows and Caribbean vacations, as we worked closer to our dream.
Boat Trials
Before Scott and I could set a plan for cruising the world, first we had to make sure Scott liked boating. He had never owned a boat nor stayed the night on one. In 2017, we purchased our first cruiser, a 2001 Bayliner 3055 Ciera Sunbridge. It was a great boat and we cruised all over Puget Sound. He was hooked! After we owned the boat for 18 months, we decided to sell it, so we could save up to buy our liveaboard boat.
However, just a few months later, we toured a Bayliner 4087 (in February!) and decided to make an offer. This boat gave us a much better liveaboard experience and we loved it. But when the pandemic hit in early 2020, we found ourselves stuck at the dock. All of the marinas were closed and so were many anchorages. We knew this was not our actual liveaboard boat, so once again we sold the boat to begin saving for “the one”.
Now What?
We sold our Bayliner 4087 in July 2020 and managed to stay active on the water the rest of the summer, including a charter trip through the San Juan Islands. This weekend, we sat down and went over the options for Boating Journey’s Blog and Channel:
Option A
We find our liveaboard boat AND slip
It has to be within our budget
Option B
Continue looking and touring possible liveaboard boats
Look beyond the PNW for liveaboards (which could require us to relocate)
Share boating experiences (is there something you would like us to do and share with you?)
Trips: whale watching next month and USVI in April
Boat Shows: go back to Annapolis, maybe attend Fort Lauderdale too
Experience something new: hot tub boat powered by a wood fired stove, rent a day boat for the day, maybe rent a houseboat on Lake Roosevelt, cruise on Lake Diablo
No matter what our options are, we are committed to investing in our experiences to share those with all of you. One way or the other, we’ll be on the water this year and we look forward to a fun year!
As always, thank you for following our boating journey. You can follow us on social using @BoatingJourney. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel and watch this week’s episode below. Next week, we take you on a tour of a 41′ Cruisers Yacht, so tune in!
A year ago, Scott bought us a DJI Mavic Air drone so we could capture some great footage while boating. One of our favorite YouTube vloggers, Kara and Nate, always include awesome drone footage in each of their videos. In fact, it’s one of the reason’s we follow their channel. Unfortunately, this past year, someone turned them into the FAA and they got into big time trouble. Not only did they not have their Part 107 drone certification, but they filmed in National Parks which is not allowed without the proper permits.
That was a wake up call for us (though we don’t have 2m followers!) Scott discovered that if you want to use any of your drone footage for commercial use (business, real estate OR YouTube videos that are monetized, etc) you need to get the FAA Part 107 drone certification. Plus, you also need to register your drone with the FAA.
Tyee Beach, Camano Island
Prepping for the test
Scott signed up with Pilot Institute about a month ago for study guides and sample exams. The cost is normally $249 which includes lifetime access to resources, but he was able to get a deal for $149. There is a lot of information and the sample exams really helped him prepare for the actual exam. In fact, he recommends that you NOT take the exam without prepping first.
Some of the interesting things we learned from the institute were:
Before flying, check the city, state and federal rules and regulations. Just because the Federal authority might say it’s okay to fly your drone, the city might not.
Don’t fly over people. For example, you can fly over a football stadium, but only if it’s empty.
You can’t fly at night.
In addition, this training / exam is also used for people who are getting their pilot’s license. So Scott learned a lot about aviation in general. One thing that he learned was what the numbers on a runway represent. Airport runways are numbered according to compass bearings. This means runway numbers are based on the compass with 360 representing north, 90 representing east, 180 representing south, and 270 representing west. Who knew?
Test time
Scott scheduled his drone certification exam with PSI examination services in Bellevue. He selected this company because, while all testing sites charge a fee for taking the exam, many also charge another fee on the day of the exam – PSI did not. The exam was $96 and it had 60 questions. PSI said the testing time would be 2.5 hours, but after taking the sample tests, Scott guessed it would only take him about 20 minutes.
His appointment was for 1:30p and they ask that you arrive 15 minutes early. Since this is FAA regulated they are very strict with their rules. No phones are allowed and you need proper identification with a current address. Unfortunately, after I dropped him off he immediately called me from the office phone, stating his driver’s license had our old address and he needed the car registration to show his new address. After running a quick errand, I returned to pick him up, but it didn’t take him 20 minutes to take the exam. It was more like an hour.
You need to answer 42 out of 60 questions correctly to pass (70%). Did he pass? Drum roll please……Yep, he got 90%!! Woot! Way to go pilot Scott!
Time to officially fly the drone
Since studying, we learned we can’t go to the cool places we’d like to (Myrtle Edwards Park, Alki, Golden Gardens…..) so now where do we go? Well, we picked the dock at Ray’s Boathouse. Sadly, it’s closed right now due to covid and it offered us a dock all to ourselves. Ray’s has a special place in our lives, as we used to walk to it for happy hour when we first starting dating (I lived in Ballard). We can’t wait for them to re-open after the pandemic is over.
The sun was about the set and the sound was perfectly calm. It was the perfect day to fly the drone. Be sure to watch our next YouTube episode to see the footage.
We also figured out how to have the drone follow us – so that will be fun to include in future episodes.
Links and information
Scott certainly did his research and below are the links to various sites that helped him prepare for his Part 107 drone certification:
As always, thank you for following our blog and our YouTube channel. Now that Spring is around the corner, we are actively searching for another boat and hope to find one by March or April – so stay tuned! Be sure to follow us on social media @BoatingJourney too.
Last Christmas, we were getting ready for our trip to the BVI’s and many of the gifts I gave Scott were for our trip. Unfortunately, the trip was postponed due to covid and now is rescheduled for next April. In this week’s blog, I’ll share with you many of the items I bought him (affiliate links are in this blog).
Since we have never chartered a boat outside of the US, we’re not sure what to expect. If you have chartered a boat in the BVI’s, please let us know if we are on the right track or if we’re missing something.
Drinking Water
I’m a water snob, as many of you know from our multiple posts about potable water and our drinking water episode. Our first boat had terrible water and I never even brushed my teeth with that water. On our second boat, we used a special antibacterial hose, with an external filter to add water to our fresh water tank. Then we had a drinking faucet with a 3M filter which provided us fantastic quality water.
Having no idea what the water quality is on the charter boat, I bought two things for drinking water. First, I bought Vapur ShakeFilter packets (what I thought were filtration packets) for drinking water. But the more I look at the product, it’s doesn’t say anywhere that it removes bacteria and that is one of my biggest concerns. (Glad I have 75 packets!!)
Next, I bought the world’s smallest water filter in a straw, called Clean Sip! These straws filter up to 200 gallons of water and they remove bacteria. I ordered one for each of our crew members for the trip.
Travel Guide
If you have ever traveled outside of the US, you have most likely used a travel guide from Fodor’s. I bought the Fodor’s Travel for the US & British Virgin Islands for our trip and I love it. It not only has all the travel info for hotels, restaurants, mooring balls, etc., but it also has information about the types of reef life, health information and currency. This guide is not only light weight, but the cover has a coating that protects it from moisture.
Phone Protectors
When Scott and I were at the Annapolis Boat Show a few years ago, we stumbled upon a cool new product for your phone & credit cards, called the Ugo wear wallet. The cases are made out of scuba gear material and zippers and they float. We love using these for dinghy rides or kayak trips.
For this trip I also bought us awaterproof bag from Earth Pak, for our longer trips to the beach. This pack also came with a waterproof phone pouch which we use all of the time when we go out crabbing.
Body Protection
While I love being in the sun, Scott does not because he burns so easily. For our trip to the BVI’s I bought him a Baleaf SPF 50 long sleeve shirtthat we can wear out in the sun. It’s light weight and very comfortable.
Head Light
When I bought Scott a Cobiz LED head light last Christmas, I didn’t necessarily think we would take it with us on our trip. But after all of the issues we had on ourlast charter, we might want to rethink that. This is a great head light, with multiple functions. It also comes in a hard carrying case.
Mini Tri-Pod
I admit, we have a lot of tri-pods for all of our camera equipment. But when we are traveling by plane, we need to stay as light weight as possible. I found this greatlightweight tri-pod from Pasavant. It only weighs a few ounces and it comes with a travel pouch.
Portable Camera
Last Christmas, Scott bought me all kinds of camera equipment including our drone and DJI Action Camera (all of those links can be found under shop our gear tab). One camera I love and will definitely take with us, is ourDJI Pocket. It comes with a gimbal, it’s lightweight and really easy to use. Plus, when you are filming yourself in public, you don’t have this huge camera in your face drawing attention to yourself.
What’s the latest update on our trip?
I wish we were actually packing for our trip, but unfortunately we’ve moved it from February to April of next year. The BVI’s were open and they just closed again until January 21st. Before they closed again, their restrictions were so strict (4 covid tests, 8 days of quarantine, restrictions on to where you could travel), that it wasn’t worth going in February. As a result, we moved the trip to April, but we may very likely have to move the trip again. With vaccines on the horizon, perhaps we might make it.
If there is anything we’re missing here that we should take on the trip, please let us know. As always, thank you for following our journey! You can find us on social at @BoatingJourney. We hope you all have a wonderful holiday season! See our YouTube episode below!
Cheers, Scott and Ally
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