Tag: boating trips

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Staying at Grande Bay Resort in St. John

grande bay resort

Wanting to relax a few days after our charter, Scott and I reserved a condo at Grande Bay Resort in St. John. In our last blog, we returned our Leopard power catamaran to the Moorings base the night before our charter ended. The next morning,  Scott and I jumped on the Fast Ferry  back to St Thomas first thing in the morning.  However,  the ferry we took back, was not the same ferry or company we took to Tortola. 

 Instead of having an upper deck on the ferry, we had an interior seating only. It had three seats on either side and was set up like an airplane (they even played movies!) Unfortunately the weather was terrible and we had about 6 to 7’ swells. To say that it was an uncomfortable ride is an understatement.

To top it off we had to take another ferry from Charlotte Amalie to St John and head back into rough seas.  As you can see by the photo below it was not a fancy ferry.

Grande Bay Resort & Condos

 For this year’s visit we stayed a little closer to town and we reserved a fabulous condo with a wonderful view.  The condo was nice and open with nice appointments.

After checking in,  we headed in to town to grab a cold drink and unwind. Our first stop was the Tap & Still Cruz Bay Pub. They were very friendly and quick with the cocktails!

After a round of drinks, we decided to explore a bit more of St. John that we didn’t see last year. A few blocks later, a huge squall came thru and we had to find shelter quick. Luckily, for us we ran into another bar Meada’s Garden (though it was outdoor!).

The owner was serving cocktails at the bar and we found out that the restaurant was only a few months old. We decided to make dinner reservations for our third and last night in St. John as he was so friendly and fun to talk to.

Best Restaurants in St John

Since Scott and I were here to relax and unwind, we made it our goal to visit the best restaurants on St. John. One of which, we visited last year, The 1864 in the Mongoose Station. Turns out we sat at the exact same table! The food was even better than last year. If you are in St. John, this is a must.

You can’t skip breakfast if you have a full day’s worth of activities. On our first morning, Scott and I headed to High Tide on the beach. We had dinner there last year and this time, we bellied up to the bar for breakfast. The service was fantastic, the drinks were strong and the food was delicious!

On our second night, we made reservations at a very small steakhouse, called Dave & Jerry’s Island Steakhouse , which was walking distance from Grande Bay Resort. It came highly recommended and one of the owners actually greets every guest. It’s a bit tight, as they only have about 9 tables inside, but it’s worth it. Scott and I should have split a steak, as I could barely make a dent. Unfortunately, I didn’t take a photo before I dove in!

Renting Another Dinghy

Last year, Scott and I rented an 11′ dinghy from Wharfside Watersports to explore the shores of St. John. Read that blog here. That dinghy was great, but it wasn’t big enough to handle the big swells through the channel, so this year, we rented a Zodiak for $595 for a full day so we could explore. After breakfast, we headed to the office, where we stumbled upon the broken props they set up outside their office. LOL!!

As we were getting our instructions, we learned that unlike the 11′ Highfield dinghy we rented last year and visited numerous beaches, the Zodiaks were not allowed on the beaches. Uh ho! However, the Zodiak was a great dinghy and handled the swells very well. Our plan was to visit Maho Bay beach to snorkel with the turtles. After we made our way to our destination, we realized that if we jump in the water, we need to be able to pull ourselves back into the boat.

Unfortunately, the boat had a very small swim ladder, big enough for one foot and only one handle to pull yourself up with. It was too risky, so we simply cruised around dodging a rain storm. After a few hours, we were tired of fleeing the rain storms, so we headed back to Grande Bay Resort condo to relax by the pool.

The rain squalls never let up, so we left the pool and decided to enjoy downtown St John and a few local bars.

Time to head home

Our trip to St. John was short, but enjoyable. We highly recommend taking a few days to unwind on land after a boat trip. Though we had a round trip ticket on the private ferry, I refused to get back on it. Instead, we paid $15 each and hopped on the government operated ferry and headed back to Red Hook. Red Hook is on eastern side of St. Thomas, which required us to take a longer taxi ride back to the airport, but it was worth it.

Next on our journey, is our move to Fort Lauderdale, FL! So much is happening in our lives and we’re excited to share it with all of you.

As always, thank you for following our journey! Be sure to subscribe to our blog and vlog (link below). You can also follow us on social @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney. See you next time in Florida!

Cheers, Scott and Ally

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Returning to the Moorings Base

In our last blog, we mention that we decided to head back to the Moorings base the night before we had to return the boat. Our crew had a simple continental breakfast while we enjoyed the serenity of our anchorage.

After breakfast, the garbage and ice boat came along. It is so cool that you can get ice AND get rid of your garbage so easily!

Since we had the boat for the entire day, we decided to cruise a bit and perhaps get in some snorkeling.

We left Norman Island around 10am and headed to Treasure Point.

Once we got out of the bay, we realized the weather was getting rough.

Exploring the British Virgin Islands

Since the weather looked too rough to snorkel at Treasure Point, we headed to the Indians. Once we arrived, we realized there was no way we were going to go snorkeling as the weather was getting worse.

We were surprised that so many boats were moored there and wondered if they were actually snorkeling.

Before heading back to the Moorings base, we headed towards Salt Island for a nice cruise. About five minutes into our cruise, we ran into a major squall!

Returning to the Moorings Base

After battling with squalls for a few hours, we decided to head back to the Moorings base. The Moorings base recommends that you call the base to have a captain come meet you and hop on board to stern dock the boat.

Be sure to watch our YouTube video (link below) to see how easy the process worked. The Moorings give you a check-out sheet, making the process easy.

The Moorings base recommends that you leave behind any provisions for the staff, instead of throwing it out. We did throw out items that were spoiled. After we each took long showers and cleaned up, we headed to Soper’s Hole for a wonderful dinner.

Returning to the base was the best decision we made. The following morning, we were relaxed and not rushed trying to get to the ferry. Tune in next week, as we head to St. John to explore the USVI.

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

Cheers, Scott and Ally

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Relaxing on Norman Island in the BVI

On our last evening of cruising we headed to Norman Island which was about an hour from Jost Van Dyke. It was our first “rolly ride” but the Leopard 433 PC made the trip comfortable.

Our crew pulled into the Bight at Norman Island and we grabbed a mooring ball closest to the beach. There Are plenty of mooring balls to choose from and the Pirate’s restaurant manages them. The cost is $25 per night.

After we grabbed our mooring ball we jumped in the dingy and headed to the restaurant to pay our fee. Here we have another opportunity to put another boating sticker on a piling.

The beach on Norman Island

We decided to relax on the beach for a couple of hours and do some snorkeling before heading off to Willy T bar. One thing to make note of is there are lots of sea urchins and they are large.

Moored right next to us was a really cool cat maran called “Gravity” and it had to be about 70′ long.

The Willy T

The Willie T is a unique floating restaurant and bar anchored in the bite at Norman island. It originated in 1989 and was a decommissioned tanker, named after an inventor from Jost Van Dyke William Thorton. Unfortunately in 2017 hurricane Maria sanks a ship where it now still lies at the bottom near Peter island. Today divers can still dive and support the boat through a number of non profit programs.

In 2019 the owners rebuilt the ship and it was moved back to its original location at Norman island. They serve food and have a full bar.

When our crew arrived there was hardly anyone on the boat and we had the whole upstairs to ourselves. Though the signs say “do not jump” Ben jumped before I could even snap a photo. Turns out everybody jumps off the Willie T.

The Bight

Our crew all decided that the Bight is somewhere where we would come back again and stay multiple days. The water was so beautiful and blue. We all decided to relax and enjoy the calm waters of the bay.

For Scott’s birthday I had bought him a solar powered charger and it sure came in handy on this trip, since our inverter never arrived.

After relaxing for the afternoon we headed to the bite restaurant for sunset cocktails and dinner.

Looking at the top of this hill, there was a tree with a heart shaped head that was waving at us.

The Pirate’s restaurant was open air and had plenty of seating for a large crowd. It was The perfect backdrop for ending our last night on the island. Not to mention the food and lobster were fantastic.

Heading back to The Moorings

Our crew decided to head back to Tortola in the mooring space the following morning to save time for check-out. Tune in next week to see how the process works.

As always thank you for following our blog And be sure to follow our YouTube channel with the link below. Cheers, Scott and Ally

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Celebrating on Jost Van Dyke BVI

Jost Van Dyke is known for two bars, the Soggy Dollar at White Bay and Foxy’s at Great Harbour. Last week we moored at Cane Garden Bay and after visiting the Callwood Distillery, we got ready to leave for Jost Van Dyke. It was literally just across the bay, so it only took us about 35 minutes to get there.

The place to anchor and grab a mooring ball is Great Harbour. Scott had hook duty and we grabbed the mooring on the first try. We did have a little trouble reading numbers on the balls, but luckily ours was legible . Once again, Ben had gotten up at 7am and reserved the ball and it was one of the last ones available.

From Great Harbour you can either take your dinghy to White Bay, take a water taxi or take a land taxi. While you will see boats anchored below, they were simply there for the day. The bay is not protected at all.

Off to The Soggy Dollar

Our crew took the dinghy to White Bay and we did get a little wet on the ride. The trip only takes about 10 minutes, so it’s not a bad ride at all. When you pull up to the beach, you’ll be amazed by how white the beach is!

You do want to make sure to pull up your dinghy as far as you can on the beach and then use your anchor to secure it. We saw a few dinghies trying to float away. There is a lot of activity at White Bay. There are tables and umbrellas for lunch, there’s the shop, the bar and other restaurants too.

Buy a drink at The Soggy Dollar Bar

Did you know you can order someone a drink as a gift at the Soggy Dollar ahead of time? Ben and Maria bought Scott a drink before we left on the trip. When he arrived, he had to find his name on the sheet and bring the sheet to the bartender. How fun is that?!

We only spent about two hours at the Soggy Dollar after grabbed lunch and had a few pain killers. It was time to go back to the boat and enjoy the water as it was nice and calm.

None of us had been on a paddle board before and Ben decided to give it a try. After he fell off a number of times, he suddenly was a pro. He cruised all of over the harbour!

A few things to note about the Leopard 433 PC. As I mentioned earlier, this cat was set up as an owner’s version. This means the starboard side is a full suite and the port side has two cabins that share a head. The head is very narrow, so if you think you can easily put four adults on that side, think again. The boat comes with towels, but it does not come with any amenities, like soap, etc. So we grabbed some from showers at The Moorings base. Imagine showering under these conditions? it was so beautiful!

Dinner at Foxy’s

We headed to Foxy’s around dusk and there was plenty of room at the dinghy dock.

Foxy’s has a great shop and an outdoor bar. We had arrived early for our dinner reservations, so we enjoyed a cocktail and put up a couple of Boating Journey stickers. While Maria and I shopped, Ben and Scott explored. Scott did not put on bug spray and he got eaten alive – you need bug spray here!

They have a great menu with some classic Caribbean dishes. While we were enjoying dinner, Foxy himself stopped by to say hi!

A few nights ago, we had noticed a bunch of tarpon swimming under the boat at night. So we decided to bring them some left overs and they went to town on them!

Birthday breakfast for Scott

The following morning, was Scott’s birthday, so we made him stay in bed, while we made an attempt to decorate the boat. While we were decorating, a local stopped by selling homemade empanadas for $5. His mom makes them fresh every morning for the cruisers.

Ben’s birthday was in a couple of weeks, so we had them both open their gifts together.

Before we headed back to shore to look for breakfast, the guys needed to figure out why one fresh water tank was still full. The Moorings do provide an operations manual for each vessel and low behold we found our answer (I don’t remember what it was, but I want to say, the switch needed to be moved over to share).

Foxy’s during the day

The night before, we had brought our old license plate from The Wine Alley to hang, but we didn’t have any nails. So we brought it back the next day to hang with zip ties. As we were tying off the dinghy, Foxy came out to greet us again. What a fun birthday surprise for Scott!

We found a great spot to hang the license plate and then headed off to find breakfast. Be sure to look for it the next time you’re at Foxy’s.

At the main dock, there is a custom’s shack and a welcome board for those arriving by boat.

It was difficult to find breakfast, as there is really only one place to eat – Christine’s Bakery! She makes great empanadas and you can order egg sandwiches. However, she would have to cook those and she didn’t seem thrilled with the idea. LOL

Walking back from the bakery, you could still see much of the hurricane destruction.

While we were only on Jost Van Dyke less than 24 hours, it was all that we needed. This is a party destination, so unless that’s all you want to do, we recommend heading to your next destination. It was pretty cool that we got to meet Foxy in person too!

Next week, we head to Norman Island and the infamous Willie T’s, so be sure to tune in! As always, thank you for following our journey! We have so much planned over the next few months now that we are living in Florida, so we are very excited to share that with you. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel (link below) and follow us on social @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney.

Cheers, Scott and Ally

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Arriving into the British Virgin Islands

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 stateroom
Owner’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!

Cheers, Scott and Ally

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We’ve Moved to Fort Lauderdale!

If you have been following our social media accounts, you may have noticed that Scott and I are on a new adventure. Well, it’s much more than a new journey – we actually have moved to Fort Lauderdale, FL. I accepted a position in the marine industry in Florida about a month ago and so we began packing our condo before we left for the BVI.

Moving to Fort Lauderdale

Scott and I visited Fort Lauderdale last July, but other than that trip, we haven’t spent any time here. I booked my temporary housing through VRBO and then picked an apartment via the internet only. So how did we decided where to live? Downtown Fort Lauderdale has a district called “Los Olas” along the riverfront and it is packed with restaurants and shopping all within walking distance.

Sonder at Society in Fort Lauderdale

I am staying at a Sonder property, called Society along the riverfront. It is a furnished apartment and offers all of the necessities I need to live. Scott flew down with me and stayed for the first week. If you know anything about us, you know we have never checked bags on an airplane. Needing to live for about five weeks on my own, we checked a number of bags and a box!

After traveling for almost eight hours, we finally arrived on Sunday night to the Society. The photos actually make it look a bit fancier than it really is. It has some odd features, including no towel racks, no toilet paper, no liquid dish soap or sponge. The complex is also packed with college kids visiting on spring break. Awesome!

The view from the balcony is awesome and very entertaining!

Enjoying Fort Lauderdale’s Riverfront

As a I mentioned, Los Olas is lined with great restaurants and it also has a grocery store within a few blocks. You can walk along the riverfront and get your steps in. After your walk, stop by a local bar and enjoy the scenery!

Be sure to stay tuned on this adventure and our upcoming British Virgin Island charter. There’s lots going on and soon I’ll be moving into our new apartment. As always, thank you for following our journey. Be sure to subscribe to our blog, vlog (link below) and follow us on social @BoatingJourney #boatingjourney.

Cheers, Scott and Ally

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Finally Heading to the British Virgin Islands

After three years of planning, Scott and I finally are heading to the British Virgin Islands. Thanks to the pandemic, our bareboat charter was postponed three times since 2020. We could have taken the trip in 2021, but the entry & quarantine requirements were too restrictive. Finally, a few months ago, the BVI government changed the requirements and removed the quarantine.

What Charter Company Did We Choose?

When we decided to do a bareboat charter, we wanted only a powerboat. That left us two options in the BVI, Marine Max and The Moorings. I reached out to both companies with inquiries and ironically I never heard back from Marine Max after a few attempts. So we chose The Moorings. Since our crew was only two couples, we picked the Leopard 433 PC.

I reserved everything online and spoke to our vacation specialist, primarily via email. When our original charter was postponed, The Moorings gave us a credit instead of refunding our money. In fact, a refund was never an option. However, they did lock in our pricing, which was great because the prices did go up significantly.

Let’s Talk Costs

A lot of people have asked us about the costs, so let’s break down the trip. I should mention that once you book an inquiry, The Moorings will send you a full quote before you pay. Our invoice looked like this:

  • 5 Nights $6839 (reg $8000)
  • Sleep Aboard $1087
  • VSIR Contribution $8
  • Damage Insurance $345
  • Fuel $325 (we chose the fuel package so we wouldn’t have to fuel upon return)
  • Wi-Fi $125 (necessary to take the proctored covid tests)
  • BVI National Park Permit $25
  • Paddle Board Rental $140
  • Inverter $30
  • Winter Cruising Tax $120

Obviously you can see that things add up quickly. We had originally booked the Mariner Inn at the base for $300/night, but then our flight was scheduled to arrive later in the day on Friday and we wouldn’t be able to catch the ferry in time. As a result, we ended up reserving a room at The Windward Passage hotel in Charlotte Amalie, that The Moorings recommended.

Provisions & Extras

You have a few options for ordering provisions. You can order directly from The Moorings, you can use an outside source (click here for a list) or you can provision yourself at Rite Way.

Not knowing when our provisions would arrive to the boat and not having a way to store our perishables, we chose to have Moorings do our provisioning. They have a great portal and the prices were similar to what you would expect (and some were cheaper). They do offer a “starter kit” for $110, but after looking at the list, it included items we would never use like ketchup, mustard, etc. Our group chose to purchase what we wanted a la carte.

The boat did come with snorkel fins, but if you wanted snorkel masks or anything else, you had to order those as an extra. We ordered a paddle board from The Moorings and then some water toys from BVI Water Toys. Again, we were able to order everything online.

Testing & Portals

Just like last year, we had to take a covid test and upload to a portal. This year, was a bit more complicated. For starters, Scott and I flew to St. Thomas before arriving to the British Virgin Islands. We took a covid home proctored test five days before we arrived. The proctored process was super easy and convenient. After 30 minutes we uploaded our results to the USVI Travel Portal and waited for our approval. Another thing to note, is my first test was not usable. The adhesive was missing and they would not allow me to use it. Luckily, we had ordered lots of extras, so it was not a big deal.

If you use the Emed tests, you will get your test results via a pdf. That pdf will be password protected. It’s very important that you print a copy as a pdf (not save as) and rename it, before you upload it to the portal. My first submission to the USVI travel portal was denied because my test was not accessible. Once approved, we received a green QRCode allowing us entry into the territory.

On top of that, the British Virgin Islands required a negative covid test 48 hours prior to arrival and we were told they would not accept a home test. We found a local lab in Seattle that gave us our results in 15 minutes. There is no portal for the BVI, you simply need to bring your negative test results with you when you go through customs. The British Virgin Islands also had testing available at the airport and ferry terminals for $65/pp.

It’s Time to Leave for the British Virgin Islands

Tune in next week to see how our arrival process was for both the British Virgin Islands and The Moorings. Our goal for our blog and vlog, is to help other travelers using the lessons we learned during our first bareboat charter experience. As we have also mentioned, we have big changes coming in our personal lives, so be sure to subscribe and follow us on social media.

As always, thank you for following our journey. You can subscribe to our YouTube Channel (link below) and follow us on social @BoatingJourney. Cheers, Scott and Ally

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Gig Harbor Christmas Boat Parade

Gig Harbor Christmas Boat Parade

Every year, Gig Harbor has a Christmas Boat Parade in the harbor. Wanting to be a part of the parade, but we didn’t have a boat. Solution? We rented one instead. You can see the tour of the 1985 Ponderosa 42‘ MY in our last blog, which is located at the Gig Harbor Marina. Scott and I have been to Gig Harbor a number of times, both by boat and by land and we love this little town. If you haven’t been yet, put it on your list!

Our Ponderosa yacht was very cozy and had plenty of room for us to roam and entertain.

Our friends Ben and Maria (our BVI crew members) joined us on the boat so we could talk about provisioning for our upcoming charter in February. Since we checked in late around 4pm, our crew was hungry after we unloaded everything. There are lots of great restaurants in Gig Harbor, but most close up by 8pm (even on the weekends). For our first night, we picked the Brimstone PNW Smokehouse and it was amazing!

Each couple actually shared a combo plate (more food than you know what to do with) and I should have snapped a photo of their amazing barbecue platters. Instead, I got some great shots of dessert, which included a donut and a peppermint lava cake! The donut was the hit.

After dinner, we returned to the boat to relax and get caught up. Maria decided to bring a game and it was a riot! She took twenty lottery tickets and wrapped them in layers with plastic wrap. Then each player had 30 seconds to try and remove one using an oven mit. It was hysterical and Scott came out the big winner!

Staying on the Boat

The boat was very comfortable. It had been windy during the night, but we didn’t feel too much of it. Ben and Maria did experience the bumper hitting the bow a few times throughout the night. My only complaint was it was too hot in our room! LOL I didn’t think to turn off the heater before bed and the heaters work like a charm.

In the morning, we made a simple continental breakfast so we wouldn’t have to use any of the pots and pans. Since the boat is so close to the dumpster, we made a garbage run each time we left the boat, so it wouldn’t pile up.

Exploring Gig Harbor before the Christmas Boat Parade

The four of us headed into the heart of the town to do some exploring after breakfast. Our first stop is one of our favorite stores “For the Love of Spice“. You can read more about it in our previous blogs. They have a fantastic selection of spices, vinegars and oils. In addition, they have some awesome gifts!

One thing I love about Gig Harbor, is everything seems to be a nautical theme, including the kids rides.

Gig Harbor does not lack cute shops. Maria loves to shop and this was right up her alley. We found so many unique and original gifts.

Gig Harbor Christmas Boat Parade

Our boat was docked in the first slip and we were able to walk to the end of the dock and look out over the harbor. So it was perfect that the Gig Harbor Christmas Boat Parade would go right by our dock!

After spending the day in town, we headed back to the boat to relax and enjoy some appetizers before the Christmas Boat Parade. Seems this guy had the same idea!

Unfortunately, we are not professional photographers and we don’t have the proper camera to take photos at night of boats in a distance. So these were the best we could capture (the rest were blurry). They had about 20 or so boats in the parade and they made a loop in the harbor.

Our other boating friends, Cory and Stacy came in to join us for dinner at El Pueblito Mexican Restaurant, which was fantastic! As a bonus, they stay open after 8pm!

Anytime you are away, on a boat and with friends, you are going to have a great time! This was another one of those weekends and Gig Harbor never disappoints. The four of us can’t wait for our bare boat charter trip coming up in the BVIs this February!

As always, thank you for following our journey! We hope to find a boat in 2022, so if you know any slips coming available, please message us. Be sure to follow our YouTube channel and subscribe for updates (see below). Find us on social @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney.

Happy Holidays! Scott and Ally

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Exploring Olympia

exploring olympia

In our last blog we rented a tiny house and spent the next few days exploring Olympia. Scott and I had no idea there was so much to do in Olympia! The tiny house is located on Henderson Inlet. Here the tides can change up to four to six feet, so you do need to watch the tide schedule.

The “tiny house community” has a club house (per se), where you can use kayaks, paddle boards and a paddle boat. There is a cement ramp, but you want to make sure you use the equipment during high tide or you’ll be stuck in mud. We were able to spend about an hour out on the kayaks.

The water was so calm and we had a harbor seal visitor too. Having this all to ourselves was so relaxing and nice.

Woodward Bay Conservation Area

Just north of the tiny house, is a large state park, Woodward Bay Conservation area. There are two parks in this area and one requires a Washington State Discovery Pass (which we do not have). So we checked out the other park, the Chehalis Western Trail. This trail is a paved trail that follows an old railroad route and is 21 miles long.

After about three miles of flat pavement walking, Scott and I got a little bit bored and turned around. We knew there was another trailhead in the parking lot, so we decided to check that one out. Who knew there was so much exploring to do in Olympia?

The Overlook Trail was an actual gravel trail and deep into the forest. There were lots of birds and plenty of sounds!

The trail itself is only about three miles and ends at an overlook at Henderson Inlet.

Exploring Swantown Marina

The following morning we decided to head back into Olympia for some lunch and for a walk along a trail through Swantown Marina. We had reservations for Swantown last year, but cancelled them due to the pandemic. This is an awesome marina!

The guest dock is a long linear dock (and there may be another next door) and they had great facilities throughout the grounds.

I love that they have recycling and garbage stations set up, along with a recycle drop off for motor oil.

The marina has beautiful grounds with descriptions of the plants throughout.

Exploring More in Olympia

After lunch, we did a little more research and found Priest Point Park just across the water from the marina. This park is over 314 acres offering four miles of trails.

There are two “sides” to Priest Point Park. We started on the west side and followed the one way road. Turns out this park allows overnight camping and this was a regular campground with shelters. The hike was pretty short and took us to a lookout on the point. Wanting to experience more of a hike, Scott and I crossed the bridge and headed to the east side of the park.

More of Priest Point Park

With a map in hand, we entered the trailhead to continuing exploring Olympia. The trail was dry and easy to follow. The scenery was fantastic and it was really so cool to be in a such a beautiful place just a few miles from the Capital.

Ellis Cove Trail

Be sure to check out our video episode below for a full tour. The photos don’t do it justice! Exploring this cool park in Olympia for about an hour, we wanted more! After completing the loop, we crossed the road again and this time entered the Ellis Cove Trailhead.

This particular trail is fairly steep with lots of steps, so be prepared! Looking at the aerial shot below, you will see the trails we took in order. Ironically, both the first and the third trail will bring you out to the cove and the sand bar.

The scenery is beautiful as you walk along the water, but be sure to keep an eye out for poison ivy!

I was impressed by all of the signage the park installed along the trail. This really made it interactive and educational.

Scott and I only walked to Priest Point and then turned back around. By this time, we had been hiking for three hours and we had experienced enough. We also found a short cut to the road, that didn’t require us to take 100 steps back to the trailhead. But the trail, does continue far beyond Priest Point.

After a long day of exploring Olympia and its parks, it was time to head back to the tiny house. Originally, we had planned on taking an Uber into town for dinner. But then when we realized we were so far off of the road, they would never find us. So we hunkered down, enjoyed our seafood fest from Olympia Seafood Co and had a wonderful night. It was truly a beautiful weekend.

This is a trip I would certainly do again and recommend to others. It offered relaxation, exploration and an opportunity to simply unplug and unwind. Next week is Thanksgiving, so we are taking the weekend off. We hope you and your families have a fantastic holiday.

As always, thank you for following our journey! Please subscribe to our blog and vlog (link below) for future stories. You can also follow us on social media @BoatingJourney #boatingjourney

Cheers, Scott and Ally

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Tiny House Living

tiny house

Moving aboard a boat is similar to tiny house living, so Scott and I decided to rent a tiny house for four days to test our survival. We found the tiny house on AirBnB, which is located on Henderson Inlet down by Olympia, WA.

Exploring Olympia

Scott and I arrived a few hours before check-in, so we spent part of the day exploring Olympia, including the Capital and the Port of Olympia.

From the capital, we headed over to Percival Landing to check out a seafood shop and the restaurants along the pier. The Olympia Seafood Co reminded us of Wild Salmon Seafood at Fisherman’s Terminal and they have a wonderful selection of fresh seafood!

Tiny House

The tiny house is just off of Slater-Keeney Road and you follow a long gravel driveway down to the property. The place was very serene and peaceful, which we desperately needed. In addition, this tiny house comes with a large hot tub! We estimate this tiny house was about 150sq feet!

It also came with three cats and Scott is allergic to cats. They belonged to the neighbor, but they were at our door the entire weekend.

The host has appointed this tiny home with everything you might need, from spices, pots and pans to robes and slippers! We even received a welcome basket with a bottle of bubbly.

Everything in the tiny house didn’t seem tiny. The bathroom was full size, along with the refrigerator and oven.

The living area was cozy with a comfy couch and an electric fireplace. For the best tour, be sure to check out the video below.

Best Part of the Tiny House

Above the bathroom, there is a loft that you access with a ladder. Thank God, that is not where you sleep. Instead, the bedroom is located at the end of the tiny house on the main floor.

The bedroom also had a very large closet, which is where we stored our suitcase.

Enjoying the evening

We put all of our food away and relaxed on the deck with a bottle of bubbly. The view is amazing and birds flock to the inlet. It was a very relaxing and peaceful afternoon.

Just around the corner from the tiny house is another airbnb in the form of a trailer!

That evening, we cooked up my homemade spaghetti sauce and enjoyed dinner with a great bottle of wine.

Tune in next week, as we kayak on Henderson Inlet, explore local trails and check out Swantown Marina. As always, thank you for following our journey! Please subscribe to our blog and vlog to stay updated with our search for a liveaboard boat. You can also follow us on social @BoatingJourney #BoatingJourney. Until next time!

Cheers, Ally & Scott