Boat Life

  • Oriental, NC: The Charming Town You’ll Visit and Won’t Want to Leave

    Oriental, NC: The Charming Town You’ll Visit and Won’t Want to Leave

    As we pulled into the harbor in Oriental, NC, we were looking for a mythical free dock and a comfortable place to sleep. We didn’t expect to find a town as unique as its name. Walking through Oriental, we quickly found a common theme: people who had passed by car or sailboat once and then…

  • The Elegant Eastern Shore Escape, Oxford, Maryland

    The Elegant Eastern Shore Escape, Oxford, Maryland

    During our boating journey around the US, we visited the secluded Oxford, MD, and were shocked at how peaceful and artsy the town was. We didn’t have much time to research Oxford before visiting, but when we stumbled upon some of the best home-made ice cream in the United States, cute hand-painted picket fences all…

  • Solomons Island Travel Guide – Everything You NEED to Know

    Solomons Island Travel Guide – Everything You NEED to Know

    Solomons Island, Maryland, is the getaway you’ve been waiting for. Located at the mouth of the Patuxent River on the Chesapeake Bay, it represents a rich history of maritime endeavors from the time Isaac Solomon started his Oystering enterprise in the late 1800s until today, as tourism brings people from all around for the local…

  • Smith Island, MD – Everything You Need to Know to Plan Your Trip

    Smith Island, MD – Everything You Need to Know to Plan Your Trip

    Smith Island MD is the last inhabited island in Maryland. It is slowly disappearing into the Chesapeake Bay, both from rising sea levels and the erosion of its sand foundation. It is estimated that without intervention, the Island will be mostly gone by 2050. We visited Smith Island on the last weekend of May while boating America’s Great…

  • The Ultimate Guide to Crisfield, Maryland

    The Ultimate Guide to Crisfield, Maryland

    We lived on our boat in Somer’s Cove Marina, next to downtown Crisfield, Maryland, throughout the Fall of 2021. We felt like locals as we lived and worked from our boat and explored Crisfield during our three-month stay. Crisfield has something that many towns in the United States lack, and that is a rich culture…

  • The 10 Local Best Restaurants in Islamorada, Florida

    The 10 Local Best Restaurants in Islamorada, Florida

    We lived in Big Basin, Islamorada, for three months on our boat in 2023. Since this was our second time in Islamorada, we’ve been both tourists and locals, and here are the 10 best local restaurants in Islamorada, Florida! We have a mix of local bars, small breakfast spots, and great places only open for…

  • Ultimate Guide to the Okeechobee Waterway 

    Ultimate Guide to the Okeechobee Waterway 

    The Okeechobee Waterway connects the Gulf Coast of Florida to the Atlantic Coast, with Lake Okeechobee in the center. We cruised through the waterway during our 2022-23 passage of America’s Great Loop, and it was an incredible part of our journey on our boat, Pivot. In this blog, we share the ultimate guide to the Okeechobee…

  • The Best Marine Navigation Apps and Other Boating Apps

    The Best Marine Navigation Apps and Other Boating Apps

    Although boating has been done for centuries without any fancy apps or technology we have today, we relied on many different apps aboard PIVOT. During our 6,000-mile boating journey around the United States and Canada, we consistently used several marine and boating apps on both our smartphones and tablets. We’ve compiled the apps we’ve personally…

  • Best Snorkeling in the Florida Keys

    Best Snorkeling in the Florida Keys

    One of the best parts about the Florida Keys is snorkeling in the beautiful water. We’ve visited the Florida Keys three times, spending over three months exploring the area, and have snorkeled on several occasions, visiting several different locations. We’ve compiled the best snorkeling locations, gear, and tips and tricks to make your snorkeling experience…

  • 15 Tips for Boating on a Budget

    15 Tips for Boating on a Budget

    We compiled all of our tips and tricks for boating on a budget after traveling 10,000 miles on our boat, PIVOT. Most of this journey was on America’s Great Loop, but any of these 15 tips will help you manage your budget while boating. As a young couple on a budget with a goal of…