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SUNDAY SUMMARY

Sign up for our weekly newsletter where we update you with our plans for the week, recap our previous week with stories that don’t make it into our videos, ask for recommendations, and send you other resources straight into your inbox!

The final pivot during our adventure around the Gr

The final pivot during our adventure around the Great Loop was changing our cruising plans from crossing our wake in Key West to Marathon and Stuart for the final destination. Due to a lack of a good weather window and a schedule with guests arriving in a few days, we chose to take the Okeechobee Waterway, which runs east-west through Florida from Fort Myers to Stuart (or vice versa).

We’re pretty accustomed to pivoting our plans by now, as we named our boat PIVOT, after all. So this final pivot was pretty fitting as it led to an opportunity for Jen to practice being at the helm as we locked the boat, enjoyed some protected cruising, and easily one of our favorite anchorages on the entire Great Loop on the south side of Lake Okeechobee. We were spoiled with an incredible spot that was full of wildlife from alligators, birds, and mosquitos.

🗺️ We wrote a Cruising Guide to the Lake Okeechobee Waterway that includes our itinerary, where to provision, distances, and marinas. Comment “guide” and I’ll send you our Okeechobee Waterway Cruising Guide with our travel itinerary!

#aglca #greatloop #trawler #boatingdestinations #florida #lakeokeechobee #okeechobeewaterway #floridaboating #boatingflorida

Although returning to Florida meant we were back w

Although returning to Florida meant we were back with pricy marinas, it also meant we were back to some of the best anchorages on the Great Loop. The ground conditions in many Florida anchorages are sand or mud - making it really easy to anchor in. As we returned to Florida, we had spent over half the year on anchor in various weather conditions, environments, currents, and ground conditions. Each time we anchored, we developed our 5 Steps to Anchoring. Last winter we created our first course on How to Anchor! Comment “course” and I’ll send you a link to our How to Anchor and Love It course in our store 🧑‍🏫

As we cruised on the west coast of Florida, we thoroughly enjoyed the anchorages we stayed at. Here are some great anchorages we enjoyed:

🏝️ Anclote Key near Tarpon Springs
🐬 Clearwater Aquarium near Clearwater Beach @vspc
🎨 Gulfport @visitgulfportfl
🐦 Bird Key near @visitsarasotacounty
🌳 Stump Pass Beach State Park (Please respect the No Dogs Allowed on the Beaches rule as it’s part of @fl.stateparks )
🏖️ Cayo Costa State Park (also part of Florida State Parks)

What are some of your favorite anchorages on the West Coast of Florida that shouldn’t be missed? We wish we had more time to explore the west coast of Florida!

#aglca #greatloop #flstateparks #visitflorida #lovefl #mysarasota #culturalcoast #floridaboating #onanchor #gulfcoast #gulfofmexico #trawler #boatingdestinations

On the third day of our Big Bend, we went from Ced

On the third day of our Big Bend, we went from Cedar Key to Crystal River. Traveling to Crystal River is a highlight of the entire Big Bend in Florida, between the proximity to manatees and the natural landscape. The marked channel following Crystal River is about 10 miles long and is some of the most incredible old Florida scenery we’ve ever seen on our boat.

Once settled, Crystal River is best explored by dinghy, kayak, or stand-up paddleboard to see the springs and manatees that love the freshwater! The town of Crystal River is also easily accessible by walking or biking. The main attraction is taking your dinghy, kayak, or SUP around the springs to see the manatees in the beautiful spring water. If you don't have a dinghy, kayak, or SUP, there are tour companies in the area that offer tours to see the manatees.

🧑‍🏫 Crystal River has a large anchorage and was one of our favorite spots to anchor along the Great Loop. After 2.5 years of living full-time on our trawler and anchoring in a variety of environments, ground conditions, and weather, we created a course on How to Anchor and Love it. Comment “course” and I’ll send you a DM with a link to our course!

⚓️ We also compiled all the anchorages we personally stayed in or were our plan B and C backups in a spreadsheet. Comment “anchorages” and I’ll DM you a link to our store with our 600+ Great Loop Anchorages and Free Docks Spreadsheet.

#visitflorida #lovefl #forgottencoast #aglca #greatloop #florida #floridatravel #travelflorida #boatingflorida #floridaboating #gulfofmexico #gulfofmexicoboating #DiscoverCR #manatees #floridawildlife #naturalsprings

The weather dictates some of the stops along the B

The weather dictates some of the stops along the Big Bend route as they’re exposed to the Gulf of Mexico. We were lucky to have four consecutive days with a good weather window, which allowed us to anchor in Cedar Key.

Cedar Key’s settler’s history goes back to the 1840’s. After the Second Seminole War, steamboats filled the area. They carried goods such as cotton and lumber to the Gulf Coast and nearby countries.

There are three channels into Cedar Key, but be sure to approach Cedar Key through the Main Ship Channel Inlet**.** Depending upon the default setting on your navigation software. For concerns of running aground on some of the shoals, we’d recommend not taking any shortcuts.

🌤️ Comment “weather apps” and I’ll send you the weather apps we actually used!

#visitflorida #lovefl #forgottencoast #aglca #greatloop #florida #floridatravel #travelflorida #boatingflorida #floridaboating #gulfofmexico #gulfofmexicoboating

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