Great Loop #71 Bahamas Crossing

Рет қаралды 12,064

Күн бұрын

In Episode #71, we leave the United States on our Bahamas side trip. This is not part of the Great Loop, but we chose to do this instead of going to the Florida Keys. It means we will have travelled by boat through three countries! We were nervous about going out but we had a great day for sailing across part of the Atlantic Ocean!
(Recorded Feb/2023)
Thank you for watching! 😎

Пікірлер: 104

@karlberardi4351 6 ай бұрын

You folks are pretty able boat folk, appreciate the vids, thank you

@staycool123 6 ай бұрын

Thanks Karl! After so much planning to be safe, the Bahamas was a good one and we enjoyed that voyage! Thanks so much for watching this episode!😊

@charlesault806 3 ай бұрын

You two are a Koll couple. Real people. I like watching you way better than those Nautiguys.

@staycool123 3 ай бұрын

Thanks for your kind comment Charles! And thanks for watching😎

@iantoft9536 Жыл бұрын

Well done, dudes! So glad you had a smooth crossing. Ooooooooh the colour of the water...

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

It sure pays off to have patience for the right conditions. When the sun is shining, the water is an amazing turquoise colour. Thanks for watching Ian!😎

@jnjdaly9158 Жыл бұрын

Absolutely beautiful trip!

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

We agree! Thanks for watching!😎

@tombowes9387 Жыл бұрын

A momentous day! Congratulations!

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Yes it was! We can't believe we took our own boat all the way to the Bahamas! Thanks for watching Tom.😎

@michaelsep7642 Жыл бұрын

Awwwwwwesome . ENJOY

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Thank you Michael!😎

@phylliscrisp6679 Жыл бұрын

I am enjoying watching your trip. I meet you'll when you were stopped at Green Turtle Bay you were beside my son Barry's boat. We are planning on leaving for Fl in October. Safe travels.

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Hi Phyllis, that's great! Great time of year to see the colours along the rivers as you head south. Enjoy and safe travels!😎

@wendybusby9525 Жыл бұрын

Awesome trip and well planned.

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching Scott, Wendy and Teddy!😎

@ronkeeling6885 Жыл бұрын

A perfect crossing on a perfect boat with great weather by a perfect couple coverd by a fantastic video. I realy do love your work. Looking forward to you enjoying the Bahamas. 😎

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Thanks Ron for your kind words and we appreciate you taking the time to comment. Thanks for watching!😎

@lisakeough9708 Жыл бұрын

Perfect crossing day! Enjoy your time in the Bahamas. We will enjoy watching!

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Thank you Lisa! What an adventure! Thanks for watching😎

@lisakeough9708 Жыл бұрын

@@staycool123 We’ve made over 20 crossings in the past 22 yrs- in 3 different boats -all 25 feet and under. The advantage of smaller -is speed but as we get older, we truly look forward to more comfort-love the Mainships❤️We have another trip planned to Bimini this June. We trailer down from where we live on West coast of FL to Dania Beach, then cross. One trip was to Abacos, another to Exumas but Bimini has been the most common for us. We have experienced a lot of great crossings like the one you had to some….as my hubby puts it “won’t be unsafe-just uncomfortable”.🫣Someday, when we are retired, we will have the luxury of always choosing the “comfortable” option. Have fun! 😂

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Lisa, you’re lucky to live so close to such amazing waterways. Definitely a much faster crossing in a smaller fast boat. Safe travels to you now and in the future!😎

@teresapittman8354 Жыл бұрын

Nice!

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Thanks Teresa!😎

@michaelbruder5610 Жыл бұрын

Looked like a perfect day for the cruise over. No luck just great planning. Congrats 🙂

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Yes it was a good day for the crossing. It pays to wait for the right weather window. Thanks for watching Michael!😎

@sirzat9986 Жыл бұрын

Hello from Istanbul, Turkey. My wife and I have a “Maineship 34” which has an identical engine like yours. Every year we spend six months (April-Nov) on our boat with our four legged sun (French bulldog). We are enjoying Turkish and Greek coasts and islands. You are inspiring us. Wish you all the best. Looking forward for your new episode

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Thanks Sir Zat for sharing your story. You must be in some interesting waterways! Thanks for following our journey!😎

@gordonwallace9746 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the info about yellow flag . Would like to learn more about quarantine

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Hi Gordon, a boat in quarantine simply means it has not been cleared by customs. It is customary to fly a yellow flag while waiting for clearance. Only the captain is allowed off the vessel and must check-in with the appropriate paperwork and documentation (passports, proof of vessel ownership, etc). Not only is the vessel cleared, but also the crew! We paid for our cruising permit and fishing licence. Once cleared, we could fly the Bahamian flag. Each country has their own entry requirements.😎

@gregoryvanderlaan1954 Жыл бұрын

Amazing....thank you so much for bringing us along. You are 1 year ahead of us for our loop adventure. We hope we can find you back home in Canada as we pass through in 2024. What sites do you use for the wearher/waves that you shared in the screen shots? Please keep up the beautiful videos, it's like being right there with you.

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Hi Gregory, glad you enjoyed the ride and thanks for coming along. You will have a lot of fun doing your own great loop! We use several sources for weather and water conditions including Windy, PredictWind, Marv's Weather, Eddie's Weather, SailFlow as well as WeatherNetwork, NOAA just to name a few.😎

@buckpowers4837 Жыл бұрын

A big tip of the hat to a successful voyage across the Atlantic. Now a little R&R and enjoy the local fare.

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Thank you Buck! We can hardly believe we brought our own boat all the way to the Bahamas! 😎

@GaryHendrick-um9xm Жыл бұрын

Great trip over. Congratulations. The last time I was in the Bahamas was 50 years ago for our honeymoon trip. Watching you arrive brought back many wonderful memories. Thank you. i am looking forward to following your trip through the islands.

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Thanks Gary! Fifty years is a long time and glad we could bring back some fond memories.😎

@derjaeger3321 Жыл бұрын

Glad you had an uneventful crossing. Looks like you had some company along the way. I particularly liked that Sabre yacht, and that real biggie that you videoed. Enjoy your stay in the Islands.

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Yes there were a few boats out on the water with us that day. It is interesting to see the various vessels both commercial and private. Thanks for watching Der Jaeger!😎

@derjaeger3321 Жыл бұрын

@@staycool123 Sorry about the botched syntax in the message. I corrected it. I was having a snack and typing at the same time. Apparently I can no longer chew and type at the same time. Also, my keyboard skills are horrid, lousy hand coordination, and I always had an excellent assistant to do my typing for me. Most likely probably why I was a lousy pianist.

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

No worries and thanks for correcting your message.

@scottarmstrong5273 Жыл бұрын

You two are awesome thank you so much for sharing your journey. I went back to the first video on preparing for the loop and I'm watching everyone. I really appreciate all the information and really liked the jazz music in the videos I listen to alot of smooth jazz. My sweetheart will never do the loop so I stopped trying and honor her feelings and thoughts. When I'm watching your adventures I pause the video and go to Google maps and see where you are and follow along I will continue to follow and be on the adventure in my mind. Thank you again and wish you both calm winds and following seas.

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Hey Scott, thanks for your awesome comment! I use music to help convey the feeling of being out on the water… glad you enjoy some of the Jazz selections. It’s great you can do the loop with us and thanks so much for following along!😎

@ericwertheimer4997 Жыл бұрын

So glad you were able to make it over to the Bahamas, truly a magical group of islands and cays. The water is absolutely stunning! Teriffic job filming prior to departure and enroute....I'd be way too nervous to even think about picking up a camera before departure 😊. Nicely done as usual. I'm really anxious to see the next episode! Thanks again for sharing.

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

It is a magical place and we were definitely nervous as we started in the dark heading out into the Atlantic Ocean. Every waterway is unique and we can't wait to show you parts of the Bahamas.😎

@terriehawkey8735 Жыл бұрын

Congratulations on your crossing to the Bahamas!! Looks like it was a perfect trip. Will you be going down the Exuma chain? We are boaters too and had the good fortune to spend some time there with some friends on their trawler many years ago. Having seen the area, we're super excited for you! Love all your videos! Looking forward to seeing the Bahamas again through your videos! Terrie from Ft Erie

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Hi Terrie and thanks for sharing your story. We plan to boat the Abacos Islands to start. This is a side trip and not part of the Great Loop so we will see how we go while keeping in mind our return to the USA to continue on our loop. So many options!😎

@terriehawkey8735 Жыл бұрын

@Stay Cool It'll a great adventure, wherever you go!!

@robertgrant957 Жыл бұрын

👐

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching Bob!😎

@amelialask7483 Жыл бұрын

My husband and I enjoy your videos. We are from Michigan and hope to start the loop in September on our 42 Silverton Convertible. The Locks in Illinois are making us think maybe 2024 but we will see. So exciting you made it to the Bahamas! Great job! I assume you did some planning for this prior to going on the loop, but I assume most of this planning is within a few weeks before you actually take off. Nice videos, keep up the good work.

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Thanks Amelia! You will have so much fun on your own Great Loop adventure. Before our loop we tried to learn as much as possible but you are right that most planning is done weeks and even days in advance, and even sometimes on the fly. Flexibility is key, not having a rigid schedule and always safety first. Thanks for watching! Good luck and safe travels 😎

@randyjude8346 Жыл бұрын

Absolutely wonderful! Thank you as always for sharing these adventures through your lens.

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Our pleasure Randy and glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching.😎

@Sailsonly1 Жыл бұрын

Wow ! What a great day for a crossing, must say I've never been that fortunate. A++ on the entire crossing and editing of the video, all your efforts are paying off....Enjoy

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Thanks Sailonly1. Glad you enjoyed it! The key to a good crossing seems to be patience, waiting for the right window (if you have time).😎

@annettebrandt5426 Жыл бұрын

Wow ! Congratulations on your arrival in the beautiful Bahamas! You make this all look so easy peasy! Smooth sailing all the way. Enjoy your stay.

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much Annette! Travelling by boat may look easy but it requires a certain level of planning. The Bahamas is certainly a great place to see amazing waters!😎

@jongustafson1162 Жыл бұрын

Congrats on your arrival in the Bahamas !!👍You're in for the time of your life. Enjoy yourselves 🎣🌴🧜‍♀️

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Thanks and we are glad to be here, hardly can believe we are here in our own vessel.😎

@davidthompson9879 Жыл бұрын

Yet another awesome video. You guys are the best.

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Thank you David and glad you enjoyed it!😎

@jomarkelly3932 Жыл бұрын

I have followed you during most of your loop… and really enjoy your videos! I seldom comment, but had to thank you for sharing your travels… Wishing you Safe Travels… and good luck! Thank you! John / Ohio

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

John, we’re glad to have you along for our Great Loop adventure. Thanks for following along!😎

@dianemacfie-loucks6392 Жыл бұрын

Missing boating so much. We have always wanted to do that trip, unfortunately it didn’t happen🇨🇦

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Sorry you’re missing boating Diane. Hopefully we can give you the feeling of being out on the water virtually. Thanks for watching!😎

@mikebruno829 Жыл бұрын

Hey! Great Job! My wife and I were kinda' betting you would talk yourself out of it as we follow along with you on youtube. Get out there!

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Hey Mike! What made you think we would talk ourselves out of it? We are normally cautious but with good planning and safety measures in place, feel more confident about making a trip such as this.😎

@Captain_Clark_CDoryAdventures Жыл бұрын

Ya'll are living the dream and I am living vicariously through you two. Outstanding job on your crossing! ✌️😁

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Hey thanks Bearded FishBilly, great to have you tagging along for the journey.😎

@Captain_Clark_CDoryAdventures Жыл бұрын

@@staycool123 glad to be here. It's fun watching Captain Malcolm hit pro level. ❤️ Ya'll are about to head my way on the way back up North. If you swing by Swansboro NC, let me know and you can fill up your fresh water tanks at our family dock on the way to Morehead.....or at least I can wave at ya'll and you can toot the ole horn for the kids. Be blessed and safe travels! 🐟🐟🐟

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much - very kind of you!

@potoole1953 Жыл бұрын

Great video. You make the trip look easy.

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Thanks Patrick! There is definitely a lot of planning before a big crossing such as this one and requires patience waiting for the right window, but it was worth the wait!😎

@Elainesinging Жыл бұрын

Looked like a great and well-timed crossing, as always 😉 Yay for aqua waters and palm trees!

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

It seems we timed it well and it was worth the wait for a smooth ride. Very cool to see turquoise waters and palm trees. Thanks for watching Elaine!😎

@RuthBowes Жыл бұрын

Out of the darkness into the lovely warm seas of the Bahamas. An amazing crossing on what looked like a day designed by Stay Cool!! Always enjoy watching. Do you bring the flag with you or does customs give it to you?

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Hi Ruth, glad you enjoyed this episode. Very often an early start brings the calmest conditions. We brought our own flag. Alternatively you could buy one upon arrival.😎

@tmac709 Жыл бұрын

Wow! Glad you safely made it to the Bahamas. You did a great job of figuring out when to go with good weather. I hope Malcolm catches a slew of fish fishing around the Bahamas. 🤠

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Thanks T Mac, it was a good journey. The planning and waiting for the right weather window paid off. I hope Malcolm catches lots of fish too!😎

@peggysmith4672 Жыл бұрын

As everyone has said before, Another great video, you make it look so easy. We have several friends, that have done the trip, so much to see and do. we’re still a few years out to do the loop/Bahamas on our 390 Mainship “HomePort” . Enjoy you’re stay in the Bahamas and Thank you for letting us tag along. ❤

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Thank you Peggy and you will have so much fun when it's your turn. Every loop is unique and we are happy to have you along for our Great Loop journey. Thanks for watching!😎

@swt418 Жыл бұрын

Wow! Great video. You made it look easy & fun. By this point in the trip, you've gained complete confidence in your boat and your boat-handling skills, and it shows. Hope you enjoyed your Bahamas visit!

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much Tarka! We can say we have definitely learned our comfort level in water conditions. The boat can definitely take more than the crew. Great place for some tropical boating!😎

@dancornelius320 Жыл бұрын

Super guys ! The smooth crossing must have been a great reward for you 2 , doing everything right all of the time. Your decision to set the waypoint and “go” was neat. It’s how I like to ride…. On much shorter trips. Mr. Malcolm, I think the moon phase and feeding times were off 😎. That is what I tell myself as a deer hunter in times of no sightings, no game movement, ect. A sportsman must also be an eternal optimist ! You and I both are. Mighty brave to film your Admiral napping !! Standing By.

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Thanks Dan. We are trying to continue our journey with "pleasure" boating and think we know our limits with waves/wind. We were glad to have a smooth crossing. A bit of gravol made me (the admiral) sleepy and so Malcolm had to record it.😆😎

@lauren__rose Жыл бұрын

Yay Bahamas !! Can’t believe the water is 30C 😳 and so blue💙

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

The water IS amazingly warm and blue!😎

@dalemorris8609 Жыл бұрын

Like they say..." Turn Around Don't Drown " 😢

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Not sure what you mean by that Dale, but we had a safe and uneventful crossing to the Bahamas. That was back in February. We wouldn’t want to cross now in the heat of the summer and heading into storm season. Thanks for watching 😎

@stansharpe3816 Жыл бұрын

Very excited about you two heading for the Bahamas! I had a relative right on the ICW just south of you in Deerfield Beach when I was younger. I did a lot of fishing, snorkelling, and diving in the waters between Fort Lauderdale and WPB. I really appreciate that you show things like trip preparation (weather), supplies, and electronics. Despite the rollers, the conditions were very good. I am alway pleased to see you have fair seas, but that is often down to your preparation and timing. Sorry Malcolm didn’t catch anything. He should go on a charter in the Bahamas. Get tips on baits, speeds, and techniques from the skipper. It will be worth it. -14 windchill in SW Ontario yesterday and today. That warm sun and gentle breeze you have looks so nice!!! Wishing you continued safe travels.

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Hi Stan and thanks for sharing your memories. There is definitely a lot of planning in preparation for a crossing like this and it requires patience for the right window. Hopefully we can keep you warm virtually with scenes from Florida and the Bahamas. Thanks for watching!😎

@MrSalmonDaze Жыл бұрын

Great for you guys for doing a solo hop. Not a long trip (in miles); but always an attention getter when first losing sight of shore on the ocean. The stream will often provide some "fun." And glad you have well-deserved confidence in your own abilities and knowledge your equipment is solid. I wondered if you'd go solo or with a "buddy boat."

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Hi Salmon Daze and thanks for your comments. This felt more comfortable than our overnight Gulf crossing since we were travelling in daylight. The gulf stream itself actual smoothed the ride somewhat. We are definitely more confident in our abilities with our boat and know our limits. The boat can take more than the crew! We had 2 buddy boats that travelled the same day but they decided to take a more southerly route and we were in radio contact with them. Thanks for watching!😎

@ADKhouseDallas-fc8qp Жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing this. Look forward to seeing more of your journey. Where can we find a similar fabric bumper holder. It’s perfect! Can you share the brand please?

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for your comment. We found the fender holders at the Toronto Boat Show early 2020 pre-covid. They are called “Natty” from Gencomarine.com but I can’t seem to source them now. 😎

@ADKhouseDallas-fc8qp Жыл бұрын

@@staycool123 Thank you so much for the information. I’ll keep looking. 🙏

@woodyachttn2353 Жыл бұрын

Next year we plan to do the Loop on our 1928 Elco "Queen of Scots".

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

That's great! You'll have a lot of fun on your own Great Loop adventure. Enjoy and be safe!😎

@edmcdonough4515 Жыл бұрын

Another great video, thanks! Quick question - what weather apps were you showing screenshots of in the beginning?

@staycool123 Жыл бұрын

Hi Ed and thanks for watching. We use several sources for weather and water conditions including Windy, PredictWind, Marv's Weather, Eddie's Weather, SailFlow as well as WeatherNetwork, NOAA just to name a few.😎

@thomasdicostanzo417 9 ай бұрын

hello awesome video thanks, questions, were you concerned about losing site of land for hours, I saw you were well prepared? Did you get sea sick>?

@staycool123 9 ай бұрын

Hi Thomas and thanks for watching our Bahamas Crossing episode! That was an exhilarating trip! It is a bit unnerving to lose site of land but we knew it was only for a few hours. Having already done the Gulf Crossing overnight for 21 hours, it gave us some confidence that doing the Bahamas crossing during the day was manageable. Our rule is always safety first so we were prepared to abandon ship if necessary. As a precaution, I took a Gravol but I did not feel seasick - but it sure made me sleepy!!! On our return back to the USA from the Bahamas, we had some worse conditions and I definitely was feeling nauseous which is no fun for a 7 hour journey.🤪 Malcolm seemed to handle it better than me.

@thomasdicostanzo417 9 ай бұрын

@@staycool123 thanks for the reply ok was it worth the journey to take stay cool to the bahamas?

@staycool123 9 ай бұрын

Absolutely! 👍🏻