The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (Atlantic ICW) is a continuous and mostly protected navigable route from Norfolk, Virginia, to Miami, Florida. Originally conceived in 1802 for commercial use, today it is primarily used by recreational vessels. However, light-draft commercial vessels, along with small tugs pulling barges, will make use of the ICW to avoid exposed open-ocean Read More
Island Cowboy
I’d never thought of islands as homes for cowboys but just off the coast of Georgia, twenty miles south of Savannah, I met the quintessential island cowboy. Ossabaw is Georgia’s second-largest barrier island. Twice the size of Bermuda, it has eleven-thousand acres of highland forests and fourteen-thousand acres of marshland, and is full of sturdy Read More
Southport, North Carolina
Ahoy from Southport! A friendly seaside city near the entrance of the Cape Fear River, approximately halfway between Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Southport offers small-town charm, breathtaking views, a storied history, an abundance of unique shopping and dining, and inviting tree-lined streets. It has enchanted and delighted residents and visitors Read More
What’s New at Hawks Cay Resort and Harbor East Marina
Hawks Cay Resort’s newest restaurant, Angler and Ale, is now open at the marina in Duck Key, Florida. Already the favorite hangout for locals who love to gather on the expansive deck for dinner and drinks. Let the onsite chef prepare your catch while you swap fishing stories. The island-inspired menu is outstanding and Captain’s Hour Read More
Cruising The Chesapeake Bay – From Baltimore to Cape Charles
A spectacular North American cruising ground was shaped by a big bang 35 million years ago when a comet or asteroid slammed into what is now the lower tip of the Delmarva Peninsula. That impact left a crater 55 miles wide that became a convenient depression for rivers to flow into as the glaciers of Read More
America’s Waterways – A Year of Experiences Along the Great Loop: Part 4
Ask any Looper, “What is your favorite memory of the Great Loop?” and the answer will undoubtedly be, “The people.” This would ring true as we continued our journey up the Hudson River in mid-June. The staff members at the Hudson River Maritime Museum in Kingston, N.Y., were part of that special group of people who Read More
Cruising or Live-Aboard – Finding the Right Boat
After many years of cruising our Nautilus 36 Pilothouse Sailboat in the summers on Lake Ontario, my wife (and co-captain), Erica, and I decided to avoid the Canadian winters and try out the live-aboard lifestyle in southern Florida. As we all have learned, it’s easy to purchase a boat, but the real challenge is in Read More
Where to Dock and Dine in Historic St. Marys, Georgia
One of the most rewarding items for regular cruisers on the Atlantic ICW is revisiting their favorite stops each year, especially if those stops are directly on the ICW. But some of the most interesting places are a little off the “magenta line.” Taking the time to reach these places will reward those who make Read More
Top 10 Maritime Museums
As you cruise around America’s coastline, do you ever gaze at the night sky wondering what it was like to navigate a boat by the stars instead of a GPS? Do childhood fantasies of cavorting with pirates still stir in your heart and conjure up dreams of sailing with rum-guzzling scoundrels? And when veterans reminisce Read More
What’s New at Stock Island and the Grand Opening of The Seagate Yacht Club
WINTER CONTEST Write A Review – Win FREE Dockage: Submit a review on Marinalife.com for any marina that you have visited and be entered to win free dockage in your cruising area. Visit marinalife.com/reviews to share your experience! MARINE UPDATES MarineMax Vacations has joined forces with one of the world’s leading sailing charter operators, Navigare Yachting. Read More