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Escapist
Hobe Sound, FL
I’m Tom, a Florida native and water enthusiast. In 2023, my wife and I made the leap and sold our home to live aboard with our two dogs. I’m always down to surf, wakeboard or foil. I regularly update our blog so my mom knows we’re alive: WillfulEscape.com
Planned to stop at Glass Window, spend the night and cross Current Cut tomorrow. The wind and swell out of the south, plus perfect timing for the tide changed that plan. Very happy we decided to keep moving today!
Couldn’t have asked for a better sailing day! Went through a ton of tuna birds this morning and doubled up right as we were about to jibe at Eleuthera Point. Lost one pretty quickly. The other took all but a couple wraps of braid off the speedmaster, eventually breaking the snap swivel in half. Lost my favorite silver bullet tuna lure. 😭 Definitely recommend skipping by Half Moon Bay unless you have late night chainsaws on your anchorage bingo card. Between the landscaping, dock construction and trash fire, the side swell was the least offensive thing about the place. Time to renew our visas before they expire then explore Eleuthera. It’s our first time here so any & all recommendations greatly appreciated! 🙏🏼
Slow roll to Little San Salvador for a quick stopover at Half Moon. Cruised along with only the genoa and my co-pilot was quite pleased. Hooked a huge cuda but luckily it got off before I got it to the boat.
Knocked off 10 miles before work to set up for an easy jump to Eleuthera this weekend. Fernandez Bay was a great stop. Beautiful little cove with a stunning beach from end to end. The honor bar at the village is quiet, without music or TVs. We chatted with a few resort guests and enjoyed the experience. Funny how something so simple can be so unique. They wouldn’t keep it around if it didn’t work.
Hiked up Mt. Alvernia to The Hermitage this morning, saw some adorable baby goats, walked to the grocery store for some fruits and veggies and snagged a loaf of fresh cinnamon swirl bread from Olive’s Bakery. 🤤 Safe to say we’re loving Cat Island so far. Made a quick move over to Fernandez Bay this afternoon. Time for some more exploring!
Fun sail to New Bight and caught a nice dolphin! Long Island was awesome. We had lots of wind for wing foiling, got some nice land exercise in and really enjoyed our lunch at the Cape Santa Maria resort yesterday. The pups especially loved having a big beach all to themselves.
Kicking off the weekend with a half-day & motor sail over to Calabash Bay. The ocean was a bathtub with 5-10 kts of wind and a long period swell. It wasn’t a great sailing day but it was exactly what we needed to get back in the groove. The Exumas were incredible! George Town has been home base for a whole month. 🤯 We hosted my parents and sister, who all flew down from New England. It was the first boat life experience for all three of them. Everyone survived and nobody got seasick, so we’re pretty stoked. Our last guest flew out on Wednesday and we’re thrilled to be on the move again.
After a short trip to a secluded anchorage and some successful diving, we are back in GT. We have one more day of fun planned tomorrow before our guests fly out. It’s so special to share all our favorite aspects of this way of life with family. 🥰
It’s been a long time coming! Finally snagged a true Bahamian sized lobster 10 days before season closes 👌 @Nina
Hosting the Frick parents on the boat for the first time and ditched the GT crowds for the weekend. Had to keep a motor going with such light winds but it was an easy first ever sail for our guests. Not a bad little slice of 🇧🇸 paradise for the night!
Took the dink over to check out George Town for the first time. Posted up at the “antisocial” anchorage for now. A lot going on here. We haven’t seen this many boats, people, trucks or food in a few months. It’s a bit overwhelming. Made a pit stop at the yacht club with much more to come 🤙
Made it to George Town and the fridge is stocked full of fish. The blackfins were thick today and even scored a rainbow runner too. With visitors flying to town soon, figured we’d get the lay of the land before they arrive. Any recommendations are much appreciated!
The schedules dictated the move today, despite light winds on our nose. We motored on the outside to Lee Stocking. Made some water though and excited to spend the weekend in a new area. Any recs on dive spots around here? Our trolling efforts have not been rewarded in quite some time and the frozen protein stash is looking sad.
Easy sailing to Little Farmers Cay this morning. Decided to squeeze in on the east side of the sandbar at dead low tide… because why not spice things up. 😂 An inch is a mile, right? Made it in without any issues but will probably wait for a higher tide to get out just to have a bit more margin.
Staniel was great! Had a tasty meal at the yacht club, enjoyed drinks with new friends @aurora on Loon and watched the SpaceX launch and booster landing. So cool! Spotted the YCA burgee at SCYC too 👀 Decided to post up in Little Bay for the blow coming but will definitely head over to Black Point too.
On the move early and dropped anchor at Staniel before work. Warderick Wells was beautiful and no ankles were sprained climbing the volcanic rock hills in flip flops. 👍🏼 Excited to visit SCYC and the surrounding shops. Haven’t had a meal off the boat in two months so this will be a welcomed treat.
A couple hours of speedy sailing to start the morning then pushed upwind as well as we could before finally motoring into the anchorage. Excited to explore Warderick Wells for the weekend. 🤙🏼
Quick morning motor from Norman’s to make water and get over to Shroud. Ready to blow up the Sunchill and have some fun! Norman’s was great. We did tons of snorkeling, wing foiling and exploring the beaches with the pups!
Spent the last few days outside of Highborne finishing up work. Nice spot to refuel and grab a few fresh groceries but hard to enjoy with the influx for mega yachts and charters everyday at 4pm. Made a move a few miles south to explore Norman’s and get some space. Very much enjoying that our closest neighbor is a half mile away 👌
Wish we could have waited another day to make the jump to the Exumas but trying to make the most of the weekends. It was a rough day but the skunk is finally off the boat! We caught a beautiful mutton and a nice cero while dodging the marked coral heads. Can’t wait for the fresh fish dinners ahead! 🤙🏼
Made an early morning move to get some northerly protection for the next couple days. Morgan’s Bluff was great! If you ever stop by, be sure to visit Jay and Kizzie at Below Deck. They are so sweet and welcoming. Also, a special thanks to @turtlecrossing for the fresh veggie delivery last night! This community is just the best. 🥰
What a difference a day makes. Sailed off anchor and through Northwest Channel to Morgan’s Bluff. Had high hopes for a fish dinner, given the opportunity to troll the deep water. With or without fish, it was an awesome day!
Finished out the work week rolling around Bimini and Cat (pun intended). Picked up anchor in the pouring rain and with 25kts sustained and gusts into the 30s. It was a salty day. Stopped on the NW corner of Andros in desperate need of a good sleep. We will keep moving east tomorrow. Excited to make it out to the Exumas!
Decided to change up the anchorage now that the northerly wind stopped. We got to cruise past the SS Sapona to Cat Cay but not much else going on. Trying to get into a good spot for a weekend sail east!
It’s been 11 years since we first came to Bimini on a bareboat charter. Our very first sailing experience was the crossing from Fort Lauderdale and we clearly caught the bug. It’s a crazy, full-circle feeling to be back now on our own boat! We cleared in at Big Game today and then anchored off South Bimini for the next few days. Feeling so happy to be back. Since we have nothing remarkable to share about this trip, here are some photos from our unforgettable trip to Bimini in 2014 with the best crew ever. And, we actually caught fish, unlike the last three crossings. ⬇️
On the move again after 10 days of being antisocial in Card Sound. We got a lot of chores done though, including a much needed bottom scrub. Luckily, years of surfing in Rhode Island prepared @Tom for this! It’s been pretty darn cold, by Florida standards. Yesterday, we stopped by Black Point Marina to pick up a final restock of fruits and veggies, waited for a pretty strong frontal boundary to push through, then continued on to find an anchorage for the night. Today, we moved up to No Name for one last stopover before we’re Bahama bound tomorrow! 🤞🏼for a full moon wahoo!!!
Had a great New Year’s Eve anchored between Long and Fiesta Keys. Treated to a beautiful last sunset of 2024 and first sunrise of 2025. Today was an upwind motor NE, through Angelfish Creek and into Card Sound. What wind we had, died in the morning but I have zero complaints because there’s no better way to kick off the new year than on the water. This time last year, we were over a week away from splashing and a month away from pushing off the dock. A lot can change in a year and I’m so grateful to be here! Let’s get after 2025! 🤙🏼
After a few weeks of hanging around Bahia Honda and Marathon, we’re excited to be making moves toward the 🇧🇸 crossing. We hosted my parents for a visit (with the worst possible weather), topped off on diesel and stocked up on food in Marathon. It feels so great to be back at anchor tonight! Happy New Year to all you Sea People!
Quick little move ahead of the weekend. Decided to stay on the outside for protection from this NW wind tonight. Hopefully we can move between the bridges tomorrow. Can’t wait to get in the water! 🐟🦞
What a difference a day makes. We had 15-20 knots on our back quarter until the last hour and managed to dodge hundreds lobster pots. Dolphins swimming along with us will never, ever get old. For my whole life, I’ve come down to the Keys at least once a year for fishing/diving trips, usually to Marathon or Big Pine. We didn’t get down here in 2023 while hauled out for the refit. It’s a whole different experience bringing your entire home with you instead of trailering a little center console!
Took advantage of a half day to make it to Tavernier. Crossed over to the Atlantic side through Angelfish Creek and it was just as calm as the bay. There was hardly a breath of wind so we motored, made water and baked bread. Planning to sail down to Marathon tomorrow so we can play on Sunday.
Set out to find some wind protection for the approaching cold front. There’s nothing better than being all alone in a gorgeous place like this. Seems like Tully also approves. 🤙🏼
After two days of running at least one motor, a quiet day of sailing felt good. We cruised downwind with headsail only to Elliot Key. Time to enjoy this incredible weather and explore the island a bit.
Anchor was up at 4:30 this morning. Had pretty light winds but more than yesterday. It was a beautiful motor-sail to Key Biscayne. Pretty sure every single center console between West Palm and Miami was out on the water. Trolled through the areas deep enough to justify it but no luck. Looking forward to exploring the bay and park this weekend and getting away from the craziness that is a weekend in Miami. 😬
Motored down the coast to West Palm for a night. Stopped for a swim about midway to check the bottom and clean off the transducer. Spent an extra hour or so hanging outside the inlet while @Tom got the water maker running. We pickled it for the summer and that flush process always takes longer than you expect. Happy Thanksgiving to all you Sea People celebrating today! Feeling extra thankful this year for our health and this amazing life on the water.
The swell calmed down and we finally broke out of St. Augustine. This trip brought us back home to the waters where we grew up, between Jupiter and Stuart. We also spent eight months in Manatee Pocket for the lightning refit last year and started calling ourselves “pocket rats” when it felt like we’d never get out. The pocket rats have returned to the pocket… for now. Being here may bring out a little residual ptsd. It’s totally fine 🤪 Looking forward to visiting a few favorite haunts, as well as catching up with family and friends after nearly six months away.
Took advantage of the calm seas to continue pushing south again today. We left Fernandina in the dark, watched a gorgeous sunrise over the ocean, and thoroughly enjoyed the calm sea state and great company! Thought it was going to be another zero wind day but it filled in to 15 knots this afternoon. Nearly 100 miles covered this weekend and the next jump will get us home to the treasure coast. 🫶🏼
Started off at SSI with 0.0 viz but turned out to be a great day for a motor. Not much wind to be had but can’t complain about the sea state on a Saturday. Slowing making our way back south.
It’s been a few months so a bit slow to get started but ran great. Pulled up to a nice public dock for a walk before the sun goes down.
A quick trip off the dock and around the corner to SSI. While marina life treated us well, it’s so nice to be back out on our own. Planning to wait out the weather here for a little while before heading outside for the first hop south. @Tom
Our mast makes us very ICW unfriendly but we actually got to go under a bridge for once. The Sidney Lanier Bridge has 185ft clearance so it wasn’t even close but still cool! Going to see how we get on with marina life for a little while. It’s been over 4 months since we last tied the big boat up at a dock. With some upcoming travel for work and a few boat jobs to do, there’s plenty to keep busy. We’ll see how long we last. Now, time for a very, very long shower! 😊
Quick motor up to St. Simons Island on lake Atlantic today. Baked a loaf of bread and made a bunch of water though. Got a great tidal push out of St. Mary’s and then had the tide pull us into our destination inlet. Thinking of everyone down in Beryl’s path. Stay safe out there! 🙏🏼
We waited out Invest 92 in St. Augustine and feel so glad to finally be out of tourist town. Made the next run north to Fernandina Beach today. Outsmarted a few storms but got stuck in a good one right at the inlet. 🤷🏼♀️ I’m not sure why it says we averaged 7 knots today… definitely should be more like 5.5-6 but I can’t figure out how to see or adjust the timing.
St. Lucie ➡️ St. Augustine was our longest trip yet and first overnight passage on our boat. All the forecasts were wrong but such is life. We had more wind than expected and absolutely flew up the Gulf Stream, then the weather turned against us. Crazy part: At 11 pm, while sitting at the helm, a flying fish jumped out of the water, in front of @Tom‘s face and hit me directly on the cheek. Just lucky I guess? Grabbed a mooring for the week and will ride out this front coming our way. Excited for a fresh water wash down and to head to our favorite St. Aug spots.
Back where we started. We didn’t plan on crossing back to our hometown but work and family obligations made it the obvious choice. Left West End under the full moon, had almost zero wind the first six hours then finally got to put out a sail to help the cause. Nearly got spooled by an XL billfish. It broke off before we got close enough to determine if it was a marlin or sailfish though. Had a pod of dolphin swim with us for about 30 minutes and even got to catch up on work. It was a really great day! Heading into a holiday weekend, the traffic in the Pocket has us overwhelmed already. The 💩 brown water doesn’t help. Can we go back now? But really, it’s time to enjoy a little time with family and friends before continuing on. Thanks to all you Sea People for the recommendations that made our first Bahamas trip unforgettable!
This place did not disappoint. When @bri recommended we check this out while at West End, I figured we could add a couple pieces to our collection. Came home with quite the haul. Thanks, Brian! We made it all the way down the beach enthralled by the sea glass search, turned around to find Milton floating away. Nothing like a beach sprint to remind you that you haven’t done a run in two months 😅 Caught up to him well before he got far off the beach though. 👍🏼
Bittersweet to have completed our final sail in the Bahamas before heading back to the states. The weather surprised us, in a good way for once. Thought we were in for a motor sail at best but ended up with 10-15 knots on our beam for the majority of the day. Last time we were at West End, we had a cold front pushing through with 30+ knot winds and 4-6 foot seas. It actually looks like a lovely place on a nice day and Indian Rock pass isn’t nearly so daunting. Planning to head west later this week/weekend. I’m not emotionally prepared to leave this water!!!
Back to Great Sale today and we have the place all to ourselves. Started with zero wind, then had a few nice hours of motor sailing but had to just motor the last few when the wind died. @Tom reeled in another stinky cuda too. Saw 89 degree water temp and dropped anchor right as the afternoon storms are starting to form.
Decided to treat ourselves to lunch and a walk over at Spanish Cay. Much needed after a few days stuck inside due to the weather. There was hardly a breath of wind this morning and it felt like we were in a cloud. Temp (F) = %Humidity! 👍🏼 Now time to do some diving before heading to great sale tomorrow!
Today is one of those days where the color of this water just doesn’t seem possible. Savoring every second in this beautiful place!
Nice downwind day from Green Turtle to Powell. Trolled the whole way with no luck. Guess all the fish are celebrating Cinco de Mayo 🎣
Returned to our favorite beach at Coco Bay one last time. Planning a grocery run tomorrow then heading off to new places.
A short hop next door and planning to catch up on some land errands while we’re here.
Went back to visit the turtles this evening but couldn’t get as far back in there today with the outgoing tide. Explored the perimeter of the anchorage instead and found two old wrecks. Lots of life here. Rays, sharks and turtles all over it seems.
Such a gorgeous day and lovely sail to Manjack. We saw over 7.5 knots SOG a few times with about a knot of current/tide helping us along.
Made a quick hop this morning with the change in wind direction. We were up watching the lightning most of the night so planning to check out the signing tree then catch up on some Z’s. ⛈️
Slowly making our way east. Motored against the wind most of the time today. The sun was elusive and I dare say it was chilly. (I am admittedly a 🥶wimp)
Took the little boat to explore and get the dogs to the beach. A long walk/run felt so good! The girls could hardly keep their eyes open by the time we got home. 😂
Easy cruising from Mangrove Cay to Great Sale Cay. Weather couldn’t be better but the wind died the last half. Had to make do with some Yanmar power.
Lovely downwind sail to Mangrove Cay today for a quick stop over. Can’t get over this water 😍
Played a little hooky today 🤐 taking advantage of this final day of mostly calm seas and southerly wind. I know, most of you are heading the opposite direction but we can’t wait to enjoy the Bahamas, at least for a few weeks. Now it’s time to hunker down for a couple days, catch up on work and get ready for some needed vacation time next week. Most importantly, where should we head next? Would love to hear recommendations from all you seasoned vets!
Had a great trip south to West Palm, even though we had to motor most of the way. Absolutely gorgeous seas, made some fresh water and just so happy to be moving again! We even stopped for a few minutes so @tom could jump in that clear blue.
Picking up the water maker and replacing a few more electrical components.🤞the last big project to finish out the lightning refit. Let’s goooooo!
We’re finally off the dock and on our own again at anchor, at least for a while. Someone, pinch me! Planned to go to one of our favorite clean water spots but found out they were dredging when we arrived. So, onto plan B. Now we get to test everything to see what else needs some love (watermaker)!🤞🏼
Finally pushed off the dock yesterday morning for the first sea trial since splashing. Engines ran beautifully! We also programmed all the new B&G’s and calibrated the autopilot. Wind was blowing 30+ knots with temps in the 50s so we just did circles in the river. I couldn’t feel my fingers or toes by the end but I was thrilled everything went smoothly!
On this day last year, we left the dock in West Palm after a couple weeks of moving aboard and headed to our first anchorage on our new (to us) boat. Funny enough, a few months later we would return to this same anchorage and get struck by lightning. Haven’t been back since the tow boat picked us up and took us to get hauled. 😬