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Island Sunset & Skyway Bridge Light Show

Island sunset & skyway bridge light show.

6810 Gulfport Blvd. S. St. Pete, FL 33707

$65 – $85 PER PERSON

DEPARTURE TIME

1.5 HOURS BEFORE SUNSET

ISLAND SUNSET AND

Skyway bridge light show.

  Top Tourist Attraction with Top-Rated Sunset Cruise • Available Year Round

Save $10 when booking Monday – Thursday!

Join Coastal Cruises’ on our brand new 50ft Custom Catamaran for an evening like no other! A scenic trip out the Intracoastal and along Shell Key Preserve provides us ample opportunities for dolphin sightings.

Once stopped at Outback Key, feel free to take your drinks ashore, search for that perfect shell, and watch the sun kiss the horizon over the Gulf of Mexico. 

On our return trip, we’ll stop by the Skyway Bridge for a $15M light show! Truly a must-see!

Guests are more than welcome to bring their own snacks or handhelds to help hold them over. No food is offered onboard. Coolers are not permitted.

As safety is our number one priority, the dusk return trip will be aided by state of art Thermal and Night Vision Cameras, GPS Navigation, and Radar. Our Custom Boat is the only one in the area that is equipped properly to safely provide you with such a unique experience!

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is your cancellation policy.

Customer Cancellations: Must be requested via calling or emailing no less than 48hrs before trip departure for a full refund. No shows or late arrivals will be charged the full ticket price.

Weather Cancellations : If your trip’s departure may be impacted by weather, our captains will reach out via text and email with as much advance notice as possible. Should the trip be canceled, guests are entitled to be refunded, rebooked, or receive a gift card in accordance with the cancellation policy associated with their ticket.

Is there a bathroom on board?

Yes there is a restroom on board that is cleaned and sanitized daily!

What time should we arrive?

Please plan to arrive no later than 20 minutes prior to your scheduled departure for boarding.

Is there parking available?

Yes! We have designated free parking for all of our customers.

Are we allowed to bring food?

Yes! Guests are more than welcome to bring their own snacks or light fare.

Can we bring our own alcohol?

For insurance purposes, outside alcohol is not permitted and may be confiscated for the duration of your trip. Don’t worry, our bar will be fully stocked!

What is available at the bar?

Our bar features a small selection of water, soda, beer, wine, and RTD Cocktails: $1 Water; $3 Coke, Sprite, Diet Coke; Michelob Ultra; $7 Corona, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Moscato, NUTRL Vodka Seltzer, Cutwater Mojito.

How do we get off at the beach?

For our island stops, we use a series of steps from the front of our boat to the sand. Typically, you can step right from the boat/steps to the sand. However, on occasion, it may be up to ankle deep.

What should we wear?

Comfort is key! Swimming is discouraged during the island stop due to strong tidal currents. Guests are encouraged to dress as they feel comfortable for their evening with easily removable shoes for their walk on the beach. Keep in mind, being on the water in the evening is about 10 degrees colder than is forecasted, so a windbreaker or light jacket is always safe.

Is your vessel handicap accessible?

Unfortunately we are not handicap accessible at this time. Guests with limited mobility (i.e. walkers, canes) should call our office prior to booking. A good rule of thumb is if the limited mobility passenger is able to make it up 2-3 standard stairs with assistance. Our crew is always here to help and eager to share our memorable trip with all!

Marine Max 6810 Gulfport Blvd. S. St. Pete, FL 33707

$65 - $85 PER PERSON

Duration: 3 Hours

If you cruise the East Coast long enough, sooner or later, someone will ask you if you have completed T he Great Loop . This is a fun filled 5,000 miles plus adventure that takes the cruiser through 16 states and Canada. It makes a wonderful one-year and spectacular two-year cruise. For an outline of the route refer to the image below.

The Great Loop is completed almost entirely in protected waters, with only a few open water passages. These open water passages can easily be crossed in good weather, and thus are enjoyable as well. Starting in Florida, the boater would proceed up the East Coast of the United States on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway to Virginia and the Chesapeake Bay. After cruising the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays, the route goes offshore from Cape May to New York harbor.  At New York City the route proceeds north up the Hudson River to Troy, NY, then west via the Erie Canal to either Lakes Ontario or Erie. Most "loopers" take the Lake Ontario route which leads to the Trent-Severn Waterway, Georgian Bay and North Channel in Canada. Then it's Lake Michigan to Chicago. Next, the route heads south down the Illinois River to the Mississippi, down the Mississippi to the Ohio and up the Ohio a short 50 miles to the Tennessee River at Paducah, KY. Then, it's south from Paducah, KY via the Tennessee River and the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway (usually referred to as the Tenn-Tom) to Mobile Bay and the Gulf Coast.

The cruiser then heads east from Mobile following the protected waters of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway to Fort Myers, FL. Finally, at Fort Myers the cruiser crosses Florida via the Okeechobee Waterway to Stuart, FL and completes the Great Loop.

Nearly any type of personal watercraft can be used to make this trip. Large and small boats, sailboats, trawlers, motor yacht, houseboats, canoes and jet skis have completed it. You must know your vessel's height and draft requirements.

See this story about the kayaker who completed The Great Loop in 2023.

Your vessel's characteristics will decide, to a certain extent, the route you take. If your vessel draws less than 5 feet and can clear a height of 15', there are no restrictions. You can follow any of several routes. If your vessel draws more than 8 feet or has a height requirement of more than 19'.7", you cannot make the trip. (Chicago is the limiting spot with a fixed bridge of 19' 7".) For sailboats with masts that can be un-stepped or powerboats/trawlers with high structures, some adjustment must be made to the vessels height to get it down to at least 19' and preferably 15'.

In general, height restrictions apply only after you enter the New York Canal System at Troy, NY and continue until you reach Mobile, AL on the Gulf Coast.

It is possible to put the mast of sailboats back up once the vessel has reached the Great Lakes, so the vessel can sail while cruising these waters. However, if you do put the mast back up when you enter the Great Lakes, you will have to un-step it again when you reach Chicago, IL on Lake Michigan. Mast stepping and un-stepping can be performed at marinas just before and after you enter the New York Canal System, Chicago, or Mobile, AL. Information in cruising guides recommended in this book tells you which marinas perform this service.

For vessels sailing north from Florida that draw less than 8 feet and have a height of less than 63 feet there is no need for concern until you reach the New York Canal System at Troy, NY. Before you proceed north of Troy you must get your height down to 20 feet and preferably 15 feet. Once you reach the Waterford, NY you must choose one of 2 basic routes. Via Lake Champlain your height restriction is 17' (Champlain Canal) and depth restriction is 5' (Rideau Canal). The Lake Champlain Route is longer and has more locks and is not recommended as it adds so much to your long trip already. However, if you do not plan to travel the northeast waters again or you are taking more than one year, you may want to squeeze these extra 3 canals into your plan.

The other choice, and the shorter route, via the Erie Canal, starts with a clearance of 20 feet and the water has a controlled depth of 12 feet. At mile 160 of the Erie Canal, Three Rivers, you must choose between one of three routes based on your height and depth requirements. They are in order of preference:

• Trent-Severn Waterway
• Complete Erie Canal
• Welland Canal

The figure below depicts the height and depth restrictions of the three routes. As you can see, most vessels can transit the Trent-Severn Waterway. Some must go the complete Erie Canal route, but a few each year must go via the Welland Canal.

The Trent-Severn Route

A major part of your decision in choosing the Trent-Severn route is your height and depth requirements. The Trent-Severn has a controlled depth of 6 feet and height of 22 feet. However, if you draw more than 5', you must sign a waiver. The issue with a deep draft is not in the locks, but in the channel and shoaling. For vessels drawing 5' or less there is no problem. From 5 to 6' you must use extra care and get approval to enter the Trent Severn. If you cannot meet these requirements, you must choose one of the two alternatives.

The Trent-Severn Waterway provides the greatest protection, the most to see and do, and most beautiful water to cruise while crossing the Great Lakes. If you can, and do choose this route, you also avoid Lake Erie and Lake Huron while crossing the Great Lakes, thus traveling in more protected waters. The Trent-Severn route starts when you proceed north via the Oswego Canal from Three Rivers on the Erie Canal. You then cross Lake Ontario and enter the Trent-Severn Waterway at Trenton, Ontario in Canada on the northern shore. While crossing the Trent-Severn you will encounter all this historic canal has to offer including, but not limited to, lovely villages, friendly people, the famous "lift locks" and the railway lock. At the west end of the Trent-Severn Waterway you enter Georgian Bay and the area of "30,000 islands". Here you travel in protected waters that are crystal clear providing visibility down 10-12 feet. There are thousands of beautiful quiet anchorages with almost pristine conditions. Georgian Bay and the North Channel, your next destination, provide some of the best cruising waters in North America. Once you cross the North Channel, you enter the top of Lake Michigan and rejoin those boaters who chose or had to go across Lake Erie.

The Complete Erie Canal Route

If you draw more than 6 feet, your first alternative is to go completely across the Erie Canal and enter Lake Erie at Buffalo, NY. However, to proceed west of Three Rivers, mile 160 of the Erie Canal, you must have your clearance down to 15 ½ feet. The western half of the Erie Canal is rich in history and provides many free stops with water and electric. The downside of going the complete Erie Canal route (or the Welland Canal route) is Lake Erie. Over 240 miles long with few natural harbors, Lake Erie can be a burden to cross. When you stop overnight you must go into man-made harbors and often there is no place to anchor. Thus, you are forced to pay to stay in marinas or yacht clubs. Also, because Lake Erie is so large, you can only move in good weather. The prevailing southwest wind will be on the nose. Crossing Lake Erie does not provide anywhere near the interesting stops and beautiful waters that the Trent-Severn Waterway, Georgian Bay and North Channel provide.

The Welland Canal Route

If you can't go the complete Erie Canal or Trent-Severn Routes, then you will have to go through the Welland Canal. Vessels that draw more than 6 feet and have a clearance of between 15 ½ and 19 feet will have to go this way. Following this route you go north from Three Rivers, mile 160 of the Erie Canal, to Oswego on Lake Ontario via the Oswego Canal. Then you transit Lake Ontario, proceeding over 150 miles west. The same restrictions on weather and ports as those on Lake Erie, apply on Lake Ontario. To add insult to injury, when you get to the end of Lake Ontario, you must go up the Welland Canal Locks. These locks are not pleasure craft friendly. It's not that the operators are unfriendly, rather these locks primarily serve Great Lakes freighters and as a result frequent delays are experienced. In addition, because the currents in the locks are so strong you are required to have at least three adult crewmembers on board while transiting the canal going west. If you are short one or two crew members they can be hired at the lock at the Lake Ontario end, to assist you through the locks. You will need 8 to 12 hours to transit the locks and there is no stopping overnight within the Welland Canal. In other words, once committed, you keep going until you reach Lake Erie at the other end. 

For more information on the height restrictions and choosing the best route for The Great Loop, purchase a printed Skipper Bob Cruising America's Great Loop or purchase a digital version in the Waterway Guide Mobile App.

I think your omission of the Lake Champlain, Montreal, Ottawa route to get to Trent Severn system is skipping some of the unique boating experiences on the "Loop". Carillon Lock, Ottawa Staircase Locks, Rideau Canal, Kingston Ontario just to name a few. The whole experience from Waterford, NY to the entrance of the Trent Severn was some of the best of the "Loop".

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Bodycam video shows lobster diver pulled to dock after being hit by boat in Florida Keys

The victim, identified as 20-year-old sean bender, was lobstering near the boca chica bridge with another man, steven bender, when he was hit by a 19-foot 1988 stratos, according to an incident report by sgt. j moeller, by briana trujillo • published july 25, 2024 • updated on july 26, 2024 at 6:27 am.

Bodycam video shows the moments a man was pulled onto the dock after being hit by a propeller in the waters of the Lower Keys, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. 

The victim, identified as 20-year-old Sean Bender, was lobstering near the Boca Chica Bridge with another man, Steven Bender, when he was hit by a 19-foot 1988 Stratos, according to an incident report by Sgt. J Moeller.

📺 24/7 South Florida news stream: Watch NBC6 free wherever you are

The operator of that vessel said he was running under the bridge when he saw a person surface directly in front of his boat.

After he struck Bender, the operator stopped and brought both divers on board before driving to Key Haven Boat Ramp, where emergency response crews took Bender and flew him to a Miami hospital at around 8:09 a.m., according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.

The Hurricane season is on. Our meteorologists are ready. Sign up for the NBC 6 Weather newsletter to get the latest forecast in your inbox.

Diver hit by propeller, 2 boats capsize during start of lobster mini-season in South Florida

Brick of ‘bunny' cocaine found floating in Florida Keys by lobster diver

Bender suffered lacerations to his head, neck, right arm and shoulder, the incident report details. He was breathing and “barely responsive.”

From interviews, Moeller gathered that “Steven and Sean had taken the inflatable dinghy from [their vessel, the Grady White,] to an area under the Boca Chica Bridge and were lobstering.”

The operator of the Stratos said he saw a dinghy “approximately two pilings over from where he struck the snorkeler,” and that it did not have a dive flag. 

But a witness on another boat reportedly told a different deputy that there was a dive flag displayed. 

When Moeller went to investigate and take pictures of the scene, the dinghy had been moved back to the Grady White by witnesses on that third boat.

The operator of the vessel does not currently face any charges in the crash.

The first day of lobster mini-season also saw at least two boats capsize and one catch fire in Miami-Dade County .

In Monroe County, four people were rescued from a vessel that was taking on water near Mile Marker 39 and a diver found a "package of suspected cocaine."

The investigation continues.

This article tagged under:

• The Tula Shop
• Tula’s Crew 🏴‍☠️
• Boat Finances
• Tips and Tricks
• Experiences and Opinions
• Traveling with a Dog
• Marina Reviews
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• Mountain Myst Is For Sale
• Recommended Gear

Transiting the Okeechobee Waterway by Boat

Boating Across the Okeechobee Waterway and What You Need to Know

As we start along “Smuggler’s Run” (The Florida Mini Loop), we take you through our days as we motor and even sail through the Okeechobee Waterway – the first stretch of water on our journey around the loop. Based on this experience, below are things you should know if you plan on making this trip.

Map of Okeechobee Waterway

First things First: About the Okeechobee Waterway

If you are traveling in a counter-clockwise direction on the loop like us (learn more about our full route in our blog post here ), the Okeechobee waterway is the FIRST stretch of water you will boat on. This waterway was first developed to shorten the path of going around the entire peninsula to a quick pass through the state for commercial vessels. Today, this still happens but also a tremendous amount of boaters like ourselves use the waterway for recreational purposes. The waterway stretches about 154 miles in distance and at a leisurely pace will take about 2 days to complete by boat.

The Okeechobee Waterway Lock System

In order to make passage across the Okeechobee waterway, you will have to navigate through a system of individual locks and bridges ( what is a lock? ). There are five navigation locks you will need to know about prior to your trip:

• Port Mayaca
• Moore Haven
• W.P. Franklin

You will need to be on channel 13  ( VHF ) to communicate with the lock master. Be sure to keep your fenders out to protect your boat against the hard walls of the locks and make sure you wear a PFD while you are in the lock.

Navigating through the Okeechobee Lock System

Bridges Across the Okeechobee Waterway & Clearance

Depending on how you plan to cross the Okeechobee waterway, you will have to pass under 25-27 bridges. The lowest bridge height you will most likely encounter is the Port Mayaca RR Lift Bridge at a vertical clearance of 49′. There is no waiting for low tide to get underneath this bridge because you are already locked through from sea level. We have heard of a company that will use barrels filled with water to temporarily heal over monohulls that are a little too tall to reduce their height and get them under the bridge.

Here you can find a great resource for a complete list of the bridges, their clearances and operating restrictions publicly provided by BlueSeas: https://www.offshoreblue.com/assets/cruise/notes/oww-bridges.pdf You will also have to be on channel 13 via VHF radio in order to communicate with the opening bridges.

Stops Along the Okeechobee Waterway & Free Docking

The Okeechobee Waterway is a big part of Florida’s rich boating history and so are the towns/cities along it. There are plenty of stops you can make to take quick break from the boat. Amongst the most popular are: Stuart, Indiantown Marina, Moore Haven City Dock, Port LaBelle & Clewistown. At most of these stops you can find a free dock or a dock for cheap – be prepared to possibly have to call ahead to reserve a slip. We recommend stopping in Stuart first to load up on any last groceries or boat provisions.

If you are wanting to make the trip yourself, we hope this informational blog helped. Follow along with us as we post more updates/informational videos about our trip along the Florida Mini Loop. – Billy, Sierra & Jetty 

See what it has been like living on a small sailboat as we navigate through the Okeechobee Waterway  ↓

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2 comments on “ transiting the okeechobee waterway by boat ”.

I want to live on or very near St George Island. My Love needs to visit his older brother in St Mary’s GA. Couris as if we can visit him with our sail boat with a small motor.

Just trying to buy a simple map of the Okeechobee Canal

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The Right Way To Navigate Bridges

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At some point in your travels here and there by boat, you may have to request a bridge opening. Here's how to do it right.

A crowd of boats wait for a timed bridge to open. (Photo: Mel Neale)

Whether you have to deal with bridges only occasionally or every day, you'll probably have to deal with them at least sometimes. If your boat has very little air draft, you may think there's not much to worry about. But there may be, and the issue of whether you're too tall to get under is only one of many. Here's what to expect when your way is blocked by spans of steel and cement with eighteen-wheelers flying overhead.

Barriers To Safe Passage

Obviously, you must avoid bridge pilings and the structure surrounding bridges. But you must also deal with eddies around them, which may affect your steering. Sailboats have particular issues because the wind may change, causing temporary calms or shifts. It is usually imprudent, and often illegal, to use sails to go through a bridge — unless that's your only means of propulsion. The pilings may obstruct vision, which is important regarding oncoming traffic, but also for avoiding small boats that often hang out around the pilings to fish.

Communities often build trailer ramps on one side of bridges. This means that small boats and skiffs may be blithely taking off from behind the pilings, heading into the path of boats coming through the bridge. Whether you're steering around pilings or through a span, all boats must be extra vigilant, using necessary signals and prudent maneuvering. Rules of the Road are very important, not to mention common sense.

Who's On First?

Usually boats must funnel through a particular span of a bridge, which may require opening. Special right-of-way considerations may come into play. For example, if a boat is heading with the current, other boats heading into the current should normally let the boat being pushed come through first. Smaller nimble boats should generally stay out of the way of a large boat with more limited maneuverability. An outboard skiff darting around the bow of a ponderously moving tug and barge may be obscured from view of the pilothouse. This is true anytime, but particularly in areas of restricted maneuverability around a bridge. And what boater can possibly think his engine can never fail at just the wrong time?

Requested Vs. Scheduled

Many bridges must open to let taller boats through. Sometimes these bridges open on request if given proper signal, but many bridges only open at scheduled times. Always signal the bridge for an opening. Signals include horn blasts (usually a long and a short), but most boats call the bridge tender on the VHF. Bridges stand by on channel 9 or 13, depending on location. Call the bridge by its name (e.g., North Landing Bridge, Barefoot Landing Bridge, Seventeenth Street Causeway Bridge). Otherwise the wrong bridge may think you need an opening. Names of bridges and proper VHF channels are best found in updated guidebooks, where you will also find local rules and customs. Be aware that some bridge names may change. For many years, tugs going through the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AICW) swing bridge south of Little River Inlet, South Carolina, called it, melodically, the "Little River Swing" (pronounced "swang.") Now the bridge is named the "Captain Archie Neil 'Poo' McLauchlin Swing Bridge" after a well-known local legend. The captain may be sitting in his favorite establishment watching as you go by.

This sailboat was dismasted by a bridge. Fortunately, no one was injured. (Photo: Mel Neale)

It's often difficult to plan ahead for scheduled bridge openings because typically the current will change in the channel ahead. This is particularly true in areas where inlets or creeks run to larger bodies of water, such as the ocean. A creek may produce current, speeding you along, but as you pass its intersection, the current turns against you. People who simply plug distance to run into a chartplotter are often fooled.

Communication Is Key

Even if the boat ahead of you has requested an opening, you also should request one so that the bridge tender knows how many boats are coming through. We've known bridges to close on boats that haven't properly notified the operator. Often, when the bridge is in the open position, the bridge tender has limited visibility. Going through in a single file line is usually best because boats on the other side may also be coming through and space is limited.

Sometimes a bridge tender will instruct pleasure boats to wait for a tug and barge or other vessels because of that vessel's special needs or space limitation. Pay attention. Keep a VHF tuned to the bridge's operating channel well before you approach the bridge, as well as during the transit, because there may be special issues such as a malfunctioning bridge, a fire/rescue vehicle approaching on the highway, or other problems. If you know in advance, you can slow down and come through when the situation has cleared.

Into The Melee

When you reach a bridge, there may well be a crowd of boating traffic. If the bridge opens only on a schedule or is otherwise restricted (such as bridge work or emergency highway traffic), it is critically important to take into consideration the special maneuvering needs of other boats (including your own) when you're waiting in a crowd. Try to stay clear. For example, often a sailboat will have little control when backing or require a wide turning radius. Large vessels may have very little maneuverability in tight quarters. Often a tug with a barge must simply keep coming, unable to dodge around smaller boats.

Some vessels may have huge windage issues that make steering and positioning very difficult, especially if the wind is blowing across the channel or toward the bridge. Others, such as deep draft vessels, may be susceptible to strong currents pushing them toward the bridge and may need to face away from the bridge into the current or wind until the opening. Then it will have to turn, and there might not be room to do so within its turning radius. And just as boats have different handling characteristics, skippers have different skill levels. We've passed through many bridges over the years, and my favorite tactic is to remain at the end of the line to hopefully avoid trouble. Don't hang too far back, though, because the bridge tender has an obligation to get the highway traffic moving when he can.

To make matters worse, some bridges are situated poorly from a boat operator's perspective. The Wappoo Creek Bridge just south of Charleston, for example, spans a narrow channel that doglegs. The current is immense, and a large boat coming through on a fair tide may have trouble making the turn. And this bridge usually operates on a schedule. Check the charts to get the "lay of the land" long before you approach a bridge.

Watch Out For Power Lines

High-voltage power lines can carry hundreds of thousands of volts across rivers and bays. Power lines that cross navigable waterways are marked on charts with their clearance listed as from the height of mean high water (MHW), which is an average of several years of high tides. If the power lines are near a bridge, their lowest clearances are required to be higher than the bridge. However never take a chance with "close." Floods or surges can diminish the clearance. Also, voltage has been reported to jump from a power line to the mast top even though that mast top may not have actually touched the line. In addition, extremely hot days may cause some sagging, as could wind, lightning, or other damage to the supporting towers.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, should your boat come in contact with a power line, don't jump into the water. The electrical charge may pass through your boat and electrify the surrounding water. The safest approach is to stay in the boat and avoid touching anything metal. Leave the boat only after it has moved away from the line.

— By Charles Fort

How High Is Too Low

Even if you think your boat's air draft can pass under a bridge, you still may need an opening. The theoretical vertical clearance of fixed bridges on the AICW is 65 feet (except for the 56-foot Julia Tuttle Bridge in Miami). But this is "sometimes." An unusually high tide, flooding from excessive rain, or storm tide can make it less. We've seen sailboats dismasted because they underestimated the clearance. Some sailboats will hang loaded dinghies or heavy jugs of water out to the side on a spinnaker pole and a halyard to cause a heel that will allow them through. (Not a good idea!) Most wisely go out to sea for that part of the passage or wait for sufficiently low water. Other waterways besides the AICW have different height restrictions. For example, 55 feet for the Florida Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and 49 feet for the Okeechobee Waterway.

Extra high tides may mean trouble for tall-masted ­vessels. (Photo: Mel Neale)

There are usually tide boards at each bridge that show the vertical clearance at the center of the span (or wherever it's the highest), but sometimes these are damaged. It's difficult to "eyeball" vertical clearance. Standing on your deck and looking up creates an optical illusion making the overhead span seem much closer. Sometimes bridge tenders will help, but often they aren't allowed to because of the liability. If you can't clear the span and you're too close to the steel girders, the current or wind may prevent you from stopping in time.

Trawlers and other "short" boats may have a similar problem with a lower bridge, which they would normally need to open. If that bridge is timed, they may want to get under anyway and this requires absolute knowledge of your boat's air draft and the bridge's vertical clearance. The maximum vertical clearance of many bridges is typically at or near the center of the center span, not off to the side, although there are some significant exceptions to this. Bridge tenders sometimes tell captains to lower antennas and outriggers, etc. Requiring an opening just because you don't want to lower your antenna or outrigger isn't lawful.

It Takes Us All To Tango

When a bridge tender does try to be helpful or give you advice, remember that you're the skipper of your boat and are normally ultimately responsible. Many tenders have little actual experience running boats. Some also will become impatient with ignorant or impolite boaters. However, these incidents are not the rule and are often exaggerated. Bridge tenders must juggle many interests, all with the demands of the situation, which can include winds, tides, storms, currents, and poorly trained skippers. If you do have a problem, the U.S. Coast Guard has a "Bridge Office" in each district that you can contact. Typically bridge tenders are anxious to help, many going out of their way to do so. Some are boaters themselves. It takes all of us to make it work.

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Technical Editor, BoatUS Magazine

One of the top technical experts in the marine industry, Tom Neale, BoatUS Magazine Technical Editor, has won nine first-place awards from Boating Writers International, and is author of the magazine’s popular "Ask The Experts" column. His depth of technical knowledge comes from living aboard various boats with his family for more than 30 years, cruising far and wide, and essentially learning how to install, fix, and rebuild every system onboard himself. A lawyer by training, for most of his career Tom has been an editor and columnist at national magazines such as Cruising World, PassageMaker, and Soundings. He wrote the acclaimed memoir All In The Same Boat (McGraw Hill), as well as Chesapeake Bay Cruising Guide, Vol. 1. These days, Tom and his wife Mel enjoy cruising their 2006 Camano 41 Chez Nous with their grandchildren.

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