There is truly no other word to describe the last week and the week ahead other than bittersweet. We have been putting off our inevitable wake crossing for as long as possible, but all great things must come to an end, whether we like it or not.

We left you last week in Hollywood, Florida, where we found ourselves in a brand-new mooring field. The location and facilities were too good to leave after the weekend, so we stayed put until Wednesday, taking full advantage of the amenities. We also met up with a friend we previously met along the Loop for dinner at an incredible Indonesian restaurant called Krakatoa. This was a cuisine none of us had tried before, and nobody left disappointed. 

When we attended the Miami Boat Show the week prior, we were able to connect with Blu3, a company creating user-friendly dive systems, which is something we’re eager to get into more. Because its facility is so close to Hollywood in Davie, Florida, we were able to get a tour of the facility where it builds all of its Nomad dive systems. The Nomad is a battery-powered dive system that delivers compressed air from the surface through a hose as you breathe underwater to a maximum depth of 30 feet. The company was kind enough to gift us the Nomad Mini, which allows for air up to 15 feet underwater. We absolutely can’t wait to test it out. 

Wednesday morning, we raised the dinghy bright and early and reluctantly made our way 40 miles north to West Palm Beach. This cruise took us under 21 bridges, which is pretty crazy to think about in a 40-mile-radius. Luckily, because our air draft is roughly 18 feet with the antennas up, we only had to open five bridges, and we timed them pretty well! 

Pulling into West Palm Beach was another one of those “full-circle” moments. Evan and I own a townhouse in West Palm Beach, and it’s where we lived for the previous two years before departing for the Great Loop. Our home is rented out for the year, so there was no going back for a night of sleep on land, but that didn’t stop us from returning to all our old stomping grounds with our buddy boat Slacker in tow. We took them to some of our favorite spots, including:

• Spruzzo, the rooftop bar and restaurant atop The Ben Hotel
• Elisabetta’s for a delicious Italian dinner
• Drinks at Swifty’s, the poolside bar at The Colony Hotel
• A walk through the iconic Breakers Hotel on Palm Beach Island

The week ended with a little backtracking as we drove back south for the Fort Lauderdale Trawlerfest. Jeff Merrill with Jeff Merrill Yacht Sales extended an invitation for us to join his “Ask the Experts” panel, where we received many questions about the Great Loop. Although we may not personally consider ourselves experts by any means, it was inspiring to meet many people who watch our YouTube videos and are now planning their own Loop adventure. We hope that people stop putting off their dreams for “someday” — that day may never come if you don’t work to make it happen now.

We are now just one move away from crossing our wake and calling ourselves Gold Loopers. Cheers to the adventure.