Exploring the Exumas - We tested our Ultra anchor

This time on Distant Shores we continue exploring the Bahamas in the Exumas with incredible beaches, interesting wildlife and review the performance of our Ultra Anchor.
00:30 George Town Introduction
02:20 A Beach to Yourself - Stocking Island
04:03 Leaf Cay Iguanas
06:23 Hawksbill Cay Loyalist ruins
08:18 Shroud Cays creeks dinghy exploration
10:56 Normans Cay drug plane snorkelling
11:36 Ultra Marine Anchor review
#sailing #sailinglife #bahamas #exumas #hurricanedorian #Southerly480 #DiscoveryYachtsGroup #offshore #snorkelling
Principal photography by Paul and Sheryl Shard.
We get our music from Epidemic Sound
00:01 Midnight Walk
02:09 Sand Between my Toes
04:17 Pina Coladas
06:23 Leaning Back Again
08:18 Written in Sand - Stray Bandit
11:18 Midnight Walk

[@LearnToSailMexico]

The Ultra anchor is such a smarty engineered piece, and works even better than it looks. We’ve been living aboard cruising fulltime for 2.5 years now in all kinds of conditions and our ultra has never failed. We drop it and it sets just on the weight of the boat moving back with the breeze or in current. Our anchorage here in La Paz is well known for fast tides and 180 wild swings. We have not budged in any conditions, regardless of bottom composition. Of course, we don’t anchor on rock bottom! Nor should you...lol. It’s by far the best investment in our boats security we’ve made. Was worth every penny.

[@ultramarine9942]

💙

[@AdamPearce]

As a new cruiser I find Anchor reviews incredibly useful - the comments on grass holding is especially good to know. Thank you!

[@dahveed284]

Be careful what you type. I mentioned that somewhere and now that's mainly what KZbin is recommending. There is a lot of Anchor content out there. I've seen much of it...

[@MetalMike50]

And a lot of sponsor deals going on. I wonder if this was sponsored content.

[@buzz-es]

It never gets old, thank you.

[@MonkPetite]

Again it such a beautiful ship. The sail plan plus rigging looks awesome and very sufficient. Thanks for the anchor update ..

[@JLDNEWS]

You are a real inspiration to me... I finally decide to sale everything and buy a catamaran to live onboard with my wife and my baby daughter. We going to move to a Lagoon 450 tomorrow morning 28 September, we are so exited and hope to sleep little bit. Then start sailing in Phuket Thailand until the boarder reopens again ! Thanks again ❤️❤️❤️

[@DistantShoresTV]

That is awesome! Thanks for sharing this exciting news with us! All the best Sailing Crystal Clear.

[@Bakanelli]

11:48 what a lovely and healthy chain

[@yaa63]

Gorgeous images...such interesting stories

[@williambunting803]

Some beautiful video. Thanks.

[@donwilson1061]

Nice way to spend a few minutes while sipping my morning coffee! Beautifully filmed and narrated!!

[@ronblume3071]

You do one of the more interesting vlogs with a bit of history and some beautiful dinghy trips and running on the beach and that water clarity...WOW!! 👏👏👏

[@DistantShoresTV]

Thanks Ron! Glad you're enjoying the videos. Exuma waters are so amazing out was a pleasure filming there!

[@camdaman813]

🇧🇸Awesome. Thanks for visiting

[@bestfriendsrving-sailing8329]

BTW thank you for sharing your videos. We love them.

[@neilnewton9023]

Love and Respect ❤🙏 from the 242🇧🇸

[@mojotrinity4927]

You two are AWESOME 👍

[@michalturlik7309]

Nicely filmed. Thanks

[@davidgilbert]

Enjoyed that - thanks!

[@billthomson6605]

Great Video Beautiful water

[@bowwave59]

Beautiful 👌👍

[@johnboyf-15vet51]

Just found your channel. Great video. You can always tell what a channel is like by the comments and reply’s . Your subscribers have excellent comments and your responses are excellent also. I love sailing the bahamas, but now that I am retired I am switching to the dark side, a power cat. Living on the gulf coast I plan on making many trips to the bahamas. And yes I SUBBED! Looking forward to seeing all your videos and the ones to come. Johnboy.

[@robertomujicagomez6826]

Excelente !

[@dungagin7896]

Fantastic ! Beautiful video, beaches, boat, wildlife and last but not least - people ! Thank you very much for sharing - this is my first view of your channel and I had to subscribe ! Bravo! Lex from Scotland.

[@DistantShoresTV]

Thanks for the kind words and welcome aboard Dunga Gin!

[@lesabre1972]

I love your boat the way you can beach it is awesome and it is a very good looking boat also.

[@davidc6510]

Paul & Cheryl you both are awesome. So much knowledge and experience and you still keep bringing it after so many years of normal TV to KZbin. I am middle age and you both give me inspiration that I could possibly go cruising in my retirement years to explore all these beautiful places. Thank you so very much for what you do. Cheers!

[@DistantShoresTV]

Thanks David! Nice to hear you're enjoying and find inspiration in our videos!

[@SailingSquib]

Don´t wait for retirement, you don´t know how healthy and long you live.

[@davidc6510]

@@SailingSquib I am headed to Grenada this December to do a week long sailing course! I am pretty pumped up about it!

[@ProjetoCapoeirando]

Sheryl and Paul don’t forget to give me the heads up when you come to Brazil, I want to meet you. Safe journey! Love you, thanks for teaching me bunches of things.

[@DistantShoresTV]

You're welcome! I sure hope we do get to Brazil one day!

[@HyperionMV]

I’m thinking of changing my CQR to an Ultra, thanks for the insight. I missed meeting you guys at the Annapolis show as you were not at the Southerly dock when I stopped by so I will share here the anecdote and thanks I was going to share with you there. When putting together my nefarious plan to convice my wife to not only start cruising with me but take off on the Great Loop and then Europe I used your Paris video as the coup de grâse. I had worked many a machiavellian ploy to slowly bring her over tho the “dark side” but I had only achieved reluctant resignation and what I wanted was geunine enthusiasm. Showing her your Paris arrival video with the tunnel tipped her fully into my ploy and I finally saw genuine excitement in her eyes. I did have to buy a trawler instead of a sailboat but during this 1.5 year cruise we are on with our sailing 7yo daughter I am hatching a new plan. Thank you for all the vids, specially the Paris one and the technical ones.

[@DistantShoresTV]

Sorry we missed you in Annapolis! I like your cunning plan! :-) We do quite enjoy the waterway trips and I hope the "Great Loop" works out. We have only done half of that trip and would like to hear what you think after you've done it with your trawler!

[@SailingSquib]

To change a CQR is always a good decission

[@LearnToSailMexico]

You won’t regret it, it’s by far the best anchor on the market today

[@gafrers]

Fantastic places, great narration as usual.

[@DistantShoresTV]

Thanks gafrers

[@ch-traveladdict3247]

Oh how much I miss my lovely Exuma....

[@sausage5849]

Another very nice production!

[@DistantShoresTV]

Thanks Sausage :)

[@tomtiernan8134]

Another interesting and solid video. Appreciate the equipment reviews from experienced sailors.

[@timogaleon1630]

Such a truly beautiful location! Certainly brightens up a cold Damp November day here in the UK. Interesting to see your Ultra anchor again, after I washed off the Thames mud you still had clinging on, back at Hythe Marina Village! I couldn’t justify the Ultra anchor, but I did buy the Ultra Flip Swivel, which is a wonderful device, and worth every penny. I’m sure you will have found the same. Safe travels and keep on posting the videos!

[@DistantShoresTV]

Thanks Timo 😊❤️ We loved the Hythe Marina! Excellent cruising base for sure!

[@oliviapatricia5573]

Prime Island Meats in Hooper's Bay just outside of Georgetown is another great option for provisioning. Their meat and deli selection is the best on the island. Happy sailing!

[@kurdiansyahsiauw8202]

Nice video. I like to watch your video. Greetings from Indonesia.

[@DistantShoresTV]

Thanks Kurdiansyah 😊💕❤️

[@hakonolavdahle]

Thank you for yet another fantastic video. Paul, please let me know if you should shift lane 😉

[@wilfdarr]

Always so beautifully filmed. Thanks again for sharing it with us all.

[@PopleBackyardFarm]

What gorgeous footage! New friend Ruthie

[@dexterm7466]

Love your vids, ...from rainy Vancouver

[@jwrappuhn71]

Good vid ya'll.

[@jean-pierregermain6854]

We have an ULTRA 35 kg on our Amel Super Maramu. (53 ft) After 4 yers of almostv daily anchoring, we never dragged if we set it correctly... we are very pleased with it and sleep well at anchor. Enjoy yourselves. SY Eleuthera, Opua NZ

[@serhataydin9873]

It's really nice place

[@simoncorporation3]

Inspiring to watch as always. Excellent music referral, thanks for sharing.

[@bbbvvhk]

Thanks

[@raneishalawrence8377]

Loved the video. I actually work at Exuma Markets. Keep up the good work.

[@DistantShoresTV]

We'll see you in a couple of weeks as we head to the Exumas tomorrow.!

[@user-ke8ib1fh6q]

У моему большому огорчению, не владею английским. Но всё равно с огромным удовольствием смотрю ваши ролики.Супер!!!

[@sailingsyfie4713]

I have to visit Bahamas one day ❤️

[@colin.chaffers]

Good job, up to your usual standard, love the run on the beach

[@mds-lf3kl]

Hello to my favourite cruising couple 🤗 Once again a beautiful video! I’ve been at Düsseldorf BOOT 2020 and dared to preorder an Ultra Anchor 🤪 Yes, they are sooooo pretty! What does yours look like nowadays, after all this use? Still shiny, oder utterly scratched and beaten? As much as I want to receive mine in a few weeks, I don’t want to really use it. 😅 Greetings from a German fan 👋

[@richardmondio7216]

When I die I wanna go to the Bahamas ...😍

[@DistantShoresTV]

lol I recommend you try to get there sooner :-)

[@guidojt]

Great video. Awesome boat. Did you ever tell us how much one would cost in 2019?

[@darz3]

Thanks for another great video. Since you have a stainless anchor I was curious about the swivel/ shackle connection to your chain, dissimilar metals?

[@LearnToSailMexico]

Have the same anchor and swivel with galvanized chain, and it effects the first few links. When the link making contact wastes beyond an appropriate tolerance, you cut that link off and attach anew. That will probably take over a year anchoring 24/7 in warm high current conditions. Less of an issue than dragging, or the anchor itself rusting.

[@Sirena_Edonismo]

I'm really glad to hear that you like your Ultra Anchor. I waiting delivery on my Sirena 58 which is coming in December. It has the Ultra 45 KG (100 lb.) anchor. I'm excited to see how well it works myself.

[@DistantShoresTV]

Sounds like a good choice. Thats a lovely cruiser!

[@Sirena_Edonismo]

Distant Shores TV Thank you. Hope to see you out on the water

[@svZia-Switch51]

See you in the Exumas this December!

[@DistantShoresTV]

we'll look out for you!

[@S1lentJoy]

Beautiful video. Quick question, as I know you had a Rocna before. How does it compare? Do you prefer it? It's also gorgeous

[@LearnToSailMexico]

These anchors are far better than a rocna. We own an ultra, and I’ve anchored with rocnas in the past...no comparison. Rocna’s do drag, I’ve experienced it first hand and seen many with rocna’s drag around us...never have we budged with our ultra

[@kadriatalay6731]

Thanks for the informative and fun video! Always a big fan! I remember that you have also tested Rocna anchor in the past.. After testing the Ultra, which one do you prefer in different bottoms i.e. sand, mud, rock, weed, etc..? Rocna, Ultra, or some other anchor for different bottoms? Or do you think Ultra is better in all bottoms?

[@DistantShoresTV]

Thanks Kadri! We have enjoyed both the Rocna and Ultra (which is super beautiful). The new boat has a bow sprit and won't fit either. The sprit is drawn to fit the Rocna Vulcan so it will be a new anchor to test :-)

[@kadriatalay6731]

@@DistantShoresTV 😆Can't wait see your new test, and hear what you think about the Vulcan! Happy Sailing, and Happy New Year!

[@jackbrown5269]

I really like the Paul's hat, please can you tell me brand and model ? I want to buy one identical!

[@srupp9271]

MAY be somebody asked this question before and if so I'm sorry.What kind of bottom paint do you use?And are you happy with it? Your bottom looks mostly pretty decent. Do you do a lot of scraping. I'm trying to research opinions on bottom paint for Florida and the Bahamas. Thanks?

[@bedengler]

Awesome pictures, very inspiring! Which microphone are you using for example @5:34? I'm asking, because it wipes out background noise very well...or is this done in post production? Thanks for your time and feedback in advance...

[@DistantShoresTV]

Yes it was done in post-production since we didn't use our wireless microphone. We rerecorded the audio in the studio :-)

[@bedengler]

@@DistantShoresTV Wow, well done then! ;)

[@SailingBrickHouse-RVLife]

Gosh...the trash...something we all do without even thinking about it...but never have seen it in a video! Just discovered your channel...not sure what took us so long :) We are looking forward new backup anchor and never even considered the Ultra...Rebecca

[@LearnToSailMexico]

We have the ultra, fantastic anchor. Should be your primary!! We made our spade our backup anchor. We’re pretty well set come hell and high water

[@SailingBrickHouse-RVLife]

Saltwest Co Sailing will have to take a look. It’s hard to find any good anchors at all here in S Africa. But this old CQR is not allowed back on this boat. Our Manson Supreme is AWESOME. But we need an awesome backup too! -Rebecca

[@DistantShoresTV]

Glad you found our channel Patrick & Rebecca. We have been making sailing television programs for nearly 30 years but only in the last few years really embraced KZbin. I'll check out your channel too :-)

[@garygerard4290]

beautiful boat I enjoy seeing some grey in your hair safe seas to you

[@juneblack7979]

Beautiful anchor. It does not appear that you have the anchor swivel attachment? What are your thoughts on it?

[@LearnToSailMexico]

We have this anchor with the swivel and it’s unbelievably reliable in every condition we’ve been in. The swivel flips the anchor at the roller if it’s ever not oriented correctly, works very well.

[@scyz2807]

I am wondering, did you ever get hit by the rain storm while out in the dinghy?

[@garyamatthews1]

Where are you guys now, I’m in the Exumas for a few days... blessings, Gary

[@DistantShoresTV]

Hi Gary, We're in Jacksonville heading south towards the Berry's tomorrow :-)

[@billdomb]

It's from May and just getting the video out???

[@christopherstrate2512]

Is there a reason you continue to sail a monohull? Did you ever consider changing to a catamaran?

[@Teeg60]

Maybe I missed it........do you go to the marina's often more than needing fuel to pump your black water?

[@DistantShoresTV]

Our happiest times are at anchor but yes we do go to marinas for fuel and pump outs, if we're going to do a large provisioning when it's more convenient to be at a dock than hefting stuff in the dinghy and for security if we're going to leave the boat for awhile to explore ashore. Hope this answers your question.

[@bestfriendsrving-sailing8329]

We've seen some anchorages in current that switches direction. How does your anchor perform if you are in a channel that the boat swings around?

[@LearnToSailMexico]

We have this anchor and are currently in an anchorage renowned for its tides vs wind with frequent 180’s, wind blowing you forward over the anchor, etc and it never budges an inch. We’ve seen so many other boats drag in storms while we dig in deeper and never have to worry about our anchor not setting.

[@DistantShoresTV]

I agree with Saltwest Co Sailing and we have not had ours slip when the wind/tide turns 180. Excellent anchor all round :-)

[@CREATIVESOLUTIONS23]

How do you pull up the anchor?

[@k.v.5888]

Noticed this was from May. Do you know how these particular islands look now that hurricane Dorian came through?

[@DistantShoresTV]

The Exumas were untouched by Dorian. We are heading back there right now!

[@k.v.5888]

@@DistantShoresTV Thank you so much for your reply! This is wonderful news! Enjoy your time there!

[@raneishalawrence8377]

K. Valentine Freeport and abaco (the northern islands) were devastated but thanks for asking. Our island was spared🙏🏾

[@1975Per]

Have you ever tried to see how the anchor behaves if it's turned 180 degrees and flips over or land upside down? I'm wondering since there's no roll bar.

[@DistantShoresTV]

If it does go upside down it will drag for a while before righting. I tested it by flipping it over. However in real life Have never seen it land upside down. The anchor is designed with a hollow shank and lead in the tip to avoid it landing improperly :-)

[@LearnToSailMexico]

We have the ultra anchor and have been living in a high current anchorage with 180 tidal changes and upwards of 4.5 knots current, and wind against that...the anchor never gets uprooted, has never drug, has never not immediately set upon impact with the bottom, and will not stay upside down for more than a few seconds it purposely flipped upside down. It’s incredibly well engineered..smartest anchor on the market and worth every penny as an insurance policy against dragging.

[@tlteal]

What did you think of the "ultra" anchor? Did it hold? Under stiff wind?

[@DistantShoresTV]

We have had several anchors on our boats over the years and we have found the ultra anchor to have the best holding in all conditions. The fact that it is so shiny means you can often see its location even in murky water.

[@tlteal]

@@DistantShoresTV super helpful.. thank you! I just installed the 60lb. looking forward to trying it.

[@CaptMarkSVAlcina]

Hi Guys, I can not find out where to look for your sail away trips.

[@DistantShoresTV]

HeCapt Mark. Here’s the link distantshores.ca/sail-away/sail-away-schedule/

[@billblendick9780]

What drone do you use ?

[@DistantShoresTV]

This show we were shooting with the Phantom 4 and the Mavic Air :-)

[@billblendick9780]

Distant Shores TV Thank you for the reply. Love both the content of your shows and also the quality of the photography/footage.

[@henriquehenrique733]

What,s the sailboat?

[@karena.buckley1190]

Are you still offering Sail Away Cruises?

[@DistantShoresTV]

Yes! Check out the link distantshores.ca/sailaway-weeks/introduction/ We'll be putting up more cruises shortly :-)

[@scarlettshinbi]

Where is the place in your thumbnail?

[@sy-ronja3613]

Could not agree more, first thing I bought when I purchased my Moody 45 DS was an Ultra Anker to secure my floating home 😁

[@martinmeyers8174]

Better than Rocnor?

[@LearnToSailMexico]

Far superior to the rocna

[@user-xn2mg7jk5h]

Maybe the angle but it looks like your boat is literally sitting on the beach lol.

[@5350nbrookmist]

I guess there's not much need for an anchor when you let the tide do it for you!

[@GregCantori]

Not Enslaved Servents - That makes the horrific treatment of fellow human beings too nice sounding

[@dahveed284]

What happened to the Rocna (sp?) anchor. I thought that was the love of your anchoring life? Now you've cheated on "Rocky" and left him/her/it for Ultra. Are you settled down with this anchor, or are you eying another and about to break Ultra's heart?

[@LearnToSailMexico]

We have an ultra and there’s no comparison. Rocna’s can/do/have dragged, the ultra doesn’t. We live aboard 24/7 for years now

[@megamilyon6111]

I love your videos and I dont want to nitpick, BUT.....you said the locals were friendly and trusting. Did you know the Bahamas as one of the highest homicide rates in the world ? They average about 31 homicides per 100,000 people. Thats extremely high !!!! America total rate is 4.9 per 100,000 and our worst cities are usually around 17-28 per 100,000

[@luciano76464]

Questa barca non ha la chiglia? O ce l'ha retrattile?

[@therealxavier123]

im sixteen and i plan on buying a boat between 18 and 20 so i can be ready to go around 22