Motor Yacht Cruising - Anchorage Misery In Miami

A few years ago we anchored out in Miami for the first time. Based on that experience where we had the anchorage virtually to ourselves, we headed there again for another weeknight stop between Marathon in the Florida Keys and Palm Beach. After nine+ hours on the water we were ready for a calm and peaceful night against the backdrop of the beautiful Miami skyline. It wasn't to be.
Join us for the journey and the chaos with some cool sights along the way including the fascinating and iconic Stiltsville community of homes hovering above the water just off of Biscayne Bay. And wait until you see the gourmet lunch the Admiral whipped up this time!
Oh, and did we mention the chaos? Enjoy…
-
Worthy of note... We get that in some anchorages there’s lots of chaos, loud partying is the norm and that if we don’t like it we can go somewhere else. This anchorage does have a documented reputation of being a weekend party spot. In this case, it was the middle of the week and we were struck by how different the experience was this time under similar circumstances. It simply defied our expectations. Lesson learned.
We aim to give you a feel for what life's like aboard for us and hope you enjoy it, perhaps relate to it or maybe even learn something. But it's simply our story and the way we do things. Nothing more, nothing less.
Thanks for coming along! Please leave any questions or comments below.
For more on our adventures, join us on Facebook and at myoloh.com.
---
⏰⏰⏰
00:00 Intro
00:38 Departure Preps
04:05 Departure
03:23 Crew Briefing
04:31 Departure
05:03 Morning Update and Float Plan
07:34 Window Washing Underway
08:59 Late Morning Report
10:45 Lunch Is Served!
11:22 Outer Reef Encounter
11:58 Follow Our Adventure
12:15 Afternoon Update
12:59 Stiltsville
14:01 Biscayne Bay
14:16 Anchorage Arrival
16:53 Bell Ringing Time
17:23 A Loud Night

[@unpilot1]

Glad I found your channel....very well done and easy to follow. I retired as an airline pilot after 30 years and decided to travel this beautiful country by land in a 45" Motor coach. Did this the last 3 years but have now got the boating itch! Knowing nothing about boating, it helps to have videos like yours to follow. Thanks!

[@OLOH]

Hey Ken - we're so glad you found us! And thanks so much for the kind words - we're so glad to share a bit of what we've picked up over the years. Pilots do make excellent boaters, naturally. And that's who you want to buy a boat from if you ever can. We've got lots more on our website that may interest you - www.myoloh.com. Please don't ever hesitate to reach out if there are any questions you have along your exploratory journey. Cheers!

[@thecroftericmiller496]

Love the quote. “Jasper was happy to see the crew team”. I’m thinking the admiral was very happy to see the crew team. Hahaha 😂

[@Corvette_pilot]

Miami never sleeps!

[@OLOH]

😎

[@taylorcoloton6703]

Jasper is looking great as always! And so are you two! Miss you two and hope all is well! Hope to see you this summer. ❤

[@OLOH]

Thanks Taylor! We'll definitely see you this summer. Cheers!

[@billlowe9417]

One of my top 3-4 YT channels. Awesome dudes and awesome adventures. What more could you ask for.

[@OLOH]

You're too kind Bill - thanks so much!

[@CoastalBoating]

Haha, you guys sure had a wild time in Miami this go-around! Loved seeing the Stiltsville houses and that lunch looked amazing! 😋 It's crazy how different the anchorage was this time, but hey, that's life on the water. Thanks for keeping it real and sharing your adventures with us. Can't wait to see where you're off to next! Keep it up and stay safe out there!

[@OLOH]

Thanks so much CB!

[@donaldwatson554]

Well Done gentlemen, I was super excited to see in my notifications that a new video from OLOH was in my queue. We have just under 60 days here in Michigan for boating season to start, can’t wait! Safe travels , Cheers!

[@scottgibson6735]

You have,a really nice boat, and Jasper,is just too cute. Thank you for the video

[@OLOH]

Thank you Scott - from the whole Crew including Jasper 😎

[@cliffcohen6517]

Another great video! Since Covid everyday seems like a party day! Enjoyed seeing you in your environment!

[@OLOH]

Thanks Cliff. It's not always fun, but it's always interesting. Cheers!

[@dermos9928]

Great video. I liked seeing the startup routine.

[@BellsRidesAboardSeaBoss]

Great to find your channel. Jasper is a cutie and very patient indeed. Thank you for sharing the anchorage, we are new to Florida area and learning what it has to offer.

[@OLOH]

So glad you found us - welcome! And Jasper appreciates the kind words as well 😊

[@user-ry3vn2fb3d]

This is the best boating channel on KZbin. Amazing content, keep it up! Loving the detailed explanations.

[@OLOH]

Thanks so much Blake - you are too kind. Cheers!

[@cathrynmcpartland1752]

OMG! Memories of holidays in the USVI. The boats come from the west, filled with people, drinks and food. If you are at the marina trying to prep for a charter, the music is loud, all the lawn furniture is out on the pier and later, the “happy” people are dancing. Your stay in Miami anchorage brought back memories, for sure. But …. Also so nice to see you three again. Don’t wait so long next time! 😊❤

[@OLOH]

Thanks Cathryn! So glad we could bring back some memories. It's all part of the journey, right? Cheers!

[@johnschieffelin3226]

Fun video, I appreciate your meticulous pre-underway check list and cruise planning that includes several anchoring options.

[@OLOH]

Thanks so much John. We appreciate that you appreciate that 😎 Careful prep and planning makes for a much more relaxing journey.

[@user-mj6sl9qv8j]

oh boy, I can't cope with those anchorages either, but yes what a view. I don't even enjoy them when we want a party - I prefer for us to be out somewhere remote so we can make as much noise as we want without bothering others and then when we're done its back to nature.

[@OLOH]

That is the perfecrt plan! Cheers!!

[@MY_SOLACE]

Great to see you guys back cruising. Very entertaining. If you think Míami Anchorage was a bit rowdy, should have seen it back in Miami Vice days. 😂

[@OLOH]

We can only imagine! Thanks Carlos. Cheers!

[@brucewatts2022]

Welcome back! Great boating video! Love the night time video!

[@OLOH]

Thanks Bruce!

[@tomkelly2497]

Hi Fellas! Enjoyed your video and look forward to the next one. Trish and I wish you both well and hope to cross paths in 2024, thinking we will be on the move by then;) All the best TnT

[@OLOH]

Always great to hear from you two and thanks, as always, for the kind words. Perhaps there will even be a moment in '23 as we're passing through your neck of the woods. Cheers!

[@papasquat355]

Glad to see you guys back in southern waters. Almost time to clean our little boat and get back to lake life in Ga.

[@lindahancock431]

Yay!!! So good to see you back on the water; however, did we miss the trip from NY to Marathon? A surprise to see you in Marathon and on the way back to Miami. And what a lovely lunch Admiral! Your meals always make my mouth water. Looking forward to all your adventures this boating season. Happy and safe travels and thanks for sharing your adventures.

[@bronco1199]

Looks like a really fun adventure. Safe travels.

[@OLOH]

Definitely fun and always an adventure! Thanks for watching.

[@brendasteen4016]

We had a similar experience at Oleta state park. The boats had disco lights. We were packed in like sardines. The next day was paradise after everyone cleared out.

[@brucebeard978]

You are much better at “rolling with it” than I am. As always, the video allows me to be there. I love it!

[@OLOH]

Ha! You do what you have to do and as we say, may it be the worst of our problems. Ring ring!!

[@brucebeard978]

Ring! Ring!

[@leobenitez1393]

Great video captain ❤

[@OLOH]

Thanks Leo!

[@MoviesSam]

Just discovered your channel. Awesome vids. I'm hooked. I had a nice Egg Harbor a few years ago and your videos really make me miss that boat.

[@OLOH]

Thanks so much Sam - we're glad you found us! Those Egg Harbors are terrific boats. Cheers!

[@cehoudek]

Great video as always! I particularly like that you show the process that you go through to get underway. Do you perform engine room checks while you are underway? You have a beautiful boat and certainly know how to care for her.

[@OLOH]

Thanks so much for the kind words Chris - and we're glad you enjoyed the video. We do engine room checks underway every one to two hours.

[@darrellyoung9586]

Back in the 70's I raced my boat at the Miami Marine Stadium. No anchoring allowed.

[@OLOH]

A lot of history in that spot - good, bad and ugly. What a fun place it must have been to race!

[@robbie2187]

You guys passed me on the Chesapeake Bay heading north,I believe you turned off and went to Annapolis,I was on my 42 trawler heading home to Syracuse.I’ll be flying to NC to pick up my boat around Wilmington and head home again May9,2023 maybe we’ll pass again.

[@OLOH]

Hope to see you out there!

[@ejr5480]

Oh no! A life preserver on the dog!!! WTF??

[@OLOH]

Perhaps it's not common where and how you boat but it's not unusual at all among cruising boaters. Ever try to lift a wet 90lb dog onto a boat after they've accidentally fallen in and are panicking? We hope we never have to but it will be a whole lot easier and safer with his lifejacket.

[@thomasalbert6356]

Love watching the channel and your adventures. Did you have the boat taken south for you this year? Is that your norm? Our boat is wintering at Atlantic Yacht Basin and these videos are giving us the itch to get back on our waters which are the Upper Chesapeake. Keep posting and we will keep watching!

[@OLOH]

Thanks so much Thomas! OLOH is actually having a yard period up north right now (our YT videos are not always close to real time). You'll back underway before you know it and we hope to see you out there!

[@thomasalbert6356]

Ok. Thanks. Getting the yacht controller installed on our Dettling 51 this month. Looking forward to seeing how smooth the process is. Thanks again!

[@MOTORVESSELFREEDOM]

New York to Keys…Boy you guys are fast…I missed those episodes…lol..Have a blast cruising. I despise being in Miami…lol….I would rather be at No Name North Basin…

[@OLOH]

We've always wanted to try out No Name. The guidance we've gotten over the years is that you can't rely on having space, particularly at our size, when arriving late in the day. May it be the worst of our problems 😎

[@MOTORVESSELFREEDOM]

@@OLOH You stay outside…I hate crowds and always stay 1/2 mile off No Name

[@EscapeMiami]

Next time stop in at No Name Harbor, or Dinner Key. The Marine Stadium is nice sometimes but that little island is really popular for loud music. Also No Name is close to ocean access and much easier in and out of. But admit it you has a great view of Miami that night!

[@OLOH]

Thanks for the suggestions. We've always wanted to do No Name but from what we've come to understand, it's tough to count on a spot when arriving late in the day, particularly for a sixty footer. Dinner Key has been on our radar and we may give it a shot. Cheers!

[@2sbyc]

No Name Harbor for sure. That’s a beautiful spot.

[@AarononYoutube]

What a cute couple

[@OLOH]

☺️

[@bindatek8801]

Nice to see you cruising to Miami. Great place to be, but a bit on the wild side. Jasper did not look too happy though. I just hate people who play load music from boats too, the sound carries so far. Get some earplugs for the next visit!! Take care!

[@OLOH]

Thanks John! Jasper was perturbed but as you saw, we made it through. We're big believers in respecting other people's' space but we also get that that's just how it is in some spots. We just weren't expecting it on a weeknight. Oh well - lesson learned. Cheers!

[@Living_Lodka]

Enjoyed the video as always boys. Hope all is well.

[@OLOH]

Thanks so much - glad you enjoyed it!

[@cestmoi1262]

Glad to see you again. Was wondering: aren't there any videos from coming South? The Admiral is quite an accomplished food connoisseur. Ever gave a recipe book a thought? I am basically a "gourmette" but every time you show a plate it makes my mouth water.

[@OLOH]

The Admiral is flattered☺️. We'll have some upcoming videos from the trip north and are hoping to update our southbound series after the next journey to lower latitudes. Cheers!

[@dandersonjr]

Well I guess they all can't be perfect days even on a beautiful yacht such as OLOH.

[@OLOH]

As we've said to others, it may not always be fun but it's always interesting. May it be the worst of our problems 😊

[@stephenscott963]

Absolutely love you guys are back! I wanted to ask your thoughts on doing Hawks Channel vs running outside? I haven’t done either as of yet, but heard Hawks Channel is heavy with traps, divers, reefs, rocks, wrecks etc, is it something you always do, and or thoughts? Also I wanted to ask as a new boater, and I feel a little weird I’m even asking, but I always the one asking you to explain technical items that definitely has helped me learn, but would there be any possible way to send me all your pre and departure etc lists, I’d compensate you, or buy you many cocktails when we run into each other! OR, do you know of a site that I a use to download these lists? I know we have to really list things as we learn, but don’t want to ruin anything coming from outboards to diesel!! I think u seem to be pretty OCD in a great way like me, so I really respect all you do,your kind of guru if you didn’t know that by now! Great to see you back on the water, can’t wait for the new videos! Thanks!

[@OLOH]

Hey Stephen - thanks so much for all the kind words. Regarding Hawk Channel, it's always our preferred route for the miles it saves and the protection it offers. We have never gone further out when traveling the ocean side of the Keys. The traps are a factor in season but at our speed (ten knots) it's more of a nuisance than anything else. You never stay on autopilot for too long when they're heavy. This is one of the most well-traveled routes in south Florida and any known hazards are well charted and a non-issue. If you stay in the channel there is plenty of water and there are no rocks or wrecks to worry about. We've never come across a dive boat in the channel. Don't ever feel weird about asking us stuff! One of the biggest reasons we put this all out there is to hopefully pay forward a bit of what we've learned along the way. Shoot us a note at [e-mail] and we should be able to send you some of our checklists. Cheers!

[@stephenscott963]

Sent you my email, will start with Saltlife7, thanks again, you guys are the best!

[@coldnapalmFJ]

It’s Miami, you’re going to be stuck with coke fueled vessels relentlessly. Come back to the keys for the chiller side of boating.

[@rorygielarowski972]

Looks like Spring Break to me?

[@OLOH]

Sure looks that way but it wasn't. Apparently just another Wednesday night in Miami 😎

[@stbroker1]

Welcome to the party capital of US! 😂

[@OLOH]

😆

[@johnkosowski3321]

Did you check out no name harbor on your way there?

[@OLOH]

We did not. We have always wanted to stay there but have heard from many people that it's not always reliable for available space late in the day, particularly when it's such good travel weather and we didn't want to add the extra time onto our already long day. Thanks for watching!

[@rebbuckley]

Crazy anchorage? You guys make me feel bad about Block Island on the 4th - that is a "packed anchorage".

[@OLOH]

Ha! Block is definitely its own kind of chaos. But you go there expecting it. And now we have a new expectation of this Miami anchorage (though we'll likely never return). Mudslides for all!

[@cruising5to1]

I noticed that most of those loud boats were Sea Rays. Is that standard equipment or the standard personality of Sea Ray owners? 😂

[@OLOH]

Ha! Those two very colorful express cruisers behind us late into the night were, in fact, late model Sea Rays. It appeared that they were crewed day charter boats so nothing surprised us. And we hear ya - but as former Sea Ray owners, we can attest that it is not standard. But your observation is hard to ignore 😁 Cheers!

[@patricksmith3781]

Why don't y'all go to the Bahamas?

[@derjaeger3321]

Put on a Wagner Opera, crank up the audio to 11 and watch the disco types heads explode.

[@OLOH]

Oh, trust us - we thought of doing that. Cheers!

[@luvtheoldusa]

We are leaving June 8 out of Sarasota for marathon. Where were you staying ? We were thinking Faro bronco then to stock island village. Your thoughts? 60’ Hatt

[@OLOH]

We were at a private, non-transient marina in Marathon in the Key Colony area, away from the harbor. We prefer Marathon Marina (Safe Harbor) to Faro Blanco if it's just for a night or two. If it's for a longer stay, Marlin Bay is a nice option but it's very exposed in nasty weather. For Key West we love Stock. But that part of the trip all depends on what experience you're looking for. The Perry at Stock is a destination unto itself and a bit of work to get into Key West proper. At the Key West Bight you're obviously right by all the action. The Galleon is where we would stay there.

[@luvtheoldusa]

@@OLOH thanks for the feedback you guys have been there so often your input is valuable thanks again

[@mikehlavinka2964]

Isn't Wednesday the start of the weekend? LOL

[@OLOH]

At the latest!

[@MOTORVESSELFREEDOM]

Do u have Dockmate on yacht controller

[@OLOH]

Yacht Controller. Dockmate wasn't on the market when we bought OLOH in 2017. We've got a writeup on our installation here: myoloh.com/projects/oloh-gear-yacht-controller

[@Godofthemoon1]

How do you get your anchor up when someone drops on top of yours that would be a mess

[@OLOH]

Very carefully! Fortunately that has never happened to us. The big concern here was boats coming too close to our anchor chain, risking snagging their prop in it which would also be be a huge mess. Thanks for watching!

[@Godofthemoon1]

I know you’re right!

[@Godofthemoon1]

I know you’re right!

[@Godofthemoon1]

I know you’re right!

[@Godofthemoon1]

I know you’re right!

[@stuckcamping]

People partying on boats in Miami, no way!

[@OLOH]

Ha! Exactly. The anchorage has a well documented reputation of being as you saw it there on weekends, but not weekdays. That clearly has changed and now we know 😎

[@roadboat9216]

I have found that cruising in the US is not very boater friendly. The only areas that I have lately had good experiences is The Carolinas, particularly North, and the Chesapeake Bay Area. N of the Chesapeake is crowded, expensive and not very friendly unless you have LOTS of dollars in your pocket. I did enjoy Maine and Nova Scotia. Fl and Ga. No thanks. If I want warm tropical and friendly cruising, I go to the Caribbean and Latin America. Panama is great cruising. Sorry US. You have ruled and regulated and crowded yourself out of my market.

[@KosherFinance]

Wish I was white and rich

[@guitarslinger319]

I would just settle for being rich….

[@outofbounds218]

Obnoxious Miami