Our family traditionally boats together on Sundays. The group is most commonly comprised of my wife Louise, our oldest son Miller and his lovely wife Amelia along with our younger son Brandt and myself. On occasion we’ll have additional guests, however our small boat gets crowded quickly. We usually end up on a sandbar island meeting up with friends and other family. After beaching the boat, at some point, someone gets hungry, and food starts appearing and sharing between boats is always a delightful surprise. The following are some lessons learned about food onboard.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
Hand-helds and finger foods make snacking easy. Crackers and cheese, tortilla chips with salsa, and trail mix offer simple sweetand-salty options. Don’t forget chips with dips—from classic potato chips with onion dip to Fritos with bean dip. A fresh favorite: skewered cherry tomatoes, pearl mozzarella, and basil.
STEP IT UP
Publix fried chicken, Merk’s Frankenstein Wings, Colt’s Pig Stand BBQ, or Big Joe’s subs are always crowd pleasers. Pre-made salads, especially a Mediterranean mix with greens, peppers, olives, artichokes, mushrooms, asparagus, and feta, are a hit, as are refreshing fruit salads with a variety of seasonal fruits.
PLAN AHEAD
Louise and I enjoy the time spent together planning and making the dishes for our outings. We have very different approaches to preparing food but appreciate the results of our efforts. It’s helpful to pre-order prepared food from Publix, Winn Dixie, or your favorite restaurant dish to avoid disappointment.
BE PREPARED
Pack the things you will need to serve your delicious creations. Paper plates, bowls, plastic utensils and napkins make life a lot nicer when partaking on a boat. Have separate insulated storage for warm food and coolers for the cold food and preferred beverages. Don’t forget ice, and plenty of it. If you are planning on eating at a sandbar island or beach, think about bringing folding chairs and tables. They take up a lot of room on a boat but make island life much more comfortable. Bring large garbage bags for the refuse. When it’s time to go, pack up everything and leave nothing but footprints.
Eat well, have fun out there and stay salty.
MARKTHEBOATCOACH@GMAIL.COM
MARKTHEBOATCOACH.COM
Born with the water gene, Captain Mark Kellum found his passions early: swimming, surfing and sailing. A naval electronics engineer and U.S. Coast Guard Master Mariner, he’s spent 30 years helping others improve their boating experiences in NSB.
Ponce Inlet October 2025 Tide Chart
