Bahamas During Hurricane Season?

[TDC]

I have BoatUS and while their prices are already high, it was not much more to add year round Bahamas coverage. I was expecting 200% but it was more like a 15% increase.

I will be there through June but no kids with me there

[GalaxyGirl]

Originally Posted by TDC

I have BoatUS and while their prices are already high, it was not much more to add year round Bahamas coverage. I was expecting 200% but it was more like a 15% increase.

I will be there through June but no kids with me there

That's interesting. The company that I have been talking to gave me an increased price for Bahamas off season of about 15%ish, but I am waiting to see the cost of Bahamas year round.

BoatUS gave me a quote almost double for just staying in New England all year. So they are out for me.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by GalaxyGirl

Figured I might as well enjoy the summer with my kids in the Bahamas since I have to pass by Florida anyhow to bring the boat to Boston. Nice pit stop. Kids should enjoy the place.

Are you serious? It in a hurricane area in the hurricane season?

Keep your kids out of the area.

If you are silly enough to wish to have your boat there please re-read the earliest posts that there are VERY few hurricane holes and they are FULL!

There is no where to go, no where to run.

Your kids might die.


Mark

[neilpride]

If you dont venture far from Nasau área and the big bank could be fine, Bahamas are flat, no hills or mountains , in the event of a cane turning your way you can get maybe time to run to florida, early please!!!

Saying that there is no real hurricane holes in Bahamas , in a cat 1 maybe you be fine, but up to 2 or 3 is game over, a real hurricane hole have protection 360 degress all around and seas cant reach the interior, if you found one like this in Bahamas could be nice to know ..

This season is predicted low in canes, El niño event, but again , just one bad in your área to be a bad season.

[model 10]

Originally Posted by neilpride

If you dont venture far from Nasau área and the big bank could be fine, Bahamas are flat, no hills or mountains , in the event of a cane turning your way you can get maybe time to run to florida, early please!!!

Saying that there is no real hurricane holes in Bahamas , in a cat 1 maybe you be fine, but up to 2 or 3 is game over, a real hurricane hole have protection 360 degress all around and seas cant reach the interior, if you found one like this in Bahamas could be nice to know ..

This season is predicted low in canes, El niñ event, but again , just one bad in your área to be a bad season.

There is a perfect spot near Freeport in the canals.

[tomfl]

Always wondered about guys who plan for hurricanes. One guy I knew was in Florida when on hit and had about $US2,000 damage. Next year he went to North Carolina for the hurricane season and the one that hit there did about $US20,000 damage to his boat. And lets not forget what Sandy did to the NY/NJ area boating.

There are folks who live in the Bahamas and Florida year round. Once you know a hurricane is headed your way it makes good sense to prepare. But no one would ever leave port if all they did was worry about hurricanes.

[BandB]

We live in South Florida. We keep our boats in South Florida. We go to the Bahamas at all times of the year. We are insured for all the areas.

Now, that's not saying we take no precautions. But first some facts. I chose Grand Bahamas but could have chosen any of the islands. Sandy passed to the East with 80 mph winds. Wilma passed to the north in 2005 with 110 mph winds but also had 15 feet of surge so destroyed 200 homes on the island. 2004 was a bad year with Jeanne and 120 mph winds damaging the majority of homes on the island and that followed Frances which was only 105 mph but had 12-15 ft surge, although little damage. Prior to that you have to go back to 1999 and 140 mph winds but passed to the east and caused little damage. Also in 1999, Dennis at 80 mph, little damage, and in 1995, Erin at 85 mph and little damage. Prior to that you have to go back to 1951 for a hurricane and to find one that caused heavy damage to 1947.
So 2005, 2004, 1947. Now each group of islands is different. But in recent years more hurricane damage in NY and NJ than the Bahamas.

Yes, if you live anywhere on the East Coast of the US or in the Bahamas or Bermuda you need to have a plan. A plan as to what you'd do with your boat, but most importantly your family. They key to hurricanes is to come out alive and well. The right buildings, mattresses over heads, high enough land not to drown in storm surge. Hurricanes do give notice and can be tracked, not like Tornadoes. Instructions are issued generally. Now the European tracking system has been more accurate than the US for US hurricanes. Are you going to leave when a possible hurricane is 3 to 4 days away, even though it probably won't hit? Or do you have somewhere there to find safety?

There are two aspects of hurricanes to give regard to. First is storm surge. Evacuations are based on storm surge. We live in an evacuation area even though the surge has never reached the level of our home in this area. Contrary to common belief, in the US evacuation orders are not issued based on wind, which is the second aspect. But wind destroys buildings, boats, houses, whatever. Still there are precautions to survive even category 5. When Andrea hit South Florida the deaths were very limited in spite of neighborhoods where every house was destroyed. The reason is people listened to television and Bryan Norcross and others and they got in closets and hallways and they pulled mattresses over their heads and they were ok.

I'm not telling you not to be concerned. We follow every hurricane as they approach. But to completely avoid hurricanes you couldn't live near the Atlantic Coast of the US and no one would live I guess in Florida. Of course, by moving in a bit you'd probably increase the risk of tornadoes.

As to insurance, just look at all the boats in Florida. Obviously insurance is available for these areas. There is an additional cost and after Sandy all boat insurance in the US is more expensive.

Choose where and what you and your kids want to do. Then manage the risks. As to warnings that your kids might die. That's true. True if they play in the yard at home. True if they get on a boat with you. But it's a very inflammatory statement not based on fact at all. Grand Bahamas casualties. 6 people had major injuries in 2004 and 1 man drowned. Those are the hurricane deaths this century.

If you want to check any location, you can do so at hurricanecity.com . Then make your decisions based on educated best judgement. Good luck.

[GalaxyGirl]

Originally Posted by BandB

We live in South Florida. We keep our boats in South Florida. We go to the Bahamas at all times of the year. We are insured for all the areas.

Now, that's not saying we take no precautions. But first some facts. I chose Grand Bahamas but could have chosen any of the islands. Sandy passed to the East with 80 mph winds. Wilma passed to the north in 2005 with 110 mph winds but also had 15 feet of surge so destroyed 200 homes on the island. 2004 was a bad year with Jeanne and 120 mph winds damaging the majority of homes on the island and that followed Frances which was only 105 mph but had 12-15 ft surge, although little damage. Prior to that you have to go back to 1999 and 140 mph winds but passed to the east and caused little damage. Also in 1999, Dennis at 80 mph, little damage, and in 1995, Erin at 85 mph and little damage. Prior to that you have to go back to 1951 for a hurricane and to find one that caused heavy damage to 1947.
So 2005, 2004, 1947. Now each group of islands is different. But in recent years more hurricane damage in NY and NJ than the Bahamas.

Yes, if you live anywhere on the East Coast of the US or in the Bahamas or Bermuda you need to have a plan. A plan as to what you'd do with your boat, but most importantly your family. They key to hurricanes is to come out alive and well. The right buildings, mattresses over heads, high enough land not to drown in storm surge. Hurricanes do give notice and can be tracked, not like Tornadoes. Instructions are issued generally. Now the European tracking system has been more accurate than the US for US hurricanes. Are you going to leave when a possible hurricane is 3 to 4 days away, even though it probably won't hit? Or do you have somewhere there to find safety?

There are two aspects of hurricanes to give regard to. First is storm surge. Evacuations are based on storm surge. We live in an evacuation area even though the surge has never reached the level of our home in this area. Contrary to common belief, in the US evacuation orders are not issued based on wind, which is the second aspect. But wind destroys buildings, boats, houses, whatever. Still there are precautions to survive even category 5. When Andrea hit South Florida the deaths were very limited in spite of neighborhoods where every house was destroyed. The reason is people listened to television and Bryan Norcross and others and they got in closets and hallways and they pulled mattresses over their heads and they were ok.

I'm not telling you not to be concerned. We follow every hurricane as they approach. But to completely avoid hurricanes you couldn't live near the Atlantic Coast of the US and no one would live I guess in Florida. Of course, by moving in a bit you'd probably increase the risk of tornadoes.

As to insurance, just look at all the boats in Florida. Obviously insurance is available for these areas. There is an additional cost and after Sandy all boat insurance in the US is more expensive.

Choose where and what you and your kids want to do. Then manage the risks. As to warnings that your kids might die. That's true. True if they play in the yard at home. True if they get on a boat with you. But it's a very inflammatory statement not based on fact at all. Grand Bahamas casualties. 6 people had major injuries in 2004 and 1 man drowned. Those are the hurricane deaths this century.

If you want to check any location, you can do so at hurricanecity.com . Then make your decisions based on educated best judgement. Good luck.

Well put.
I have never been one to let fear run my life, and your right, the dangers of the living in the city (as we do now) would far out-weight the hurricane risk. When Sandy wiped out the Jersey coast I remember that we here in Boston thought she may be headed our way, but her path was slightly further South, but it could have been just as ugly right here on my own turf.
Folks do live and travel to the Bahamas year round. No matter were you live on the East Coast you have to watch those hurricanes, but we certainly don't evacuate Florida and the Bahamas for 6 months every year.

As long as insurance will cover the boat wherever I take it, I'm good. Actually more concerned about there not being any kid boats in the Bahamas during the summer. Really hoping that my kids will make friends if we do go.

[GalaxyGirl]

Originally Posted by tomfl

But no one would ever leave port if all they did was worry about hurricanes.

Aint that the truth! And no one would ever the leave the house if they worried about.......

That's right...some people don't leave the house

[BandB]

Originally Posted by GalaxyGirl

Well put.
I have never been one to let fear run my life, and your right, the dangers of the living in the city (as we do now) would far out-weight the hurricane risk. When Sandy wiped out the Jersey coast I remember that we here in Boston thought she may be headed our way, but her path was slightly further South, but it could have been just as ugly right here on my own turf.
Folks do live and travel to the Bahamas year round. No matter were you live on the East Coast you have to watch those hurricanes, but we certainly don't evacuate Florida and the Bahamas for 6 months every year.

As long as insurance will cover the boat wherever I take it, I'm good. Actually more concerned about there not being any kid boats in the Bahamas during the summer. Really hoping that my kids will make friends if we do go.

I would say there are many more concerns about what you have in mind than hurricanes. More risk in the trip there. More risk of them hurting themselves in the water by stepping on something and the infection being bad. Disease. Medical coverage and treatment. The risk you've expressed of other kids to play with. Risk of picking up bad habits or language modification. Risk of killing (not literally) each other while living together on a boat. All those risks that parents have to deal with and weigh against the risks of home and not going and all the other risks of the world.

As to making friends, I'd say if you're constantly on the move they'll make a lot of acquaintances but fewer friends. I'd say if you choose to focus on one area and just travel out and back from it, then far greater chance of making friends by being around the same kids all summer.

[Certeza]

I'm not an experienced cruiser, but I have always planned my vacations to that area during hurricane season. The statistical probabilities are very low that you get hit hard. And as someone mentioned earlier, we aren't talking about tornadoes here. Hurricanes (or typhoons, as they called them where I used to live) are not all that unpredictable. You aren't playing on the beach one day and suddenly a hurricane touches down. We always got at least a few days warning before the wind was above 30kts. It is hard to predict exactly where they will make landfall, but if you are trying to get out of the way, it is easy to know which direction to go.

Since you aren't really tied to a certain spot, I'd say that the biggest risk you really face is that you might have to burn a pretty decent amount of fuel to get out of the way if one looks particularly menacing.

{edit} but then again... the boat you're getting at those speeds isn't very fuel efficient, so the amount you'd be spending in fuel is probably more than any incidental damages if you were to just hole up somewhere and sit it out.

[Kenomac]

So... you're a brand new boat owner, with no prior boating experience, who wants to live in the middle of hurricane alley with 5 kids onboard during the hurricane season, so the kids can have some fun. Judging by your past threads, you have limited knowledge of the systems onboard your vessel or how to operate the vessel. If a hurricane decides to come your way, it's unlikely anyone in the area will be available to assist you in any way, as they'll be too busy taking care of their own needs.

What could possibly go wrong?

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by GalaxyGirl

. Actually more concerned about there not being any kid boats in the Bahamas during the summer.

Gee! I wonder why there wont be any other kids there?

Brains perhaps? Because even a kid could tell you its a crazy place to be in a hurricane.

Maybe the reaction to Rebel Hearts taking kids on a passage totally missed your attention. They were sailing in the right season, but you are heading into an unprotected area in the wrong season.

As for this piece of advice:

As to warnings that your kids might die. That's true.

I would read that over. Ten times. Maybe 20.

Now, as you havent been to the Bahamas let me show you a map of where they are:

[Hudson Force]

We cruised to the Bahamas for many "hurricane seasons" when are children were young. We'd spend our time from june until about the second week of august. We would often be chased back to Florida with threats in august, but we were only caught once, almost home, but hiding out at West End with gusts up to 110mph. Keep in mind that among islands you have the lens of high water from the low pressure, but not the huge build up of high water against a larger land mass. We were three turns around a canal cut in the coral limestone. Our biggest risk was to remain safe from flying debris. Good points are made about using the three days of warning to find your secure place to stay. We are "on the hunt" if a hurricane threat can reach us in three days regardless of the predicted path.

'just an added note. This is not a judgement of mere speculation. We have been with our boat for three hurricanes, but we've prepared for about fifteen. You must prepare for those that turn out not to be a problem!

When managing tropical storm risk in the Bahamas, we choose not to be there from mid-august until late october. I know there are exceptions to this peak time, but there is a point to playing the odds.

[Cheechako]

One thing about it. If you have good weather data ability on your boat. You will know about each "wave" as it leaves the coast of Africa. You can follow the progress of them all and if one becomes a storm you will know. If it further develops you will know. If it has a chance of heading to the Bahamas you will know. You will have 1-3 weeks to make a plan. You could easily just head back to Florida if the risk looks high.
If you don't have this capability, and the ability to force yourself to monitor it, then don't go, or be prepared to leave the boat and fly out with the kids.
Will the insurance companies continue to cover you there in hurricane season, but just not for storm damage?