Bahamas During Hurricane Season?

[jtsailjt]

Originally Posted by BandB

Hurricane City has a top 50 listed in frequency of hurricanes. The islands of the Bahamas are in the top list with Grand Bahamas being most affected. But numbers one and two in the list are in NC. Sable Island, Nova Scotia makes the top ten as does Boca Raton. Myrtle Beach and Savannah are in the top 20. Fort Lauderdale is only 34th. I guess frankly when you live in an area considered hurricane prone, whether it is or not, you become less inclined to plan things around the potential of a hurricane and react only to those headed your way. Our cruising plans are not in any way predicated on hurricane areas but are always subject to change because of one.

This has been interesting and it's clear that reasonable people can disagree on whether they'd go to the Bahamas during that period. I think also the OP's various posts and lack of experience make people justifiably less comfortable. I share those concerns. But I share them wherever she chooses to head. I'm hoping there is going to be a professional highly skilled captain who will keep an eye on hurricanes wherever they go and will make swift decisions when required.

The difference between facing a hurricane in the Bahamas versus NC or Sable island is that in North Carolina you have many other options within a half days travel, including getting a quickie haul out, and once a hurricane reaches Sable Island it will have crossed lots of energy sucking cold, North Atlantic water so it's ferocity will have diminished substantially. There's hurricanes and then there's HURRICANES!

I do think that we all are talking past each other a bit because all of our opinions vary depending on whether we are considering whether a new cruiser on an unfamiliar boat should spend the summer in the Bahamas, or that same boat with a competent Captain with good weather knowledge and good Bahamas local knowledge should do the same thing. Different answer. None of us yet know just who this "competent Captain" might be and what his abilities are. But if he's truly competent and she trusts him enough to put him in charge of her boat and her family members lives, all of our opinions should be second to his anyway.

[BandB]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Statistics: Assuming that I'm sitting at my kitchen table writing a CF post on my computer, my chance of being mauled and eaten by a lion would statistically be zero. However, if I leave the house and head down to the zoo, walk over to the lion exhibit, ignore the signs warning me not to be an idiot and climb over the enclosure walls... my chances of being mauled and eaten by a lion will statistically increase to near 100%.

Why would anyone want to intentionally put themselves and their kids in the path of a lion?

Nice attempt at an analogy. Just the problem is that yours is extreme and the true risk difference of the Bahamas vs. Florida or NC is very slight if properly planned and actions taken. I do acknowledge that if she was in NC, a high risk area for hurricanes, she could make arrangements in advance for haul outs in Beaufort and Wilmington. In some areas of the East Coast, not so easy.

Reality is not knowing what boat she's going to purchase or when, not knowing what kind of captain or crew, not knowing what kind of plans she would put in place, we can't really say whether she'd be safe in the Bahamas, in Boston, or in Florida. I do think that does influence our answers as she hasn't in her posts given us a sense of comfort.

[scuba0_1]

For those of you that own boat please do leave Fl during hurricane season. That way there's more sailing room for me being that I live here and sail here all year round. So yes your insurance requires all boats to leave Fl... thank you.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[BandB]

Originally Posted by scuba0_1

For those of you that own boat please do leave Fl during hurricane season. That way there's more sailing room for me being that I live here and sail here all year round. So yes your insurance requires all boats to leave Fl... thank you.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

Not leaving and going to cruise just exactly where you want to sail most.

[scuba0_1]

Oh you must have missed the memo all sail boats out of fl.. Lol

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Hurricane Irene Bahamas 2011 ...................
Hurricane Sandy Bahamas 2012 .................
Tropical Storm Isacc Bahamas 2013 ...........

The Bahamas in 2014? 'Looks like it can be an awesome, fun place to vacation with the kids during the summer. "Follow the dream."

Irene was in the Bahamas Aug. 24th at 140mph.
Sandy came through the Bahamas with a max. 85 mph Oct. 26th.
Isaac on Aug. 26th was no more than 50mph.

The videos appear to show winds under 50 and not at the maximum for any of these. Certainly not video footage at the height of a hurricane. This can give a misleading impression. The videos from within the car appear to be at about 35mph. No one should view these with the thought that they are witnessing a hurricane.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by GalaxyGirl

Does anyone cruise the Bahamas during hurricane season? Is there anywhere to shelter if a big one blows in?

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.

Just wanted to go back to the OP and a followup.

It appears that this is simply a stop of convenience and may not be a complete extended season for her.

In that case, why not?

Get boat and captain, go through parts of FL, go to the Bahamas and then to Boston, via ???

[s/vfootloose]

GG If you purchased the sportfish you were going to don't worry about going to the Bahamas. The Bahamas are great for powerboats in the summer. The winds are down,seas flat,and no cold fronts. Most folks in Fl. don't consider hurricane season starting until Aug. To be safe pay for hurricane storage at some place like Lauderdale Marine. Its like insurance if there are 3 hurricanes you store your boat up river each time. No hurricanes they still keep your money. A power boat like that you are less than 8 hrs. from Nassau and less than 12 from Georgetown. Almost all early to mid season storms form off the coast of Africa. They are tracked for more than a week before they get to this area. The ones that suprise are the ones that form south of Cuba and come north and then east. They can form and be on you in 2 or 3 days But they usually only form there in Oct. or Nov.

[OutOfControl]

Originally Posted by s/vfootloose

GG If you purchased the sportfish you were going to don't worry about going to the Bahamas. The Bahamas are great for powerboats in the summer.

footloose, I think she bought this one.



Should be able to get back to FL in 24 hours or less if needed.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by BandB

Hurricane City has a top 50 listed in frequency of hurricanes. The islands of the Bahamas are in the top list with Grand Bahamas being most affected. But numbers one and two in the list are in NC. Sable Island, Nova Scotia makes the top ten as does Boca Raton. Myrtle Beach and Savannah are in the top 20.

Interesting, I think the last hurricane that hit Savannah did so in the 1800's
That's in the top 20?

[rgscpat]

For a largish trawler yacht of the type GG might have, how much would it cost to reserve space for the season in a high-quality south Florida hurricane hole?

What would be the back-up plan if mechanical issues impede the ability of the boat to move at normal speed? I'm thinking a tow with an impending storm approaching would be $$$$ if even possible.

[BandB]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Interesting, I think the last hurricane that hit Savannah did so in the 1800's
That's in the top 20?

Well, apparently a bad history from 1874-1898. lol. Which shows again even more how unpredictable future hurricane seasons are. I checked and found three that were barely hurricanes in David in 1979, Bob in 1985 and Irene in 1999.

Same thing where people are citing other hurricanes in other areas but they didn't actually hit the area as hurricanes.

As to how Savannah made their top 20, I have no earthly idea when by their own site it doesn't have many. In fact it's on our hurricane plan if we happened to be stuck in Georgia at hurricane time.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by CaptForce

Irene was in the Bahamas Aug. 24th at 140mph.
Sandy came through the Bahamas with a max. 85 mph Oct. 26th.
Isaac on Aug. 26th was no more than 50mph.

The videos appear to show winds under 50 and not at the maximum for any of these. Certainly not video footage at the height of a hurricane. This can give a misleading impression. The videos from within the car appear to be at about 35mph. No one should view these with the thought that they are witnessing a hurricane.

I was trying to show the damage and frequency of the storms. There are very few, if any videos on youtube taken while the storms rage except for the occasional nutty news reporter. I could have gone back several years and shown storms hitting the Bahamas during those summers... but I thought including just the three videos would get the point across.

I think you're trying to make the same point to the OP.

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Interesting, I think the last hurricane that hit Savannah did so in the 1800's
That's in the top 20?

Seems to be some holes in it but here is the hurricane city link

Savannah,Georgia hurricanes

[BandB]

Originally Posted by OutOfControl

footloose, I think she bought this one.



Should be able to get back to FL in 24 hours or less if needed.

That's always our premise in the Bahamas, that we can get home in less than 24 hours. Now if you wait until it's about to hit that is of no help. But you make that run to safety much sooner, even if it means many unnecessary crossings.

This obviously isn't this year she's talking about if she hasn't purchased the boat yet, hired the captain, done all the upgrades and maintenance generally required to get it ready. So it should give time to make preparations and have options available.

Our hurricane plan which is just that, a plan but not a guarantee we'll do it, has the options outlined for all the areas we cruise. That's just part of knowing in advance what the options are. The areas we actually had the most difficult time finding options were Louisiana and Texas and New Jersey.