Bahamas / Caribbean in the Winter

[Sid22]

Hi Everyone, New user here and have lots of questions but let's start with this one. I see alot of cruisers leaving the Annapolis/ Baltimore area ( which is where I live) leaving for the islands in the winter. This being hurricane season down there, how do you manage that? Do you keep an eye on the weather and move north or south as needed? How about insurance? My carrier says no go during the season. Do you go anyway and take the risk? Thanks....Sid

[fareweather]

If you leave now via the ditch it will technically not be hurricane season when you get there. We leave our boat down there and don't worry about the storms too much but we are land locked and don't have a place to store it on the east coast and would rather be sailing in the warm water. It's a very personal choice.

[Vasco]

Although hurricanes can happen in any month, it is generally "safe" to head south after October 31st. The busiest hurricane months are September and October, quietest from January to April.

Many insurance companies stipulate that you cannot go south of Cape Hatteras or , in more restrictive policies, Cape Henry before October 31, and that you have to be back north of these limits by June.

[Reality Check]

You always have to watch the weather.....

Different policies have different requirements. I also maintain my boat in the islands and on the hard during most of Hurricane Season. I say most because I typically squeeze out a few weeks at the start if no events appear on the immediate horizon. These last two storms we have had in the November time frame are not very typical and are examples of why you need to keep an eye on weather at all times.

Not really sure what I'll do this next year. Have a one way ticket for early Dec. I prefer going to wind in a B757 Then I can concentrate on sailing/ cruising when I arrive in a more relaxed state.

If you are going to cruise extensively out of the US, you may want to consider different policies including those outside the US where policies cost and restrictions are often too restrictive for real cruisers/ liveaboards.

[Sid22]

Thanks for the replies. Reason for the question was thinking about the possibilities of wintering in the Bahamas and summer in the upper Cheasapeake...

[harryrezz]

Hi - I, too, keep my boat in the islands year-round. Store her on the hard on Carriacou, the first inhabited island north of Grenada in a small, commerecial boatyard there. Have been through hurricanes Ivan and Emily with only leaves on my deck. We're far enough south to be considered to be out of the official hurricane belt.
Bahamas, on the other hand, are definitely a high risk area during the bad season - but as long as you plan to scramble back to the Chesapeake early enough you should be OK.

[CharlieJ]

Wintering in the Bahamas can have a downside. It all depends on how many cold fronts come across the USA and how strong they are. Remember, the major axis of the Bahamas is less than 100 miles from the USA's Eastern Coast. So a deep cold front will affect the entire chain. The temperature will be mitigated in a good way by crossing the Gulf Stream, but the winds in front of the front, whoa Nellie!!! You can end up in some very beautiful anchorages with no possible way of getting off the boat for several days at a time. Been there, done that.

We modified our cruising to the Bahamas to cross over in late March or early April, when the CFs started to spread themselves out a bit and not be so strong. Returned early July to see the fireworks.

Of course, if we have a mild winter, all the above is invalid!

[Lovejoy]

Heading out in a few days for Nassau. Anyone have a recommended route?

Capt Luck
S Y Quintessent
40FT TaShing

[Strygaldwir]

You'll find that most folks are slowly migrating south. I have attended the cruisers rendezvous down in New Bern North Carolina (Considered out of the hurricane zone for most insurance and practical purposes) at the end of November. So if you're leaving from NY or other northern locals you're kinda counting on being down in Florida by beginning to mid December. The number of named storms in December is VERY small. So, a little risk, but not that much. You monitor the weather and if there is a storm coming you duck into somewhere off the Intracoastal and sit it out. Give one a sense of not rushing down. It has taken us 3-5 weeks to get from NC down to Miami. The more offshore, the less elapsed time.

[Lovejoy]

Thanks. Will be leaving from Norfolk, VA. Plan to go outside. It looks pretty straight forward as long as the weather is favorable. I sailed outside from Ft Lauderdale to Norfolk in September. Anyone have other opinions or suggestions for the best route? Such as are there any south currents to take advantage of?

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by Lovejoy

Thanks. Will be leaving from Norfolk, VA. Plan to go outside. It looks pretty straight forward as long as the weather is favorable. I sailed outside from Ft Lauderdale to Norfolk in September. Anyone have other opinions or suggestions for the best route? Such as are there any south currents to take advantage of?

Last time you said you went north - going south is another whole different kind of thing. From Norfolk to Nassau - unless you are a high speed powerboat - means crossing over to the east side of the Gulf Stream and then turning south. That means heading for Bermuda and turning southwest to the Bahamas. Pretty much what the Caribbean 1500 does on their way to the Virgins. Except you will angle back west to the east side of the Bahamas then back west into Nassau.

[teejayevans]

Originally Posted by Lovejoy

Thanks. Will be leaving from Norfolk, VA. Plan to go outside. It looks pretty straight forward as long as the weather is favorable. I sailed outside from Ft Lauderdale to Norfolk in September. Anyone have other opinions or suggestions for the best route? Such as are there any south currents to take advantage of?

The trouble is you'll be fighting the current almost the whole way, even if you are out of the gulf stream, there is still 1/2 knot of northerly current. You'll need some good SW winds for 2 days to get across the stream, then northern winds for the rest of the way. The good news is that winds this time of year are generally out of the NW. I'd let the weather dictate the route, if good weather, go outside, if not, stay inside.
TJ

[Quintessent]

What do you know about sailing the quintessent in south Florida waters ?

[Sailmon]

Crossing the stream with any component of north in the wind direction is pretty much guaranteed to be uncomfortable at best - very possibly unsafe as well. As noted above, current can be formidable and costly in terms of both time and fuel. That is why people either cross toward Bermuda, then turn south, or head south (AICW and outside as weather permits), then cross stream from Florida. As far as cruising Bahamas in winter the further south you go (eg. Exumas) the warmer it gets, the more the easterly/southeasterly trades take over and the less impact there is from cold fronts coming down. Regarding insurance, we use Boat US. They may be a bit more expensive than others - but are very responsive and helpful in event of a claim and have no date/season restrictions. They have a 1% disappearing deductible (drops 20% each year over 5 claim free years). Loss caused by named storm is, I believe, 5%. There is a prorated low cost rider they add for Bahamas, which comes off when you return to states.