Bahamas Route help

[imagine2frolic]

Go through Gun Cay, it's about 30 seconds of excitement, and then you are in open water. Once it is done by Explorer charts you can do it by eye in the night. Stop off at the Berries, but if you miss the Exumas you will miss paradise. Pass right through Nassau, unless you want to socialize, and eat in expensive resatraunts.

Once heading east out of the channel go to Allan Cay. From there you can do hourly hops, or longer. Always finding something new, and beautiful. The snorkeling is fantastic at many places, but the Sea Aquarium is a must as well as the Thunderball Grotto. Be careful of the tides in the Grotto they can sweep you away.

I would go as far south as possible, BECAUSE it only gets prettier, and more fun. You can always hit the Abacos heading north....DO NOT MISS THE EXUMAS!!!!

[Getaway]

We will be leaving Green Turtle, heading for Marsh Harbor is a day or two. Any help passing through Whale Cay would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Vasco]

Whale Cay Cut is not as difficult as some think. The only thing you have to worry about is weather. Just follow the waypoints in the Explorer Chart. If there's a heavy sea running don't attempt it. The Marsh Harbour Net in the morning usually reports the condition of the cut. I don't think you'll be doing it in the next few days, the weather in the Abacos is not the best this week. One cold front just gone through and another one due up there on Thursday. Much worse than down here in the Exumas where it's only blowing 25 knots.

[Sunspot Baby]

Whale cut in good conditions is easy as pie. In bad conditions it eats ships.

George

[camaraderie]

Getaway...do you have the waypoints from either the Doyle Guide or the Explorer Chartbook? If not...someone in the anchorage should be able to help. Just ask during cruisersnet on 68 at 8:15.
The only other advice is that even during reasonable periods, for a portion of the trip your boat will be sideways to the ocean swells. Secure everything down below as the motion can send things flying.

[JusDreaming]

Originally Posted by Vasco

Much worse than down here in the Exumas where it's only blowing 25 knots.

RIck, I clocked 30 over here in Kid's Cove

[jean1146]

Question for you guys who have been there. Once I get to Allen's key,spend a few days looking around,where is the best place to get food and water? I went by Allen's key last May but we never stopped because our skipper was in a hurry.I have seen the Marina but we didn't stop.
JC.

[Vasco]

After Allens the closest place for food is Staniel Cay (Isles General Store is the best of the three stores there). If you want to eat out MacDuffs on Norman's Cay is back in business, renovated, very nice but the prices have gone up. If you need water real badly you can get it from the cistern at the old Carlos Leder clubhouse on Normans Cay. The water there is good but the path up has become a bit overgrown or get it at Highborne Cay. I hope you're talking about Allens Cay in the Exumas and not Allens/Pensacola in the Abacos. There is no marina in Allens in the Exumas. There is one in the next southerly cay, Highborne. They also have a small store but for provisioning you should wait till Staniel. Thare's also a store at Sampson Cay but if you've gotten this far you might as well go to Staniel.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by JusDreaming

RIck, I clocked 30 over here in Kid's Cove

Denny,

I must have been asleep then.

[jean1146]

Vasco I was talking about Allen's key in the exumas.thanks for those information.What about the Allen's key marina? I saw a bunch of boats when I went by.any store?
JC.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by jean1146

Vasco I was talking about Allen's key in the exumas.thanks for those information.What about the Allen's key marina? I saw a bunch of boats when I went by.any store?
JC.

There is no marina at Allens Cay. You might have mistaken the marina at Highborne Cay for Allens Cay. There is a small store at Highborne but be prepared for sticker shock!

[jean1146]

It was highborne you are right. I am just curious to find out how you guys do about provisionning in the bahamas. We have lots of space on the cat,but then weight is an issue. Two months cruise? see I love my red wine,and I imagine this is a no no in the Bahamas.
JC.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by jean1146

... see I love my red wine,and I imagine this is a no no in the Bahamas.
JC.

Not at all!
Wine & Liquor are very reasonably priced at Luden Limited (Liquors), on Dowdswell Street ( 1 block uphill above Shirley St, between Deveaux & Christie) in Nassau.
Dennis Knowles (proprietor, who I’ve been mistaken for) used to deliver to the BASRA dinghy dock.

[Vasco]

We fill the freezer and stock up with beer and wine and all the stuff that's hard or expensive to get here, paper products, canned goods, munchies. My wife likes red wine so we usually have quite a few bottles aboard and a few boxes although she prefers bottled stuff. Rum we get in Nassau also you can re-provision there quite well. You can also get wine and groceries in Georgetown, fresh produce is a bit more than in the States but every year the selection seems to get better. The most expensive thing is beer, about $40 a case here. The Bahamas is more expensive for food than the Caribbean but the folks (once you get out of Nassau) and the waters can't be beat.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Not at all!
Wine & Liquor are very reasonably priced at Luden Limited (Liquors), on Dowdswell Street ( 1 block uphill above Shirley St, between Deveaux & Christie) in Nassau.
Dennis Knowles (proprietor, who I’ve been mistaken for) used to deliver to the BASRA dinghy dock.

Sad to say Gord but Ludens went out of business in 2002. His shop was real weird with the snakes and all. I remember it from the early nineties. He used to deliver to East Bay Marina which also has now gone. Best place for booze in Nassau is now Bristol Liquors.