Curacao to South Florida this winter/spring

[Debonair123]

Hello all,
We are new to this forum and are back aboard our 30' cutter rigged sailboat, having had a couple of years off. We are preparing our boat in the Curacao boatyard to bring her home to Florida this spring. Any advice about routes and planning would be appreciated. Weather sources and tips would also be helpful. We have sailed many miles but are a bit rusty in our skills.
We have looked at straight north to the Mona Passage, stopping on the west coast of Puerto Rico, then down the old Bahama channel to the Florida Keys, and also north-west to the Cayman Islands, around Cuba, and then north to Florida. We have lots of time to wait for good weather windows.
I've seen a lot written about routes south to the Caribbean but not much about going north. If you have taken this trip, let us know!
Debby and Larry, s/v Debonair

[s/v Moondancer]

We have sailed Curacao to Grand Cayman to Cozumel to Dry Tortuga to Key West in December and it was a great off-the-wind down current run. The only delay was waiting for a northerly in the Yucatan Straights to pass. We also stopped in Puerto Morelos and Isla Mujeres near Cancun. However, checking in and out of Mexico can be expensive and you MUST have a zarpe.

We used Sailing Weather - Marine Weather Forecasts for Sailors and Adventurers - PassageWeather for the trip.

We have also gone north west along the Old Bahama Channel and that too was a great trip. If I chose that run I would go through the Windward Passage but stopping on the West Coast of Puerto Rica is viable, but longer and you might have trouble laying Puerto Rica if the winds are north easterly.

For a delivery I would choose the Windward Passage and for a pleasure cruise I would go via Mexico. If you aim for the Windward Passage you keep open the option of going to Grand Cayman if conditions change.

Good Luck

[Debonair123]

Has anyone gone from Aruba/Curacao/Bonaire/Aves up the Mona Passage? I imagine it is harder on the wind, more of a beat, but we are wondering about this passage also.
-Deb and Larry, s/v Debonair

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Debby & Larry.