Most popular deep draft route from Nassau to Georgetown?

[CoopAir]

What is the most popular route in a 6' draft vessel sailing from Nassau all the way down to G-town?

Do most cruisers hit Allan's Cay first or just bypass it to Highbourne as their first Exuma point?

Further down the line, at which cut is the most popular place to cross over to the windward side so you can get into G-town? Somewhere maybe 20 nm SE of Staniel?

What are the most popluar stops NW of Staniel Cay? I'm thinking off the top of my head........

1) Allan's
2) Highbourne
3) Warwick Wells
4) Compass
5) Big Majors

Any that I am missing? Is Pipe Creek too shallow for a 6' draft, even at HT?

Thanks for the info everyone!

[ReMetau]

We crossed around the Yellow Bank and went to:
Allen's
Norman's
Shroud
Warderick Wells
Staniel
Back out at Dotham Cut north of Great Guana

[Vasco]

6 foot draft is not really deep for the Exumas. You can get right down to Rudder Cut with 6 feet. And all the cuts north of this going to the Sound are fine for 6 feet.

We go straight from Nassau to Normans. In the olden days we used to go between the white and yellow and then head east but now a straight shot from Nassau to Normans Stake can take 6 feet.

Our first stop on the way south is Normans Cay. We don't stop at Allens because all the newbies go there to see the iguanas and the anchorage is usually crowded with many that have not anchored in the Bahamas before. If you want to see iguanas the cay north of Black Point has many. Highborne caters to motor yachts and sportfishers.

Shroud Cay the beginning of the Park is worthy of a few days exploring the creeks. If you intend to spearfish hang out in Normans.

Many folks go to Warderick Wells, the Park headquarters. We prefer the Staniel area.

Pipe Creek can take 6 feet but most use two hooks in there and if a front's coming you might have a problem finding a spot.

My favourite cut is Dotham Cut just north of Black Point. It's 50 odd mile from there to GT ( I think, can't remember but it's a short run).

Your best bet is to get Pavilidis' Guide to the Exumas. Don't know if it's been updated but even the first edition is quite valid. Things change from year to year in the Exumas (by this I mean the shoreside facilities) but after a few years you're usually back to the way things were. Development continues but at a fairly slow pace.

[Lasata]

When are you planning to go? We are looking for buddy boat opportunities from Miami.

R&S

[CoopAir]

Thanks everyone for the recommendations. Appreciate it very much!

Originally Posted by Lasata

When are you planning to go? We are looking for buddy boat opportunities from Miami.

R&S

I am not going myself, but have friends who are talking about going a year from this January.

I'll be flying myself from CT to the Bahamas in a Cessna this coming July, and I thought it would be cool to set up my Gopro camera to film flying the best route from NAS to G-town from pretty low (500 ft perhaps).

I would then give the video to my friends to have for the trip. I would announce lat/long on camera every NM or so (roughly 35 seconds at the speeds I fly) so that way they would know accurately at all times what the waterways look like along the route from an aerial perspective.

I might even take it a step further and sync 2 of my cameras. One will show the outside view of the route and the other would be pointed to my GPS at close range as it displays the lat/long readings, so therefore they could match a certain random time on the aerial vid and instantly know their position at that same moment.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by CoopAir

Thanks everyone for the recommendations. Appreciate it very much!




I am not going myself, but have friends who are talking about going a year from this January.

I'll be flying myself from CT to the Bahamas in a Cessna this coming July, and I thought it would be cool to set up my Gopro camera to film flying the best route from NAS to G-town from pretty low (500 ft perhaps).

I would then give the video to my friends to have for the trip. I would announce lat/long on camera every NM or so (roughly 35 seconds at the speeds I fly) so that way they would know accurately at all times what the waterways look like along the route from an aerial perspective.

I might even take it a step further and sync 2 of my cameras. One will show the outside view of the route and the other would be pointed to my GPS at close range as it displays the lat/long readings, so therefore they could match a certain random time on the aerial vid and instantly know their position at that same moment.

Hey that's a great idea. Not just the route, fly as if you're on a boat. Run into Normans Cay. Go through the anchorage and out the cut into the sound. Then turn and come in again and go down to Shroud.From the air you can see the good water easily. And all the shallow spots.

[kps0927]

Love to see that vide when you make it. I know my gopro vîds get big quick. Any chance you can dropnit on dropbox or something? We aren't palming this until next winter but would be great to have.