Walkers Cay

[nautical62]

I agree the advantage of Walkers is that with ain overnight scale from Florida you can be at the top of the Abaco chain anis start working your way down. Everyone will have different opinions on the northern Islands. I just cruised from the southern Abacos up there and back and am heading that way again. I can spend days just exploring the Carter's Cays group and learn something new every time. The charts are very inaccurate and incomplete up there so gunkholing can really pay off.

Have a great cruise regardless of where you check in. I also second not doing the Indian Cay pass at night without previous knowledge. I've anchored out in Cross Bay at West End when the winds are reliably SE and north of the Marina in other conditions, but beware that anchorage has strong currents and a fairly scoured bottom. It's also much larger than most charts indicate.

[sfchatt]

Did you find Explore rcharts inaccurate in that area. We definitely want to cruise the Northern Cays first. Any a "must see" for diving or just enjoying area?

I don't intend a night cruising at this point.

[Lowcountry]

sfchatt,
The problem with leaving port st. lucie in the morning is that you arrive at walker's in the late afternoon when you can no longer see through the water. it is much more difficult to see rocks/coral heads late in the day than it is around noon. also, if you have any sort of problems along the way, you may well find yourself arriving off of walker's cay after dark. that is a situation i wouldn't really like to find myself in, but maybe that's just me. if you leave port st. lucie well before sunrise, you will be arriving at walker's cay while the sun is still high in the sky, and your visibility will be at its peak.

ps. forgive me if you already know all of this, just making suggestions/trying to be helpful if i can.

[nautical62]

Can't speak to the diving too much, but know many dive out of Walker's/Grand Cays. Dodge's guide gives some suggestions.

My favorite islands change based on my mood and the weather. I love the main anchorage and double breasted when the weather is nice, but going in there in bad weather is not high on my list. I love poking around the Carter's Cay group as there is so much beyond the main anchorage listed in all the guides, and most of it much more accessible. Strangers is a place you may have to yourself. Umbrella has a really nice beach and good for a NE wind. If you can get into Moraine, that's not a bad place for a NW wind. Great Sale offers good NW protection as well. The bay on the ocean side of Allans-Pensacola is one of my favorite most recent discoveries. The second from the bottom Fish Cay has a nice little beach on the end with a newer picnic table. Good place for swimming and conching. The big broad bay at the south end of Double Breasted also offers good NW protection, though it offers little else. I was at Fox Town and Hawksbill a few days ago. If you enjoy getting away from the tourists, that's worth a visit.

Powell is one of my favorite uninhabited cays in NE - SE winds. Just left there this morning and am now in Treaure Cay. Night and day difference. Had a whole cay to myself, now there are 25 boats within 100 yards.

Great thing about the Abacos - it offers so much diversity in such a small area. I love it here.

For the most part I find the explorer charts and guides to be on the conservative side. It's unlikely you will find shallow water where they indicate it's deep. More often, there are areas that are easy to navigate that you would never guess from their charts/descriptions.

- Dave

[jnewton6]

Originally Posted by sfchatt

Have to look at that.. Someone else told leave out of Lake Worth.. We're trying to manage our time so we maximze our stay. We're actually leaving out of Tampa..to Fort Myers first day..Through Okeechobee second day.. Last time it took a good day to get to St. Lucie through the locks... My thought (weather permitting) was day 3 head to Walkers. Then island Hop.
Thanks for the suggestion. stilll have time to plan..

Hey Sfchatt!

We have very similar plans to leave Indian Rocks Beach on May 21st, Down to Ft. Myers, run across the state and cross directly to Walkers. May do a night run down to Ft. Myers in order to save a day. Like you said... we need to maximize our fun time! We'll then take about a week to work down to Treasure. We did the same trip years ago and thoroughly enjoyed the area from Walker's south. We're in a motor cat so we don't need marinas very often. I came to this website to see if Walker's still supported a customs office. If you have a similar schedule we might just see you in that area.

You other guys... thanks very much for taking the time to share your experience and suggestions. We're making notes on everything you're saying!