Caribbean Cruising 2018/2019 season - good or bad idea?

[Smart555]

Originally Posted by jimp1234

First of all, a little about us. We live in California, and our current "plan A" is to buy a boat in the Caribbean or on the East Coast next year when I retire, then start our cruising life in the Caribbean during the 2018/2019 season. Btw, at least at for the first few years we're planning on doing more seasonal "commuter" style cruising not live-aboard. And given we're in California we don't have much local knowledge about the real extent of the damage in the Caribbean caused by the hurricanes other than what we get from news and a few friends. So some questions for the East Coasters and Caribbean sailors.

How has the devastation caused by the hurricanes affected your cruising plans for the 2017/2018 season? Has it changed your long term plans for cruising in the Caribbean given that it may be years before some islands are back to normal? Do you fore see things being back to normal is a year or two, or is it likely to be 5 to 10 years before normality returns? Also,has this changed your view on what's a safe hurricane hole? Finally our "plan B" is to buy a boat in the Med and start our cruising life there for a few seasons. Is that a better plan given the current state of the Caribbean? TIA

-Jim

We live in Florida and have the same dream to try cruising life. We’re going to get the boat this spring. First year our plans are to learn sailing better during cruising here in Florida keys, Key West and then travel further to the Bahamas in summer vacation. And come back before hurricane season. And the next year we want to try the Caribbean and if this life style suits our family well we go further to Pacific.
Good luck with your plans!

[robert sailor]

I'd second the comment on sailing South to Mexico and enjoying the area before coastal hopping down to Panama, tons of places enroute to enjoy yourselves. Go thru the canal and do the San Blas Islands and maybe a quick trip up to Columbia before heading north to Honduras, Belize and Guatemala. Lots of culture on the western side that doesn't exist on the eastern side. Then boogy up to Florida and do the salty dog rally and visit the windward and Leewards islands. That could keep you busy and highly entertained for several years.
We did a couple of years in the Med and absolutely loved it but the experience in the Med is much more on land and less in the Sea. Nothing wrong with sailing there but the sailing can't come close to the Caribbean with it's steady trade winds. The other downer is that they have winter there and so you sail in the summer and either live in a marina during the winter or return home BUT your returning home in the winter which might be ok in Southern California. I'd never miss the Med but after a couple of years of being there summer and winter when we do it again and we will we won't sail there. We'd find a central location in the areas we wanted to travel, rent an apartment and travel to our hearts content. It's drop dead gorgeous in so many ways but when your on your boat you really get stuck as no one likes leaving their boat at anchor for very long so you end up in a marina during the high months and pay full retail. Personally I'd leave my boat in the western Caribbean in the summer and cheap cheap prices and no hurricanes to worry about and get on the airplane to the Med and spend summer there and back to the Caribbean for the winter. You can get a furnished apartment say in Turkey for less than 400 bucks a month and your good to go.

[billknny]

I wonder about people who think things have to be "back to normal" before putting a place on their cruising itinerary. We are cruising the Caribbean this winter and have a simple rule: Anyplace where we are not a burden on the local infrastructure, we're happy to visit and contribute a few dollars to the local economy. If the locals struggle to get enough food and water food delivered for their own needs, then we have no business syphoning off things they need and should move on as quickly as possible.

Many of our favorite places are either uninhabited, or very sparsely so, and have little or no local infrastructure. Why avoid them?

[chuckr]

I guess from our perspective is how long are you planning on spending on the boat? The 2nd question would be what time of year? If you plan on summer in the Carib you might think twice as 1st your insurance company may not like that decision and 2nd you got those things called hurricanes that may or may not show up. But if you plan on sailing the winter all things change.


Others can comment better than I can but finding a good boat in the Carib may be difficult right now due to the number destroyed and what is really available and in good not sunk and recovered status.
There are lots of boats in the Med for sale and the sailing is good and so so much to see and experience. We have sailed both sides of the Carib and sailed across in '13 and wow so much to see and experience and if you look at a map the Med looks small - IT IS NOT - we are planning to winter over next year in Israel after sailing there from Cyprus - if we head north or west we have a 3-6day sail to reach land in Crete or Sicily - the Med is huge the only problem is Schengen and if you play the game right you can get around it a bit
good luck with your decision

[Saleen411]

Originally Posted by chuckr

I guess from our perspective is how long are you planning on spending on the boat? The 2nd question would be what time of year? If you plan on summer in the Carib you might think twice as 1st your insurance company may not like that decision and 2nd you got those things called hurricanes that may or may not show up. But if you plan on sailing the winter all things change.


Others can comment better than I can but finding a good boat in the Carib may be difficult right now due to the number destroyed and what is really available and in good not sunk and recovered status.
There are lots of boats in the Med for sale and the sailing is good and so so much to see and experience. We have sailed both sides of the Carib and sailed across in '13 and wow so much to see and experience and if you look at a map the Med looks small - IT IS NOT - we are planning to winter over next year in Israel after sailing there from Cyprus - if we head north or west we have a 3-6day sail to reach land in Crete or Sicily - the Med is huge the only problem is Schengen and if you play the game right you can get around it a bit
good luck with your decision

I see you're in Marmaris...we LOVED Marmaris and our short time of cruising the Lycian and Carian coasts of Turkey.

I agree with a previous poster about the Caribbean....I MUCH prefer it to the Med. Mostly because we abhor cold weather and esp cold water.... sorry but the MED to me was COLD as evidenced by MAJOR shrinkage! Sorry TMI. For us, we prefer to spend a large amount of time IN the water.... swimming, snorkeling and diving.... no question which destination is better.

I would go back to the Caribbean in a heartbeat, in fact we may very well do just that in 2018. To each their own, but from everything I've read and heard, no reason NOT to.

[Caribbeanreiki]

Originally Posted by jimp1234

First of all, a little about us. We live in California, and our current "plan A" is to buy a boat in the Caribbean or on the East Coast next year when I retire, then start our cruising life in the Caribbean during the 2018/2019 season. Btw, at least at for the first few years we're planning on doing more seasonal "commuter" style cruising not live-aboard. And given we're in California we don't have much local knowledge about the real extent of the damage in the Caribbean caused by the hurricanes other than what we get from news and a few friends. So some questions for the East Coasters and Caribbean sailors.

How has the devastation caused by the hurricanes affected your cruising plans for the 2017/2018 season? Has it changed your long term plans for cruising in the Caribbean given that it may be years before some islands are back to normal? Do you fore see things being back to normal is a year or two, or is it likely to be 5 to 10 years before normality returns? Also,has this changed your view on what's a safe hurricane hole? Finally our "plan B" is to buy a boat in the Med and start our cruising life there for a few seasons. Is that a better plan given the current state of the Caribbean? TIA

-Jim

Jim, your plan B makes more sense than A if you plan to sail both the Med and the Caribbean. The Trade winds will bring you from Med to Carib in a breeze.
Plus, finding a great boat at a good price is easier in Europe: more choices, great exchange rate $ / Euro
And the Med is such a wonderful place to explore!
Go to Croatia and Greece, both sailing paradises.
Sail through Venezzia's canals
Enjoy Corsica, Sardaigna and Ibiza islands
Paul

[two-rocks]

2 year old thread?