Ft. Lauderdale to Chesapeake

[hildegard78]

Hello,
i need your advice and your experience.
If I leave Ft lauderdale to go to the Chesapeake is possibile and safe to pass around Cape Hatteras and get to the Chesapeake channel??
If not what would be better to do:
- sail the Pamlico sound or going into the icw??
- Is it possible to make both with a 33’ sail 6’ draft?
- How much time would it take ??

Thanks a lot
Roberto

[Hud3]

Hi, Roberto.

It's certainly possible to round Cape Hatteras on the way from Florida to the Chesapeake. Doing it safely depends entirely on the weather.

A friend of mine has done that route a dozen times and had no problems. On his advice, I did it myself a few years ago. As long has you have access to up-to-date weather forecasts or weather data if you are capable of making your own assessments of what the weather will do, you'll be fine. Have contingency plans (charts and sailing instructions) in case you have to duck into one of the various inlets along the coast if things deteriorate offshore.

If you ride the Gulf Stream north and manage to stay outside all the way to the Bay, you can save quite a few days on your passage. If I recall correctly, it took us about five days from the northern Abacos to the Cheasapeake Bay entrance. If you have to go inside, you can count on a max of 50 nm per day on the ICW.

[chuckr]

roberto - hud knows of what he speaks - we left bahamas and our weather router, chris parker, told us to be in by tuesday or bail out - we could not make cheaspeake by tuesday so we bailed out - we are now in beaufort nc and are headed up the icw as the weather refuses to cooperate -
it will take a few days longer but a lot safer - AND SAFETY MATTERS -
good luck

chuck patty and svsoulmates
svsoulmates@hotmail.com
on the hook beaufort nc

[hildegard78]

Hello Chuck, I'm Claudia (Roberto's girlfriend), he left yesterday, do you think it was not safe to leave?
I'm a bit worried as he is alone on the boat!

Thanks!!

C.

[J Ventura]

It's an idea to stop in Beaufort , NC , break your trip in half and be sure of your weather to round Hatteras. No concerns with draft or bridges like on the ICW , you can make Beaufort in about 3 days staying in the Gulfstream. Beaufort is great and you can anchor or stay at city dock with everything close by. Then another 2 days and you are in Norfolk , if you can keep 6 kts.
Have a good passage!

[chuckr]

claudia - not sure where he is right now - but this is summer along the east coast and thunderstorms are something that is common here - we decided not to go around hatteras yesterday but it looked doable - we stayed on the inside from beaufort and currently are just north of belhaven headed to elizabeth city today -
if you talk with him you may suggest he duck in at beaufort and come north via the inside route
i single handed my first year out and took a lot of safety precautions (use to climb big mountains for it is always safety first and do take a lot of chances) and had a great trip - i was lucky in that another couple adopted me and we buddy boated all the way to mass and back - if your boyfried is near us tell him to call soulmates on the radio and we would love to buddy boat with him - otherwise there are other boaters out there who may sail with him -- after all this is a large family out here and we do watch out for each other
let us know how it goes

chuck patty and svsoulmates
svsoulmates@hotmail.com
on the hook near belhaven nc leaving shortly for elizabeth city

[hildegard78]

Thank you so much! I tried to send him a message hoping he will be able to receive it...have a good week end and thank you again!!

Claudia