Sailing from West End To Ft. Lauderdale

[Stuartda]

I am planning a trip next spring to bring my 40 ft. Beneteau from Marsh Harbor to Ft. Lauderdale. My plan is to head to West End by route of memory rock. Would it be better for me to sail South first to Bimini outside the Gulf Stream and then across or is it better to go to West Palm and then South either in the ICW or Outside?
I have never crossed the Gulf Stream and hit the East Coast. My final initial destination will be Ft. Lauderdale to refit my boat.
Thanks in advance for your advise.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Stu.

[captd44]

I would go to Bimini then cross, trying to go south along the east close of Florida I think you will be going against the gulf stream more.

[jstevens]

Crossing from Bimini would definitely be faster than trying to cross directly from West End to Port Everglades. In order to compensate for the GS the later route would likely be more than 80nm (depending on your speed) while the crossing from Bimini would be less than 50nm with a strong boost from the current.
The alternative would be to cross from WE to Lake Worth and then go down to Ft. Lauderdale inside. I did that trip on a friend's boat a number of years ago and it was a real PITA with all the restricted bridge openings. It took us all day to get from West Palm to Ft. Lauderdale. That was on a weekend with no rush hour restrictions, but with a gazillion other boats waiting at each bridge.
I guess you could hug the beach and go outside from Lake Worth to Port Everglades, but I think you will pick up some of the GS right off the Lake Worth inlet.
Best not to fight the GS or the FL bridges and start from Bimini.

John