Dear Jim,
Thank you for the illustration of what trip I should expect. It looks very realistic and consequentelly very helpful. It will send me back to the drawing board for this trip.
Southernstars
Quote:
Originally Posted by osirissail  Miami to Trinidad/Grenada in 30 days is "hauling it" - - It is technically possible but highly unlikely unless you are willing to accept some nasty weather and seas and have a boat that can handle such conditions. Generally the winds in June/Jul are east to southeast so you will be motoring a lot.
-- Several years ago I "fast-tracked it from Miami to Luperon, D.R. - crashing and bashing some of the way - and it took me 15 days. Waiting for a south thru west wind and low seas to cross the Gulfstream to the Bahamas can take 2 days to 2 weeks. The Bahamas is not a problem until you get to Georgetown and the long leg to Mayaguana and the Turks and Caicos - that can take another 2 days to 2 weeks before acceptable weather appears.
- - The crossing from the Caicos to Luperon is generally awful to horrible but mercifully short as you have to plan your arrival there for the hours between just after sun rise to about 10AM. The harbor has no markers or nav aids and some nasty reefs.
- - From Luperon to Mayaguez/Boqueron, Puerto Rico is about 48 hrs and waiting for a weather window is again 2 days to 2 months. You try to ride just before a cold front coming down from the USA.
- - The south side of Puerto Rico is not too much problem as you can stop in five different places. Normal weather is 20-25 kts on the nose with 6-8 foot seas except between the hours of sun rise to 11AM so each hop is about 25nm.
- - Once you turn the corner at Point Tuna you enter the shelter of the Virgins and can truck through in 2 - 3 days.
- - The Anegada to St. Martin is a nasty crossing unless you wait for a window - again the 2 days to 2 weeks.
- - I did an overnighter from St Martin to Guadeloupe (Deshaies) and got pounded good from midnight to sunrise. Never go on the east side of St Kitts/Nevis, always head along the southwest side then north of Monterrat to Deshaies.
- - From Guadeloupe there are about 5 legs or about a week with "perfect weather." Or if you do not stop anywhere maybe 3 days and nights to Grenada. Then it is a day-hop (about 14 hours at 6 kts) to Trinidad. Then 2 to 7 days to get out of the water at a boatyard.
- - Whatever all that adds up to is about 2-3 months to get down island unless you go direct to the Virgins via "I-66" (5-7 days); Virgins to Guadeloupe (2 days & nights); nonstop to Grenada (another 3-4 days). But you will be bashing and crashing for a good portion of that time. All of these estimates are at 6 - 7 knots over the ground. If your boat does 5-6 add a week; under 5 kts, add two weeks.
- - These are ball park figures based on a half dozen trips north and south in the last 7 years.
Good Luck, Jim on OSIRIS |