Headed to the Caribbean from New England this fall?

[SVHoliday]

Hello,

This is SV Holiday, a first time poster from Boston. We are a crew of three on a Beneteau 411 heading to the islands via Bermuda this fall. Anyone else heading that way? We would love to share routes, plans, and expected departure dates. How have the hurricanes changed your plans? We were originally planning on making landfall in the islands in Tortola, but are now thinking Antigua would be a better first stop.

[hpeer]

Try posting and following here.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...-a-191541.html

[Flyingriki]

Where in the Carib do you plan on visiting?

[accomplice]

Originally Posted by SVHoliday

Hello,

This is SV Holiday, a first time poster from Boston. We are a crew of three on a Beneteau 411 heading to the islands via Bermuda this fall. Anyone else heading that way? We would love to share routes, plans, and expected departure dates. How have the hurricanes changed your plans? We were originally planning on making landfall in the islands in Tortola, but are now thinking Antigua would be a better first stop.

We've done that trip -- New England -> Bermuda -> Caribbean (landfall Antigua or St Maarten) each of the past three years, and would be doing it again next week except for Irma and Maria. Although we have always plotted a rhumb line course, weather has occasionally caused us to alter course.

Instead we're heading New England -> Norfolk, VA -> Georgetown, Bahamas, departing next week pending weather.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Holliday.

[SVTwilight]

Have a great time and safe travels! However, I wouldn't go via Bermuda for starters...

Don Street's Sailing Routes to the Caribbean | Cruising World

[Roniszoro]

Weather is everything!

We left Newport for Bermuda last year the 2nd week in November and got our butts kicked. We saw steady 45 knot winds with gust to the high 50s and 20 foot seas. Thankfully we were on a mid 70s Swan which is built like a battle ship. The weather was not predicted, and we had a well respected weather router giving us input. A similar thing happened in November 2011.

One can make a good case for going to Norfolk to depart as Don Street does. Or "you pays your money and you take your chances".

[Library70]

We sailed from Rhode Island to Bermuda to Virgin Gorda last fall. We had previously sailed from RI to the Chesapeake to St Thomas. We prefer the Bermuda route, leaving RI on the back of a cold front, it takes us about four days to get to Bermuda and another six days to Virgin Gorda. If the weather turns bad you have the option of waiting it out in St Georges harbor.
Yes, the weather can be difficult in October/November in the North East and the Gulf Stream is 250 mi. out, but a good weather router (we use Chris Parker) should be able to keep you out of trouble for 4 days.
The other complaint about about the Bermuda route is that you may loose unhappy crew members there. Hmm, not sure that's a bad thing.

[Roniszoro]

Originally Posted by Library70

We sailed from Rhode Island to Bermuda to Virgin Gorda last fall. We had previously sailed from RI to the Chesapeake to St Thomas. We prefer the Bermuda route, leaving RI on the back of a cold front, it takes us about four days to get to Bermuda and another six days to Virgin Gorda. If the weather turns bad you have the option of waiting it out in St Georges harbor.
Yes, the weather can be difficult in October/November in the North East and the Gulf Stream is 250 mi. out, but a good weather router (we use Chris Parker) should be able to keep you out of trouble for 4 days.
The other complaint about about the Bermuda route is that you may loose unhappy crew members there. Hmm, not sure that's a bad thing.

Chris Parker was our weather router!

[Bleemus]

Done the trip many many times. Some as late as second week of December after shoveling 8 inches of snow off the deck. Newport to Bermuda leaving just after a cold front. Sit in Bermuda for a few days watching weather then off to Antigua. Many great trips with great memories. Once you get across the Gulf Stream it is a wonderful time.

[Otia]

Originally Posted by Roniszoro

Weather is everything!

We left Newport for Bermuda last year the 2nd week in November and got our butts kicked. We saw steady 45 knot winds with gust to the high 50s and 20 foot seas. Thankfully we were on a mid 70s Swan which is built like a battle ship. The weather was not predicted, and we had a well respected weather router giving us input. A similar thing happened in November 2011.

One can make a good case for going to Norfolk to depart as Don Street does. Or "you pays your money and you take your chances".

I was caught it that storm in November 2011 (late October, like oct 31st & Nov 1st I recall). It was a bad one. I was waiting for the weather window in NYC when a low pressure moving north from the Carolina's was forecasted to go inland, but it went out to sea... Gee! it was bad. If I recall properly, Don Street wrote about it in Compass and referred to this storm to point out you are playing russian roulette in late fall on the north atlantic.