Crossing to Bahamas

[DannyK]

New-be here so you've probably seen this question b4 but I couldn't find where to search on this site. Anyway, planning on leaving around the Fort Worth inlet in a 43 Silverton in a few weeks. Looking for any advice on conditions or recommendations on where to stay. I was planning on Port Lucaya? Do I need to head further S before crossing with the current or is that more of a concern for sailboats?
Thanks for any input

[k9medic]

Where is it that you want to wind up? That will determine a lot of things.

[onestepcsy37]

Think you mean Fort Pierce inlet. You would do less bashing into the Gulf Stream if you started further south. West Palm Beach (Lake Worth) would be more comfortable. Fort Lauderdale also a good choice.

[DannyK]

For now I think we're just planning on Freeport and see what that's like

[k9medic]

In a 43' Silverton you wont even feel the gulf stream when up at cruise speed so it's not as big of a deal as if you were in a sailboat. Heck your autopilot will keep you on course.

From the Lake Worth inlet to Port Lucaya is around 75nm so it will only take 4-5 hours at a 15kt cruise speed.

It's been a while since I've been to Freeport but I was not impressed.

[RTB]

Originally Posted by DannyK

New-be here so you've probably seen this question b4 but I couldn't find where to search on this site. Anyway, planning on leaving around the Fort Worth inlet in a 43 Silverton in a few weeks. Looking for any advice on conditions or recommendations on where to stay. I was planning on Port Lucaya? Do I need to head further S before crossing with the current or is that more of a concern for sailboats?
Thanks for any input

Not sure Freeport has that much to offer, but I've never actually been there.

Most will leave Lake Worth, and head to West End to check in if doing Abaco. As you see, Lake Worth is north of Freeport, so you'll be bucking the stream. It will take longer and you'll burn more fuel, than if you leave farther south. I can't recall what the next inlet south of Lake Worth is? Maybe Hillsboro Inlet?

If you have the Waterway Guide for the Bahamas, there is a map (crossing the Gulf Stream), with a chart for courses and distances. It gives the rhumb line course and distance, corrected course (stream offset), and elapsed time, according to the speed that you plug in.

Notice that you can't do a direct route to Freeport from Lake Worth.

You have plenty of choices, and it depends on where you want to go. Also, how long do you have for cruising. If it's a weekend or a few days, maybe Freeport makes sense.


PS-Welcome to CF.

Ralph

[ka4wja]

Danny,
Although I've crossed hundreds of times in the past 45 - 50 years, I haven't done it in a power boat in about 40 years....(and then it was from Ft. Lauderdale)....

But, I can give you a few tips that apply to all boats crossing from S. Florida to the Bahamas....

Originally Posted by DannyK

New-be here so you've probably seen this question b4 but I couldn't find where to search on this site. Anyway, planning on leaving around the Fort Worth inlet in a 43 Silverton in a few weeks. Looking for any advice on conditions or recommendations on where to stay. I was planning on Port Lucaya? Do I need to head further S before crossing with the current or is that more of a concern for sailboats?
Thanks for any input

1) Remember, "the Bahamas" consist of > 700 islands, stretching many hundreds of miles....so, "where to stay" is a bit like saying I'm going to the east coast of the US, where should I stay???

If you're looking for warmer air temps, think southern / central Bahamas, this time of year....as you move further south and east, the fronts often dissipate and the weather is a milder, tropical winter paradise....
But, that takes time (and fuel for a power boat!)...

So, if you want a "generic" recommend, I'd say leave from Ft. Lauderdale....head for Bimini....and easy afternoon....or even parts farther (such as Chubb or Nassau....just plan ahead)
And, then head south or east....Spanish Wells / Eluthera / etc...or the Exumas....
The weather is nicer and with motoring speed and not needing wind at the proper angles, you should be good-to-go, for a few weeks of fun!!


2) Buy the "Yachtsman's Guide to the Bahamas", and use this as your primary guide to figure where to go, where to stay, what to look at, etc...as well as where to buy fuel, etc...
2015 annual edition Yachtsman's Guide to the Bahamas, Yachtsmans Guide

I don't know what your fuel capacity / range is, but you CAN get fuel in the Bahamas....


3) Don't know if you already have good charts for the Bahamas, but the Explorer's Charts are very good (considered the best by most cruising sailors)...
https://www.explorercharts.com/index.php



4) Weather info / forecast will be important to you, for slightly different reasons than for us sailors....mainly to keep you out of big seas / gusty winds....
When in port, you probably have internet connectivity of some type??? And can use that to access excellent weather info / forecasts...

These will get you the "gold standard" of marine text forecasts...

Coastal/Great Lakes Forecasts by Zone - South - Miami, FL

NWS Offshore Marine Forecasts by Zone - Tropical Atlantic

And, here is the main NOAA Marine weather page, for reference, for everything you could ever want about marine / offshore weather, worldwide....there are links to just about everything...
National Weather Service Marine Forecasts


When on-board and preparing (and when at sea, as you're making your crossing), be sure to occasionally tune into the NOAA VHF weather forecasts...
Make sure your VHF radio is up-to-snuff and that you are familiar with the US NOAA weather radio broadcasts, but understand that once you're far out / in Bahamian waters, these will no longer be of any use....as they only broadcast the "coastal forecasts", out-to 60 nm / to Bahamian waters....and you're not likely to hear them once your in Bahamian waters anyway...
{just an FYI, for those in the US....once past VHF radio range from the US east or west coasts, the "weather channels" on your VHF are useless!!!}


Here are today's coastal forecasts....as they are broadcast locally on NOAA weather radio...

Weather ch. 3 = KEC-50 from WPB...
NOAA Weather Radio KEC50

COASTAL WATERS FROM JUPITER INLET TO DEERFIELD BEACH, FL OUT 20 NM-
WATERS FROM JUPITER INLET TO DEERFIELD BEACH, FL EXTENDING FROM 20 NM TO 60 NM-

.SYNOPSIS...
STRONG NORTH WINDS WILL DEVELOP THIS EVENING...AND CONTINUE INTO THURSDAY.

SEAS WILL ALSO QUICKLY BUILD AND BECOME HAZARDOUS TONIGHT AND THURSDAY.

CONDITIONS IMPROVE ON FRIDAY.

PRESSURE GRADIENT INCREASE THIS WEEKEND AS ANOTHER STRONG SURFACE HIGH COVERS THE EAST COAST.
WINDS WILL INCREASE SOMEWHAT AGAIN BY SATURDAY.

.GULF STREAM HAZARDS...SEAS INCREASING TO 6 TO 8 FEET THIS EVENING...AND 9 TO 11 FEET INTO THURSDAY.

THE APPROXIMATE LOCATION OF THE WEST WALL OF THE GULF STREAM AS OF
JAN 07, 2015 AT 1200 UTC..

8 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTH SOUTHEAST OF JUPITER INLET
9 NAUTICAL MILES NORTH NORTHEAST OF LAKE WORTH
6 NAUTICAL MILES EAST OF PORT EVERGLADES.
1 NAUTICAL MILES EAST NORTHEAST OF FOWEY ROCKS.


COASTAL WATERS FROM JUPITER INLET TO DEERFIELD BEACH, FL OUT 20 NM-
WATERS FROM JUPITER INLET TO DEERFIELD BEACH, FL EXTENDING FROM 20 NM TO 60 NM-


309 PM EST WED JAN 7 2015

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM EST THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING

TONIGHT NORTH NORTHWEST WINDS 20 TO 25 KNOTS. SEAS 2 TO 4 FEET WITH OCCASIONAL SEAS TO 5 FEET BUILDING TO 6 TO 8 FEET WITH OCCASIONAL SEAS TO 10 FEET AFTER MIDNIGHT. DOMINANT PERIOD 5 SECONDS. INTRACOASTAL WATERS A MODERATE CHOP.
THURSDAY NORTH NORTHEAST WINDS 20 TO 25 KNOTS. SEAS 10 TO 12 FEET WITH OCCASIONAL SEAS TO 15 FEET. DOMINANT PERIOD 8 SECONDS. EAST SWELL 3 TO 5 FEET. INTRACOASTAL WATERS ROUGH IN EXPOSED AREAS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
THURSDAY NIGHT EAST NORTHEAST WINDS AROUND 20 KNOTS BECOMING EAST SOUTHEAST 10 TO 15 KNOTS AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 9 TO 11 FEET WITH OCCASIONAL SEAS TO 14 FEET SUBSIDING TO 7 TO 9 FEET WITH OCCASIONAL SEAS TO 11 FEET AFTER MIDNIGHT. DOMINANT PERIOD 10 SECONDS. NORTH NORTHEAST SWELL 3 TO 5 FEET. INTRACOASTAL WATERS CHOPPY IN EXPOSED AREAS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
FRIDAY SOUTH WINDS 5 TO 10 KNOTS BECOMING NORTH NORTHWEST IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 5 TO 7 FEET WITH OCCASIONAL SEAS TO 9 FEET. DOMINANT PERIOD 9 SECONDS. NORTH NORTHEAST SWELL 3 TO 4 FEET. INTRACOASTAL WATERS A LIGHT CHOP. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
FRIDAY NIGHT NORTH WINDS AROUND 15 KNOTS. SEAS 4 TO 6 FEET WITH OCCASIONAL SEAS TO 8 FEET. INTRACOASTAL WATERS A LIGHT CHOP. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
SATURDAY NORTHEAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. SEAS 4 TO 6 FEET WITH OCCASIONAL SEAS TO 8 FEET. INTRACOASTAL WATERS CHOPPY IN EXPOSED AREAS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY EAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. SEAS 3 TO 5 FEET WITH OCCASIONAL SEAS TO 6 FEET. INTRACOASTAL WATERS CHOPPY IN EXPOSED AREAS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
SUNDAY NIGHT EAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. SEAS 5 TO 7 FEET WITH OCCASIONAL SEAS TO 9 FEET. INTRACOASTAL WATERS CHOPPY IN EXPOSED AREAS. SHOWERS LIKELY. MONDAY EAST SOUTHEAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. SEAS 5 TO 7 FEET WITH OCCASIONAL SEAS TO 9 FEET. INTRACOASTAL WATERS CHOPPY IN EXPOSED AREAS. SHOWERS LIKELY.

Weather ch. 1 = KHB34, from Ft. Laud/Hollywood...
NOAA Weather Radio KHB34

COASTAL WATERS FROM DEERFIELD BEACH TO OCEAN REEF, FL OUT 20 NM-
WATERS FROM DEERFIELD BEACH TO OCEAN REEF, FL EXTENDING FROM 20 NM TO THE TERRITORIAL WATERS OF THE BAHAMAS-

.SYNOPSIS...
STRONG NORTH WINDS WILL DEVELOP THIS EVENING...AND CONTINUE INTO THURSDAY.

SEAS WILL ALSO QUICKLY BUILD AND BECOME HAZARDOUS TONIGHT AND THURSDAY.

CONDITIONS IMPROVE ON FRIDAY.

PRESSURE GRADIENT INCREASE THIS WEEKEND AS ANOTHER STRONG SURFACE HIGH COVERS THE EAST COAST. WINDS WILL INCREASE SOMEWHAT AGAIN BY SATURDAY.


THE APPROXIMATE LOCATION OF THE WEST WALL OF THE GULF STREAM AS OF
JAN 07, 2015 AT 1200 UTC..

14 NAUTICAL MILES EAST OF FORT PIERCE INLET.
10 NAUTICAL MILES EAST OF SAINT LUCIE INLET.

8 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTH SOUTHEAST OF JUPITER INLET
9 NAUTICAL MILES NORTH NORTHEAST OF LAKE WORTH
6 NAUTICAL MILES EAST OF PORT EVERGLADES.
1 NAUTICAL MILES EAST NORTHEAST OF FOWEY ROCKS.

AMZ651-671-080830-
COASTAL WATERS FROM DEERFIELD BEACH TO OCEAN REEF, FL OUT 20 NM-
WATERS FROM DEERFIELD BEACH TO OCEAN REEF, FL EXTENDING FROM 20 NM TO THE TERRITORIAL WATERS OF THE BAHAMAS-

309 PM EST WED JAN 7 2015

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM EST THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING

TONIGHT NORTH WINDS 10 TO 15 KNOTS BECOMING 20 TO 25 KNOTS AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEAS 2 TO 3 FEET BUILDING TO 5 TO 7 FEET WITH OCCASIONAL SEAS TO 9 FEET AFTER MIDNIGHT. DOMINANT PERIOD 6 SECONDS. INTRACOASTAL WATERS A MODERATE CHOP. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE EVENING.
THURSDAY NORTH NORTHEAST WINDS 20 TO 25 KNOTS. SEAS 9 TO 11 FEET WITH OCCASIONAL SEAS TO 14 FEET. DOMINANT PERIOD 8 SECONDS. NORTH NORTHEAST SWELL 3 TO 4 FEET IN THE AFTERNOON. INTRACOASTAL WATERS ROUGH IN EXPOSED AREAS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON.
THURSDAY NIGHT EAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. SEAS 8 TO 10 FEET WITH OCCASIONAL SEAS TO 13 FEET. DOMINANT PERIOD 10 SECONDS. NORTH NORTHEAST SWELL 3 TO 4 FEET. INTRACOASTAL WATERS CHOPPY IN EXPOSED AREAS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
FRIDAY EAST SOUTHEAST WINDS 5 TO 10 KNOTS BECOMING NORTH NORTHWEST IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 5 TO 7 FEET WITH OCCASIONAL SEAS TO 9 FEET SUBSIDING TO 3 TO 5 FEET WITH OCCASIONAL SEAS TO 6 FEET IN THE AFTERNOON. DOMINANT PERIOD 9 SECONDS. NORTH NORTHEAST SWELL AROUND 3 FEET IN THE MORNING. INTRACOASTAL WATERS A LIGHT CHOP. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
FRIDAY NIGHT NORTH NORTHEAST WINDS 10 TO 15 KNOTS. SEAS 3 TO 5 FEET WITH OCCASIONAL SEAS TO 6 FEET. INTRACOASTAL WATERS A LIGHT CHOP. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
SATURDAY NORTHEAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. SEAS 4 TO 6 FEET WITH OCCASIONAL SEAS TO 8 FEET. INTRACOASTAL WATERS CHOPPY IN EXPOSED AREAS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
SATURDAY NIGHT EAST NORTHEAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. SEAS 4 TO 6 FEET WITH OCCASIONAL SEAS TO 8 FEET. INTRACOASTAL WATERS CHOPPY IN EXPOSED AREAS. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
SUNDAY EAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. SEAS 3 TO 5 FEET WITH OCCASIONAL SEAS TO 6 FEET. INTRACOASTAL WATERS CHOPPY IN EXPOSED AREAS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY EAST SOUTHEAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. SEAS 4 TO 6 FEET WITH OCCASIONAL SEAS TO 8 FEET. INTRACOASTAL WATERS CHOPPY IN EXPOSED AREAS. SHOWERS LIKELY

And, here is today's "Tropical Atlantic" forecast for the Bahamas, broadcast on HF (SSB) radio, and available on-line...
NWS Offshore Marine Forecasts by Zone - Tropical Atlantic

.SYNOPSIS...
A STRONG ARCTIC COLD FRONT EXTENDING FROM 31N66W TO THE NW BAHAMAS AND TO S FLORIDA WILL RACE SW TO ALONG A POSITION FROM NEAR 31N66W TO THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA LATE TONIGHT...
BEFORE STALLING AND DISSIPATING THROUGH SAT NIGHT. STRONG HIGH PRES IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT WILL BUILD SE ACROSS THE BASIN THROUGH THU...
AND BEGIN TO WEAKEN THU NIGHT INTO SAT WHILE SHIFTING EASTWARD.
A WEAK TROUGH WILL DEVELOP NEAR THE NW BAHAMAS ON FRI AS YET ANOTHER SURGE OF STRONG HIGH PRES BUILDS S OVER THE AREA INTO MON.
THE TROUGH WILL MOVE WESTWARD INLAND FLORIDA SAT NIGHT INTO SUN.


AMZ117-080930-

BAHAMAS INCLUDING CAY SAL BANK-

430 PM EST WED JAN 7 2015

TONIGHT N TO NE WINDS 5 TO 10 KT...BECOMING N 15 TO 20 KT LATE. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT ATLC EXPOSURES...AND 2 FT OR LESS ELSEWHERE. THU N TO NE WINDS 20 TO 25 KT...DIMINISHING TO 15 TO 20 KT LATE. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT.
THU NIGHT NE WINDS 20 TO 25 KT...BECOMING NE TO E 15 TO 20 KT LATE. SEAS 7 TO 10 FT ATLC EXPOSURES...AND 4 TO 6 FT ELSEWHERE. FRI E WINDS 15 TO 20 KT...DIMINISHING TO 10 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 7 TO 10 FT IN NE SWELL ATLC EXPOSURES...AND 3 TO 5 FT ELSEWHERE.
FRI NIGHT E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT.
SAT E WINDS 10 TO 15 KT...BECOMING NE TO E 15 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 3 TO 5 FT.
SAT NIGHT NE TO E WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT.
SUN E WINDS 15 TO 20 KT. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT.
SUN NIGHT E WINDS 15 TO 20 KT...BECOMING E TO SE 20 TO 25 KT LATE. SEAS 5 TO 7 FT. MON E TO SE WINDS 15 TO 20 KT...BECOMING SE 10 TO 15 KT LATE. SEAS 4 TO 6 FT.
MON NIGHT E TO SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT...INCREASING TO 15 TO 20 KT LATE. SEAS 5 TO 7 FT. .

I'm not sure what type of weather you desire, or can tolerate on a 43' powerboat???
Nor, what your passage speed is???
But, if you can manage 5' - 7' seas and make a crossing in a few hours, you CAN find a decent window to cross....but timing your departure with the weather, and NOT with a calendar, is what is key!!!


Please advise us further on your boat, your experience, and your desires/capabilities of weather and seas....and we can be more specific...

Fair winds...

John
s/v Annie Laurie

[k9medic]

From my personal experience in power boat crossings you will not be delayed by any significant means by the gulf stream.

Some round numbers will show that your cruise speed is around 20kts right? The average speed of the stream is 4kts.

If my math is right - It's approximately a 103 degree heading to Freeport and the stream at the area of the crossing is approximately 355 degrees. That gives you a loss of about 1kt. If you stayed in the stream for the ENTIRE crossing you would see approximate times below -

60/19 = 3.1 hours
60/20 = 3.0 hours

[DannyK]

Thanks for all the responses. I was initially thinking Lucaya which is next to Freeport and check into customs and stay a few days. We've got a good month to six weeks so if we head to the Abacos do we need to go around the island or is there a path through? It looked like the marinas were all on the east side

[k9medic]

Wow, you have a lot of time to explore! I'm personally doing a trip from Stuart to Hopetown in the Abacos at the end of July and have budgeted 10 days for that trip.

From Freeport you could take the Grand Lucaya Waterway to the north side of Grand Bahama Island and head up to Mangrove Cay and then head east hitting Green Turtle, etc...

[onestepcsy37]

Originally Posted by k9medic

From Freeport you could take the Grand Lucaya Waterway to the north side of Grand Bahama Island and head up to Mangrove Cay and then head east hitting Green Turtle, etc...

I THINK there is a bridge with a 26 foot clearance that crosses that waterway, about halfway in. Better check the chart before commiting.

[DannyK]

Not much experience. Bought the boat in NJ and got it down to Charleston. Ran into some pretty good waves on the Albemarle Sound as well as one day on the ocean. Not sure if I want to tackle 5-7 foot waves. Is there a certain direction the wind goes that it becomes a definite no on crossing? Am I better off to have the wind at my back. Also, what will I need to do when returning to the US? Any customs on re-entering?

[captain58sailin]

Can't speak for up the coast of FL, just recently Dec 22nd, made the run from LA to Trinidad, and we caught a lee from Cuba in the old Bahama channel, once we got down by the southern end of Cuba we were weighing the option of cutting west between Haiti and Cuba, due to the strong easterlies, how ever opted to continue south until we got to Mona pass and cut over there. Then proceeded on to Trinidad, if I had to do it over I would have stayed closer to the windwards and let the voyage run the extra 200 miles. Mind you this was in an 165' fast boat. We were experiencing winds holding between 25 ~ 45 kts, we did have somewhat of a time schedule and the consideration was for the ease of ride. Wind and seas were coming almost due east.

[OnTour]

Don't cross with any north in the wind direction and yes you have to clear back in when returning.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[NewMoon]

Originally Posted by DannyK

Not much experience. Bought the boat in NJ and got it down to Charleston. Ran into some pretty good waves on the Albemarle Sound as well as one day on the ocean. Not sure if I want to tackle 5-7 foot waves. Is there a certain direction the wind goes that it becomes a definite no on crossing? Am I better off to have the wind at my back. Also, what will I need to do when returning to the US? Any customs on re-entering?

A non-trivial wind opposed to current is what you most want to avoid. That and very strong wind, of course. Wind opposed to current, even a relatively slow current, makes the seas much taller and much more vertical. 20 knots opposed to 2 knots can be a real pain. So as OnTour said, don't cross when wind is from the north.