Annapolis to BVI

[Irish_bloke]

Hey Everyone,

I was hoping to get some helpful insight into an upcoming passage. I am currently in Annapolis and plan on making my way to the BVI. I have been advised by some friends of mine to go via the ICW.

It looks like an amazing trip but I have some concerns I was hoping to get some insight on.

1) I am a catamaran ( 60ft ) with a 93ft mast. I understand I won't make it down the entire route but how far can I hope to make it?

2) Is driving at night a good idea? I have seen that there can be some shallow areas due to the tide. Is it usual to anchor or dock somewhere? Where would you suggest docking?

3) I plan on heading to freeport or Nassau. What's suggested? Where makes the most sense to start this?

Thanks in advance!

[stormalong]

Your topic title says BVI but your destination says Bahamas.

With a 93 foot mast you will go nowhere in the ICW. Every bridge is an unpassable barrier. Your only viable option is offshore.

Even if you could navigate the ICW doing it in the dark would be foolhardy.

Are you for real or a troll?

[Irish_bloke]

Hey !

Absolutely not a troll. The plan is to head to the Bahamas and do some reprovisoning and then continue down to the BVI.

Regarding the bridge height I was reading that I could let some of bridge operators know I was coming ahead of time ( 24hrs I believe ) and they could raise some of the bridges. I believe I'll only be able to make it down as far south Carolina on the ICW I believe.

If this isn't the case I will go with my back up plan and head out towards Bermuda and then head south.

Thanks for replying 🙂

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by Irish_bloke

Hey !

Absolutely not a troll. The plan is to head to the Bahamas and do some reprovisoning and then continue down to the BVI.

Regarding the bridge height I was reading that I could let some of bridge operators know I was coming ahead of time ( 24hrs I believe ) and they could raise some of the bridges. I believe I'll only be able to make it down as far south Carolina on the ICW I believe.

If this isn't the case I will go with my back up plan and head out towards Bermuda and then head south.

Thanks for replying ��

OK, That was not clear from your original post.

If your destination is the BVI don't waste your time going to the Bahamas. The ICW will slow you down immensely and has too many fixed bridges for you, being in the Bahamas leaves you beating into the wind to get east to the BVI.

Your backup plan should be your primary plan. Chesapeake Bay to Bermuda and then south to the BVI.

You can provision in Puerto Rico or USVI. You would be very disappointed provisioning in the Bahamas. The time, fuel and supplies that you would expend going south along the US coast would be a waste.

[Irish_bloke]

Thank you.

Very much appreciated

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Irish_bloke

Regarding the bridge height I was reading that I could let some of bridge operators know I was coming ahead of time ( 24hrs I believe ) and they could raise some of the bridges. I believe I'll only be able to make it down as far south Carolina on the ICW I believe.

Some bridges can physically open... and will usually do that on request or on schedule.

But there are several fixed bridges along the way too, no open. The fixed highway bridges are "standardized" at 65' clearance... except for those that haven't been replaced yet... and except for at least one near the southwest end of the Alligator-Pungo Canal that's lower...

You can see a list of bridges in the Waterway Guide...

But a 93' mast pretty much makes the AICW a non-starter for continuous travel. And nope, not South Carolina.... not even out of Virginia.

OTOH, it's possible to do some hopping in and out if off-shore conditions don't suit. For example, Annapolis to Solomons, Solomons to Hampton or Little Creek, offshore to Beaufort/Morehead City (I think), offshore to Masonboro/Wrightsville Beach, offshore to Southport, offshore to Winyah Bay/Georgetown, offshore to Charleston, etc.

Your questions are pretty basic... and your friends sound pretty clueless ref that whole 93' mast thing; how long have you owned the boat?

-Chris

[Tin Tin]

There are parts of the ICW that have opening bridges, eg St Augustine, but invariably there is a fixed 65ft high bridge somewhere along the route preventing you getting back out to sea.


Yes you can do a big right angle sail to Bernuda and then south. In the "horse" latitudes around northern Bahamas you can do the same pattern sail plan - head from Marsh Harbor due east 500 miles in north - NW - SW winds then when the NE - E trades kick in head south 500nm to BVI - took us 7 days in a Lagoon averaging about 6 knots overall, had some quiet days early with 8 kn of breeze, this freshened into 20+ for the last 500 miles, did not need to tack the whole trip. It was early December. We left Chesapeak 8 November, arrived BVI 13 Dec via NC SC FL Abacos - 10 stops along the way.


This way you can, if you want to, day hop mostly (apart from Hatteras) all the way down US East Coast to say St Augustine - West Palm beach (huge anchorage). Re-provision there, across to Abacos if you want to explore them, wait for a S-W-N wind that is forecast to last a few days and head off from there. I would not whistle stop in Bahamas due to fees. You can pass to North of Turks and Caicos.

[MicHughV]

A 60' Cat is a bloody big boat and and a 93' mast is a very tall stick.

My advice is to hire a professional skipper (and crew) for a week or two or three and get your feet wet.

The AICW is out of the question for you, so forget about it.

[WantTo]

It’s too late now, but the Salty Dawg rally would have been the best way. They go east to Bermuda then south. I would skip the Bahamas. You haven’t mentioned if you have any open ocean experience. If not, I would recommend getting some crew who has done it before. As many others have stated, you can’t go anywhere on the ICW.

[tschramm]

If you do end up going via Bermuda you can get duty free fuel in Bermuda through RUBiS Energy Bermuda, which offers duty-free Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) at its Superyacht Service Centre in Royal Naval Dockyard and other island locations via road tank wagon. To qualify, vessels must have their HM Customs Duty Exemption Voucher and bunker within 24 hours of their departure date. Other locations are specific duty-free berths at Penno's Wharf, Ordnance Island, Marginal Wharf in St. David's, or Number 1 Dock and Number 5/6 Dock in the City of Hamilton. Present your physical HM Customs Duty Exemption Voucher to RUBiS staff at the time of bunkering. A representative from the vessel must sign the voucher to confirm the transaction. Her Majesty’s ships and ships having commission from any foreign government qualify automatically for duty-free fuel. You easily pick up the exemption voucher at the customs office. I sailed several times with a couple of captains sometimes getting the voucher at customs in St Georges and sailing on the north side to the Royal Naval Dockyard. Did a Med mooring in a Beneteau 50 to fuel up. Had to set up a line to get a bag to shore with the voucher and credit card and then back with the reciept. They do this all the time and it saves a lot of money on diesel. Hope this helps someone.

By the way the trip south to the Virgins or St Martin was always easier for us than the trip from Newport to Bermuda in November. Recommend getting weather routing through Commanders or Chris Parker (Marine Weather Center). Another is WRI Weather Routing Inc though I have no experience with this one.

[WantTo]

I have used Chris Parker for years. I highly recommend him.

[Nicholson58]

It’s unfortunate you didn’t contact, join the Salty Dawgs. Their fal rally to the Caribbean begins November 1 assuming favorable conditions. The rally is 60-104 boats with varying destinations and departure points. Most depart the Chesapeake and sail to Antigua. Chris Parker provides weather routing. There is daily check in and routs are logged. In Antigua there is about a month of organize events and activities. BTW, Antigua is a lot more fun than the BVI and the government way more welcoming

Assuming you could do the east coast, it will take you months to get to the eastern Caribbean. With the Dawgs, offshore, it is 7 to 15 days. We did it in 7-1/2.

The east coast marinas are not very accommodating for very large catamarans. The wind direction as you head from Florida is in your face all the way. Going offshore from the Chesapeake you make 60 west generally and head south. The year we did this we never tacked.

The dawgs also have a return rally at the end of season. We chose to stay there for eight years and hauled in Trinidad for hurricane season.

[wa1bda]

"I plan on making my way to the BVI." Getting from Annapolis to the BVI is not something you "plan on making your way to". It's a big commitment with weeks of water sailing">blue water sailing. Please don't underestimate this undertaking.

"Is driving at night a good idea?" This implies that you haven't done much of this...which is likely why others wonder if you're serious. Sailing at night (especially with lots of visual clutter) is VERY challenging.


"Is it usual to anchor or dock somewhere? Where would you suggest docking?" This is not a quick, off-the-cuff question for a forum. You need to study charts and books on the ICW. You need to know the answers to this question before you leave. (if you were going on the ICW, which you aren't because of mast height...).

"I plan on heading to freeport or Nassau. What's suggested?" You have tons of planning to do before this decision comes up.


"Where makes the most sense to start this?" As suggested in other posts, I would start this with a good off-shore captain and crew. Go along on the trip and learn all sorts of things. By the time you get to the BVI, you will be a far better sailor who understands his boat in ways you can't imagine now.


Routes? You don't have a lot of options. Going down the east coast of the US (outside the ICW) is immensely time consuming and dangerous...especially if you plan on being anchored every night. Weather may not cooperate when you plan on making an inlet by nightfall. Other marine traffic will keep you anxious all day long.


That leaves Bermuda. Probably a 5 day trip depending on weather. Getting in to Bermuda can be tricky so read up on that.


Bermuda to BVI and USVI might be 10 to 14 days (I've only sailed monohulls so I can't guess your daily speed). So, in less than a month, you'll be where you want to be.


I'm not trying to give you a hard time, but your questions imply that you may not be ready yet to do this trip without first-class assistance.

[AJ_n_Audrey]

Look at your charts and see how many bridges on the ICW are fixed, 65 foot high. Most of them. ICW is not for you.

As for going to the Bahamas en route to BVI, you can do that, and if you'd like to see the Bahamas it's a good way to go, but you'll also do Turks & Caicos, DR, PR, before reaching the BVI. All very entertaining, and I've done it, but it is time-consuming. If you really just want to get to the BVI, go direct, but take experienced crew.

[VeinDocFL]

Originally Posted by WantTo

It’s too late now, but the Salty Dawg rally would have been the best way. They go east to Bermuda then south. I would skip the Bahamas. You haven’t mentioned if you have any open ocean experience. If not, I would recommend getting some crew who has done it before. As many others have stated, you can’t go anywhere on the ICW.

Actually they are delayed for now. Probably another week? Due to weather forecasted by Chris Parker. You may be able to join the Dawgs and join the rally still, or at least “shadow” the fleets routing if you get down to Hampton area and meet a few captains.