Gulf stream north to Savannah

[LoudMusic]

Departing from Cape Canaveral, how far north would you ride the Gulf Stream before hanging a left and heading west for Savannah, crossing the southbound currents?

[a64pilot]

I just did that trip a few months ago, well from Ft Pierce to Brunswick anyway.
I didn’t try for the stream, it’s so far out from Ga that I didn’t think it worthwhile.
I rode the stream from Ft Lauderdale to Brunswick last year and bailed out of it about level with Jacksonville, your so far off shore that it’s at least a full days sail to get inshore.
Stream is neat though, we averaged over 10 knots the whole time I was in it, only way I would ever see 250 mile days on an IP, but we did.

[puffcard]

Run up to Latitude 32 N, done that the last 3 years, that is where the stream makes a hard turn to the east. Always get a stream map before jumping out into the GS. If you have a seawater temp gauge, keep an eye on it, a very useful tool in finding the stronger west wall.

[Pete the Cat]

OK folks, time out for a bit of reality. The Gulf Stream moves around and whlle it generally moves SW to NE up the coast and that it has many moving back eddies, is about all you can say for certain at any given time. The picture above is a snapshot in time. The thing is in a different place by many miles and on any given day and I have had frustrating times going Northbound with getting caught in back eddies and joyous fast passages finding myself in the center of the thing. Consulting some daily updated link of where the main current is on any given day and where the back eddies are is important, but you may find that it is constantly shifting by many miles. I have found the advice to be of some value, but not precise as there seems to be a lag in developing the reports.
Back eddies can be of significant value when going south.
Ray Durkee
Castine Maine

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Pete the Cat

OK folks, time out for a bit of reality. The Gulf Stream moves around and whlle it generally moves SW to NE up the coast and that it has many moving back eddies, is about all you can say for certain at any given time. The picture above is a snapshot in time. The thing is in a different place by many miles and on any given day and I have had frustrating times going Northbound with getting caught in back eddies and joyous fast passages finding myself in the center of the thing. Consulting some daily updated link of where the main current is on any given day and where the back eddies are is important, but you may find that it is constantly shifting by many miles. I have found the advice to be of some value, but not precise as there seems to be a lag in developing the reports.
Back eddies can be of significant value when going south.
Ray Durkee
Castine Maine

All very true. The Gulfstream location and speed is very dynamic. However going north from Canaveral to Savannah I don't ever recall seeing the north flowing current close enough inshore to be useful on that route.

It could be useful to track any eddies that might impede the trip but again, close inshore in that area even eddies are not much of a concern.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by skipmac

All very true. The Gulfstream location and speed is very dynamic. However going north from Canaveral to Savannah I don't ever recall seeing the north flowing current close enough inshore to be useful on that route.

I don’t think it is, not usually anyway.
Just a quick planning when I went from Ft Pierce it wasn’t, the timeout and back wasn’t made up for the by the higher speed .
I essentially went direct once we cleared the cape.

[wesevans]

If you choose to ride the stream pay VERY CLOSE attention to the weather. Be sure that you can get out of the stream if there is a low or frontal passage or any condition that causes the wind to exceed 15k from WNW through ENE.

[flyingfin]

[QUOTE=puffcard;2649415] If you have a seawater temp gauge, keep an eye on it, a very useful tool in finding the stronger west wall. QUOTE]

Puffcard hit the nail on the head. The gulf stream moves a little bit from east to west, but the bigger issue in summer are the back eddies. I have witnessed 65 degree seawater 10 miles off Daytona in mid-July! Sailing north close in and you will be fighting this southerly flow. But the stream this time of year can be way out from Canaveral. Your choices are to run out to it, or stay 1 mile off the beach as you go north. If you chose to run out to the warm stream, hang on the western edge until St Aug, then start clawing your way back west

[LoudMusic]

This is great information, everyone. Thank you for your contributions!