Navionics charts any good for Bahamas after their 2018 revisions?

[JasonS]

We have been in the Exumas the last 3+ weeks and have slowly worked our way from Allens Cay to Cave Cay, just south of Farmers.

We have a Raymarine Axiom Pro with NAVIONICS Platinum updated 2022 and an 11” IPad Pro running Aqua Map with Explorer Charts. We also have Explorer Chartbooks for Bahamas, current edition. And we have the Waterway Guide for Bahamas 2021.

In general, the NAVIONICS is terrible in its depth estimates. For example, today from Oven Rock to Cave Cay, NAVIONICS had us in .5 meters to 1 meter for about 80% of our trip. We left 30 minutes before low tide and EXPLORER charts were close throughout. Typically there was .2-1.0 meter more water at low today than on the charts.

We always look at both sources and went slow using visual navigation today because of the NAVIONICS. I’m also convinced that if we followed the NAVIONICS contours today to stay in the 2 meter zone that we would have run aground on a sandbar.

In the end, visual navigation should be used throughout the shallows in the Exumas. But I can say with certainty, that we know which boats are using NAVIONICS. They typically are charting much wider paths around the Cays and heading in unnecessary directions.

We’ve been detailing our routes and anchorages on Facebook.com/BreatheSailDive
Feel free to Like/follow us and ask any questions.

PS. If you join Seven Seas Cruising Association you get a very nice discount on Aqua Map and their charts.

[SVToybox]

We would like to return to the Bahamas this summer as well, but are having trouble finding insurance coverage during hurricane season, has anyone found a carrier?

We quit updating our Garmin charts when they dropped explorer charts. Before the change, Garmin charts were dead on target.

[sailorbobdeb]

Originally Posted by CapnCuervo

We have been cruising in the Bahamas the past 70 or so days, and I have the latest Navionics charts and updates installed on my chart plotter, so I can at least offer an opinion here.

This is what I can tell you. For the most part, the charts and suggested routes have been very accurate and very helpful. The one exception was in the Abacos. I assume that Dorian rearranged the territory, and the depths are no longer accurate. We bottomed out in an area near Elbow Cay that was charted with plenty of depth (“plenty” is a relative term in the Bahamas), and I ended up having to put on a mask and jump in to see what was going on and determine how to get us free. Fortunately, it was just sand and mud, and we were able to work our way loose, but the tide was ebbing, so there was some urgency to the situation.

Since then, we’ve had no issues, but that was a wake-up call.

Hi Capn Cuervo-
We're in the Elbow Cay area now. Where did you ground? Any info appreciated!!
Thanks, Debbie

[dcondit]

We used Explorer on the boat system and Naviaonics on the iPad within the past few months and over the past few years. Did not go to Abacos, but Berry Islands, Andros, Eluthera and Exumas were nearly perfect on Naviaonics. We almost always go to the out-of-the way places and frequently anchor where there is no Active Captain advice. I've always been nervous about Navionics because I hear all the stories or the old days, but we did not find a single significant issue. I never completely trust the chart in those areas (or anywhere really) but have been pleasantly surprised at the accuracy in the past few years. In my recent experience, Navionics in Bahamas is as accurate and any electronic chart system I've seen anywhere in the US.

[John Williams]

Originally Posted by team karst

Attachment 252774
Attachment 252775

Here is one of my recent findings.
Note the liberal use of xxxx on explorer, where Nav has data. This is a 12’ anchorage that explorer wants to keep a secret.
I will say that expl is a bit more user friendly for the high usage routes. Off the beaten path, the story changes.

Might it be that what you call an x is in fact a +.

[John Williams]

Originally Posted by Sailshabby

“…But Bahamas is not the in the US.”

Really, Jon? <lol>

What am I missing here. The Bahamas are not part of the USA. Or am I wrong?

[zstine]

We were in the Exumas & Bimini in early 2019 and used Navionics on my phone more than our chart plotter because they were more accurate. I have "NV charts" on OpenCPN as my plotter, which was off a few hundred yards at times. Same was true in the Caribbean.

[team karst]

Originally Posted by John Williams

What am I missing here. The Bahamas are not part of the USA. Or am I wrong?

NW bahamas is part of miami, arguably part of Florida
Exumas is definitely part of NE Canada.
Abacos is an independent country, as is N Eleuthera
Cat island is Bahamian
San Sal is owned by Club Med, likely a Swiss Country
The DoD and Morton share ownership of G Inagua
Mayaguana is actually not owned.
The Raggeds are as yet unclaimed by any permanent dwellers.

Hope this clears it up[emoji851]

PS: Andros went dark, and folks working there cant talk about it. Unclear ownership.

[Jon Hacking]

Originally Posted by John Williams

What am I missing here. The Bahamas are not part of the USA. Or am I wrong?

It has to do with snarky emojis higher up in the thread. Just a bit of fun.

But here's a funny story, John. Back in the 80s, a lovely man who liked to be called Le Breton, bald as a bowling ball, ran immigration in Fort de France, Martinique. He enjoyed a proper French lunch, which is a big meal for them & always included wine (we're in France, after all), so if you caught him after lunch, he was often in a great mood.

Friend of ours was clearing in, with a boat registered in Nassau. At the time, Martinique was charging boats registered in the Bahamas, but our friend noticed that Le Breton was in a good mood, so he simply crossed out Bahamas & wrote in USA above that.

When he got to the front of the line, Le Breton took a look at his paperwork, asked "Is Nassau in the US?"
"As far as I know."
"Right!" & his paperwork was promptly stamped & handed back, with no charge.

[team karst]

My very first bahamas clearance was at pier66 in ft lauderdale. In a Boston whaler 16. Customs agent refused to believe we came from bahamas and refused to clear us in.
My next crossing, friend had an expired Bolivian/US visa and Bahamas refused to clear us in. All very confusing to a 20 something.
The snorkeling was great

[NakedCity]

C-Map has definitely used Explorer Chart info for the Bahamas at least the last 15 years. The fact that Navionics is better than it used to be still doesn’t mean they are good. There are none better than Explorer in the Bahamas.

[Montanan]

And the Bahamas are not in the Caribbean Sea, either.

Also, the Canary Islands do not have canaries.
Same thing with the Virgin Islands.
No canaries.



With that, I will find my way out.

[team karst]

Originally Posted by JasonS

We have been in the Exumas the last 3+ weeks and have slowly worked our way from Allens Cay to Cave Cay, just south of Farmers.



We have a Raymarine Axiom Pro with NAVIONICS Platinum updated 2022 and an 11” IPad Pro running Aqua Map with Explorer Charts. We also have Explorer Chartbooks for Bahamas, current edition. And we have the Waterway Guide for Bahamas 2021.



In general, the NAVIONICS is terrible in its depth estimates. For example, today from Oven Rock to Cave Cay, NAVIONICS had us in .5 meters to 1 meter for about 80% of our trip. We left 30 minutes before low tide and EXPLORER charts were close throughout. Typically there was .2-1.0 meter more water at low today than on the charts.



We always look at both sources and went slow using visual navigation today because of the NAVIONICS. I’m also convinced that if we followed the NAVIONICS contours today to stay in the 2 meter zone that we would have run aground on a sandbar.



In the end, visual navigation should be used throughout the shallows in the Exumas. But I can say with certainty, that we know which boats are using NAVIONICS. They typically are charting much wider paths around the Cays and heading in unnecessary directions.



We’ve been detailing our routes and anchorages on Facebook.com/BreatheSailDive

Feel free to Like/follow us and ask any questions.



PS. If you join Seven Seas Cruising Association you get a very nice discount on Aqua Map and their charts.

U have the settings correct for depth units??

I am out here as well. Still shooting the cuts with navionics, explorer in standby mode mostly.

[Scrosby]

Cruised Bahamas many years. Recommend adding C-Map to your plotter. We also use Aquamaps which also has the Explorer charts. Active Captain is pretty much useless. Much prefer Waterway Guide for general knowledge. We are in the Abacos. Explorer charts has accurate tide information on the back pages of their chart book. Barometerbob.org also has weather and correct tidal information. Enjoy.

[whitebean]

We generally have used Explorer Charts the last 3 years in the Bahamas (2019-2021) via the books and then both AquaMaps on iPad and RosePoint software on our boat computer which both use Explorer Charts. These have worked very well in Bimini, Berrys, Eleutheral, New Providence and Exumas. However, I also use Navionics on my iPhone as a second opinion and do daily routing to compare. As a rule, Navionics seems to be conservative with depths but does provide insight and options. Our boat came with Navionics on the older Ray Marine Plotter, but we no longer use that since even the updated Navionics cards and the older system were way too glitchy so the chart plotter is mainly just used as a second back up on depths.