Abacos island family getaway

[Victor75]

Hi, can anyone recommend me a good beach not crowded on Abacos island where I can take my family of 5 from Fort Lauderdale (2 adults, 3 children) and spend a week there anchoring in the area. The boat is 26 ft power boat with cabin. We would love this to be your family getaway where the less people on the beach the better. At the same time we have to have a marina and a grocery store near by for fuel and food. Planning to go there in June 2013
I appreciate your time and recommendations.
Victor.

[Ram]

take your pick , once away from Marsh harbor, its not very crowed, just in in the boat & go you will find lots of nice place with out people

[JusDreaming]

No Name just south of New Plymouth, or Powell Cay

[jwalk]

You know,I have found the windward beach at Hopetown not too crowded sometimes.But the town beach at Guana away from Nippers might be the best

[capngeo]

Green Turtle...

[Vasco]

You're going to Abaco and back in a week from Ft. Lauderdale? In a 26 foot powerboat?

[Victor75]

Wow so many great replys in such a short period of time !
I did not expect this.

So yes we have a lot of time in June to spend on ourselves , family of 5. And since we like boating and own a 1997 Carver 260 SE we tough that with 2-3 weeks that we have we can cross the Gulf Stream at the right sea condition and cruise to Abacos island making short stops for supplys and spend a week or more there but don't know the area and decided to posts a question.

Thank you all!!!

[Tingum]

Anywhere north of Green Turtle Cay. Many deserted beaches on the Cay. 3 small groceries, 2 small resorts and lots of funky resturant/bars. We have something for everyone! Good suggestion would be to island hop down to GTC, stay for a day or so reprovisioning and a few meals out, then island hop back. Easily doable in a fast boat. Pick up a copy of the Dodge cruising guide.

[Victor75]

Great replys! You guys are wonderful people! I think I have plenty info on my question. Can I ask you another one ? If we would decide to spend some nights at a hotel in general area how easy would it be to find one and a marina slip available to stay without making any reservations ?
Thank you !
Victor.

[onestepcsy37]

like tingum, i love green turtle cay. but i wouldn't make that my last port of call. stay a few days, then keep heading south. you certainly don't want your family to miss hope town lighthouse on elbow cay, or one of the most beautiful beaches on earth (according to national geographic magazine) at treasure cay, or alburys on man o war, or the hustle and bustle of the big city (marsh harbor). in a powerboat, nothing is more than a few hours - or less - from anything else.

there are marinas and rooms available on green turtle, treasure cay, marsh harbor, hopetown, and great guana, to name a few. not sure about man o war cay.

but the first thing you need to do, right now, is buy the latest copy of steve dodge's cruising guide to abaco. get it online or at any west marine store. it will give you a couple of months to plan out your entire trip and mark up the 'don't miss' places.

i promise you, you will come back....

[Victor75]

Just bought a copy of Steve Dodge's guide to Abaco 2013, can't wait to see and read it when it comes. Thank You everyone again !!!
Great website ! Great people!

[onestepcsy37]

victor -

although we're mostly sailboat people here we're well aware of the requirements of power boat people too. i'm sure you know the part about having your engine tuned up and checked out before leaving, or the part about waiting for good weather to cross. so i'll just renumerate some less obvious stuff -

cross to west end. you can refuel there while you check in. if possible, make the crossing with other boats.

have a good working built in vhf with a good external antenna. the u.s. coast guard can pick you up all the way across the gulf stream and then some if you get in trouble.

fill your water tanks at every opportunity.

have a suitable anchor with at least some chain - say, 30 feet - and 100 feet of line. would be nice to have all chain but that's not too common on power boats your size. have a second anchor with some chain and line. at the risk of starting an anchor war here, i recommend a manson supreme or other 'new generation' anchor, at least 25 pounds.

have two gps's (i use handhelds) and a handheld vhf.

although i prefer the explorer charts for most of the bahamas, in the abacos i think steve dodges abaco guide is better. all of the route and waypoint information you will need is in both guides. the dodge guide has much more 'local knowledge'.

it will cost you $150 to check in. much less than a day at disneyworld with the kids. if you intend to fish or spearfish, tell the customs agent at check in so they can stamp your papers. you will need passports for everybody on board.

if you intend to anchor out occasionally, say at some deserted island, you will need some kind of transportation to shore - a dinghy of sorts. not sure how your boat is laid out but i'm guessing an inflatable is in your future.

don't take a lot of clothes. shorts, t-shirts, sandals, hats. sunscreen.

and finally, bring money/credit cards/atm card. everything is more expensive in the abacos.

[Victor75]

honestly you guys are all great people here hands down! People that care! My family's first trip to bahamas if I don't plan carefully can be a disaster. With you guys I'm getting so much good information that can not only help us having a fantastic time there but can save our lives.
Alot of unknown to me planing the trip but still there is time.

[Jane.Joy]

Originally Posted by onestepcsy37

victor -

although we're mostly sailboat people here we're well aware of the requirements of power boat people too.

Puh-lease. Do you speak for us all? I'm here to offer you some unsolicited advice about your unsolicited advice. You are coming off just a tad bit arrogant here. The OP asked about Abacos beaches. How come you feel the need to share all this vast wisdom of yours?

Originally Posted by onestepcsy37

i'm sure you know the part about having your engine tuned up and checked out before leaving, or the part about waiting for good weather to cross. so i'll just renumerate some less obvious stuff -

cross to west end. you can refuel there while you check in. if possible, make the crossing with other boats.

have a good working built in vhf with a good external antenna. the u.s. coast guard can pick you up all the way across the gulf stream and then some if you get in trouble.

fill your water tanks at every opportunity.

have a suitable anchor with at least some chain - say, 30 feet - and 100 feet of line. would be nice to have all chain but that's not too common on power boats your size. have a second anchor with some chain and line. at the risk of starting an anchor war here, i recommend a manson supreme or other 'new generation' anchor, at least 25 pounds.

have two gps's (i use handhelds) and a handheld vhf.

although i prefer the explorer charts for most of the bahamas, in the abacos i think steve dodges abaco guide is better. all of the route and waypoint information you will need is in both guides. the dodge guide has much more 'local knowledge'.

it will cost you $150 to check in. much less than a day at disneyworld with the kids. if you intend to fish or spearfish, tell the customs agent at check in so they can stamp your papers. you will need passports for everybody on board.

if you intend to anchor out occasionally, say at some deserted island, you will need some kind of transportation to shore - a dinghy of sorts. not sure how your boat is laid out but i'm guessing an inflatable is in your future.

don't take a lot of clothes. shorts, t-shirts, sandals, hats. sunscreen.

and finally, bring money/credit cards/atm card. everything is more expensive in the abacos.

WAIT! You didn't offer any advice about BEACHES?!?! Get a grip, dude.

Victor, we loved Tahiti Beach on Elbow Cay. It's not on the Atlantic side, so it's very quiet, and you can anchor between Lubbers Quarter and Elbow Cay. Hope Town is also on Elbow Cay, darling little town, where provisions are available - and there are a couple of nice resorts of Elbow Cay, as well. Other posters have mentioned Guana Cay - LOVED Guana. You can anchor in Fishers Bay (sp?) or take a mooring in the Settlement's harbour. The beach is on the other side of the island, on the Atlantic.

[Victor75]

Hey guys I just heard that crossing the stream a 30 ft boat would be bear minimum for that. Can you please comment? Because my boat is 26ft power boat.
Thank you

Victor.