Anyone Been to Chub Cay this Year ?

[Ocean Roads]

Anyone been to Chub Cay this year?

Gonna check in there in a few weeks for my Berrys trip.

Just called them, diesel is $5.95 a gal and if you don't stay over night, or buy fuel, there is a $100 fee to use there docks for Customs. All my guide books say the surcharge is(was) $35 for Customs.

[Captain Bill]

So why would you go there? Chub Key has been catering only to megayachts for years. Last time I was there there was a $100 charge for going into their grocery store if you weren't renting a slip for $5 a foot per night, minimum 40 feet. There are plenty of other places to check in and/or buy fuel. With diesel being $4 in the states I would not expect much better prices than Chub for the fuel, maybe $.50 cheaper in Bimini or Andros. The guys at Morgan's bluff usually have a decent price, but they take only cash. You can check in there too.

[Ocean Roads]

I am on a short cruise using up all my days off I can take, so $35 extra is worth the extra day a stop in Bimini would take me. But at $100 I would rather do 20 gals of fuel is a small trade off.

I am at work now, and don't have my Bahamas guides in front of me, but looking online I can't find to much info on Morgans Bluff besides it is on north Andros and there aint much there. Anything else you can tell me?

[Captain Bill]

I don't see why checking in at Bimini should cost you an entire day if you arrive during business hours. It's never taken me more than Half an hour to check in there and you can tie up to the government dock if you don't want to buy fuel. You can also tie up to a fuel dock as well if you do need fuel. Either way you can probably be under way again in an hour or so. Morgan's bluff is a local commercial harbor that caters mostly to Bahamians. There is a nice anchorage just outside of the commercial harbor and inside of where the Nassau water ship ties up. It's just a little farther than Chub from the NW channel light. Because of the channel for the water ship the entrance is deep and very well marked. The anchorage is 8-9 feet deep and very well sheltered from anything except a North wind, which you'll hardly ever see at this time of year. The customs office is actually in town, not at the dock so it's a little harder to check in than at Bimini. Wind is predominantly from the SE if you actually have any this time of year so a sail to the Berry's is pretty easy from there. Andros does have significant fresh water so bugs tend to be a bit worse there than in the Berry's, but it doesn't seem you'll be staying there for long. A lot of the Berry Islands are private so you can't land on all of them, but it is a beautiful area. Checking in at Andros or Bimini won't cost you anything but your standard $150 entry fee.

[Ocean Roads]

I will be crossing the Gulf Stream from Marathon, so if I sail to Bimini I have to sail a bit further north, and after check in sail East to get to the Berrys. More distance=more time sailing.

I will be stopping in Bimini on the way back to meet up with some people.

I only have two weeks to do this trip, so trying to max my time in the Berrys and the places I want to be.

[Skip20]

Is it still possible to enter customs at Cat Cay then a long motor-sail to Frazier's Hog Cay for the night? I remember that 120 degrees from Frazier will take you right to the NE harbor entrance at Nassau. I recall Frazier's Hog Cay with great delight. "Hey Skyliner, Mokki, go to 88, over.

[Ocean Roads]

I do believe Frazer's Hog Cay has been Chub Cay for a while now.

No reason I see why you could not clear into Cat Cay.

Now that I look at it again, maybe I will check in at Cat Cay, then jump over to the South Berrys. Never been to Cat yet.

[Skip20]

Cat Cay is, or was private. A private club. However, I was allowed to tie up to a pier and walk to the customs' shed - small building - to clear. Usually, after clearing you would be expected to anchor out, open to the southeast trade. The evening I pulled in was turning stormy, and I was allowed to stay at the pier. Very pleasant.

[Captain Bill]

Originally Posted by Skip20

Cat Cay is, or was private. A private club. However, I was allowed to tie up to a pier and walk to the customs' shed - small building - to clear. Usually, after clearing you would be expected to anchor out, open to the southeast trade. The evening I pulled in was turning stormy, and I was allowed to stay at the pier. Very pleasant.

Business must be way down, last I heard it was $100 to clear at Cat Cay. That is good news if they let you tie up for free. I hear you can still check in at Frazier Hog, but have to go to the airport at Chub. I heard that Chub is the west end of the Island and Frazier Hog is the east. There was a marina on the east side, but i don't know if it has survived the down turn. I have not been in there but have heard the channel is a bit long and narrow with strong tidal currents. Since a have a Cat, what is narrow to me and some of my cat owning buddies may not be narrow to a mono.

My chart says 77 nm to the entrance to Frazier Hog from Cat. That will be a long day at 4 knots.

[Skip20]

I am talking 1984. Many things have changed indeed. If Chub nee Fraziers is charging $100 to walk into a store because you're parked in the Mona channel, then it's time to sink the bleeding place!

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Skip20

I am talking 1984. Many things have changed indeed. If Chub nee Fraziers is charging $100 to walk into a store because you're parked in the Mona channel, then it's time to sink the bleeding place!

Had a similar experience in 1982. Got there just ahead of a norther and spent a couple days at the marina. Don't remember the actual cost but it was reasonable.

Since then it has been on my list of places to avoid.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Ocean Roads

I will be crossing the Gulf Stream from Marathon, so if I sail to Bimini I have to sail a bit further north, and after check in sail East to get to the Berrys. More distance=more time sailing.

I will be stopping in Bimini on the way back to meet up with some people.

I only have two weeks to do this trip, so trying to max my time in the Berrys and the places I want to be.

Two weeks is a pretty tight schedule for that trip. Have tried to do the same trip before and gave it up. From Marathon it's over 200 nm to Chub. In a Westsail 28 that is at least 2 days non stop sailing each way, if the weather cooperates. When you add clearing in and out you have at least 6 days travel time round trip, almost half your vacation. If you stop or anchor overnight on the way then add another couple of days.

If you are going for the sailing guess it would be a good trip. If you are going for relaxed nights on the hook maybe not.

[JusDreaming]

Remember you can also check in at Great Harbor in the Berrys, and there USUALLY is fuel available. Then just cruise around the top of Great Stirrup, and you are in the Berrys

[Captain Bill]

It's further to Great Harbor than it is to Chub. The important thing from Marathon is to get iinto the stream as soon as possible. Steer east and let the stream do most of the work pushing you north. It can easily add 3 knots to your boat speed. I have a 7 knot boat so I steer slightly north of east from angelfish creek. I have a friend with a 5 knot boat that runs due east. A four knot boat should be helped a lot from Marathon. The exact course will vary a bit depending on wind and waves, but avoid using Hawk Channel as you get almost no boost and it will add at least a day to your travel time.

[Ocean Roads]

Thanks guys!

Counting down the days.....