Bahamas island hopping anchorage timing

[SailingHarmonie]

Originally Posted by callistov42

Sailing Harmonie, I had seen something about being able to clear in on line but I don't know anything about the system. Or, I was just planning on waiting until we arrived at Staniel and clearing in there. I plan to be at Staniel for about a month before heading back to Houston. Does anyone know anything about the on line clearance system? Do you think being in Bahamian waters for about a week before clearing in would be an issue?

Oh my...

You have some research to do BEFORE you sail.

You do not get a free pass to sail around a country until you feel like clearing customs. A "Port of Entry" is just that, it is the port where you enter the country. The first place you touch land.

The Bahamian online system is a way of preparing your paperwork and paying your fees before you arrive, it does NOT replace the requirement to clear in where you first make landfall--at a Port of Entry.

The Bahamians are not super uptight about this, but they do have at least two RBDF patrol boats that are out and about. We have been boarded once while at anchor, and queried over the radio once while underway. If you are at anchor, you very well better have your cruising permit and other paperwork in order.

Customs and Immigration is taken very seriously in most countries in the world. And you should take it more seriously than you seem to be doing. Just like anywhere else, trying to get away with being ignorant of the rules will get you nowhere.

If you are perceived as avoiding the required formalities, the local authorities will assume that you have a reason for doing so, and will look very hard to find that reason. Even if they do not catch you on the water, when you arrive they just might be very curious why it has taken you 10 days to get from your check out in T&C to your check-in in the Bahamas.

From the T&C your best check in location is likely to be Great Inagua, as has been mentioned. It's an interesting stop. A tour of the salt works I found a lot of fun, and if you have any interest in wildlife the birding is great, many of the locals will be happy to be your tour guide.

[Rocinante33]

FWIW….. I just made a parallel run from Grand Turk to San Salvador.

Anchored outside of the little harbor. Walked to the airport to clear customs the next morning. Closed because there is not a flight every day. Moved inside the marina (tricky navigation, trust the fishermen on the wall guiding you way too close)…waited a day and walked back. Kept my yellow flag up

The customs guy the next day could not have been more helpful. For some reason he wanted to see the vessel registration document, which was on the boat. He drove me back a mile or so in his own car and waited while I found it in the papers in the desk.

I filled out paper and he entered in his computer explaining that his WiFi connection came and went. Super friendly and professional. We stayed two days to sit out a northerly and never saw another cruising boat.

I have also used click-2-clear, which is after all what the customs official used to enter my paper form, but it was a charming reminder of how it “used to be”

Happy sails!

[daydreamer]

Originally Posted by callistov42

... If I get in safely, wouldn't I be safe to leave in the dark as long as I stay EXACTLY on the track that I followed getting into the anchorage? ... Does this make sense or am I asking for trouble.

You are asking for trouble. What is your plan if your chart plotter quits on the way out? Or your engine?

If you do decide to do this, please have your anchor and crew ready for quick deployment.

[JeanF73]

My rules:
After 20 years navigating the med, North Sea, Baltic, recently Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Shetlands, Orkneys, Hebredies, Scotland, …
NEVER enter an unknown port/marina/anchorage/confined space at night, specially in tidal places where large swat of water become land at low tide.
Leave any time of the day/night to achieve that.
And for places that I have already visited, it depends, but in all cases I have the track plotted on my plotter and let Otto (autopilot) do the job under my supervision.