Carribean during hurricane season

[terminalcitygrl]

Why not sail north instead? Lots of lovely spots up the ICW, or so I hear. Will visit someday.

[timbenner]

Great advise. The stretch of the ICW between Brunswick, GA and Savannah is awesome! Vast open wilderness, lots of rivers to go up for privacy, islands everywhere, lots of inlets to go in and out of the ocean, Cumberland Island, etc.

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by Jana

...we have already bought tickets to Miami and we would love to charter a sailing boat.

Now I'm a little confused. You're not thinking that you're going to charter a boat in Miami and sail it to Grenada, are you? Because I can assure you that you are not going to find any boats to charter in Miami (bareboat, anyway) that will allow you to do that.

[Mimsy]

Fly into Miami, drive up the coast for a few days and charter in the Chesapeake. Warm weather, lots to see and while you can still get storms but much less chance of it.

[Jana]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

Now I'm a little confused. You're not thinking that you're going to charter a boat in Miami and sail it to Grenada, are you? Because I can assure you that you are not going to find any boats to charter in Miami (bareboat, anyway) that will allow you to do that.

Nope, plan is to fly further to Grenada or someplace else.... We have been to Caribbean already several times, but never during summer, that's why I'd like to have some opinion before heading there this time....

[Jane.Joy]

Some folks think sailing in the Carib. during hurricane season is too risky. Lots of folks DO sail the Carib. during hurricane season, and there are plenty of charter companies that continue to charter boats throughout the season. As to whether or not YOU, personally, want to risk it - only you can decide.

[John A]

Originally Posted by Jane.Joy

Some folks think sailing in the Carib. during hurricane season is too risky. Lots of folks DO sail the Carib. during hurricane season, and there are plenty of charter companies that continue to charter boats throughout the season. As to whether or not YOU, personally, want to risk it - only you can decide.

Only those who have their boats paid for and chose to sail into danger without insurance or those who have a willing insurance co. that will accept a large deductable amount will sail in the Caribbean during the hurricane season.

And those who chose to disreguard the lives/safety of themslves and their crew.

All of them are risking their life-savings and their lives - IMO

BTW charter compaines are not chartering their boats, they're charting privatly owned boats placed in charter.

[Jane.Joy]

Originally Posted by John A

Only those who have their boats paid for and chose to sail into danger without insurance or those who have a willing insurance co. that will accept a large deductable amount will sail in the Caribbean during the hurricane season.

And those who chose to disreguard the lives/safety of themslves and their crew.

All of them are risking their life-savings and their lives - IMO

BTW charter compaines are not chartering their boats, they're charting privatly owned boats placed in charter.

John says "IMO" and that is exactly my point. OP must decide whether the risk outweighs the benefit, or vice versa. Some people "sail into danger" by driving too fast on an LA freeway, teaching at an inner city school, eating macaroni salad at a picnic on a hot day, starting a business, spending time in the sun without sunscreen, visiting a nightclub in the hip part of the city, hitchhiking, or joining the army. To each his/her own.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Jane.Joy

John says "IMO" and that is exactly my point. OP must decide whether the risk outweighs the benefit, or vice versa. Some people "sail into danger" by driving too fast on an LA freeway, teaching at an inner city school, eating macaroni salad at a picnic on a hot day, starting a business, spending time in the sun without sunscreen, visiting a nightclub in the hip part of the city, hitchhiking, or joining the army. To each his/her own.

So Jane, which boats do you charter where during hurricane season? You are suggesting like it is business as usual, but when we did it, we felt utterly alone because we saw exactly 2 other boats moving between Virgin Gorda and Grenada. All charter boats were laid up, closed for business. Plenty people on boats, but not moving.

cheers,
Nick.

[Lucky Larry]

We have sailed throughout the Spanish, US and British Virgin Islands in June and July each of the last three years. We check the weather and SailCaribe, the charter company (our boat) has our cell phone numbers if anything starts coming our way. Puerto Del Rey marina in Fajardo Puerto Rico is fairly well protected and we can get back there within a day from anywhere in the Virgins. We also go back in mid to late November, then over the Christmas & New Year Holidays, and then again in March & April (regatta season).

Pretty much everything is still open until September and October which is the height of hurricane season and the winds outside the hurricanes are nearly non existent which makes for poor sailing and hot cabins at night.

Maybe we'll see you there in a couple of weeks.

Lucky Larry

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Lucky Larry

We have sailed throughout the Spanish, US and British Virgin Islands in June and July each of the last three years. We check the weather and SailCaribe, the charter company (our boat) has our cell phone numbers if anything starts coming our way. Puerto Del Rey marina in Fajardo Puerto Rico is fairly well protected and we can get back there within a day from anywhere in the Virgins. We also go back in mid to late November, then over the Christmas & New Year Holidays, and then again in March & April (regatta season).

Pretty much everything is still open until September and October which is the height of hurricane season and the winds outside the hurricanes are nearly non existent which makes for poor sailing and hot cabins at night.

Maybe we'll see you there in a couple of weeks.

Lucky Larry

Yes, I agree the Virgins and PR is an option, especially with emergency haul-out service in Fajardo... but there is no wind like you say. The further south you go, the more squalls you get (closer or in the ITCZ).

cheers,
Nick.

[Jane.Joy]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

So Jane, which boats do you charter where during hurricane season? You are suggesting like it is business as usual, but when we did it, we felt utterly alone because we saw exactly 2 other boats moving between Virgin Gorda and Grenada. All charter boats were laid up, closed for business. Plenty people on boats, but not moving.

cheers,
Nick.

Did not at all intend to suggest it was business as usual; I was talking about weighing the risks. The general tone of the thread - aside from a couple of brave Floridians : ) - seemed to be that death and destruction would certainly rain down on any idiot who ventured into the Caribbean between June and December. My post was an attempt to balance the conversation just a bit.

As for me, since you asked, I will confess that I don't charter boats during hurricane season. But a quick glance at moorings.com confirms my suspicion that boats do indeed get chartered in the Abacos, BVI, and other risky places, during the scary months.

[John A]

Originally Posted by Jane.Joy

Did not at all intend to suggest it was business as usual; I was talking about weighing the risks. The general tone of the thread - aside from a couple of brave Floridians : ) - seemed to be that death and destruction would certainly rain down on any idiot who ventured into the Caribbean between June and December. My post was an attempt to balance the conversation just a bit.

As for me, since you asked, I will confess that I don't charter boats during hurricane season. But a quick glance at moorings.com confirms my suspicion that boats do indeed get chartered in the Abacos, BVI, and other risky places, during the scary months.

Jane,
Please excuse the opinions of people who have lived on their boats 24/7/365 for multiplel years in the Caribbean.
The OP asked for opinions and advice.

regards John

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by John A

Jane,
Please excuse the opinions of people who have lived on their boats 24/7/365 for multiplel years in the Caribbean.
The OP asked for opinions and advice.

regards John

I also lived on boats 24/7/365 in FL, Bahamas and Caribbean for several years, including a year and a half with my wife and 1 year old daughter. I paid close attention to the weather and never felt like I was risking the lives and safety of me or my family but that's just my opinion.

I might add that since moving off the boat I have lived in FL for almost 30 years and in that time have had only two-three kind of near misses with hurricanes. Seems like pretty good odds to me. I still watch the weather closely and if a really bad one heads my way I'm ready to get out of the way, just like I would if I was on the boat.

With the accuracy of satellite weather these days it is rare not to have plenty of warning for any approaching hurricanes. There are exceptions and have seen systems build up in a couple of days, especially early in the season in the Gulf of Mexico or FL east coast. These storms don't usually have enough time to build up to to life threatening strength and even then you should still have a couple of days minimum to prepare.

[John A]

I hear that it's also possible to jaywalk across a freeway.

Accept the risks you are comfortable with.