Crossing the Bahamas Grand Bank

[Alecadi]

Need tips and advices from more experienced sailor, as usual!!

Problem: between Bimini and Chub Cay it's a little more than 80 Nm depending on the route (through Gun Cay or around North Rock)

With my sailboat is a little of the verge of a day sail even motoring. (max speed 7knts)

Not willing to sail by night in shallow waters where to anchor? I see no place for a good anchorage in between?

Thank you for your answers.

[Intentional Drifter]

Lots of folks do the Banks at night. As long as you follow the known routing on the Explorer charts, you will be fine. (Well, actually you should be a bit to the side, as some boats barrel through there at speed.) If you're not accustomed to night sailing, then hook up with a buddy boat.

While there are no designated anchorages, so long as the weather is calm, a number of people just pull off to the side and lower the hook. Personally, we prefer to just keep moving.

ID

[Tellie]

I agree with ID.
But the banks at night, full moon and no clouds or no moon is a cool place.

[opsailor]

Another alternative is to start your transit by anchoring near the air field at Cat Cay or at Honeymoon Harbor and leave out at 3AM or so. The initial miles are well marked on Explorer Charts or even Navionics. At the end of the 12-hour crossing, you have plenty of light to anchor near Chubb or Frazier's Hog or up near or in Great Harbor. With good wx, ok to anchor on the banks, remembering to go a mile or two off the magenta line.

[Alecadi]

Originally Posted by opsailor

Another alternative is to start your transit by anchoring near the air field at Cat Cay or at Honeymoon Harbor and leave out at 3AM or so. The initial miles are well marked on Explorer Charts or even Navionics. At the end of the 12-hour crossing, you have plenty of light to anchor near Chubb or Frazier's Hog or up near or in Great Harbor. With good wx, ok to anchor on the banks, remembering to go a mile or two off the magenta line.

Thanks guy
Opsailor: I was talking first going there from Bimini, not reverse. Before going back you have to get there! ;-)

I was thinking sailing at night surely. But the Admiral doesn't like it, moreover when there are only the two of us and that she needs to take a watch by herself. But the idea to leave in the early morning seems good. I can take a nap when she is sailing by herself... In day light she will have no problem.
Thanks all

[nautical62]

Well, if the admiral doesn't want move at night, that means anchoring on the bank. Just be sure to get off the rumb line.

If it's settled, stable weather, it can be a comfortable night, but if there is contrary swell or tides push you against the prevailing waves, it can get very rolly, in which case maybe the admiral will decide that continuing to travel isn't so bad after all.


It's more out of your way, but you can avoid traveling through the night by instead going through the Abacos, day sailing from there to Egg/Eluthera and another day sail from to the top of the Exumas or on to Nassau.

[Alecadi]

Originally Posted by nautical62

Well, if the admiral doesn't want move at night, that means anchoring on the bank. Just be sure to get off the rumb line.

If it's settled, stable weather, it can be a comfortable night, but if there is contrary swell or tides push you against the prevailing waves, it can get very rolly, in which case maybe the admiral will decide that continuing to travel isn't so bad after all.


It's more out of your way, but you can avoid traveling through the night by instead going through the Abacos, day sailing from there to Egg/Eluthera and another day sail from to the top of the Exumas or on to Nassau.

Another solution would be to fire the admiral and get a new one! But after 44 years together, I'm quite used to this one !!

Interesting enough going through Abacos: as we are sailing for pure pleasure, and not getting the mail post through, so that will be a very nice option and the admiral will be happy as she loved traveling and sailing (Lucky me!)

Thanks for the advice

Alec

[fla.sailor]

We did this route last year, anchoring off cat cay for a night and then the slog on across the bank. We anchored safely off the rumbline in the middle of no where (we did see another boat's anchor light) and had a good night until it stared to roll.... OMG, a little roll out there you will not be able to sleep!

Got up real early (no choice) and moved onto west bay where we started our trek down to the exumas..... darn I wish I was going again this year!

CHeeRS!
-dennis

[Matt sachs]

You guys make me want to call in sick so I can work on my boat to get out there sooner.

[CSY Man]

Done both the non-stoppers across the bank and the anchoring.
As other mentioned: Pull of the track a mile or so, then set numerous anchorlights. In settled weather it is calm and peaceful out there.

[nautical62]

Originally Posted by Alecadi

Interesting enough going through Abacos: as we are sailing for pure pleasure, and not getting the mail post through...
Thanks for the advice

Alec

You could do this:

Leave from Ft. Lauderdale (an easy day north of Miami) for West End. The problem with Ft. Lauderdale is that anchoring is limited. If you don't have a lot of money to spend on marinas, stay anchored in the Miami/Biscayne Bay area until the weather is right and just move up to Ft. Lauderdale for a single night before departure.

After staying a night at West End, (marina or at anchor), move onto the Abacos which allows you to start your Bahamas cruise with all short day sails on the relative protection of the Little Bahama Banks. After spending as much time as you wish in the Abacos, do a long day sail to Egg/Eleuthera and you can either cruise that or hop from Egg to the Exumas, which you can again take at your own pace.

By the time it's time to head home, you'll have a better feel about how (of if) you want to handle the Berry-Cat area.

Coming from the keys, this will definately take longer, but if your goal is simply to ease into some relaxed Bahamas cruising with fewer expanses of water and no over-night sailing, this may be worth considering.

If it's winter, realize that the cold fronts tend to be a bit stronger in the Abacos than the Exumas and the water is a bit cooler for swimming.


Which ever option you decide on, you'll have some absolutely beautiful islands to visit.

[Alecadi]

@ nautical 62:

Thanks a lot.
Great advice.
The admiral will be happy.
Alec

[rognvald]

Alecadi, whichever route/option you use, remember that anchoring off the beach at Chubb Cay is only good in settled weather. It is sand over hard coral bedrock and we have encountered numerous cruisers motoring into Chubb Cay in the morning after a horrendous night of anchor dragging. And, from last reports, Chubb Cay was charging $4.50 a foot per night for a slip. You might want to check before committing. There used to be moorings and a few slips at the old Berry Island Club on the other side of the island (Frazer's Hog) but I believe that is out of business. The anchoring is not good at Frazer's Hog-sand over coral. A very beautiful area. Do your planning wisely. Good luck and good sailing, Ron

[Intentional Drifter]

Yes, Chubb is definitely the "blue blazer" set. When we were last there in '09, they were trying to make a go of it again at the Berry Island Club and had put in a number of new mooring balls. Nice people and reasonable prices. If you can get to Frazer's at a reasonable time, then going on a bit more north into the Berry Islands and you can find lots of very nice anchorages.

ID

[Captain Bill]

Alecadi, I've done the proposed route a couple of times now. The first was in April leaving from Honeymoon harbor through the gun key cut. We timed our leaving so that the sun was up just as we hit the cut at Gun key. It's important to be able to read the water there as there are a couple of nearly 90 degree turns needed to avoid the shallow water. We had a good 12+ hours of daylight and a nice sw breeze and were able to get across the banks but not all the way to Chubb. We anchored up behind the islands just north of Andros. They are OK in a south to west wind but offer no protection from any other direction. You also need to go slightly beyond them and approach them from the East and watch your water depth. The second time was in January and on very short days and was directly from Bimini with no wind and we motored at 7 knots. We came up about 5 miles short of the NW channel before we pulled a mile south of the Explorer route and anchored for the night. Of course the wind came up and the seas built to about 2 feet from the south. Unfortunately we were close enough to the NW channel that the tidal current was running E-W. Even on a cat that's not a comfortable night. I've anchored at Chubb several times and it's ok in settled weather and anything from North around to SE. Once past SE it gets annoying. I prefer going to Morgan's bluff. It's not a fancy resort, but the people are friendly and the anchorage is much more sheltered, especially from the south. The entrance is also very well marked wth lit bouys and much easier to get into at night. Just make sure you clear the turning basin for the water boat from Nassau before you drop anchor. You'll want to get closer to the south end of the anchorage anyway in 8-9 feet of water. Since you are in a 7 knot boat it's not likely you'll get across in daylight in the middle of winter, but if you're planning a spring or early fall trip you might just make it. I expect to be going that way in December and am planning to continue on into the night and head for Morgan's Bluff once I hit the tongue of the ocean.