Newbie Questions on The Bahamas

[nautical62]

As an educator, I've also enjoyed sailing the Abacos in summer though I've always finished my cruising by late July.

I have a boat stored on Green Turtle right now. The ferry will pick you up right at their docks and take you to the Treasure Cay landing where it's a short taxi ride to the airport. They seem to secure the boats stored there well. My boat is on a tarred surface with 4 jack stands, a central cradle and supports at the bow and stern.

One thing I absolutely love about the Abacos is that it is so easy to anchor out away from civilization and not spend anything. Some Abacos photos on my webpage:

bahamasmariner.com/abaocs

Sorry, it's in progress and I know some of the individual islands links take you to the larger gallery and not the individual islands.

[lorenzo b]

Originally Posted by pinbill

Really don't want to sail the east coast, I grew up there..

I did too, but was amazed at how beautiful the coastline is when experienced from a boat.
Well, maybe not Delaware Bay.
South of Norfolk and east of NYC are awesome.

[Kettlewell]

I took a photo once in Maine that you would think was in the Caribbean because the water was crystal clear, and the colors were amazing as it swirled around the rocks. Have you ever been up to Roque Island in Maine, with its gorgeous crescent beach and probably no other boats there but you? Nothing beats fresh Maine lobster taken right out of the sea, plopped in a pot, and then eaten on the rocks. Or, how about the St. John River in New Brunswick with 50-foot tides at the entrance and a reversing waterfall you have to pass through to get into the river, which you can then navigate for something like 120 miles inland. Of course the water is cold! I personally like the area south of Cape Cod around Buzzards Bay, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket. Lots of harbors to visit, tons of anchorages, a reliable sailing wind all summer long, water warm enough for swimming, plenty of hurricane holes if one should come (they do occasionally), and fascinating things to do ashore. In any case, if you haven't sailed the coast from New York up to Maine, and then on to New Brunswick, you might be very pleasantly surprised. Bahamas and Caribbean are great, but hurricane season is not so much.

[Sunspot Baby]

We have friends with the IMIS insurance who wanted to cross into "prohibited" waters before the date in the policy. A phone call clarified that they could be covered for anything except a named storm.

If you kept up to day with the hurricane forecasts and got into a safe hole when one approached, it might be reasonable to self insure for that eventuality.

The Abacos are wonderful in the time of year you hope to cruise and there are LOTS of anchorages.

If your heart is set on the Abacos, go, enjoy.

George

[pinbill]

I will for sure sail in New England sometime the sooner the better. For some reason I would like to start in the tropics. I am not totally set on the Abacos but it seemed reasonably close if I buy a boat in the states and very nice. Does anyone have any preferences between island chains in the bahamas? Nassau, Grand Bahama, Biminis, Andros?

[dlockhart]

The question of hurricane holes in the Bahamas, the creek at Sumner Point marina on Rum Cay and there are a few "holes" in the chain above the Exumas such as Allens pond etc. No soft and springy mangroves like say Salinas in P.R. but would offer some protection. Spent a few blows from cold fronts in there and was fine, holding was excellent. Heading there end of December again if health holds out.

[Kindle]

Originally Posted by Sunspot Baby

The Abacos are wonderful in the time of year you hope to cruise and there are LOTS of anchorages.

If your heart is set on the Abacos, go, enjoy.

George

I agree. Aquiring Steve Dodge's guide to the Abacos may help you get a really good idea of the anchorages and cruising grounds you will encounter in the Abacos. Happy planning!

[Sunspot Baby]

Abacos have lots of towns/villages with restaurants, dive shops, T shirt shops, etc.

Exumas have fewer settlements and lots of isolated anchorages.

Long Island, Cat Island, and Eleuthera have a different feel.

Conception Island, between Cat and Long, is our favorite uninhabited island.

Each island has it's own sub-culture/personality.

We sail in the winter so get as far south as is reasonable, then catch the Abacos on the way back north in the spring and after they warm up a bit.

At the time your are sailing, cold weather will not be your concern, just avoiding the occasional hurricane.

Buy the Pavlides (spelling) guides and read about the various islands.

Fair Winds,
George

[lorenzo b]

I came up the East Coast to Cape Cod this summer from Key West because this is my first boat and I have soooo much to learn, it seemed safer than heading out to foreign isles.
But if you live on a boat, the tropics are where you want to be.
I'll be heading south in a few weeks.

[gettinthere]

I don't understand why you would bypass one of the best cruising grounds in the world, the North Chanel of Lake Huron. It's close by and your season fits.

Launch the boat close to home in May, have easy access to it for upgrades and repairs, sail off to the N Chanel for a great time all summer, then bring the boat home in August/September where you have it close at hand if you want to do any other work on it. If you don't want to do this work yourself, at least you are close by to check in it and supervise any work.

If you get bored with the N C you can go north to Superior or SE to Georgian Bay or down to Lake Ontario. I've run into couples from around the country who keep a boat in the N C.

[Hudson Force]

Before my wife and I retired, both of us teachers, we sailed from North Florida to Abaco and back for ten summer breaks. During these years we were only caught by one hurricane in early August, but we found good protection at West End. At this time we had already left Abaco, but had we remained we would have done well at Green Turtle or Man-o-War. As others have posted above, Abaco has much to offer. Take care and joy, Aythya crew

[pinbill]

Originally Posted by gettinthere

I don't understand why you would bypass one of the best cruising grounds in the world, the North Chanel of Lake Huron. It's close by and your season fits.

Launch the boat close to home in May, have easy access to it for upgrades and repairs, sail off to the N Chanel for a great time all summer, then bring the boat home in August/September where you have it close at hand if you want to do any other work on it. If you don't want to do this work yourself, at least you are close by to check in it and supervise any work.

If you get bored with the N C you can go north to Superior or SE to Georgian Bay or down to Lake Ontario. I've run into couples from around the country who keep a boat in the N C.

My wife and I live in Denver, she is from MI and her family sails out of Charlevoix. It is nice but, I am a salt water person.