Sailing from Nicaragua to Jamaica - Advice?!

[Croc Bones]

Hi All!!

First time posting on here so apologies if there are any mistakes or the like. Looking for some advice on doing a crossing.

We are planning to sail up the coast of Central america until we hit Northern Nicaragua and then sail accross to Jamiaca, however from looking at charts of there is a large section inbetween where it appears to have some extrame shallow waters around the northern areas of Nicaragua.

Has anyone done this crossing before?? If so any advice on how best to cross? (the charts dont look to be as good as i would like either so any advice would be amazing)

Thoughts on either sailing further up to Honduras and then crossing from there to avoid the problem or setting off for a longer passage to Jamaica from further south in Nicaragua and go around??

Thank you in advance for any help

Jarvis & Tia on CrocBones

[s/v Moondancer]

We avoided Nicaragua when we sailed from the ABC's via Columbia to Cancun...Lots of shallows, poor charts, chart plotter not even close with errors up to 800 yds, and my insurance company removing it from acceptable destinations.

The further west you get the harder it is to get back to Jamaica into the trades and the current. Shorter is not easier when you are going into the trades!

[barnakiel]

Stay off the shallows and depart on a quiet day. You do not want to be in the shallows with the full trades blowing into your nose.

b.

[s/v Moondancer]

We got to Cancun from the south west Caribbean (San Blas Islands) by laying Grand Cayman on one tack...Going diving for 2 weeks...Laying Cancun on one tack. Total time at seas 6 days + 3 days.

If I had been going to Jamaica I would have motor sailed east from Grand Cayman.