Looking for passage advice - south Andros, Bahamas to Key West

[vmattiola]

Hi all,

I've tried searching around online for some more info, but I'm wondering if anybody has experience sailing around the south coast of Andros Island Bahamas, across the "Hurricane Flats" and Bahamas Bank and to Cay Sal or Key West? We are a Bavaria 46 with 6.5ft draft and I'd love to hear about a route that's worked for people in the past. Wavey Line charts show some plotted waypoints across the Flats from South Key, Andros, but I can't find any other info. We chartplot with Navionics usually, but it appears utterly useless here.

We'll be coming from Exumas ultimately, and trying to find a way across to Tongue of the Ocean, down around Andros, and onto Key West. I'm only familiar with the passages to FL up in the NW, and hate the idea of crossing to Miami(ish) then bucking the Gulf Stream alllllll the way down to Key West.

Anybody with waypoints or some 'local' knowledge of the area and passage will be amply rewarded with major kudos, and maybe a bottle of Bahamanian rum too.

Thanks,

Vincent

[s/v Moondancer]

The trouble with following any other route than the well travelled paths in the Bahamas is who will tow you off when you run aground?

I have crossed some of the banks, very carefully, with a draft of 7ft 9 inches but I do not explore. Where possible I stay in deep water.

I have sailed 40,000 nm using Navionics but in the Bahamas I use Explorer paper charts and #1 eyeball. Remember the remote areas of the Bahamas were probably charted with a rowboat, lead line and sextant.

Miami to Key West down Hawke's Channel or just outside the outer reef is a nice trip and out of the Gulf Stream.

[rognvald]

V,
South Andros is one of the most difficult areas to sail with a boat with deep draft. Although, "charted," the water is shallow and the sand shifts continuously creating surprise shelves, sandbores, and unexposed coral bedrock. Even with our four-foot draft, it requires diligence, patience, and experience with eyeball navigation. It is a daytime passage only and if you get caught by an unexpected storm front, you could easily be in trouble. With a boat of your draft, you would have to set your alarm at a minimum of 10 feet to allow for the vagaries of the sea and plot your fixes every 15 to 30 minutes. There is also considerable tidal flush across the banks which can create much leeway--even with a 6.5 foot draft. For your route, it would be better to sail from the Exumas down through the Ragged Islands, ride the Old Bahama Channel to Cay Sal and then head North in the Stream to Florida. It would be a beautiful trip but seems like a long way to avoid crossing the Stream further North. I personally cannot recommend South Andros for your boat/draft. Hope this helps. Good luck and safe sailing.

[sailingalex]

Hey vmattiola - Wondering if you made this transit to the Tongue of the Ocean from the south and how it went if so?

Thanks

[Michael Carroll]

This may not be timely for the OP, but I used these waypoints and judicious eyeballing 4 years ago without problem. I draw 5'2" and do not recall minimum depth seen.

24.1978 79.9961
23.7561 78.6984
23.5343 78.0015
23.5000 77.8381
23.4791 77 6596
23.4706 77.4982
23.5564 77.2842

[sailingalex]

Nice! Thank you so much!

[DeValency]

We have been looking closely at this option back in March, when the Bahamas closed down, with friends on another boat - Bavaria 44 with 6.5’ draft, while our draft is 5.5’. After a thorough study and discussions with experienced cruisers there, we reached the conclusion that leaving from George Town/Exuma to Florida will only be safe enough if heading east and south around Long Island and south, then head west, under to the Hurricane Flats or head north around Eleuthera and head to Florida south of the Abacos - which is what we have chosen to do - while also changing our destination to Palm Beach, due to shortage of fuel and problematic weather.

If you want to head down to the keys, the southern round, to our opinion, is the safest route.

We are using Navionics and were always happy the the charts quality and details, but the shoals are problematic with any chart, especially with unavoidable overnight passage.