Sailing Atlantic South November - March Offshore NY NJ MD VA NC Coasts

[Steadman Uhlich]

It is now November 10th, and the official Hurricane Season is over according to most boat insurers who use November 1 as a significant date. So, boats are moving south from New England or Chesapeake to go to Florida or Bahamas or beyond.

I did a search of CF archives and did not find a thread like this, so I thought it would be useful to start one. I did read what I found in the archives, but all mentions were about traveling during the warmer summer months or ICW related.

I would like this thread to focus on voyages going South during the colder months.

I think a consolidated thread would help others in the future.

I would like to hear some anecdotes from sailors who have sailed OFFSHORE during November, December, January or February off the coasts of:

New York
New Jersey
Maryland
Virginia
North Carolina
Georgia

Please post your experience, what the seas and air temperature were like, and any advice for sailing offshore (assume you are heading from Rhode Island or Long Island or Chesapeake Bay to Florida) along those coasts during those months.

Did you have difficulty with weather or seas or entrances to inlets?

Would you do it again?

How cold was it? Experience any snow or ice on deck or while sailing? What date?

How did you stay warm while on watch or while off watch?

What would you do differently next time (advice)?

Did you go around Cape Hatteras (offshore) or did you go inside and take the ICW from Norfolk?

Any particular warnings to heed?

Any general comments would be useful to see, especially if you have made this run before.

Please be sure to indicate if you did the voyage or what parts OUTSIDE or INSIDE (ICW)

Please mention what date/month and what kind of boat.

This Fall/Winter seasonal migration of boats is what I would like to learn more about.

[MarkJ]

I've done it a few times but instead of relating those I might give my considerations for my upcoming (this week) trip Beaufort to St Martin.

1) Hurricane season ends when the weather changes not when an insurance company says. Its late November.
2) there is a chance of the right weather Thursday 17th
3) Staging to, and leaving from Beaufort NC is the best location imho on the east cost. Hatteras has been done, close to the Gulf Stream, well north of I65 intersection
4) 24 hours of cold until the Gulf Stream then its warm even the other side, till the tropics.
5) Use fuel if necessary to get to I65
6) Do NOT turn south before 65W!!!
7) No need for fuel after 65W

[billzona]

I am in same situation. Staged in Annapolis waiting on new sails and headed south min December.

[Hud3]

Most from NY or New England elect to work their way down to Hampton Roads, VA or Beaufort, NC before heading offshore. Mark is right--Beaufort is a better port to leave from, but it will take you three days in the ICW to get there from Norfolk.

However you get there, ICW or offshore, the Gulf Stream is much narrower off Hatteras, and you can get across it in 12 hours or so. Jumping off from VA or NC also minimizes your exposure to the inevitable gales that you'll encounter. If you leave from NY you'll likely experience two or even three gales before getting far enough south to be out of their reach.

Cold fronts come off the East Coast every 3-5 days in early November. Wait until one passes, then head out in the light southeasterlies that follow, motor-sailing for a while if necessary until the wind begins to clock in advance of the next approaching front. Hatteras has a fearsome reputation, but if you depart Hampton Roads at mid-day, you'll be across the Stream SSE of Hatteras in relatively settled conditions by sundown the next day. It will probably be cold for that first day and night, although not bitterly so. It warms up quickly once across the Stream.

After you've crossed the Gulf Stream, the next front will pass over you. The wind will clock through the SW and build as the front approaches, becoming NW, N and NNE or NE at gale force. You can get a nice ride on the NNW to NNE winds that come with it. A very strong front will push you right through the Horse Latitudes to the Tradewinds, so you won't have to motor in calms.

We've been successful sailing pretty close to, or a bit north of the rhumb line. From Hampton Roads to Tortola is about 1380 nm. Heading substantially toward Bermuda before turning south will add about a day to the passage.

Besides a good source of weather forecasting, consider getting a Gulf Stream forecast, which will show where the narrowest parts are, but equally important, where the cold eddies SE of the Stream will be. You can plan your course to use the 1-2 knot eddy currents to your advantage. If you get headed by an eddy, you'll really slow down.

[christine47]

You can't imagine how important your request are........ Thank you for requesting this information

[malyea]

NC to St Augustine delivery - FINAL REPORT
Just to close the loop - ie, compare this final report with the above/previous advice given...interesting comparison.

Executed a successful offshore delivery/passage last Dec 19 - 23 of my Irwin 43 singlehanded.

Departed Beaufort, NC at slack tide early Dec 19, flew down track to round Cape Fear/Frying Pan Shoals about 2230 that night on a close starboard reach.

Plenty of water depth across the 'shoals' while still staying well inside the Gulf stream.

Adjusted course to southwest towards Charleston in case I wanted to duck in - did not. Favorable westerly wind at 15 to 20 on the beam so flew down the coast 30 - 50 miles offshore.

I was abeam Savannah and crossing the shipping approach lanes by early evening with a pod of 10' dolphin riding the bow wake. Love AIS!

Rough patch of weather from 2300 till 0200 with steep waves - wind 23 gusting 28 and seemed to be opposing maybe a counter current - got tossed about pretty good.

Hove to for some rest after the rough patch, cleaned fuel filters at sunrise and resumed for STA sea buoy.

Motored in light air most of 3rd day and spotted St Augustine lighthouse after sunset. Too dark to enter the inlet, hove to and slept/napped standing off till dawn.

St Augustine is a fine inlet and was in my new slip by 0900.

Weather was chilly but at no time cold or freezing. Frying Pan Shoals was a non event. Maximizing time offshore beats the ICW for me every time.

Had a great offshore sail.

Cheers
malyea is online now Report Post

[svfinlandia]

I got knocked down (mast in water) last month coming in Oregon Inlet. No real damage done except a lot of water in boat.
Two takeaway lessons:

1. Never completely trust a tide chart. It was an unusually high tide and because of hurricane Matthew, there was a lot of water still trying to get out of the inlet with the incoming tide rolling over it creating 14 foot breakers.

2. Always make sure all hatches and companionway openings are securely closed before transiting an inlet, no matter how many times you have been in and out of it. It seems they it is always different.

Al, S/V Finlandia

[Symphony]

The ICW has its charms if you want to stop along the way and have plenty of time. Many beautiful anchorages and very pleasant towns. Otherwise the need to manage bridge and lock schedules, bridge clearances, shifting shoals and off station ATONs makes it like being a ferry operator. Much more pleasant travel to go offshore

[sck5]

Two years ago left from Chesapeake Bay for the Virgins in the first week of January. Waited for a decent weather window to get across the Stream. Weather was ok which means "above freezing" so we could stay warm enough. Once we got across the stream (within 30 hours more or less) it was warmer and we were happy enough in the full enclosure. Decent winds until longitude 65. One thing to note - The Christmas winds were HONKING so we actually went further east than our destination so as to have a better angle on the wind for the rest of the trip (about 100 miles or so)

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

I've done it a few times but instead of relating those I might give my considerations for my upcoming (this week) trip Beaufort to St Martin.

1) Hurricane season ends when the weather changes not when an insurance company says. Its late November.
2) there is a chance of the right weather Thursday 17th
3) Staging to, and leaving from Beaufort NC is the best location imho on the east cost. Hatteras has been done, close to the Gulf Stream, well north of I65 intersection
4) 24 hours of cold until the Gulf Stream then its warm even the other side, till the tropics.
5) Use fuel if necessary to get to I65
6) Do NOT turn south before 65W!!!
7) No need for fuel after 65W

MARKJ,
Thank you for answering with your experience, which I value.

[Steadman Uhlich]

HUD3,

Thanks for taking the time to write such a good detailed description. I found it very helpful and I am sure others will too.

[Steadman Uhlich]

MALYEA,
An actual LOG post like that is nice to read too. Thanks for adding that to the mix. I like reading logs of voyages, especially when they are descriptive of what was seen and felt and done.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by svfinlandia

I got knocked down (mast in water) last month coming in Oregon Inlet. No real damage done except a lot of water in boat.
Two takeaway lessons:

1. Never completely trust a tide chart. It was an unusually high tide and because of hurricane Matthew, there was a lot of water still trying to get out of the inlet with the incoming tide rolling over it creating 14 foot breakers.

2. Always make sure all hatches and companionway openings are securely closed before transiting an inlet, no matter how many times you have been in and out of it. It seems they it is always different.

Al, S/V Finlandia

Good advice.

Thanks for adding that to the mix.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by sck5

Two years ago left from Chesapeake Bay for the Virgins in the first week of January. Waited for a decent weather window to get across the Stream. Weather was ok which means "above freezing" so we could stay warm enough. Once we got across the stream (within 30 hours more or less) it was warmer and we were happy enough in the full enclosure. Decent winds until longitude 65. One thing to note - The Christmas winds were HONKING so we actually went further east than our destination so as to have a better angle on the wind for the rest of the trip (about 100 miles or so)

Thank you for adding your experience.


Your post did surprise me though, as I would have expected the first week of January to be FRIGID weather offshore.

But, I am used to temperate fall and sometimes winter weather (even as warm as 70 degrees Fahrenheit) living in Texas and California and some places in the Southeast. Still, I have seen ice storms and freezing rain in January in the South too, so I wondered how that might be offshore (off the coast I wrote about in my Opening Post) during December and January.

[sck5]

If I am out of the wind I can tolerate any temperature above freezing for quite a long time. The important thing is to warm back up when off watch. It wouldnt be fun to do a trip like that in January without a full enclosure.