West End/Indian Rock Bahamas

[fivebyfive]

We're going to make our first passage through the Indian Rock (east to west following an overnight at Mangrove Cay) to West End in a few weeks. Planning on heading through on a rising tide and following the AquaMaps/Explorer route.

Looking for any local knowledge/recent experiences.

Which tide table is most useful? Did you follow the Explorer Chart route? The Ginn Sur Mer anchorage looks promising...any recent reports?

Appreciate any feedback and thanks in advance!

5x5

[fivebyfive]

Update info: Boat is a sailing catamaran with 4.5' draft

[MicHughV]

A much, less stressful departure is to go just south of Memory Rock by about 1/4 mile or so. It's a wide, relative deep route the whole way from Mangrove. Not sure why you'd want to go to West End, but if headed back to Florida, just keep going from Memory Rock.

The Indian Rock passage is difficult to read. Occasionally there are some spikes to show the way, but more often than not, they are gone.

I've crossed over at Memory Rock at least 40-50 times, (even at night) it is as straightforward as it can get.

[MicHughV]

If you must stop at West End, it's a quick run from Memory Rock on the outside. Deep water all the way.

[fivebyfive]

Great advice. I'd like to do it during the daytime if possible but outside via memory rock to West End sounds like a good plan.

[MicHughV]

To give yourself some time, take a leisurely cruise from Great Sale to Mangrove.
Anchor the night. If you arrive early, do some lobstering in the cracks and crevices around Mangrove.
The next morning, up anchor and a leisurely cruise will take you to Memory Rock by noon or thereabouts.
Then head south to West End. Should make it there in a few hours, soon enuff for cocktail hour.

[MicHughV]

A lot of people that come to the Abaco's tend to zip right by Mangrove and Great Sale Cay.
I've speared more fish and lobster in that stretch of water between those two islands than most any other place in the B'mas I can think of.