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24-01-2025, 13:16
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Punta Gorda, Fl
Boat: Hunter Legend 37.5 37.5ft
Posts: 2
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Bahama bound
Heading to the Bahamas March 10-12, 2025. Sailing to the West End and onto the east side of the island and south. This is my first time sailing to the Bahamas. In 2016, I brought the boat from Lake Erie to Ft. Myers, Fl. Great trip and looking for some more adventure. Any suggestions would be great.
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24-01-2025, 14:23
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2023
Posts: 292
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Re: Bahama bound
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24-01-2025, 14:38
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#3
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Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Jan 2019
Boat: Beneteau 432, C&C Landfall 42, Roberts Offshore 38
Posts: 7,166
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Re: Bahama bound
You should consider staying awhile in the Abacos seeing as you plan on checking in there.
A leisurely cruise thru' the Abacos and exit on the other side at little Harbor.
From there a short day sail to Royal Island, after which a multitude of options exists.
Hope you're planning to stay fot at leat 6 months...
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25-01-2025, 17:44
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Swansea, MA
Boat: CLC Skerry
Posts: 262
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Re: Bahama bound
You can't sail past a port of entry when you enter a country and just wait to check in at the next one. Its been a few years since I've been to the Bahamas and maybe the rules have changed, but if you sail to West End, you'll need to check in with customs there, or you will have a lot of "splainin' to do when you get to the Abacos. Don't forget your quarantine flag! The Abacos are my absolute favorite Bahamas cruising ground. Do stop at Green Turtle Cay and hit Miss Emily's famous Blue Bee bar, and catch a mooring on the chain at Hope Town. Enjoy!
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25-01-2025, 18:21
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Urbanna, VA
Boat: Lagoon 380 PC Limited Edition
Posts: 454
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Re: Bahama bound
We blow past West End every year on the way to Great Harbour to check in and never had to explain anything.
Cheyne
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25-01-2025, 21:43
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Swansea, MA
Boat: CLC Skerry
Posts: 262
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Re: Bahama bound
Cheyne, that good news. I think things must have lightened up since I was there. There was active human smuggling out of West End at that time. I was asked to take 14 people back to West Palm on my last trip in a 72 ft. Burger Motor Yacht for $100 bucks each. They were landing them in Freeport (from Haiti) and bringing them to West End to find rides to the US. I said no, but it might have worked because the rain was so bad that customs cleared me in by phone. We were worried about our stay at Noman's Cay, too, but had no trouble.
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25-01-2025, 22:33
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#7
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Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Port Credit, Ontario or Bahamas
Boat: Benford 38 Fantail Cruiser
Posts: 7,579
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Re: Bahama bound
Quote:
Originally Posted by bugsboat
Heading to the Bahamas March 10-12, 2025. Sailing to the West End and onto the east side of the island and south. This is my first time sailing to the Bahamas. In 2016, I brought the boat from Lake Erie to Ft. Myers, Fl. Great trip and looking for some more adventure. Any suggestions would be great.
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"Sailing to the West End and onto the east side of the island" ... The east side of Grand Bahama is on the bight of Abaco and there is nothing there. Perhaps you mean east to the Abacos ?
"and south" .. Do you mean south from Grand Bahama to the Berries ? if so I would suggest check in a West End then head one mile east on the south coast of Grand Bahama to the very well protected anchorage at Ginn Sur Mer, take a day or two break and then south to the Berries. From the Berries you can slide down to Eluthera and then the Exumas.
__________________
If you're not laughing, you're not doin' it right.
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26-01-2025, 04:51
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Urbanna, VA
Boat: Lagoon 380 PC Limited Edition
Posts: 454
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Re: Bahama bound
Quote:
Originally Posted by rhubstuff
Cheyne, that good news. I think things must have lightened up since I was there. There was active human smuggling out of West End at that time. I was asked to take 14 people back to West Palm on my last trip in a 72 ft. Burger Motor Yacht for $100 bucks each. They were landing them in Freeport (from Haiti) and bringing them to West End to find rides to the US. I said no, but it might have worked because the rain was so bad that customs cleared me in by phone. We were worried about our stay at Noman's Cay, too, but had no trouble.
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There is no stopping on the way out since there is no check out of the Bahamas. Also in the US all clear in is done by the CBP Roam App. 3 out of 4 times using the app I never even spoke to the agent. I was with in 2 miles of the coast and put in a guess of where we might anchor in Fort Pierce as our destination and put in our request. Usually about 15 to 30 minutes later I get an approval email and that is the last of it. Our second year using the app we did a video call with the agent and my wife and I had to show our passports on camera. He asked me where we were coming from and going. Then approved.
Cheyne
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26-01-2025, 11:10
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2015
Location: edmonton alberta
Boat: 1992 lagoon 42 tpi
Posts: 1,745
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Re: Bahama bound
West end is a very easy place to check In. Especially if it's your first time.thereis a free dock right beside customs and immigration. Do click to clear online before going, and che k in will take 10 minutes.
March is a pretty good timeto explore the abacos, and it will be the closest family islands to get to. If wind dictates going otherwise, the berries are a nice chain to explore as well.
My personal favorites are exumas and ragged/jumentos but that will take a little more time to get to.
The bahamas has a lot to offer, and each island chain is different, have fun exploring.
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07-02-2025, 10:52
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Florida
Boat: Matlack, Trawler, 48 ft
Posts: 1,093
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Re: Bahama bound
I recommend Explorer chartbooks and Waterway Guide to the Bahamas.
__________________
The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.
—Jacques Yves Costeau
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07-02-2025, 18:24
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Saint Augustine, FL
Boat: 2004 Hunter, 36'
Posts: 101
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Re: Bahama bound
Get a copy of “Too Old to Go”. This book will lay out a complete plan to navigate the islands. CAPT Braman has over 30 years traveling and documenting his travels throughout the islands.
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08-02-2025, 05:22
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Florida, Off the Caloosahatchee Canal for the Summer
Boat: Beebe Passagemaker 50'
Posts: 902
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Re: Bahama bound
Book is:
Still Too Old Not to Go: Voyages of Rhombus in The Bahama Islands, Sailing Tales and Other Neat Stories
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