Bahama's Advice

[Doc 1]

Tingum ,
Thanks so much ---sounds like the route going inside of Eleuthera might be the best . Agree ? Would this be day sailing only ( no sailing at night ) and how long would you think it would take ?

[Tia Bu]

Three days is really humping it if you take the inside route. It's probably not prudent to push the timetable like that. It would be a great trip, I think, if you could schedule a week for it.

You could leave Whale Cay passage at dusk and do the trip to Egg Island as an overnight. In that case, three days wouldn't be so completely out of the question. Then you could do an overnight from the south end of Eleuthera to Georgetown. So, in that case, .....

That's the kind of thinking that always leads me to misery . Take your time. It's a beautiful trip if you're not in a hurry.

[Vasco]

For day sails only. Abaco to Egg Island, Egg Island through the Fleeming Channel to Ship Channel Cay or Normans Cay if you prefer longer days. Then three good days to GT. Or one day to Sampson. If going to GT it all depend on the condition of Exuma Sound. The weather down there this year has not been the best. Very strong easterlies. The last two years were great.

[s/vPainkiller]

Personally, I would think taking the route west of Eleuthera is a daysail route. Some of it is pretty skinny. A few thoughts:

Current cut - time this for slack water. This can be a sleigh ride.

There are some places to stop - Hatchet bay, good all round protection. I'd only enter in daylight. Rock Sound - good protection. Shallow in spots.

You'll have to dodge lobster buoys. They were easy to see in daylight.

Shallow water near entrance to rock sound, you'll also have to dodge some coral heads. This was also easy in daylight.

I highly recommend getting the Explorer Charts. All this is well documented.

Good luck, enjoy the trip.

Scott

[witzgall]

As a rule, sound-side sailing is daylight sailing only. You need to be able to see the bottom, landmarks, etc. Sailing in any of these waters for the first time at night would be foolish.

Chris

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by witzgall

As a rule, sound-side sailing is daylight sailing only. You need to be able to see the bottom, landmarks, etc. Sailing in any of these waters for the first time at night would be foolish.

Chris

The Bank side is where it might be skinny. The Sound is very, very deep. The only worry there is trying to get through a cut onto the Bank side.

[witzgall]

Yep... wrote sound, meant bank.

Originally Posted by Vasco

The Bank side is where it might be skinny. The Sound is very, very deep. The only worry there is trying to get through a cut onto the Bank side.

[witzgall]

Thought about it some more. Making any port on the sound side (Cat, Eleuthera, etc) would be something that I would only want to do during the daylight hours.

Chris

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Doc 1

Tingum ,
Thanks so much ---sounds like the route going inside of Eleuthera might be the best . Agree ? Would this be day sailing only ( no sailing at night ) and how long would you think it would take ?

Inside route is definitely daylight, especially the channels on and off the banks. If you're still trying to get there in the minimum time the outside passage is the best route. Yes outside is exposed and has the potential to be bumpy. I would plan it to pass between Eleuthera and Little San Salvador in daylight as well.

[Doc 1]

I made it !!!! So now I'm sitting in Georgetown and wondering where to go next . Ideally I would like to have an approx. 4 to 5 hour sail to the next stop / anchor in a calm cove or protected anchorage / do some snorkeling --fishing etc / cook out what we catch and then do the same the next day .
Our crew of 3 guys has 8 days to go to some differant spots and then be back in Georgetown to catch a plane out .
What would you suggest for an itenery to accomplish as close to this as possible ?
Thanks so much !!

[FSMike]

Do you have the Explorer Charts and Steve Pavilidis' Exuma Guide? They should give you all the info you need. If you don't have them check the Sandpiper shop across from the Peace and Plenty, or Top to Bottom marine supply.