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02-10-2018, 10:10
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 7
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Has anyone done this route to the Bahamas?
We are in Wilmington, NC (survived Florence with no damage) on a 44' Leopard. We plan on leaving Nov 1st for the Bahamas. Everyone usually heads to southern Florida to cross. I was thinking of crossing the stream at Cape Canaveral and heading south to the Abacos when they are due south. Any thoughts?
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02-10-2018, 10:59
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Cape Haze,FL
Boat: Carver,Cobia,Nacra, Columbia
Posts: 816
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Re: Has anyone done this route to the Bahamas?
Depends on the condition of the vessel and your ability to assume risk.
This summer we have seen weeks of prevailing easterly wind off the Florida coast, so once you get across the Gulf Stream off Canaveral, you could sail SE.
However, you are way out of the shipping lanes, so if you have any system failures your next stop could be Ireland! Watch weather conditions from the NOAA Buoy 120km off Canaveral for a week or so and observe.
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02-10-2018, 11:36
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 31
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Re: Has anyone done this route to the Bahamas?
I would definitely work your way down the Lake Worth there's a good Anchorage there you can wait for good weather window and shoot across there it's only about 60 miles and you won't be bucking the Gulf Stream
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02-10-2018, 12:17
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Bumping around the Caribbean
Boat: Valiant 40
Posts: 4,625
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Has anyone done this route to the Bahamas?
Departing from Wilmington would be a good plan. Trades tend to curl up from the SE so you might run into some headwinds latter part of the trip.
__________________
"Having a yacht is reason for being more cheerful than most." -Kurt Vonnegut
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02-10-2018, 12:31
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Mexico
Boat: Passport 40
Posts: 344
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Re: Has anyone done this route to the Bahamas?
You don't need to go all the way south to Lake Worth. I did a very easy crossing (with the right weather window, meaning no Northern components on the wind) from Ft Pierce to Bahamas by going through Manatilla Shoal in the northeast end of the Little Bahamas Bank. It's a 20-something hour trip from Ft Pierce to your first anchorage in Great Sale Cay. You can also try and hit Memory Rock, but Manatilla will make your life easier on the "northerly" fight of the Gulfstream from Ft Pierce.
The only consideration I would have is that Pierce is not an inlet I would want to undertake with big swell, big wind, or anything out of "beautiful weather". I also did time slack tide to go out in the morning. But that's me; Im conservative.
The problem with the Canaveral plan is plainly that you will want to avoid any northerly component on wind to cross the gulfstream. That will have you waiting for a window, that might play against you once you are past the gulfstream. What Im trying to say is that if you choose anything that has a south-easterly component, it will play against you once you are past the gulfstream and you want to head south. Going a bit further south will get you in the bank sooner, and that just makes the weather window easier to catch. It's all about a comfortable ride, having the more appropriate wind, being able to sail the Bahamian bank and it's protection, more than what's possible.
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02-10-2018, 12:33
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#6
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Senior Cruiser

Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: 29° 49.16 N 82° 25.82 W
Boat: Pearson 422
Posts: 16,307
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Re: Has anyone done this route to the Bahamas?
Very doable trip if you're up for a passage of a day or two. Just a couple of things to be aware of.
- Unless you get really lucky with the weather you'll have a longer, non-stop upwind beat than you would have crossing from one of the more traditional spots.
- The Gulf Stream is farther offshore and wider at Canaveral so need to be certain of a couple of days weather window to make sure you can get across before a front hits.
__________________
The water is always bluer on the other side of the ocean.
Sometimes it's necessary to state the obvious for the benefit of the oblivious.
Rust is the poor man's Loctite.
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03-10-2018, 05:44
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 7
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Re: Has anyone done this route to the Bahamas?
That was my first post and I want to thank everyone for their reply. This is great!
I have gone to the Exumas and southern Bahamas 4 times over 9 years and always went down to Miami or waited in Biscayne Bay for a window to cross. My thinking now is to head south just west of the Gulf Stream. However, if at any time during the 4 day trip to Biscayne Bay it looks favorable to cross the stream I will do it no matter how far south I am.
I guess my real question is, does it matter where you cross the Gulf Stream? It seems to me that once you are east of the stream (about due north of the Abacos) you can head south without fear of northerly winds kicking up the seas. I would rather cut through the Abacos on the way to Cat Island than go down to southern Florida and then head over.
Thanks again for taking the time to give me your thoughts.
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03-10-2018, 06:02
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#8
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Senior Cruiser

Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: 29° 49.16 N 82° 25.82 W
Boat: Pearson 422
Posts: 16,307
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Re: Has anyone done this route to the Bahamas?
The main concern approaching the Abacos from the north is encountering a rage that will prevent entering most of the channels along that coast.
This is common with strong north winds but can happen even when local conditions are benign due to waves from storms far from out at sea.
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03-10-2018, 06:57
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 7
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Re: Has anyone done this route to the Bahamas?
Good point on the rage that can occur even in calm conditions if there is strong activity in the North Atlantic (which there usually is that time of year). The northernmost island of the Bahamas is Grand Cay. We sailed from there to Wilmington last May. Is there a good cut to shoot for that is safe regardless of the sea state in the northern Bahamas?
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03-10-2018, 10:47
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#10
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Senior Cruiser

Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: 29° 49.16 N 82° 25.82 W
Boat: Pearson 422
Posts: 16,307
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Re: Has anyone done this route to the Bahamas?
Quote:
Originally Posted by svhighlander
Good point on the rage that can occur even in calm conditions if there is strong activity in the North Atlantic (which there usually is that time of year). The northernmost island of the Bahamas is Grand Cay. We sailed from there to Wilmington last May. Is there a good cut to shoot for that is safe regardless of the sea state in the northern Bahamas?
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It's been a while since I spent a lot of time in the Abacos but as I recall, any of the cuts between the islands down the chain can be subject to large, breaking seas in the right (or is that wrong) conditions.
A sure way in most any weather is just enter the banks on the N to NW to W side where the banks are open and deep water just gradually shoals into the banks.
__________________
The water is always bluer on the other side of the ocean.
Sometimes it's necessary to state the obvious for the benefit of the oblivious.
Rust is the poor man's Loctite.
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03-10-2018, 13:00
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: New Bern, NC
Boat: 1989 Morgan-44CP
Posts: 171
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Re: Has anyone done this route to the Bahamas?
We have made the crossing to the Abacos several time over the past few years from several ports along the coast including directly South from Beaufort, NC across the GS to the Whale, Cape Canaveral, Ft Pierce, Lake Worth and Biscayne Bay. Just pick a good weather window! Listen to Chris Parker.
There are several good inlets on the North side if you do not go on the Bank at the Western end; North Man of War is a pretty straight shot and well marked, The Whale if there is not a rage running and on one occasion after spend a long night tacking back and forth along the Northern reef we entered just after dawn at the cut on the East side of Spanish Cay. Once we were through a short section of the reef it was flat calm.
I like Ft. Pierce the best however because it let you get out of Florida before all the bridges and restricted anchorages.
Jewt S/V Bifrost
On the hard In Beaufort repairing Florence damage
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03-10-2018, 13:06
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Abaco, Bahamas/ Western NC
Boat: Nothing large at the moment
Posts: 1,038
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Re: Has anyone done this route to the Bahamas?
Nice sail. Jump off with an approaching front and get your easting. Get across the stream before the wind goes North then head southeast. Saves all the ICW nonsense and many miles of needlessly following to coast West. Several easy channels onto the bank: Walkers, Strangers, Manjack, Whale, North ManO War, North Bar, and Little Harbour. Just don't try them for the first time with a low easterly sun!
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03-10-2018, 15:06
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Atlantic rim
Boat: Dufour 40
Posts: 94
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Re: Has anyone done this route to the Bahamas?
We crossed from St Augustine last year, ignoring the cries of those (who had never done it) that it would be difficult.
Just wait for the right weather, SWly wind to cross the Gulf Stream, veering NWly to take you south to your chosen entrance. Our only problem was arriving earlier than planned and had to heave to for a couple of hours to enter in daylight.
Bon voyage.
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03-10-2018, 15:19
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Harbortown - Merritt Island, FL
Boat: 1998 Sealine Statesman 42ft - Twin Cummins 6BTA
Posts: 208
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Re: Has anyone done this route to the Bahamas?
I agree with those who say to watch the weather. If bad, like SE at 15+, it can be a bad trip. I did a one day passage from Mangrove Cay to Canaveral in a light SE wind. It was a great 16 hours.
If the weather is bad, just keep going down the intercoastal until you get a weather window.
When it turns south from SE, it then veers quickly through SW, W, and NW to NE. Many start across as soon as it goes from SE to S.
If you have to wait, I like North Lake Worth. When it breaks, it's an easy shot to the Abacos.
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03-10-2018, 16:09
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#15
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Senior Cruiser

Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: 29° 49.16 N 82° 25.82 W
Boat: Pearson 422
Posts: 16,307
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Re: Has anyone done this route to the Bahamas?
Trying to time a front to get south or west winds across the stream is great when it works but I highly recommend caution with this plan. I've had it work well but one trip we tried to leave Lake Worth for West End just ahead of a front that didn't work so well.
Front arrived much faster and stronger than all the forecasts. Winds quickly clocked around to N at 25 kts plus with some really strong gusts and we had our posteriors soundly kicked in the Gulf Stream. 20 hours after departure for West End we pulled into Ft Pierce to lick our wounds and wait for better weather.
__________________
The water is always bluer on the other side of the ocean.
Sometimes it's necessary to state the obvious for the benefit of the oblivious.
Rust is the poor man's Loctite.
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