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09-11-2013, 08:39
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 38
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Lake Worth to Green Turtle (1st time)
I have done all of my cruising from the Chesapeake Bay to Maine and mostly in the Maine coastal waters. Now, I am preparing to depart the Chesapeake and head south for the first time. I'm on a power boat - Bertram 54 ... an older classic 1984.
I have never crossed the Gulf Stream and I'm looking forward to the entire clear water/white sands experience.
From what I have read, it sounds like Green Turtle Cay is a good place to clear customs and that I want to choose a crossing time when the wind is not blowing heavy from the north.
How does this routing look? Leaving Lake Worth Inlet FL and just moving up and around Little Bahama Bank to Green Turtle Cay.
I have lots of charts and cruising guides coming.
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09-11-2013, 09:03
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#2
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Moderator Emeritus

Join Date: May 2008
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Boat: 48 Wauquiez Pilot Saloon
Posts: 5,972
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Re: Lake Worth to Green Turtle (1st time)
Suggest you do all of your navigating in a mirror reflection... Heading West to get to Green Turtle will take you a LONG time....
__________________
In the harsh marine environment, something is always in need of repair...
Mai Tai's fix everything...
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09-11-2013, 09:24
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 38
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Re: Lake Worth to Green Turtle (1st time)
ok ... fixed that.
Mike
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09-11-2013, 09:29
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Miami
Boat: Boatless
Posts: 1,580
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Re: Lake Worth to Green Turtle (1st time)
For you it is much easier to go over the Banks rather than around them.
__________________
Phil
"Remember, experience only means that you screw-up less often."
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09-11-2013, 09:34
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#5
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Moderator Emeritus

Join Date: May 2008
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Boat: 48 Wauquiez Pilot Saloon
Posts: 5,972
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Re: Lake Worth to Green Turtle (1st time)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bayside Bert28
ok ... fixed that.
Mike
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Whew!
That's better! I was hoping it wasn't me who didn't have enough coffee yet!
There are tons of peeps here familiar with the best routing... WaterwayGuy etc.... Imma lefty coast guy... They'll chime in soon enough!
PS: Nice boat... I skippered one (58) for a bit
__________________
In the harsh marine environment, something is always in need of repair...
Mai Tai's fix everything...
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09-11-2013, 09:38
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Skagit City, WA
Posts: 25,765
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Re: Lake Worth to Green Turtle (1st time)
You'll want to avoid winds from the N and NE. Waiting for them to go south of E is usually best.
__________________
"I spent most of my money on Booze, Broads and Boats. The rest I wasted" - Elmore Leonard
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09-11-2013, 09:40
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#7
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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: Lake Worth to Green Turtle (1st time)
A couple of thoughts and a question.
First, what speed to you plan to run? Keep at displacement speed or does your Bertram have power to semiplane?
Your draft will certainly get you across the banks which is usually a calmer passage. You can enter at a couple of places on the western edge of the bank and route around the north tip of Sale Cay.
If you're keeping a slower speed Sale Cay is an excellent overnight anchorage. However if you are planning not to clear in until Green Turtle I have heard some complaints a year or so back of cruisers being hassled for not clearing in at the first/closest port even if they didn't leave the boat or even stop in transit to the place they cleared.
__________________
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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09-11-2013, 18:56
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Oriental, NC
Boat: Mainship Pilot 34
Posts: 1,461
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Re: Lake Worth to Green Turtle (1st time)
Get a copy of Explorer Charts. It will tell you how to do it.
David
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10-11-2013, 06:19
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 3
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Bert, when are you planing on going? We are waiting for weather window to open.
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10-11-2013, 07:07
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Toronto
Boat: CS36Merlin, "La Belle Aurore"
Posts: 7,557
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Re: Lake Worth to Green Turtle (1st time)
Why not get on the bank at Memory Rock, then around Great Sale, Little Sale and on to Green Turtle.
__________________
Rick I
Toronto in summer, Bahamas in winter.
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10-11-2013, 08:05
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#11
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Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Camden ME - Bahamas
Boat: Admiral 38 catamaran
Posts: 70
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Re: Lake Worth to Green Turtle (1st time)
Get a copy of the Explorer Charts and download ActiveCaptain, wait until the forecast is for L&V for 24 hours or out of a southerly direction under 15kts. At 7 knots its approx. 27 hours to Green Turtle from LW. There have been reports of the Defense Force making cruisers return to the closest customs which in your case would be West End. I would make a overnight trip straight to GT with the possibility of resting at Great Sail Cay (not good if wind is out of the south) departing prior to sunrise, giving you the Gulfstream crossing in the day and across the Banks at night. For weather check the SSB each morning as Chris Parker broadcasts on various frequencies, it would be worth becoming a vessel sponsor with him, (863-248-2702, chris@mwxc.com)
Cheers
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10-11-2013, 08:31
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Cruising NC, FL, Bahamas, TCI & VIs
Boat: 1964 Pearson Ariel 'Faith' / Pearson 424, sv Emerald Tide
Posts: 1,531
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Re: Lake Worth to Green Turtle (1st time)
Quote:
Originally Posted by djmarchand
Get a copy of Explorer Charts. It will tell you how to do it.
David
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 best advice, second the recommendation.
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10-11-2013, 15:11
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 38
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Re: Lake Worth to Green Turtle (1st time)
OK - Explorer Chartbooks are coming.
I don't expect to be at Lake Worth Inlet until around 12-15. A friend just talked me through the ICW choices on the way down. It's going to be a great time doing all this for the first time.
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10-11-2013, 17:58
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2006
Location: On board Sarah, currently lying in Jacksonville, FL
Boat: Pearson, 424, 42', Sarah
Posts: 674
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Re: Lake Worth to Green Turtle (1st time)
Hi, Mike,
Glad to see your going to the Bahamas this winter. I plan to depart JAX for the Bahamas in January. Hopefully we can hook up some time over there.
I think you will be best served by crossing to the little Bahama Bank entering at Memory Rock or the White Sand Ridge. There is no reason go as far south as Lake Worth. With your speed you could go out at Ft. Pierce or St. Lucie. You should be able to make the run across the bank to the Sea of Abaco without a stop although that will require making at least part of that run at night. You might find it more convenient to clear in a Spanish Cay as that will be the closest port of entry on that route, and should avoid any issues with the officials.
If you plan your departure to arrive on the Bank shortly before dawn you should be able to cross the bank to Spanish Cay during the daylight (100nm at 15+ kts). Also Spanish Cay is very friendly to sport fish. The owner sells large motor yachts.
The route you plotted would avoid that check in issue as you would be entering the Bahamas very close to GTC.
Haven't heard from Duval in a while. Hope Typhoon Haiyan doesn't affect him.
John Stevenson
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10-11-2013, 20:00
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 38
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Re: Lake Worth to Green Turtle (1st time)
John - Your timing is perfect! This is the triumphant return of the big ol Bertram to the South. I have really enjoyed Maine with the boat but was unable to figure when I might be able to bring the boat south to the Caribbean.
And ... with time ... things change  Time to go south baby
Don thinks the storm will miss him but he is in Laos.
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