Abacos itinerary suggestions

[bluwtrman]

Hello Saltys! So I'm prepping for what will be a bucket-list trip for my wife and me. We plan to cross into FL Nov 1st in our 39' outboard express and make the crossing to the Abacos as quickly as weather allows. Our schedule has us back in Ft Lauderdale on or before 11/26. Understanding the unpredictability of the Gulf Stream, we plan to get back to our jumping off point several days in advance. So, assuming we make our crossing the first week of Nov, we'll have a couple weeks to cruise the area. I'd love to just show up and play, but wondering how tough it'll be to get marina and anchorage space during the time period. Also, any suggestions on "don't miss" and "avoid" spots are welcomed! Current plan is to head out from either Ft Pierce or Jupiter and make for West End, and then Grand Cay and south through the string and maybe around the bottom of Grand Bahama back to Bimini. Is 2 weeks enough time to make that long of a run or would you recommend staying in a smaller area and making short day trips?
Sorry for all the embedded questions, but it's just a fraction of all that's running through my mind!

[skipmac]

Have done the Abacos a few times in the past thought not recently so some of my recommendations may be dated, others not.


First in Nov you will be at the mercy of the weather. With your boat you can zip across the stream in a couple of hours so only need a very short weather window. Nov is still early in the winter weather season so you have very good odds of getting a good day but be prepared to wait if the winds are from anywhere around NW to NE and stronger that 5-10 kts max. The Gulf Stream can get very nasty.



Unless you have a place planned to stay in Jupiter I would go on down to W Palm to jump off. Slightly shorter and a better angle but again, with your boat not as much of a concern.


There were some problems at West End with a dispute over ownership that I believe were resolved so I recommend that as a good place to clear in. Customs office is right next to the fuel dock. If you leave from Jupiter you can clear in farther north. I believe customs offices are at Grand Cay.


Northern Abacos don't have a lot of resources IE marinas and fuel so plan your stops. I think you can get fuel at Grand Cay and Spanish Cay and Cooperstown. Central and southern Abacos have more towns, restaurants, marinas, etc. Nice stops are Green Turtle Cay, Man-o-War, Marsh Harbor (the hub of the Abacos, best options for groceries, shopping, resaurants) and Hope Town.


Cautions:


1. Use your eyeballs, don't just stare at the chart plotter. Channels shift and every coral head is NOT plotted on the charts.


2. Be very careful in the channels between the islands when going from the banks (the shallow west side behind the islands) and the ocean on the east side of the islands. It may be a calm, windless day in the Bahamas but a storm hundreds of miles out to see can generate ocean swells that build up to large, dangerous, breaking waves when they hit the shallow waters. Whale Cay passage is famous for this but not the only one.

[skipmac]

A couple of additional comments. Get the Explorer Charts for the Bahamas. Overall the best.


Also, with your draft you might be able to sneak across the shoals off Treasure Cay and avoid the Whale Cay cut but only in good light, good weather and you would probably have to trim the motors up a lot.


It's a great trip and you're going to have a blast.

[sjrider]

We chartered a catamaran in the Abacos this spring. We spent 12 days there between Manjack and Little Harbour. We really enjoyed Green Turtle Cay and Man-o-war. Our favorite night was anchored at Manjack. Some small tourists boat go there during the day and feed/pet the stingrays and sharks. The place is undeveloped and really quite with only a couple of boats anchored out at night.

The beach near nippers on Great Guana cay is pretty amazing. We were there on Monday as to avoid the Sunday crowd and pretty much had the beach to ourselves.

There are not very many mooring balls or slips out there, at least not like the BVI's. We anchored out most nights.

We stayed in Hope town for two nights, they had some live bands playing at the bars both night which were a lot of fun.

I really enjoy sailing but sometimes it is to slow when your time is limited. It sounds like a great time on a boat like yours.

Enjoy your trip!