We have a Beneteau 343 in a charter fleet in the BVI,s. We are thinking of taking it out of charter in about a year and are going to sail it back to Tampa bay to gear it up for long term cruising in the caribbean. Is January a good month to bring it back? What would be the best route?
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- Thread starter Southpaw
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That will be quite a trip.. maybe Cuba will be "cruisable" on your way up !
as you know, January around Tampa Bay can be quite "blowy" and cold when the fronts come by.. ya might have to hang out in Key West or Havana waiting for a weather window.. This is from the planning section of The Accidental Cruiser:
[From December until early April, frequent cold fronts penetrate well into the Caribbean. Winds ahead of these fronts tend to be easterly at 15 – 20 kts. Behind these cold fronts, winds are mostly NE 20 and sometimes stronger, with 2 – 3 metre seas. The winds behind the fronts sometimes blow for several days until the next cold front approaches. It is possible to make a passage between fronts, but the position and features of the Gulf Stream current should be monitored to ensure a smooth passage. Wind against current will produce large steep seas. Rain, gusty winds, and occasional thunderstorms are often associated with cold fronts./COLOR]
as you know, January around Tampa Bay can be quite "blowy" and cold when the fronts come by.. ya might have to hang out in Key West or Havana waiting for a weather window.. This is from the planning section of The Accidental Cruiser:
[From December until early April, frequent cold fronts penetrate well into the Caribbean. Winds ahead of these fronts tend to be easterly at 15 – 20 kts. Behind these cold fronts, winds are mostly NE 20 and sometimes stronger, with 2 – 3 metre seas. The winds behind the fronts sometimes blow for several days until the next cold front approaches. It is possible to make a passage between fronts, but the position and features of the Gulf Stream current should be monitored to ensure a smooth passage. Wind against current will produce large steep seas. Rain, gusty winds, and occasional thunderstorms are often associated with cold fronts./COLOR]
Southpaw, I have been sailing the west coast of Fl. for over thirty years. Jan. and Feb. see many cold fronts coming through with 20-30 knot cold winds out of the northwest. While this makes for some great sailing going south, not so much coming north. Late March through June are much better. While I've sailed the Caribbean a few times, I've not sailed from there to here so cannot advise a best route. I'm sure other sailors will chime in, soon. Good luck.
Roland
s/v Fraulein II
Roland
s/v Fraulein II
I've not made this trip, but I sailed the west coast of FL for 11 years; so ditto what Roland cautioned. Those COLD fronts are nasty and can begin as early as mid-October and persist to near the end of April. If you entered the ICW near Naples you could continue up that way, but you do NOT wish to face those conditions out in the open Gulf. Mid- to late May is likely to be your best time for cruising up the west coast of Florida. I was at Dry Tortugas [Fort Jefferson] a few years ago the week following Memorial Day and noticed a couple of yachts "passing through" on their way to the northern Gulf from the Caribbean. Dry Tortugas is a good stop in late Spring; but I doubt if it would be in late Fall or Winter--the anchorage there is completely open to the west and northwest. On the other hand, it's only about a 200 n.mi. run from Key West to Tampa Bay so if you duck 'em with good timing, it might work for you earlier in the season.
Well, you will have strong Christmas tradewinds then. Easterly. Which should allow for a good run past PR, DR, and into the Bahamas then you just need to pick a good window to cross to Miami and clear in. I would head for Key West via the Keys. Wait for another good weather window and sail direct for Tampa Bay. This would give you lots of nice day sails.