Bahama Bound
- Thread starter hvbaker
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There is no "best" in boating. 
It's all options. WADR, this is a very recurring question that has multiple levels of answers. If I was doing this trip (and I'd love to except I'm on the wrong coast! ), I'd search on this forum for "Bahamas" and also go to www.cruisersforum.com and do the same. Google would also help you out, since there are literally TONS of blogs by people who have done the trip. Here's one: http://cblights.com/cruising/icwbahamas.html Click on the ICW & Bahamas (journal). Good stuff in there.
Safe Journey, have fun.
It's all options. WADR, this is a very recurring question that has multiple levels of answers. If I was doing this trip (and I'd love to except I'm on the wrong coast! ), I'd search on this forum for "Bahamas" and also go to www.cruisersforum.com and do the same. Google would also help you out, since there are literally TONS of blogs by people who have done the trip. Here's one: http://cblights.com/cruising/icwbahamas.html Click on the ICW & Bahamas (journal). Good stuff in there.Safe Journey, have fun.
Hi,
We're headed to the Exumas this winter. We spent a month in the Abacos this past spring. Because of the gulf stream current you probably won't want to leave much north of Fort Lauderdale especially if you're going to clear in at Bimini. A lot of people leave from Key Biscayne near Miami and stage there at No Name Harbor (Bill Baggs State Park).
Whatever you do, watch your weather, leave on any wind other than north, be safe and have fun. Maybe we'll see you in Georgetown.
We're headed to the Exumas this winter. We spent a month in the Abacos this past spring. Because of the gulf stream current you probably won't want to leave much north of Fort Lauderdale especially if you're going to clear in at Bimini. A lot of people leave from Key Biscayne near Miami and stage there at No Name Harbor (Bill Baggs State Park).
Whatever you do, watch your weather, leave on any wind other than north, be safe and have fun. Maybe we'll see you in Georgetown.
I think your first landfall will depend upon where you leave from and wind and current conditions. I left Ft Lauderdale last Feb headed for Bimini but with wind from 165 degrees the whole way plus Gulf stream ended up at West End and put in at Freeport. The Devils Dictionary defines Decide as an intransitive verb, "to succumb to the preponderance of one set of circumstances over another"! Good luck
We had a successful trip staging in Lake Worth and crossing north of West End at Memory Rock. First of Feb we left at 3am, easy to do at Lake Worth. Anchor down at Mangrove Cay at 4pm running about 6k.
Took 2 more days to Green Turtle where we checked in. This route was all anchorages, no marinas. West End marina nicks you with a lot of mandatory fees.
You can cruise south down the Abacos to Little Harbor and wait there for good weather to day sail to Eluthera and further south.
SSB reception is important to have as there will be places where you cant pick up weather via vhf or internet.
Took 2 more days to Green Turtle where we checked in. This route was all anchorages, no marinas. West End marina nicks you with a lot of mandatory fees.
You can cruise south down the Abacos to Little Harbor and wait there for good weather to day sail to Eluthera and further south.
SSB reception is important to have as there will be places where you cant pick up weather via vhf or internet.
Why to walkers? Quite out of the way and a little bit tricky to get in with a keelboat.
I would make sure you can reach the edge of the bank before dark. There are only certain places you can enter. Once on, you have good depths over to Great Sale Cay or Mangrove
I would make sure you can reach the edge of the bank before dark. There are only certain places you can enter. Once on, you have good depths over to Great Sale Cay or Mangrove
Seems that I recall paying flr dockage was mandatory at spanish. We went on to Green Turtle to check in
We spent almost a week at Grand Cay this past spring waiting for weather. While there we were told that the marina at Walkers Cay is closed and that the island is almost abandoned. Apparently a lot of the residents of Grand Cay had been working at the marina prior to it's closing down so this was a hot topic on the island. Why not check in at West End and from there head over to Great Sale or Mangrove and then on to Spanish or Powell? Or for that matter you could go directly to Memory Rock and then check in further east.
West End...$
Thr anchorage there is marginal and exposed to the north. The marina rate is low except they add several mandatory fees driving it way up.
We crossed over at Memory Rock. It was easy. Anchored at Mangrove Cay. Next day anchored Crab Cay. Third day Green Turtle Cay. Anchor outside or time the tide to enter Black Sound (5' @ low). Mooring balls are $15/day there.
Thr anchorage there is marginal and exposed to the north. The marina rate is low except they add several mandatory fees driving it way up.
We crossed over at Memory Rock. It was easy. Anchored at Mangrove Cay. Next day anchored Crab Cay. Third day Green Turtle Cay. Anchor outside or time the tide to enter Black Sound (5' @ low). Mooring balls are $15/day there.
If weather permits, suggest entering the Little Bahamas Banks long before sundown and head to either Mangrove Cay or on to Great Sale Cay for anchoring, sleep and rest, then on to Spanish Cay, etc. Walkers Cay is well off the 'beaten path'.
Better is to leave FL well before dawn ... or in the late evening, arriving at the entrances to the banks (Memory Rock) well after dawn ... then onwards to further east. Dont enter the 'banks' in bad or NO light - its all 'visual' and there are NO 'markers', just waypoints and your depthsounder. Time your boats depth with the tides on the 'banks' - see Bahamas tides: http://www.barometerbob.com
Use EXPLORER charts for the Abacos or a Garmin Chartplotter thats already loaded with EXPLORER charts. ONLY Explorer charts !!!!!!!
Old Bahama Bay Marina at West End is a fairly good place to land and to settle entry issues, also a good 'contingency' harbor if you 'need one in a hurry' -- narrow entrance blasted through rock and coral and which can get 'exciting' in bad weather from the N/NW/W.
I understand one can get stuck in the Bahamas when winter comes. Cold weather, cold water and small unpredictable weather windows to get in and out of many anchorages.
It's cruising. Nothing is ever certain. You can mitigate most of these by paying close attention to the weather and using common sense but at the end of the day there are going to occasional "situations" - goes with the territory.
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