Bahamas bound

[Mac Bentley]

A woman in my office and her friend are signed up for a sailing trip to the Bahamas in March. Four boats are going, two leaving from Miami and two leaving from Fort Lauderdale, all in the 38-40 foot range.I thought someone here might have a little bit of information on what to expect, especially seasickness and perhaps what kind of on-board routine she should expect. She's a novice, although her friend has a boat on a lake here in Oklahoma.Thanks, Mac

 

[Patrick]

Getting there, crossing the Gulf Stream

To get to the Bahamas from Florida you must cross the Gulf Stream which runs south to north at about 2-3kts depending. In March the wind is usually but not always from the North which make for very tough going, large waves etc.Those of us who make the trip wait for winds from any quarter except the north.I suggest buying a Bahamas Cruising Guide bwefore making the trip.PS, depending where you are going, to Bimini from Miami takes about 8 hrs and to Grand Bahama Island, West End, from FLL takes about 12 hrs.

 

[Patrick]

PS......

I forgot to mention that we usually make the crossing at night so we arrive at sunup.Sailors do not sail in the Bahamas at night, I cant emphasise that enough, most travel is done during the day so the reefs can be seen.There are exceptions, but as a rule we anchor at night.She can expect to stand a watch of several hours depending on the size of the crew.A cruising guide is essential, both for navigation and for general interest, teleohone numbers and radio channels for emergencies, hotels, marinas.Get one.

 

[Mac Bentley]

Thank you, Patrick. nm

 

[David10790]

Patrick is Right

Even with a good cruising guide, you must watch the tides and wait until good light so that you can see the water. Some charts have rocks and reefs misplaced by up to 200 yds, and entrances to harbours are often restricted by tide times ie. Alicetown on Bimini (well worth a visit even though the Compleat Angler burned down). If the wind is strong from the north the stream can be brutal and most everyone will get sick or at least really bounced around.

 

[David10790]

Alternative Idea

Not as exotic but if the wind is adverse a trip down to Marathon and the lower keys is ideal for less experienced sailors. The waters are protected in the Hawk Channel, and lots of places to put in, anchor.

 

[Tim Welsh]

Marathon to the Bahamas

I sailed from Marathon to the Bahamas in Nov 2005. The winds were coming out of the North when we sailed into Marathon for the passage to Gun Caye(7.5 nautical miles south from Bimini.) We hung around Marathon almost a week listening to the weather forcast. Finally the winds started shifting around from the North in a clockwise motion. and we took off in Southeast winds around 5 P.M. on a Sunday afternoon. The seas were pretty rough. We headed due east until we started getting into the Gulf stream around 9:00pm, then turned further North and had a Sleigh ride in the Gulf stream for the next 7 hours. We pulled into Gun Caye alittle after 8:00 the next morning. If you don't have a strong stomach, Sea Sickness can and will take over. I never got it but my stomach did feel weak during the trip. Some of that could have been from nerves though. That was the first offshore trip out of the country I had ever made.Tim WelshP.S. You can search the archives for my log of the trip. It's a very rough (log or Journal)but does tell about the roughness and seas. Hard to follow though. since then I've edited it

 

[T Clark]

Bahamas Trip

Went to Bimini (from Miami) and Grand Bahamas (from Ft Lauderdale) last summer. Miami to Bimini took about 8 hours; Ft Lauderdale to GB took about 23. Gulf Stream was fairly easy in both cases (actually the ocean was smooth as glass on the way back from GB and we had to motor the whole way). As others have said, getting there in daylight is essential. Very easy to make mistakes otherwise. Otherwise, keep an eye on the weather and the stream and it should be fairly uneventful.

 

[Benny]

It will be an experience for her.

She will have to contend with a couple of things that may be foreign to her. A lake does not have the rithmic deep waves that develop in the ocean. Passages to the Bahamas are usually done at night so the wavemotion and darkness may contribute to nausea and seasickness. The best advice for her would be to keep hydrated, eat light and try to sleep some. The Gulf stream can get real nasty when North winds blow over the opposing current. In March there are still cold fronts passing through so the weather should be watched.

 

[Bob]

Bottom is fascinating

Mac.We have crossed to the Bahamas several times, both in a chartered Morgan 41 and our Coronado 35. Crossing at night to make a West End morning arrival is popular; however, you have ship traffic along the coast to watch for and weather could change, so ensure your forcast is on the clear side if you decide to depart in the evening. The sunrise on the ocean is magnificent!You have to go through customs and usually you hold up for a day before venturing on, but what amazed me the first time I sailed the Bahamas in daylight was the clarity of the water and the continuous shallow depth that at first made you think your were about to strike something or run aground. You are pretty much on your own in the Bahamas, so by going in a floatilla your all safer and can assist one another. Read the guides and websites to get an understanding where the best and safest ports are. Read up on everything you can about the areas you plan on visiting. Knowledge is power and do not expect every small port or island to be super friendly to American cruisers. Being a prudent mariner anywhere you venture is important. We divided up the crew to take on certain responsibilities while onboard so everyone knew what they were to do. You are afterall in the open ocean most of the time and the next stop could be the Azores!!!! I do not want to preach here, but I sure felt better knowing we were loaded with safety gear and had a survival bag ready if we had an emergency and had to abandon ship. Everyone on board has a role. Most folksare not so prepared. If I had to make a list of critical stuff to bring; snorkel gear, fishing gear, binoculars, IPOD with extra batteries and an underwater camera would top the list. About getting seasick? By the time you cross you'll already have your sea legs...........Bahamas? The memories will last forever. Safe voyageBob

 

[camaraderie]

The Stream...

is the most important consideration on this trip. From what you said...this is a vacation/time limited trip and that is what gets most boat crossing the stream into trouble...not being able to WAIT FOR WEATHER. As others have said...any wind from a northern quadrant kicks up the stream and after a good blow from the north it usually takes another 24 hours to calm down enough to enable a nice passage. We have had to wait up to two weeks in January to cross but March weather is quite a bit better. It should only take 8-10 hours to cross to West End and it can be a calm and smooth as a bit lake in benign weather but you have to wait for it. If you can't wait...my advice would be to go see the Keys! The advice to leave at night and hit the banks at sunrise is good...makes for an easy passage. The Bahamas are wonderful once you get there and the navigation is easy in daylight.

 

[Wanderer138]

Wait for weather

At any time of year and especially in winter/early spring it's all about waiting for a favorable weather window. Most people wait for an approaching front and ride it across. The trick is to leave while the front is still a day or so away. On the central Florida coast, this is usually indicated by a southward shift in the normally NE prevailing wind. As the front approaches, the wind veers south then southwest. As the front gets closer, the wind strengthens, then veers west, then NW and finally north as the front passes overhead. Within a day or so after the front passes, the wind is back in the NE. The whole process usually takes about 24 to 30 hours, sometimes longer but usually not less.Here's a link to the current central Florida forecast showing the typical shifts in wind direction, wind speed and temperature.http://www.sailflow.com/windandwhere.iws?regionID=171&siteID=536&Isection=Forecast+GraphsHere's the south Florida forecast for the same time peiod:http://www.sailflow.com/windandwhere.iws?regionID=171&siteID=255&Isection=Forecast+GraphsIf you leave as the wind starts veering east, you will be close-hauled to close reaching for a while, but seas should be low and the air will be warm. As the wind goes south then west, you will be beam reaching (which is fast) then broad reaching (which is comfortable as the boat will be upright). By the time the wind veers NW you should be in port having cold Kalik and fresh conch salad. Even if you're slow, you should be out of the Gulf Stream before the wind shifts NW. Happy sailing.PeterH23 "Raven"

 

[Wanderer138]

Damn, I hate when this happens

The links didn't paste properly in the text of my last post (I think it was too long) so the URL was truncated and the resulting information was misleading. However, the one at the bottom of the post seemed to paste without any problems.So, for the benefit of those sitting in south Florida waiting for a weather window to cross the Gulf Stream to the central Bahamas, the link at the bottom of this post will give you Sailflow's latest wind forecast on Biscayne Bay.Hmmm, it looks like you're going to be waiting in port for at least the next week...PeterH23 "Raven"