Does anyone cruise the Bahamas during the summer and fall??? There is a chance of hurricanes but there is a much better chance of nice weather. If a hurricane threatens are there many places to ride out the storm??? I am asking is it a reasonable risk to visit the Bahamas during the summer??? Except for places to hide the risk in the Bahamas seems about the same as the risk all of the way up the east coast and the Gulf of Mexico.
Bahamas During Hurricane Season
- Thread starter MoonSailer
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Few people cruise the Bahamas till after hurricaine season because
1-many insurance carriers will not give a rider to extend coverage to the bahamas untill after Nov 1st. and 2- many cruisers are happy to cruise their US home waters when it's warm; going south only becomes attractive when it starts getting cold.
There are far fewer places to use as hurricaine holes in the Bahamas than in the US... and few if any haul outs, for example. If you are there and your boat is damaged, your options for help are far less and your hassles are far greater.
"I am asking is it a reasonable risk to visit the Bahamas during the summer??? "
Well, sure, if you have a fast power boat and are going over to Grand Bahama to fish.... at the first sign of a developing storm you can be back to S. Fla in a few hrs...
or even on a sailboat going over to Bimini or Grand Bahama, you can be back in a day ( if you go before the weather deteriorates)...but, if your sailboat is down in the Exumas it will take at least 2 full days of saiing (nonstop) to get back to S. Fla... and often, by the time you make the decision that you should go, it's too late....
Why risk it??
1-many insurance carriers will not give a rider to extend coverage to the bahamas untill after Nov 1st. and 2- many cruisers are happy to cruise their US home waters when it's warm; going south only becomes attractive when it starts getting cold.
There are far fewer places to use as hurricaine holes in the Bahamas than in the US... and few if any haul outs, for example. If you are there and your boat is damaged, your options for help are far less and your hassles are far greater.
"I am asking is it a reasonable risk to visit the Bahamas during the summer??? "
Well, sure, if you have a fast power boat and are going over to Grand Bahama to fish.... at the first sign of a developing storm you can be back to S. Fla in a few hrs...
or even on a sailboat going over to Bimini or Grand Bahama, you can be back in a day ( if you go before the weather deteriorates)...but, if your sailboat is down in the Exumas it will take at least 2 full days of saiing (nonstop) to get back to S. Fla... and often, by the time you make the decision that you should go, it's too late....
Why risk it??
It's my understanding that Bahamas is mostly, if not all, flat. If that is true, you might be able to find protection against the waves but not the wind. I say might because I don't think there are many 360 degree protective anchorages in the Bahamas (which you need because of the changing wind directions during a hurricane) and also, would the storm surge overflow your protection?
Now the Caribbean has much better protection but also little more of a chance of getting hit.
Now the Caribbean has much better protection but also little more of a chance of getting hit.
Folks cruise the Bahamas in the summer all of the time, especially folks from Florida. The anchorages and marinas are far less crowded. But as stated you may have insurance issues. there are very few places in the Bahamas that would be hurricane holes and they will fill up with Bahamian boats before you get there. I a slow boat like a sail boat you will probably not be able to get out in time. So you leave the boat, fly out and hope for the best, have one of those years that no hurricanes hit the islands, or you sit it out and take your life in your hands. It is a roll of the dice and only you can decide if you want to take the chance. Those that simply tell you to go for it won't be there when the stuff hits the fan.
I am maybe the craziest of all crazies and even I wouldn't dare go to the Bahamas during summer...except maybe June (June the storms tend to be much weaker and stay in the Gulf). Absolutely no way would I ride out the storm on anchor on the lee side of the Island.
Eventually, the storm will pass the Island and that lee will now be windward and you will get hit with 20-40' waves and breaking too because of the changing bottom. You will not survive!
If you find a place with 360 degree protection, then you have a chance...a slim chance.
Looking for a place to go during the summer? Go to Vera-Cruz, Mexico. Hurricanes don't normally hit there and if they do, you are protected. It's pretty cool too and much prettier if you get away from the city. I would actually say Vera-Cruz is a better destination then the Bahamas regardless of issues with storms....and cheaper too.
Eventually, the storm will pass the Island and that lee will now be windward and you will get hit with 20-40' waves and breaking too because of the changing bottom. You will not survive!
If you find a place with 360 degree protection, then you have a chance...a slim chance.
Looking for a place to go during the summer? Go to Vera-Cruz, Mexico. Hurricanes don't normally hit there and if they do, you are protected. It's pretty cool too and much prettier if you get away from the city. I would actually say Vera-Cruz is a better destination then the Bahamas regardless of issues with storms....and cheaper too.
I have never cruised my own boat in the Bahamas, but have chartered there in the summer months a number of times. Prices are much lower then. While the potential for hurricanes is real, I think that UV damage your skin is a greater risk. Damage from either threat is mostly preventable. It is hard to imagine a hurricane "creeping up on you" and catching you unawares nowadays. I can also think of a number of hurricane holes there as well. But as with any hurricane hole, the key might well be who else is going to be there when you arrive and how well they have prepared their boat. In the end, I have never suffered anything more than a fierce summer squall while sailing the Bahamas in summer. The winds have always been great, the sailing terrific, the conque fritters deliciious, and the best places not crowded in summer. In short, a great place to cruise....
The more I think of it, if there are charter boats there, there has to be at least a few places because no business could survive having to replace the boats every few years.
I would like to learn where these are? I've tried looking for them using Google satellite pictures and haven't found any. Please be so kind as to give name of the towns near by.
It seems like there are sailboatweathering hurricanes all the time. The key is to be prepared. If you have a very good anchor and a strong boat you can probably make it out just fine.
I have read various articles and books about people who rode out hurricanes on their boats. One was in the Bahamas and the people stayed on their sailboat throughout the whole ordeal. They said going through the eye was amazing, so if they made it then you probably could.
Being prepared is the name of the game.
I have read various articles and books about people who rode out hurricanes on their boats. One was in the Bahamas and the people stayed on their sailboat throughout the whole ordeal. They said going through the eye was amazing, so if they made it then you probably could.
Being prepared is the name of the game.
Quite a few folks sail the Bahamas during the Summer. I personally prefer late May - early June timeframe for a few reasons: It is too late for the real severe Northers for crossing the stream, too early for larger tropical storms, it is not too hot and there is still some wind to make anchoring more pleasant and be able to sail instead of motoring.
You did not mention where in the Bahamas you are interested in going to... Here is a link that may give you some ideas/info. I ran into it while looking for something else - I plan to sail over to the Abacos this May; the best known towns in the area are Marsh Harbour, Hope Town and New Plymouth (Green Turtle Cay.) There are a couple more; Fox Town and Coopers Town but they are not very "touristic"
http://abacotoday.com/boats/news.html#deep
As far as the regional charter companies go, I have heard complains (from some cruising friends) that they tend to take the charter boats out and anchor them all over the anchorages with insufficient tackle and cause problems during the storm for folks who are trying to survive it. The docks (owned by them) are protected this way and the boats (typically not owned by them) are left with the best of hopes..
Fair winds!
Sailndive345
You did not mention where in the Bahamas you are interested in going to... Here is a link that may give you some ideas/info. I ran into it while looking for something else - I plan to sail over to the Abacos this May; the best known towns in the area are Marsh Harbour, Hope Town and New Plymouth (Green Turtle Cay.) There are a couple more; Fox Town and Coopers Town but they are not very "touristic"
http://abacotoday.com/boats/news.html#deep
As far as the regional charter companies go, I have heard complains (from some cruising friends) that they tend to take the charter boats out and anchor them all over the anchorages with insufficient tackle and cause problems during the storm for folks who are trying to survive it. The docks (owned by them) are protected this way and the boats (typically not owned by them) are left with the best of hopes..
Fair winds!
Sailndive345
If I were crusing my own boat in the Bahamas during the summer months, I'd keep a pretty good eye on the weather. As I mentioned previously, I seriously doubt a hurricane could come out of no where and surprise you unless you've lost count of the rum punches. Most hurricanes begin as tropial depressions just off the west coast of Africa and just about any weather source is going to track and report on them. So....my first line of defense would be to head for Florida and either get the boat hauled or head for a hurricane hole there. If I could not do that for some unknown reason, my choices of places to park my boat (and get off it) would be (1) Paradise Island, Nassau; (2) Marsh Harbour and, (3) Man O'War iin the Abacos; or perhaps the best of all would be (4) Georgetown, Great Exuma, which has the largest protected harbor in all the Bahamas. But as I mentioned, the usefullness of any "hurricane hole", in the Bahamas or anywhere else, would be dependent on who else may be there first, or last, and how well you and they have prepared their boats. I think the people who find themselves in a jam may be those who hoped, prayed, or just threw the dice thinking that hurricane they saw on the weatherfax and headed their way was going to change course... and did not.
At least when a hurricane is coming it is preceded by south winds, which could get you more safely across the Gulf Stream. Just a thought... It might be a tad breezy, though.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...407,-76.177397&spn=0.153583,0.307617&t=h&z=12
Don't know how deep that is but it seems like it might offer some protection.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...28413,-78.75957&spn=0.01893,0.038452&t=h&z=15
If they would let you in there, this would be the best place to be as it has more wind blockage then others.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...109,-77.362697&spn=0.004791,0.009613&t=h&z=17
protection from all directions except the west
Don't know how deep that is but it seems like it might offer some protection.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...28413,-78.75957&spn=0.01893,0.038452&t=h&z=15
If they would let you in there, this would be the best place to be as it has more wind blockage then others.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...109,-77.362697&spn=0.004791,0.009613&t=h&z=17
protection from all directions except the west
Look at Stocking Island east of Georgetown, Exuma in the southern Bahamas.
You'll see three hurricane holes on the eastern barrier island and LOTS of boats anchored there. There's a ferry service from town (where the airport is located) that will take you to your boat.
We left a 30 ft full keel boat there for several months with no problems.
You'll see three hurricane holes on the eastern barrier island and LOTS of boats anchored there. There's a ferry service from town (where the airport is located) that will take you to your boat.
We left a 30 ft full keel boat there for several months with no problems.
Moonsailer you are correct. The threat of hurricanes is the same there as in the Gulf of Mexico. The prevalent southwest winds make for an easier crossing of the Gulf Stream and generally the weather will be warmer. You may get more rain and thunderstorms. Do keep an eye on the weather specially to the waves coming off the Coast of Africa. Do check your insurance coverage for restrictions during the season, we don't have any except for the southernmost Islands.
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