There might be a few days a year where an uneventful crossing of the Gulfstream can be made in a 22' Catalina. If you have the time, patience and money to wait for one of those days at each end then it is doable. If you intend to go ashore in one of the Islands after the crossing plan to get there after daybreak or before sundown as you will need the daylight to find the markers and read the bottom. No, charts over there are outdated and unreliable. Use your quarantine flag but when you go ashore present your documentation and pay the US$150 for the cruising permit, you may then hoist your Bahamian courtesy flag. You may then pay for a slip or a mooring to get some well earned shut eye or head back out to sea to anchor on the Bank. Don't forget to get fuel and beer. Setting the hook requires some patience to make sure it has grabbed or you may elect to dive the anchor and set it by hand. At night make sure you have your anchor and deck lights on as large power boats will travel the Bank at night at high speed.
If you do your purchases where the locals go most foods can be found at reasonable prices so no need to overstock in the US and haul all that out there. There are certain exceptions and paper products come to mind. Batelco which is the local telephone company has a monopoly on communications. The best way is to purchase prepaid phone cards which can be used at any public phone. Beware of cell phone availability as it may come with heafty charges which your carrier will ultimately pass on to you. The beaches and sun are free but most everything else will cost money. Never ceases to amaze me how some will cross over to the Bahamas and will anchor out and sit on the boat hardly going ashore when they could have been doing just that in the coast of Florida, cheaper and with way less complications. On the way back I prefer to land at night as the lights will help guide you in. Don't forget you need to check back into the US. Providing information and obtaining a sticker in advance simplifies the procedure. It is better than a personal appearance and paperwork. I think I could consider a trip to Catalina as two daysails back to back; the Bahams will surely take a bit more preparation.
If you do your purchases where the locals go most foods can be found at reasonable prices so no need to overstock in the US and haul all that out there. There are certain exceptions and paper products come to mind. Batelco which is the local telephone company has a monopoly on communications. The best way is to purchase prepaid phone cards which can be used at any public phone. Beware of cell phone availability as it may come with heafty charges which your carrier will ultimately pass on to you. The beaches and sun are free but most everything else will cost money. Never ceases to amaze me how some will cross over to the Bahamas and will anchor out and sit on the boat hardly going ashore when they could have been doing just that in the coast of Florida, cheaper and with way less complications. On the way back I prefer to land at night as the lights will help guide you in. Don't forget you need to check back into the US. Providing information and obtaining a sticker in advance simplifies the procedure. It is better than a personal appearance and paperwork. I think I could consider a trip to Catalina as two daysails back to back; the Bahams will surely take a bit more preparation.
