I will be sailing my Mac 26M from Miami to Bimiini on May 26 and return on May 29 or 30th. Looking for advice and tips.
Miami to Bimini and back--advice??
- Thread starter canderson1867
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MM day weekend will be packed! reserve your slip asap. motor or sailing? have enough fuel? passports? where are you leaving from... leaving trl? you want current explorer charts. + bring lots of cash. any specific questions? -what's the longest trip you've made to date? and have you been to bimini before?
Thanks Bill,
I will be sailing and using the motor at times. I have 24 gals of gas and 30 gals of water on board, current maps to include explorer charts, three gps systems, two vhf radios, two hand held vhf radios, triple battery bank, an 8ft dingy with 5hp coleman outboard, and a 1500 watt honda generator and passports.
I will be sailing and using the motor at times. I have 24 gals of gas and 30 gals of water on board, current maps to include explorer charts, three gps systems, two vhf radios, two hand held vhf radios, triple battery bank, an 8ft dingy with 5hp coleman outboard, and a 1500 watt honda generator and passports.
Billl,
Didn't read the rest of your post. We will be leaving from Homestead and leaving the trailer in a scure parking lot. Longest trip was 65 mile round trip solo sail from Destin Fl to Pensacola, Fl. and no, I have never been to Bimini. I do know from my research that the entrance to the harbor is narrow and can be rough with west winds. They have just dredged out for the new high speed ferry that comes accross from Fl. My daughter and her husband will be joining me on this trip. I have been checking the marinas and they are almost all booked. I will make a reservation at Browns Marina tomorrow.
Didn't read the rest of your post. We will be leaving from Homestead and leaving the trailer in a scure parking lot. Longest trip was 65 mile round trip solo sail from Destin Fl to Pensacola, Fl. and no, I have never been to Bimini. I do know from my research that the entrance to the harbor is narrow and can be rough with west winds. They have just dredged out for the new high speed ferry that comes accross from Fl. My daughter and her husband will be joining me on this trip. I have been checking the marinas and they are almost all booked. I will make a reservation at Browns Marina tomorrow.
Homestead is a good place to store the car. super walmart close off us1. -bayfront park is my favorite marina. (homestead /hoover pt). and no name harbor (blog ref.) is also a good jump off point (key biscayne) but almost a day sail N. from homestead. -you will probably want to do down S. to pumpkin key for sleep and head east through anglefish creek... but that's tricky at night... mostly as you leave land to the east... no skipping any markers there -rocks- (key biscayne is easier to navigate). that time of year, should have good weather/wind. not much north winds that time of year. -as everyone knows, N wind against S current creates huge seas... -not good. -do you know your Gal / hour? and will you carry extra jugs? always figure 20% reserve just in case... -you may also wish to rent an EPRIB from west marine... ~$50/week ps who flies into bimini now? ps: sorry about the formatting... script blocker at work...
Thanks Bill,
Burn rate at 2500 rpm is 1 gal/hour. I have two 6 gal tanks that I can add and strap down on top. I will be renting a Sat phone and had forgotten about the EPRIB. Thanks--added to my list of things to get. Estimated time from marina through Angelfish Creek to Bimini at 4 kts average speed according to my Garmin will be 13.5 hours. I have looked at the maps out side of Angelfish and agree--daytime only and stay in the markers until well out. Haven't decided about spending the night just inside of Anglefish. Will take another look at it and decide later. Thanks again.
Burn rate at 2500 rpm is 1 gal/hour. I have two 6 gal tanks that I can add and strap down on top. I will be renting a Sat phone and had forgotten about the EPRIB. Thanks--added to my list of things to get. Estimated time from marina through Angelfish Creek to Bimini at 4 kts average speed according to my Garmin will be 13.5 hours. I have looked at the maps out side of Angelfish and agree--daytime only and stay in the markers until well out. Haven't decided about spending the night just inside of Anglefish. Will take another look at it and decide later. Thanks again.
Anglefish has very strong currents, and is not a good choice to anchor up. even if you took a finger channel out of the main marked channel.... ------
pumpkin key (island) about 1 mile SWest of anglefish creek on the inside would be the spot to spend the night. activecaptian.com (register) shows a missing marker on the east side of anglefish. ----------
The thing you want to worry about is getting caught in a squall /storm and it getting rough and killing your speed, and burning up your gas. -unlikely but can happen... if you have extra fuel, and a way to transfer or plug in, all the better. fairly high chance of getting some storms, but they don't last more than an hour...(typically).
Also, I would not recommend towing the dingy (on the crossing)... only because if it flips in a storm, its dangerous.
if you get to S bimini, I'd like a trip report... lots of construction was on hold after the market crash... not sure whats going on now... -where are you coming from?
-active captain says 2A daymarker was replaced. but they need 2 confirmations before they remove the warning.
you'll definitely need to steer a course through the patch reef before you hit the stream.
pumpkin key (island) about 1 mile SWest of anglefish creek on the inside would be the spot to spend the night. activecaptian.com (register) shows a missing marker on the east side of anglefish. ----------
The thing you want to worry about is getting caught in a squall /storm and it getting rough and killing your speed, and burning up your gas. -unlikely but can happen... if you have extra fuel, and a way to transfer or plug in, all the better. fairly high chance of getting some storms, but they don't last more than an hour...(typically).
Also, I would not recommend towing the dingy (on the crossing)... only because if it flips in a storm, its dangerous.
if you get to S bimini, I'd like a trip report... lots of construction was on hold after the market crash... not sure whats going on now... -where are you coming from?
-active captain says 2A daymarker was replaced. but they need 2 confirmations before they remove the warning.
you'll definitely need to steer a course through the patch reef before you hit the stream.
I'm a believer in keeping a gps and spare hand held radio in a faraday cage, or an oven if you have one. Lightning strikes do happen and I know of one bat out my way that lost all electronics..even the gps in a sail bag in the vberth.
Also, I presume your mast hasn't been linked to a grounding plate...
Jeff
Also, I presume your mast hasn't been linked to a grounding plate...
Jeff
There is another cut just north..Broad Creek..looks wider and well marked. I agree on towing the dingy. I plan on having it inflated and strapped down over forward hatch. I am coming out of Dothan, AL. I plan taking my two 6 gal tanks as spares. They are already equipped with quick connects. Roger on trip report. Thanks.
I am going down a day early, before my daughter and her husband arrive and take a look at the route out during the day.
Thanks for the info. I have read several reports on grounding but have not done anything yet. I will take another look at it. Thanks.
NO on broad creek. its not well marked.
-tricky in a flats boat.
use anglefish or stiltsville/key biscayne.
-tricky in a flats boat.
use anglefish or stiltsville/key biscayne.
Stiltsville is the channel that cuts right along the bottom of Key Biscayne by the lighthouse, straight across from cocoplum. Named because of a series of houses built on stilts along the channel out in the middle of the bay.
But that's too far north to depart to head across to bimini, isn't it? Won't the current take them too far north if he starts from there and only travels at 4 - 5 knots?
But that's too far north to depart to head across to bimini, isn't it? Won't the current take them too far north if he starts from there and only travels at 4 - 5 knots?
vizwiz is correct, 2nd channel S from key biscayne.
since the OP is in an X, I'd think Key biscane is ok. but angelfish is the correct choice, IMHO.
Ceaser's creek is better than broad, but both have floating unlit buoys snaking you through the flats. (and cross current). and you'll need to leave in the dark.
if it were me, I'd head south and run anglefish before dark, come back in, go to pumkin, rest/eat, and leave from there in the dark. (11pm-2am)
since the OP is in an X, I'd think Key biscane is ok. but angelfish is the correct choice, IMHO.
Ceaser's creek is better than broad, but both have floating unlit buoys snaking you through the flats. (and cross current). and you'll need to leave in the dark.
if it were me, I'd head south and run anglefish before dark, come back in, go to pumkin, rest/eat, and leave from there in the dark. (11pm-2am)
Thanks. That will be my plan. Get there Thursday evening, rig the boat, run angel fish on Fri, pick up my daughter Fri evening, spend the night at Pumpkin, and head out early Sat. Thanks again for all the info
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