Weather information in the Berry Islands?

[Joe A]

I would appreciate any advise on how to get weather information in the Berry Islands Bahamas. We expect to cross to Bimini to clear in. We plan to get a BTC Mobile prepaid data card there. The coverage maps indicate that we should (might) have GSM data at the bottom and top of the Berry island chain. We have a standard VHF radio but do not have SSB. Besides asking other sailors are there any other sources of weather information? Are there any VHF weather broadcasts similar to our NOAA? Should I consider buying a small portable SSB receiver? Thanks for any help I really don't know what to expect.

 

[Sumner]

I cover the inexpensive SSB radio and how to listen to Chris Parker on my Bahama trip here...

http://1fatgmc.com/boat/mac-1/2015 Bahamas/2-Bahamas-1/Bahamas-Page-3.html

The next time I go over I'll get an unlocked usb dongle and get a Batelco data plan. Still as you mentioned there will be places you won't be able to connect to one of their towers so I still will use/take the SSB radio. I also use a Bullet long distance wifi radio and was able to connect at some locations but didn't count on that happening.

Here is some pretty good info....

https://www.ipyoa.com/forum/21-shar...ing/2341-2014-bahamas-telecoms-internet-acces

Also don't count out getting NOAA on your VHW past Bimini. I didn't try any of their weather stations once I was past Bimini but on the way back to FL I tried up at Fox Town on Little Abaco about 130 miles from Florida and had good reception on a Standard Horizon radio with AIS. Knowing that I might of had reception on the way to the Berry's.

I was in the lower Berry's at the beginning of the trip...

at Whale Cay and info for there starts here...

http://1fatgmc.com/boat/mac-1/2015 Bahamas/2-Bahamas-1/Bahamas-Page-2.html

Near the end of the trip I was in the upper Berry's ...

... and hope to return there at some point. I liked the upper Berry's and didn't have enough time to really enjoy the area. That info starts here ...

http://1fatgmc.com/boat/mac-1/2015 Bahamas/2-Bahamas-3/Bahamas-Page-24.html

Have a great trip,

Sumner
============================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...
MacGregor 26-S Mods...
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, Florida, Bahamas

 

[svchickadee]

You can get a sim card for your cell phone in the Bahamas. Make sure your cell phone is unlocked. You then have a cell phone with a Bahamas phone number. Your phone (plus purchased data) allows you to get noaa weather from the noaa website if you can get a cell signal or internet access (at a marina for instance). Radar apps will work but the radar coverage does not extend much south/east of Nassau. The Explorer Charts are a good source on how to get weather in the Bahamas (www.explorercharts.com). I used a Sony radio in the Bahamas to pick up the U.S. govt scheduled broadcasts. Works well. Sony ICF-SW7600GR AM/FM Shortwave World Band Receiver with Single Side Band Reception.

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

Second a small radio and Chris Parker. Also got Bahamas weather on VHF some places. I was at Frazier Hogg Cay and really enjoyed it. Used WIFI bat Berry Island Club. Also found many conch out on the flats. Oh and you missed THE weekend to be on Bimini. Easter is homecoming, with bands, food booths, and all the people coming home. Had a blast

 

[svchickadee]

Hurricane Matthew did a lot of damage in the Berry Islands in Oct 2016. Heard on Explorer Charts website that the Berry Island Club was to reopen after several years of being closed. I anchored off it in July 2016 and the Club was closed then. Heard that Chub Cay Marina is closed due to Matthew.

 

[viper]

What about weather reports via Sirus /XM sat radio. I'm wired for that via my Sony.

Regards

 

[jon hansen]

barometer? clouds? weather rock? old school baby

 

[jon hansen]

loved the berrys. last there in 84' mama rhoda rock off the chub was magical snorkeling for us suburban hippys from the great lakes. found 4 bales floating in one week. to many jacques cousteau films .... first time i saw coral heads

 

[CarlN]

Cell coverage is quite good in Berry's. Antennas at Chub, Great Harbor and Stirrup Cay. The Chub one was damaged in Mathew but I'm quite sure was fixed (Chub itself still closed). There are a few anchorages with no coverage but not many. An amplifier helps but isn't critical. Cellular Internet in the Bahamas is much faster and more reliable than a few years ago. We often stream video at anchor. The easiest thing is to put a BTC Sim in an old phone and use it as a hotspot for laptops and other devices. Three devices can share one Sim this way. BTC data is only $10 for 2 GB -- cheaper than US data. If you have Verizon, their new Traveltalk plan is a useful backup even with a BTC Sim available. For $10 you get unlimited calls to US and Bahamas, unlimited texts, and use your US data plan for 24 hours. All Verizon Iphones and many other Verizon phones now support GSM and work just as well as the BTC Sim. Some use T-mobile as it just "works" with no extra cost. The only downside is that the data is throttled to 2G speeds. Still plenty fast for email and checking weather. We do have a portable radio to pick up Chris Parker but rarely get up early enough to catch the broadcast so we just get the weather off the internet.

 

[gettinthere]

I bought one of the small SSB receivers, highly rated. I could never get it to work with or without external antennas. I bought an old used Icom SSB transciever and clipped the antenna to a standing rigging with an alligator clip...for receive only. Worked excellent for listening to Chris Parker.

 

[Joe A]

Thanks to all of you for taking the time to respond. Great information and I feel much better now.