Western Edge of Gulf Stream

All U Get

All U Get

.
Oct 2, 2008
3,811
Pearson/ 530 Strafford, NH
Hi All,

Sitting at a Vero Beach bus stop we were talking with another cruiser about Gulf Stream crossings and were given a little tidbit from their experience. (We happened to have mutual friends but had never met.) The NOAA weather reports will include the "Western Edge of Gulf Stream" for various locations along the Florida coast. From this point we were told that the Gulf Stream speed was 2 knots or greater. So before this area you could have 1 1/2 knots and be under the influence of the stream. Their further experience was that you may expect this to be true up to the shallow 30 foot depths along the Florida coast. So this makes sense of what we had experienced with our crossings east and west this winter. I think he also said this was in the Explorer Charts book, I'll have to read mine again.

I'm happy we made our crossing and didn't opt for Freeport. Our friends back there had their boat spun around by a water spout while they were off the boat.

All U Get
 
Bob 04 H260

Bob 04 H260

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May 16, 2007
1,509
Boatless ! 26 Ottawa, Ontario
Thanks for the information, always learning something new. Leaving from Lake Worth inlet we have found a counter current going south close to the shore. We usually try to ride that before turning east into the Gulf Stream. We are crossing to West End so going south first helps to get us a better angle for the crossing.
Safe travels north !
We are hunkered down in Treasure Cay right now, high winds, rain, lightening all night.
Bob
 
G

gettinthere

.
Nov 26, 2008
1,970
Endeavour 42 Cruisin
South of Ft Pierce, you might find NB currents that close to shore but north of there the stream moves a bit further off shore and counter currents can run SB in a wider space. Passageweather has a gulfstream animation that also shows the counter currents or eddys.

Anyone have a better, more detailed graphic website showing ocean currents?
 
capta

capta

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Jun 4, 2009
4,920
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
Going north I always use the Gulfstream for a good push. However, staying inshore you can often encounter a counter current going south (great when coming south) and there are a lot of eddies on the western edge of the stream that can really slow you down. I would make a concerted effort to get well into the stream as any time spent going out and back is minimal compared to a 2+ knot push in the direction you want to go, especially for longer hops.
In the days before GPS, we used 2.5 knots as the average Gulfstream current when making a crossing. If you were expecting a 10 hour crossing from Bimini to Ft. L. you would set your destination point 25 miles south of Ft. L. Worked well on the average, except when it didn't. Once I did a crossing and ended up 25 miles south of Ft. L. Go figure!
 
All U Get

All U Get

.
Oct 2, 2008
3,811
Pearson/ 530 Strafford, NH
We have inched our way on the ICW to Daytona and might use St. Augustine to jump out again. I've been using Passagemaker to check the stream. Thanks for the info.

All U Get
 
Gunni

Gunni

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Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
The Stream is well east at your position, the good news is looks like you are about to get a favorable wind shift to send you north. Good time to go off. Watch the commercial traffic at Jacksonville port approaches. Wish I was you!
 
woodster

woodster

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Sep 15, 2009
6,243
S2 9.2a Fairhope Al
lol it must of made its way to Mobile bay last night we had some nice thunder and lightning storms here last night

gettinthere said:
This time of year you can tell where the gulf stream is at night by the thunderstorms!
Click to expand
 
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