Great Bahamas Cruising Notes
The thread below was pirated from the Great Loop List. It contains TONS of good info about cruising to and in the Bahamas. I will also repeat this thread on the "Bahamas" page.
Looking for information from those who have done it. Starting the loop March 1, and wanting to know the best way to incorporate 4 to 6 weeks in the Bahamas.
Is Miami, Bimini, Berry Islands, Abacos, Grand Bahama, then back to Palm Beach a practical and sensible route? What suggestions based on experiance do you have?
Kiwi Pete
In 2006 I left from Miami, did Bimini to Chub Cay/Fraziers Hog Cay(got stuck there 4 days due to high winds) to Nassau to Allen's Cay, down the Exumas to Georgetown stopping at Hawksbill Cay, Warderick Wells(stayed over 1day), Staniel Cay(stayed over 2days), and Lee Stocking Island. Stayed at Georgetown a few days then back up the Exumas to Allen's then over to Royal Island and Spanish Wells and then up to Little Harbor in the Abacos. From there I hit Hopetown for a couple of days, Great Guana(Nippers!) for a couple of days then Green Turtle, Great Sale(had to spend an extra day there due to weather), West End and then Lake Worth. I spent 5 weeks doing this route and while I didn't stay a long time in any one spot and I did have a couple of full days running, I wasn't in a hurry and definitely enjoyed my time there and felt that I got a pretty good feel of the Bahamas(went again in '07) and was happy that I saw/experienced as much as I did.
Matt Winnacker & Val
Attitude Adjustment
Mainship 34
We left Pompano Beach early April (dates are hard to remember so I quite trying) and crossed the gulf stream aiming for Freeport, entered the Bell Channel and stayed at Market Marina (handy Bahamian customs right at the marina). Used the raft to expore the Lucaya Channel and beaches and restaurants on a daily basis. We intended to explore the Abacos but had some mechanical issues to deal with. Returned to the USA about a month later, landing at West Palm Beach. We stayed on the hook in Lake ? (I forget the name, Lake Worth maybe) but its part of the ICW and the West Palm entrance. Used the raft to go ashore and clear customs and re-provision. Customs is easy to do, called the toll free number and pre registered. When we arrived at the customs office it was a walk through. Continued north on the ICW a few days later. Seems to me we started north May 4th. Made miles every day but 6, lost 4 to hurricane Andria and 2 days to sight seeing in New York, staying at 79 street marina, very kewl. Arrived Georgian Bay June 11th. All ICW except the Chesapeke, Delaware Bay, ocean side from Cape May to New York, 78 miles from Oswego to Trenton, Ont. We started at dawn each day and met lots of fog on Delaware Bay, ocean side and Lake Ontario. Be sure you can rely on your radar.
Maureen Douglas
We started our loop trip last year with a trip to the Bahamas.However, if you start 3/1 I'd plan to be back by April 10 or so or you may have to push up the coast and through the canals. Our speed was 7.5 knots on average so a faster boat may be able to stay in the Bahamas a little longer.
We crossed from ft Lauderdale to West End, Grand Bahama Island on Feb 20. It's about 70 miles on a course that gives you a good push from the Gulf Stream. Customs at Old Bahama Bay Marina was a snap.
From there we cruised over Little Bahama Bank to the Abacos, stopping at Mangrove Cay, Grand Cay, Crab Cay, Powell Cay, Green Turtle Cay, Guana Cay, Man-O-War Cay, Marsh Harbor, Hopetown and Treasure Cay before starting back via Mangrove Cay back to Old Bahama Bay Marina. We then crossed back to Ft Pierce, a trip of 80 miles which is again riding the Gulf Stream current. Our crossing back was on April 4. The advantage of staying in the Abacos versus going to the Exumas is that it is considerably shorter and requires fewer good weather days. Last year a number of boats had trouble getting from the Exumas to the Abacos because of the strong winds.
We were not pushed going up the coast. We spent almost a week at Vero Beach, 3 days at Cumberland Island and several days at Oriental (the latter due to bad weather). We stopped and visited friends along the way and even played tourist a bit. We arrived in Norfolk on May 12, Cape May NJ (Via Chesapeake Bay and the Delaware River) on May 25 and reached Sandy Hook on 5/29. We spent several days there playing tourist in NYC. We reached Oswego on June 21. We then waited on weather, visited friends and played tourist in both the US and Canada for a while. We started up the Trent Severn on July 3 and had plenty of time to make the AGLCA rendevous in Penetang on July 22.
I hope this is helpful.
Steve Purdy
M/V Sun Cat
If you are going to the Bahamas be sure to include the Exumas, especially if you like beautiful water, great snorkeling in shallow water and some great places to anchor with wonderful beaches and very few other boats. Check my web site for some recent photos, I was there 4 times this year. _www.captainpete48.com_ (http://www.captainpete48.com) Staniel Cay has a great place to snorkel in 5 feet of water where 2 James Bond movies were filmed.
"There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living" – Nelson Mandela
Captain Pete Peterson
The thread below was pirated from the Great Loop List. It contains TONS of good info about cruising to and in the Bahamas. I will also repeat this thread on the "Bahamas" page.
Looking for information from those who have done it. Starting the loop March 1, and wanting to know the best way to incorporate 4 to 6 weeks in the Bahamas.
Is Miami, Bimini, Berry Islands, Abacos, Grand Bahama, then back to Palm Beach a practical and sensible route? What suggestions based on experiance do you have?
Kiwi Pete
In 2006 I left from Miami, did Bimini to Chub Cay/Fraziers Hog Cay(got stuck there 4 days due to high winds) to Nassau to Allen's Cay, down the Exumas to Georgetown stopping at Hawksbill Cay, Warderick Wells(stayed over 1day), Staniel Cay(stayed over 2days), and Lee Stocking Island. Stayed at Georgetown a few days then back up the Exumas to Allen's then over to Royal Island and Spanish Wells and then up to Little Harbor in the Abacos. From there I hit Hopetown for a couple of days, Great Guana(Nippers!) for a couple of days then Green Turtle, Great Sale(had to spend an extra day there due to weather), West End and then Lake Worth. I spent 5 weeks doing this route and while I didn't stay a long time in any one spot and I did have a couple of full days running, I wasn't in a hurry and definitely enjoyed my time there and felt that I got a pretty good feel of the Bahamas(went again in '07) and was happy that I saw/experienced as much as I did.
Matt Winnacker & Val
Attitude Adjustment
Mainship 34
We left Pompano Beach early April (dates are hard to remember so I quite trying) and crossed the gulf stream aiming for Freeport, entered the Bell Channel and stayed at Market Marina (handy Bahamian customs right at the marina). Used the raft to expore the Lucaya Channel and beaches and restaurants on a daily basis. We intended to explore the Abacos but had some mechanical issues to deal with. Returned to the USA about a month later, landing at West Palm Beach. We stayed on the hook in Lake ? (I forget the name, Lake Worth maybe) but its part of the ICW and the West Palm entrance. Used the raft to go ashore and clear customs and re-provision. Customs is easy to do, called the toll free number and pre registered. When we arrived at the customs office it was a walk through. Continued north on the ICW a few days later. Seems to me we started north May 4th. Made miles every day but 6, lost 4 to hurricane Andria and 2 days to sight seeing in New York, staying at 79 street marina, very kewl. Arrived Georgian Bay June 11th. All ICW except the Chesapeke, Delaware Bay, ocean side from Cape May to New York, 78 miles from Oswego to Trenton, Ont. We started at dawn each day and met lots of fog on Delaware Bay, ocean side and Lake Ontario. Be sure you can rely on your radar.
Maureen Douglas
We started our loop trip last year with a trip to the Bahamas.However, if you start 3/1 I'd plan to be back by April 10 or so or you may have to push up the coast and through the canals. Our speed was 7.5 knots on average so a faster boat may be able to stay in the Bahamas a little longer.
We crossed from ft Lauderdale to West End, Grand Bahama Island on Feb 20. It's about 70 miles on a course that gives you a good push from the Gulf Stream. Customs at Old Bahama Bay Marina was a snap.
From there we cruised over Little Bahama Bank to the Abacos, stopping at Mangrove Cay, Grand Cay, Crab Cay, Powell Cay, Green Turtle Cay, Guana Cay, Man-O-War Cay, Marsh Harbor, Hopetown and Treasure Cay before starting back via Mangrove Cay back to Old Bahama Bay Marina. We then crossed back to Ft Pierce, a trip of 80 miles which is again riding the Gulf Stream current. Our crossing back was on April 4. The advantage of staying in the Abacos versus going to the Exumas is that it is considerably shorter and requires fewer good weather days. Last year a number of boats had trouble getting from the Exumas to the Abacos because of the strong winds.
We were not pushed going up the coast. We spent almost a week at Vero Beach, 3 days at Cumberland Island and several days at Oriental (the latter due to bad weather). We stopped and visited friends along the way and even played tourist a bit. We arrived in Norfolk on May 12, Cape May NJ (Via Chesapeake Bay and the Delaware River) on May 25 and reached Sandy Hook on 5/29. We spent several days there playing tourist in NYC. We reached Oswego on June 21. We then waited on weather, visited friends and played tourist in both the US and Canada for a while. We started up the Trent Severn on July 3 and had plenty of time to make the AGLCA rendevous in Penetang on July 22.
I hope this is helpful.
Steve Purdy
M/V Sun Cat
If you are going to the Bahamas be sure to include the Exumas, especially if you like beautiful water, great snorkeling in shallow water and some great places to anchor with wonderful beaches and very few other boats. Check my web site for some recent photos, I was there 4 times this year. _www.captainpete48.com_ (http://www.captainpete48.com) Staniel Cay has a great place to snorkel in 5 feet of water where 2 James Bond movies were filmed.
"There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living" – Nelson Mandela
Captain Pete Peterson
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