Explorer Chartbooks, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET PARTNER, has long been the standard navigational supplement for enjoyable, informative, and safe cruising through the beautiful Bahamian waters and island visits.
Bahamas Chatter: “Staniel Cay Missing Mail Boat” plus 1 more Staniel Cay Missing Mail Boat Posted: 01 Mar 2016 12:35 PM PST The Staniel Cay mail and supply boat is once again absent for want of a part. Last weeks mail boat still has not arrived. Supplies of perishable groceries are in very short supply and some of the restaurants are closed.
Duncan Town – Fresh Water Posted: 01 Mar 2016 04:02 AM PST Does anybody know if it’s possible to fill jerry cans of fresh water in Duncan Town?
Explorer Chartbooks, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET PARTNER, has long been the standard navigational supplement for enjoyable, informative, and safe cruising through the beautiful Bahamian waters and island visits.
Bahamas Chatter: “New Routes for Watermakers Air” plus 2 more New Routes for Watermakers Air Outboard skiffs stolen from Wild Tamarind Cay Great Isaac and Great Stirrup Lights relit New Routes for Watermakers Air Posted: 29 Feb 2016 08:23 AM PST Watermakers Air, has begun regular passenger and freight air service into Great Exuma (GGT), N. Eleuthera (ELH), and Great Harbour Cay (GHC), from Fort Lauderdale. Perfect for all crew, guest, and supply needs for boaters!
Please contact us for further information on scheduled flights, private charters, or freight services.
Our business hours are: Daily: 8am – 5pm Our Address at the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport: Watermakers Air Hangar 19 2331 NW 55th Court Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309
Outboard skiffs stolen from Wild Tamarind Cay Posted: 29 Feb 2016 06:50 AM PST BOLO – 2 Spanish Wells Skiffs Stolen from Wild Tamarind Cay (AKA Rat Cay), Exuma, south of Compass, north of Staniel Cay.
Please be on the look out for Cocoplum and Seagrape, two Spanish Wells Skiffs stolen from Wild Tamarind Cay night of Feb 22, 2016. Wild Tamarind Cay is next to Thomas Cay, a couple miles south of Compass Cay and a few miles north of Staniel. They are identical both with a Yamaha F150 outboard. The names are “Cocoplum II” and “Sea Grape”. Believed to be stolen at the same time so where one is also could be the next… There is a $5k reward being offered PER boat. If seen please contact Rachel at (242) 376-9935 or you can email vshippingbahamas@gmail.com.
Please call Chris Lloyd at BASRA: 242 322-7412, 242 477-2941 or Bob 242 423-3700.
Aerial searches so far have failed to locate the boats as of February 28.
Great Isaac and Great Stirrup Lights relit Posted: 29 Feb 2016 05:07 AM PST The Aids to Navigation Section of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force reports that as January 1, 2016 the lighthouses at Great Isaac and Great Stirrup Cays were again working. Great Isaac Light (26° 01.75′ N/79° 05.25′ W) is shown on Near Bahamas Chartbook, Charts 2 and 5, pages 9 and 15. Great Stirrup light (25° 49.42′ N/77° 54.06′ W) appears on Near Bahamas Charts 4, 6, BER 1, and BER 2, pages 12, 17, 56, and 57.
A spokesman for the RBDF advises they are making a concerted effort to get as many navigational lights working as fast as possible.
No word yet on whether the Northwest Channel light is working.
This schedule of Watermakers Air’s flights to the Bahamas comes from our friend Chris Pitney of Staniel Cay Yacht Club, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR! Staniel Cay Yacht Club, a favorite destination for cruisers in the Exumas, has always been most accommodating for its guests.
Hi Larry – just wanted to let you know that our sister company, Watermakers Air, has begun regular passenger and freight air service into Great Exuma (GGT), N. Eleuthera (ELH), and Great Harbour Cay (GHC), from Fort Lauderdale. Perfect for all crew, guest, and supply needs for cruisers! I’m attaching a map of our routes here in case you can share for us. Thanks! Chris SCYC
Gordon Pass is the primary inlet serving the Naples, Florida region and shoaling is a perennial problem as shown in this 2015 Nav Alert. Our thanks to SSECN Team member, Curtis Hoff, for this on-site report.
At least one cruising site [/155155] recently noted the Coast Guard planned aids to navigation changes in mid-February for Gordon Pass into Naples. As of yesterday the aids to navigation are unchanged and shoaling is still a concern in the channel. A call to TowBoatUS resulted in the following guidance:
Enter from the south between R2 and R4 on a course of 060 deg aiming for 1/3 of the distance from R2 to R4. Note this puts R2 to port as you enter.
I entered yesterday following this guidance saw a minimum of 8 ft at a +1 ft tide.
See the following graphic for a visual representation of this guidance.
Explorer Chartbooks, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET PARTNER, has long been the standard navigational supplement for enjoyable, informative, and safe cruising through the beautiful Bahamian waters and island visits.
Bahamas Chatter: Turks and Caicos Radar Station Turks and Caicos Radar Station Posted: 26 Feb 2016 06:11 AM PST The Turks and Caicos Government operates a radar surveillance station that monitors vessels entering and departing their territorial waters. Vessels entering or leaving the twelve mile limit can contact the station by calling “Provo Radio”. The station operates 24/7 on VHF Channels 16 and 64 and also broadcasts navigational warnings and weather forecasts.
The radar and radio transmitters are mounted on a 40 meter tower located in the South Dock area on Providenciales at 21° 44.44′ N/72° 16.26′ W. See Chart TC 3, page 78, Explorer Chartbook Far Bahamas, Sixth Edition.
February 27: As reported in the article below from WPTV of West Palm Beach, Gov. Scott has declared a State of Emergency regarding Lake Okeechobee discharge:
Except for the possibility of floating debris, the high levels are good news (well, maybe not good for all boaters: see Philips Lange’s comments below!) for boaters transiting the Okeechobee Waterway, but bad news for fishermen in the St. Lucie River.
Lake Okeechobee discharges could last for months Monday level was 16.14 feet Jon Shainman CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY
I am a boater and I don’t find high water levels good news. I barely cleared the !^#@%^&& bridge at Port Mayaca and wonder if i will have to go south to get to the Florida east coast in the spring.
Explorer Chartbooks, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET PARTNER, has long been the standard navigational supplement for enjoyable, informative, and safe cruising through the beautiful Bahamian waters and island visits.
Bahamas Chatter: “George Town Cruisers Regatta Schedule” plus 2 more George Town Cruisers Regatta Schedule Posted: 24 Feb 2016 03:14 PM PST 36th Annual George Town Cruising Regatta Event Schedule (Click Link Above) Theme – Color The Bahamas Everything is Subject to Weather
Four navigational lights relit Posted: 24 Feb 2016 10:42 AM PST The Aids to Navigation Section of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force advises that the following navigational lights in the Abaco area have been relit. All of the lights are shown in the Explorer Near Bahamas Chartbook:
Comments can be directed to the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, 242-362-3091 or aton@rbdf.gov.bs
Electronic Charts for the Bahamas Posted: 24 Feb 2016 10:09 AM PST Conflicting info on the WEB, what is the best electronic charts for the Bahamas and Florida?
Shoaling at the entrance to New Pass was recently posted in LNM: /153973. These changes to existing NavAids are definitely needed and great caution is required until the new markers are in place. New Pass leads directly to the Sarasota waterfront and the entrance portion between the Entrance Light and Light 7 is constantly shifting. Our thanks to BOSN4 Pauly for these notices.
All concerned, I’m seeking your assistance in notifying the public of upcoming Coast Guard changes to New Pass, Sarasota County. Please forward this information to county officials, marine police, boating groups, marinas, and any other users of New Pass as you wish. Feel free to publish this information or post on social media. Thanks for your assistance. Subject: New Pass info GULF OF MEXICO – FLORIDA – SARASOTA – NEW PASS
Dangerous shoaling exists in the vicinity of the New Pass Entrance Channel, Sarasota County. There are currently no plans by the Army Corps of Engineers to maintain the federal project channel depth. The increased shoaling has created an unsafe situation and the Coast Guard has determined that it can no longer mark “safe water” and will be removing all federal Aids to Navigation from the New Pass (NP) Entrance Light to New Pass Light 7. A Safety broadcast to Mariners will be released notifying the public of the intended start date of this work.
New Pass Channel Light (NP) (LLNR 1345 [27°18.9185N / 082°35.8861W, 27.315309 / -82.598102]), will be discontinued and converted to a Danger Shoal Marker with a Quick Flashing, White light. New Pass Channel Buoy 1 (21590) will be discontinued. New Pass Channel Buoy 2 (21595) will be discontinued. New Pass Channel Buoy 3A (21600) will be discontinued. New Pass Channel Buoy 4 (21603) will be discontinued. New Pass Channel Buoy 5 (21605) will be discontinued. New Pass Channel Buoy 5A (21610) will be discontinued. New Pass Channel Light 7 (21620) will be discontinued and converted to a Danger Shoal Marker with a Quick, Flashing White light.
Boaters are advised to seek alternate routes to and from the Gulf of Mexico and also use extreme caution while in this area. Please contact Chief Warrant Officer Darren Pauly for additional information or questions. Darren.a.pauly@uscg.mil or (813) 228-2191 ext 8184.
So basically, New Pass is closed to navigation . Big Pass is usually a gut-clencher when transiting. Venice now best option for G of M access? Sad state of affairs for Sarasota Bay mariners , and businesses. Why no outcry?
Located on the western shore of the Stono River just south of the Waterway’s passage out the western/southern mouth of Wappoo Creek – Elliot Cut, and only a very short cruise from Charleston Harbor, St. Johns Yacht Harbor is A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR! By boat or by car, it is worth a trip just to see these beautiful facilities with probably the nicest Captains’ Lounge and Clubhouse on the east coast!
Very nice, clean facility. Friendly and helpful staff. Convenient location. Grocery, drug stores and restaurants close by with courtesy car provided. Current can be tricky when tide is running,, but staff will assist with lines when docking. Will stop here again and recommend it highly to others. Capt Jack B-H and 1st mate Steve O. Aboard the trawler “Whatever”
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To A “Navigation Alert” Position at New Pass
Be the first to comment!