mairisona
Member
Does anyone have an opinion as to the best route to take, going inside the islands or outside, in otherwards left side or right side of the Bahamas? Would appreciate any toughts you may have.
Leewards to Florida, best route?
- Thread starter mairisona
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snowleopard
Well-Known Member
Jimmy Cornell says left right or island-hopping are all OK. The outside route gives good fast sailing earlier in the season, broad reaching in the trades with a favourable current. If you have the time and money, why miss the islands?
Sea Devil
Well-Known Member
Certainly the most interesting route and probably the easiest is to head north inside the island chain.
Through the Mona Passage and stop in Samana (if you are lucky full of whales) Then round to Luperon one of the best mangrove anchorages in the Caribbean and a hard place to leave.
Then into Cuba and stop along its north coast leave the Bahamas to the right... Into Key West.. Then up the reef to Miami and stop in Coconut Grove in Biscayn Bay anchorage or marina - another hard place to leave. It is down wind nearly all the way and simple.
Coming back go through the Bahamas, Nassau, Turks and Caicos then along the south coast of Puerto Rico - hard work all to windward. Nice trip and the ICW is waiting as well which should not be missed..
Michael
Through the Mona Passage and stop in Samana (if you are lucky full of whales) Then round to Luperon one of the best mangrove anchorages in the Caribbean and a hard place to leave.
Then into Cuba and stop along its north coast leave the Bahamas to the right... Into Key West.. Then up the reef to Miami and stop in Coconut Grove in Biscayn Bay anchorage or marina - another hard place to leave. It is down wind nearly all the way and simple.
Coming back go through the Bahamas, Nassau, Turks and Caicos then along the south coast of Puerto Rico - hard work all to windward. Nice trip and the ICW is waiting as well which should not be missed..
Michael
RupertW
Well-Known Member
The one time I've done it was in late May where we went for a non-stop St Maarten to Fort Lauderdale and went outside - a very easy trip with no obstacles until finally going through the Bahamas near the top - and that was extremely well marked. We didn't get to see anything either but that wasn't our aim.
Our main problem was total lack of wind for 8 days and plenty of people afterwards advised us that we would have picked up much more steady wind going inside, although that would have meant more pilotage work.
Our main problem was total lack of wind for 8 days and plenty of people afterwards advised us that we would have picked up much more steady wind going inside, although that would have meant more pilotage work.
ChrisE
Well-Known Member
How much time do you have? We did this route and took 3 months (Feb-April) island hopping departing the Antilles at Nevis and onto the Virgin Islands. From the VIs then you then have Haiti/Dominican republic which we missed out as wanted to get to the Bahamas. We chose to ignore Turks & Caicos as well because we wanted to be in the Exumas, an area we had been to before. The trip from the VIs to Chub Key took about a week from memory. Once you get to Chub Key it is all day sailing through to Miami if you want to and the Bahamas are an interesting place to explore with some of the islands a lot less commercial than the Caribbean. Personally I'd give Nassau a miss for just that reason. Once at Miami I'd recommend a trip down the Floridas Keys to Key West and back, takes about 10 days if you day sail it and stop at the more interesting places.
If you have the time to stop in the Dominican Republic and the Turks & Caicos you could do most of the trip in day sails plus the odd overnighter. We had a variety of conditons from flat calm to 30 knots of wind over the period. If you want more details about individual islands, please PM me.
Alternativley, you can go direct using the routes others have identified above and miss some wonderful cruising, depends on your clock.
If you have the time to stop in the Dominican Republic and the Turks & Caicos you could do most of the trip in day sails plus the odd overnighter. We had a variety of conditons from flat calm to 30 knots of wind over the period. If you want more details about individual islands, please PM me.
Alternativley, you can go direct using the routes others have identified above and miss some wonderful cruising, depends on your clock.
snooks
Well-Known Member
Can't help about the Bahamas bit I'm afraid, But I've done a trip from Antigua to the Bahamas (it should be in Aprils YM btw) we went from
Antigua - Nevis - BVI's - Turks and Caicos - Bahamas (Gt Exuma) It took just under two weeks, spending 4 nights tied up.
The longest bit was from BVIs to T&C, however when we got to Salt Cay the wind picked up so we had a short (22 mile) hop to Cockburn Harbour, not a great place to arrive in the dark!
We did it in March about 5 years ago, most of the time the winds were on the beam or further back, it was calm for most of the time we were at sea. We had some great sailing and some good times
Enjoy
Antigua - Nevis - BVI's - Turks and Caicos - Bahamas (Gt Exuma) It took just under two weeks, spending 4 nights tied up.
The longest bit was from BVIs to T&C, however when we got to Salt Cay the wind picked up so we had a short (22 mile) hop to Cockburn Harbour, not a great place to arrive in the dark!
We did it in March about 5 years ago, most of the time the winds were on the beam or further back, it was calm for most of the time we were at sea. We had some great sailing and some good times
Enjoy
Blueboatman
Well-Known Member
Suggest you borrow or obtain a copy of "The Gentlemans guide to Passages South''by Van Sint....Although primarily intended as astrategy for working south against the prevailing winds,it will concisely give you all the info you need
Salty John
Well-Known Member
If you have the time and you don't have really deep draft go via Dominican Republic (Samana then Luperon), Georgetown in the Exumas, (if you are there in April you will see the Family Island Regatta, a wonderful event), up to Cave Cay Cut and onto the Bank, then Big Majors Spot, Hawkesbill Cay (stunning), Allens Cay, Nassau (if you need supplies), Chub Cay, Gun Cay, across the Gulf Stream to clear in the USA at Miami or Fort Lauderdale. A bit scary to take over six feet across the Great Bahama Bank, I once touched the bottom out of sight of land which was a weird experience! A real pity to miss these islands, but if you can't linger you might as well go left of the Bahamas to Miami.
michael_w
Well-Known Member
Depth can be a problem in the Bahamas. Round there, anything more than 3'6'' is considered "deep draught" I sailed for 100 miles with 1' of water under the keel! Even the most up to date charts aren't particulaly accurate
IMHO Bahmas aint up to much. Sure the water is a pretty colour but once you've seen one island, you've seen them all. Low lying lump of limestone without a single tree.
IMHO Bahmas aint up to much. Sure the water is a pretty colour but once you've seen one island, you've seen them all. Low lying lump of limestone without a single tree.