crossing to bahamas

[whgoffrn]

having just got back from the keys and first trip offshore going well I of course now envision bigger and more adventurous trips (in time...probably next summer not this summer...still going to do a few more offshore day sails) but my question is ...I always see people talking about crossing to bimini and at looking at a map bimini is just this small little island with relatively nothing around when Freeport may be an additional 5 miles? but leaves the other islands within 20mile hops of..... wouldn't crossing to Freeport be a better option if you wanted to see the other islands if you cross to bimini the next stop would be the berries which is also quite a long trek.....unless im missing something my future plans will be cross to Freeport from the closest easy to pass inlet

[whgoffrn]

It's 61 miles from Hillsborough or 55 from Lake Worth ....just curious why most never do this crossing instead ....it leaves an easier path to venture further out unless I'm missing something.....videos of lake Worth inlet look tame

[Sumner]

It's 61 miles from Hillsborough

From Active Captain's notes on Hillsborough:

CAUTION: This inlet was once noted in the ''Coastal Pilot'' as the most dangerous inlet on the U.S. eastern coast! The channel is oriented facing the SE and the outbound tide is often clocked at 5 knots or more. When the wind is strong from the SE the wind against a strong tide can cause steep short cycle chop waves of considerable height and can create challenging conditions for even experienced skippers. When steep tidal waves are running there is danger of broaching and sudden grounding on a shallow bar (6 feet at low tide) which is just east of the seaward channel markers. More than one yacht has had her bottom and wheels damaged from bottoming out on the bar from dropping into the trough in steep seas. This inlet might be best avoided by transient vessels in storm seas or strong SE winds on a out bound tide. Ft. Lauderdale's Port Everglades is just a few miles south and posses far less trouble. Boca Raton Inlet to the north is not that much of a better choice than Hillsborough as similar conditions prevail, but the is bar deeper.

...55 from Lake Worth ....just curious why most never do this crossing instead ....it leaves an easier path to venture further out unless I'm missing something.....videos of lake Worth inlet look tame

I have a friend with a 38 foot boat that crosses from Stuart to West End. You have a really bad angle on the Gulf Stream from there as it wants to carry you way north. Have you done any reading on crossing the Gulf Stream (I put in a good link on a post I made to you about a month ago). Most people don't go to Freeport as they just don't like it and it puts you on the south side of Grand Bahama and now you are in deep water and no place near to go from there. I'd go to West End and the around the north side of Grand Bahama to the Abacos. West End has bad protection if you anchor off and if you go into a marina there I believe that the prices are pretty steep.

I think a lot of people use Bimini as it is small but has a very protected harbor. Some anchor there but it really is small for that but you can find marinas there for about $30 a night. Some just go there and hang out and return and there are anchoring options at a couple of the Islands just south of there. Most want to move onto the Berry's and the Exumas (the favorite destination in the southern Bahamas).

Again Active Captain on Lake Worth:
Tides and currents: The mean range of tide is 2.8 feet at the inlet and 2.6 feet at the Port of Palm Beach. The currents in the inlet are strong and must be carefully guarded against. The current velocity is 2.4 knots on the flood and 3.6 knots on the ebb.

You really don't want to end up bucking a 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 knot current so time leaving or entering (pretty much the same for any of the inlets).

Again Active Captain on Lake Worth:

This is a heavily traveled inlet. Make sure there are no large ships coming and going before using it, as it is somwhat narrow. Early in the morning, the large sport fishing boats leave in a hurry with little regard for slow boats such as sailboats and trawlers. The local police do not monitor this inlet, so you are on your own.

People that want to go to the Abacos (lots of people) use West End and then move NE to the Abacos but most of them also have larger boats. Just keep researching and make a decision on what you feel comfortable with. Any of those inlets, including Lake Worth can be tricky and you have to also time things for the right wind/waves in the Gulf Stream and getting wherever in the Bahamas when it is still light. Don't take that crossing lightly.

Basically you going you are trying to go out an inlet during slack water if possible and trying to end up at Bimini or West End during daylight. Coming back you doing the opposite. There are places in the Bahamas where you can also end up timing going or coming with tidal currents in cuts.

If you go to Bimini the 100 miles from Bimini to the Berry's is long and will probably entail an overnight but you don't have the current of the Stream and the water is much shallower so generally not as dangerous but try not to get caught in a squall. I did for about 45 minutes and it was hull and scary,

Sumner

============================
1300 miles to the Bahamas and back -- 2015

The MacGregor 26-S

The Endeavour 37

Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links





Sumner

[whgoffrn]

Hmmmm I didn't realize lake Worth was that rough.... I'm still a year and a half out so in the very beginning processes of formulating a plan.... Since I don't intend to sail across and motor the whole way may consider Hillsborough... Still trying to work out the details...lots to consider as I'm considering dumping the 50hp for a 25hp (two of them actually) and of course that would make it more difficult fighting the current of the stream

[whgoffrn]

Sorry got that backwards ....may opt out of Hillsborough then ...I've not seen either of these inlets in person ...live up cape Canaveral...know that I won't try Sebastian but will have to scope out lake Worth sometime maybe

[whgoffrn]

But yeah I didn't mean Freeport exactly just that island in general ...grand Bahama island .... The ocean intimidates me as it should with anyone ...call it intimidate or give respect to so I'd like to opt out of any 100 mile trips if I can leaving just short hops ....so thought making my initial crossing to grand Bahama island may be better???

[Seapup]

People that want to go to the Abacos (lots of people) use West End and then move NE to the Abacos but most of them also have larger boats.

When I had a potter I remember following a potter 19 blog of one cruising the Abacos. He took the Grand Lucayan waterway across Grand Bahama for a shortcut and later I thought the mac would be about the only other sailboat that could do that (mast down).

[Sumner]

But yeah I didn't mean Freeport exactly just that island in general ...grand Bahama island .... The ocean intimidates me as it should with anyone ...call it intimidate or give respect to so I'd like to opt out of any 100 mile trips if I can leaving just short hops ....so thought making my initial crossing to grand Bahama island may be better???

It just depends where you want to go. Lots of people really enjoy the Abacos. If that is the goal then West End is good as long as you don't get stuck there weather wise as the anchorage is exposed unless spending the bucks on a slip there isn't a problem. I came back through the lower part of the Abacos (Bight of Abaco) and then to West End and then Stuart. I wasn't in the Abaco desired cruising area so can't comment on it but hope to go across in the future to the Abacos and then south to the Exumas again. I would end up at Hope Town (Abaco's) and then head south from there on the east side of Great Abaco to the north end of Eleutheri Island and then over to the Exumas. I would not do that trip past Hope Town in the Mac as you have some long stretches of deep, unprotected water between Hope Town and the Exumas. I'd do the trip with the Endeavour and hopefully not by myself so that overnight crossings are more doable.

For a number of cruisers the Exumas are the meca of sailing in the Bahamas and I loved them and want to go back. If the Exumas are your destination then West End is not where you want to enter the Bahamas with a Mac in my estimation. If single handing first Bimini to check in and then the Berry's and then Nassau or near Nassau like I did and then the Exumas. You have the long but shallow water crossing to the Berry's and then a shorter but deep water crossing to Nassau and then an easy one on to the Exumas. If I had someone with me I'd just overnight and skip Bimini and go straight to the Berry's and check in at Chub Cay.

Is there a reason (job??) that you want to do this in the summer. Lots of negatives to the summer. Hotter, hurricane season has started, even major tropical storm systems can be very hard to deal with on a boat, you don't need a full fledged hurricane. Normally less wind for sailing and when it is windy it is probably caused by a storm producing a gale for a bit. I got into dodging storms/gales the last half of May and it is stressful seeing them build and then seeing them either overcome you or barely missing you. I did not enjoy them and there wasn't even that much lightning with them that can be the case more so in the summer months.

March and April to me are the best months but I do hope to go with the Endeavour in December and return maybe the first of May if things work out next year,

Sumner

============================
1300 miles to the Bahamas and back -- 2015

The MacGregor 26-S

The Endeavour 37

Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

[Sumner]

People that want to go to the Abacos (lots of people) use West End and then move NE to the Abacos but most of them also have larger boats.

When I had a potter I remember following a potter 19 blog of one cruising the Abacos. He took the Grand Lucayan waterway across Grand Bahama for a shortcut and later I thought the mac would be about the only other sailboat that could do that (mast down).

That is an option but I don't see where you gain much. It is shorter to West End than to Freeport and that waterway. The waterway dumps you on the north side of Grand Bahama in shallow water but then you are still as far away from Mangrove Cay to the north, the first protected anchorage as you would be from West End (maybe 2-3 miles closer).

Here is some interesting reading on the waterway...

http://cruisersnet.net/grand-lucayan-wa ... iscussion/

Sumner

============================
1300 miles to the Bahamas and back -- 2015

The MacGregor 26-S

The Endeavour 37

Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

[whgoffrn]

The reason I'd pick summer is kids.... My kids go up north to spend the summer with their grandparents so while my job will let me take time off ...I still have a semi time constraint of this being while school is out so I have a 3 month window and was planning a 30 day trip that way it leaves me a big buffer to wait out storms ... I may have to reconsider that bimini to berry islands crossing of that's the easiest path to the exumas though ....much to think about in the next year and half

[Ixneigh]

The stream sucks in a light boat in anything other then flat. The current pushes north so leaving from any inlet north of the upper keys and you'll be going into it. Lots of folks leave from anglefish creek so the current is helping them.
Don't cross at night.
Be prepared to wait for good conditions. At least on the outbound leg. Less then ten knots.
Bimini is small and pretty. Nice beach ocean side. Touristy but still fun. The harbor has a sand bar at the entrance but I doubt it's of any concern to a Mac.
I choose gun cay cut though as it's doable in poor vis. You can park on the banks side. Spend a day at hunny moon harbor.
South cat used to be my favorite place. Good protection from hard easterlies for shallow boats. Don't know what the shore is like now its been awhile.
You can motor or sail across the banks at night. Watch your board. Watch the night traffic typically with no or nonstandard lighting. Hit nw providence channel light at day break and now you're in the berries. Chub is pretty. Lots of places to get out of the way on a shallow boat. The weather is less predictable then in the keys and there is no noaa service. With lots of fetch everywhere you go, any wind at all will make a sub thirty five footer feel small. If you have time you might find yourself only moving five or ten miles a day. Be prepared to wait on weather or be willing to get your butt kicked. I once waited two weeks in chub for anything under 20-25 knot easterly winds. It still bit big time.
Don't overload the boat with supplies, your not going to the Amazon and it will need to perform under sail unless your leaving the mast home. You'll be doing real serious sailing and the boat better be up for it. Gas is probably 5 bucks a gallon and most of it is poor quality. Filters and spares. Don't be afraid to leave the "pack" and find other places to anchor. Use the draft to your advantage. Remember shelter by virtue of water depth. Find a shallow spot and homestead it while everyone else in larger boats are jammed into a tiny harbor.
The exumas are great. Probably more places to get water gas and ice since I been there.
Ground tackle. Plenty of it and oversize.
Can't wait to get back over there
Ix