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I was reading that the Keys advertises itself as the only road to the Bahamas. I have been to both and was wondering if sailing to the Bahamas is worth it if the Keys are the same. The Bahamas are now charging $150 for a six month boat permit, gas and supplies are twice what it cost here in the US and overnight slips are $50. Then there is the long distances between ports, pirates(?) or drug dealers wanting your boat and then the waiting for the Gulf Stream to be calm. This wait for the Gulf stream to be calm may take weeks.
Seems the Keys are the path of least resistance.

BK, I have done both. The question is "Do you want a vacation or do you want an adventure?"

Also, it was brought up that the Mac is not a blue water boat and that the Bahamas are part of the Bermuda Triangle and boats go missing for some reason. I have to think that when you go sailing by a 3rd world nation in a boat that costs more than a person who lives there makes in a lifetime, you are a easy mark. The 50HP engine alone would be worth a fortune to them and no delivery charges.

It's true, boats go missing. Their crews don't want to go home. Most of the people on the islands that I ran into are friendly. Have respect for them & their land and smile. Once when we were held up in Bimini, we went hiking on S. Bimini. A little way down the road a pickup slows down for us to jump in the back and ride. In my travels I have found poor people are very accommodating. In humans, usually those who have the least, offer you the most. (As for the lawless, they are everywhere.) Go now, so you don't regret later.

As for the Mac being bluewater, the water in the Bahamas is green.

I have to think that when you go sailing by a 3rd world nation in a boat that costs more than a person who lives there makes in a lifetime, you are a easy mark. The 50HP engine alone would be worth a fortune to them and no delivery charges.

I think you may have the Bahamas confused with some other place.

Two years ago we took 25 boats to Bimini, which I'm guessing is considered a backwater even by most other Bahamains.

Of course we locked the hatches when we left the boat, just like we do in every marina in the U.S. I heard no reports of theft nor any other trouble of any sort.

The worst I can remember is being pitched to by the guys who wanted me to rent a golf cart to get around, and a few street characters who kept offering to "help" in any fashion they could, of course for a few bucks. They weren't nearly as obnxious or agressive as those I encounterd right off the big cruise ships in Jamaica. After a couple of days and several polite but firm "No, thanks", they reognized us from earlier encounters, and left us alone. Most of the people there couldn't have been nicer. At no time did I feel threatened or even mildly uncomfortable on the streets, day or night.

Hate to burst your bubble...actually I kind of enjoy it: at two out of three of the marinas where our cruisers stayed, the Macs would have been considered at the middle to lower end, dollar wise, of the boats staying there. Many of the local's fishing boats had nicer motors than we did.

There certainly was poverty there, as in many places in the world, and the U.S., but I'm pretty sure the residents there wouldn't have taken kindly to being called a third world country.

I think I'd better clarify that I had no problems with the beautiful Bahama people in the 2 weeks I spent there. But with respect to the Bermuda Triangle; the answer to the question with many probabilities is usually the simpliest. To solve a mystery; follow the money, who benefits? Boats disappear. Who needs a boat? The Bermuda Triangle ate it? Yeah.

Either I'm naive (certainly a possibility I won't deny) or you've been watching too much TV.

When was the last time you heard of a boat being eaten by the triangle?

In our case, we travelled in a large group. These aren't blue water boats, and there's no denying there's safety in numbers. Certainly we wait for a good weather window. I'm aware of but not particularly concerned about the possibility of a sudden storm or mechanical breakdown, but again, call me naive, the possibility of piracy never even entered my mind.

Several in our large group have gone in smaller groups of two or three or even by themselves. To the best of my knowledge, these aren't particularly brave or foolhardy people.

I was reading the calmest time to cross the Gulf Stream is during the hurricane season of July-Nov. Of course you would have to worry about being caught in a hurricane. Each year we take our chances and go to the Caribeen at the end of November as it is still the low season and we only had to cancell twice due to hurricanes.
Another problem going on a plane at that time of year is the airline ticket that we buy is only good on that airline and if you want to leave early due to a hurricane is coming and there are no seats available, they will not put you on another airline. All hotels close and there are only a few hurricane approved hotels. Almost like going to Vegas.

I lived in the Keys for three years and used to fly to the Bahamas every day for a job.

The Keys are in the USA and so you have law and order. Law and order means that the reefs in the keys have tons of giant tropical fish because they are protected. The Bahamas is largely barren by comparisom.

Bahamas has much clearer water and infinitely superior beaches.

Eating and drinking and just about everything else is cheaper in the Keys.

Bahamas has a different culture and can be more interesting.... well maybe not the keys has several cultures but all you will see on a short trip is the tourist trap part.

The best part of the Bahamas are the eastern Bahamas. You are not likely to get there by MAC unless you have lots of time to kill. You can drive to the keys and launch anywhere.

Has anyone gone out and tryed mooring out on the bank between Grand Bahama Island and Palm Beach? I fly over that area all the time and it seems to have many reefs and some sandbars to hang out on. It is only 60 miles off the coast of Florida and might be worth a look. The water there looks awesome from the air.

Can you recommend any long term trailer parking places in the Keys?

Sailing alone to the Bahamas. Well, I dunno.



humm

If you have some military connection both the main Naval Base on Key West and the Boca Chica Air Station have excellent boat launch ramps and parking areas.

Boca Chica has a nice marina with slips, tiki bar, and showers and etc. Everything being real cheap.

Civilian areas? I really don't know but I'm sure you will pay for it. I lived on Big Coppit Key at mile marker 10.8. There was a public boat ramp and trailer parking area at the North end of Big Coppit. I suspect that there are public boat ramps all over the Keys. It is just that I lived on a canal at the time and never had use for a ramp so I don't have much idea where they are.

I called BoatUS insurance to see if there would be any additional charges to take my X to the Bahamas. There is a $150 charge added to the policy and all boats insured by them under 27 foot going to the Bahamas must go in a flotilla.
Next question: does 3-4 boats make a flotilla.
The costs of going to the Bahamas are sure eating up my budget. Maybe that is the real Bermuda triangle, its inside my wallet.

Bob,
Sure it is! A "Flotilla" of 3 or 4 sounds just fine from here . . .
but I suppose you'd better get the definition from BoatUS, eh?


BTW, when you buy their West Coast coverage, their first offer will be for only inland lakes and waterways. Press them and you can get Pacific coastal PLUS inland waterways for only a few bucks extra. (I did this several months into my contract, and a month or so before a planned excursion ... only $12 or $15 for the year). But if you just ask for a temp expansion for coastal coverage, they'll nick ya for 25 or 50 bucks for a two-week endorsement! It pays to ask in advance!

I'm thinking a flotilla is two boats.

Several in our Conch Cruisers' group have run into the same thing from BoatUS. Though this is the first I've heard of the flotilla rule, we're going in a flotilla so maybe that's why it hasn't been mentioned. See: Insurance problems.

One guy switched to Allstate which was apparently much cheaper. IMO there's way more to an insurance policy than the premiums, so if you're paying way less you better be reading the fine print pretty closely.

Another with an older boat (and who owns it, as opposed to the bank) just decided to skip the insurance. My own policy has a separate endorsement for salt water, as opposed to inland only. Even though most of my sailing is inland, I've always had the salt water endorsement, which I checked and allows me to go anywhere in the Caribean except Cuba and Mexico. In my 26 foot trailer boat! Don't know why Mexico.

Though I know I'm paying extra for something I don't use much, part of the benefit of owning a Mac is the ability to go wherever, whenever whim dictates. I knew I wanted it so I didn't ask how much.

Didn't ask about Hawaii though