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Nov
Riding the last of the ebb tide on the St. Here are my tips for crossing the Gulf Stream.
Some cruisers wait weeks for the perfect conditions but we did not want to waste any time.
Crossing gulf stream to bahamas. Crossing the Gulf Stream can be magical. This comes into play because the Gulf Streams flow averages roughly two knots on a trip across from Florida to the Bahamas and it needs to be accounted for. For example if your speed boat can cover the 50 miles separating the two countries in two hours then you are looking at a four-mile northern movement during the time it takes you to travel the.
THE Gulf stream is northern current meaning its pushing to the north between Florida and Bahamas that flows at a rate of 25kt to 50 knots. The gulf stream is about 60 miles wide in some places and is only a few miles offshore in southern FL. Its been my experience that the seas are slightly higher in.
For crossing the Gulf Stream as fast as possible your heading should never be any amount south of due east on the way to the Bahamas or south of due west on the return. It was very eye-opening to us to turn literally two degrees south of due east and see our speed over ground drop over half a knot a few degrees more and it dropped nearly a knot. But crossing the Gulf Stream depends on weather so you wait whether you like it or not.
Favorable wind and waves were not predicted for the following week however there was a two day window of reasonably calm seas and no wind. So we decided to make a run for the Bahamas and motor across the stream if we had to. The Gulf Stream presents a unique set of challenges as we plan our voyage from Florida to the Bahamas.
First the current will push your boat north at 2-4 kts as you try to head east at about 7 kts. Its like swimming across a fast moving river and anticipate the currents push. Here are my tips for crossing the Gulf Stream.
Riding the last of the ebb tide on the St. Johns River in Jacksonville Florida my brother Dan and I passed Mayport and cleared the channel at sunset to begin the first offshore portion of a voyage to Nassau The Bahamas where we would meet up with our family for the holidays. My brother was new to ocean sailing so I hoped for a gentle first night.
How to prepare for a cruising trip to the Bahamas Provisioning What should you take with you The best weather and strategies for the Gulf Stream crossing Our experience of the Gulf Stream crossing Arrival to Bimini How to check in to the Bahamas. One thing that living on a boat is famous for. Crossing the Gulf Stream from Port Everglades to West End After all of the preparation we actually left the dock around 1830 on March 31st 2019 for our crossing the Gulf Stream from Port Everglades to West End Bahamas.
Crossing the Gulf Stream Directly from Boot Key City Marina in Marathon Florida Keys to Bimini The Bahamas - Captains Log 1. Marathon Florida Keys to Bimini The Bahamas. 130 NM didnt follow the initial route Departure.
Sunday 25th February - 1100. Monday 26th February - 1600. Boaters who cruise across the Gulf Stream are treated to a tactically demanding but quick passage from Floridas Atlantic Coast to the nearest of The Bahamas islands.
Bimini and Grand Bahama specifically the town of West End. Crossing the Gulf Stream by Boat. Crossing the Gulf Stream from Florida is not to be underestimated.
Crossing the Gulf Stream to The Bahamas. The Explorer Chart Books describe a good weather window for a Gulf Stream crossing as Yesterdays breeze was SE at 15 knots or less and todays forecast is clocking toward S at no more than 15 knots and tomorrows forecast is S-SW at no more than 15-20 knots. CROSSING THE Gulf Stream To West End Grand Bahama - YouTube.
CROSSING THE Gulf Stream To West End Grand Bahama Watch later. Our gulf stream crossing on our 30 foot sailboat a Catalina 30 named Whisper. We have a great time and make it to the paradise islands of the Bahamas.
It seems as though the generally accepted credo is NEVER do a Gulfstream crossing from Florida to the Bahamas when there is any northerly component to the wind. Reason being a northerny wind against a southern current will generally result in big rising seas and a miserable experience. Here is a list of the things that we do to prepare to cross the gulf stream.
You can also check out this list of must-have boat essentials. Once you make it to the Bahamas you need to clear customs at the nearest destination port. Fly a yellow quarantine flag.
Watching and learning and waiting. The Gulf Stream and its significant current runs from south to north. Its current needs to be factored in when crossing it the same as you would if putting a kayak into a river and planning where youll come out on the opposite side.
Crossing the Gulf Stream can be as easy as a day trip on Long Island Sound or Chesapeake Bay but it can also be a challenging undertaking that can have unfortunate consequences. It all depends on your planning preparation and above all patience for the right weather window. Tuesday evening we left the Marina in Fort Lauderdale to cross the Gulf Stream to the Bahamas.
The winds were coming from the south-east at about 25 knots. These conditions are not exactly the perfect weather window that most cruisers sit and wait for. Some cruisers wait weeks for the perfect conditions but we did not want to waste any time.
The power cord is being pulled the fenders are being stowed away and the sails are going up. We shove away from the familiar shores of Florida cross the notorious gulf stream and enter the clear blue Bahamian waters.