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  1. #1

    What weather to cross to Bimini?

    We are getting ready to make our first crossing to the Bahamas and plan on waiting for the appropriate weather in Biscayne Bay outside of No Name Harbor. The Admiral is concerned about crossing the Gulf Stream after reading and viewing many reports of rough crossings and I want this to go smoothly (pun intended). I know not to cross with any sort of northerly wind, but am unsure about the southerly component: do we need only a due south wind or not? How much of an easterly or westerly component is acceptable and for how long? I seem to recall that one should wait 24 hours after the favorable wind begins to allow the seas to settle, is this correct?
    I am monitoring Windy.com and the NOAA marine weather while we are here in Fort Lauderdale finishing up preparations and it looks like mostly northerly winds for most of the week changing to East or ESE later on. I know there was a good window a few days ago with nearly true south wind, but we had family obligations then. What would the stream be like in such winds? Would this be good to go or should we wait for a more southerly component?
    This being our first and long awaited crossing I want it all to go well and I emphatically do not want the Admiral to have a bad experience.
    Michael & Beth
    Hull Number CV312
    63’ Cockpit Motor Yacht
    1986 model launched in August 1987

  2. #2

    Re: What weather to cross to Bimini?

    Pascal is the authority on Miami to Bahamas.

    Another source for everything Bahamas is the Facebook group "Bahamas Cruising and Sailing"

  3. #3

    Re: What weather to cross to Bimini?

    I don’t know if years of crossing makes me an authority but hey... this is the internet so I ll play one

    Indeed anything more than 8 to 10kts from NW N to NE will be miserable. South up to 15/18kts is fine assuming you re stabilized

    With a hatteras, easterly will be fine as they cut really well. Westerly on the stern will give your stabs a work out as well as your auto pilot. Sometimes I find it better to hand steer with following seas.

    In winter weather windows are short and you can rarely wait 24 hours for things to settle. This trip for instance (we re the Exumas right now) we had a 12 hours window. Winds started coming down on Sunday late night and I left Monday afternoon. It was ok.. I anchored off Cat Cay around 8PM. By morning it was blowing NW 20kts ... I left after clearing in Cat and kept going straight to Lee Stocking southern Exumas. A 20 hours day, some of it at 22kts some at 11kts.

    Outside NNH is a market channel. I know people anchor there but not everyone is courteous and slows down especially big sport fishes. You re better off anchoring on the west side of KB just south of KBYC

    We re heading back home this week. Charter ends Tuesday in Gtown but looks like we re going to stuck in the Exumas till Saturday

    The resource I use the most is www.passageweather.com. Very simple. If it s light blue (0 to 1 m) It’s go... if it’s second shade of blue (1 to 2 meters) it s NoGo. It s not the 5 or 6 footer that’s going to hurt but the occasional 7 to 8....
    Pascal
    Miami, FL
    1970 53 MY #325 Cummins 6CTAs
    2014 26' gaff rigged sloop
    2007 Sandbarhopper 13
    12' Westphal Cat boat

  4. #4

    Re: What weather to cross to Bimini?

    Quote Originally Posted by Pascal View Post
    The resource I use the most is www.passageweather.com. Very simple. If it s light blue (0 to 1 m) It’s go... if it’s second shade of blue (1 to 2 meters) it s NoGo. It s not the 5 or 6 footer that’s going to hurt but the occasional 7 to 8....
    Thank you for this. i love it. Leave at midnight Monday night and the admiral will sleep right through it.
    Robert
    MANCHIONEAL
    1973 43DC #365
    Mattox Creek, VA

  5. #5

    Re: What weather to cross to Bimini?

    Thanks for the good advice and thanks a million for the link to passageweather, that is going to be an invaluable resource going forward. Certainly there is a lot to consider now.
    We have anchored off of Hurricane Harbour before, but not farther north by KBYC. We’ll give it a try since we did get tired of the big wakes off of No Name and we have been to the restaurant in NN and don’t need to go back again.
    We are here in Fort Lauderdale for a couple of more days awaiting some stuff in the mail then I have to decide when to relocate to Biscayne Bay to stage for the crossing. Adding passageweather to the mix will help a lot with that decision. So far it looks like we will be waiting until the end of next week at least.
    Michael & Beth
    Hull Number CV312
    63’ Cockpit Motor Yacht
    1986 model launched in August 1987

  6. #6

    Re: What weather to cross to Bimini?

    Not sure why you don’t just leave from FTL. at hull speed the angle to current will cost you 3/4 kts but with a MY it s no big deal.

    Where are you going after BIM ?

    As of now your best option is Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday. Thursday will
    Be rough

    Everytime I be broken my light blue color rule, I ve regretted it...

    Windy is fine but I really the simplicity of PW
    Last edited by Pascal; 01-05-2020 at 04:56 PM.
    Pascal
    Miami, FL
    1970 53 MY #325 Cummins 6CTAs
    2014 26' gaff rigged sloop
    2007 Sandbarhopper 13
    12' Westphal Cat boat

  7. #7

    Re: What weather to cross to Bimini?

    Awesome site Pascal!

    To the OP..... Maybe you want to put her on an airplane?
    1978 53' Motor Yacht "LADY KAY V"
    Hull number 524
    Chesapeake Bay

  8. #8

    Re: What weather to cross to Bimini?

    We thought we would start with the Berry’s and go on from there. Being novices we really don’t have any must see places in mind. We have planned on staying until late March so we have time to wander. Really we are looking for quiet anchorages and places we can kayak, swim a bit and lay on the beach on sunny days. At this point I really just want to get over there without any drama and take it from there.

    As far as where to depart from, I have always wanted to go from FLL, but the Admiral was set on Biscayne. I think that having Pascal suggest FLL will tip the scales. The one thing we do not want to do is travel or arrive after dark if it can be avoided. That means getting the last of our spares on Monday, finishing the provisioning and returning the rental car and then heading down the New River to a marina for an early start Tuesday. Or leaving very early Tuesday before the bridges close for the morning commute. It looks like a six hour trip at hull speed from the inlet so we want to leave early to arrive before dark.
    If we get to Bimini around 3 or 4 will I have time to clear customs and immigration before they close? If not what do we do in the marina? Just stay onboard and wait until the morning? I suppose I am overthinking things, but, as I said it’s our first trip over and I want to get it done correctly.
    Michael & Beth
    Hull Number CV312
    63’ Cockpit Motor Yacht
    1986 model launched in August 1987

  9. #9

    Re: What weather to cross to Bimini?

    The entrance to BIM is indeed daytime only if you ve never been there. There are buoys but they re not perfectly accurate. Shoaling usually builds from the green side so favor the red side. If going to BIM go to Bimini Big Game. Current can be strong though. Bimini Bay Resort world is a just gross. Over run by cheap tourist brought on ferrys.

    We always clear at Cat Cay. Customs on site easy in and out and even thought the cut looks intricate it s plenty deep. MAKE YOU HAVE EXPLORER CHARTS on your plotter or on a IPad

    Berrys are ok... great harbor cay is worth a stop for a couple of days, good marina. Rent a golf carts and explore. The only other great anchorage in the berrys is White Cay / Hoffman. Blue hole on Hoffman. Chub is over priced over rated unless you re driving a sportfish wearing gold chains.

    If you have a couple of month, keep going. Exumas is where you want to go. 120 miles long string of islands, maybe 100 anchorages... thousands of beaches and sandbars to enjoy. Been going there for 12+ years multiple times a year and we still find new spots to explore.

    We don’t even waste time in BIM or the berrys anymore and go straight to the Exumas.

    Check this video I made to get an idea.

    https://youtu.be/_XEuaz1_3V8

    Do you have a watermaker ?
    Pascal
    Miami, FL
    1970 53 MY #325 Cummins 6CTAs
    2014 26' gaff rigged sloop
    2007 Sandbarhopper 13
    12' Westphal Cat boat

  10. #10

    Re: What weather to cross to Bimini?

    Yes we have a watermaker, 30gph and a new membrane. What is the journey from BIM to Exumas like, how far? Anywhere to stop and anchor along the way if it is too far to make by dark? I believe we have the Bahamas Explorer charts on AquaMaps.
    I read that it costs $100 just to stop for customs at Cat Cay. Is the marina there any good and will they waive the fee if you rent a slip for the night?
    Michael & Beth
    Hull Number CV312
    63’ Cockpit Motor Yacht
    1986 model launched in August 1987

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