Bahamas 2024 prep

[madhatter1]

We have decided to plan a trip to the West End for beaches, fishing, and snorkeling. This year (2023) we are going to do a run to Stuart, hang for a bit, and then run back just since we have never run the Okeechobee before. Want to have done the locks and all that at least once. Then only new part is heading across. Found a great place to stay in Manatee Pocket. Fun spot that works for us.

I know several here have plenty of experience in the Bahamas so I need to figure a few things out. I have a business where I need email and phone access. I support several guys in the field. Need to be able to receive text pictures. No need to send big files via email.

So what are my options for communication?

Anyone that can give me pointers on West end? Bringing our electric scooters that are good for at least 10 mile round trips.

How is the shore power there?

Any DD mechanics available if needed? My local mechanic will fly out if really needed (he likes me as a customer so kind of on retainer if needed) but if anything comes up beyond my abilities to fix or bandaid it would be nice to have someone to call.

Did some checking on fuel prices. Seems higher but nothing crazy. Nothing to worry about? Trip will be funded on "vacation bucks" so not really counting. Just want to know what to expect.

Good places to anchor for the day? Will be toting a dink with inflatable "hard bottom" floor and probably electric motor for short jumps to the beach.

Good fun bars or food? If any.

If friends want to fly in and hang for a couple days is the local airport an option or do the fly into Freeport and then get a ride out?

I did try to research a lot of this online but everything is getting like government web sites. Hard to find what you are actually looking for.

Also wouldn't mind a buddy boat. I'm a noob on the crossing and the more the merrier. I'll even run off plane to cruise with a MY.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Pascal]

West end? Not much there. Just a place to clear customs and move on further. I wouldn’t spend more than 2 days there.

Exumas or Abacos is really where you want to be. Personally I m not a big fan of the abacos for a number of reasons. Better marinas but much colder in winter with much stronger fronts. Crossing from WPB to west end is usually rougher than further south. I m a big fans of the exumas. 130 nm of island with dozens of protected anchorages and thousands of beaches and sandbars.

For coms, forget Wi-Fi even with a booster. Cell has been fine for the last few years either aliv or BTC prepaid or My Island Wi-Fi if you can get one. That said, starlink is now the best option especially with the new in motion Rv plan by 2024 I think you d be crazy not to use them

Fuel Prices are usually $1 higher than stateside, sometimes more in the smaller islands

Shore power reliability varies in the Bahamas, and usually expensive. Count on 0.25 to 0.40 per KW… some places meter$$$ other have a reasonable flat fee. Same with water… up to $0.5 a gallon…. Water maker a must

Mechanics… depends on where you after. Bring plenty of spares.

 

[Dan Mapes]

I agree that West End is not much of a stop. In the past the restaurant was open on a hit or miss basis. The beach bar had a similar "business model". There is basically nothing outside of the resort until you get to Freeport or Lucaya. What is found in those places may not impress either.
Old Bahama Bay (West End) has a great pool and a really nice beach. Some have fished out of OBB and done well. Their fuel prices are generally cheaper than what is found in the Abacos, but Nassau will be better.
Water and electric are usually metered and expensive. We learned not to drink the water unless we knew the place. We ran our own water maker.
Anchorages might be found in the Bimini area but don't bother around OBB. There are a few good anchorages for an overnight on the way to the Abacos from OBB. Great Sale, some used Mangrove Cay, etc. on the way.
We really enjoyed the Abacos but at this point they are still recovering from Dorian. A few marinas are open if you push to the Abacos. Make sure you talk to the places you intend to stay. Hopetown sounds more like what you are looking for than OBB or Bimini. Perhaps a trip that stops at Green Turtle, Orchid Bay, and Hopetown would work but if you want to be connected get a local cell plan and pray it is up when you need it.
Star Link is cool, but the speeds while roaming are awful. I had a recent chat with a boater that has it and he was not really a fan. Once he locked in on a permanent position it was much better but I think he depends on cell service for the majority of his work, and he runs his business from the boat.
Spares are important. Filters, impellers, hardware etc.. There is no need to have scooters at OBB, but on Green Turtle and Elbow Cay they will be handy. Not sure if you will get hit on by the authorities with them.
I kept a subscription to Chris Parker for weather.
I used to refer to this web site for details but as we can see, data is a year old now and that makes me wonder.

Fuel & Dockage | Explorer Chartbooks (explorercharts.com)


We have stayed here for a Winters, check their rates.

marina | Hope Town Inn Marina (hopetownmarina.com)

 

[Pascal]

Grand Bahama hasn’t recovered from Dorian, it’s not what you remember Dan

Our starlink is the RV version, roaming. So we re at the bottom of the priority list and it works very well. Even here in Miami we re considered to be roaming. There was a dip in speed around august and September but it looks like they have added satellites for so fl since, which makes sense as they were supposed to offer home service here just around now.

A closer alternative to the abacos and exumas would be the Berrys. Great Harbor Cay has a very well protected inexpensive marina. The island is pretty nice. Not that many anchorages in the Berrys but for a few days or a week it’s nice. Much better than Bimini.

Anchoring in Bimini is limited and exposed. We don’t even stop there on the way to the exumas

 

[madhatter1]

We are just going to west end for the fist time. The nothing to do part fits our needs. Going for the clear water, beaches, relaxing, and a little fishing. It’s already a long enough trip coming from St Pete down the coast, across the okeechobee, and then crossing. I’ll have a stocked fridge and provisions. Top off on fuel and water in Stuart. No water maker but have 160 gallons of fresh water.

 

[cww]

There's a "starlink on boats" facebook page that has info I would consider invaluable if you're going to need constant internet connectivity while traveling. That's really your best option, because unlike starlink there is no cell provider that services every location. The trick to getting good speeds out of it is to disable the aiming motor in the antenna mount. The first-gen version of the mobile antenna, for whatever reason, people have different theories, the best one being it doesn't track fast enough for the rocking motion of a boat, it doesn't perform well on the water out of the box. If you just disable the motor and leave it stationary, then it works great. If you want an OEM type look, a lot of people are buying dummy tracvision domes and putting the starlink antenna in there.

 

[madhatter1]

Can you activate/deactivate Starlink account to only pay when needed? May be a good option for our RV as well. We camp in very rural areas (dirt bike areas) so this might be good. I don’t need anything while in motion. Just at the dock. Be nice to use a few times a year. Even if I have to pay a whole month to cover a short trip.

 

[zigzag930]

We did the Berries, Exumas, Eleuthera, Abacos trip this past June from Punta Gorda. It was a fantastic trip covering about 1000 miles over 5 weeks.

Our route was from Charlotte Harbor to the middle keys, through the channel 5 bridge, then ran north east on the gulf stream to Gun Key. From there to the Berries.

On the way back we were up in the Abacos, so decided to come back via the Okeechobee route. For us, we'd not go that way again. Slow and not all that much to see. We are set up to run overnight, so from a timeframe point of view it is faster for us to go to the keys than it is to screw around with all the locks, etc on the OWW. FYI, our cruising speed is about 7.5-8.0 knots and running overnight is not an issue for us at all.

The Abacos had not 50% recovered from the storm 2-3 years ago, but they were hit again this year and most likely back to ground zero.

In the 5 weeks were gone, we were able to anchor out all but 3 nights so there are plenty of places to stay on the hook if that's what you like.

I've not been to Bimini, but based on what we've heard lately, have no desire to clear in there. The Berries are beautiful and you can clear in there no problem.

We had an Iridium GO satellite communications system and BTC cell phone service. If we go back next year (or 2024) I will sell the Iridium and go with Starlink for sure.

By the way, we did use our SSB as well to stay in touch the marine network and report our location in case of any problems.

We do have a watermaker and if you plan to spend much time in the Bahamas, it is real nice to have one. There were 4 of us on board and we showered, washed the boat as much as we wanted. Water is expensive there, but most marinas are now using RO water so at least you get clean water in most places.

Keep in mind that this is a remote area compared to the US. Bring lots of spare parts, filters, etc. If you need a part while over there, might as well fly back to the US and get it yourself.

Can't comment on fuel prices, but plan in advance, especially as you head south down the chain. We carry enough to get there and back with plenty of reserve.

You are most welcome to PM me to discuss in more detail or if you have specific questions.

J

 

[Bugsy]

Last May/June, we ran from Ft.Myers to Marathon; Marathon to Chubb; fuelled in Nassau and on to Highbourne Cay in the Exumas which we very much enjoy. Thereafter, down to Cave Cay.....very well-protected and VERY quiet. We used our T-mobile cell for internet and as usual, were well-satisfied with our connectivity. No watermaker; we carried drinking water and paid for RO water at the marinas as required. We split our time between anchorages and marinas.
No where near the experience of Pascal but about the 8th trip to the Exumas. Abacos only twice but probably going this Spring only because we want a shorter trip leaving from WPB.

 

[whoover]

Check out "elliyacht" on you tube. They are living aboard in Seattle and have been doing a lot of testing with Starlink and cellular connectivity. It might answer some of you questions. You can deactivate starlink when not using it but I think it's a seasonal thing, not on for a day then off for a few but I'm probably wrong on that.

Walt Hoover

 

[rsmith]

Unless your running a cruise ship like Pascal it’s cheaper and easier to buy the water. Water makers have a high initial cost plus if anyone is really honest the cost of disposables membrane and high electrical consumption of the pressure pump at Bahamian electric rates puts the realistic cost at .30 +. Put shutoffs on the shower heads and get your crew used to conserving water. It goes a long way if you don’t let the spigots run and shut water off between washing
West end is a good place to get your feet wet. Fishing is good and if you get yourself a deep drop setup to get to 600’ the snapper and grouper are fantastic. Walkers and Grand could be a next stop if you get bored of West end but the rest of the Abacos is still pretty much wiped. And crime has become a factor. I subscribe to the Bahamian news and there are constant murders over there especially GBI and Nassau. There is an ongoing race war between local Bahamians and the Haitians that were stranded there when human smuggling thing went south a few years ago. Now they have kind of settled there and live in their own settlements. Desperate people in desperate times do desperate things. Remember as a fat cat American your a target.

 

[Pascal]

Seawaterpro has 40GPH water maker for $4500. Membranes last around 5 years, pre filters are cheap and they last a long time in the Bahamas anyway

https://seawaterpro.com/products/24-volt-double-membrane-water-maker?variant=42043244249321

I installed one as a back up a year ago. Very simple, no fancy electronics and very reliable.

It s not about saving money but not having to go a dock every couple of days. It’s about being able to rinse the boat after a run. It s about comfort.

 

[Dan Mapes]

It's also about your health. If you blindly trust the supplied water, it could be a mistake. Bring a TDS meter and check the water before you put it in your tank.

 

[Fanfare]

Many years ago, before reverse osmosis watermakers, we were forced to get whatever fresh water was available. Then, even in Nassau, my testing showed there was no chlorine in city water. The out islands were worse. Bahama Belly was common. We would add Clorox in measured quantities to our tanks. We became really good at conserving water. Our kids all had bright white teeth. But once the grandchildren began arriving I decided we needed a better source of reliable water. Our first early watermaker did not last long but our second, by Watermakers, Inc. in Ft. Lauderdale, has been great. While anchored out I run the watermaker at night when the generator doesn't have much to do other than run the AC. The only drawback is that similar to a home water softener our RO water is so soft that it takes twice as much water to rinse the soap off. Go a size up in selecting your watermaker. We do 40 gallons an hour for our 280 gallon tanks. A few gallons are wasted at shutdown each day rinsing the salt brine out of the membranes. If you decide to spend much time in the Bahamas it's worth the investment.

 

[Passages]

If you are on Facebook, there is a group called Bahamas cruising and Sailing. I’ve found members to be very helpful. There is also a member sharing their digital book “ Cruising the Bahamas with the Lucky Me” free of charge . It’s a great reference and planning guide for the first time Bahama cruiser.

 

[madhatter1]

Putting more thought and daydreaming into this we are now thinking about doing the mini loop. Mad Beach-Marathon-Bimini-West End-Stuart-Okeechobee-and back. Can add stops in between. To make my wife more comfortable with thunderstorms each day we we run anywhere it will be exiting marinas just as it gets light. We got beat up off Marco returning from the Keys a few years ago even in a 46. Sky was black. What were we supposed to do, turn around and go back to the Keys? Anyway with this strategy and extra time in case of WX we don't want to run in I think we should be good.

Question on the Gulf stream. Does it help with speed at all running with the stream or is that a narrow area that won't help much.

Again, all we want is the super clear water and layed back fun. Not interested in other areas of the Bahamas. But definitely interested in any rec's on stops in the Keys or even Miami area. Marathon is the furthest we have been from the nest.

 

[Dan Mapes]

We traveled at around 8 or 9 knots in Freedom. When we left Lauderdale for West End we always picked up a good shove. It varied but it was certainly there. Could have been at least 2 knots.
When crossing straight over from West Palm to West End we had to steer into it.

if you want super clear, the Exumas are where you want to be. We could see the bottom pulling into West End or Bimini but with all of the traffic it gets stirred up. With a small light weight dink going in and out of West End is not the most pleasant.
Depending on where you tie up in Bimini, getting over to the Sapona is doable but you want good weather and low traffic. We did this in an 11 foot Avon with 18 HP.

 

[madhatter1]

Posted on THT and got this response searching for Starlink facts. Anyone here know if the $150 regional plan works in the Bahamas? We are not looking for service running, only at the dock or on the hook.

Quote:
Originally Posted by madhatter1
I have a few questions maybe some could answer here. So hard to find info on the Starlink site. Next year we are planning a trip to West end and Bimini areas. For business I need to stay connected and have phone service. Also we have an RV that we want to use it for so for hardware looking at the portable unit. Most of the time we will be docked when using it so figure that will be stable.

Questions
Will it work anchored (but close to shore) in the Bahamas?
Looks like from coverage map it will work well anchored coastal US areas. Can anyone verify this?
The 3 mobile plans are regional (what I mostly need), Global (think this is what I need for Bahamas), and priority (may need this on the hook).
Can I switch plans (1 month at a time) to upgrade for the Bahamas trip and then back down to regional when we return?

Thanks if anyone can answer this or point me in the right direction.
Mobile regional will work just fine for US and Bahamas. (Regional plan is within same continent and Caribbean is considered N. America) $150/month currently. If you look at the coverage map on the starlink site everywhere you see a black hexagon will be considered ocean. If you are in the ocean you will need to enable priority data in the app and pay $2/gb. As long as you are close to land it usually works. We spent 6 weeks in Abacos & Exumas, Bahamas in June/July and only turned on priority running in open areas away from land. And yes you can change plans month to month.

Scott

 

[Pascal]

Things have changed a bit since my original reply on this thread, both plans and hardware.

Plans are easy. You need the $150 a month Mobile Regional plan. Which works thruout North America and the Caribbean. When offshore you need to toggle OIPD (opt in priority data) in the app. We do that when crossing the gulf stream and on the banks away from islands. Coat is $2 a gig

Where it gets tricky is the hardware. We started with the standard residential dish which worked fine underway for a few months. The about a year ago, it would disconnect underway even at only 9kts. We upgraded to the $2500 HP dish which is the only one approved for in motion use. What is odd is that some users report that their standard dish works fine underway even on plane. Some say that Starlink has stopped enforcing the restriction on the standard dish working at speed. Unclear.

If you need reliable internet and phone, then rhe HP dish is the way to go.

 

[madhatter1]

Pascal, we don't need service underway. Just for when we get there, hop around, and anchor overnight. Will have a brand new portable receiver. So that should be it, right? If so I'll order now to start using it locally and in the RV so we are used to it.