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OL

Otis ltd

Thu, Nov 24, 2005 1:34 PM

Happy Thanksgiving to all:
Palmetto Moon, OA trawler, is leaving Chas. Tuesday for 2 weeks in Fla.
and then crossing to the Bahamas for our first trip over.
Probably leaving Lake Worth to West End and then to Hope Town, Abacos.
We have read all the crossing info on this site and other materials,
Skipper Bob, Explorer Charts, etc.
All say don't attempt with the wind from any N quadrant. OK, got it.
The thing no one says, is what conditions should we be looking for?
Aside from the obvious of flat seas and light winds,
what are the conditions that we should strive to cross or not cross?
Also, is the path from Lake Worth to West End the way we should cross?

Thanks in advance to all.
Your knowledge gives us neophytes the ability to know what's what.

Jim Cobb
Palmetto Moon - Ocean Alexander-423
864-921-4304 Cell
e-mail address otisltd@mysc.com

Happy Thanksgiving to all: Palmetto Moon, OA trawler, is leaving Chas. Tuesday for 2 weeks in Fla. and then crossing to the Bahamas for our first trip over. Probably leaving Lake Worth to West End and then to Hope Town, Abacos. We have read all the crossing info on this site and other materials, Skipper Bob, Explorer Charts, etc. All say don't attempt with the wind from any N quadrant. OK, got it. The thing no one says, is what conditions should we be looking for? Aside from the obvious of flat seas and light winds, what are the conditions that we should strive to cross or not cross? Also, is the path from Lake Worth to West End the way we should cross? Thanks in advance to all. Your knowledge gives us neophytes the ability to know what's what. Jim Cobb Palmetto Moon - Ocean Alexander-423 864-921-4304 Cell e-mail address otisltd@mysc.com

JS

Jeffrey Siegel

Thu, Nov 24, 2005 4:38 PM

The thing no one says, is what conditions should we be looking for?
Aside from the obvious of flat seas and light winds, what are
the conditions that we should strive to cross or not cross?

With experience you'll develop a set of guidelines for traveling into the
unknown. For us, it's winds under 20 kts and waves 3-5 ft or less. Of
course, everything is always considered, but those are basic parameters that
give us a starting point for a go/no-go decision. For a first crossing to
the Bahamas, I'd want better conditions. I'd also look for wave period
predictions. Five foot waves with an 11 second period are much nicer than
three foot waves with a 4 second period. buoyweather.com is a good place to
get those kinds of predictions. A Florida map of predictions is available
at:

http://buoyweather.com/wxnav.jsp?region=FL&program=Maps

Crossing from Lake Worth to West End is a good first crossing. It's what we
did too. It is pretty safe, close, and ends up in a nice protected marina.
It will take you a couple of days to get to Hope Town (minimally) from
there. It is very worth the side trips to stop at Green Turtle and Great
Guana - take your time and go slow.

================
Jeffrey Siegel
M/V aCappella
DeFever 53PH
W1ACA/WDB4350
Castine, Maine

> The thing no one says, is what conditions should we be looking for? > Aside from the obvious of flat seas and light winds, what are > the conditions that we should strive to cross or not cross? With experience you'll develop a set of guidelines for traveling into the unknown. For us, it's winds under 20 kts and waves 3-5 ft or less. Of course, everything is always considered, but those are basic parameters that give us a starting point for a go/no-go decision. For a first crossing to the Bahamas, I'd want better conditions. I'd also look for wave period predictions. Five foot waves with an 11 second period are much nicer than three foot waves with a 4 second period. buoyweather.com is a good place to get those kinds of predictions. A Florida map of predictions is available at: http://buoyweather.com/wxnav.jsp?region=FL&program=Maps Crossing from Lake Worth to West End is a good first crossing. It's what we did too. It is pretty safe, close, and ends up in a nice protected marina. It will take you a couple of days to get to Hope Town (minimally) from there. It is very worth the side trips to stop at Green Turtle and Great Guana - take your time and go slow. ================ Jeffrey Siegel M/V aCappella DeFever 53PH W1ACA/WDB4350 Castine, Maine

RC

R C Smith Jr

Thu, Nov 24, 2005 5:02 PM

On 11/24/05 8:34 AM, "Otis ltd" otisltd@mysc.com wrote:

All say don't attempt with the wind from any N quadrant. OK, got it.
The thing no one says, is what conditions should we be looking for?
Aside from the obvious of flat seas and light winds,
what are the conditions that we should strive to cross or not cross?
Also, is the path from Lake Worth to West End the way we should cross?

Jim, I think Skipper Bob does a pretty good job in the Bahamas Bound
book...in the weather section, I think. In a nutshell, wait till the winds
clock around to the south...and die. You may wait for, but will eventually
get, two-footers or less with light and variable winds out of the south.
Here is the web site to watch:

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/shmrn.php?mz=amz670

Palm to West End is perfect...especially for your first crossing. The MARY
KATHRYN is leaving on the next weather window from Palm, but we will hit the
Bank north of West End and keep going to clear Customs at Marsh Harbour to
save time.

If your are patient, the crossing will be a milk run...

Bob

R C Smith Jr
M/V MARY KATHRYN
Hatteras 58 LRC
Palm Beach, FL, USA

On 11/24/05 8:34 AM, "Otis ltd" <otisltd@mysc.com> wrote: > All say don't attempt with the wind from any N quadrant. OK, got it. > The thing no one says, is what conditions should we be looking for? > Aside from the obvious of flat seas and light winds, > what are the conditions that we should strive to cross or not cross? > Also, is the path from Lake Worth to West End the way we should cross? Jim, I think Skipper Bob does a pretty good job in the Bahamas Bound book...in the weather section, I think. In a nutshell, wait till the winds clock around to the south...and die. You may wait for, but will eventually get, two-footers or less with light and variable winds out of the south. Here is the web site to watch: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/shmrn.php?mz=amz670 Palm to West End is perfect...especially for your first crossing. The MARY KATHRYN is leaving on the next weather window from Palm, but we will hit the Bank north of West End and keep going to clear Customs at Marsh Harbour to save time. If your are patient, the crossing will be a milk run... Bob ___________________ R C Smith Jr M/V MARY KATHRYN Hatteras 58 LRC Palm Beach, FL, USA

MR

Mark Richter

Sat, Nov 26, 2005 12:40 AM

Unless you have a driving ambition to visit West End and the marina there,
consider leaving from St. Lucie Inlet in Stuart, crossing to the White Sand
Ridge, then continue on to Great Sale Cay and anchor for the night.
Continue on to Green Turtle Cay and do the customs thing there. We often go
direct Stuart to GTC, 23 hours at 7.5 kts. Green Turtle is one of the most
pleasant places for customs, and no dockage charges (since there's no dock
needed) just anchor, dinghy into town, and see the customs man. You save a
day going on south from Stuart to Palm Beach, and save a few miles on the
crossing.

Mark Richter, m/v Winnie the Pooh
Ortona, FL

Unless you have a driving ambition to visit West End and the marina there, consider leaving from St. Lucie Inlet in Stuart, crossing to the White Sand Ridge, then continue on to Great Sale Cay and anchor for the night. Continue on to Green Turtle Cay and do the customs thing there. We often go direct Stuart to GTC, 23 hours at 7.5 kts. Green Turtle is one of the most pleasant places for customs, and no dockage charges (since there's no dock needed) just anchor, dinghy into town, and see the customs man. You save a day going on south from Stuart to Palm Beach, and save a few miles on the crossing. Mark Richter, m/v Winnie the Pooh Ortona, FL

RC

R C Smith Jr

Sat, Nov 26, 2005 5:52 PM

Incidentally, Tuesday looks like a possible crossing day. Light winds for
days before and forecast to be 10k out of south, waves 2 to 3.

Bob

R C Smith Jr
M/V MARY KATHRYN
Hatteras 58 LRC
Palm Beach, FL, USA

Incidentally, Tuesday looks like a possible crossing day. Light winds for days before and forecast to be 10k out of south, waves 2 to 3. Bob ___________________ R C Smith Jr M/V MARY KATHRYN Hatteras 58 LRC Palm Beach, FL, USA

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Bahamas crossing conditions