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#1
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A bit of advice, please, for a UK yachtsman.
If I have a boat in Newport RI and want to head south to the Caribbean -I imagine this is well worn route - what is the best time of year to do it? Is it better/ more interesting to use the inland route, or make a sea passage? How long would you allow to cruise it, rather than race it? Anything that would help me plan this passage would be useful, many thanks |
#2
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If your mean to the Windwards or Leewards and not the Bahamas, then what
you do is head for Bermuda. From there you go south. Depending on your vessel this is about a week or less to Bermuda and about 2 or more weeks to, for example, the Virgins or St. Martin You could also go to the Chesapeake first, but it doesn't save you much time at all. You can go down the water way to Florida, but then it is all up wind to the Caribbean, but the Bahamas are very close. Parts of the water way are very interesting. Other parts are very boring I am in Newport. If/when you are here, go down to the Armchair Sailor Bookstore on lower Thames. They will have everything you need. People usually leave in the middle of October or thereabouts. This is after the hurricane season and before it gets too cold. Good Luck captain. Bill "Ayesha" wrote in message k... A bit of advice, please, for a UK yachtsman. If I have a boat in Newport RI and want to head south to the Caribbean -I imagine this is well worn route - what is the best time of year to do it? Is it better/ more interesting to use the inland route, or make a sea passage? How long would you allow to cruise it, rather than race it? Anything that would help me plan this passage would be useful, many thanks |
#3
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If your mean to the Windwards or Leewards and not the Bahamas, then what
you do is head for Bermuda. From there you go south. Depending on your vessel this is about a week or less to Bermuda and about 2 or more weeks to, for example, the Virgins or St. Martin You could also go to the Chesapeake first, but it doesn't save you much time at all. You can go down the water way to Florida, but then it is all up wind to the Caribbean, but the Bahamas are very close. Parts of the water way are very interesting. Other parts are very boring I am in Newport. If/when you are here, go down to the Armchair Sailor Bookstore on lower Thames. They will have everything you need. People usually leave in the middle of October or thereabouts. This is after the hurricane season and before it gets too cold. Good Luck captain. Bill "Ayesha" wrote in message k... A bit of advice, please, for a UK yachtsman. If I have a boat in Newport RI and want to head south to the Caribbean -I imagine this is well worn route - what is the best time of year to do it? Is it better/ more interesting to use the inland route, or make a sea passage? How long would you allow to cruise it, rather than race it? Anything that would help me plan this passage would be useful, many thanks |
#4
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Subject: Heading south from US E coast
From: "Bill" People usually leave in the middle of October or thereabouts. This is after the hurricane season The hurricane season ends in December. Capt. Bill |
#5
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Subject: Heading south from US E coast
From: "Bill" People usually leave in the middle of October or thereabouts. This is after the hurricane season The hurricane season ends in December. Capt. Bill |
#6
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Now is the time. You have about 3 weeks to get packed up and out of
there. After November the weather windows get shorter and shorter and the forcasts less reliable. Head in the general direction of Bermuda but don't be tempted to stop there unless you have plenty of money and resolve to continue on immediately. Bermuda is seductive, expensive and a storm magnet in the winter. If departing after the first of December go south to Bufort before heading out. Take the ICW behind the cape. If you can't fit in the ditch head out ESE from Norfolk. Stay at least 200 miles off of Hatteras. Get as much easting as you can above about 25N. We do it out of Charleston on deliveries every couple of years but getting east is a lot easier when you start out from Bufort or further north. When you get to 65W hang a right and proceed direct to the Eastern Caribbean. Ayesha wrote: A bit of advice, please, for a UK yachtsman. If I have a boat in Newport RI and want to head south to the Caribbean -I imagine this is well worn route - what is the best time of year to do it? Is it better/ more interesting to use the inland route, or make a sea passage? How long would you allow to cruise it, rather than race it? Anything that would help me plan this passage would be useful, many thanks -- Glenn Ashmore I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com |
#7
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Now is the time. You have about 3 weeks to get packed up and out of
there. After November the weather windows get shorter and shorter and the forcasts less reliable. Head in the general direction of Bermuda but don't be tempted to stop there unless you have plenty of money and resolve to continue on immediately. Bermuda is seductive, expensive and a storm magnet in the winter. If departing after the first of December go south to Bufort before heading out. Take the ICW behind the cape. If you can't fit in the ditch head out ESE from Norfolk. Stay at least 200 miles off of Hatteras. Get as much easting as you can above about 25N. We do it out of Charleston on deliveries every couple of years but getting east is a lot easier when you start out from Bufort or further north. When you get to 65W hang a right and proceed direct to the Eastern Caribbean. Ayesha wrote: A bit of advice, please, for a UK yachtsman. If I have a boat in Newport RI and want to head south to the Caribbean -I imagine this is well worn route - what is the best time of year to do it? Is it better/ more interesting to use the inland route, or make a sea passage? How long would you allow to cruise it, rather than race it? Anything that would help me plan this passage would be useful, many thanks -- Glenn Ashmore I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com |
#8
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LaBomba182 wrote:
Subject: Heading south from US E coast From: "Bill" People usually leave in the middle of October or thereabouts. This is after the hurricane season The hurricane season ends in December. Capt. Bill The official end is 01 Nov. Whether that turns out to be the case is often another question. -- Good luck and good sailing. s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat http://kerrydeare.tripod.com |
#9
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LaBomba182 wrote:
Subject: Heading south from US E coast From: "Bill" People usually leave in the middle of October or thereabouts. This is after the hurricane season The hurricane season ends in December. Capt. Bill The official end is 01 Nov. Whether that turns out to be the case is often another question. -- Good luck and good sailing. s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat http://kerrydeare.tripod.com |
#10
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A few years a go, we sailed from Fort Lauderdale Florida to the east end of
Puerto Rica (which is where the Virgin's start). We first sailed to Nassau and then headed out from there. It was a long slog to windward and not too pleasant even in a 50 footer. Total trip was about 9 days Once that far south, many cruisers go leisurely via the Abacos and Exumas and then have a shorter and somewhat more sheltered but still upwind stretch to Puerto Rica and on to the Virgins. It is apparently best to bypass Haiti and the Dominican Republic - there may be some smaller islands to stop at - others may know. Some friends are presently doing the trip - they planned to go via Norfolk or Beaufort, then to Bermuda and then to BVI,s - 38 footer. Fine for experienced sailors, but most cruisers from our area do not venture that far out to sea! As others have said - timing is such that you should now be on your way! "Ayesha" wrote A bit of advice, please, for a UK yachtsman. If I have a boat in Newport RI and want to head south to the Caribbean -I imagine this is well worn route - what is the best time of year to do it? Is it better/ more interesting to use the inland route, or make a sea passage? How long would you allow to cruise it, rather than race it? Anything that would help me plan this passage would be useful, many thanks |
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