Bobby P.
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2018
- Messages
- 440
- Fluid Motion Model
- C-302 SC
- Non-Fluid Motion Model
- Boston Whaler
- Vessel Name
- The Retreat
We did it!
If you have followed our postings on this topic, (viewtopic.php?f=2&t=18145 and viewtopic.php?f=4&t=16697#p109198), you know that we’ve been waiting quite a while to get a good weather window to cross from Florida to Bimini. We did most of our waiting in the Florida Keys, so I can’t say that the wait was at all a problem.
Waking up each night around 3:00 or 4:00 am, I would check the weather for the next 5 days. We mostly used: Marv’s Weather Service http://www.marvsweather.com/mbw/report_link1.html, Windfinder app and Marine Forecast app.
We decided, as this was our first crossing, to cap our wave action at 2ft at 8 seconds and winds less than 12knots (and nothing out of the north). The Gulf Streams runs about 4-5 knots north, so any wind out of the north would cause nasty and obnoxious seas, which could kick up larger seas extremely quickly. Also, you really want three days in a row of decent weather, as it is good to give the seas a day to calm down and three days in a row demonstrates some consistency.
Around June 20th we saw that the weather was going cooperate for a few days, starting on June 22. We decided we would depart on June 24. We were in Key Largo at the time, so we started planning our move north, with a departure staging anchorage at No Name Harbor, which is at the top of Biscayne Bay. BTW, No Name is extremely well protected and is part of the Bill Bragg State Park. A great place to visit, which is worthy of another full posting
On the morning of June 24, I awoke at 4am and checked the weather. Winds were out of the east at 10 knots and seas 1-2 feet at 5 seconds. The afternoon would bring 12 knots and 2-foot, with seas at 3-5 seconds. This was our day. We would take it! Not totally perfect, because seas at 3 seconds means that the waves are right on top of each other and can be very bumpy. We decided we would try it, anyway. We also saw that the weather was really good all the way through June 1st, so at this point we also had a weather window to return.
We were not able to push off at daybreak, because we had to drop off the pooch at a doggy sitter about 1.5 miles away. BTW, if you want to bring your dog to the Bahamas, start that process a few weeks out. We didn’t start it until 5 days out, and as it turned out, that this was not enough time (even if you have all of the dog’s appropriate paperwork - this, too, will be another post).
Fast forward to 9:30 am on the 24th. We posted our float plan with coordinates and time predictions to start, and then at 10-mile marks, and a final destination and predicted time. This plan went to two different resourceful people we know, both of whom are the automatic contacts on our EPIRP. We checked in with these people at our departure time and again when we arrived. We also sent the float plan to our kids, and made the same contacts.
The ride over was, as you should expect, more wind and waves than predicted. We had 10-15 out of the east with 3-4 seas at 3 seconds, and occasional 5-6 footers. We couldn’t pilot from the bridge, as we were getting soaked every so often with the 5-6ers. If the 3-4 foot seas were at 10 seconds, it would be more like swells, which would not present much of a problem. If you are planning to make this crossing, it's a good idea to pay attention to this detail.
My planned speed for the trip was 15 knots at 3050 rpms, burning 12 gph. In actuality, we were consistently running 12.5 knots, burning 12.5 gph, at 3150 rpms. The wind and wave were slowing us down an also creating a greater fuel burn.
After the first 15 miles, we re-evaluated and decided to carry on. We decided we would continue because we were fully in the Gulf stream and the wind and waves, although somewhat unpleasant, were consistent and predictable. If things seemed like they were building, or waves were more confused, we would have decided to turn around. At our half-way and two thirds marks, things were still the same. When we were about 7-10 miles from Bimini, the seas began calming. The water was as blue and amazing as you could imagine. At 3 miles out the waters calmed to less than a foot and about 5-7 knot winds. At 1 mile out, the water turned turquoise and clear. You could easily see the bottom, 50ft or so below.
At this point, we took down our US flag and raised our yellow quarantine flag (immigration regulations - nothing to do with COVID). We followed the channel in to our marina, Bimini Blue Resort, and got our slip. I took our paper work to immigrations and customs, and then returned to our boat. We then raised the Bimini Flag on our main mast. We posted the American flag on our stern and our Maryland State flag on our bow.
We made our trip back on the 30th. Wind was ESE 5-7 knots, seas 1 foot at 8 seconds. Easy ride back to the States. Once we were 1 mile out, we used the app CBP ROAM, to complete the US immigration process.
A few take-aways:
Have an EPIRP
Make and share your float plan
Have appropriate and comfortable PFDs (and wear them!)
Wait for the right weather.
The trip was amazing! Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
I’ll do a separate write-up and post on our 5-day adventure in and around Bimini.
Best to all and happy boating!
Bobby and May
If you have followed our postings on this topic, (viewtopic.php?f=2&t=18145 and viewtopic.php?f=4&t=16697#p109198), you know that we’ve been waiting quite a while to get a good weather window to cross from Florida to Bimini. We did most of our waiting in the Florida Keys, so I can’t say that the wait was at all a problem.
Waking up each night around 3:00 or 4:00 am, I would check the weather for the next 5 days. We mostly used: Marv’s Weather Service http://www.marvsweather.com/mbw/report_link1.html, Windfinder app and Marine Forecast app.
We decided, as this was our first crossing, to cap our wave action at 2ft at 8 seconds and winds less than 12knots (and nothing out of the north). The Gulf Streams runs about 4-5 knots north, so any wind out of the north would cause nasty and obnoxious seas, which could kick up larger seas extremely quickly. Also, you really want three days in a row of decent weather, as it is good to give the seas a day to calm down and three days in a row demonstrates some consistency.
Around June 20th we saw that the weather was going cooperate for a few days, starting on June 22. We decided we would depart on June 24. We were in Key Largo at the time, so we started planning our move north, with a departure staging anchorage at No Name Harbor, which is at the top of Biscayne Bay. BTW, No Name is extremely well protected and is part of the Bill Bragg State Park. A great place to visit, which is worthy of another full posting
On the morning of June 24, I awoke at 4am and checked the weather. Winds were out of the east at 10 knots and seas 1-2 feet at 5 seconds. The afternoon would bring 12 knots and 2-foot, with seas at 3-5 seconds. This was our day. We would take it! Not totally perfect, because seas at 3 seconds means that the waves are right on top of each other and can be very bumpy. We decided we would try it, anyway. We also saw that the weather was really good all the way through June 1st, so at this point we also had a weather window to return.
We were not able to push off at daybreak, because we had to drop off the pooch at a doggy sitter about 1.5 miles away. BTW, if you want to bring your dog to the Bahamas, start that process a few weeks out. We didn’t start it until 5 days out, and as it turned out, that this was not enough time (even if you have all of the dog’s appropriate paperwork - this, too, will be another post).
Fast forward to 9:30 am on the 24th. We posted our float plan with coordinates and time predictions to start, and then at 10-mile marks, and a final destination and predicted time. This plan went to two different resourceful people we know, both of whom are the automatic contacts on our EPIRP. We checked in with these people at our departure time and again when we arrived. We also sent the float plan to our kids, and made the same contacts.
The ride over was, as you should expect, more wind and waves than predicted. We had 10-15 out of the east with 3-4 seas at 3 seconds, and occasional 5-6 footers. We couldn’t pilot from the bridge, as we were getting soaked every so often with the 5-6ers. If the 3-4 foot seas were at 10 seconds, it would be more like swells, which would not present much of a problem. If you are planning to make this crossing, it's a good idea to pay attention to this detail.
My planned speed for the trip was 15 knots at 3050 rpms, burning 12 gph. In actuality, we were consistently running 12.5 knots, burning 12.5 gph, at 3150 rpms. The wind and wave were slowing us down an also creating a greater fuel burn.
After the first 15 miles, we re-evaluated and decided to carry on. We decided we would continue because we were fully in the Gulf stream and the wind and waves, although somewhat unpleasant, were consistent and predictable. If things seemed like they were building, or waves were more confused, we would have decided to turn around. At our half-way and two thirds marks, things were still the same. When we were about 7-10 miles from Bimini, the seas began calming. The water was as blue and amazing as you could imagine. At 3 miles out the waters calmed to less than a foot and about 5-7 knot winds. At 1 mile out, the water turned turquoise and clear. You could easily see the bottom, 50ft or so below.
At this point, we took down our US flag and raised our yellow quarantine flag (immigration regulations - nothing to do with COVID). We followed the channel in to our marina, Bimini Blue Resort, and got our slip. I took our paper work to immigrations and customs, and then returned to our boat. We then raised the Bimini Flag on our main mast. We posted the American flag on our stern and our Maryland State flag on our bow.
We made our trip back on the 30th. Wind was ESE 5-7 knots, seas 1 foot at 8 seconds. Easy ride back to the States. Once we were 1 mile out, we used the app CBP ROAM, to complete the US immigration process.
A few take-aways:
Have an EPIRP
Make and share your float plan
Have appropriate and comfortable PFDs (and wear them!)
Wait for the right weather.
The trip was amazing! Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
I’ll do a separate write-up and post on our 5-day adventure in and around Bimini.
Best to all and happy boating!
Bobby and May
