Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.
 

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.

My son and I would like to take a baby step offshore from Florida to a
Caribbean destination, in fair weather, aboard a SouthCoast 23
(A trailerable centerboard sloop) as a first voyage, next Summer.

I hope that this is not a question of the kind that if you have to
ask, you shouldn't be doing it.....
I would appreciate any and all advice on the topic.

Thanks in advance.

Brian Whatcott Altus OK

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.
 

"Brian Whatcott" wrote

My son and I would like to take a baby step offshore from Florida to a
Caribbean destination, in fair weather, aboard a SouthCoast 23
(A trailerable centerboard sloop) as a first voyage, next Summer.

I hope that this is not a question of the kind that if you have to
ask, you shouldn't be doing it.....
I would appreciate any and all advice on the topic.

Brian - It is sort of that kind of question ;)

No easy way to get to Caribbean proper. The Bahamas are not technically part
of the Caribbean, but you could possible get there. To do that, you would
most likely be advised to wait it out at the south end of Key Biscayne (off
Miami) until a flat calm is forecast - then motor as fast as you can across
to Cat Cay or Bimini where you can check in - I forget exact distance, but
it is something like 45 miles. The rest of the Bahamas are still another
couple of days away, so you would probably stay put and just explore the few
islands around Bimini before heading back in another flat calm.

I am not joking - the Gulf Stream passes between Florida and the Bahamas and
this area is no place to be in a small boat in any sort of wind.

You may be better advised to just poke around the Florida Keys which are
just as worthwhile to visit. OR get a bigger boat!

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.
 

Get a copy of "Gentlemen's Guide to Passages South" by Bruce Van Sant. It
takes a lot of patients to get much further south than Georgetown.
VanSant's book explains how to work the weather for the most comfortable
transits.

--
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

"Brian Whatcott" wrote in message
...
Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.

My son and I would like to take a baby step offshore from Florida to a
Caribbean destination, in fair weather, aboard a SouthCoast 23
(A trailerable centerboard sloop) as a first voyage, next Summer.

I hope that this is not a question of the kind that if you have to
ask, you shouldn't be doing it.....
I would appreciate any and all advice on the topic.

Thanks in advance.

Brian Whatcott Altus OK

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for InlandSailers.
 

Brian Whatcott wrote:
Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.

My son and I would like to take a baby step offshore from Florida to a
Caribbean destination, in fair weather, aboard a SouthCoast 23
(A trailerable centerboard sloop) as a first voyage, next Summer.


Bimini is do-able. Cuba would be better, but is officially
not among the kosher destinations.


I hope that this is not a question of the kind that if you have to
ask, you shouldn't be doing it.....
I would appreciate any and all advice on the topic.


Wouldn't hurt to study some meteorology in advance of making
a trip like this. What you want is a period of calms and
light southerlies for long enough to make the crossing. The
Gulf Stream flows north, and gets very uncomfortable...
possibly dangerous... in northerly winds. IIRC the recipe
calls for a high pressure cell passing over or south of you.

Lots of people wait for a week or more for a proper weather
window, it's not the kind of thing you can schedule. If
you're going to try for it, be prepared to wait and then
cancel... fortunately there are lots of fun things to do in
the staging area, good sailing destinations nearby.

For those who are convinced that sailing a trailerable 23
footer to the Bahamas is suicidal, let me remind you that
there used to be a race in Sunfish from Lauderdale to
Bimini. I know of at least one person who has made this
crossing in Beetle Cat and it wouldn't surprise me if there
were others.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.
 

On Mon, 4 Sep 2006 21:22:07 -0400, "Glenn Ashmore"
wrote:

Get a copy of "Gentlemen's Guide to Passages South" by Bruce Van Sant. It
takes a lot of patients to get much further south than Georgetown.
VanSant's book explains how to work the weather for the most comfortable
transits.

It's a good book which I read a lot. Van Sant kind of assumes that
you have some reasonable way of getting to the Bahamas however as a
starting point, and I'm not sure a 23 ft trailer sailor is the right
boat for that.

Not knowing exactly how much experience you have with the boat, and
with sailing in offshore conditions, I'd recommend some tune up
cruises closer to coastal Florida. On the east coast the gulf stream
is always out there as the big X factor, and boats a lot bigger than
23 feet have gotten in trouble there. For that reason I'd start with
the west coast which offers some very decent cruising opportunities.
Try a run south in the gulf of mexico from St Pete Beach down to the
Boca Grande or Sanibel Island area. There are many fine harbors and
beaches along the way and it has a very tropical feel to it.

Don't ignore safety equipment. A liferaft, EPIRB, man overboard
strobe, and a waterproof handheld VHF should be considered a bare
minimum above and beyond USCG requirements. A good radar reflector
should also be on your must have list.

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.
 

On Mon, 04 Sep 2006 22:09:24 -0400, DSK wrote:

For those who are convinced that sailing a trailerable 23
footer to the Bahamas is suicidal, let me remind you that
there used to be a race in Sunfish from Lauderdale to
Bimini.

All true but Bimini is just a fly speck compared to the rest of the
Bahamas and Carribean. People make the trip to Bimini in jet skis and
small center consoles also, and every year there are more than a few
who capsize out there. There are lots of places on the gulf coast
more interesting than Bimini and without the hazards of the gulf
stream to contend with.

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.
 

Wayne.B wrote:
On Mon, 04 Sep 2006 22:09:24 -0400, DSK wrote:

For those who are convinced that sailing a trailerable 23
footer to the Bahamas is suicidal, let me remind you that
there used to be a race in Sunfish from Lauderdale to
Bimini.

All true but Bimini is just a fly speck compared to the rest of the
Bahamas and Carribean. People make the trip to Bimini in jet skis and
small center consoles also, and every year there are more than a few
who capsize out there. There are lots of places on the gulf coast
more interesting than Bimini and without the hazards of the gulf
stream to contend with.

Bahamas in a 23' is doable. However, in summer, ARE YOU NUTS? Summer
is miserable in FL even down thataway and the Bahamas cant be much
better, you'll bake. When you arent baking, you'll battle dead calms
followed by violent thunderstorms and then more calms. Pure misery.
THEN, there are hurricanes.............

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.
 

Wayne.B wrote:
On Mon, 04 Sep 2006 22:09:24 -0400, DSK wrote:

For those who are convinced that sailing a trailerable 23
footer to the Bahamas is suicidal, let me remind you that
there used to be a race in Sunfish from Lauderdale to
Bimini.

All true but Bimini is just a fly speck compared to the rest of the
Bahamas and Carribean. People make the trip to Bimini in jet skis and
small center consoles also, and every year there are more than a few
who capsize out there. There are lots of places on the gulf coast
more interesting than Bimini and without the hazards of the gulf
stream to contend with.

Bahamas in a 23' is doable. However, in summer, ARE YOU NUTS? Summer
is miserable in FL even down thataway and the Bahamas cant be much
better, you'll bake. When you arent baking, you'll battle dead calms
followed by violent thunderstorms and then more calms. Pure misery.
THEN, there are hurricanes.............

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.
 

Wayne.B wrote:
On Mon, 04 Sep 2006 22:09:24 -0400, DSK wrote:

For those who are convinced that sailing a trailerable 23
footer to the Bahamas is suicidal, let me remind you that
there used to be a race in Sunfish from Lauderdale to
Bimini.

All true but Bimini is just a fly speck compared to the rest of the
Bahamas and Carribean. People make the trip to Bimini in jet skis and
small center consoles also, and every year there are more than a few
who capsize out there. There are lots of places on the gulf coast
more interesting than Bimini and without the hazards of the gulf
stream to contend with.

Bahamas in a 23' is doable. However, in summer, ARE YOU NUTS? Summer
is miserable in FL even down thataway and the Bahamas cant be much
better, you'll bake. When you arent baking, you'll battle dead calms
followed by violent thunderstorms and then more calms. Pure misery.
THEN, there are hurricanes.............

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.
 

wrote:
Wayne.B wrote:
On Mon, 04 Sep 2006 22:09:24 -0400, DSK wrote:

For those who are convinced that sailing a trailerable 23
footer to the Bahamas is suicidal, let me remind you that
there used to be a race in Sunfish from Lauderdale to
Bimini.

All true but Bimini is just a fly speck compared to the rest of the
Bahamas and Carribean. People make the trip to Bimini in jet skis and
small center consoles also, and every year there are more than a few
who capsize out there. There are lots of places on the gulf coast
more interesting than Bimini and without the hazards of the gulf
stream to contend with.

Bahamas in a 23' is doable. However, in summer, ARE YOU NUTS? Summer
is miserable in FL even down thataway and the Bahamas cant be much
better, you'll bake. When you arent baking, you'll battle dead calms
followed by violent thunderstorms and then more calms. Pure misery.
THEN, there are hurricanes.............

However, many people seem to do it in June which I suppose is almost
ok. Trailer her down to the Keys and try that. Go out to Dry Tortugas
(about 60 miles from Key West) and coming back anchor at Marquesas to
extend your time away from civilization.

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.
 

If you have a 23 foot trailer sailer, come to Maine. Fantastic
scenery, cool enough to sit in the sun all day in Summer comfortably.
The many islands provide lots of protection if it blows. No crime to
speak of, no immigration hassles. If you start about Rockland and
head east, it will seem plenty exotic pretty quick.

Think about spending a week sitting in the hot Florida sun while
waiting to motor across a big expanse of open water when you could
spend the same week doing this:

http://home.maine.rr.com/rlma/06Cruise.htm

which just got us to the beginning of the really good part.

I once met a couple who spent three months a year for 30 years
cruising in Maine and they said they still hadn't seen it all.

--

Roger Long

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for InlandSailers.
 

For those who are convinced that sailing a trailerable 23
footer to the Bahamas is suicidal, let me remind you that
there used to be a race in Sunfish from Lauderdale to
Bimini.


Wayne.B wrote:
All true but Bimini is just a fly speck compared to the rest of the
Bahamas and Carribean. People make the trip to Bimini in jet skis and
small center consoles also, and every year there are more than a few
who capsize out there.

Yep. I've seen tin skiffs out there somewhere between the
two. Now that's pushing one's luck IMHO

I wasn't trying to claim that a 23' trailerable was the best
pick for such a journey, only reminding the "Cap'n Salty"
types out there that smaller boats that that have
circumnavigated, and that the real deciding factor in
seaworthiness is not the LOA or trailerability of the boat.



.... There are lots of places on the gulf coast
more interesting than Bimini and without the hazards of the gulf
stream to contend with.


Agreed.

DSK

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.
 

"Roger Long" wrote

I once met a couple who spent three months a year for 30 years
cruising in Maine and they said they still hadn't seen it all.


Could this perhaps be due to the FOG? :)

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.
 

No, the fog is greatly over rated.

Unlike many sandy areas of the world, most of the shores in Maine are
very steep. You will often see sixty feet or so a couple of boat
lengths from shore. It's usually calm in the fog so you can creep
along close enough to see shore and it can be enchanting and
mysterious. Most fogs still leave enough visibility to see quite a
ways. The coast is so varied and interesting that fog often just
changes your route instead of trapping you at anchor. You motor up
the rivers where is scales up, tour harbors, or do other things.
Afternoon sea breezes blow the stuff away more often than not.

--

Roger Long



"Gm1234" wrote in message
...

"Roger Long" wrote

I once met a couple who spent three months a year for 30 years
cruising in Maine and they said they still hadn't seen it all.


Could this perhaps be due to the FOG? :)

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for InlandSailers.
 

Wayne.B wrote:
On Mon, 04 Sep 2006 22:09:24 -0400, DSK wrote:


For those who are convinced that sailing a trailerable 23
footer to the Bahamas is suicidal, let me remind you that
there used to be a race in Sunfish from Lauderdale to
Bimini.


All true but Bimini is just a fly speck compared to the rest of the
Bahamas and Carribean. People make the trip to Bimini in jet skis and
small center consoles also, and every year there are more than a few
who capsize out there. There are lots of places on the gulf coast
more interesting than Bimini and without the hazards of the gulf
stream to contend with.


One of the participants of the 2006 Sandpiper rendezvous in the Thousand
Islands area wants to hold the next one in the Marquesa Keys off Key
West, FL. Since this guy lives in Denver Colorado, it's the same
distance to trailer there as it would be to come to Eastern Canada.
Our Sandpipers are 5.65 meter long mini-cruisers.

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for InlandSailers.
 

Don White wrote:


One of the participants of the 2006 Sandpiper rendezvous in the Thousand
Islands area wants to hold the next one in the Marquesa Keys off Key
West, FL. Since this guy lives in Denver Colorado, it's the same
distance to trailer there as it would be to come to Eastern Canada.
Our Sandpipers are 5.65 meter long mini-cruisers.


ooops... or was it the 'Dry Tortugas??

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.
 

Roger ,,, the reason that couple "hadn't seen it all" is because of the fog.

Heck,,, I once spent a week off the coast of Maine .. at least that is what
someone said ....... I couldn't swear to it in court ,,

I never saw the place.


======================
"Roger Long" wrote in message
...
If you have a 23 foot trailer sailer, come to Maine. Fantastic scenery,
cool enough to sit in the sun all day in Summer comfortably. The many
islands provide lots of protection if it blows. No crime to speak of, no
immigration hassles. If you start about Rockland and head east, it will
seem plenty exotic pretty quick.

Think about spending a week sitting in the hot Florida sun while waiting
to motor across a big expanse of open water when you could spend the same
week doing this:

http://home.maine.rr.com/rlma/06Cruise.htm

which just got us to the beginning of the really good part.

I once met a couple who spent three months a year for 30 years cruising in
Maine and they said they still hadn't seen it all.

--

Roger Long

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.
 

Brian Whatcott wrote:

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.

My son and I would like to take a baby step offshore from Florida to a
Caribbean destination, in fair weather, aboard a SouthCoast 23
(A trailerable centerboard sloop) as a first voyage, next Summer.

I hope that this is not a question of the kind that if you have to
ask, you shouldn't be doing it.....
I would appreciate any and all advice on the topic.

Thanks in advance.

Brian Whatcott Altus OK

As people have said - it will be hard to get to the actual Caribbean
from Florida in the time frame you have in mind. You can go to some
semi-tropical destinations though.

What facilities do you have on the boat? Can you anchor for extended
periods (i.e. can you carry provisions and cook), or do you want to be
at a marina? Can you beach the boat or will you need some transport
to shore like a kayak? What kind of ground tackle do you carry?

If you can be self sufficient for a week or 10 days without having to
get additional water, buy gas, or food, and with a large enough
holding tank or portapot, then I'd recommend going to the Marquesas
and the Dry Tortugas. But there is no way to buy any kind of
provisions and it is a no-discharge zone.

This is the start of our 2001 trip (sections linked together)
http://www12.virtualtourist.com/m/tt/315ec/#TL

The Bahamas are perfectly do-able, and it will be a trip to another
country. You should have a passport though because it makes getting
back into the US a bit easier. You don't have to wait for the weather
on the boat - you can wait in a motel someplace like Marathon.

2001 from Miami to Bimini to Lucaya and back to Miami
http://www12.virtualtourist.com/m/tt/2abf0/#TL (4 sections plus a part
of another page)

2002 from the Keys to Bimini to the Berry Islands (2 sections)
http://www12.virtualtourist.com/m/tt/2abfc/

2002 coming back to the US from Nassau to Chubb to Grand Bahama and
back to Ft. Pierce http://www12.virtualtourist.com/m/tt/2d917/ (3
sections)
http://www12.virtualtourist.com/m/tt/2d917/

Depending on how much time you have, you can go to Bimini or Cat Cay
to check in, and then from there you can go across the banks (which
took us 2 days) to the Berry Islands (Chub Cay, Frazier, Great Harbor
etc), and from there up to Lucaya in Grand Bahama. The problem will
then be in getting back to your trailer, because leaving from Grand
Bahama, the Gulf Stream will carry you north and you will have to work
your way south either in the ICW or outside..

Or you could do it the other way - go north with the Gulf Stream from
Miami to Grand Bahama (maybe check in at West End), and then go across
to Lucaya and down along the Berry Islands, and come back to Bimini.

You will have to pay to check in, and Cat Cay is a private island so
you have to pay for dockage while you do it.

The Bahamas has facilities and you can purchase fuel and water (water
won't be free).

If that is too complicated for you (and I think it might be for the
first time), I think I would just gunkhole around in the Keys for the
time that you've got. There's plenty to see and do there, and you can
get a better handle on the weather and the area - do some anchoring
and some snorkeling.

Whichever thing you decide to do - Bring mosquito repellant

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.
 

Digression -- We had a South Coast 23 when I was a kid. It was a
rather heavy Alberg-style design with a full cruising keel and a sweet
sheer. A pretty boat and I remember it fondly, but it was only barely
launchable off a good ramp because of the draft. It would have been
quite suitable for what you plan, otherwise. We had a friend with a
South Coast 22 that was a lot more like what you describe, so I'm a
bit confused.--End of Digression

Just be aware that there is no such thing as reliably fair weather in
a Florida summer. On the coast, you should expect violent
thunderstorms in the area every day. A friend of ours blithely took
off for his first sail in florida on a beautiful day and got caught
out when the daily deluge boiled up seemingly out of nowhere. His
quote when he got back: "Gee, that might have been fun if I'd thought
I was going to live through it." When it's not storming, very light
to non-existent winds are common.

2 recommendations: First, consider shooting for spring or fall. Much
better chance of good sailing then. Second, consider island hopping
down the Keys instead. Try one of the cruising guides for an idea
what the area is like.


On Tue, 05 Sep 2006 01:01:24 GMT, Brian Whatcott
wrote:

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.

My son and I would like to take a baby step offshore from Florida to a
Caribbean destination, in fair weather, aboard a SouthCoast 23
(A trailerable centerboard sloop) as a first voyage, next Summer.

I hope that this is not a question of the kind that if you have to
ask, you shouldn't be doing it.....
I would appreciate any and all advice on the topic.

Thanks in advance.

Brian Whatcott Altus OK

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for InlandSailers.
 

Roger Long wrote:
No, the fog is greatly over rated.

Unlike many sandy areas of the world, most of the shores in Maine are
very steep. You will often see sixty feet or so a couple of boat
lengths from shore. It's usually calm in the fog so you can creep
along close enough to see shore and it can be enchanting and
mysterious. Most fogs still leave enough visibility to see quite a
ways. The coast is so varied and interesting that fog often just
changes your route instead of trapping you at anchor. You motor up
the rivers where is scales up, tour harbors, or do other things.
Afternoon sea breezes blow the stuff away more often than not.

Quiet, Roger, we don't want the secret to get out. Half the beauty of
the Maine Coast is the absence of large crowds.

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.
 

Oh, good point.

--

Roger Long



"Jeff" wrote

Quiet, Roger, we don't want the secret to get out. Half the beauty
of the Maine Coast is the absence of large crowds.

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.
 

If you have a 23 foot trailer sailer, come to Maine. Fantastic
scenery, cool enough to sit in the sun all day in Summer comfortably.
The many islands provide lots of protection if it blows. No crime to
speak of, no immigration hassles. If you start about Rockland and
head east, it will seem plenty exotic pretty quick.

As a Chesapeake sailor I used to get real annoyed with naw'thun boaters
who raved about May-un. But then I worked for a film workshop on the
shore in Rockport, and used to look out over the water... and visit
Camden on days off, and see all the boats... Got a job on a documentary
that had us traveling around Penobscott Bay on a 30-some footer gaff
cutter. I was convinced. Maine truly is a great cruising ground. And my
new (to me) cutter that lacks shoal draft would be no problem there.
Just wish it weren't so damn far away.

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.
 

With respect to the west coast of Florida, there's plenty of water. But
beware, there are also some mighty tall rocks where you least expect them.
So keep them charts handy all the time.
BF


"2462" wrote in message
...
If you have a 23 foot trailer sailer, come to Maine. Fantastic
scenery, cool enough to sit in the sun all day in Summer comfortably.
The many islands provide lots of protection if it blows. No crime to
speak of, no immigration hassles. If you start about Rockland and
head east, it will seem plenty exotic pretty quick.

As a Chesapeake sailor I used to get real annoyed with naw'thun boaters
who raved about May-un. But then I worked for a film workshop on the
shore in Rockport, and used to look out over the water... and visit
Camden on days off, and see all the boats... Got a job on a documentary
that had us traveling around Penobscott Bay on a 30-some footer gaff
cutter. I was convinced. Maine truly is a great cruising ground. And my
new (to me) cutter that lacks shoal draft would be no problem there.
Just wish it weren't so damn far away.

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.
 

On Tue, 05 Sep 2006 17:05:15 -0400, Jeff wrote:

Half the beauty of
the Maine Coast is the absence of large crowds.

===============

They are there, you just can't see them through the fog. :-)

I agree that boating in and out of the fog is definitely part of the
mystique. There is nothing quite like it when the veil is lifted
temporarily and you are among a bunch of rocky little islands covered
with pine trees, and there is a gorgeous old wooden boat or two
sailing somewhere nearby.

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.
 

What a wonderfully helpful thread, addressing exactly the question I
posed - but with some interesting alternatives worth considering!

Thanks to Worldwide Wiley (Yes its an SC22 - my brainfart)
Rosalie B., BF, 2462, Thomas W., Wayne B., Roger Long, Jeff,
GM1234, Don White, DSK, DB Ohara, Glenn Ashmore,

I heard the Bimini rush idea, the island hopping proposal, the Maine
cruise (pity its so far) the reading list, and above all the
appropriate season for sailing out, and the weather/wind/fetch
warnings.
Thank you all.

Brian Whatcott and Richard Whatcott

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.
 

Maine isn't that far in your case.

In that week you were contemplating sitting at anchor in the Florida
sun, ducking into the cabin for the frequent thunderstorms, and
waiting for a hot, still, airless, patch of weather that would let you
motor across the Gulf Stream, you could drive along the scenic Great
Lakes, St. Lawrence corridor with your trailer sailer, working in
daysails in such places as Georgian Bay, the Thousand Islands, and
Lake Champlain depending on weather when you pass by. Then, you would
be in Maine.

--

Roger Long



"Brian Whatcott" wrote in message
...
What a wonderfully helpful thread, addressing exactly the question I
posed - but with some interesting alternatives worth considering!

Thanks to Worldwide Wiley (Yes its an SC22 - my brainfart)
Rosalie B., BF, 2462, Thomas W., Wayne B., Roger Long, Jeff,
GM1234, Don White, DSK, DB Ohara, Glenn Ashmore,

I heard the Bimini rush idea, the island hopping proposal, the Maine
cruise (pity its so far) the reading list, and above all the
appropriate season for sailing out, and the weather/wind/fetch
warnings.
Thank you all.

Brian Whatcott and Richard Whatcott

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.
 

Brian,
Assuming you're still in Altus (yes I know where Altus is, I was born in
Pauls Valley) it's approximately 1400 mile to Ft Lauderdale and about 1800
miles to Rockland. So roughly 25% further. And IMHO a much prettier drive.
I've not done the Florida to Bahamas so can't comment, but I have cruised
the West Coast of Florida several times and Maine for the last 3 years and
perrsonally prefer Maine, but both are deffintly worth doing when time
allows.
Both can test you navigational skill as well. I've not actully hit anything
in Maine (yet) but have come close and would if I hadn't had sudden
inexplicable needs to look at my charts. Can't say the same for Florida, but
happily it was just sand each time.
Another, closer option is Corpus / Padre. I've not sailed there, but looks
like it's also worth a try.
BF


"Brian Whatcott" wrote in message
...
What a wonderfully helpful thread, addressing exactly the question I
posed - but with some interesting alternatives worth considering!

Thanks to Worldwide Wiley (Yes its an SC22 - my brainfart)
Rosalie B., BF, 2462, Thomas W., Wayne B., Roger Long, Jeff,
GM1234, Don White, DSK, DB Ohara, Glenn Ashmore,

I heard the Bimini rush idea, the island hopping proposal, the Maine
cruise (pity its so far) the reading list, and above all the
appropriate season for sailing out, and the weather/wind/fetch
warnings.
Thank you all.

Brian Whatcott and Richard Whatcott

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for InlandSailers.
 

Roger Long wrote:
Maine isn't that far in your case.

In that week you were contemplating sitting at anchor in the Florida
sun, ducking into the cabin for the frequent thunderstorms, and
waiting for a hot, still, airless, patch of weather that would let you
motor across the Gulf Stream, you could drive along the scenic Great
Lakes, St. Lawrence corridor with your trailer sailer, working in
daysails in such places as Georgian Bay, the Thousand Islands, and
Lake Champlain depending on weather when you pass by. Then, you would
be in Maine.



Better yet... order a copy of this cruising guide and then trailer as
fast as possible to Nova Scotia.
http://ca.binnacle.com/product_info....roducts_id=413