Hi,
I am going cruising on a sailboat through the Keys, Bimini Islands and
hopefully Grand Bahama Island. Does anyone have any recommendations on
places to go to and explore? I am on a tight budget unfortunately.
Thanks in advance!!!

On Mar 14, 11:25 am, "
wrote:
Hi,
I am going cruising on a sailboat through the Keys, Bimini Islands and
hopefully Grand Bahama Island. Does anyone have any recommendations on
places to go to and explore? I am on a tight budget unfortunately.
Thanks in advance!!!


Sure.............. do a group search here for a guy named: "Skip
Gundlach"
Start recently and then follow his posts back to his ill fated 3 hour
tour. Very interesting read and many lessons to learn if you read
between the lines.
Bob

" wrote:

Hi,
I am going cruising on a sailboat through the Keys, Bimini Islands and
hopefully Grand Bahama Island. Does anyone have any recommendations on
places to go to and explore? I am on a tight budget unfortunately.
Thanks in advance!!!

What is your time frame? Keep the hurricane season in mind.

The Keys are not cheap, nor are the Bahamas in some respects. Fuel is
expensive, marinas are expensive (We almost always go to a marina when
we can.) and you will need to purchase water in many places. Where
you can go also depends on the size of your boat, particularly the
draft.

If you go first to Bimini, it is hard to anchor in the harbor, and you
will need to check in which costs some money depending on the size of
the boat.

If you go first to Grand Bahama, the west end is quite expensive.
Lucaya is not only cheaper, but also is more convenient to various
things.

If you don't go to Bimini, you can check in at Chubb but that's
another expensive place, but from there you can go to Fraziers Hog Cay
and get a mooring relatively inexpensively. There are moorings near
Key West and in Boot Key Harbor but at some seasons they may be full.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi,
I am going cruising on a sailboat through the Keys, Bimini Islands and
hopefully Grand Bahama Island. Does anyone have any recommendations on
places to go to and explore? I am on a tight budget unfortunately.
Thanks in advance!!!


Where is your start point. Are you single-handing? What size and brand
boat? Draft of boat? Pet's aboard? Tight budget is the best way to sail.
That means anchoring out and staying away from marinas. It means fishing
and lobstering and preparing your own meals. It means cruising the way
cruising was meant to be. I'd recommend skipping the Biminis. Sportfish
obnoxious wake boats. Sail directly to West End from Miami after working
your way up through the Keys. I can give you some good pointers about
both the Keys, the crossing and the Abacos. I've been there done that.
Doing that.

Wilbur Hubbard

"Bob" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Mar 14, 11:25 am, "
wrote:
Hi,
I am going cruising on a sailboat through the Keys, Bimini Islands
and
hopefully Grand Bahama Island. Does anyone have any recommendations
on
places to go to and explore? I am on a tight budget unfortunately.
Thanks in advance!!!


Sure.............. do a group search here for a guy named: "Skip
Gundlach"
Start recently and then follow his posts back to his ill fated 3 hour
tour. Very interesting read and many lessons to learn if you read
between the lines.
Bob

Don't point her to that incompetent fool Gundlach. What a loser and a
beggarman loser at that. The very antithesis of a cruising sailor.
Rather, a blundering tale of woe idiot who deserves what he got. The
water is like that. Take it seriously of come to grief.

Wilbur Hubbard

" wrote in
oups.com:

Hi,
I am going cruising on a sailboat through the Keys, Bimini Islands and
hopefully Grand Bahama Island. Does anyone have any recommendations on
places to go to and explore? I am on a tight budget unfortunately.
Thanks in advance!!!



Take Skip's advise......

DON'T SAIL ON THE GULF SIDE OF THE KEYS! STAY IN THE DEEP WATER!

Larry
--

On Mar 14, 12:25 pm, "
wrote:
Hi,
I am going cruising on a sailboat through the Keys, Bimini Islands and
hopefully Grand Bahama Island. Does anyone have any recommendations on
places to go to and explore? I am on a tight budget unfortunately.
Thanks in advance!!!


not got any suggestions but to go have fun.

On 14 Mar 2007 12:25:02 -0700, "
wrote:

I am going cruising on a sailboat through the Keys, Bimini Islands and
hopefully Grand Bahama Island. Does anyone have any recommendations on
places to go to and explore? I am on a tight budget unfortunately.
Thanks in advance!!!

If you are on a tight budget I'd recommend heading for the Abacos.
Food and supplies are reasonably priced at Marsh Harbour and there are
any number of good anchorages within a 2 or 3 days sail.

Supplies are a premium in the Bahamas, so make sure your fuel and water tanks
are
topped up before crossing. Stock up on any non-perishable foods, as well.

It's been years since I completely traversed the Intercoastal Waterway. In
those days,
you could take the channels with a 4 to 5 foot draft. If you are carefull about

using the tides to help, you should travel the trickiest parts at about half
tide on a
rising tide. That way, if you go aground, the rising tide will help to get you
off.
You have to be very watchful to stay in the dredged channels, especially near
the
cuts, where strong currents can throw you on to the shallow banks. There
is no waterway in the Southern Keys below Spanish Channel, but some nice
anchorages
on the ocean side. There are several good cruising guides. Although a
bit dated, the Pappy book on both the Keys and the Bahamas were quite useful to
me.

I did not find Bimini all that interesting, but it is the gateway to better
cruising in the
Berries, Nassau, or the Abacos. Grand Bahama also had little appeal to me, but
could be used as a stop on the way to the northern Abacos. I found the smaller
Keys more friendly and interesting. If you like natural settings, the Exumas
have a
lot to offer. Abaco, although a longer sail, has many interesting places to
visit.

Be wary of choosing your weather in the Gulf Stream crossing. The winds clock
around clockwise, so don't leave on an Easterly or Northerly wind. The effect
of
those winds against the strong current builds up monstrous waves.

Hope this helps,

Sherwin D.

" wrote:

Hi,
I am going cruising on a sailboat through the Keys, Bimini Islands and
hopefully Grand Bahama Island. Does anyone have any recommendations on
places to go to and explore? I am on a tight budget unfortunately.
Thanks in advance!!!

"Larry" wrote in message
...
" wrote in
oups.com:

Hi,
I am going cruising on a sailboat through the Keys, Bimini Islands
and
hopefully Grand Bahama Island. Does anyone have any recommendations
on
places to go to and explore? I am on a tight budget unfortunately.
Thanks in advance!!!



Take Skip's advise......

DON'T SAIL ON THE GULF SIDE OF THE KEYS! STAY IN THE DEEP WATER!

Stupid advice! There's plenty of good sailing on the Bayside. Just
because Skip is an inept and stupid klutz don't assume everybody comes
to grief because he did. People like Skip and his lame operation give
sailing a bad name.

Wilbur Hubbard