How do I Sail From Abacos to Cape Canaveral?
Our family has fond memories of several sailing ventures between Florida and the Bahamas. My father, a Navy man and the 'old salt' in the family, is a wealth of information and would testify that good weather and a healthy respect for the ocean are perhaps the two most important factors in determining a pleasant voyage across the Gulf Stream. This passage is approximately 265 nautical miles (nm), from Marsh Harbor in the Abacos to Cape Canaveral. This takes about 53 hours of sailing at an average speed of five knots, or 38 hours at seven knots, without factoring in currents or stops.
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Things You'll Need
- Seaworthy sailboat
- Navigation tools
- VHF two-way radio
- Safety equipment
- Food and water
- Binoculars
Instructions
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Prepare the Essentials
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Safety first. Learn how to test if a vessel is seaworthy (see References) and know the recommended safety equipment, including life vests, a life boat, survival kit and first aid kit.
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A drafting compass can be used to measure distances. Make sure you have essential navigation tools: a reliable compass, paper charts, rulers, etc. A Bahamas sailing-cruising guide is handy, with details showing channels into anchorages, currents and tides, weather channels and customs information. A GPS device is highly recommended, as is an electronic depth sounder, due to the many sandbars and coral reefs in the Bahamas.
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Plot your course on paper maps. From Abaco head south of Grand Bahama Island, to avoid strong winds and shallow water and to allow for anchorage, if necessary. It is about 90 nm to Freeport and then another 30 nm passing north along the west shore of Grand Bahama to West End. From the West End approach, sail 300 degrees on the 85nm leg to Fort Pierce, Fla., where there is a good entrance channel in any weather. This leg includes a helpful push north from the Gulf Stream.
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Prepare a basic food plan for each day. Buy perishables just before departure.
Set Sail and Stay Flexible
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Two can manage a sailboat of 30-40 feet. Check the weather regularly and set out if there is a good weather window. Each season has its own weather trends. In the Abacos, VHF channel 68 is used as a hailing channel for boats and also has a radio program, "Cruisers' Net" each morning at 8:15.
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Stop at anchorages or the nice marina at West End if this is desirable or if bad weather requires it. Check fuel and weather before crossing the Gulf Stream. Nassau radio ZNS offers weather updates.
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Keep a record of your actual course positions, as compared to your initial plotted course, especially crossing the Gulf Stream. Strong currents in the axis of the Gulf, in addition to winds, can take you much farther north than desired.
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Check in and clear with US Customs upon arrival in Fort Pierce. There is a good harbor you may stay in before heading up the coast to Cape Canaveral. If you have a motor, you can use this to travel the remaining 60 nm up the peaceful Intracoastal Waterway to the Cape.
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Tips & Warnings
If you need to refresh your sailing skills or learn the basics, "Chapman Piloting, Seamanship, and Small Boat Handling," is recommended before taking on a Gulf Stream crossing.
Be wary of approaching vessels in the Bahamas. As referenced, a US government guide notes "The Bahamas, due to its numerous uninhabited islands and cays, has historically been favored by smugglers and pirates."
Beware of heavy shipping traffic off the Florida coast and show bright lights at night.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit sailing image by Allyson Ricketts from Fotolia.com navigation concept - map with navigation tools image by dinostock from Fotolia.com sailing in atlantic image by João Freitas from Fotolia.com
