I spent a good amount of time researching cruising in the Bahamas and beyond, and after spending four months cruising there, I have some ideas/opinions to share with future cruisers.
Garmin GPS/Chartplotter
I used a Garmin 76CX with the US and Bahamas charts loaded through a microSD card, it was absolutely accurate everywhere I went (Biminis, Berrys, New Providence, Exumas, Andros, and Long Island). I never noticed the GPS placing anything (not even channel markers) in the wrong place. The charts on my GPS seem to be derived directly from the Explorer Chart data which is reputedly excellent and after having cruised through so many cuts and channels, I would dare to "navigate them by GPS" (even at night) given that it was so accurate.
Paper Charts
Like I mentioned above, the Explorer Charts are reputedly the best, and in my experience they were excellent. The only inaccuracies that I observed were where the actual depth was greater than charted, but I'll take that any day over the opposite scenario.
Cruising Guides
I used the Yachtman's guide to the Bahamas and Passages South. I found the Yachtsman's guide redundant if you have the Explorer Charts. Passages South had very good weather information that really explains the Bahamian winter very well.
Anchoring
I had read a lot of information related to anchoring... from what kinds of anchors work best, to how much chain one should have, to how much scope needs to be laid. I used two anchors only three times in four months. I found that using two anchors was a pain in the butt for the following reasons: difficult to deploy and retrieve (especially if you need to get out of where you are in an emergency), they got tangled, they rubbed bottom paint off and smeared it on the hull above the waterline, and they can get tangled on the keel or rudder. They do have advantages and I would continue to use them in certain situations such as tidal creeks or when a front is coming and the winds will clock around.
My primary anchor was a 12 pound Fortress with 30 feet of chain (probably 3/8) and about 150 feet of nylon rode. I usually used about 7:1 scope, sometimes less. With this setup, we held in 40 knot blows and NEVER dragged! My secondary anchor was a 22 pound Danforth with 40 feet of chain and 150 feet of nylon rode, I used that as a second anchor, and ocassionally as the primary anchor, but it wasn't as convenient since it wasn't mounted on a roller. I had two other anchors on board but never used them, they take a lot of space and add a lot of weight to the boat, but they are my insurance in case of an emergency. Whatever you do, dive on your anchor and set it by hand if necessary.
Fishing/Spearfishing
I did some trolling with limited success, and some spearfishing with mixed results. For trolling, I wish I had bought a strong rod with a standard reel (not a spinning reel). I ended up not trolling as much as I would have liked because I was often towing the dinghy and I didn't want to tangle the line with the dinghy or painter.
Regarding spearfishing, I had a polespear with a barbed tip, it was great for slaying lobster, but fish would often not get close enough for me to fully penetrate them (yeah, I know what you are thinking!). I think a Hawaiian sling would have worked better at getting fish since you can supposedly shoot from a greater distance.
Smartphones
These were the most useful items on our trip. You would be amazed at what you can do with a phone on board... they serve as phones (duh!), as alarm clocks, as chartplotters, as routers, as your source of weather, game console, eBook reader, TV, blogging device, and any other internet-related use you might think of (yes, I just ended a sentence with a preposition).
I used it mostly to check the weather via Windfinder, PassageWeather, NOAA, AccuWeather, etc. I also spent a lot of time doing internet research, watching YouTube videos, sharing my connection with others, reading on my Kindle app, and playing games. Many cruisers would wake up early in the morning to listen to weather forecasts on the SSB, I simply checked the weather from my phone at any time. The BTC coverage and speed is usually really good (usually better than the speed I get with GoSmart in Miami).
The most convenient thing to do if you will be going to the Bahamas is to get an take GSM smartphone, then go to the BTC store and buy a prepaid SIM card, then register online so that you can buy credits for your account, which you can then use for calling, or better yet, to purchase a 30 day data plan (2GB at really good speed, slugish after that). The speed is usually so good that we were able to download the Vonage app and make free VoIP calls to the US using the cellular data plan.
SSB
I bought two Grundig SSB receivers because I thought this would be my primary source of weather data... I think I only used them once since the cellular network coverage was so good that I could just use the internet to get the weather forecasts. I suppose this is good to have, but I would have been fine without it.
Dinghy
I bought a Walker Bay 8 foot dinghy a couple of weeks before I left. It has the inflatable rim and a bimini! The dinghy is extremely stable and having the Bimini allowed us to sit in the shade during the awfully long dinghy rides in Elizabeth Harbour. I took a Nissan 5HP two-stroke engine that works like a champ. Everything works well with it but it is a slow dinghy. I developed dinghy-envy for those with hard-bottom inflatables with 10 or 15 horses... they can plane, so they can get anywhere in no time!
Emergency Locator
I did not carry a classic EPIRB or PLB... I did, however, carry a DeLorme InReach Communicator. These gadgets are small, waterproof, and use regular batteries. They are similar to a SPOT Messenger in that they can send predefind messages to a predefined mailing list at the touch of a button. But they are so much more than that! When you pair them up with a smartphone, they become text messengers piggybacking the data through the Iridium satelite network. I was occassionally outside of cellular network coverage but was still able to have two-way text message conversations with my friends and family, or if needed, with the emergency response team at DeLorme, how awesome is that?
Refrigeration
We did not have any, I did spend plenty of time, money, and energy getting ice for our cooler. I did not have the charging power to support a fridge anyway, so it wasn't really an option. If your boat can sustain a fridge for an extended period of time without shorepower, awesome! If not, don't let that hold you back.
Grocery Shopping
Out island grocery stores are weakly stocked and they get even weaker as the days pass since the last visit by the mailboat. However, you shall always find something to eat in these stores if you are creative. We, and several other boats, ended up taking much of our canned goods for a roundtrip cruise to the Bahamas, precisely because fresh stuff is generally available so we didn't end up consuming much of the canned stuff.
Bars and Restaurants
Rum is cheap, beer and food is expensive. A case of Kalik usually costs at least $40. Most restaurants have a nearly identical menu and everything tends to cost between $8 - $12.
Marinas
Seas the Moment rests better at anchor than at any Marina, but in certain locations we took slips. Nassau and Bimini have strong tidal currents and fowled bottoms so anchoring can be tricky.
Fuel
It is expensive... usually from 50% - 100% more expensive than in the states.
Stereo
I had a regular boat stereo but I never used it, instead I used a Bose Sound Dock which worked perfectly, required no wiring, etc. The only drawback is that while charging the Sound Dock, it draws about three amps through the 12-volt plug.
Reading
My Amazon Kindle was awesome until it got damaged... after that occured, I had to use the Kindle app for Android which is fine, but the phone's battery doesn't last as long as the Kindle itself (whose battery lasts for weeks).
I hope this information will help you prepare for your upcoming cruise to the Bahamas.
Great pieces of advice!
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking the time to post these.