CRUSING THE CARB IN SUMMER

[jsgsail]

Hello,
I''m try to convince my friend we don''t want to be cruising in the Caribbean during the summer, he thinks well just keep an eye on storms as the progress and then stay out of their way, Am i being to cautious, or is it crazy to be out there from June to Dec

Thank for any info
J

[HHJ]

Nothing crazy about it as long as you do keep a sharp watch on weather forecasts. The weather isn''t very different from the winter (main thing is it doesn''t cool off much at night) and fewer charter boats cluttering up the anchorages.

[VIEXILE]

Fewer touristas, some less wind (generally) and a little more rain (generally). Some days you can see bottom in over 120'' of water. It''s beautiful. Septober is the time to really, really keep a weather eye out, but everyone is (including moi) so paranoid that you''ll hear about weather long before you think you need to check the weather. Nothing has come close since 2000 (Hurricane Debby?) and that was a non-event. Some people just hang south or not too far north of 12N and run further south when things look funky. Those of us that have to work, well, we have our "secret spots" to stash the boat.

[MGFraser]

Hi,

Cruising in the Caribbean in the summer is great. Last summer my wife and I cruised North through the Grenadines from Grenada in the first 2 weeks of July and we plan to do the Grenadines again this July out of St. Lucia. Listen to the weather every morning to keep track of the tropical waves marching across the Atlantic. It is truly a wonderful area.

[benlolson]

Last year we did the BVI''s in August, which was technically the start of "hurrican season" and didn''t see one day without sunshine and clear skies. Obviously, there is a chance some weather will develop, but it''s just like everyone said before: less tourists, more time to enjoy the local atmosphere without trying to climb over the many who are in line before you, and it is almost possible to anchor at an island and be the only inhabitants... (there''s a little spot we anchored last year for two days - we only saw one other boat pull up and snorkel for a couple hours, then take off. It was a pretty amazing feeling owning your own little island for a couple days). I don''t think that''s possible in the winter, as there are boats clogging each mooring ball and the rest have taken the good anchorages.

I recommend it highly, as the prices for charters are also lower. We went to Conch Charters in the BVI''s and got two weeks for the price of one! There are deals like that out there, and the summer months are the times to get them.

Have fun,

Ben