[Group9]

Do you have the Near Bahamas Explorer charts? You should be able to plan your route to the Sea of Abaco across the Little Bahama Bank. Be careful with weather going through the Whale. If you do go around, be very careful with the inlet you decide to use. Plenty of "cruise ending" reefs. You might get a report on the VHF for the passes.

Forget Treasure Cay with your boat. Depths of 1.7-2.2 meters. Great Guana is a pretty fun stop. Especially Nippers! Good holding to anchor, and Moorings available from Troy (Dive Guana). Unprotected with west winds! Not sure where you plan to hide as a front approaches? Marsh Harbor may find you aground with 8' draft. Very skinny getting in to Hope Town as well.

Good luck....

Ralph

Agree with the above although you can definitely get into the commercial part of MH on the west side (I don't know if they will let you anchor there though and there isn't nearly the protection as farther in). The east end, no. Off of the town proper, you will need high tide and some luck, but I think you could do it (but, I wouldn't wait for a front to find out).

Read up on the Whale Cay cut and passage (and a lot about how Rages work in general, before you come, because you get some good ones in the Abacos).

 

[Group9]

Lots of good advice here. You're thinking and planning, and that's 90 per cent of getting it right, right there.

I don't know what part of the Bahamas I like best. There is no doubt, that the Abacos, the Exumas, the Berry's, the Acklins, the Inaguas, Nassau, are all different. That's one of the great things about the Bahamas. You want to go to a super resort area, you can stop in Nassau. You want to be away from everybody, you have the Acklins, you want bars, you got the Abacos, gambling, Freeport.

I like Marsh Harbour and and the Abacos. I really like the Exumas, too. I'm glad I don't have to pick just one. I've probably been to Nassau eight or nine times, and every time I say I'm not going back. But, I do. There is not one place in the Bahamas that I wouldn't rather be than where I am right now (at home). Come May, I'm heading back down there again.

 

[Group9]

The planning is half the fun really. Break down and buy the Explorer Charts Explorer Chartbooks

It's the only real way to plan a cruise in the Bahamas.

Ralph

I agree. I actually have a copy of the Explorer Chartbook, (Near Bahamas), sitting right by the computer as I type this.

I constantly study all of them. It keeps me sane, planning the next trip. .