This 40 - 60 miles wide Gulf Steam lies in between Bermuda and the U.S East Coast and there is no way to avoid it if you are sailing to Bermuda from the U.S. The water in the stream is some one mile deep, and the current flows at a speed of some 4-5 knots.
A boat of size 35 feet or more with four to five crew members can easily provide a comfortable and safe sailing across the Atlantic to Bermuda. So what sort of safety and other equipment should you carry with you on your sail to Bermuda?
Sailing to Bermuda by Private Yacht. Bermuda is about 667 miles to the southeast of New York, 640 miles from Norfolk (Virginia) and about 687 miles from Boston. So from the US east coast, it just fits in perfectly for a few days sail along the Atlantic on a private yacht.
I recommended going to Bermuda in September, when the weather is relatively stable, leaving the boat there, then flying back to Bermuda in December to continue the trip south from there. For November departures, I recommended setting sail from Morehead City.
Balearia Caribbean operates 6 ferries per week between Fort Lauderdale and Freeport. One way sailing takes about 3 hour 30 minutes. Bahamas Ferries operates 2 ferries per week between Nassau and Freeport with one-way sailing time of about 13 hours.
A boat of size 35 feet or more with four to five crew members can easily provide a comfortable and safe sailing across the Atlantic to Bermuda.
This is called the Thorny Path to the Caribbean for a good reason. If you could sail it straight though, how long would it take? At six knots, sailing from Florida to the Virgin Islands would take you about seven days. Since you can't sail that straight line, if you're in a hurry you can sail offshore.
You can set sail from Fort Lauderdale or Miami and sail 50 miles to your first stop in Bimini. You can then head to Chub Cay, which is 80 miles farther south. You can then sail to Nassau (the Capital City of the Bahamas), which is nearly 40 miles across the Tongue of the Ocean.
Do you need a passport for a cruise to Bermuda? If you are cruising to Bermuda, then you don't necessarily need a U.S. passport book, but can use any of the following documents instead: U.S. passport card, Trusted Traveler card (Nexus, SENTRI, or FAST card), or an enhanced driver's license.
This route is approximately 660 nautical miles and takes about 3 days and 2 nights to complete.
As one of the best sailing destinations in the world, the best time to sail in Bermuda is between October to March. However, many sailors set sail in April, May, and even June. Keep in mind that the heart of hurricane season has a higher sailing risk and runs from June to November.
In international waters, defined as at least 24 miles away from any coast, the ship is bound by the laws of the country of registry and therefor the flag it is flying. In other words if you are on the open ocean, flying a US Flag, you can have any firearm on board that is legal under federal law.
To make your crossing safely, you need a motorboat or a sailboat that is at least 30 ft long to go from Florida to the Bahamas.
The ferry sailings from Florida to the Bahamas takes between 3 hours (Florida - Bimni route) to 4 hours (Florida - Gran Bahama route).
Fort Lauderdale to Bahamas ferry 2.5 hours.
If you are a US citizen, you can take a “closed-loop cruise” (one that begins and ends at the same port) to The Bahamas without a passport. Instead, you'll need to present another proof of citizenship such as a birth certificate and a government-issued photo ID.
Route 4: Depart in November, hugging the coast to Charleston, South Carolina, then sail inside the Gulf Stream to approximately Jacksonville, Florida. Time your departure from Jacksonville so you leave a day or two ahead of a forecast norther. Sail east until the norther dies, then hard on port tack to a landfall in the islands. Don Street.
Route 1: Sail in September from Newport, Rhode Island, to Bermuda, leave the boat in Bermuda, then return there in December to sail to St. Thomas. Route 2: Depart in November from Little Creek, Virginia, sail south-southeast until the easterlies fill in, typically somewhere near 65 west, then sail south to St. Thomas.
As to lives lost, I gave up counting about 30 years ago when my 29th friend or acquaintance was lost while bound for Bermuda. Joshua Slocum, the first man to sail around the world singlehanded, was lost at sea in November 1909 while en route to the eastern Caribbean. His great nephew, Bret Slocum, died in Tropical Storm Gilda in 1973 ...
The 350-mile cruise from Newport to Little Creek can be done direct in two to three days sailing offshore, or you can take about five days and go inshore via Long Island Sound, through New York, down the New Jersey shore, then tuck inside and sail down the Chesapeake to Little Creek.
This is because in bad weathers and sea conditions, you can take much longer to reach Bermuda than you anticipate, and due to emergency situations, you may need to remain on water for additional days. Go with a full tank of drinking water which is probably the most precious thing on a sail.
Anchorage and Berthing in Bermuda. Many anchorage facilities are available in St. George Harbor and Hamilton Harbor. However you should go by instructions from Marine Operations Center (former Bermuda Harbor Radio) for the berthing. Unless you get a clearance, you should not move your vessel out to another berth.
If you need any emergency or other assistance on the way, you can call up the Bermuda Harbor Radio (now the Maritime Operations Center) at VHF Channel 16 , or at 2182 kHz, 4125 kHz.
Many also plan a one way sail and the other way by flight to save on time. From the north eastern US, over 1,200 yachts leave for the Caribbean during the fall time and return during the spring, often making Bermuda a popular stopover. Bermuda also serves as a finishing point for many international yacht races through out the year.
Bermuda is about 667 miles to the southeast of New York, 640 miles from Norfolk (Virginia) and about 687 miles from Boston. So from the US east coast, it just fits in perfectly for a few days sail along the Atlantic on a private yacht. On a 30-foot boat it usually takes a little over 5 days to complete the voyage from New York to Bermuda. So if you are planning to take a private yacht and sail during your vacation, Bermuda can be an ideal destination considering the typical vacation time you get these days.
You can either fill up an online form on their website www.rccbermuda.bm or call them up at 441/297-1010. This will help them to track your course and guide you as necessary. In any case you will be required to provide these information to them when you approach Bermuda.
This 40 - 60 miles wide Gulf Steam lies in between Bermuda and the U.S East Coast and there is no way to avoid it if you are sailing to Bermuda from the U.S. The water in the stream is some one mile deep, and the current flows at a speed of some 4-5 knots.
Jacksonville to St Augustine. Beach Marine, the marina I was at, is located on the ICW (Inter Coastal Waterway) a few miles south of the St Johns River. The ICW runs parallel to the ocean but about 2 miles inland all along the eastern seaboard.
Now, a thing with boats is that for their rudders to work and provide guidance on which direction the boat is to go, they need to have water flowing over the rudder . The rudder is like a wing on an airplane and the flow of water over the surface allows it to push the boat in the direction it is turned.
How to Sail Across the Gulf Stream: Florida to the Bahamas. For many sailors starting out on the East Coast of the USA, a cruise to the Bahamas is the ultimate goal. Tantalisingly close, the Bimini islands are only 50 miles from the Florida coast; West End in Freeport only a little farther with the added benefit of being on the doorstep ...
The Gulf Stream is a north-setting current that can reach up to 5.6 miles per hour (4.8 knots). It winds its way through the Gulf of Mexico and then up the Atlantic coast of the USA.