Exit Woes

[witchcraft]

It had been a longish sort of trip down the ICW, sitting out IDA getting hauled twice, sitting out low after low in NYC, so we saw a weather window to cross from Lake Worth Inlet to West End. We topped up the water and fuel, checked the weather one more time and we were off.
One thing ( sorta dumb thing) we mis timed it and had wind against tide. Holy Cow those standing waves were big square things! Somehow we had not properly secured the dingy fuel tank, so it flipped upside down and was now leaking gasoline. Mark sets about rectifying that, while I woman the helm...saying to him ok I dont want to go anymore. lol I knew full well there was no turning in the entrance.
Looking further out one could see the ocean was significantly calmer than that entrance. Once through things were better although there were some confused seas tossing spray from time to time. Still it was warm. We actually had to slow the boat down to make the West End entrance in daylight, afterwards fun was had by all.
We also paid more attention to tide times and wind direction, not wanting to repeat that experience.
Newbie mistake , if it had been a long entrance it would have been absolutely and utterly horrible.
Fair Winds

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by witchcraft

We also paid more attention to tide times and wind direction, not wanting to repeat that experience.

Unless you are going to limit yourself to less than three-hour or more than twenty-four-hour sailing days between cuts and inlets you're going to have wind over tide at one end or another of your day. It's only 20 or 30 minutes. You are well served to look at daylight hours, wind forecast, and state of tide and make your decisions.

The alternative--at least in the Bahamas--is to stay on the banks, but then you won't be doing much sailing will you?

My experience is that there are many cuts in the Bahamas with wind over tide is less than gentle, but unless conditions are really honking it simply isn't that bad. Tie everything down, use the facilities before hand, and go.

[witchcraft]

The huge standing waves were NOT in the Bahamas, they were a case of mistiming our exit from the Lake Worth inlet. We would have done well to wait a little while however it all ended well. We paid more attention to tide and wind on subsequent entries and exits through cuts and inlets.
Recently a vessel mistimed his entrance the vessel broached and the skipper was lost. It can be a big deal...beig enough to pay attention to at least.
Fair Winds

[Lowcountry]

Lake worth inlet does indeed get nasty when the current is ripping against the wind. With the inlet being as narrow as it is, and bracketed by those imposing stone jetties, it can certainly make you nervous. On a similar note, the Indian Cay cut (seen just below the top left side in the picture here at Old Bahama Bay) can get just as nasty. In 2009, it was all my 3YM30 could do to push my IP35 through the huge chop in the cut. I was worried that I might not be able to get through. Keep that in mind when you exit West End and go onto the Little Bahamas Bank.

[witchcraft]

I remember thinking when we went there, that in certain conditions that entrance might well be best left alone. We spent a little time at West End then in the Lucaya area before moving on. Nice time was had by all, us and our guests.
In any case we were more careful with our timing after that exit...a sort of newbie mistake for folks not entirely used to tidal effects at the time.
Fair Winds

[John A]

witchcraft,
Welcome to the world of offshore sailing! After ten years cruising, I was still learning how to deal with different conditions.

Enjot

[hummingway]

Thanks for sharing your story witchcraft. It's nice that you get your wake-up call early on and with no permanent damage. Where I current moor I exit through a passage that will run 9 knots once a year. I've heard the standing waves can be very impressive when the wind hits them right. Even at lesser currents the whirlpools and waves and eddies get my attention but the standing waves I've seen so far were not too big.

[witchcraft]

Ah yes not boats were harmed in the making of that exit. My nerve was harmed a little....we are home now, back to work thinking about our next trip(s)
Fair Winds

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by witchcraft

The huge standing waves were NOT in the Bahamas, they were a case of mistiming our exit from the Lake Worth inlet.

Yes I know. My apologies for over-generalizing. I'm a big-picture person and extrapolated your story without providing an adequate transition.

The issue is that the guidebooks and cruising guides all talk about avoiding wind over tide conditions in cuts and inlets. That is lovely advice, but for cruiser's who mostly make day hops from anchorage to anchorage it isn't terribly useful.

Realistically, one leaves an anchorage sometime in the morning and arrives at the next one sometime in the afternoon. You can shift the times around a few hours but not a half tidal cycle without risking getting in after dark.

I'm certainly not suggesting going through a cut against a rage, but transiting a cut in less than optimal conditions is a reality of Bahamas cruising unless someone has figured out a cruising strategy I haven't. Motoring on the inside from one place to another doesn't count.

[John A]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

Yes I know. My apologies for over-generalizing. I'm a big-picture person and extrapolated your story without providing an adequate transition.

The issue is that the guidebooks and cruising guides all talk about avoiding wind over tide conditions in cuts and inlets. That is lovely advice, but for cruiser's who mostly make day hops from anchorage to anchorage it isn't terribly useful.

Realistically, one leaves an anchorage sometime in the morning and arrives at the next one sometime in the afternoon. You can shift the times around a few hours but not a half tidal cycle without risking getting in after dark.

I'm certainly not suggesting going through a cut against a rage, but transiting a cut in less than optimal conditions is a reality of Bahamas cruising unless someone has figured out a cruising strategy I haven't. Motoring on the inside from one place to another doesn't count.

Realistically, passage making depends on several factors and generalizations on different conditions are but an average of past events. Guidebooks and third party advice can be c0onsidered but reallity can be a shock to the system.
Sometimes, a departure time is taken with an arrival time being the princible consideration, longer passages may require an overnighter to insure a daylight arrivel time. This may mean that a late afternoon departure time is more prudent. Weather and sea conditons are another challange to work into the equation of departure time.

Most of the Bahamas provide the unique opertunity to pull over into some skinny water and drop anchor until conditions are more favorable.

Sometimes the most advantages course correction, diuring a passage, is to execute a 180* turn.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by John A

Realistically, passage making depends on several factors and generalizations on different conditions are but an average of past events.

In many ways the timing for passagemaking is easier than the two-up anchorage hopping that couples do in the Bahamas. They don't want to run over night if they can avoid it, and the standing off all night waiting for dawn is a bigger deal if you planned a six hour jump then a three or four day hop. In my opinion that is why so many couples motor over the banks down the Exumas instead of jumping in and out of Exuma Sound and sailing.

For my part, I sail in the Sound and accept that I'll have a less than pleasant 15 or 20 minutes through a cut or inlet at one end or the other. If anyone can describe a strategy to avoid that -- especially based on personal experience, please -- I'd welcome it.

[witchcraft]

Yep timing cannot always be perfect. We sailed the banks and the sound. We did made some entrances with with wind against tide after that first somewhat alarming exit. They were all calmer than the one at Lake Worth. Judging the conditions at the time is the key.
Have fun out there everyone
Fair Winds