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Wild marlin · 08-08-2012, 17:40

Kenny,I don't know if you have already left on this trip but it sounds pretty rough to me. I would plan at least half the time in a rental if I were you. I don't know how adventurous your wife is but this is going to be very tough to live off the hook in an open boat for that long. I personally would not want to do it. I have done a week trip on the hook in sportfishing boats that are like mobile delux mini condos and that is fun but it takes a real boat/water lover to even make that work. The sun is brutal in the Bahamas in August and at very least you will require a couple gallons of drinking water per day each. Go down to Bill bags harbor on the hook and explore key biscayne and upper keys on a trial run for awhile and see how you like that first.

Wild marlin · 08-08-2012, 18:05

I also would like to say if you decide to go make sure there is not a NE wind over 10 knots because that will oppose the gulf stream and could be quite rough. Pick your crossing day weather wise and book some rentals and it should be a great trip. Be aware that you do not have a safety net you can count on the water in the Bahamas like the USA. Preferably you should do the trip with someone experienced in the crossing and Bahamas before taking your wife to get a feel on the situation. Also, if possible try to leave with some other boats by asking around at the marina. Even smaller outboards cross all the time but usually they are experienced on when and where.

Captain Bill · 08-08-2012, 18:55

Been there done that. You can't possibly comprehend what your in for. The heat will be unbelievable. Even if you stay on the boat, if you stay somewhere where the water runs off of the flats it will be nearly 100 degrees even at night and so will your boat. If you do it I highly reccomend that you try to find places without a lot of flats near deep water. It won't be nearly so hot. The bugs will be even worse than you can believe. In the daytime the horse flies will bite chunks out of you and they think deet is barbacue sauce, so if you're even near land you'll need a screen enclosure. The screen enclosure will not help with the nosee-ums unless it's so fine a mesh that it basicly stops all airflow and you roast, but at least the deet will work. You will need to be inside your tent before sun down. I found that spraying the tent screens with deet helped a lot because deet on the skin is not typically effective all night. Also make sure your tent is big enough so that you don't rest any body parts against the side. Believe me, light weight tent material will not protect your tender body parts from Bahamas mosquitos. I camped in the Bahamas once 33 years ago. These days things are a bit different. According to the theBahamasGuide.com camping for tourists is prohibited. Of course the Bahamas welcomes people who stay on their boats so you should be ok on the boat. I would think that on uninhabited Islands they wouldn't care too much if you "picniced" on the islands "slept" on the boat. As was said in an earlier post you will need a lot of water. At least with a power boat you will be able to get somewhere fairly quickly if you need more water.

Good luck!!!