Rio dulce to florida

[Ruffriders]

Looking at moving my boat after 5 years in the rio dulce, Belize and Roatan area, heading to Florida and looking for advice, timing? Hoping for fall, routes? Places to leave her in Florida with good access to the Bahamas, preferably on the hard with hurricane straps
Thanks in advance

[belizesailor]

The usual route back N (Rio-Belize-Isla Mujeres-FL) is likely your best bet. Most punch out around end of Nov to be out of hurricane season. Cold fronts bring wind shifts to get you out of Isla bound for FL. Anywhere on the SW side of FL is a reasonable land fall , but KW is the closest port of entry.

Get familiar with the currents on this route (Yucatan, Gulf Loop, and Florida currents). The Yucatan & Florida currents are generally favorable on this this route...its the Gulf Loop which is most likely to adversely affect you.

There are already some threads here on this subject.

[model 10]

I've done that 3 times and we never get good wx. Seems like the wx switches from hurricane season to the northers by the time you get to Isla Mujeres. Maybe if you went quickly instead of hopping up the coast. We have never left MX before mid Jan because the wx has already started affecting the GOM and we end up waiting for another window. I met some professional mariners going to Florida and they left on a very boisterous day with wind from about 220deg. I think that is the "trade wind". It was so windy you needed to be on a 50' boat or the port captain would not let go.

If I ever do it again, I'm going to leave the Rio early, before the end of Hurricane season.

[belizesailor]

Yeah, the cold fronts can run well into March...so you could go later and still catch a front to get to FL.

There are several ports of entry along the FL W coast so you can adjust your routing to take advantage of a range of winds if your destination is flexible.

[model 10]

[QUOTE=Ecos;2940307]I'w. I met some professional mariners going to Florida and they left on a very boisterous day with wind from about 220deg.





Ha! That was my heading into Isla from Florida. Going the other way it would be much better.

[Augi]

How much time ought to be budgeted in each direction to be able pick weather windows, etc to have the best possible cruising and staying safe? Final destination sailing from Rio Dulce is flexible(can be Key West or SE coastal Florida. The next leg will be up the intra coastal to NE USA or on the outside as conditions/ fitness of the crew permit. The boat is a well equipped Com Pac 35 ft cruiser.

Timing is as follows:

December to April: Rio Dulce

Mid May to mid November: NE USA

The reason for basing the boat in winter in Rio Dulce is my wife and I live near Antigua Guatemala. Rio Dulce and 1 week itineraries from Rio Dulce is too freaking hot in the summer!

Approx. how much time out to be budgeted from Key West to Newport, R.I. based on the above parameters.

[belizesailor]

Wow, thats a big expansion of scope...FL to RI !

Do you want this to be a cruise or just a delivery?

[Augi]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Wow, thats a big expansion of scope...FL to RI !

Do you want this to be a cruise or just a delivery?

I asked specifically about time to budget for Rio Dulce to South Florida(and the reverse) which is what the thread is about. Separately I inquired about South Florida to Newport R.I.

It will be always be a cruise, both ways between Rio Dulce and Florida(prefer Rio Dulce to Key West and Key West to Rio Dulce. But is flexible depending on conditions). The above will be with me and two other crew.

South Florida to Newport R.I. will be more similar to a delivery(done my me with two other crew). So that likely means going on the inside motoring as much as needed and stopping only as needed to rest the crew.

Will not do both legs straight through. Will have a gap of a couple weeks between each leg, in each direction.

[sailcrazy]

Following

[belizesailor]

Assuming Dec-April N bound Rio to KW, you will likely get frequent cold fronts Dec into March, but you should have a minimum of a few days between them. That plus getting in some cruising, I would allocate a minimum of a few weeks.

Either direction, weather permitting, can be sailed as a single leg, though KW to Rio Dulce is easier.

Ive got detailed routings from past runs of this route I can post, but Im travelling today so will post later. These include currents etc.

Others here know the E coast better than I do and hopefully will chime in. A friend of mine did FL to NYC in about a month recently, but he didnt waste much time along the way.

[model 10]

I would give yourself a month to get to Isla Mujeres from the Rio. Once you check out of Belize, there is not much to do till you get further north into MX. Isla is a great place to hang out waiting for wx to FL.
It can be hard to make KW if you sail out into the GOM looking for current. If you follow the shipping headed East along the north coast of Cuba, you end up with the speed and a good heading for KW.

[belizesailor]

In the interim, below is a thread w much relevant discussion and posts of some of the routings I mentioned:

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?url...8&share_type=t

If you have any interest in taking the scenic route back, you could go N via Rio-Isla-KW-FL-East Coast and then back down thru the E Carib and across to the Rio...easy down wind sailing once you head West across the Carib Basin.

The weather along the E coast, esp as you get further N, can get pretty boisterous well into early summer months. A pro weather router like Chris Parker could help you avoid the nastier stuff on this leg.

[Mikado]

I just made the Key West to Rio Dulce trip earlier this month.

We went from KW to Marina Hemmingway in Cuba. After three days we sailed to Cabo San Antonio for a couple days and checked out. From there we crossed the Yucatan channel to Isla Mujeres. After four days we departed south and stayed out of the deeps to avoid the currents. Along Belize we stayed outside the reef but stopped at a few islands/cays for some snorkeling.

We arrived at Livingston 17 days after leaving Key West.

Great trip! Cuba was by far the highlight as the people were so friendly, old town was amazing and I felt a little thrill going where I wasn't suppose to go :-)

Jeff

[belizesailor]

Yes, despite their history and difficult circumstances the Cuban people are awesome!

Alternatively it is also possible to work your way along S Cuba to/from the Windward Passage.

[Ruffriders]

Some great info, thank you, my timing is somewhat flexible, late November suits me best, current plans are get it Caye caulker by early December then look for weather window, my boat is plenty capable, well equipped Hans Christian 33t
Ideally would like to be in KW before Christmas but not essential if weather uncooperative