Any Advice on Cruising Guides / Charts for the Bahamas

[Mike Wein]

We are in the Keys on our way to Green Turtle. I've little experience in the Abaco's and hope to tap the braintrust at the forum.

Any favorate anchorages between Marathon and Green Turtle? Where do ou check in the Abaco's, and finally, all my charts and my maptech gear in on the boat. I could use a recommendation for a cruising guide or two.

Thanks

[camaraderie]

Leave at night around midnight to cross out of Lauderdale or W. Palm Beach to Memory Rock and then sail on the banks in daylight on to Great Sale Cay. Anchor for sleep. Then head to Spanish Cay or Green Turtle Cay (I prefer the latter) which are both easy check in stops. Spanish Cay requires a marina check in. Green Turtle ...you can anchor off New Plymouth for check in...then proceed into White Sound for a safe enclosed anchorage.
Best cruising guide to Abacos (with chartlets and waypoints) is Steve Dodge Guide toAbacos...ONLY charts to use are Explorer chart kit for Near Bahamas.

[Latitude9.5]

yea what camaraderie said, I think i've got 3 or 4 generations (versions) of the explorer chartbooks, the charts and local knowledge in the explorer books are great.

Explorer Charts for the Near Bahamas, Far Bahamas, Exumas, Abacos and Sea of Abacos

[opsailor]

From the Keys to Abacos... Are you going via Memory for sure? Or going via Bimini area across to the Berrys and on to Abaco? If the latter, some of the anchorages in the Berrys are spectacular; few cruisers, beautiful anchorages (eg. between White and Fowl Keys), Flo's "restaurant" on Little Harbor, etc. As posted earlier, rely on Explorer Charts! Check in at Chub or Great Harbor.

[AnchorageGuy]

Steve Pavlidas puts out one of the best cruising guides for the Bahamas and seperates the Abacos and The Exumas. His web site is Island Hopping Home Page and his guides can be purchased there. Several options on routes and stops mostly depending on the boats draft. Can't remember off hand what the Freedom 40 draws. That and the Explorer Charts are all you really need and you will be able to decide for yourself where you want to go. Good luck and have fun.