Bahamas verse Caribbean

[Palarran]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

This brings me back to the crappy trip that makes you think of moving on from boating. I have done enough planning on how to get to the caribbean from the Bahamas to know we face some crappy trip sections. So given that we feel the Bahamas does not meet up to a lot of expectations, will the caribbean?

What do others that have cruised both feel? Is the caribbean experience over the Bahamas worth the crappy crossing parts? I want to go, but worry all i will get is “We went through that crap just for this!”

I've been to both and based on your comments, I'd suggest you give up and move to land.

[caradow]

Ah how I love the internet!
Ask a vague question and let the fireworks begin.
I finally finished this thread and must say it was certainly entertaining.
I would think that since the Caribbean is such a vast place that it would be impossible to simply say what the differences are. Even the Bahamas have diversity with their expansive island territory.
So how do you decide based on someones else's philosophy? Well you just go and experience it for yourself and only then will you really know.
For instance if Nassau was the only place I had been to in the Bahamas I would have never returned. Yet on the other hand spending time on Conception was simply heaven. And for that reason I am excited to get to the Jumento's which I unfortunately have not been. So I do hope sailorboy has at least been to those two places before he forms an opinion.
By comparison the Caribbean is vast and the places that I have most enjoyed are not everyones cup of tea. For instance St. Vincent (Cumberland Bay) is a fantastic anchorage. Have been there many times. Saba is something out of a storybook. Los Roques is what the Bahamas where 50 years ago. Jamaica is an island paradise and last but not least Cuba offers a fantastic cruising ground with its beauty, culture , people , music etc. Most people who cruise although not all think the BVI's are great yet I find them way too crowded and don't care if I ever go back for that reason. And similarly when I first sailed to the Grenadines it was heaven now there are cruise ships coming into the Tabago Cays. So things change and not everyone agrees and I am sure people don't agree with me but I don't really care. I go to these places for my own relaxation and sailorboy will only really know the differences by his own experiences. So I do hope he understands each post was to help him in individual ways and thats all it was. What he can't afford is not to go. And as far as the bad weather/rough trip scenario goes that he spoke of is only a small fraction of the time we all endure on the water. And who is it that has done any sailing and not at least said to themselves what the f... am I doing out here? Yet as the months turn into years those memories also add to a fulfillment in life that few ever get to experience.
I am sure lying on my deathbed those adventures will give my life additional meaning so just go sailorboy and forget what someone else says.

[Jim Cate]

forget what someone else says.

Hard to forget what you didn't listen to in the first place...

Jim

[chris mac]

In response to Caradow

If you enjoyed conception island, and how could you not, you will enjoy jumentos as well.
Isolated, beautiful islands practically to yourself. Except unlike conception you can lobster and spearfish. We found huge lobster, saw lots triggerfish and grouper. A huge loggerhead turtle came and swam with me at flamingo cay!
It was definately a highlight of this season. I strongly recommend visiting

[ramonex3]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

So we had a real crappy 16 hour trip here in the Bahamas the other day. It was one of those trips that result in conversions with your spouse of getting out of boating and moving on to something else. This is our third time in the Bahamas so our exceptions of the place has lowered to the reality of what it really is (and that is OK). But last year the plan was to come to the Bahamas and then continue to the Caribbean, but Corvid arrived. This year Corvid still is causing too many restrictions so we will be going back to US next month. So that now means the 2020 Bahamas to Caribbean plan is now moved to 2022, maybe.

This brings me back to the crappy trip that makes you think of moving on from boating. I have done enough planning on how to get to the caribbean from the Bahamas to know we face some crappy trip sections. So given that we feel the Bahamas does not meet up to a lot of expectations, will the caribbean?



What do others that have cruised both feel? Is the caribbean experience over the Bahamas worth the crappy crossing parts? I want to go, but worry all i will get is “We went through that crap just for this!”

In my mind the difference between the Bahamas and the Caribbean is like the difference between the desert and the mountains. I wonder if this is even close.

I been sailing all my life, done the Caribbean back and forth, including the Bahamas, it really disappoints me when you say the Bahamas is a crappy place and is hard for me to understand how can someone who loves sailing and the sailing life style can think that way about a place I enjoy and like so much. For me the essence of sailing is open ocean passages in search of isolated anchorages, where the only civilization you might find is a funky beach bar in a little fishing village in the middle of nowhere and the Bahamas has almost 680nm of that to look forward to. Anyway between tastes and colors who knows your reasons whether personal or external not to like what Bahamas has to offer.
If you are looking for more dynamic destinations, with plenty of cultural variety the Caribbean will definitely be that place. You will find the Spanish Caribe, the French Carib, the English Caribbean and the Duch Caribean. Lots of choices to enjoy and discover. Just remember either the Bahamas or the Caribean belong to the third world where people are poor, simple and don’t have much, but in general they are happy, welcoming, generous people. Don’t expect to find what is not there, just accept it for what it is.
Now I live in Europe working as a professional skipper I have sailed to Ibiza, Palma, Sardegna, Cannes, San tropez, Monaco visiting all the super fancy picture perfect and posh places. Not one day passes by that I don't think about those starry skies, anchored in one lonely key in the Bahamas.
There is always the possibility that boating is not for you.

[boatman61]

Welcome to CF Ramonex3..

[sailorboy1]

It shocks me how poorly people can understand words as opposed by what they what the words to mean. When people quote something they should at least read it. I would correct what people seem to think I wrote to what I actually wrote. But you guys are getting too much troll fun for me to spoil it.






I am sure i will get a troll reply about how i forgot to place this thread on ignore.

[GRIT]

I've already posted and deleted what I thought would be a helpful post to this thread. Because I didn't want to read your vitriol about my intellect, my intuition, and my lack of understanding of your original post.

But now, I'm posting this less than helpful post. Because, I suppose, I feel we've all been trolled.

I'm afraid, Sailorboy1, that the troll seems to be you.

You've been quite negative throughout this thread, while most of the other posters have tried to help you.

You mention your terrible experience, and how the Bahamas didn't live up to your expectations, then wanted to know if the Caribbean was worth the trip. (For most, it is. For you, who knows?) You are unwilling to share any other information about your likes or dislikes, which leaves everyone in a lurch about how to help.

I can't imagine how anyone could answer your initial question to your satisfaction, without knowing what your expectations are. You've been quite uncomplimentary to most who've posted here, and mysteriously unwilling to help anyone with criteria you find interesting; or distasteful.

With no basis with which to ground a response; I think most folks have been doing their best to accommodate your initial post with suitable comments. You, however, have been doing your very best to stymie any possible help offered to you.

I wish you luck in your future endeavors and future travels. And I dearly hope I don't happen upon any more of your threads.

Sincerely.
Paul.

Apologies to all for my negative post. But I'm going to leave it here, whereas I would normally delete it as soon as I've written it.

[sailorboy1]

Never said i had a terrible sail, just like i never said the Bahamas are crappy like post 95 says I did. Only the trolls read that.

Some people who have been to both the Bahamas and the Caribbean and posted here have been willing and able to answer the question, thanks guys. The rest of your are just looking for fuel and whenI didnt provide, you use that for the fuel.

But i really like how some come back to the thread for an extra dose. It isn't like I am making you post.

[GRIT]

Quote from Sailorboy1 "So we had a real crappy 16 hour trip here in the Bahamas the other day. It was one of those trips that result in conversions with your spouse of getting out of boating and moving on to something else."

I'm amazed at your guile; your whole post was about how the Bahamas didn't meet your expectations, and that you had a bad trip... Perhaps you should consider reading your first post.


Paul.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, ramonex.

[sailorboy1]

A place not meeting expectations is NOT the same as it being a crappy place or that you dislike the the place. Sorry if troll spinning is different than actual written words.

I have now posted in this thread numerous times that I DO NOT DISLIKE the Bahamas. Can trolls not understand these written words over their twisting of something else.

For a lot cruising hasn't meet my expectations, yet i am still doing it. I just have a much better understanding of reality.

Btw- just why are people posting if it isn't about the difference between the Bahamas and Caribbean? Is it really for a different reason, i bet it is.

[Palarran]

Funny thread Sailorboy. Have you ever wondered why so many of yours end up this way? I don't, but do enjoy reading the progression of them to their predictable ending.

[Alistair242]

Expectations are individual and very wide ranging.
If one wants to cruise the world and explore I would guess that most have both on their ‘must go’ lists.
If it seems too hard before you start then maybe its not for you? Even the most intricately planned passages will have difficult phases. There is no way around it. However, with well researched and planned passage making the good and great will far outweigh the challenging and uncomfortable.

[ttex]

I found this thread to be one of the more informative threads I have read on here.

Is Jamaica really that bad? I don't think I have ever heard a cruiser say they want to go there or enjoyed going there.