Bahamas verse Caribbean

[contrail]

If we go back to Sailorboy's rather informative thread on monthly expenses, I think we could see this coming, and why his expectations are not being met. And why the same thing will likely happen in the Caribbean. He might enjoy the read, himself!

[sailorboy1]

[Gadagirl]

Originally Posted by contrail

If we go back to Sailorboy's rather informative thread on monthly expenses, I think we could see this coming, and why his expectations are not being met. And why the same thing will likely happen in the Caribbean. He might enjoy the read, himself!

I'm not connecting the dots that you allude to. He seems to have plenry slack in his budget to enjoy meals out/explore. What exactly do you infer from his budget? What am I missing?

[Saleen411]

Originally Posted by 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.

Here is a thread on Jamaica....

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ca-209953.html

[Saleen411]

Geez.....Grumpy is as grumpy does...


I think this thread has some VERY good information, in spite of the OP's obsession with so called TROLLS. BTW, the OP writes about trolls in most every post, including the last 3 or 4 in a row!

Well, so as not to be lumped in with the so called TROLLS....

I prefer the variety of destinations and the weather of the Caribbean. I do not like the boat boy issues in St Lucia and the Grenadines, however, not a huge deal.

But hey!!!!!!.... I like the Bahamas a lot too!!!!!!....hmmmm.

Actually I feel STRONGLY both ways.

Hope that helps. LOL

Oh wait....you're not here....dang!

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by dwedeking2

Buy a house in Detroit. You'll still be unhappy but at least you won't be disappointed....

And you will have a lot more cash in your pocket. One of the younger women at work was wanting to live the urban lifestyle...for $20k she wouldn't get a house...she would get an entire block of houses. She eventually came to her senses.

We got a slip on the Detroit River for a few summers and it was a nice place to hang out (I was working downtown for a bit).

If I'm reading it right, the OP picked a bad weather window but otherwise, likes the Bahamas (since he refuses to tell us what his issue really is, I'm running with that assumption).

Simple solution, be more picky about picking a good weather window. Odds are fairly good, he will like the Caribbean if he waits for weather windows. If he keeps being impatient and picking poor weather windows, he won't like the Caribbean.

For us, a week off a sandy beach is nice. Months...we'd get bored. Europe, ICW, Chesapeake, etc... with lots of historical places interest us more.

[Palarran]

I found the last three years of sailing in the Bahamas to be the best ever experienced. There is almost always a route option that gives you flat water and good wind, if you plan it. Day after day we have sailed with massive smiles on our faces. For the pure joy of sailing, I love the Bahamas.

The water in the Bahamas is incredible. I'd heard about "Gin Clear" but never seen it or understood it until the Bahamas, where you go "Oh, that's what it is". The fishing and spearfishing is also a huge draw for me. We've caught more fish there both ways then anywhere else (though no tuna).

The anchoring and protected bays are better then anywhere I've ever been also. So many options for protection from wind in any direction over perfect sand bottoms. And with nearly zero effort you will find your own secluded spot or go to social spots if that's what you want. Another major benefit is the size of the area under one nation - no customs and immigration clearances once there.

The negatives of the Bahamas, the big one for me, is the land is boring. If you've seen one cay, you've seen them all. There is nearly zero history (real history) and no outstanding examples of architecture. The food is mediocre and anything beyond fried food is expensive. The nation derives almost all it's income through consumption tax so consumables are expensive unless you want to eat rice and beans. But all in all, that's a number that just needs to be dealt with. I love the locals, very friendly, but am not intellectually engaged with them.

The Caribbean, to me, has a lot of similarities. The land is better, the sea is not. I really disliked the clear in/out process, especially as we moved between islands often enough. I found many islands to be very dirty and filled with junk if you looked behind the bushes. We felt less safe and less welcomed. The sailing, it was more consistent with the trades, but rougher as there were less places to sail in the lee of shore. I remember it being almost impossible to find your own special place with no one else there. It's warmer, and more consistent with the weather patterns. We only sailed the Leewards so can't comment on the Windwards except what I've read and experienced from a cruise ship.

For Sailorboy, as you know, to get there can either be easy, less easy, or downright tough. With planning and time you can almost do the passage during daylight hours, though the leg to the DR I would sail (motor) at night. Though what I personally would do is wait until there is a good north wind (North West is probably asking for too much) and make 300 miles or more straight East before heading for the Mona Passage. It would take you probably 5 to 7 days from Georgetown. You and your wife would have to figure out whether you will enjoy it or not and if the trip is too much. My wife WOULD NOT make that passage but has done several 240 to 300 nm ones. I'd put her on a jet, book a nice spa hotel for her, and meet up in a week somewhere in PR. Another way of looking at it is if your actually entering the "sell the boat" stage. Then staying in Florida is better.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAQw10gWnWM

[BCCLover]

Originally Posted by 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.

What is it about cruising, and cruising the Bahamas, that has not met your expectations? What were the expectations that were not met? How can any of us who have cruised both places begin to help you out when you won't give us more information?

I've cruised both the Bahamas and the Caribbean. Helping answer this question for you, the one you posed originally: "given that we feel the Bahamas does not meet up to a lot of expectations, will the caribbean?" means understanding what those expectations are.

[sailorboy1]

The bahamas are nice clear water and nice beaches. After that it is a desert of bushes and mangroves. There is nice sailing, once in a while as long as you aren't hiding from a blow. While i like cracked conch, it gets old after a while. Other than the water and sand the Bahamas have nothing going for it at all. If you get off the tourist path it is even covered with trash. Half, at least, “protected” anchorages are still sem sucky when he surge cones in. If you have been dreaming of starting cruising and comng, you are likey to find it doesn't live up you dreams, which doesnt mean you wouldnt like it or come back.

A crappy 16 hour sail is one with 5-10 waves on the beam every 3-5 seconds while sailing a close to broad reach with reefed sails. This is compared to a forecasted pleasant trip that should have taken much longer, but been comfortable (we weren't only ones fooled into this).nothing danerous or scarly, just uncomfortable hold on all the way. Been on lots of crappier ones, ddnt mean ths one wasnt crappy!

Maybe you helpful people can move on now, but i for some reason doubt it.

[valhalla360]

You do realize, it's not a sin if the weather forecast isn't right, to turn around and try on another day?

While there are exceptions where you get caught out with no good options, it's amazing how many cruisers feel obligated to make their proposed destination regardless of conditions.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

You do realize, it's not a sin if the weather forecast isn't right, to turn around and try on another day?

While there are exceptions where you get caught out with no good options, it's amazing how many cruisers feel obligated to make their proposed destination regardless of conditions.

Its called "I've started, so I'll finish"..

[Miguelso]

I think attitude and mindset is what makes the difference. The cruising life is about planning and changing your plans as you go. A close reach with 5-10 ft waves every 3- seconds from Nassau to the Abacos, can become a somehow pleasent broad reach with 5-7 seconds waves to the Berries. The first attempt we made from Nassau to Exumas, I decided to turn around an hour into the crossing before risking a mutiny...Spent a wonderful afternoon at Athol Island and crossed the next day.
We loved the Bahamas and the Caribbean, even T&C. All different, all worth exploring. The thorny rout is not that thorny if you take your time and choose your weather windows. Enjoy the Bahamas, now some of us are working and dreaming about being out there soon.

[BCCLover]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

The bahamas are nice clear water and nice beaches. After that it is a desert of bushes and mangroves. There is nice sailing, once in a while as long as you aren't hiding from a blow. While i like cracked conch, it gets old after a while. Other than the water and sand the Bahamas have nothing going for it at all. If you get off the tourist path it is even covered with trash. Half, at least, “protected” anchorages are still sem sucky when he surge cones in. If you have been dreaming of starting cruising and comng, you are likey to find it doesn't live up you dreams, which doesnt mean you wouldnt like it or come back.

A crappy 16 hour sail is one with 5-10 waves on the beam every 3-5 seconds while sailing a close to broad reach with reefed sails. This is compared to a forecasted pleasant trip that should have taken much longer, but been comfortable (we weren't only ones fooled into this).nothing danerous or scarly, just uncomfortable hold on all the way. Been on lots of crappier ones, ddnt mean ths one wasnt crappy!

Maybe you helpful people can move on now, but i for some reason doubt it.

To paraphrase: you were expecting beautiful, pristine, endlessly different, well-protected anchorages with many options for eating out. Expecting the sailing to be plentiful as well as as forecast. You have found that cruising doesn't live up to your dreams though it's not stopping you from continuing.

The Eastern Caribbean (DR to Venezuela and west to Bonaire is my experience, with about 10 days in the Guna Yala in Panama) has less clear water than the Exumas (but about like the Abacos) and lovely beaches that are very often far more busy than the ones in the Bahamas. The geography is stunningly different, with mountains and such to liven up your views and diverse landscapes to explore. There is nice sailing southbound once you turn the corner at St. Maarten, though you may get lucky and ride a front with westerly winds - it's happened before. The worst part of our entire trip was bashing eastward along the north coast of the DR and the south coast of Puerto Rico. Best consistent sailing is in the BVI where it pretty much blows easterly 10-15-20 all the time and the islands are situated more or less north south. We had awesome sails that were sporty in nature (buddy boats came in complaining of being soaking wet all the time while we stayed dry) between islands further south. The varied history, with the different cultures represented, means you can spend a lot of time exploring historical sites as well as sampling the very different local cuisines.

The Caribbean is far more populated. It's harder to find isolated anchorages. Surge and roll can be a part of life when the waves wrap around points and into the bays. We found that our wind generator, which kept us in excess power all through the very low-lying Bahamas, wasn't much use in the tuck-behind-large hills anchorages of the Caribbean.

There is a lot of trash all through the Caribbean. There are few islands with the resources to deal with it, but it's less visible in a lot of places than it is in the Bahamas.

In short, if you're expecting beautiful, pristine anchorages in the Caribbean, you won't necessarily find them. Beautiful in different ways? Yes. Endlessly different ones geographically? Yes. If you want lots of options for eating different foods, the Caribbean will give you that in spades, from street food in Grenada and Trinidad to world-class French cuisine in the French islands. The sailing will be plentiful, though not always easy nor comfortable.

[SharAndy]

We've spent 3-4 months at a time in Bahamas and two years in the Caribbean. We vastly prefer the Caribbean...the volcanic mountains, beautiful beaches, the friendly people, the easy availability of lots of fresh food, great grocery stores, bars, restaurants and especially the diversity of the people. We spent several weeks on many islands, and only days in others. The history, the culture - ride local buses to sightsee. In Dominician Republic we even hired a driver and his car to take us 5 hours across the island to Santo Domingo. Paying for that and his hotel and food was very inexpensive and a super way to get around. We often did that, sharing with other boaters to sightsee. Had the time of our lives and met the most fantastic cruisers ever.....we still keep in touch with many. My mantra -- Never have to say....'I wish I had'..... More info if interested: https://finallyfunadventures.blogspot.com

[lyl]

A newbie question: How deep is the recommended max keel depth for the Bahamas cruising - seeking for a general forum opinion based on experience?

If a sailor doesn't like the Bahamas, she / he can sail somewhere else; thankfully, sailboats are not like timeshares.