BVI to Bahamas

[1rkghost]

Whats the best route bvis to miami with about a month of travel time

[Vasco]

island hopping.

[imagine2frolic]

We stopped in Culebra, and then in Fajardo. From there a straight shot to San Salvador. If I had knownn what I know now. I woulve stopped lower in the Bahamas, and went through the Exumas. To the northwest channnel, and across the banks.......i2f

[osirissail]

If the boat and crew are not USA citizens then from Tortola go north and west along the north side of Puerto Rico to the Turks and Caicos or if you can put up with another day at sea then first stop is at Mayaguana, Bahamas. Then from Mayaguana to Cat Island. Then cross the Exumas around Highborne Cay and head west to Morgans Bluff, Andros Island. From there across the banks from NW Channel Light to either Gun Cay or South Riding Rocks. Then cross to Miami.
- - Alternatively, the boat delivery route is the same at the beginning but stop at Great Inagua then ride the north edge of the Old Bahamas Channel to Miami.
- - If the boat and crew are U.S. citizens then you could stop in San Juan for a break before heading west.
- - With good weather you are looking at two weeks to a month. 10 days to 2 weeks for the nearly non-stop southern route and closer to a month for the route through the Bahamas.

[whiporee]

However you go, those are the best trips I've ever taken. I skirted Puerto Rico, and Hispanola, then north to the T&C and then the Exumas. Across the banks to Nassau and then across the stream.

[1rkghost]

How long is the crossing from hispanola to t and c. And what anchorages do u recommend along hispanola

[osirissail]

Hispanola is a geographic reference to the island upon which the countries of the Dominican Republic and Haiti are located.
- - Assuming you are sailing west from the British Virgin Islands along the north shore of Puerto Rico there are no anchorages you can legally stop at on the north shore of the Dominican Republic until you get to Luperon. The Dominican Republic, like just about every other country in the world, requires a vessel to check-in to the country at its first stop. The only two such places along the north shore of the Dominican Republic are Samana on the eastern side and south of the north shore. The other is Luperon which is about due south of the Turks and Caicos. So stopping there is of little use. And the Dominican Republic is an expensive place to check-in/out.
- - Samana is about 270 nm from Tortola and Luperon is about another 100nm further west or about 370 nm from Tortola. It is another 110 nm from Luperon north to Cockburn Harbor on South Caicos. It is about 450nm from Tortola, BVI to Cockburn Harbor, South Caicos.

[1rkghost]

Has anyone sailed the south coast of hispanola west and then crossed to the bahamas by going between cuba and haiti. If so what conditionscould we expect in mid april. Everything ive read on the subject is earlier in the season and going the opposite direction to puerto rico and bvi but we are looking for easy options back from puerto rico to florida with some nice stops along the way. Time frame is not a major issue. We have two small kids and long passages can be trying so we would rather have short runs.

[osirissail]

For a discussion of the factors involved in transiting the south coast the Dominican Republic see: SSCA Discussion Board • View topic - Bahamas to Virgins route

- And reverse the direction of travel. The major considerations are lack of access to ports in an emergency and some rather long segments when compared to transiting the north coast of the D.R. The D.R. is not cruiser friendly and "gunk-holing" can get you in trouble which you can get out of easy enough with large amounts of cash.