Great Bahama Bank overnight

[Scaramanga F25]

Time it to leave one end before dusk and have a slow and pleasant night sail across. Arrive at the other end in daylight.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by FSMike

I do it occasionally because I'm not a big fan of going through NW Channel in the dark.

I'm not a fan of it either.
I've anchored on the bank. It was a bit choppy but not too bad.

[Dave852]

It seems my timing always works out that I am going through NW channel at night. If I leave from Tavernier in the morning I am always passing between 9pm and midnight and if I leave Staniel in the morning coming back I am passing around midnight. I have anchored on the banks before but I am with Mark on this one. Why anchor when it's such easy going.
I do get very alert when passing as quite often there is a lot of other traffic in the area and its a bit of a bottleneck. My biggest fear is the light may be put back in place one day in a slightly different spot so always paying close attention to the radar.


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[Talisman 2]

Anchored overnight last month after rounding Little Stirrup. A quiet peaceful night. Beautiful sky!

[belizesailor]

Be sure and check the weather carefully...awful long fetch out there...I've met a couple of boats who got beat up pretty good overnight.

[wolfesmy]

Its been said many times already but if you must anchor get off the rhumb lines and traffic lanes. Freighters run all night. Also make sure you have your anchor light on.
I've anchored on the bank before with no issues, but be aware of upcoming weather it can get very lumpy if the wind gets up.

That being said on a clear night why not sail or motorsail. Work up a good crew rotation, make some coffee and enjoy the night.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by wolfesmy

Also make sure you have your anchor light on.

More than that - make sure the boat is lit up low. Masthead anchor lights are difficult to see on an open bank with all the stars. Not to mention that most people do not expect to come across anchored boats in the middle of nothing.

We almost hit a boat in the middle of the night who not only chose to anchor on a direct rhumb line, but chose not to have any lights on at all except what looked to be a small candle behind closed curtains inside the cabin.

Mark

[tinkrman69]

chub cay west? what would be the need to anchor for.....sail or mechanical trouble? start out on an incoming tide and its done in ten or less hours drop the hook at Gunn cay. or if you want to be further south go to the riding rocks and anchor there for a rest. If you rally want to go out the top of the bank...ie...past Mackey Shaol, then have enough crew to have a comfortable watch cycle and don't stop till you get to the states, you'd have to be in a hurry anyway. nowhere along that route is worth anchoring for the night. If your looking to dive the edge and what not go to Bimini and take a fast boat for the day.

Your sailing, Play the winds and tides and currents. If those aren't right to leave today? Then there must be something you need to do where your at...see somethng, meet someone, fix something or just rest a little longer. Ya never know. If you live life too fast, you'll definitely miss it.

[rognvald]

We anchored on our first crossing(West-East) almost 20 years ago, as suggested in the guide books, just south of NW Channel Light. The worst night I've ever spent on the hook. We set two hooks (bad idea) and had a difficult time in short-fetched 4' plus waves pulling the hooks. After that, we always did a night crossing. If you're leaving from Chub, pull your hook an hour before dawn and with good winds or motoring you should be at Cat/Gun before dark. I am interested why your terminus is North Rock? Good luck and good sailing.

[zboss]

Originally Posted by rognvald

We anchored on our first crossing(West-East) almost 20 years ago, as suggested in the guide books, just south of NW Channel Light. The worst night I've ever spent on the hook. We set two hooks (bad idea) and had a difficult time in short-fetched 4' plus waves pulling the hooks. After that, we always did a night crossing. If you're leaving from Chub, pull your hook an hour before dawn and with good winds or motoring you should be at Cat/Gun before dark. I am interested why your terminus is North Rock? Good luck and good sailing.

THANK YOU! We had the same exact experience. Weather was beautiful but the swell and waves were huge. Take a previous poster's advice and anchor at least 15 miles inland from the bank.

We were "forced" to anchor overnight when we ripped a sail, the wind stopped blowing, and we lost our engine. Got going the next day but that night on the banks sucked.

[model 10]

Originally Posted by zboss

THANK YOU! Weather was beautiful but the swell and waves were huge.

How big is that?

[onestepcsy37]

I guess it depends on each individuals experience. We anchor less than a mile from the edge and have always had mild seas. Maybe Neptune is saving up a big sea for me...

[FSMike]

One of the more magical sails I ever experienced was sailing one night West-East across the banks under a full moon.

Looking down through 10 feet of water at starfish in the moonlight was a memory worth making. We turned off all the lights for a while and it was like we were sailing on air!

[FSMike]

Originally Posted by Dave852

------
My biggest fear is the light may be put back in place one day in a slightly different spot so always paying close attention to the radar.


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Not to worry, it'll have to be in a new spot, there's no marker at all now (as of 8/5/15).

[Dave852]

Originally Posted by FSMike

Not to worry, it'll have to be in a new spot, there's no marker at all now (as of 8/5/15).

It's been gone for several years now.


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