Moorhead City to Tortola -- Bail in Bermuda?

[sneuman]

I have heard that approaching Bermuda from the south is not recommended. So, is it ever used as a port of refuge on NC-Tortola passage that would normally be routed 100-150 nm south of it?

[jstevens]

The south side of Bermuda is the safe side. Reefs extend several miles on the north side of the islands.

John

[sneuman]

Just found this:
"It is said that the safest approaches to Bermuda are from the east or southeast. But nowadays, with navigation gear being as advanced as it is, many skippers tend to make their approach from whatever direction is most convenient. Traditional sailing directions used to advise that an approach should be made from east of the meridian of St. David's Head, which is 64° 38.7' W, and on a true course towards St. David's of no greater than 226°."
Bermuda by sea - Ocean Navigator - January/February 2003

[jstevens]

Yes, you enter Bermuda from the east. The approach from the north requires a little more navigation attention to properly clear the NE Breakers the Kitchen Shoals lights before turning for the Spit Buoy. From the south the reefs are close to shore and it is easy to round St. David's before heading for the Spit. From the Spit Buoy you have the choice of heading through the cut into St. Georges or go through the Narrows and the channel inside the reef to Hamilton.
Both approaches are well marked and lit.

John

[sneuman]

Thanks. Along the route I mentioned, it would be about the only option for a mid-passage bailout. I've heard of folks diverting to Bermuda on a Norfolk-to BVI passage, but not on the more southerly route.

[jstevens]

Many cruisers who do the Chesapeake or Morehead City to BVI cruise either plan to stop in Bermuda or plan a route that takes them within 100nm of the islands. A stop over is not a bad idea if you and the boat have not been off shore for awhile. If you get to the vicinity of Bermuda and don't feel the need of a stop over, just turn rights and head for the BVI.

John

[MarkJ]

I can not see why on earth you would ever stop in Burmuda onroute Carolinas to BVIs.

Burmuda is 65 west, yes, but its far north of I65!

You may be at 65w if u leave from Maine but certainly not Norfolk or Morehead City.

Jimmy Cornel says u get to 65w from Beaufort about the latiude of New Providence Chanel... Now you are making get up and pull his friggin book I do have porn to watch and boat cleaning to do...

Route AN74B cross the meridian of the BVIs at 25N

That makes your closest point to Burmuda 300NMs. If u need to pull into Burmuda you are in deep deep do-do and been fishing with you bare hands a few weeks


Mark

[Jon Eisberg]

Originally Posted by jstevens

Many cruisers who do the Chesapeake or Morehead City to BVI cruise either plan to stop in Bermuda or plan a route that takes them within 100nm of the islands. A stop over is not a bad idea if you and the boat have not been off shore for awhile. If you get to the vicinity of Bermuda and don't feel the need of a stop over, just turn rights and head for the BVI.

John

That's my thought, as well... In purely tactical terms, it generally just makes sense to try to sail high at the beginning of the trip, anyway... Sailing a rhumb line course from the outset can very often result in some tough beating towards the end of the trip, if you haven't managed to put some distance in the bank above the rhumb line by the time you start to encounter the trades...

[sneuman]

Originally Posted by jstevens

Many cruisers who do the Chesapeake or Morehead City to BVI cruise either plan to stop in Bermuda or plan a route that takes them within 100nm of the islands. A stop over is not a bad idea if you and the boat have not been off shore for awhile. If you get to the vicinity of Bermuda and don't feel the need of a stop over, just turn rights and head for the BVI.

John

thanks for the input!

[sneuman]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

I can not see why on earth you would ever stop in Burmuda onroute Carolinas to BVIs.

Burmuda is 65 west, yes, but its far north of I65!

You may be at 65w if u leave from Maine but certainly not Norfolk or Morehead City.

Jimmy Cornel says u get to 65w from Beaufort about the latiude of New Providence Chanel... Now you are making get up and pull his friggin book I do have porn to watch and boat cleaning to do...

Route AN74B cross the meridian of the BVIs at 25N

That makes your closest point to Burmuda 300NMs. If u need to pull into Burmuda you are in deep deep do-do and been fishing with you bare hands a few weeks


Mark

The reason I ask, is that you can probably get a good weather window 5-7 days out from Moorhead, but then it's a bit of a crap shoot. Postseason hurricanes are relatively rare, but they do occur and they tend to form on around this route (or farther south in the Caribbean) at that time of year and their track is less predictable.

[Jon Eisberg]

Originally Posted by sneuman

The reason I ask, is that you can probably get a good weather window 5-7 days out from Moorhead, but then it's a bit of a crap shoot. Postseason hurricanes are relatively rare, but they do occur and they tend to form on around this route (or farther south in the Caribbean) at that time of year and their track is less predictable.

Yup, weather can often be a somewhat compelling reason... :-)

I've never planned on stopping in Bermuda, but each time I have, I never regretted it... Last time was in 2011 when everyone got held up in Hampton and elsewhere waiting for TS Sean to blow itself out, and the NARC rally fleet got pounded... After a few days out of Hampton, Herb Hilgenberg started getting a bit concerned about the possible formation of another tropical low further down the route, so we elected to stop out of caution.

My crew had never been to Bermuda anyway, and we had a great time there for a few days, having been one of the first boats to arrive and scoring pole position in front of the White Horse... When we got going again, we had a fantastic trip the rest of the way to Antigua, arriving not much behind boats who had pressed on... So, in that particular instance, it worked out quite well...

Of course, whenever putting into St George's , it is a bit of an advantage if you happen to be on someone else's boat, and spending a bit of their money, instead of your own... :-)

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by sneuman

The reason I ask, is that you can probably get a good weather window 5-7 days out from Moorhead, but then it's a bit of a crap shoot. Postseason hurricanes are relatively rare, but they do occur and they tend to form on around this route (or farther south in the Caribbean) at that time of year and their track is less predictable.

5 to 7 days out of Morehead puts you 500 nms to 1,000 nms down route. As the BVIs are only 1,200nms you r almost there. 500 nms is off New Providence Chanel, Bahamas. One qould shelter by heaving to in NPC, or land in the Abacos, Nassau or Georgetown.

Bermuda is 600 nms (virtually) due east of Morhead City. If you screwed up your weather it would have to screw up on day 1 or day 2. In which if day 1 you would return to Morehead city.
Is it likely for a late hurrucane to brew that high up? I'd doubt it.

[sneuman]

Hmmm. Well, considering the easting you've got to make anyway, why not try to stay on a more northerly track (if possible)? If I read Cornell's recommendation, it is all about a southern limit, not a northern one, for running down I-65, no?

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by sneuman

Hmmm. Well, considering the easting you've got to make anyway, why not try to stay on a more northerly track (if possible)? If I read Cornell's recommendation, it is all about a southern limit, not a northern one, for running down I-65, no?

The wonderful thing about passage making is that you make the decision and you go where you want to go

Herb on the HF weather routing net accross the Atlantic would always get upset when a skipper did not go where he told them to go. I think if finally made him resign

And the hory old cliche about organising skippers is like hearding cats

If you want to head 600nms off directly offshore from Morehead because you think its better, then do so. There will not be an experienced person here who will tell you its impossible. And in November you may well get a North Easterly so taking offing early on is prudent. But even if its a NE will u make 600nms at 095 and take into account the gulf stream? Or is it better to do what Cornel suggests and take the boat to 25n and then head directly to BVIs. What happens if its E or SE? Do you head NE from Morehead to get to Burmuda? Its your decision, and only yours



Mark

[sneuman]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

The wonderful thing about passage making is that you make the decision and you go where you want to go

Herb on the HF weather routing net accross the Atlantic would always get upset when a skipper did not go where he told them to go. I think if finally made him resign

And the hory old cliche about organising skippers is like hearding cats

If you want to head 600nms off directly offshore from Morehead because you think its better, then do so. There will not be an experienced person here who will tell you its impossible. And in November you may well get a North Easterly so taking offing early on is prudent. But even if its a NE will u make 600nms at 095 and take into account the gulf stream? Or is it better to do what Cornel suggests and take the boat to 25n and then head directly to BVIs. What happens if its E or SE? Do you head NE from Morehead to get to Burmuda? Its your decision, and only yours



Mark

I understand, Mark. Just chewing on this stuff for now.