Panama to Caribbean Islands in May/June

[carstenb]

Hi all,

So we are planning our return to Europe and it looks like we will transit the Canal sometime in early May. Thereafter we want to get over to the islands (safely), spend a year in the caribbean then cross the Atlantic west east in May/June 2025.

What is the best route. We have looked at the following:

1- Sail east along Panama/Columbia until we get to Santa Marta, wait for a weather window that allows rounding Punta Vela without getting beaten to death, then run for Aruba and points east. Apparently, once at Aruba, the sail eastward to SV&G/Grenada is fairly straightforward. Hang out there wile the hurricanes pass through further north.

2- Sail eastward until we get to Santa Marta, wait for a weather window then make for Dominican Republic, curve eastward to Puerto Rico/BVI, then take whatever weather windows we can find to get to the south (Grenada) and hang out while the hurricanes pass through further north.

3- Sail eastward, then bite the bullet and tack our way across the caribbean reaching someplace like Antigua. Then head south for Grenada.

Of course there is also the possibility of going east then north to Jamaica then east - although we have not heard anyone who enjoyed this trip.


Informed comments please - we do know how to use the wind charts etc. we are moderately experienced cruisers have been at sea for almost 8 years now.

We would prefer NOT to get beaten to death by sailing upwind for a week or two.

[belizesailor]

Have you considered a Westward circumnavigation route?

That aside, the direct eastward route is very arduous. I know a few who have done it and said "never again". Also a few who attempted it and bailed out early.

If you start from as far east as possible in Panama (like the San Blas islands) then you can make Jamaica with the right weather window. From there to Florida/Bahamas, then the usual routes into the E Carib.

If you are interested in cruising the W Carib, then you can also follow the typical route up through the W Carib, then to Florida from Isla Mujeres and onward.

Re jumping off the Colombian coast. Be sure and factor in the effect of the Colombian Low....the seas can get quite nasty off the Colombia coast due to the intereaction of the Colombian Low and the seasonal Trade Winds.

[Boatguy30]

It is sometimes (most years) at some point in August or Sept to sail E along columbia coast and Vez after the passage of a hurricane with westerly winds. Friend has done this twice in last 3 years

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by carstenb

Hi all,

So we are planning our return to Europe and it looks like we will transit the Canal sometime in early May. Thereafter we want to get over to the islands (safely), spend a year in the caribbean then cross the Atlantic west east in May/June 2025.

What is the best route. We have looked at the following:

1- Sail east along Panama/Columbia until we get to Santa Marta, wait for a weather window that allows rounding Punta Vela without getting beaten to death, then run for Aruba and points east. Apparently, once at Aruba, the sail eastward to SV&G/Grenada is fairly straightforward. Hang out there wile the hurricanes pass through further north.

2- Sail eastward until we get to Santa Marta, wait for a weather window then make for Dominican Republic, curve eastward to Puerto Rico/BVI, then take whatever weather windows we can find to get to the south (Grenada) and hang out while the hurricanes pass through further north.

3- Sail eastward, then bite the bullet and tack our way across the caribbean reaching someplace like Antigua. Then head south for Grenada.

Of course there is also the possibility of going east then north to Jamaica then east - although we have not heard anyone who enjoyed this trip.


Informed comments please - we do know how to use the wind charts etc. we are moderately experienced cruisers have been at sea for almost 8 years now.

We would prefer NOT to get beaten to death by sailing upwind for a week or two.

We have spent the past 20 years in the Caribbean of which 10 years in/around Panama. I see you have a 40’ monohull.

We sailed from Portobelo to Jamaica but we’re a 64’ boat. Most boats, up to 70’ get beaten up even from Santa Martha to Jamaica so do not underestimate these passages, they are brutal. I read books where they call this the 5th worst passage in the world.

So I recommend you don’t do it. Come through the canal, go into Shelter Bay Marina and do the tours to supermarkets to stock up and have fun with the cruisers, then go sail to the San Blas and enjoy yourself, it’s as good as anything in the world, especially when you go closer towards Colombia. Snug Harbour is a favorite. When you’re ready, sail west to Bocas del Toro and enjoy that. It’s a large area where you can spend years and there’s no hurricanes.

Now while in Bocas, start watching Windy and look for periods of west winds. They will come, they come every year. When there’s a good window, set sail and blast straight to Curacao. It’s cheating but it’s the way.

From Curacao you have to be careful with piracy from Venezuela. I recommend you find a weather window, anchor in Santa Cruz to see ifthe window comes through, then set off towards Puerto Rico (need US visa). From there work your way East along the south coast towards the Virgin Islands. We did a 24-hour sail from Virgin Gorda to Guadeloupe. Now you’re almost there.

[Snore]

Let me start with there are no hard rules. Murphy ensures the weather will not be ‘normal’ when you go through the Caribbean. Assuming no burning need to go to Grenada, etc.- I would route as follows.

If you are leaving Panama in May, consider using diesel to get as much as eating as you can. The N/S Caribbean run can be a tad bouncy, but it sounds like you are conservative- so not a gear breaker. Head north and try for Puerto Rico, then USVI/BVI. From there shoot up to Bermuda and across. Or, you can go west of Cuba and ride the Gulf Stream to Bermuda.

With a smidge of luck, you can be home by early August, before the hurricane season heats up.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Boatguy30

It is sometimes (most years) at some point in August or Sept to sail E along columbia coast and Vez after the passage of a hurricane with westerly winds. Friend has done this twice in last 3 years

Interesting strategy. The coast of Honduras can be run using a similar strategy. Will watch the weather charts for this.

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

We have spent the past 20 years in the Caribbean of which 10 years in/around Panama. I see you have a 40’ monohull.

We sailed from Portobelo to Jamaica but we’re a 64’ boat. Most boats, up to 70’ get beaten up even from Santa Martha to Jamaica so do not underestimate these passages, they are brutal. I read books where they call this the 5th worst passage in the world.

So I recommend you don’t do it. Come through the canal, go into Shelter Bay Marina and do the tours to supermarkets to stock up and have fun with the cruisers, then go sail to the San Blas and enjoy yourself, it’s as good as anything in the world, especially when you go closer towards Colombia. Snug Harbour is a favorite. When you’re ready, sail west to Bocas del Toro and enjoy that. It’s a large area where you can spend years and there’s no hurricanes.

Now while in Bocas, start watching Windy and look for periods of west winds. They will come, they come every year. When there’s a good window, set sail and blast straight to Curacao. It’s cheating but it’s the way.

From Curacao you have to be careful with piracy from Venezuela. I recommend you find a weather window, anchor in Santa Cruz to see ifthe window comes through, then set off towards Puerto Rico (need US visa). From there work your way East along the south coast towards the Virgin Islands. We did a 24-hour sail from Virgin Gorda to Guadeloupe. Now you’re almost there.

Hi Nick

We can easily agree re
, San Blas - we spent 3 weeks there a few years ago. How often do the westerly winds come at Punta Vela? If all goes according to plan, we should be through the Canal sometime early-mid May.

If we can weather Punta Vela with westerlies and lie in at the ABCs, how is the ride from there direct towards Grenada SV&G or Martinique?

carsten

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by carstenb

Hi Nick

We can easily agree re
, San Blas - we spent 3 weeks there a few years ago. How often do the westerly winds come at Punta Vela? If all goes according to plan, we should be through the Canal sometime early-mid May.

If we can weather Punta Vela with westerlies and lie in at the ABCs, how is the ride from there direct towards Grenada SV&G or Martinique?

carsten

You sail the west winds from del Toro all the way to Curacao. Stay well north of Punta Vela! This west wind happens when tropical systems disturb normal patterns so you have plenty of time to get to Bocas. The trick is that you are south of the storm tracks.

From Curacao you can’t sail east to Grenada-Martinique. You wait for the winds to turn E instead of NE, then sail NNE as good as you can while keeping speed up and see where you end up. When that is PR or the Virgins, you can work your way east there. Or you wait for the wind to go NE again and tack down but make sure to stay very far away from Venezuela, especially when going to Grenada or Trinidad.

[Sailingallday]

Or don’t go to Grenada/Trinidad for hurricane season. Stay in Curacao, Bonaire, Aruba. For many insurers you are out of the zone and you don’t have to do the risk and hard work to get to Trinidad/Grenada. When ready to go to Europe, sail up to SXM and depart from there

[Chris Cringle]

I can vividly recall sitting at the bar at the Cartagena Yacht Club, day after day, contemplating the 70 foot yacht lying at the quay. She had just returned after an unsuccessful attempt to sail from Columbia to the Eastern Caribbean islands. She was beat to hell. Shredded sails, parted standing rigging, deck swept clean of ventilators, deck lockers, dinghy, etc. we were one of three boats planning to make the same passage. Stone and Hayes in their venerable “Cruising Guide to the Caribbean”, recommended putting our boats on the deck of an east bound freighter. Whew! Well we finally went for it and also got our ass kicked. We fetched up in the Dominican Republic, so damaged that we had to put into a naval base to effect repairs. I like the suggest that you go to Europe by sailing west.

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

You sail the west winds from del Toro all the way to Curacao. Stay well north of Punta Vela! This west wind happens when tropical systems disturb normal patterns so you have plenty of time to get to Bocas. The trick is that you are south of the storm tracks.

From Curacao you can’t sail east to Grenada-Martinique. You wait for the winds to turn E instead of NE, then sail NNE as good as you can while keeping speed up and see where you end up. When that is PR or the Virgins, you can work your way east there. Or you wait for the wind to go NE again and tack down but make sure to stay very far away from Venezuela, especially when going to Grenada or Trinidad.

nick

you lost me-I can't find del Toro on teh maps nor Bocas. A little help please

[TeddyDiver]

I, without a doupt, would go eventually north. Sailing east agains prevailing winds further from Santa Martha is beating against the winds and currents. While I like ABC's it not worth the trouble and if wanted there rather sail to Bonaire from Dominican and go A and C downwind from there. Then back to north..

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by carstenb

nick

you lost me-I can't find del Toro on teh maps nor Bocas. A little help please

Look for Almirante or Bahia Almirante. It is a huge sailors paradise in Panama at the Costa Rica border. Thousands of islands, marinas, boatyards, ex-pat etc.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by carstenb

nick

you lost me-I can't find del Toro on teh maps nor Bocas. A little help please

09°20'20.87"N, 082°14'34.49"W is the approx location of Bocas Town, the main population center of the archipeligo.

As Jedi posted, The Bocas Archipeligo is a great little cruising ground all on its own.

We have cruised the area a lot. Our boat is currently stored there at Bocas Marina.

Google Earth shot attached:

[Kettlewell]

Another possible route is to go north via the Colombian islands, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, and Mexico. Then hop over to either Cuba or the Florida Keys, then the Bahamas and work your way down the islands. Of course, easting from the southern Bahamas or the Turks and Caicos is not a pleasure trip either, but you can wait for calms and motorsail like crazy to the east and then get to the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, the Virgins, etc. Passages South by Bruce Van Sant documented his thoughts on how to do it. I've done the passage from Panama up to Florida (and vice versa) and it is reasonably straightforward, though of course you have to play the currents between Mexico and the Keys.