Sailing from the Carribean to Salvador de Bahia ...

[hanami2]

Sailing from the Caribbean along the NE coast of Brazil seems to be quite infrequent and reported experiences are fairly homogeneous:

• From the top of the Caribbean arc: Anguila seems a good starting point, or Bermuda, to avoid sailing windawrd/upwind.
• If leaving from Bermuda, it should be done outside of the hurricane season (presumably this means between December and May).
• Leave Barbados to starboard and go east as far as possible but … not too much.
• Navigate outside of the continental shelf to prevent the Guyana curent and ... fishing boats that are never illuminated at night.
• Sail to the NE end of Brazil, ideally leaving Fernando de Noronha on starboard although this 'extension' add extra miles.
• Then head for Recife or Salvador when finding the NE winds.

Almost everyone negatively advises navigation from Trinidad / Tobago because of the currents, headwinds, the debris out of the Amazon's mouth and the many risks of coastal navigation on the NE coast of Brazil.

Before doing this trip (from Carribean to Salvador) somewhere between July and October in 2014 (which seems a priori, incompatible with a departure from Bermuda ), I try to collect any advice, opinion, feedback to me allows to choose the most appropriate route, including sailing with short trips ('hopscotch' like) along the coast: between July and October there will be enough time to manage lots of 'breaks' and visit the country.

Thank you in advance to all for kindly helping my education.

Marc.

[JK n Smitty]

Why July to October? That is the worst time to sail that area weather wise. It will be hot, light wind and potential hurricanes and tropical storms.

[hanami2]

Originally Posted by JK n Smitty

Why July to October?

Well: that's a good question but the answer is simple, it is because I will be in the Carribean since December this year and the plan is to be in Salvador de Bahia in October to meet other boats coming from Europe, then go further south.
Ideally it would be 'nice' to do it without having either (1) to sail all the way back to Europe via Bermuda, Azores and the Canary island, which I already experienced, or (2) spend from February to October between Recife and Salvador as it would reduce the time in the Caribbean to nil.

A friend of mine did sail from Martinique to South Georgia, end of 2012, leaving Barbados and Fernando de Noronha on port but they faced very strong currents and sailed windward all the way down. Hence his recommendation was "find an other way if you can."
Hence the option of leaving from Bermuda but it is not the right ime to do it: too early.

Thanks for the comments.

[Hud3]

For Bermuda sailing the route you're thinking about, all months are not created equal. NOAA's climatology records show that tropical cyclones generally stay away from Bermuda and points east/southeast until August and later.

Here's a link to some good info...

Tropical Cyclone Climatology

[svlamorocha]

Originally Posted by hanami2

Sailing from the Caribbean along the NE coast of Brazil seems to be quite infrequent and reported experiences are fairly homogeneous:

[*]From the top of the Caribbean arc: Anguila seems a good starting point, or Bermuda, to avoid sailing windawrd/upwind.[*]If leaving from Bermuda, it should be done outside of the hurricane season (presumably this means between December and May).[*]Leave Barbados to starboard and go east as far as possible but … not too much.[*]Navigate outside of the continental shelf to prevent the Guyana curent and ... fishing boats that are never illuminated at night.[*]Sail to the NE end of Brazil, ideally leaving Fernando de Noronha on starboard although this 'extension' add extra miles.[*]Then head for Recife or Salvador when finding the NE winds.


Almost everyone negatively advises navigation from Trinidad / Tobago because of the currents, headwinds, the debris out of the Amazon's mouth and the many risks of coastal navigation on the NE coast of Brazil.

Before doing this trip (from Carribean to Salvador) somewhere between July and October in 2014 (which seems a priori, incompatible with a departure from Bermuda ), I try to collect any advice, opinion, feedback to me allows to choose the most appropriate route, including sailing with short trips ('hopscotch' like) along the coast: between July and October there will be enough time to manage lots of 'breaks' and visit the country.

Thank you in advance to all for kindly helping my education.

Marc.

I have done that trip, just in the opposite direction.
What boat are you planning to use for this trip?
What is its VMG upwind with 10ft swell in the nose?
C

[hanami2]

Originally Posted by Hud3

For Bermuda sailing the route you're thinking about, all months are not created equal. NOAA's climatology records show that tropical cyclones generally stay away from Bermuda and points east/southeast until August and later.

Here's a link to some good info...

Thanks, very useful, I didn't know those 'pictures'.
Regarding the last one: september, that exactly the time at which I should cross to meet with the others boats joining from Europe in Salavador.
August can be considered too of course if leaving from Bermuda.
This is why, in the posting, I noted "If leaving from Bermuda, it should be done outside of the hurricane season (presumably this means between December and May)."

The boat is a 445 OVNI (44', lifting keel, 6 to 7 kts with good winds: it took us 7.5 days to sail from Horta to France last year with a bumpy sea but not too much windward sailing I have to admit. The boat do need wind to sail nicely.

Thanks for all this.

[hanami2]

Originally Posted by svlamorocha

What boat are you planning to use for this trip?
What is its VMG upwind with 10ft swell in the nose?
C

The boat is a 445 OVNI (44', aluminium litfing keel, very stable and needing some wind to sail windward at reasonable speed - wouldn't give any number that can be trusted for VMG as it would be a guess ... ).Horta to Les Sables d'Olonne (France) was done at 7kts average.
Swell (if it's a long one) isn't too much of an issue for the boat, might be different for the crew...

[hanami2]

Originally Posted by svlamorocha

What boat are you planning to use for this trip?
What is its VMG upwind with 10ft swell in the nose?
C

The boat is a 445 OVNI (44', aluminium litfing keel, very stable and needing some wind to sail windward at reasonable speed - wouldn't give any number that can be trusted for VMG as it would be a guess ... ).Horta to Les Sables d'Olonne (France) was done at 7kts average.
Swell (if it's a long one) isn't too much of an issue for the boat, might be different for the crew...
Thanks for the comments, I appreciate you spending time.

Marc

[svlamorocha]

Originally Posted by hanami2

The boat is a 445 OVNI (44', aluminium litfing keel, very stable and needing some wind to sail windward at reasonable speed - wouldn't give any number that can be trusted for VMG as it would be a guess ... ).Horta to Les Sables d'Olonne (France) was done at 7kts average.
Swell (if it's a long one) isn't too much of an issue for the boat, might be different for the crew...
Thanks for the comments, I appreciate you spending time.

Marc

Lack of wind is not a problem in these tradewinds... There are many boats that I would rule out for this trip but IMO your boat is as good as it gets. The one guy that I spoke to in person that had done this had done it in a similar boat. I suggest you buy Marçal Ceccon's pilot book and talk to him about his good and bad experience on this route...Just don't think doing it on the straight line between Fortaleza and Trinidad; you have to go either close inshore or way to the north to avoid the current..
Charlie

[hanami2]

Thanks a lot for the Pilot Book.
I didn't know this one: it isn't available in France but will get if on the web.
Regarding the direction, as you mention it, everybody agree that it is a choice to be made but no one recommends one or the other ... Will see.
Many thanks again.