****New Poll****West End / Gathering?

[Vezo, Part II]

LMAO! I'd love to reserve a guest spot on your sled but I'm still trying to acquire a suitable Classic not only for this event, but one that can be stored in Hernando Beach. The MA should stay here as a garage queen.

I think I need to continue researching the mindset and requirements of this trip as I would seriously like to attend. With my experience on BW 15 Sports, I am not naive enough to be expect a crossing videoed by a member of Continuous Wave. He and his girl put up the Bimini and shoved off! It was like a mirror the entire way. Not a Bump! Of course, he was forced to leave it there, fly home, and fly back to get it. No video of the return trip!?!

Vezo, Part II

[rcnight]

How are cancellations/postponements typically handled in case of delayed arrivals?

[cdavisdb]

"other than an instantly developing hurricane popping up in my path that was invisible to all modern forecasting."

Damned if Ophelia didn't do that exact thing to us in 2005 and another storm in a 20 ft seafari in about 1983. Very glad I didn't try to continue on across the stream that day.

Ophelia did give us a days miserable weather warning and didn't blow all the way up till she was north of us. Note to others; Chub Cay marina is a miserable rocky place to spend several days when the wind is out of the north. The other storm, completely unforecast and no warning came out of the gulf and blew up into a tropical storm as it went over us in Bimini.

I'd happily go with Kmoose's weather experience any day, but still with caution.

[kmoose]

Originally Posted by cdavisdb

I'd happily go with Kmoose's weather experience any day, but still with caution.

Thanks Connor, that means a lot coming from you. The one thing you kindly left out was that the peril a passenger is subject to when I get us to where we are going..... That's when the less than safe stuff starts.

Mel and I want to start experimenting with what we want to do in early retirement. Island hopping through the Caribbean is on our short list. Short trips like this will give us a taste of the current logistics and crossing expectations. The end game is to island hop to Puerto Rico and fly back and return the following summer to work our way back. At first we talked about live aboards but feel it would be more comfortable and overall less expensive to make the hops when weather permits in a smaller vessel and utilize accommodations along the way. There is plenty of time for us to figure it out between now and my retirement party at work but we have to start somewhere and the sooner the better for us.

It is likely a gas powered 23 SeaCraft will likely not be the best option for our ultimate plan but it will give us a good reference point from the smaller end of the selection scale.

[Bushwacker]

Originally Posted by kmoose

. . . Mel and I want to start experimenting with what we want to do in early retirement. Island hopping through the Caribbean is on our short list. Short trips like this will give us a taste of the current logistics and crossing expectations. . .

Then why stop at West End?! It's really not very representative of the Bahama Out Islands anyway, so why not continue on to the Abacos with Connor to Green Turtle, Man O'War, and Hope Town, where time doesn't mean much to folks! The sign on the side of the bank in downtown New Plymouth, on GT Cay says it all:
BANKING HOURS: TUESDAY, 10-2

Every Tuesday, whether you need it or not!

But figure on taking a couple weeks to do it right, and being self sufficient and able to anchor out and sleep aboard gives you much more flexibility! Also no need to carry tanks, as the nicest reefs are in 35' or less, plus spearguns are illegal anyway, although pole spears and slings are ok.

[kmoose]

Originally Posted by Bushwacker

Then why stop at West End?! It's really not very representative of the Bahama Out Islands anyway, so why not continue on to the Abacos with Connor to Green Turtle, Man O'War, and Hope Town, where time doesn't mean much to folks! The sign on the side of the bank in downtown New Plymouth, on GT Cay says it all:
BANKING HOURS: TUESDAY, 10-2

Every Tuesday, whether you need it or not!

But figure on taking a couple weeks to do it right, and being self sufficient and able to anchor out and sleep aboard gives you much more flexibility! Also no need to carry tanks, as the nicest reefs are in 35' or less, plus spearguns are illegal anyway, although pole spears and slings are ok.

If it was up to me it would be a longer trip working as far as we could but remember, Mel is a newbie and requires a slow, controlled immersion into a transition from cruise ships to island skiffs. I have a 2020 business plan that will ready both of us for more adventurous endeavors and bank the financing required to make sure I'm not selling ceviche on a street corner in Dunmore town to buy enough fry grease diesel to putt back home.

[bumpdraft]

I'll just put this out there, I don't have a horse in this race, as wife has her sights on the UP in June, but what about a big house to rent (depending on amount of people involved).

[Bushwacker]

My wife was also a newbie on our first Bahama trip to Green Turtle, but I gave her the "full immersion" into the culture right away, even though she couldn't swim! Did manage to get her doing some snorkeling before we left, however. Although she and our daughter flew over while I ran the boat over with a buddy of mine, they LOVED the place and the friendliness of the natives! They became quite friendly with the folks in Lowes grocery, but said they were very conservative (this was back in the 70's); the locals were clearly offended and just barely polite to some gals that came in off a sailboat wearing string bikinis! Green Turtle is about 60% white and a bit less conservative than Man O'War, which is ~100% white, has numerous churches, and no bars or liquor stores, but go easy on the rum raisin ice cream at the Dock 'n Dine restaurant . . . that stuff will give you a hangover!

[cdavisdb]

Island hop to PR in a small boat?? A 25 Seafari with two good sources of power and a copy of Van Sants book, "A Gentlemans Guide to Passages South" would be just about perfect.

Where in West End is the place you guys are thinking of? Bay side or ocean side? Is the dockage well protected from wind and chop?

[kmoose]

Originally Posted by cdavisdb

Island hop to PR in a small boat?? A 25 Seafari with two good sources of power and a copy of Van Sants book, "A Gentlemans Guide to Passages South" would be just about perfect.

Where in West End is the place you guys are thinking of? Bay side or ocean side? Is the dockage well protected from wind and chop?

Bootle bay