News & Views for Southern Sailors - Southwinds Magazine

an 80-nautical-mile crossingto Boca Raton, FL. Itwas an overnight tripwith a favorable forecast.There was no wind; theseas were flat. After ashort time, the windslowly began to build,and the sailboat rushedalong on a broad reach.Dick and Carol becamealarmed when the windscontinued to increase to20 knots—then to 30 andbeyond. The seas becameso steep that a nearbyfreighter completely disappearedfrom viewwhenever it fell into awave’s trough. “That wasthe scariest,” Dick said,also noting that badweather at night always seems intensified. “It’s hard to seewhat’s coming at you,” he says. After a long, difficult sail,the couple made it to Boca Raton after daybreak. Despitethat one incident and the many years making crossings,Dick and Carol have had few negative experiences due tocareful weather watching and sensible planning.Boats coming from the Gulf of Mexico will usually betraveling up the Keys before making the jump to theBahamas. Two single-handed sailboats traveling from thisdirection, Defiant and Angel, were sailing together for safetyand company. On their most recent crossing in spring, theyleft a far southerly anchorage in Key Largo, near RockHarbor, at 6:45 a.m. with a favorable forecast of southeastwinds. The expected winds never materialized, and bothsailboats motored 77 nautical miles to Bimini, Bahamas.Both boats saw 1- to 2-foot seas. Lacking any resistance fromwind or wave, they used the stream’s current to increasetheir motoring speed. Reaching Bimini at 5:30 p.m., traveltime was almost 11 hours. Angel’s average motoring speedis normally 5 knots, yet her progress, speed over ground,increased to speeds of up to 8.9 knots in the middle of theGulf Stream where its current flows the strongest.Calm weather windows are perfect for the cruisingtrawler while sailboaters hope for breezes of up to 15 knots.As expected, sailors prefer to sail across the stream, butthose with reliable engines were not hesitant to take advantageof any good weather window, including calms.Seasoned cruisers say they will avoid leaving if the windsare over 15 knots. Of course, as Gusto!!! and Island Dreamhad experienced, unexpected weather can catch a vessel inthe open. Though merely coincidence, both of these vesselshad been traveling at night, when changing skies andoncoming weather is less visible.Also, boaters will avoid crossing the Gulf Stream whenthe winds have any component of north in them. Naturally,northerly winds go against the stream’s current as it flowsfrom the south, and this builds steep and dangerous seas.The most common jump-off points to the Bahamas, (usuallyto West End or Bimini), are between Key Largo and WestPalm Beach, FL. Anything farther north and a vessel isforced to travel against the current, an uncomfortable andDefiant motoring in the middle of the Gulf Stream on a calm day.uneconomical ride. Daytime or night crossings are a matterof personal choice and level of experience. Slower vesselswill usually plan crossings overnight so they can arrive inthe Bahamas with lots of daylight to spare, enabling them tosee shallow water and unlighted channels. It’s a matter ofcareful planning, plotting and weather watching.News & Views for Southern Sailors SOUTHWINDS October 2006 41