Traveling to Abaco
in Your Boat
Disclaimer
In this article, I reference several publications, organizations, products, marinas, resorts, and boats. I receive no compensation for said references, and none was solicited. I am merely reporting my experience. I do not guarantee the accuracy of any charts or textual references, or the adequacy of any device or boat.

This article is written from the perspective of a powerboat operator; however, much of the discussion will be of use to sailboaters, and I encourage sailors contemplating a trip to Abaco to read and consider the contents herein.

I make several comments relating to a boat’s performance in adverse sea conditions. Obviously, a 25-footer will perform differently than a 45-footer. Our boat, at 32 feet, is intermediate, and I use it as a reference along with my experience in smaller outboards. Those of you running larger, more capable boats will probably have the experience to temper (but not ignore) my warnings and concerns.

My Experience: Why I Feel I Can Offer Useful Advice
In the summer of 1961, my family moved from Ohio to Daytona Beach, Florida. My grandfather, Ellsworth Bundy, had enjoyed both freshwater and “deep sea” fishing for many years. In the fall of ’61, he found an advertisement in the local paper for the Marianne, a “head” boat based out of Ponce Inlet. We made a number of trips on that boat, often returning with large catches of red snapper, sea bass, triggerfish, grouper, and amberjack. This was high adventure for an eleven-year-old, although the three-hour ride out to the reefs was tedious, especially in rough weather. I once asked the mate why we had to travel so far, and his response was, “That’s where the fish are.”

I later found a topographical map of the continental shelf in Rachael Carson’s The Sea Around Us. From it, I learned that the shelf and the very deep water to seaward were quite close to the South Florida shoreline. To the north, however, the shelf curved away from the continental landmass. Where deep water could be found only a few miles east of Palm Beach, one would have to travel over 40 nautical miles from Ponce to reach a depth of 300 feet and the subsequent rapid drop-off. This phenomenon would shape my boating experience in the coming years.

In 1985, I bought my first boat, a 21-foot outboard cuddy, and began the slow process of developing my seamanship skills. Within six months I had braved Ponce Inlet and ventured out into the open Atlantic. Within a year I had reached the first line of productive reefs, known locally as “Party Grounds,” seventeen miles from and out of sight of land. The fishing was considerably leaner than in the early 60s, and I had to find and explore deeper reefs farther from shore. By ’88, I had learned how to catch dolphin from a “driftline” while anchored over a reef, and the following year I started trolling. On a very calm day in ’89, my little 21-footer and I reached 300 feet, the edge of the shelf, 42 nautical miles from port. It was clearly time for a bigger boat.

That fall, my new wife Bunny and I bought a Pro-Line 25, a hulking boat with 10 feet of beam and twin 200-horsepower Yamaha outboards. We caught our first sailfish in the summer of ’90, won $1100 with a 35-pound dolphin in the ’91 Greater Daytona Beach Striking Fish Tournament, and the following summer we released our first marlin. We were regularly traveling 40 to 45 nautical miles off Daytona to fish, and somewhere along the line it occurred to me that Bahamian ports were really not much farther than that from South Florida. I started doing the research, learning about Bimini, West End, Walker’s Cay, and Abaco proper, and what it would take to get “the islands.” Despite my enthusiasm, I couldn’t sell the idea to my wife and our regular fishing buddies. Obviously, we needed a bigger boat.

In early ’93, we took delivery of a Pro-Line 29 Walkaround. Big, brawny, wide, and capable, it had twin 250-horse Yammies, state of the art electronics, a hard top, enclosure, and a huge fishing cockpit. That April we made our first trip to Walker’s Cay, and in July we spent a week in Abaco, visiting Guana, Elbow, and Green Turtle Cays. In ’97 we bought our current boat, Attitude Adjustment, a Pro-Line 3250 Express with 300-horse inboards. All told, we have made fifteen cruises to Bahamian ports, including Bimini, the Berry Islands, Abaco from Walker’s Cay to south of Little Harbour, as well as West End, Grand Bahama.

Why have a dragged you through my little history? First, I started boating seriously over two decades ago with only marginal experience, a couple of bucks, and a sense of adventure. I educated myself along the way, listened to the voices of wisdom and experience, tried my best, screwed up, tried again, learned more, read more, talked more, did even more, and to date have logged ten successful island cruises. If I can do this, so can you. Second, let me tell you, the island boating thing has been the experience of my life. If you are a serious or even semi-serious boater, do yourself a favor and take your boat to Abaco. But, do it right!

I ran boats for eight years before I crossed the Gulf Stream to the Bahama Banks. I spent a lot of time a lot of miles from shore, and I got my butt—and the butts of my crews—kicked more times than I care to think about. There were sudden squalls and five-hour slogs into miserable head seas, debilitating heat, and numbing cold. We suffered through mechanical failures of virtually every kind, hit things we didn’t see, fouled our props, and got lost in the fog. We logged thousands of hours and thousands of miles, and we learned that when you’re out there alone and things go south, you have to do whatever it takes to survive and get back to port.

People write me letters from places like Tennessee: “We’ve been boating on lakes all our lives, and now we want to trail our boat to Florida and come to Abaco. What can we do to prepare ourselves?” Or: “I’ve been boating inshore all my life, and now I want to run across to West End. Do you think this is a good idea?” My answer is simply: “Unless you have the skills to cope with weather-related and mechanical disasters in the open sea, get some more experience.” (When I write an article, I try to give the reader a few “pearls” that he can carry away—concepts and ideas that I think are really worth remembering. When you see red text, you’re reading a pearl; grab it and hold on.)

There are a lot of ways to skin a cat, boat, or fish. I’m going to tell you what works for me, why I do what I do, and why I believe what I believe. I place strong emphasis on safety, patience, education, and preparation. There are a lot of nitwits out there on the water, and yes, some of them will survive their trip from South Florida to Abaco. You’ll bump into them from time to time; don’t let their casual irresponsible approach cloud your good judgment. Part of our great boating adventure involves some risk-taking, but let’s make sure we do it on our terms, not theirs.

Resources
There are a number of publications, cruising guides, charts, and online resources that can assist you as you prepare for your Abaco cruise. They are available at specific web sites, brick and mortar retail outlets, and their Internet counterparts.

Where To Shop:

What to Buy
The single most useful reference for the potential Abaco cruiser is Steve Dodge’s Cruising Guide to Abaco Bahamas 200X. If you purchase only one reference, make it Dodge; it contains perhaps 90% of the essential information you’ll need to successfully plan and execute an Abaco cruise. The most useful aspect of Dodge is the cruising routes Steve provides. He’ll describe for you how to get from point A to B to C with a “functional guarantee” of six feet draft at mean low water (MLW). There are charts, aerial photos, descriptions of anchorages and harbours, “yellow pages,” and useful articles. Lastly, it is updated annually, so you are assured of getting the most current information.

Another very useful book is Dr. Darrel Wyatt’s Cruising Guide to Abaco and the Northern Bahamas, an updated version of Julius Wilensky’s 1984 work of the same title. Darrel’s cruising perspective is from a relatively deep-draft sailboat on an extended voyage, and his book is thus particularly useful for that application. Wyatt can be found at most marine outlets as well as online at Cruising Guide to Abaco and Northern Bahamas.

Other great print resources include:

While you’re shopping, you’ll need to pick up a yellow Quarantine or “Q” flag, as well as a Bahamas courtesy flag. We’ll discuss their use later; just be aware that you’ll need them when you reach the Bahamas.

Internet Resources

If you have specific questions, try posting them on the Abaco Forum , or you can email me .

Due to the fluid nature of the Internet, web sites are constantly appearing, evolving, and disappearing. If you try one of the links in this article and it doesn’t take you where you wanted to go, try using Google. For example, if you click on “Marina X” and you wind up at a porn site, call up Google, paste in “Marina X,” and it will generate a list of sites, one or more of which should suit your needs. I used Google extensively during my research for this article—it is a great tool.

Weather Resources

Florida/US
For several years I have used Wunderground.com as my primary Internet weather information source. From this site you can access weather reports and predictions for South Florida ports, as well as related marine forecasts, local and regional radar plots, and tropical weather information. Each morning of the week prior to our annual summer cruise, I use Wunderground.com to familiarize myself with the weather outlook for Ft. Pierce, our departure port. If you have a laptop and Internet access from your boat, you obviously can continue to visit this site after you leave home. It does, in fact, produce some annoying pop-up ads, but several of the Internet security programs (I use Norton Internet Security) as well as the newest version of Windows XP have efficient pop-up blockers. Barometer Bob's Abaco Weather Forecast and National Data Buoy Center-Florida are also of use, as pointed out in the previous section.

National Weather Service reports are obviously available on your boat’s VHF; make sure you listen to their report the night before and the morning of your departure. How far offshore you will be able to continue to access NWS radio depends on the height above water of your boat’s VHF antenna, and the weather.

Abaco
Barometer Bob’s Abaco weather report is broadcast daily at 8:15 AM on VHF 68 during the “Cruiser’s Net” radio program. It can usually be heard from Little Harbour to Green Turtle Cay, again depending on the height of your antenna. There are times at GT when reception is marginal. When this happens, I walk around the marina and find a larger boat with very high antennas; often they can hear it. Besides the weather report, Cruiser’s Net offers news of local events as well as promotional information from local resorts, restaurants, and bars.

When in Abaco, it has been my practice for many years to get up at 7:30. I take a few moments to “shake out the cobwebs,” walk the docks for a quick visual weather check, and then settle in for Cruiser’s Net. It is a great way to start the day; I get the weather and related info I need to make the day’s “plan.”

If you have an FM radio onboard, you may be able to pick up Silbert Mills’ weather report on Radio Abaco 93.5 at about 6 PM, as well as mornings at 7 AM. If you miss Cruiser’s Net and Silbert’s broadcast, try asking for weather info on VHF 16. Often someone will respond with at least some of what you need. 

Accessing weather information on the western Bank can be challenging. At West End, it is often possible to hear the NWS broadcast from Palm Beach. If you can’t hear from your boat, someone with a high antenna will probably let you listen for a few moments. It’s much harder to pick up NWS at Walker’s Cay. However, they often post a South Florida marine report on the bulletin board opposite the resort’s main desk. Each morning, I walk up the hill to the office and read the report. On the way back, and as I walk the docks, I ask if anyone has heard a weather report. By the time I get back to the boat I usually have a pretty good idea of what’s in store for us. The situation is similar at Spanish Cay; check with the folks at the marina office.

If you are anchoring out between Walker’s and Spanish, you can try asking for weather info on VHF 16. Most boating visitors to Abaco, whether on the water or at the docks, are happy to provide you with whatever information they have.

In recent years, companies such as KVH have begun offering innovative satellite-based communications systems for boaters. Their eTrac and tracNet systems offer boaters with the necessary financial resources email and Internet access, including comprehensive weather reporting. While currently beyond the reasonable means of most boaters, they are very functional. And, as with so many technical innovations such as GPS, we can anticipate falling prices and smaller units, which will hopefully make them available to the average boater in the near future.

Geography
(It will help to have a chart to reference during this discussion)
Many boaters venture to Abaco simply because, for people who live north of Ft. Lauderdale, it is the closest “island” destination. Indeed, the entrance to Old Bahama Bay at West End is only about 56 nm from Lake Worth Inlet in Palm Beach. Marsh Harbour is actually closer to boaters north of Cape Canaveral than the Florida Keys. Of course, they can trail their boats to Key Largo and points SW, but for boats that can’t be readily trailed, Abaco is closer.
The western edge of the Little Bahama Bank lies 55 to 60 nm east of coastal Florida. The Gulf Stream runs northward between the two; its axis lies about a third of the distance from Florida to the Bank. The central part of the Stream can push a stationary vessel north at four to five knots; conversely, boaters sometimes happen upon a southbound countercurrent as they approach the Bank.

At the Bank’s southern aspect we find Grand Bahama Island. West End and Old Bahama Bay lie at its western extreme. Freeport lies about 20 nm to the ESE on the island’s south shore, and the Lucayan Waterway is about eight nm further east. Memory Rock is about 15 nm NNW of West End.

Matanilla Shoal forms the NW corner of the Bank, and Matanilla Reef and the Lily Bank lie 30 to 35 nm to the east. Walker’s Cay is another 12 or so nm further east. Two useful landmarks on the western Bank are Mangrove Cay, located about 23 nm ENE of West End and Memory Rock, and Great Sale Cay, another 20 to 25 nm further ENE. Routes east take the boater either north or south of Great Sale, then east between Little Abaco and the offshore cays, finally entering the “Upper” Sea of Abaco at Angelfish Point.

There are several related implications for the Abaco cruiser:
As the Gulf Stream lies in close proximity to Lake Worth Inlet, boaters departing that port can quickly assess the state of the Stream and make a rapid decision as to whether it is “crossable.” Boaters departing from Stuart and Ft. Pierce have to travel farther to reach the Stream. As noted, the axis of the Stream may move northward at up to five knots; this has important navigational implications for sailboats and slower powerboats, as well as for those that break down.

The entrance to Old Bahama Bay is deep, but the Indian Cay Channel to its immediate north may only carry five ft at low tide. Deep draft vessels may have to enter the Bank 2 nm or so south of Memory Rock; after maintaining a heading of 90oT for three nm, one can safely turn ENE toward Walker’s Cay and avoid the shallow sand bores to the east of Memory Rock.

Boaters leaving Indian Cay Channel or Memory Rock bound for Abaco should pass north of Mangrove Cay, then either north or south of Great Sale. If taking the southern route, stay well south of the shoals that extend southward from the cay.

The northwestern Bank can be safely entered north of the White Sound Ridge. Unlike the southern Bank, the depths here are 20 to 35 feet for the first 20 or so nm heading eastward. The boater expecting the Bank to damp the four-foot head seas he has been battling since leaving Ft. Pierce may have slog it out for another 10 to 15 miles before he encounters notable improvement. Squalls on the northwestern Bank can churn up steep, tight waves, as in 8 to 10 feet, similar to conditionings found in the Gulf of Mexico.

Moving eastward, it is important to stay south of the Lily Bank, parts of which come up to one to two feet at MLW. However, on a calm day, these shoals assume an electric teal that makes for a truly beautiful scene. In addition, we have periodically seen schools of bonefish on the shoals, so if you have an hour to kill it may be worth your while to anchor up and explore. Just don’t hit these bores at full throttle!

“Fish muds” are elongated patches of cloudy water that can be quite large, sometimes several miles in length. I don’t think they have anything to do with fish or mud; they are possibly an outflow from an underwater vent. But boaters often slow down to idle speed when they encounter them, mistaking them for shoals. I sometimes do it to, better to be cautious. Once you have passed the Lily Bank, you can turn NE to Walker’s or continue on toward Abaco.

The northwestern Bank can be very lonely, as can the run from Ft. Pierce or Stuart to the Bank. You may see only a few boats until you get to the immediate Walker’s area. In contrast, the route from Lake Worth Inlet to West End is heavily traveled; you’ll probably never be out of sight of another boat, especially on the weekend.

The Gulf Stream deserves some specific commentary. When traveling due east or slightly south of east, the boater is running perpendicular to the force of the Stream. This is the case for departures from Lake Worth, St. Lucie, and Ft. Pierce. Departures from ports farther north require a more southerly course, so boaters leaving from Port Canaveral or Ponce Inlet must travel more against the Stream than across it, effectively increasing their distance to Abaco. For this reason, many authors recommend against departures north of Ft. Pierce. Additionally, there is very little boat traffic in the open waters between Abaco and Central Florida ports; help would thus be slower to arrive in an emergency.

A friend ties up his Hatteras 72-foot motor yacht at the end of our dock in Daytona Beach. He travels straight from Ponce Inlet to Walker’s Cay, which is about 175 nm; he likewise returns directly from West End to Ponce Inlet, a similar distance. He has a Trackphone and SSB and a large life raft, and feels comfortable in the open sea on a long journey. Similarly, I have friends that charter a 44-foot sportfish out of Port Canaveral, and they frequently run directly to Walker’s. If you have these kinds of resources and confidence, more power to you. For those of you in smaller or slower boats, consider departing from Ft. Pierce or points south.

Tide or current flowing against significant wind (greater than 10 knots) produces high, steep waves; this occurs in inlets, passes, as well as in the Gulf Stream. A stiff north wind can produce an angry rip in the Stream 15 miles wide. Years ago we sat in West End for several days after a cold front brought 15 to 20 knot NE winds and reports of an impassable Gulf Stream. On the fourth evening National Weather Service called for 10 to 15 knot winds from the NE, seas 2 to 4 feet, “higher in the Gulf Stream.” We left West End at dawn and were able to run at 25 knots over the back of a soft two-foot chop for 30 nm. I had begun to think we were going to cheat the weather gods, but it was not to be. Within the next three nm the seas grew to a very steep eight to ten feet; it was all I could do to keep the boat from broaching. Four miles from Lake Worth Inlet someone flipped a switch, and within a mile we were back to two feet. If you’ve never seen this, it’s hard to believe, but the message here is very direct: do not take the Stream lightly in a north wind.

How Much Boat Does it Take?
I’ve received a number of letters from boaters, who are contemplating their first Island trip, and they write, “My boat is a so-and-so, X feet long, etc.—can I safely cross in it?” Before we entertain this discussion, please remember: the seamanship and judgmental abilities of the skipper are more important to the safety and success of the trip than the physical qualities of the boat.

Several years ago, one of the companies that builds rigid hull inflatables ran one of their fifteen-footers from Miami to Bimini in two hours. One year, we tied up at Sea Crest in Bimini; along with us were six single-engine boats, twenty feet and under, who had crossed in the preceding days. I once talked to a fellow in Marsh Harbour who had run a bonefish skiff all the way from Palm Beach to Green Turtle in one day. My friend Tom Rutledge ran a Whaler 17 the same distance in two days. And there is a guy who works for a boat maintenance company that we see on our dock periodically; he grew up in Miami and as a high school kid used to sail over to Bimini and back with his girlfriend on a Hobie 16! I asked him how he navigated, “Hell, we just followed the sun and rode the westerly in the morning, same thing in the afternoon, never bothered to clear.” As you can see, there are no absolutes when it comes to the basic “minimums” in terms of a boat's physical characteristics. That having been said, please consider that as the size, physical integrity, and equipment of a boat are minimized, so is the margin of safety when the weather or a mechanical situation deteriorates.

These, then, are my personal suggestions for the “minimum boat:”

In addition, here are some very desirable options:

Yes, I know, your 21-footer is tough as nails, your single engine is as reliable as death and taxes, you’ve been boating since before you could walk, yadda yadda. But it’s your life and the life of your crew when the situation goes south; use your judgment. This is a vacation, folks, let’s keep the risk in perspective.

I occasionally field questions about “boating groups” and “buddy crossings,” and have a few thoughts about them. If you cross from Lake Worth to West End, especially on a weekend, you will probably never be out of sight of another boat; it is a very heavily traveled route. If you get into trouble, it’s likely that someone will hear you and quickly respond. This brings us to the uncomfortable yet essential topic of boating emergencies. (I’m tempted to include “disasters” such as getting lost or running out of fuel, but I would hope that you, a competent skipper, would have better judgment than to let that happen.)

There are two broad categories of emergencies you may encounter; the first, we’ll call “general mechanical.” In this scenario, something happens that renders one of your engines inoperable. If you have twins, you idle home on the good engine; if you have a single or if something takes out both, then you get on the radio and someone comes and hauls you to port. That’s expensive and time-consuming, and it’ll wreck your vacation, but you’ll be safe.

The second emergency category we’ll call “sudden disaster,” and it involves either a weather-related event (such as being swamped in heavy seas), a sudden catastrophic leak as a result of hitting a submerged pile or other object, or a sudden structural failure. In terms of the relative frequency of each type of event, the “general mechanical” far outweighs the “sudden disaster.”

If you are in a boating group and you break down, it’s possible that someone in the group can jury-rig a repair at sea and get you going again, although it’s still likely that you are going to have to return to Florida. The more likely possibility is that you’ll have to limp home or call for a tow. In the unlikely event that you encounter a “sudden disaster,” then it certainly is to your benefit to have help nearby. Or you may simply feel more secure traveling along the route with other boaters, especially if they’re friends. Last year we met some people from the Vero Beach Grady-White owner’s club, they do an Abaco trip every year with ten or more boats and love it.

There are some downsides to traveling with a group. The boat with the slowest cruising speed will set the pace; you may find that your fuel efficiency is significantly compromised if you can’t get up and run on full plane. When someone breaks down, everyone has to stop while the situation is investigated. If someone is late getting away from the dock, the entire group is now late. If you’re all clearing in West End, you’ve got a long wait ahead of you. And if you simply pair up with someone else who happens to be going the same way, there may be questions about their reliability and motives. I think you can safely go it alone, but that decision is yours. If the weather is marginal, the better part of valor may be to wait a day or so than to venture out into nasty seas: even in a group you will still have to run the boat, cope with the weather, and make your own decisions.

I have some concerns about people who make this trip alone, as in solo, no crew.  Chichester had something to prove by his solo circumnavigation; I’m betting you don’t. Lots of boaters cross to The Bahamas by themselves, we’ve watched them pull into Bimini and West End. They’re one slip and a concussion away from disaster. I heard a story once about a skipper who was having trouble reading his gauges through sunglasses; he bent down for a closer look just as the boat skipped over a stray four-footer. The throttle broke his nose, he bled all over the boat, and his crew had to rush him to a hospital. Plenty of guys in their thirties and forties have had sudden heart attacks. These things happen; if you’re alone, there’s no help.

Charting and Navigation
Classic maritime navigation is based upon the use of precise nautical charts, an understanding of “set” and “drift,” and the ability to use parallel rulers and dividers to plot a course. The navigator sets a series of compass courses, logs each over a set time, always “deducing” his position from known parameters. The advent of electronic aids to navigation, first radio direction beacons and finders, followed by LORAN and ultimately GPS, has created a generation of boaters who have little knowledge and appreciation of the classic skills. Today, we simply enter a waypoint into a little black box, point the boat on the bearing indicated, stay within the cross track error, and arrive safely, always having access to “time- and distance-to-go.” So we really don’t need an understanding of “primitive” navigation, right? The military relies on GPS; it can’t fail, can it? After all, there are all those satellites! However,

GPS can and does “fail” (although not as a system). The most common causes of GPS failures are:

To prevent these failures from occurring, have a second person assist you in checking your waypoints for accuracy after you have loaded them. When a skipper/navigator is planning a trip, he has to enter perhaps a hundred new waypoints into his machine. If that is done at one sitting, there is substantial likelihood that mistakes will be made. After you have finished, come back later with someone else and check everything you have entered. Do the same with the routes you have set up.

Is it possible that the source of your coordinates, a cruising guide, a copy from a friend, has errors? You bet it is—I’ve had it happen to me. Protect yourself from these errors by learning how to use a chart, parallel rulers, and dividers. Take an evening and pull out that copy of Chapman’s we suggested you buy, and teach yourself how to plot a course. Then set up your chart next to your GPS unit and ask the unit to give you bearing and distance for each leg of your route. Match it against what you are getting from your chart. If the numbers don’t jive, then you’d better take a hard look at the source of your numbers, or whether you input them correctly. If you have a suspect number, plot several courselines to it from other waypoints. Get used to doing this, it is the essential process for verifying your navigation plan.

As you travel, keep on eye on your “distance-to-go” and “bearing” parameters. If you suddenly lose your GPS, use your last relative position, plot your course, calculate speed and time, and continue on. Mariners navigated this way for centuries—you can too. Use a siting compass to shoot bearings on landmarks such as towers, islands, and rocks. Two lines of position should intersect at your location; plot a course and go. Be aware of the drift—whether it’s the Gulf Stream or the tide across the Bank—and work it into your calculation. And yes, I carry a backup handheld that has all my numbers in it, and there is an eight-pack of AAs in the drawer that has all my manuals, navigation tools, extra cash, etc. But I’m still ready to navigate if both units go down, and you should be as well.

A few years ago, I was invited to participate in a boat club’s planning meeting. They were going to Abaco, many for the first time, and the club’s official Navigator passed out The Plan, which contained over 300 GPS numbers and several routes. One route originated at Boat Harbour and ended in Hopetown Harbour, a distance of about five nm. There were ten waypoints! There was no discussion of leaving the Parrot Cays to starboard, the approach to the harbour channel, the “street range,” the buoys, the narrow entrance, etc. It was just “follow these waypoints.”

Folks, this is a recipe for disaster! We have heard several stories involving people striking rocks or shoals at speed while fumbling with GPS units. GPS is a wonderful aid to navigation out in the open ocean, running across the broad expanses of the western Bank, even for long runs on the Sea of Abaco. For short distances, especially in areas where there are lots of potential obstructions such as small cays, islets, reefs, shoals, sandbars, and coral heads, navigate with your eyes and your compass. You can use GPS to generate a courseline, give you time and distance, but keep your eyes ahead!

Many of the cruising guides provide routes for you to follow. Indeed, we have noted that this is one of the most useful features of Dodge. But before you tear into this very useful book and lift each of the routes, make sure you read Steve’s disclaimer on page one. He clearly points out that you cannot absolutely count on his routes to be perfectly free of obstructions, and he explains why. This is the ultimate truth about any courseline, especially the ones you generate yourself.

When you are out in the open sea, you still have to watch for submerged piles, containers, trees, etc. On the Bank and around the cays, there are a jillion heads and shoals that are just dying to eat up your running gear. It is essential that the skipper maintains a diligent eye on his course; if things don’t look right, slow down, stop, collect yourself. As you run, keep an eye on the surrounding landmarks; are they where they’re supposed to be? Shouldn’t you be passing that rock to starboard? Keep asking yourself those questions. Examine an aerial photo of the offshore cays; take a look at how much coral there is. Be very aware of this as you maneuver through these areas. GPS does not set up a force field that protects you from hitting an obstruction; that is your responsibility.

Another instrument that has significant limitations is the depth sounder. I’m tempted to advise you to put a bag over it once you enter the Sea of Abaco. Its transducer is usually mounted near the boat’s transom, and, with the exception of a few very new forward-scanning models, tells you only what’s directly beneath the aft third of your boat. You can blissfully be cruising along in 11 feet at 25 knots and whack a coral head—it happens all the time. Once again, you have to remember to use your eyes.

Start with good polarized sunglasses. People argue about which color is best for seeing through the water; I would simply suggest that you get good prescription polarized lenses if you wear glasses, or good generics if you wear contact lenses or you’re one of the lucky few who can actually see without visual assistance. Try to run when the sun is high enough for you to be able to “see through the water.” Clouds can make it difficult, you may have to slow down or wait. If you have a tower or another way to increase your elevation, use it to your visual advantage. I don’t recommend you go out in a boat at night without local knowledge, unless you’re making a short dingy run across the harbour.

It may take a little time, but learn to coordinate the depth with its color. Brown usually means rock or coral; slow down and detour. Deeper blues indicate deeper water; you’re usually safe to run here, although up around Walker’s Cay there are places where heads come up to the surface in 40 to 50 feet of water. Beiges indicate shallow water, shoals and bars. As the water deepens, the beige merges into light green; the green darkens as the depth increases. Much of the Sea of Abaco is 10 to 15 feet—learn to recognize this color. It can be difficult to discern the darker green of a grassy bottom from the rock/coral brown, especially if the light is bad or it’s windy and the surface is roiled up. Sometimes you just have to slow down and confirm the depth. Reading the water takes some practice, but it is really the only way you have of navigating around many obstructions.

Fuel Management
The prospective Abaco boater may hear “fuel management” and equate it only to the actual cost of fuel at outlying sources. However, there is a much more compelling concern: does you boat carry enough fuel to get you through 75 nm or so of marginally tolerable head seas?

While 75 nm does not seem like a substantial distance, consider this scenario:

Never having faced this situation before, you are unaware that your fuel efficiency has dropped to 0.6 nmpg. After traveling 53 nm, you drop the freighter and turn south for the 13 nm run to West End. You barely get half way, your motor dies, and you get that sinking feeling the you have just run out of fuel in the worst sea conditions you’ve ever faced.

Many of us who cut our boating teeth in fishing situations have boats with relatively large fuel capacities, but a lot of cruising boats don’t. Similarly, many fishing boats are equipped with a FloScan, or their engines have integrated fuel management instrumentation. When interfaced with GPS, the skipper receives real-time fuel efficiency data, thus allowing him to instantly calculate his range in a given sea state. This is crucial information when you are traveling long distances and your fuel supply is relatively limited. Therefore, I encourage all boaters who are considering crossing the Stream to the Bahamas and beyond to equip their boat with a FloScan or similar device.

There are basically three levels of fuel efficiency that most planing or semi-displacement hulls achieve. The first is at “slow speed,” perhaps five to six knots. The second, “comfortable cruise,” is at perhaps 22 to 25 knots. The third, and most important for this discussion, occurs at “slog speed.” This is your boat’s fuel efficiency under very adverse conditions; it typically occurs as you are traveling into the worst head seas you are willing to accept while trying to maximize your speed over a relatively long course. If you have a fuel management device, you can readily determine each of these levels by simply observing your instrument while operating your boat in each type of sea state.

Once you have determined your slog speed fuel efficiency, you can then determine the most important fuel management parameter, Bundy’s Effective Slog Range Index, or BESDEX. BESDEX is the farthest realistic distance you should attempt to travel in the worst conditions you are willing to accept, with a 33% cushion for unexpected disasters or course changes. To determine your boat’s BESDEX, multiply its slog speed fuel efficiency by its fuel capacity, and then multiply that number by 0.75.

Here is an example, using parameters relating to our boat, Attitude Adjustment, a 32-foot planing sportfish with twin 300-horse Mercruiser sterndrives. Attitude’s slog speed efficiency is 0.75 nmpg, and her fuel capacity is 250 gallons. 0.75 x 250 x 0.75 = 140.6 nm. This means that Attitude can travel about 140 nm in marginal conditions and still have another 45 nm or so reserve.

If your boat does not have a fuel management device and you are unwilling to drop a thousand on a FloScan—much less several hundred more for handheld backup electronic gizmos, an EPIRB, and a life raft—there is a way to find determine your BESDEX. It’s tedious and takes a little time, but it’s essential that you have this information before you boldly attack the Gulf Stream.

Let’s consider this example:

Let’s now break the trip down into two segments: three nm at slow speed, and 12 nm at cruise speed. Having already determined your slow speed fuel efficiency, you can calculate how much fuel you burned over this three nm segment. You know you get 1.5 nm/gal; another way of stating this is 1 gal/1.5 nm, it means the same thing. To find how much fuel you burned, do the math: 1 gal/1.5 nm x 3 nm = 2 gallons. That means you burned the other 10 gallons to go 12 nm. Therefore, 12 nm/10 gal yields your cruise speed fuel efficiency of 1.2 nm/gal.

Now it’s Sunday, high tide is at 1 PM, and we get to play hardball; same marine forecast. If you have never run your boat in this set of conditions, and/or you have crew who have never experienced such conditions, this will be your acid test. If you can’t or don’t want to run head on into four to six foot seas, then think twice about going to Abaco in your boat. You need this experience under your belt, because chances are, at some point you will encounter bad weather and the related sea conditions. Sure, some people get lucky and have a smooth crossing both ways, and never hit bad weather on the Bank. In ten trips we’ve never had this kind of luck—don’t count on getting it!

So you top off your tanks at your inlet marina at noon, make your way to the mouth of the inlet at slow speed, and then throttle up when you hit the five-footers. You tough it out for an hour, noting that you have run 11 nm at slog speed. You then throttle back to slow speed, turn around and return to the fuel dock where you take on 32 gallons. Of this 26 nm trip, two nm was at slow speed from the marina to the inlet, as was the 13 nm return trip from the point where you turned around; thus 15 nm was at slow speed. Your boat’s slow speed fuel efficiency is 1.5 nm/gal, or 1 gal/1.5 nm x 15 nm = 10 gallons burned at slow speed. You burned the other 22 gal while you slogged 11 nm; 11 nm/22 gal = 0.5 nmpg at slog speed, or one gallon burned for every 0.5 nm.

Those of you who are experienced and/or perceptive will be able to punch a few holes in this procedure. Indeed, the distances are relatively short, and there will be tidal influences, even at slack tide. However, it does give the operator useful figures, particularly if he has not previously calculated his fuel efficiency for each type of condition. And for the uninitiated, it will force them to accept the reality of boating in the open ocean.

Now let’s figure your BESDEX: multiply your boat’s slog speed fuel efficiency (0.5) by your fuel capacity (let’s say you carry 200 gallons) times 0.75. Your boat’s BESDEX is 75 nautical miles. At the top of this section, we stated that your boat needed to have a 75 nm range in marginally acceptable seas. Why did we pick that number? The answer lies in the subsequent scenario in that paragraph. And, as we continue east toward Abaco from West End, the next available fuel source is at Foxtown, a distance of about 75 nm. Therefore, your boat needs a BESDEX of 75 in order to have the capability of making these two legs of the journey to Abaco in adverse weather without running out of fuel.
Weather Scenarios and Offshore Seamanship

Weak High Pressure
In the absence of frontal influence, weak high pressure sits peacefully over South Florida and adjacent coastal waters. During the night, heavy, moisture-laden air settles over the cooling interior, creating a gentle offshore breeze. Our informed boater leaves Lake Worth Inlet at 7 AM and skips across the Straits of Florida before a five to ten knot westerly, encountering only a broad low ground swell. As he arrives at the Bank, the wind shifts to the southeast; at first it’s only about ten knots or so, finally building to 15 by mid-afternoon. The landmasses of Grand Bahama and Little Abaco Islands limit fetch such that there is only a one foot chop until our skipper turns SE at Angelfish Point and enters the Sea of Abaco. Here it’s a little windier and the chop is one to two feet, but Green Turtle is only a few miles away now and everyone is excited. The skipper throttles back to 22 knots, nudges the tabs a bit to iron out the boat’s corrugated ride, and soon he’s backing into his slip, happy and thankful for his good fortune and foresight.

Here we have tried to illustrate one of the cardinal principles of this type of trip: the weather is usually the best it is going to be at first light. Get up as early as it takes so you can by in the inlet by the time there is enough light to safely navigate. Obviously, there will be exceptions. There may be local squalls that are causing havoc; the better part of valor may be to wait an hour or so.

As the sun climbs and the heat intensifies, rising air over the interior creates low pressure, which causes an on shore “sea breeze” by early afternoon. As it works its way inland, it can collide with local frontal boundaries associated with Lake Okeechobee and other bodies of water, or the West Coast sea breeze, giving rise to lightning storms and squalls. By mid-afternoon the onshore wind can be fifteen to twenty knots; for these reasons we always try to make the Bank as early in the morning as possible.

Likewise, it is similarly prudent to leave West End at first light on your return leg to Florida. You can run straight to Lake Worth or points north, listening to NWS weather radio and watching your radar as you run. Stay offshore until the afternoon squalls start to build, then dash inside to the ICW.

Strong High Pressure
Stronger high pressure generates an easterly windflow that snuffs out the early morning westerly. In this scenario, the typical forecast will call for winds from the SE, ten to fifteen knots, seas two to four feet. Obviously, the stronger the pressure gradient, the stronger the winds; you may encounter 15 knots/three to five feet or even 15-20 knots/four to six feet. You and your crew will have to assess the conditions, your boat’s capability, and your desire to get to Abaco in the face of 56 nm of head seas. One factor to consider is whether the forecast has mentioned the possibility of showers and thunderstorms; this should shade your decision away from attempting the crossing, at least on this day. If you don’t have long-range radar, try to find a boat that does, or find a TV and ask to look at The Weather Channel for a few moments. If it’s blowing 15 to 20 and there are already squalls on your courseline, the best strategy may be going back to bed.

While we’re on this subject, let’s address that most delicate of issues, your vacation schedule. You’ve been planning this cruise for six months, you’ve put a lot of time and more money than you care to think about into getting your boat prepared, you’re bleary-eyed from humping Dodge and the ‘net for hours on end, and for the past week you haven’t been able to sleep because you’re just too excited. You’ve trailed your boat to Palm Beach, you’re sitting in your cockpit at a slip at Sailfish Marina, and NWS radio is calling for 20 knots from the SE, seas five to eight feet with scattered squalls and thunderstorms for at least the next 48 hours. It’s Saturday afternoon, you had planned to run to West End Sunday morning, then on to Treasure Cay in the afternoon. You have plans to spend five days visiting Green Turtle and Guana. You want to fish, dive, beach, the works, return to West End the following Saturday, followed by a quick dash back across the Stream Sunday which would allow you to trail your boat back to Gainesville and still get to work the following Monday morning. And now you’re facing the possibility that the weather will cut you back to maybe three or even two days in Abaco, and it’s making you nuts!

Wanna hear the real bad news? Some people sit on the Florida East Coast for an entire week waiting to cross, and never make it. After all that anticipation and preparation, the weather can close you out. So we must accept the irrefutable fact that while we can make all the requisite plans, preparations, and reservations, we simply cannot reserve good weather. The winds and seas couldn’t care less about your schedule; don’t push them, they’ll squash you like a bug! But all may not be lost; later on, we will give you some alternate options.

So you leave Lake Worth Inlet at 7 AM and it’s blowing 15 knots from the SE, seas are three to five feet, and you’ve got 56 nm to make West End. Assemble your crew and give them the hard facts: it’s going to be uncomfortable for a while, maybe five hours or so. Get everything in the cabin squared away, you don’t want things flying around down there. Use your trim tabs, you may have to drop them all the way down. Play with the throttle; find the most comfortable speed and trim. If you have outboards, make sure they are trimmed to the horizontal. Don’t push, this is not a race, you want steady progress. As you travel, periodically call out the distance- and time-to-go; give your crew some encouragement. If you have crew that can handle your boat in these conditions, rotate the helm frequently to minimize fatigue. You may have to do it all yourself; if so, hang in there, be patient. Stop for a few moments every hour or so, let everyone stretch, get a drink, etc. When you get to West End, consider spending the night there and moving on tomorrow. Seas on the Bank will not be as bad, although you’ll still get bounced around and you still have a long way to go. Figure your time, you don’t want to be running after dark. Can you anchor out if you have to? Would Walker’s Cay or Spanish Cay be possible alternatives to your planned destination?

Approaching Low Pressure
As low pressure approaches Florida from the NW, the wind clocks through S to SW to W; wind speed will reflect the pressure gradient. A forecast of SW winds 10 to 15 knots, becoming W, can be favorable to your plans for an eastward crossing. Seas shouldn’t exceed two to three feet, and you can usually skip over them. Prefrontal weather may bring squalls, don’t forget to consider them in your plans. If you’re sitting in West End, you’ll have the seas just off your nose on your westward crossing, but they shouldn’t pile up and will diminish as you approach the mainland.

As wind speed approaches 20 knots from the west it can get pretty sloppy, even on your eastward leg. The problem here is that as you work your way offshore conditions will gradually deteriorate, until you are sliding over increasingly large swells that will try to make your boat yaw and then broach. By the time you decide to turn around, it will be very late in the game, and now you’ll have the seas on your nose. Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security by a few miles of relatively calm seas near shore; it’s going to get worse.

Immediate Post-frontal Flow
The passage of a “cold front” brings north winds that stoke the destructive fires of the Gulf Stream. You’ll be listening to NWS telling you, “NE winds 10 to 15 knots, seas two to four feet but higher in the Gulf Stream,” and you’ll wonder, “How much higher?” You nose out and it isn’t too bad—not comfortable but doable—but the horizon appears to look like the teeth of a carpenter’s saw. Those are “elephants,” massive swells that pile up as the Stream moves north against the wind.

The good news, if you are leaving Palm Beach, is that there is no mystery: the situation becomes obvious very early in the game. What starts as two to four feet becomes six and then eight, perhaps more, and they are high and tight! With a little luck the wind will clock around to the E or even SE; be patient, lay over for a day or so, it takes some time for the elephants to settle down. If you are in West End, you’ll look to your east and see clear blue skies and a settled ocean. The Bank will have damped the NE swells making it look very inviting. You’ll run 30 nm and then all hell will break loose; don’t be fooled!

If you get caught in a nasty following sea, you have two options: you can run directly down sea or you can take the swells on your quarter at 45 degrees. By running down sea you risk being “pooped,” taking a large swell over your transom, potentially flooding your motors and/or your cockpit. You can lessen this risk by taking the sea on your quarter, but then boat will want to yaw toward the wind. If this happens the swell will try to roll the boat over on its side; this is called “broaching.” You have to fight this by quickly throttling up and turning away from the swell, then throttling down as you climb onto the next mountain. This takes a lot of effort and can be fatiguing after a while, but you have to stay at it. If you have another experienced helmsman, rotate frequently. Have someone keep a lookout to stern to warn you of that rogue wave that has your name on it.

Squalls
The weather scenarios I have described so far relate to frontal patterns and are fairly predictable and consistent. This is not the case with squalls, particularly the ones that pop up in the late spring and summer. Heat drives and feeds a squall, as it does a hurricane. The worst ones appear in the mid- or late afternoon, they can drift at you from a distance or form right next to you. The severity of a squall is usually proportional to its darkness, as well as how “electric” it is. Winds can range from 40 all the way to 100 knots; waterspouts can spin off, much like a tornado. The wind direction can abruptly change, and may vary around the cell. Typically there is a ring of dead, heavy air around the system; as it moves closer, a sharp downdraft of cold air precedes the main event.

When you see a squall forming, or you pick one up on your radar, take a moment to assess its characteristics. How big is it, which way is it moving, how dark is it, how much rain is present, and are there other cells in the area with which it might merge? Can you anchor up in what appears to be the lee, can you detour around the cell, should you simply stop and let it pass, is it benign enough that you can go right through it? If you get caught in related high winds and seas, break off your course and maintain your bow either 45 degrees off the wind, or turn around and take it on your quarter. The good news is that squalls don’t last forever; in an hour or two they have usually dissipated or moved on. Do what it takes to survive, then get back to the business of following your course or plan.

Chapman’s has an entire section on handling a boat in adverse weather. I urge all boaters to familiarize themselves with this information.

Trailer and Boat Maintenance Issues
Before we move on to planning your trip, we should consider your truck or SUV and your boat’s trailer. Pulling your heavy boat hundreds of miles over hot pavement is a bit more involved than the short jaunt down to your favorite ramp. First, is your tow vehicle up to the job? I once tried to pull our 21-footer to the Keys in July with a mini-van, and discovered I could not maintain 65 mph and run the air conditioner without overheating. Talk about a crabby crew! I’ve heard stories of people who attempted to trail big boats through the mountains of Tennessee and Carolina, having to stop because their tow vehicle couldn’t handle the terrain. Remember, you’ll probably have a full load of gear and provisions; it’s going to be a heavy load. Try to run with as little fuel in your boat as possible; you can fuel her in South Florida and thereby reduce your load.

Next, take a hard look at your trailer:

Also, you’ll need a place to leave your vehicle and trailer in South Florida; work this out early in your trip planning.

Considering the boat, I always try to have ours serviced about a month or two before a long cruise. Here are a few things to think about:

Bahamas Customs and Immigration
In 2000 the Bahamas instituted a “flat rate” fee of $100 for foreign boats entering the country; captains were provided with a “cruising permit” as well as a recreational fishing permit, if requested. Extra charges for overtime and travel were discontinued. In early July 2003 the fee was abruptly increased to $300 per trip. This elicited substantial protest from boaters as well as resort and marina owners, especially in the western section of the Bahamas. The new fee structure was quickly withdrawn, and many captains who had paid the increased fee were contacted and received a $200 refund.

A short time later, a revised fee structure was permanently established: boats under 35 feet are charged $150, and boats 35 feet and over were are charged $300. There is to be no extra charge for a fishing permit, and there are no additional charges for overtime or travel. The permit is valid for one year, and may be renewed for two additional years at $500/year. Thereafter, the boat must leave Bahamian waters and re-enter, or Bahamas duty must be paid on the boat. However, the fishing permit that accompanies the cruising permit is only valid for 90 days; remember to renew this if you remain longer or re-enter on a valid cruising permit.

Despite promises to the contrary, I am aware of at least five occasions whereby Bahamas C&I officials have, in fact, collected additional overtime and travel charges. All fees must be paid in cash; therefore, I would advise captains to have at least an extra $50-$100 in addition to the published fee on hand when they clear.

Procedure
Boaters must clear Customs and Immigration upon arrival at an officially designated Port of Entry. As of December 2005 these include: West End, Grand Bahama; Walker’s Cay; Spanish Cay; Treasure Cay; Green Turtle Cay; Sandy Point; and Marsh Harbour. If you are entering a marina, contact the dockmaster by VHF and notify him that you must clear customs; he will direct you to a slip. You may tie up at a government dock, such as that found in Settlement Creek, GTC, or Marsh Harbour, without radio contact.

As you enter port, fly the yellow quarantine flag. No one other than the Captain is permitted to leave the boat until your vessel has been cleared. U.S. visitors need a passport (passports expired up to five years may also be used) or a certified birth certificate with a government-issued photo identification, such as a voter's card or driver's license. The birth cert/photo ID may not get you back into the US (see below). The $150/$300 fees are inclusive of a cruising permit, fishing permit, and departure tax for up to four persons; each additional person will be charged $15 departure tax.

If you have a firearm on board, you must declare it with Customs. You must provide the serial number and manufacturer, plus an exact count of ammunition. Though you are allowed to have a firearm on your boat, you cannot take it off the boat unless you obtain a permit from the Bahamian police ahead of time. Weapons must be under lock and key at all times. Any infraction of this law is dealt with severely.

An Import Permit is required for all animals being brought into The Bahamas. These are available in advance for a $10 fee for each animal. Contact The Director of Agriculture, Trade and Industry, P.O. Box N-3704, Nassau, Bahamas, Tel: (242) 325-7502. Dogs and Cats must be six months of age and have current proof of rabies vaccination and a health certificate.

Spare parts and replacement boat parts may be imported into the Bahamas duty free, as long as the boat they are intended for has a cruising permit and transire (issued upon entrance into the Bahamas). Equipment imported as cargo will be subject to a six percent stamp duty based on the value of the parts. Invoices for imported goods are required in all cases. Each adult visitor is allowed to bring 50 cigars, 200 cigarettes, or one pound of tobacco, one quart of spirits, and a variety of personal effects (personal radio headsets, bicycle, two still cameras, etc.) into The Bahamas.

The clearing process typically works like this: you pull into West End (or wherever) with your “Q” flag flying, you collect each crewmember’s passport or other ID, as well as the boat’s registration or documentation certificates, and you walk to the C&I office. Until you clear, your crew must remain on the boat. The official will give you several forms to fill out. He’ll collect $150/$300 cash from you and issue you the required permits, after which you can return to the boat, strike your “Q,” and hoist your Bahamas courtesy flag. Once clear, crew may leave the vessel.

The official has the right to search your boat; I have never heard of this happening but I assume it does. If he were to search your boat and found you were carrying items that you potentially could sell in the Bahamas, you would be required to pay duty on them and possibly a fine. Don’t do it! And while we’re at it, don’t even think about bringing marijuana or other illegal drugs into the Bahamas. If you are caught, they can be very strict, and the US government will not be of much help unless you are very well connected. Before leaving The Bahamas, be sure to surrender the copies of your immigration cards at the last Bahamian port you visit.

The regulations imply that you have to clear as soon as you enter Bahamian waters, but it is quite common for boaters to run from South Florida to Green Turtle or Treasure Cay and clear there upon arrival. We have done this numerous times, and the officials have never objected. However, I wouldn’t stay overnight without clearing. When you are dealing with the C&I official, be patient, quiet, and business-like. Follow his instructions, cooperate with him, and he’ll get you on your way. Do not even think of offering him money to bend a rule.

Previously, we have published sample forms, enabling boaters to complete them prior to arrival, thus expediting the clearing process. I have discontinued this practice for two reasons: first, the forms seem to change frequently. Second, they can be difficult to correctly fill out. For example, one wall at the C&I area at Walker’s Cay Marina is completely covered with sample forms, which are supposed to guide the captain. During my most recent visit I thought I knew what I was doing, and I ignored them. I made five mistakes, and the official loudly berated me in front of the other captains and the marina staff. It behooves each captain to study samples of each form and to complete them appropriately.

My personal experiences with Bahamas C&I officials have not been uniformly pleasant. I have cleared at Walker’s Cay several times and found the officials there impatient, demanding, even sarcastic. The official at Spanish Cay was very quiet and professional. He was off-island the afternoon we arrived; the dockmaster told us to drop the Q, that we were “cleared,” and that the official would see us “tomorrow,” which he indeed did. One year I attempted to clear in New Plymouth. At 5 PM the C&I office was locked; I knocked on the door of the house next door (it belongs to the official), he appeared with a swollen jaw, obviously in pain. He told me I was “cleared,” and to return at 9 AM the next day. I did that, and found a sign on the door stating he was at Treasure Cay airport, and would return at 5. At 5 I knocked on his door and received no response. I listened closely at the door and was able to hear a woman softly giggling and romantic music. It took two more days before I was finally able to clear.

I share this with you because these things happen. Don’t let them throw you; be polite, do what you have to do to get cleared, put up the flag, and get on with your cruise.

Fishing and Diving Regulations (Revised October 2007)
Fishing gear is restricted to hook and line, and you may not fish with more than six rods at a time. Spearfishing: Hawaiian sling is the only approved spearfishing device. Use of Scuba gear or an air compressor to harvest fish, conch, crawfish and other marine animals is prohibited. Spearfishing is not allowed within one mile off the coast of New Providence, within one mile off the south coast of Freeport, Grand Bahama and within 200 yards off the coast of all Out Islands. Spearing or taking marine animals by any means is prohibited within national sea parks. Bag limits are as follows:

Returning to the US
The process of returning to a US port has become more complicated and problematic since “9/11.” In the past, most boaters were able to clear by telephone. Sadly, at least for the foreseeable future, those days are gone.

To expedite the process, before you leave the US, apply for a “Customs User Fee Decal.” This pre-registers your boat with the US Customs & Border Protection Service and streamlines your procedure for returning to the US. The decal costs $25. US Customs regulations for travelers returning from the Bahamas state: “Each US visitor may take home US$600 worth of duty-free merchandise.  Families can pool their allowances. The next $l,000 is taxed at 10%. Gifts valued up to $50 may be mailed home duty-free (but not to yourself). One liter of wine, liqueur or liquor, and five cartons of cigarettes may be taken duty-free. It is illegal to bring Cuban cigars into the US.” It is also illegal to bring in fruits or plants, or any animal or product protected by the Endangered Species Act

Whenever you and your vessel return from a foreign port, all passengers, personal effects, ships stores, and cargo must clear through U.S. Customs and Border Protection Service. If you enter through Fort Pierce Inlet, or any inlet south thereof, when you tie up you must contact USC&BPS by telephone. Their main number is 800-432-1216; you cannot make this call from a cellular telephone. At times this number simply does not work; alternatives are 800-973-2867, or 800-451-0393. If you arrive at Port Canaveral, try 321-783-2066. For Mayport/Jacksonville, try 904-365-4747, or 904-232-2775.

If you have a User Fee Decal, you can usually clear Customs by telephone. You should prepare a list of everything you purchased in the Bahamas and are bringing back into the US, including individual and total prices. Once you have cleared Customs, you must then clear Immigration, and that is usually done in person. That means you will have leave your boat, rent a car, or take a taxi to a USC&BPS office, usually at an airport, and physically clear before an officer. If you return on a holiday, you may have to wait a day or two, it’s up to the official who handles your telephone call.

In 2008 the US government instituted the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. Basically this policy deals with required documents a person must present to the USC&BPS when they re-enter the country. The requirements vary depending on whether the person is returning by air or by boat, and is in the process of evolving. Please check this site during your planning.

</