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Wave height...??

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by P46-Curaçao, Jun 16, 2016.

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  1. Capt J, Apr 8, 2017
    #41
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    DO NOT go out Boca Inlet, it is too shallow except for maybe right at high tide.

    The ride over should be safe, but it's not going to be comfortable (not super uncomfortable either)and except probably 5' seas in the gulf stream. With a NE wind, the waves tend to stack up in the Gulf Stream...... Why isn't your Captain advising you?
  2. amgscrap, Apr 8, 2017
    #42
    amgscrap

    amgscrap Member

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    Thanks Capt J. I am currently up North and my boat and Capt are in Florida. The trip is almost a week away and in predicting weather it is too early. I wanted to get the advice of those on the forum for a second and third opinion. We don't do Boca Inlet in any tide. The sand bar keeps growing and shifting. We use Lighthouse Point. Thanks again
  3. Capt J, Apr 8, 2017
    #43
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Check with Seatow on Hillsboro inlet as that was very shallow in the recent past and you had to hug the green markers 3 and 5, but they recently dredged it.
  4. amgscrap, Apr 8, 2017
    #44
    amgscrap

    amgscrap Member

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    We will. Thanks for your advice and help
  5. Pascal, Apr 9, 2017
    #45
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    You won't get any idea about the conditions until 6 to 7 days and even then it's marginally useful. I cross to the Bahamas on the way to the Exumas about once a month and the forecast always changes back and forth until 2 to 3 days out. Used to run an unstabilized 70 footer :( now an 84' lazzara with stabs

    Anything north of east and over 10 to 12 kts will result in waves getting steeper and shorter in the stream. Typically in winter patterns comes from the cold fronts and you usually get a couple of good days followed by 4 to 6 days of nasty conditions

    Fronts normally get weaker by mid April but there are also periods of windy conditions around April/may.

    We were supposed to go to BIM this week end, it would have been fine crossing over but pretty much impossible to come back for 4 or 5 days.

    The site I rely the most for forecast is pasaageweather. I like the graphics as you can easily spot the trends.

    http://passageweather.com/index.htm?http://passageweather.com/maps/florida/mappage.htm

    The bottom chart is wave heights. Basically white and the first light blue is fine. Second blue (1 to 2 meters) is something I try to avoid I ve started to many times at the 3' range and ended up closer to 6'
  6. amgscrap, Apr 9, 2017
    #46
    amgscrap

    amgscrap Member

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    Pascal
    Thanks very much. The reason for asking so early was to get an idea how good or bad the trip would be with the currently forecasted weather. Ordinarily, we would always wait for a good weather window.

    However, I will be coming down this Thursday with my two young grandkids for Easter weekend. Thus, I don't have a weather window option. The only options I have is if it is decent sea conditions to take them to Bimini on the boat; if it is less then ideal but safe to fly them over with my wife and take the boat with my captain; or if it really bad or unsafe to cancel the Bimini trip and do some local boating.

    I have only been to Bimini once many years ago. We do not fish and there was little to do. We plan on staying at Resort World Bimini which seems to have some nice facilities' at least for a weekend trip

    Thanks again
  7. Pascal, Apr 9, 2017
    #47
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    BIM has changed a lot and not for the better. RW has pretty lunches destroyed the northern end of the island and sucked the life out of Alice town. The Sapona is still there and the long beach on the NE shore is still unmolested. For now. It s nice day trip to escape the crowds of RW ( they run bargain packages to lure people to the casino so the resort crowd is ... well... you get the picture )

    Another day trip to Gun Cay is a must. Best anchorage with a bigger boat is on the east side of gun as honeymoon harbor is often packed on week ends and as some current.

    Doesn't look great at least till Friday. Friday and sat may be doable depending on how the forecast evolves. In any case, be ready to fly back if on a schedule and let the captain bring the boat back when it settles
  8. amgscrap, Apr 9, 2017
    #48
    amgscrap

    amgscrap Member

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    Pascal

    Thanks. Glad you told us about Gun Cay, sounds more like the real Bahamas. We try to do the Exumas every year and love it.

    For this short trip, only have Easter weekend and really looking forward to having the Grandkids. Just want to be safe and for them comfortable.

    Thanks again
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