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WPB to St Thomas. first trip questions

Discussion in 'Marinas & Waypoints' started by Capt Buddy, Nov 29, 2013.

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  1. Capt Buddy

    Capt Buddy Member

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    This will be my first trip from palm beach to st Thomas. Im on a 85' pacific mariner towing a 32' center console. Past Nassau, what are my best routes, and fuel stops/marinas. Ill be leaving the 2nd week of December. Thanks for the help
  2. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Well, what is your speed and range? How are you running the boat? If you are running 10-12 knots to extend your range and doing some overnight passages you can save a lot of stops, customs clearance hassles and save a lot of time?

    I recently did the trip at 10-12 knots. Stop at Long Island for fuel. Long Island to Ocean World Marina is 360NM (east of Puerta Plata). You could stop at Green Turtle Marina in Providenciales and it's 180nm, then 180nm to Ocean World. Definately get the pilot to get in and out of Provo. Then we did Ocean world straight to St. Thomas 380NM. (You could stop at San Juan which is 260 I think.) Or even Samana Dr which is 100nm from Ocean World.......I'm pretty available if you need a 2nd Captain to do the trip, just email me.
  3. Capt Buddy

    Capt Buddy Member

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    I plan on running 17-18 knts day and 10-12 at night
  4. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    If this is your first trip for night transit, I would suggest a seasoned captain and even then, warn against it.
    Lost containers just buoyant at surface is enough to scare me during the day thru those waters.
    I do run at night offshore, but I'm as nervous and a pol-cat in a rail yard.
  5. Capt Bill11

    Capt Bill11 Senior Member

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    I would not hesitate to run that area at night. It's done all the time and the vast majority of vessels have no problems.

    I write this as I sit in Turtle Cove Marina after having run non-stop from Staniel Key, down the West side the Exumas & Long Island to stay out of the Exuma Sound because it was blowing up and then on into Provo.

    I second the suggestion of using a pilot boat into Turtle Cove. At least your first time or two. These days with a good plotter, on a day with good light it's pretty straight forward getting in and out once you have done it a couple of times.

    That time of year be prepared to have to hole up some where along the way because of weather. Once South of the T & Cs you'll be heading into the winter trade winds which can make for rough going.

    You also need to come up with a safe plan to get some one into the boat you are towing in rough seas if need be. Or be prepared to cut it loose. I use a 3-4 person tube that you would normally use to tow people around with. You can put a crew person in it with a life jacket on and drop them back to the towed vessel on a long line. That way the towed vessel does not get close to the main vessel and the crew member can get from the tube to the towed vessel without getting in the water. Plus if they fall over board you can drop the tube back to them as a life ring. I would also suggest putting a radar reflector on it and a solar powered flashing marker light that comes on automatically at dusk. Do you have tow lights on the PM?

    As to fuel stops, call ahead to make sure they will have fuel when you get there. Or pay for it ahead of time to guaranty it will be there.
    Nassau will more than likely be your cheapest fuel along the way. So you might consider topping off there. Then Flying Fish on Long Island, Turtle Cove or South Side Marina on Provo and Ocean World in the DR. Than San Juan on the North coast of PR. Or the Ponce Yacht Club on the South side if weather forces you to go that way. Then perhaps Palmas Del Mar on the East coast. From there you're home free into St. Thomas.
  6. ychtcptn

    ychtcptn Senior Member

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    I'll be leaving on the 9th, hopefully making a strait shot for St. T from Ft. Lauderdale.
    All the above is good info, I would suggest by passing Turtle cove on Provo for South Side, you can get stuck in turtle where you can get out and make a run for it from South Side. Now there is not much to do in south side if you are going to be stuck for a while. You might even be able to get a fuel truck at the commercial dock as well.
    Use a good commercial wx company to assist you and be careful at Ocean world if there is a big swell, it can get dangerous.
    PM me if you need any other info.
  7. Minnow

    Minnow New Member

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  8. Minnow

    Minnow New Member

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    Also the former Leeward marina on Provo has reopened as Blue Haven Marina with easy in or out. Day or night but as always, I'd check fuel availability in advance
  9. Capt Bill11

    Capt Bill11 Senior Member

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    Yes using a weather router is very handy. I use Commanders Weather service.
    Commanders' Weather

    On my computers I also use Clearpoint Weather and OCENS weather software and services.

    On my iPhone I have PocketGrib, Buoy Weather and WeatherMap+ apps.

    For fuel on the South side call Caicos Oil and ask for Joanne or Chelon. They can set up delivery to South Side Marina. Their number is 649-941-7872
  10. Capt Buddy

    Capt Buddy Member

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    All great info. Thank you again. The intrepid is new, and fully rigged for towing at night, so is the big boat. I have done a few overnights, towing also, just not threw this part of the world. I may also enlist a second capt for the trip. Other than weather, it looks like a very straight forward trip. My plan is WPB to Nassau , Great Exuma, Turks, than pending weather Puerto Plata or Samana, San Juan, St Thomas. Im giving myself 15 days
  11. Capt Buddy

    Capt Buddy Member

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  12. Capt Bill11

    Capt Bill11 Senior Member

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    If you go into Samana call Martin at (809) 975-1036 he can act as your agent. He knows everybody and all the ins and outs. Very handy guy.
  13. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    While I haven't gone beyond Gtown, I often run at night and don't find it to be an issue. Sure you can hit something but during the day will you really see a just submerged container while doing 20kts in the chop or swell? I doubt it...

    On the bank side, night running is fine as well. I don't come in and out of cuts or anchorages at night unless I have been there a few times and have solid tracks to follow on two independent plotters.


    The thing to be careful at night are vessels running with no lights, both on the bank or sound. I usually keep the radar set a fairly close range to pick up small boats.

    As others mentioned, best fuel price will be Nassau. If you plan on refueling at Emerald just before Gtown, the swell can be nasty coming in. There is also fuel in gtown at exuma yacht club but they have very little traffic and frankly would be a a little concerned about quality, I skipped fueling there last month, then off course emerald had no power when we pulled in so we ended fueling in Staniel (same price as emerald, but almost a dollars higher than Nassau)
  14. CapLady

    CapLady Senior Member

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    Back in Ft. Lauderdale!
    Here is what I posted for someone else some time ago. People seemed to find it useful;

    Savannah to St, Augustine, FL, City dock at St. Aug. face dock fuel. It’s a short first run, good for seeing how the boat runs and verify fuel burn.

    St.Aug. to Ft. Lauderdale. If not enough fuel to get to Lauderdale nonstop, Ft. Pierce is a good stop just inside the inlet to the port side is the Pelican Yacht Club. It is a private club but they let you come in for fuel and an overnight, call ahead: docks,772-464-1734. Nice easy in and out to the ocean with a modest draft. Also their restaurant lets you in as a guest if you overnight. Their Wed. night buffet is one of the best I have ever experienced.

    On to Ft. Lauderdale. Lauderdale Marina to the port side just inside the 17th street bridge is the quickest, face dock fuel.

    Lauderdale to Nassau: From Lauderdale, pass just north of Bimini near north rock, then across the banks to northwest channel in to the tongue of the ocean then on to Nassau. If you need fuel it’s an easy stop in to Chub Cay but you’ll have to clear in to the Bahamas there, no biggie, just takes more time. At Nassau there are two fuel docks easy to use, between the bridges port side, and past the bridges, to starboard. Watch the shallows.

    Nassau to Long Island. Go through to the deep sea at Highborne Cay. You can stop overnight at Highborne Cay marina if you want. It’s a nice little spot. Then on to Flying Fish marina on Long Island. ??????????? ?????????????

    Flying Fish Marina to Turtle Cove Marina at Provodenciales, Turks an Caicos : Turtle Cove Marina in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands . Call the marina when you are a ways outside and they will send a small boat out to guide you in, use it, they are happy to do it.
    You might want to check out a new marina in Turks and Caicos, i haven't been there but it seems great and I have met the people running it. Very nice people. This is the web site:Blue Haven Marina in Turks and Caicos

    Provo to the Ocean World Marina, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, http://www.oceanworld.net/index.cfm?...ection_id=1543

    From Puerto Plata you have a few choices, north of Puerto Rico or south, Either way with a 40’ power boat I think your fuel might be somewhat limited. Because of that I’d go around the east coast of the D.R. to the Punta Cana Marina. http://www.puntacana.com/dining-recr...arina-services

    Then get a reasonable weather window, (the Mona Passage can be sporty) and on to San Juan, about 145 miles over the north coast of PR. Then it’s a pretty easy run to St. Thomas. You might want to make a stop at the islands around Culebra just east of PR, its beautiful there.

    Have a great trip!
  15. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Expensive fuel stops you are picking there :)

    Fernandina beach, just north of St aug has much cheaper fuel and dockage (at the commercial dock) also a lot easier to get in than st aug.

    Ft pierce is a good stop but again fuel at the commercial dock is a lot cheaper.

    Same with Chub, about 0.75 a gal more than Nassau. In Nassau, fuel is also available at Albany more or less the same as Nassau! which is actually a faster stop than Nassau harbor a you can keep on going on the south side of new providence. I don't know if you can clear at Albany but I m pretty sure you can.

    From Nassau, you are better off staying on th bank all the way to Galliot which is an easy cut. Going to highborne, there are some coral heads on the yellow and white banks so I usually make dogleg in between first heading almost due south of Nassau before turning SE towards Normans
  16. sagharborskip

    sagharborskip Senior Member

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    Hey, Buddy-

    Did that exact trip several winters ago...

    As long as you're good on fuel I went exactly as Capt J mentioned above. WPB to Atlantis, Atlantis to Long Island, Long Island overnight to Ocean World (make sure you have your fenders ready there as it's a 9' tall concrete dock at the fuel dock with a huge gap under it), Ocean World overnight to Fajardo and could have been in St. Thomas as we idled in lee of Puerto Rico to get into Fajardo at first light.

    Pretty easy.

    If you're needing a hand I'm available!
  17. Capt Bill11

    Capt Bill11 Senior Member

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    Since this sounds like a delivery without the boss or guests on board, I'd pass on docking at Atlantis when in Nassau. The boss might not be to happy with the bill for dockage. :)

    Better look at stopping at Yacht Haven if you find you need to over night in Nassau.
  18. sagharborskip

    sagharborskip Senior Member

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    We had the boss on board...imagine!

    It was a custom 54' sport fish being delivered as a tender to a bigger boat and he thought it would be interesting...NOT. He swore off ever doing it again but did manage to complete the whole 1800 nm...
  19. goose1111

    goose1111 New Member

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    I'm a little late here but if you haven't left yet and need a second captain, I'm available. lots of offshore and overnight experience.
  20. Capt Buddy

    Capt Buddy Member

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    any recent info on samana in DR, does puerto bahia have fuel?