# Abacos, Bahamas to Maine ASAP



## BrickPearson26 (May 10, 2007)

Hi All,
I am currently anchored in Treasure Cay in the middle of the Abacos. I just got hired for a job in Maine, and they want me to start the position ASAP. So, my question is how soon can I safely make the trip back up the coast. My route will be sail to from West End to West Palm Beach (I need to stop in Jupiter to pick up my charts from a friends house), and then take the ICW up to VA, then go up the Chesapeake, down the Delaware, up the Jersey coast, go through Long Island Sounds and take the C&C canal. My destination is the Piscataqua River, which is the southernmost part of Maine.
I am sailing on a 1973 Pearson 30. While we am open to hopping out of the ICW for 24 hours if the weather is right, we do not want to do any extended offshore passages.
When we sailed down here, we left October 26th from the Piscataqua River and were cold practically the entire way south. We got into a couple of gales, and got beat up pretty good off the Jersey Coast. Basically, I want the cruise north to be as comfortable as possible. Cold weather does not really bother my crew or I. However, nasty weather does. I want to try to avoid dangerous conditions if at all possible. 
How early can a boat safely make the trip north?
I told my employer that I cannot make it there until at least early to mid May, but I said I cannot commit to any date because its all weather dependent. Is May reasonable?


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## eherlihy (Jan 2, 2007)

Dude,

In this economy, I suggest flying to Maine, and starting the job ASAP! There are currently over 15 Million Americans that are *unemployed*, and probably the same number that are under-employed. I'm in the former category.

After you've done what ever it is that they want you to do for a few months, take some extended vacation time when the weather is nice, and bring the boat back in June.


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## xort (Aug 4, 2006)

If the employer is good with May, then get as far as you reasonably can, probably the northern Chessy, and then take the train to Maine. Come back when you can to finish the move.


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## sailhagg (Feb 19, 2007)

Yeah, I'll second eherlihy! This past year's been really difficult and it's not looking better any time soon. Any business that's hiring right now should be treated like a God send. Hop a plane, get to work and come back with a good weather window for the boat. If you wait, you may find someone took the job from you. Unless of course you're the only rocket scientist that can make the gizmo-cog....


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## sck5 (Aug 20, 2007)

northern chesapeake is under a yard of snow right now. North Carolina might be a more pleasant target.


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## norsearayder (Dec 19, 2006)

dont come to maine its only about 30 outside and the water is hard along the edges and the ice breakers are working ,trying to keep things open...in one word ...freezing


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## AlanBrown (Dec 20, 2007)

My advice, leave your boat in Abaco, fly to Maine, then come back when time and weather permit. I would suggest June or July would be the best times to make the trip. The weather can still be boisterous in May.

If you decide to leave the boat in Abaco, you have 3 choices:

1. Leave your boat at TC Marina, and pay $600+ a month. By the way, this a great spot to leave your boat because of its sheltered location.

2. Rent a mooring, either in Hopetown or Man-O-Way Cay (this is where I keep my Hunter 30). Cost about $200/month. Both are sheltered spots. If TC Marina has added some decent moorings in their turning basin since I was last there, this would also be a good spot to consider.

3. If you want dry storage, try Abaco Yacht Services on Green Turtle Cay, Lighthouse Marina in Hopetown, or Marsh Harbour Marina. Cost should be in the $300/month range.

Another tip, if you decide to leave your boat, don't purchase your airline ticket until you know where you'll be storing your boat. TC and GTC visitors generally use TC Airport, while all other folks go through Marsh Harbor. It's a $70 cab ride between Marsh Harbour and Treasure Cay.

Drop me a PM if I can be of any furthur assistance. Good luck with the new job!


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

It seems to me that it all hinges on your future employer's needs. 

What was the reaction when you said early to mid -May. To me, that's not ASAP...but was it ok for them? 

IF so, you probably have enough time to work your way up.

Even if you left by april 1st...that gives you a month and a half...
How long did it take you to get there..??

I'm guessing that your biggest challenge will be catching the right window to get across to florida...

The alternative is to get home and start working...and find a captain and crew to get the boat home.....or some of the other options above.


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## tommays (Sep 9, 2008)

Well

April tends to SUCK in the Long Island NY area in terms of its really windy with a good chance of snow early or a lot of rain 

You have to get a lucky streak for it to be above 50 deg to even work on the boat till late in the month


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## BrickPearson26 (May 10, 2007)

Storing the boat temporarily and picking it up in a couple months is not really an option. Seeing how I will just be starting this new job, it is going to be tough to get a 2 week vacation that soon after starting.
I view my options as either getting north a soon as i can, or selling the boat someplace further south. I would prefer not to sell the boat, for it is probably worth more to me than I can get for it money-wise, especially given the current used sailboat market.
But, I do realize that if they need me there sooner, I will be forced to sell the boat to get there in time. Is anybody in the market for a cruising-ready Pearson 30?


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

I agree with ed... get up to the job ASAP...as there are probably a few others in line for it. 

Why not see if you can leave the boat for a while and then hire someone to move it for you. If you were to get it to Florida at least, so that the delivery captain doesn't have to do a Gulf Stream crossing, then you might be able to do it for a reasonable price. You might be able to move it over a series of weekends as well, since stopping points along the east coast are fairly easy to find.


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## WanderingStar (Nov 12, 2008)

All of the above makes sense. But you can cruise the ICW in some pretty strong conditions. If you get good weather windows back to Fl, you can steam a good way north in fairly protected waters. I brought my ketch up the ditch from Ponce de Leon to Charleston, all of Fl and Ga in a tropical depression. Some of those "sounds" are pretty choppy, but not unmanigable.


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## BrickPearson26 (May 10, 2007)

I do like the idea of hiring a captain to bring the boat up for me BUT the problem is that my cruising kiddy is pretty much exhausted at this point, and I would prefer to use my remaining dollars to get myself situated back in the "real world" (e.g. rent an apartment, purchase appliances, furniture, etc.).
I agree that the ICW is very protected, and as long as a person is cautious with the sounds, they can be transited in almost any weather. However, I just read on CNN.com that Georgia is supposed to be getting a large snowstorm very soon, and that is something that I would prefer to avoid. I have made it this far without seeing snow, and I do not want to start now.
Right now I think that we are going to aim to be back in Florida by mid to late March and start poking our way north. My biggest concern is getting a large enough window to cross back over - right now we are getting hit with a front about every 3 days. Tonight they are forecasting 30-40 knot winds. I hope my 35lb. cqr holds. I guess I won't be getting much sleep.


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## elkscout (Feb 12, 2010)

You people make it sound like BrickPearson26 is going to be arriving back in the states within 48 hrs, which if that were the case, this thread wouldn't be happening. I'm not versed in how the Spring weather will be for sailing, but by then, I would think chance of major snow storm would be slim, referring mainly to geography South of Mason-Dixon. Sounds like getting to Florida is the first part of the elephant to chew (re: How do you eat a whole elephant? One bite at a time). Get that under your belt and you're significantly closer- other options as previously mentioned might look more favorable/do-able/less costly. From your posting and reviewing your "blog", I'd be incline to think you're more concerned about the cold weather and less about foul weather, at least where a level of comfort is concerned.

I am one who might be interested in purchasing your boat if you will at least get it to Florida should you decide to go that route, no pun intended.

Side note: technically, ASAP is an acronym, as we all know, that is used mostly these days incorrectly, as in "right now". What ever happened to it's original meaning- as soon as possible? In other words, if it ain't possible before May, then so be it.


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## BrickPearson26 (May 10, 2007)

I am going to have to agree with elkscout on this one. Just because it is snowing there now does not mean it is going to be snowing in a month or two. What I really want to know is how early people usually make the trip back north. Anybody have any personal experience?


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## AlanBrown (Dec 20, 2007)

Brick,

A few years ago I was waiting in Marathon for a weather window to open so I could head over to Nassau. I waited the whole month of April and the wind never stopped howling. Finally, on May 1st I headed up the ICW on the west side of the Keys (out of the wind) to Biscayne Bay. Two days later the weather finally changed and winds shifted over to the south. I made an uneventful crossing.

Many hundreds of cruisers spend the winter in the Exumas. Their migration back to the States or Canada usually begins when the winter weather patterns start to dissipate. This can occur as early as April, but most likely will occur in May. The weather is the governing factor.

All this being said, it is entirely possible that you will find a decent weather window in March to make it back to FL. From there the ICW will provide a sheltered route north. It may take weeks of waiting before a window opens, so you'll have to be patient. If you try to push the envelope, Mother Nature will usually kick your ass. 

In the meantime, whenever the weather calms down, move from TC to GTC to get "The Whale" out of the way. From there, pick your way over to GB, or make an overnight run back to FL if the weather looks like it will hold for a couple days..

Good luck and be careful!


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## JohnRPollard (Mar 26, 2007)

elkscout said:


> ...Sounds like getting to Florida is the first part of the elephant to chew... Get that under your belt and you're significantly closer- other options as previously mentioned might look more favorable/do-able/less costly....


Not necessarily. Going to Florida from the Abacos is the wrong direction if Maine is your destination.

If your boat is off-shore capable (i.e. equipped, etc), then the quickest way back to Maine is off-shore. But even if you don't want to go off-shore for the entire trip, you could save A LOT of time (weeks?) by jumping up to Beaufort Inlet (NC) vice going west and across to Florida.

I made the Abacos-Beaufort trip during the first week of April. We had great weather -- a bit chilly but not bad. If you could get the boat to NC, then you could move it north on a 2-week vacation, or probably for less money pay to have it trucked the remainder of the distance.

Of course, if your new employer doesn't mind you arriving in May, then keeping pace with the migration of springtime as you plod up the ICW would be a fine plan.


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## catamount (Sep 8, 2002)

Brick,

Jon Eisberg sailed from New Jersey to Maine in March several years ago. He wrote up an article about the trip that I think was published in Cruising World magazine (you might find it in on their website), and you might find some posts about it on CSBB -- http://cruising.sailboatowners.com/csbb/index.cgi

Of course, Jon is a very experienced offshore sailor.


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