Big Majors Cay - The Exhumas

[Andy S]

Googleing led me to this post http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f71/bimini-to-chub-cay-help-23428.html that discusses "chart passage lines" between Bimini and Chub Cay. It sounds like there must be a clear and frequently used path between the two.

I need to caveat my posts in this thread with the reality that The Exhumas are on our to visit list but with the kids on board it may be several years before we venture beyond Bimini.

Great find @Bruce, the PWCer's I meet must have venture out on their own path. Also, if a sailboat can make it we definitely can.

 

[Tony Sweasy]

I saw that in a movie once i think

 

[Tony Sweasy]

If we could do that, I'm in!!! Just kidding, I've always wanted to go to the Exumas, but I'm doing the Bimini thing first to get some open water experience and then I will do the Exumas..... I would be very interested in the details of the trip...

 

[Tony Sweasy]

To add to the discussion....

The mystique of following Kevin and Corrie's path is a huge factor for us, not so much to follow, just see the sites. I am in no way a "camping" kind of guy but don't mind it, here is kind of what we had in mind....

Day 1 Fla to Bimini to Chub - you're fresh and excited, get the worst out of the way
Day 2 Chub to Nassau to Allan Cay - beach camp it south of Allan
Day 3 Allan to where ever you want south, no rush. explore, sun down find an inviting beach and lay claim - beach bbq type deal. (have to be mindful of the park cays, no camping as I understand it)
Day 4 beach bbq to Staniel
Day 5 Staniel and explore area -pigs, grotto, Sampson, ect
Day 6 Staniel north to Norman area
Day 7 Norman to Nassau to Chub
Day 8 Chub to Bimini
Day 9 Bimini explore
Day 10 Bimini to Fla


obviously be ready to adjust as needed

I've watched all of Kevin and Corrie's videos and I think that would be the best route for fuel/food purposes. It is definitely on the to-do-list!

 

[Tony Sweasy]

I think I'd leave a cigar smouldering on the fuel line...hug her one more time....and...sniffle...swim away

I swear, we all saw it go up in flames so fast the crew barely got off the boat!! LOL!

 

[tim h]

Resurrecting this thread...

How many days are we thinking ?
I would think around 14 days. To have ample non-travel days.
Also don't rule out completely the thought of the sea providing some food as well !
On a trip like this (myself anyway) we wouldn't need to eat like kings, just not be hungry...

 

[robert843]

Resurrecting this thread...

How many days are we thinking ?
I would think around 14 days. To have ample non-travel days.
Also don't rule out completely the thought of the sea providing some food as well !
On a trip like this (myself anyway) we wouldn't need to eat like kings, just not be hungry...

I would love to do this trip. I think it could be done in nine days. I'm currently shopping for a bigger boat if I have one by then I would be in. Biggest problem with this trip is lodging. Most of the places in the Exumas are booked almost a year in advance. I starting looking before the Bimini trip for next year to do this and the lodging was tough you would almost have to bounce around down there to get lodging for a week. If it was a serious thing anyone wanted to do you would want to pick dates and start trying to book now. I would imagine the best option would be to plan it around the Bimini trip next year and if the weather was good you go on if it wasn't you would stay and hang out in Bimini.

 

[1948Isaac]

I am ready and down for this trip... So when we going...lol

 

[robert843]

I am ready and down for this trip... So when we going...lol

@1948Isaac and @tim h if you guys are serious let's try to plan this out. We would really need to start booking this soon as lodging is tight. I have my boat upgrade narrowed down and everything Im looking at is more than capable of doing this trip. I plan to buy this upcoming boat show season between Nov and March so anytime after that I'm in.

 

[Britboater]

Is this why your looking to go @Bruce

 

[treeskier]

View attachment 27397

Is this why your looking to go @Bruce

Mmmmm BACON

 

[1948Isaac]

Lots of becon

 

[Ramblin Wreck]

I can't believe I've never noticed this thread before. @Bruce @andy07sx230ho @upperdeck are you still interested in doing this in 2016? @tim h @1948Isaac @robert843 look to be locks. You know @JROD is down to go anywhere. @waterboy any chance to get the family down there? @chris24 do you think Beth would do it? @Tony Sweasy per your previous post Bimini is over, now on to Exuma? @ACrews you shown a lot of interest in Bimini, you ready to to the full run? Anybody else from the Bimini trip 2015 interested (i.e. @ArmyChief @MrMoose @David Hoff @kthrash @Jerry Ferrera @Justin G. @veedubtek @zedxmike @DieselCamel etc.)

I'm definitely interested in making this happen.

 

[ACrews]

@Ramblin Wreck I think we could definitely be in on this. Although being we haven't ventured out to Bimini just yet, I don't wanna be the deciding factor. Lol

 

[Bruce]

After the group left Bimini we had a couple of opportunities to hang out with a doctor from Miami with a 35' Contender and one of the larger condos at Bimini Sands. He has been frequenting Bimini since he was a child and often fishes Chub and Andros. He says that Chub is frequently out of fuel and there is no fuel in Andros. He also talked about grave yards where stolen boats are left to rot on Andros. He enjoys Staniel Cay but says it is often booked a year in advance. His suggestion was to book a place to stay long in advance then fly down there and rent a boat. I have his number and he may join us in Bimini next year. Talking to him it is clear that fuel availability is likely to be an issue and that a large group traveling to the Exhumas at the same time is likely to have trouble finding anywhere to stay.

The 2015 Bimini crossing has me nervous about a group going to the Exhumas. We simply would have to make and stick with the decision to get on plane and stay there if the water is rough. We would need to pack light and have small crews on our boats. Everyone in our crews would have to understand that ocean crossings can be rough and be willing to take whatever she gives us.

We would all need to carry lighter loads in our boats to allow for carrying extra fuel.

We would need to plan for the possibility that Nassau and Bimini may be the only locations with lodging and fuel. We would want to buy food in Nassau, probably in both directions or plan to mostly eat fish. I have yet to throw a line in the water in Bimini and not be able to turn a little squid into a meal for my family. That may not be large desirable fish but any edible fish are fine with me.

It may be optimal to hire a charter boat to meet us and provide lodging in the Exhumas. A power charter could make the trip with us but would burn a huge amount of fuel and slow us down to the point that we would burn extra fuel. A suitably sized sailing charter could simply meet us there.

This would be an expensive trip. I have fuel calculations earlier in the thread but I remember it being $2,000 for boat fuel alone. Food in Nassau will be expensive. Lodging if available will be expensive.

If something were to go wrong help is a long way away. Much of the trip would be outside the U.S. Coast Guards response area.

 

[robert843]

@Bruce is correct I posted this a few posts back. I started looking for lodging months ago for next year and a lot of it was already booked and the items that were available were extremely high priced talking 4000 a week range for a two bedroom. Almost anything that was $400 a night or less was booked solid. If this trip was to be serious it would have to pretty much have been committed to months ago. You are almost better off at this point to try for 2017 then next year. I would also agree the trip would be easier to plan just a few boats anything over 5 boats would be extremely hard to find lodging at the same location unless booked well over a year in advance. I will do this trip in the sometime in the near future (1-4 years) but more than likely my family will at least fly into Nassau as flights are fairly easy to get there and only have to do the final stretch with me allowing me to feel better if things get rough they don't have to endure them. I did find a lot of places that offer rental boats with lodging rental so that seems pretty common down there.

 

[ACrews]

I completely agree @Bruce @robert843. Maybe one day I'd love to make that trip, but I'm not exactly the kinda guy that wants to have to figure out a plan C, D, or E if something went wrong that far away. Laura & I are gonna see if we can conquer Bimini first & may jus keep the longer distance trips reserved for ICW trips.

 

[Ramblin Wreck]

We can make this happen. I've never researched places to stay but just noticed this on VRBO and it seems nice and certainly reasonable. They could accommodate a good bit if your willing to share a bungalow which then makes the price more affordable. Their reviews are nice. Docking might be an issue but I'd be willing to dig for more options if others were serious about going.

Their description gives some info on flights for those that were interested in that.

For me personally, it maybe 2016 or bust. There has been talk about expanding the family in my house, so I might be running out of time

http://www.vrbo.com/428495

 

[robert843]

We can make this happen. I've never researched places to stay but just noticed this on VRBO and it seems nice and certainly reasonable. They could accommodate a good bit if your willing to share a bungalow which then makes the price more affordable. Their reviews are nice. Docking might be an issue but I'd be willing to dig for more options if others were serious about going.

Their description gives some info on flights for those that were interested in that.

For me personally, it maybe 2016 or bust. There has been talk about expanding the family in my house, so I might be running out of time

http://www.vrbo.com/428495

I had not looked that remote. It appears there are things in that area but no dockage or fuel there nearest place for either is almost 10 miles by water which isn't terrible but the no dockage could be a big deal. The ancorage is only partially protected which would make it tough for our group.

 

[Ramblin Wreck]

I had not looked that remote. It appears there are things in that area but no dockage or fuel there nearest place for either is almost 10 miles by water which isn't terrible but the no dockage could be a big deal. The ancorage is only partially protected which would make it tough for our group.

I emailed them and asked about docking and availability just to get an idea. Their description says they're 5 miles south of Staniel Cay. I'll update once they reply. They rent boats so I'm interested to know where they are docked. Here's another link that gives a little more insight on their place.

http://www.exumavacation.com/