From Miami to Grand Bahama by ship

Hello,
I need your help again:

We (group of 11) need to get from Miami (or Fort Lauderdale) to Grand
Bahama in March, I found some possibilities by airplane but
also want to find out if it is also possible to go there by ship.

I found the Bahamas Florida Express on the net, but it seems
they don´t operate any more. So any other suggestions would be
appreciated, I´d be grateful for your links...

Cheers,
Fritz

"Fritz Koller" <kubicek@aon.at> pounded away at his keyboard resulting
in:
:We (group of 11) need to get from Miami (or Fort Lauderdale) to Grand
:Bahama in March, I found some possibilities by airplane but
:also want to find out if it is also possible to go there by ship.

With 11 people, you may be able to charter a private boat and have
each person pay a reasonable amount.

Just out of curiousity, how long do you expect the crossing to be? I
have done it twice on liveaboard dive boats and in both cases it was
an overnighter. Once was on a fast boat (Bottom Time 2) and once on a
slow boat (Nekton Pilot)

Dan Bracuk
Is it my imagination, or do Buffalo Wings taste like chicken?
The Best of rec.scuba http://www.pathcom.com/~bracuk/RecScuba/

Dan Bracuk <NOTbracuk@pathcom.com> wrote:

>"Fritz Koller" <kubicek@aon.at> pounded away at his keyboard resulting
>in:
>:We (group of 11) need to get from Miami (or Fort Lauderdale) to Grand
>:Bahama in March, I found some possibilities by airplane but
>:also want to find out if it is also possible to go there by ship.
>
>With 11 people, you may be able to charter a private boat and have
>each person pay a reasonable amount.
>
I don't know what the Bahamian authorities will do about this. I know
what a private boat does about entering the country, and it is assumed
that you will leave with the boat which has to pay an entry fee ($150
to $300 depending on the length of the boat). What they will do about
passengers being carried only one way I don't know. Ask.

>Just out of curiousity, how long do you expect the crossing to be? I
>have done it twice on liveaboard dive boats and in both cases it was
>an overnighter. Once was on a fast boat (Bottom Time 2) and once on a
>slow boat (Nekton Pilot)
>
I've crossed from the Keys to Bimini, from Miami to Bimini, from West
End to Fort Pierce and from Lucaya to Miami. In a VERY slow sailboat
that motors at about 5 knots. It never took more than about 14 hours
and was only overnight because we didn't want to get to the Bahamas in
the dark.

Going east, we'd leave about 1700 or so - light enough so we could see
to get around any reefs, and get to Bimini at dawn (and then have to
wait for high tide to get into the harbor). Going west from Lucaya
with no wind, just motoring, we left at 7ish and hit - err - arrived
offshore near Ft. Lauderdale at midnight. Going from West End to Ft.
Pierce we had a steady 25 knot wind and the Gulf Stream assisting, so
we were doing up to 12 knots, and we got to Ft. Pierce inlet in 13
hours at just about dusk.

My SIL took his little catamaran fishing boat outboard from Miami to
Grand Bahama in one day, and he came all the way back from the Abacos
to Miami also in one day. Of course he has two big engines and we've
only got one and a big heavy boat.

Note: Depending on where you want to be on Grand Bahama, it would be
better NOT to aim for West End because it costs much more to get
transport from there to anywhere else. I think a taxi is about $30.

>Dan Bracuk
>Is it my imagination, or do Buffalo Wings taste like chicken?
>The Best of rec.scuba http://www.pathcom.com/~bracuk/RecScuba/

grandma Rosalie

You will need some proof of a return method no matter how you get there.
I have had to fly over to pick up a boat before and they required I
either buy a round trip ticket or show a copy of original cruise permit
for the boat I was bringing back. As far as a private charter, March
can be windy so plan on a few days of waiting in case a late norther
comes through. Also check Sea Escape out of Port Everglades (FLL).
They used to offer a reasonable trip over.
11 people would require a true commercial charter or two six pack charters.



Rosalie B. wrote:
> Dan Bracuk <NOTbracuk@pathcom.com> wrote:
>
>
>>"Fritz Koller" <kubicek@aon.at> pounded away at his keyboard resulting
>>in:
>>:We (group of 11) need to get from Miami (or Fort Lauderdale) to Grand
>>:Bahama in March, I found some possibilities by airplane but
>>:also want to find out if it is also possible to go there by ship.
>>
>>With 11 people, you may be able to charter a private boat and have
>>each person pay a reasonable amount.
>>
>
> I don't know what the Bahamian authorities will do about this. I know
> what a private boat does about entering the country, and it is assumed
> that you will leave with the boat which has to pay an entry fee ($150
> to $300 depending on the length of the boat). What they will do about
> passengers being carried only one way I don't know. Ask.
>
>
>>Just out of curiousity, how long do you expect the crossing to be? I
>>have done it twice on liveaboard dive boats and in both cases it was
>>an overnighter. Once was on a fast boat (Bottom Time 2) and once on a
>>slow boat (Nekton Pilot)
>>
>
> I've crossed from the Keys to Bimini, from Miami to Bimini, from West
> End to Fort Pierce and from Lucaya to Miami. In a VERY slow sailboat
> that motors at about 5 knots. It never took more than about 14 hours
> and was only overnight because we didn't want to get to the Bahamas in
> the dark.
>
> Going east, we'd leave about 1700 or so - light enough so we could see
> to get around any reefs, and get to Bimini at dawn (and then have to
> wait for high tide to get into the harbor). Going west from Lucaya
> with no wind, just motoring, we left at 7ish and hit - err - arrived
> offshore near Ft. Lauderdale at midnight. Going from West End to Ft.
> Pierce we had a steady 25 knot wind and the Gulf Stream assisting, so
> we were doing up to 12 knots, and we got to Ft. Pierce inlet in 13
> hours at just about dusk.
>
> My SIL took his little catamaran fishing boat outboard from Miami to
> Grand Bahama in one day, and he came all the way back from the Abacos
> to Miami also in one day. Of course he has two big engines and we've
> only got one and a big heavy boat.
>
> Note: Depending on where you want to be on Grand Bahama, it would be
> better NOT to aim for West End because it costs much more to get
> transport from there to anywhere else. I think a taxi is about $30.
>
>
>>Dan Bracuk
>>Is it my imagination, or do Buffalo Wings taste like chicken?
>>The Best of rec.scuba http://www.pathcom.com/~bracuk/RecScuba/
>
>
> grandma Rosalie