Send us a text

Planning to sail from Miami to Georgetown without a single overnight? We lay out a proven, day-only route that respects winter weather, leverages the best anchorages, and removes guesswork from every leg. Think Biscayne Bay as your patient launchpad, South Bimini for an easy check-in, a smart pause on the Banks before Northwest Channel, and short, joyful hops all the way down the Exumas.
We start with a simple truth: the Gulf Stream rewards those who wait. Hawk Channel beats the skinny inside route for most boats, and Biscayne Bay offers a perfect rhythm—anchor off Dinner Key when it’s calm, duck to Boca Chita for frontal protection, and stage at No Name Harbor. With a clean window, cross to South Bimini’s protected basin and avoid the current-battered docks up north. From there, run the Banks by daylight, anchor off the rhumb line before Northwest Channel, then slip through at dawn toward West Bay, New Providence, and onward to Highbourne Cay.
Once in the Exumas, the sailing turns blissful: Highbourne to Shroud Cay’s mangrove river and ocean “slide,” a reservation-worthy stop in Warderick Wells for serious protection and scenery, Pig Beach at Big Major with fast dinghy runs to Staniel Cay’s supplies, and Black Point’s laundry, haircut, and legendary coconut bread. We share mooring tactics for strong currents, singlehander tricks for picking up a ball, and why “raging” cuts demand slack water or current-with-wind timing. The final push to Georgetown is a rewarding reach when you time your exit cut and entrance right; inside Elizabeth Harbour, use the moorings near Chat and Chill and consider shifting to the town side when south and west winds arrive. With a vibrant morning net, kid-run Saturdays, and easy side trips to Cat Island, Long Island, Rum Cay, and Conception, Georgetown becomes both a safe haven and a springboard.
Weather discipline holds the plan together. Expect fronts every 7 to 10 days, clocking winds and short periods of punchy west and northwest. Budget an hour each morning for forecasts, models, and routing choices. We lean on Marine Weather Center (Chris Parker) for conservative, cruiser-savvy guidance and combine it with tools like PredictWind and Windy. And a note on etiquette that pays dividends: tip dockhands fairly, protect park seabeds by taking moorings, and use island water with respect. Ready to chart your crossing? Follow, share with a sailor who needs a safer plan, and leave a review to help more cruisers find this route.

Support the show

SALTY ABANDON: Cap'n Tinsley, Orange Beach, AL:
Oct 2020 to Present - 1998 Island Packet 320;
Nov 2015-Oct 2020; 1988 Island Packet 27
Feb-Oct 2015 - 1982 Catalina 25
SALTY PODCAST is LIVE every Wed at 6pm Central and is all about the love of sailing!
YOUTUBE PLAYLIST: https://tinyurl.com/SaltyPodcastPlaylist
Wanna create a Livestream?: Https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5430067749060608

GEAR FEATURED IN MY UPCOMING VIDEOS:
🛟 Boat Fenders → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08S1PXKKR
⚓ Dock Lines → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BS4BNYR9
🧽 Exterior Cleaning Kit → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BL533KR7