need company for a trip to Bimini in early April

[DAVEWVU86]

Hey guys, while I'm still selling my Mac in the Spring I've decided I want to take one real trip on it before I let it go and buy a fishing boat. My girlfriend and I decided that we want to go to Bimini.

She's a teacher and her Spring break goes from April 4th to 12th. We're looking for another boat or two or three to come along. We can each do our own thing or all hang out together when we get there. The main idea is saftey in numbers when crossing the Gulf.

We're looking at staying at http://www.seacrestbimini.com/

We both grew up boating but we're young, 26 and 23, and haven't spent much time captaining our own boat. I've gained a lot of knowledge from you guys in the last year that I've owned my boat and we'd love to have some company.

We're still in the planning phases and know we need to be safe - good weather, VHF with DSC, GPS AND paper charts, ERPIB from BoatUS, plenty of fuel, etc.

Any takers or any helpful info you guys can offer? I've been reading up on several trips that other Mac owners have taken and I've joined the Conc Cruisers and will be posting there as well.

Hope to hear from some of you.

Feel free to drop me an email davewvu86ATgmail.com for a quick reply

-Dave

[Catigale]

Dave - Ive never done this trip but the Conch Cruisers can give you the scoop of course.

With an eight day window open, the phrase "A schedule is the enemy of the cruiser" comes to mind. Please go into this trip with the knowledge that you may have to scrub it if the weather doesnt cooperate.

Dont push the envelope of experience in order to complete this mission before sale, in other words.

[DAVEWVU86]

Yeah, the tenative schedule is leave DC on Thursday night, get to FL Friday mid day (sleep in the boat on the way down at a rest area - same as my previous Wisconson trip). Spend Friday preping the boat and getting the know the area for a night time departure. Depending on weather leave either Sat at 3-4am or Sunday at 3-4am giving us a built in weather day. Arrive in Bimini either Sat or Sunday. Relax, sail, fish, etc. Leave either Wed or Thurs to leave another hole for weather.

I've been reading that you don't want any north winds at all and figure we'll be able to use some local knowledge when making the decision to leave. Hopefully the 2 day weather window on either end of the trip will help. Worst comes to worst we'll spend our vacation hanging out in FL hopefully sailing around locally. If not then at a bar staring out the window at our boat in the rain.

Well off to go call the insurance company to see how much a rider to cover the trip will cost

[James V]

You may not have a weather window but this year the weather has not been like the last 5. Make alternate route to the Keys or Everglades or the Okchobee(sp) waterway. Nothing like you have been to before and well worth the trip.

[DAVEWVU86]

You may not have a weather window but this year the weather has not been like the last 5. Make alternate route to the Keys or Everglades or the Okchobee(sp) waterway. Nothing like you have been to before and well worth the trip.

Right now I'm trying to get together the info for Bimini. Once we're set for that we'll start putting together a back-up plan for local cruising if the weather doesn't cooperate. I've been researching weather trends and noticed that July seems to present the best chance for trouble free crossing...

Anyways, I tried to stop by West Marine on my way home tonight to pick up a crusing guide to FL and Bimini but they changed their hours and close at 5pm.

HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO BLOW MY HARD EARNED MONEY AT THE WEST MARINE I PASS ON THE WAY HOME IF IT'S CLOSED????

If while we're in VA it looks like we're going to have really bad weather we'll probably stay home and then seriously consider going with the Conc Cruisers on whatever trip they're planning.

The original idea was to make a trip over the woman's Spring Break (she's a teacher) and then sell the Mac for a power boat. We're both applying to law school for this fall so we're going be short on time before long. We're thinking we'd get more enjoyment out of a power boat. Quicker prep/launch time. Get to the fish/beach/etc faster. Do they have/need lawyers in the Bahamas????

However, now that I'm looking into this cruising life style more I'm pretty darned set on taking some sort of trip before I sell the Mac.....

[Catigale]

Do they have/need lawyers in the Bahamas????

They do actually. Bahama Anchoring requires two.

(Sure to provoke a litany of Bar jokes)

[c130king]

You need an all chain rode if you are anchoring with lawyers...



But IMHO...worth the extra weight...

to make sure they stay down!

[DAVEWVU86]

yeah yeah yeah, I should have expected that haha...

I was picturing a small office in a hut on a beach doing little more than real estate/property title work. Charging just enough to make my boat payments and pay for some rum, kalik, and fishing tackle...

[nchogberg]

We live in Boca and keep our boat at Black Point marina in Biscayne.

I just looked and my kids have the same week of SB. No confirmations from my part but PM through the site and we can email each other for plans.

Later...
Nels

[DAVEWVU86]

Hey, sorry about the long absence. My girlfriend and I have been rushing to get our law school applications in.

She's also decided to start the job hunt here in DC with the intent to immediately relocate from Newport News - a change from our previous plans for her to wait out the school year.

With this change in location/careers there will be the need to buy/rent a new place for the two of us as well as planning a wedding etc.

So, in light of these changes, the trip is up in the air. I spent about 20 hours cleaning, buffing, polishing, and waxing this weekend. I just put an ad up on the classified board (link's not working but I emailed Heath).

So, if I still have a boat and she hasn't found job yet then we're going. Otherwise it's probably off.

However, with a wedding in the works comes a honeymoon. We're looking at towing whatever boat we may have to the keys or elsewhere.

http://macgregorsailors.com/cgi-bin/pho ... AdNum=1809

[Divecoz]

yeah yeah yeah, I should have expected that haha...

I was picturing a small office in a hut on a beach doing little more than real estate/property title work. Charging just enough to make my boat payments and pay for some rum, kalik, and fishing tackle...

Have you talked to those in the know about holding a license to practice Law in a Foreign country?
i.e. in a country where you will be a foreigner????? DO you think they will welcome you or even allow you to practice? Some folks did / do but for for most it took years to get all the paper work in order. Often requiring a lot of money to exchange hands. F Lee Bailey and others do it but they have friends and prestige. Just so you know.. . .

[pokerrick1]

However, a small paralegal business is MUCH easier to set up in foreign countries and can CHARGE almost as much for the real simple stuff - - - so you downgrade your title a little for AWHILE and live where and how you want - - - there are tradeoffs for everything Most professionals don't have the nerve to attempt lifestyle changes like this.

Rick