15 to 18 June Passage from Bahamas to Charleston, SC

Since we received our US visas we've been monitoring weather forecasts for a passage to Newport, RI, a distance of about 900 miles, or 6 days. But we are finding if the weather looks good to leave, the forecast for the second half of the trip seems to be beset with either no wind or a low trough breaking off from the New York area with thunderstorms and high winds. Our solution was to break the trip into two halves and to make for Charleston first, a trip of three days.  From there we can either hop up the coast in shorter weather windows, or we might be lucky and make it all the way to Newport.

The distance from Green Turtle Cay to Charleston is about 420nm and the forecast needle is stuck on light winds all the way day after day after day, albeit the light winds are from the south east and we'll be heading north west. A persistent area of high pressure sits between the Bahamas and Bermuda killing any gradient wind. 

 We opt to set off with the prospect of gentle downwind sailing and motoring, but we'll be on our way.

The journey was a pleasant three days with just one short period of rain, just over half the distance was downwind sailing and less than half motoring in no wind.