Newport Or Norfolk

[capta]

Well, the time is coming for us to make the decision which route we'll choose to the Caribbean.

EVERY time I've left from New England for St. Thomas via Bermuda, I've gotten my as* kicked on the Bermuda leg!

Last season was no exception. But there was a large group who left from Norfolk & every one of them I met in the Caribbean had an uneventful, pleasant voyage, though pretty much on the wind the whole trip.

And that's the rub. The Bermuda track makes the voyage (after the pasting) a beam reach, certainly the more preferable point of sail. But is it worth it?

Don't all chime in at once, now, but I'd be very interested in who is taking which route.

Regards

[redbopeep]

Originally Posted by capta

Well, the time is coming for us to make the decision which route we'll choose to the Caribbean.

EVERY time I've left from New England for St. Thomas via Bermuda, I've gotten my as* kicked on the Bermuda leg!

Last season was no exception. But there was a large group who left from Norfolk & every one of them I met in the Caribbean had an uneventful, pleasant voyage, though pretty much on the wind the whole trip.

And that's the rub. The Bermuda track makes the voyage (after the pasting) a beam reach, certainly the more preferable point of sail. But is it worth it?

Don't all chime in at once, now, but I'd be very interested in who is taking which route.

Regards

sorry to say I haven't made that trip so cannot give you direct experience--I will hope others come along shortly to assist you. However, I do know a very experienced sailor who, for 16 years, made that trip (every other year) by leaving their home in Boston, going down the coast some distance to visit relatives (son and grandson) on the Chesapeake and then onwards. Before that (oh, probably 25 years or so) he used to do the same trip via Bermuda almost yearly. He enjoyed the Bermuda trips immensely and had many, many more tales of how wonderful the sailing was. So, my impressions were that via Bermuda was a better trip.

Fair winds,

[svReboot]

One route is to head from Norfolk toward Bermuda to get east, then turn south rather than run down the Bahamas. It is probably more comfortable than direct Rhode Island to Bermuda