Crossing The Gulf Stream: 4 Proven Tips From A Coast Guard Veteran
Heard horror stories about crossing the Gulf Stream? I have too!
But with Scott’s time in the Coast Guard, including many, many Gulf Stream crossings, and lots of planning from both of us, we have learned what to look out for (spoiler alert: avoid northerly winds!) and how to plan for safe crossings.
This guide will give you clear tips we use ourselves on what to look out for in terms of weather, how to cross the strong Gulf Stream current, and safety gear to be sure you have on your boat when crossing.
It also includes our most-used weather apps that have gotten us across safely each time!
Whether it’s your first time sailing across or zipping across on your powerboat, these tips will help you have a stress-free crossing.
Reduce stress even more with this editable Pre-Departure Checklist. The exact form we use before each departure:
What Is The Gulf Stream?
The Gulf Stream is a strong ocean current that brings warm water from the Gulf of Mexico into the Atlantic Ocean. It extends all the way up the east coast of the United States and Canada and over to Europe, moving around one to three knots.
That means this strong current can either work for you or against you, depending on your route.
How to Cross the Gulf Stream between Florida and the Bahamas?
Along the east coast of Florida and the United States, the Gulf Stream current is moving in a northerly direction. When you get into the Gulf Stream, the current will push you north of where you are trying to go.
If you are starting from a location south of where you are trying to go, for example, traveling in a northeast direction from Key Largo or Marathon, FL to Bimini, Bahamas, the Gulf Stream can help you get to your location quicker.
This still may require an overnight passage, depending on your speed and the weather.
However, if you are starting at a location north of where you are trying to go, for example, Canaveral over to Freeport or West End, Bahamas, you will be moving against the strong Gulf Stream current and it will slow you down.
Charts of the Bahamas, provided by the Association of Bahamas Marinas, include several pink lines with the distances to help you plan your route to the Bahamas from Florida, and Bahamas sailing routes between the islands of the Bahamas.Â
It shows several popular departure points, such as Lake Worth Inlet near West Palm Beach, and several arrival points, such as Bimini and West End, for crossing the Gulf Stream between Florida and the Bahamas.
Why Some Gulf Stream Crossings Go Wrong
There are many horror stories out there from salty sailors who have made a Gulf Stream crossing and ended up tossing their cookies, in rough seas, gotten way off course, and more.
Scott has some Gulf Stream crossing stories himself as he spent countless days on board ships in the Gulf Stream with his time in the United States Coast Guard.
Luckily, we don’t have to go out in the rough seas like Scott had to with the Coast Guard, and he has developed some solid route planning guidelines to follow when crossing the Gulf Stream.
Crossing The Gulf Stream Route Planning Guidelines
1. Don’t Go Into The Gulf Stream With A Northerly Wind Component
This is the most common and referred to guideline when discussing crossing the Gulf Stream, but why?
When the winds have any sort of northerly component blowing over the north running Gulf Stream, the winds and current work against each other and have the likely potential to create some very rough seas.
This can also happen very quickly when a front moves through Florida bringing north winds that rapidly build, causing the sea state to deteriorate in a hurry.
This is all true for a crossing from Florida to the Bahamas, where the Gulf Stream is running in a northerly direction.
However, keep in mind that the Gulf Stream is running to the east between the Florida Keys and Cuba. So, if one is planning a gulf crossing from the Keys to Cuba the easterly winds are those that should be avoided.
We’ve used PredictWind for every one of our crossings — it’s helped us avoid bad conditions and make confident plans. Click below to check it out for your own passage planning.
2. Monitor the Weather and Plan (or Re-plan) your Route Accordingly
When sailing back to the United States from the Bahamas, we came up with a sail plan to sail from Great Sale Cay to Charleston, SC. This would have been an approximate 2-day sail that would have allowed us to take advantage of the Gulf Stream current and given us some great speed to get to Charleston, SC.
However, about 3 hours after we left Great Sale, while we were still on the Bahama Bank, we noticed a north wind picking up that was NOT forecasted.
We were almost just south of Grand Cay, so we diverted and went to Grand Cay to regroup and revisit our weather apps to find a weather window without any northerly component to it.
We ended up leaving the next day, but crossed over to Cape Canaveral, FL instead of Charleston, SC as the weather window was not big enough for the longer trip.
Good thing we stocked up on provisions to allow for extra days in the Bahamas, and found a local bar to regroup at.
3. Pay Close Attention to the Impact of the Gulf Stream Current
With a current running anywhere from 1 to 3 knots or more, it will influence the course and speed of your boat.
If you are cruising from Florida due east to the Bahamas, and set your autopilot on a fixed course toward your destination, you will most surely end up north of your desired location.
Paying close attention to your location and your projected route will allow you to make adjustments throughout your passage to make sure you end up at your desired location.
Pro tip: We use the course over ground line on our chart plotter to make sure we don’t stray away from our intended destination.
Heading to the Bahamas, we sailed 45 nautical miles from Key Biscayne, FL to Bimini, 45 nautical miles. We sailed approximately 10 to 20 degrees off the base course over ground to make it to the channel in Bimini.
4. Keep Safety Equipment on your Boat and in Good Condition
As with any offshore passage, including crossing the Gulf Stream and the Mona Passage, make sure to have your safety equipment in good condition, and readily accessible.
- Life jackets with tether lines attached to them
- Jacklines that run from bow to stern on your boat for you to attach to with your tether line if you have to walk on the deck of the boat during the passage
- Throwable flotation device in the worst-case scenario of a man-over-board
- VHF Radio tuned into channel 16, the international hailing and distress channel.
- Garmin InReach or other Communication Device allows communication outside of VHF range. We can also get weather updates using our InReach while we are in the middle of our passage, making it one of the essential subscriptions we use when sailing.Â
- EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) – can easily be deployed in the event of an emergency to help search and rescue assets locate you
- Chart plotter to keep track of your location and the location of your destination
- Radar and AIS allow you to see what is out in the water around you
Reminder
There is nowhere to stop and anchor if you get into trouble between Florida and Bahamas
Sea Stories – Things To Try To Avoid In The Gulf Stream
The following sea stories come from Scott’s time in the Coast Guard when the ships he was on were in less than favorable conditions in the Gulf Stream due to the nature of their mission.
- Scott’s first experience in the Gulf Stream was on board a 180-foot buoy tender that was called out from Portsmouth, VA to respond to a distress call off the coast of North Carolina.
He was on watch at night in some of the worst conditions of the voyage off Cape Hatteras.
The wind was from the northeast at about 35 to 40 knots and the wave gauge at Diamond Shoal Light was reporting waves at about 35 feet high!
It was a wild down swell ride that could be quite dangerous at times with the large waves, however the strong ship did not have any significant problems.
This is a clear example of how large the seas can become when a strong northerly blow sets in over the Gulf Stream.
- On another occasion off the coast of the upper Florida Keys, Scott’s patrol boat was working with another patrol boat located to the north of them off of Miami.
A strong front passed through during the afternoon hours, affecting the northerly ship first. At one point the other ship radioed to inform Scott’s ship that the wind had gone from calm to a northerly breeze at over 20 knots.
Sure enough when the front reached Scott’s ship about an hour later the calm conditions kicked up to 6-8 foot seas very rapidly.
This is an example of how quickly the conditions can change.
- On a search and rescue mission in his patrol boat operating in the Florida Straits between the Keys and Cuba, they were tasked with running a north to south search pattern.
In this area the Gulf Stream is running to the east and as luck would have it there was an easterly wind at 25-30 knots.
This made for an extremely uncomfortable ride in beam seas with a very short period and heights of 8-10 feet for each leg of the search pattern.
It would have been rough with a westerly wind as well, not near as rough as the easterly wind kicking up more violent waves in the fast-running Gulf Stream.
Thankfully, most cruisers will never face these conditions because we can wait for a good weather window and plan smarter.
Ready To Cross The Gulf Stream? Here’s What to Remember:
When you get a good weather window with the sea conditions not out of the north, you can have a very pleasant crossing over to the Bahamas and back.
When we made our Bimini crossing in March 2023, with no northerly component to the winds, our sail was very calm and enjoyable. We followed these same guidelines when we sailed to the Bahamas in December 2023.
- Don’t go into the Gulf Stream with a northerly wind component
- Monitor the weather and plan (or re-plan) your route accordingly
- Pay close attention to the impact of the Gulf Stream Current
- Keep safety equipment on your boat and in good condition
Be prepared for your Gulf Stream crossing with this editable Pre-Departure Checklist:
Once you arrive in the Bahamas, it’s time to enjoy the beautiful waters and beaches! Whether you will be cruising the Abacos and checking out Hope Town and Green Turtle Cay, or sailing down to the Exumas, enjoy your passage drink and relax in the sun.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cross the Gulf Stream
Is it hard to cross the Gulf Stream?
Crossing the Gulf Stream isn’t hard, with the right planning and weather window. Avoid crossing when northerly winds are blowing over the north-flowing current, as this creates steep, dangerous waves. With good planning, it can be a smooth and even enjoyable trip.
How far offshore is the Gulf Stream from Florida?
The Gulf Stream varies in distance off the coast of Florida. It is just a few miles off the Florida coast in southern Florida, near Miami and Fort Lauderdale and gradually moves farther east as you head north up the coast as illustrated on the map from Passageweather.com.
When is the best time of the year to cross the Gulf Stream?
The best times to cross the Gulf Stream are late spring through early summer and early fall, when weather is more stable. Many cruisers also cross in the winter (the Bahamas’ high season), but you’ll need to watch for cold fronts bringing strong northerly winds. Avoid hurricane season (June–November) unless you’re very experienced.
How do I check weather for a Gulf Stream crossing?
We rely on PredictWind for wind and wave forecasts and we subscribe to Chris Parker’s Marine Weather Center emails for personalized routing advice. We especially love PredictWind because of its customizable routing features — it’s saved us from a few sketchy windows!
Make sure to check multiple sources and wait for a forecast with light southerly winds and no approaching fronts.
Do I need a passport to enter the Bahamas by boat?
Yes, you absolutely need your passport to enter the Bahamas by boat. You will need to check in with Customs and Immigration immediately upon your arrival with your passport and boat documentation paperwork. Have your pet import permit and health certificate too if you are bringing your four-legged friend to the Bahamas.
See what’s on my Pre-Departure Checklist here:
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- PredictWind Review: Pros, Cons & Real Use at Sea
- Crossing The Gulf Stream: 4 Proven Tips From A Coast Guard Veteran
- Sail Route Planning: How To Have A Safe And Successful Passage With These 6 Key Elements
- Sailing at Night: Top 10 Tips in the Helpful Guide
- The Mona Passage: Proven Tips for a Safe Crossing
