We have a Sunsail reservation for the last half of January in the Exumas. Just got the ExplorerCharts yesterday and started reading. Chris Parker's weather page sounds scary as regards multiples waves of cold fronts coming through in the winter. Did we make a mistake to choose a January trip? It was low season and cheaper, but I hadn't been studying the weather, except checking that it's not hurricane season.
How common are January cold fronts? Does being in the Exumas (farther south) lessen the severity of these fronts?
Is there a list of recommended anchorages that are safe through the full range of wind shifts from north to southwest that can happen as the front moves through?
SunSail and Moorings both operate from the Palm Cay marina on the SE end of Nassau. See this link: https://www.moorings.com/destinations/americas/bahamas/exumas-yacht-charters/base-guide
A question for you: Where are you chartering from? We don't have Sunsail listed in any of our Need-to-Know Info.
Thanks for the quick response and thanks for your wonderful work putting the charts together and then sharing that knowledge.
Glad to see you are doing your homework before heading for The Bahamas. You have some valid questions, but they are hard to answer. We have spent 25 winters in The Bahamas and each one is different. We can say that you will have fewer cold fronts in the Exumas than you would in the northern Bahamas. And yes, the farther south, the lesser impact. Study the charts and the anchorage boxes on each area to get a feel for secure places to go if and when a cold front passes. Depending on your draft, there are numerous choices.
Sara and Monty