Cruising Grounds

Captain's cruising portfolio · Nov 2025 – Oct 2026

The Bahamas to Down East Maine

A year in command of a 65′ Outer Reef motor yacht (private), from the Exuma Cays to Mount Desert Island. Every place here comes from my own log: harbors I have brought her into, beaches we anchored off, and the points of interest worth the detour for guests aboard.

Every one of these places was once a first visit. I take moving the boat seriously, and I plan each new passage with care. I have my own network of experienced friends to call on for local advice, and I'm confident in chart planning, reading the water and taking her somewhere new.

  • 4,290nmlogged under way
  • 89days under way
  • 81destinations
  • 454nmlongest non-stop passage

Range 23°31.8′N (George Town, Exuma) to 44°23.5′N (Bar Harbor, Maine)

25°N30°N35°N40°N45°N80°W75°W70°WBahamasMaineNew EnglandNY & the SoundHudson RiverAtlantic & ICW100 nm
Every track logged, Nov 2025 – Oct 2026.

Six cruising grounds

From the Exumas to Mount Desert

  • Harbors & towns
  • Beaches
  • Points of interest
  • Logged tracks

Season by season

The year on the water

  1. FallNov 2025

    Delivery south

    Long Island Sound to Fort Lauderdale: offshore down the Jersey shore, inside through Virginia and North Carolina, then offshore again to Florida.

  2. WinterDec 2025 – Mar 2026

    Winter in South Florida

    The winter season in Fort Lauderdale, with day runs on the Intracoastal and offshore.

  3. SpringApr – Jun 2026

    Bahamas season

    Bimini, Nassau, the Exumas down to George Town, Eleuthera and the Abacos.

  4. Early summerJun 2026

    Northbound

    454 nm non-stop from Walker's Cay to Cape Fear, the ICW to Norfolk, and offshore to New York.

  5. SummerJul – Aug 2026

    New England & Maine

    Newport, Boston, Portland to Mount Desert, and back by Cape Cod and Block Island.

  6. FallSep – Oct 2026

    The Sound & the Hudson

    Long Island Sound, then up the Hudson to Albany for the fall colour.

01 · Spring

The Bahamas

Abacos · Eleuthera · Nassau · Exuma Cays

Logged Apr – Jun 202617 harbors & towns4 beaches1 point of interest

Shallow-water cruising read by eye: bank passages, tidal cuts and anchorages picked for the wind. Spring 2026 ran from the first landfall at Bimini through Nassau and the full length of the Exuma Cays to George Town, then north through Eleuthera and the Abaco settlements to Walker's Cay.

23°N24°N25°N26°N27°N79°W78°W77°W76°W50 nm12345678910111213141516171819202122
The Bahamas: logged tracks and destinations, numbered as in the list.

Abacos

  1. Harbor or town 1

    Walker's Cay27°15.3′N 078°23.6′W

    Northernmost of the Bahamas; jumping-off point for the offshore run north.

  2. Harbor or town 2

    Spanish Cay26°56.3′N 077°31.6′W

    Private-island marina on the north Abaco cays.

  3. Harbor or town 3

    Green Turtle Cay26°46.3′N 077°20.3′W

    New Plymouth's Loyalist village and protected sounds.

  4. Beach 4

    Green Turtle Cay ocean beach26°47.3′N 077°20.2′W

    Atlantic-side beach on the cay's north end.

  5. Harbor or town 5

    Great Guana Cay26°40.1′N 077°07.3′W

    Seven miles of ocean beach and a laid-back settlement.

  6. Harbor or town 6

    Marsh Harbour26°33.0′N 077°04.0′W

    Abaco's main town and provisioning stop.

  7. Harbor or town 7

    Elbow Cay26°31.2′N 076°59.0′W

    Hope Town's striped lighthouse and White Sound.

  8. Harbor or town 8

    Tilloo Cay26°28.4′N 076°59.6′W

    Quiet anchorage south of Elbow Cay.

Eleuthera

  1. Harbor or town 9

    Spanish Wells25°32.2′N 076°45.3′W

    Fishing village off north Eleuthera; gateway to Harbour Island.

  2. Harbor or town 10

    Cape Eleuthera24°50.2′N 076°20.6′W

    Marina at the island's southwest tip, on the edge of Exuma Sound.

Nassau & Bimini

  1. Harbor or town 11

    Nassau & Paradise Island25°04.9′N 077°19.5′W

    The capital, with full-service marinas on Nassau Harbour.

  2. Harbor or town 12

    Bimini25°43.4′N 079°17.8′W

    First landfall from Florida across the Gulf Stream.

Great Exuma

  1. Harbor or town 13

    George Town23°31.8′N 075°46.1′W

    Elizabeth Harbour and Stocking Island; the southern end of the Exuma chain.

Exuma Cays

  1. Beach 14

    Allan's Cay24°44.6′N 076°50.4′W

    Beach home to the protected rock iguanas.

  2. Harbor or town 15

    Highbourne Cay24°42.8′N 076°49.7′W

    Marina and fuel at the top of the Exumas.

  3. Harbor or town 16

    Shroud Cay24°32.9′N 076°47.5′W

    Mangrove creeks by dinghy through to the Exuma Sound beach.

  4. Harbor or town 17

    Hawksbill Cay24°29.0′N 076°46.3′W

    Exuma Park anchorage with Loyalist ruins and long beaches.

  5. Point of interest 18

    Cambridge Cay, Exuma Park24°19.6′N 076°33.5′W

    No-take marine park; snorkelling at the Sea Aquarium and Rocky Dundas.

  6. Harbor or town 19

    Sampson Cay24°12.5′N 076°28.5′W

    Sheltered anchorage north of Staniel.

  7. Beach 20

    Sampson Cay beach24°12.4′N 076°28.2′W

    Small beach by the anchorage.

  8. Harbor or town 21

    Staniel Cay & Big Major Cay24°11.3′N 076°27.5′W

    Yacht club, Thunderball Grotto and the swimming pigs of Big Major.

  9. Beach 22

    Big Major bank beach24°11.3′N 076°29.3′W

    Beach on the bank side west of Big Major Cay.

02 · Summer

Coast of Maine

Casco Bay · Midcoast · Penobscot Bay · Mount Desert

Logged Jul – Aug 202618 harbors & towns4 points of interest

Portland to Mount Desert Island in high summer: Casco Bay, Boothbay, Penobscot Bay and Eggemoggin Reach. Fog, ledges, lobster pots and ten-foot tides are the daily working conditions, and the reward is some of the best cruising grounds on the East Coast.

44°N70°W69°30′W69°W68°30′W68°W20 nm12345678910111213141516171819202122
Coast of Maine: logged tracks and destinations, numbered as in the list.

Casco Bay

  1. Harbor or town 1

    Portland43°39.3′N 070°15.0′W

    The Old Port and full-service marinas.

  2. Point of interest 2

    Casco Bay islands43°44.6′N 070°07.9′W

    Island anchorages a few miles off Portland.

  3. Harbor or town 3

    South Harpswell43°47.3′N 070°02.4′W

    Potts Harbor at the tip of Harpswell Neck.

  4. Harbor or town 4

    Quahog Bay43°49.2′N 069°54.7′W

    Well-protected bay on the east side of Casco Bay.

Midcoast

  1. Harbor or town 5

    Sebasco Harbor43°46.0′N 069°52.0′W

    Harbor near Small Point at the mouth of the Kennebec.

  2. Harbor or town 6

    Boothbay Harbor43°50.7′N 069°37.6′W

    Classic Midcoast yachting town.

  3. Harbor or town 7

    Christmas Cove43°50.9′N 069°33.3′W

    Snug cove at South Bristol.

Penobscot Bay

  1. Harbor or town 8

    Camden44°12.5′N 069°03.3′W

    Windjammer harbor beneath the Camden Hills.

  2. Harbor or town 9

    Fox Islands Thorofare44°07.6′N 068°53.5′W

    The passage between North Haven and Vinalhaven.

  3. Point of interest 10

    Vinalhaven, west shore44°05.3′N 068°54.6′W

    Granite islands and sounds on Vinalhaven's west side.

  4. Harbor or town 11

    Vinalhaven44°05.2′N 068°49.0′W

    Working lobster island in the middle of the bay.

  5. Point of interest 12

    South of Vinalhaven44°00.8′N 068°46.3′W

    Outer islands south of Vinalhaven.

  6. Harbor or town 13

    Pickering Island44°16.0′N 068°44.0′W

    Anchorage among the East Penobscot Bay islands.

  7. Harbor or town 14

    Buck's Harbor44°20.2′N 068°44.6′W

    Protected harbor at the western end of Eggemoggin Reach.

  8. Harbor or town 15

    Castine44°23.2′N 068°47.8′W

    Historic town and home of Maine Maritime Academy.

  9. Harbor or town 16

    Brooklin44°15.2′N 068°35.5′W

    Eggemoggin Reach and the home of WoodenBoat.

Mount Desert & beyond

  1. Harbor or town 17

    Swan's Island44°08.3′N 068°26.6′W

    Burnt Coat Harbor and its lighthouse.

  2. Harbor or town 18

    Southwest Harbor44°16.4′N 068°19.2′W

    Boatbuilding town on Mount Desert Island.

  3. Harbor or town 19

    Somes Sound44°18.5′N 068°19.0′W

    The fjard running into the heart of Mount Desert.

  4. Harbor or town 20

    Northeast Harbor44°17.5′N 068°16.8′W

    Yachting harbor on the edge of Acadia National Park.

  5. Harbor or town 21

    Bar Harbor44°23.5′N 068°11.9′W

    Gateway to Acadia on Frenchman Bay.

  6. Point of interest 22

    Petit Manan Light44°22.1′N 067°52.3′W

    One of the tallest lighthouses in Maine.

03 · Summer

Southern New England

Narragansett Bay · Block Island · Cape Cod · Boston

Logged Jul – Aug 20266 harbors & towns

The summer link between Long Island Sound and the Gulf of Maine: Newport and Narragansett Bay, Block Island, the Elizabeth Islands, the Cape Cod Canal, Provincetown and Boston Harbor.

41°30′N42°N71°30′W71°W70°30′W70°W10 nm123456
Southern New England: logged tracks and destinations, numbered as in the list.

Rhode Island

  1. Harbor or town 1

    Block Island41°11.8′N 071°35.3′W

    Great Salt Pond, the summer anchorage of the Northeast.

  2. Harbor or town 2

    Newport & Jamestown41°30.8′N 071°21.7′W

    Narragansett Bay and America's sailing capital.

Massachusetts

  1. Harbor or town 3

    Cuttyhunk41°25.7′N 070°54.6′W

    The outermost Elizabeth Island.

  2. Harbor or town 4

    Onset41°43.5′N 070°38.5′W

    Harbor at the western end of the Cape Cod Canal.

  3. Harbor or town 5

    Provincetown42°02.6′N 070°10.7′W

    The tip of Cape Cod.

  4. Harbor or town 6

    Boston42°21.0′N 071°01.5′W

    Inner harbor and the Seaport.

04 · Summer & fall

New York & Long Island Sound

Connecticut · North Shore · Manhattan

Logged Nov 2025, Jun – Oct 20269 harbors & towns

Summer and fall on the western Sound: the Connecticut shore from Norwalk to New London, the North Shore of Long Island a short run across, and the Manhattan and Jersey City docks opening onto the Hudson and the coastal route south.

41°N74°W73°30′W73°W72°30′W72°W20 nm123456789
New York & Long Island Sound: logged tracks and destinations, numbered as in the list.

Connecticut

  1. Harbor or town 1

    Norwalk41°05.9′N 073°25.0′W

    Norwalk Harbor and the Norwalk Islands on the western Sound.

  2. Harbor or town 2

    Bridgeport Harbor41°10.5′N 073°10.8′W

    Deep, easy harbor midway up the Connecticut shore.

  3. Harbor or town 3

    New London41°20.9′N 072°05.9′W

    The Thames River, home of the Coast Guard Academy.

Long Island North Shore

  1. Harbor or town 4

    Northport40°55.2′N 073°21.7′W

    Village harbor at the head of Northport Bay.

  2. Harbor or town 5

    Huntington40°54.6′N 073°26.2′W

    Huntington Harbor and Lloyd Harbor.

  3. Harbor or town 6

    Cold Spring Harbor40°52.7′N 073°29.0′W

    Historic whaling village.

  4. Harbor or town 7

    Oyster Bay40°53.9′N 073°31.9′W

    Sheltered bay below Sagamore Hill.

New York Harbor

  1. Harbor or town 8

    Manhattan, Chelsea Piers40°44.7′N 074°00.5′W

    Hudson River docking on Manhattan's West Side.

  2. Harbor or town 9

    Liberty Landing, Jersey City40°42.6′N 074°02.0′W

    Marina facing the Statue of Liberty and lower Manhattan.

05 · Fall

The Hudson River

New York Harbor to Albany

Logged Nov 2025, Jun – Oct 202610 harbors & towns

An autumn run up the Hudson from New York Harbor to Albany: past the Palisades, through the Highlands at West Point, and on to the river towns of the Hudson Valley in fall colour.

41°N41°30′N42°N42°30′N74°W73°30′W10 nm12345678910
The Hudson River: logged tracks and destinations, numbered as in the list.

Lower Hudson

  1. Harbor or town 1

    Ossining41°09.7′N 073°52.3′W

    Riverfront at the top of the Tappan Zee.

  2. Harbor or town 2

    Haverstraw41°13.1′N 073°57.9′W

    Haverstraw Bay, the widest point of the river.

Mid-Hudson

  1. Harbor or town 3

    Newburgh41°30.8′N 074°00.0′W

    Waterfront just north of Storm King and the Highlands.

  2. Harbor or town 4

    Hyde Park41°46.6′N 073°57.1′W

    Roosevelt and Vanderbilt estates above the river.

  3. Harbor or town 5

    Kingston41°55.0′N 073°57.6′W

    Rondout Creek and the Hudson River Maritime Museum.

Upper Hudson

  1. Harbor or town 6

    Catskill42°12.2′N 073°51.1′W

    Catskill Creek beneath the mountains.

  2. Harbor or town 7

    Hudson & Athens42°15.6′N 073°47.7′W

    The Hudson-Athens Lighthouse mid-river.

  3. Harbor or town 8

    New Baltimore42°26.1′N 073°46.9′W

    Quiet river village south of Albany.

  4. Harbor or town 9

    Castleton-on-Hudson42°31.6′N 073°45.7′W

    Upper Hudson marinas below Albany.

  5. Harbor or town 10

    Albany42°38.3′N 073°45.0′W

    The state capital, at the top of the run.

06 · Deliveries & winter

Atlantic Coast & ICW

Chesapeake Bay to Fort Lauderdale

Logged Nov 2025 – Apr 2026, Jun 202612 harbors & towns

Fall and spring deliveries between New York and Fort Lauderdale: offshore legs down the Jersey shore and the Carolinas, and the inside route through the Virginia Cut, Albemarle Sound and the North Carolina sounds. The winter season is spent in Fort Lauderdale.

Local knowledgeHazard and shoaling notes kept for 7 known trouble spots on the ICW between North Carolina and Florida.

26°N28°N30°N32°N34°N36°N80°W78°W76°W50 nm123456789101112
Atlantic Coast & ICW: logged tracks and destinations, numbered as in the list.

Virginia

  1. Harbor or town 1

    Hampton37°00.9′N 076°20.4′W

    Hampton River at the mouth of the Chesapeake.

  2. Harbor or town 2

    Norfolk36°50.6′N 076°17.7′W

    Mile Zero of the Intracoastal Waterway.

  3. Harbor or town 3

    Great Bridge36°43.2′N 076°13.8′W

    The lock and bridge on the Albemarle & Chesapeake Canal.

North Carolina

  1. Harbor or town 4

    Coinjock36°21.6′N 075°56.8′W

    Classic ICW stop above Albemarle Sound.

  2. Harbor or town 5

    Belhaven35°32.1′N 076°37.3′W

    Pungo River town on the inside route.

  3. Harbor or town 6

    New Bern35°06.2′N 077°02.4′W

    Where the Neuse and Trent rivers meet.

  4. Harbor or town 7

    Beaufort & Morehead City34°43.0′N 076°39.9′W

    Taylor's Creek waterfront and Beaufort Inlet.

  5. Harbor or town 8

    Wrightsville Beach34°12.4′N 077°49.2′W

    Inlet town just east of Wilmington.

  6. Harbor or town 9

    Southport & Bald Head Island33°52.8′N 078°00.0′W

    The Cape Fear River entrance; landfall after 454 nm offshore from Walker's Cay.

South Carolina

  1. Harbor or town 10

    Hilton Head Island32°08.3′N 080°48.9′W

    Lowcountry stop on Port Royal Sound.

South Florida

  1. Harbor or town 11

    Pompano & Lighthouse Point26°15.5′N 080°04.8′W

    Hillsboro Inlet and the canals north of Fort Lauderdale.

  2. Harbor or town 12

    Fort Lauderdale26°07.2′N 080°06.5′W

    Port Everglades, the New River and the Intracoastal.

  • Harbors & towns
  • Beaches
  • Points of interest
  • Logged tracks

Positions and tracks from my TimeZero log, Nov 2025 – Oct 2026. Chart for illustration only — not for navigation.

Coastlines from Natural Earth. Positions WGS 84.

Contact

Brian Riggs Captain / Engineer

404.408.1036Phone or WhatsApp · Fort Lauderdale, FL

WhatsAppCall 404.408.1036

Full CV on request