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Marv's Weather Service
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Marv's Daily Virtual Buoy Reports
Gulf of Mexico - North Florida - West Coast  US East Coast - South US East Coast - North Bahamas - Abacos  
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Okeechobee Waterway Crossing - Gulf of Mexico Crossing - to the Bahamas Crossing - Galveston to Cancun
 Bahamas Application to Import Pets Southwinds article Reports - Main Menu
Florida to Bahamas Gulf Crossing Options
by Marv’s Weather Service
 
 HEADS UP - below are two of our 'crossing reports' in both ..
   our 'bar chart' format as well as our 'dialog format' ..
   for additional crossing reports to the Bahamas check out our US East Coast - South tab ..
 

 Upper Crossing - Lake Worth to West End (in Gulf Stream) - 26.7º N / 79.5º W

Wednesday 5/12
Morning

Light winds with a slight chop. Small short period wind waves.

Winds: SSE 8 to 11 knots

Seas: SE 1 feet at 3 seconds

Afternoon

Light winds with a slight chop. Small long period swell.

Winds: SSE 7 to 9 knots

Seas: NE 1 feet at 16 seconds
Thursday 5/13
Morning

Light and variable winds with smooth seas. Small long period swell.

Winds: SSW 4 to 5 knots

Seas: NE 1 feet at 14 seconds

Afternoon

Light and variable winds with smooth seas. Small long period swell.

Winds: SSE 2 to 2 knots

Seas: NE 1 feet at 13 seconds
Friday 5/14
Morning

Light winds with a slight chop. Small short period wind waves.

Winds: N 10 to 13 knots

Seas: NNE 4 feet at 8 seconds

Afternoon

Light winds with a slight chop. Small short period wind waves.

Winds: NNE 9 to 13 knots

Seas: NNE 5 feet at 8 seconds

 
Saturday 5/15
Morning

Breezy whitecapping conditions with moderate choppy seas. Moderate short period wind waves.

Winds: ENE 15 to 20 knots

Seas: NNE 6 feet at 8 seconds

 

Afternoon

Windy conditions with choppy seas. Small craft advisory. Moderate short period wind waves.

Winds: ENE 16 to 21 knots

Seas: NNE 6 feet at 8 seconds

 
Sunday 5/16
Morning

Windy conditions with choppy seas. Small craft advisory. Small short period wind waves.

Winds: ENE 17 to 22 knots

Seas: NE 6 feet at 6 seconds

 

Afternoon

Windy conditions with choppy seas. Small craft advisory. Small short period wind waves.

Winds: ENE 16 to 22 knots

Seas: NE 6 feet at 6 seconds

 
Monday 5/17
Morning

Breezy whitecapping conditions with moderate choppy seas. Small short period wind waves.

Winds: ENE 13 to 17 knots

Seas: NE 4 feet at 6 seconds

 

Afternoon

Breezy whitecapping conditions with moderate choppy seas. Small short period wind waves.

Winds: E 12 to 16 knots

Seas: NE 4 feet at 6 second
 
 
DATE
HOUR		 12
2am		 12
8am		 12
2pm		 12
8pm		 13
2am		 13
8am		 13
2pm		 13
8pm		 14
2am		 14
8am		 14
2pm		 14
8pm		 15
2am		 15
8am		 15
2pm		 15
8pm		 16
2am		 16
8am		 16
2pm		 16
8pm		 17
2am
WIND
RANGE
(knots)

 
gust
sust.
13
10
11
8
9
7
12
9
4
3
5
4
2
2
9
6
7
5
13
10
13
9
18
13
21
16
20
15
21
16
25
18
22
16
22
17
22
16
21
16
21
15
WIND DIRECTION
SSE
SSE
SSE
S
SSE
SSW
SSE
NE
NNE
N
NNE
NNE
NE
ENE
ENE
ENE
ENE
ENE
ENE
ENE
ENE
WAVE
HEIGHTS
(ft)

 
MAX
AVG
1.8
1.4
1.7
1.3
1.2
1
1.2
1
1.1
0.8
1
0.8
1
0.8
2.8
2.1
4.4
3.4
5.3
4.1
5.9
4.5
6.9
5.3
8.1
6.3
7.9
6.1
8
6.2
9.1
7
8.2
6.3
7.8
6
7.5
5.7
6.8
5.2
6.3
4.8
PERIOD 3 3 16 15 14 14 13 9 9 8 8 9 8 8 8 7 7 6 6 6 6
PRIMARY DIRECTION
SE
SE
NE
NE
NE
NE
NE
NNE
NNE
NNE
NNE
NNE
NNE
NNE
NNE
NE
NNE
NE
NE
NE
N
 
 

 Lower Crossing -  Miami to Bimini Bahamas (in Gulf Stream) - 25.7º N / 79.5º W

Wednesday 5/12
Morning

Light winds with a slight chop. Small short period wind waves.

Winds: SE 8 to 11 knots

Seas: SSE 1 feet at 3 seconds

Afternoon

Light and variable winds with smooth seas. Small short period wind waves.

Winds: SSE 4 to 5 knots

Seas: S 1 feet at 4 seconds
Thursday 5/13
Morning

Light and variable winds with smooth seas. Small long period swell.

Winds: SSW 3 to 4 knots

Seas: NE 1 feet at 14 seconds

Afternoon

Light and variable winds with smooth seas. Small long period swell.

Winds: SSE 3 to 4 knots

Seas: NE 0 feet at 13 seconds
Friday 5/14
Morning

Light winds with a slight chop. Small short period wind waves.

Winds: NE 6 to 8 knots

Seas: N 2 feet at 9 seconds

Afternoon

Light winds with a slight chop. Small short period wind waves.

Winds: NE 8 to 11 knots

Seas: N 2 feet at 8 seconds

 
Saturday 5/15
Morning

Breezy whitecapping conditions with moderate choppy seas. Small short period wind waves.

Winds: NE 13 to 17 knots

Seas: N 4 feet at 6 seconds

 

Afternoon

Breezy whitecapping conditions with moderate choppy seas. Small short period wind waves.

Winds: ENE 15 to 20 knots

Seas: NNE 4 feet at 8 seconds

 
Sunday 5/16
Morning

Very windy with large choppy seas. Small craft advisory. Small short period wind waves.

Winds: ENE 20 to 27 knots

Seas: NE 6 feet at 6 seconds

 

Afternoon

Windy conditions with choppy seas. Small craft advisory. Small short period wind waves.

Winds: ENE 18 to 24 knots

Seas: NE 5 feet at 6 seconds

 
Monday 5/17
Morning

Breezy whitecapping conditions with moderate choppy seas. Small short period wind waves.

Winds: ENE 14 to 18 knots

Seas: ENE 3 feet at 4 seconds

 

Afternoon

Breezy whitecapping conditions with moderate choppy seas. Small short period wind waves.

Winds: E 13 to 17 knots

Seas: ENE 3 feet at 4 seco
 
 
DATE
HOUR		 12
2am		 12
8am		 12
2pm		 12
8pm		 13
2am		 13
8am		 13
2pm		 13
8pm		 14
2am		 14
8am		 14
2pm		 14
8pm		 15
2am		 15
8am		 15
2pm		 15
8pm		 16
2am		 16
8am		 16
2pm		 16
8pm		 17
2am
WIND
RANGE
(knots)

 
gust
sust.
14
10
11
8
5
4
7
5
7
5
4
3
4
3
11
8
9
7
8
6
11
8
14
11
18
14
17
13
20
15
26
19
23
17
27
20
24
18
22
16
21
15
WIND DIRECTION
ESE
SE
SSE
ESE
ESE
SSW
SSE
NNW
NE
NE
NE
NNE
NE
NE
ENE
ENE
ENE
ENE
ENE
ENE
ENE
WAVE
HEIGHTS
(ft)

 
MAX
AVG
2
1.6
1.4
1.1
1.2
1
0.9
0.7
0.9
0.7
0.7
0.5
0.6
0.5
0.9
0.7
2.2
1.7
2.5
1.9
3.1
2.4
4
3
5.7
4.4
5.8
4.5
5.7
4.4
6.9
5.3
7
5.4
7.3
5.6
6.4
5
5.8
4.5
5.2
4
PERIOD 3 3 4 4 5 14 13 11 9 9 8 9 5 6 8 6 7 6 6 6 6
PRIMARY DIRECTION
ESE
SSE
S
S
E
NE
NE
NNE
NNE
N
N
N
NNE
N
NNE
NE
NE
NE
NE
NE
N
 

 
Florida to Bahamas Gulf Crossing
. .
guidelines ..
 
the ‘N’ component - if there is an ‘N’ in the wind direction DO NOT make the crossing .. unless the winds are under 10 mph and the wind direction is out of the ENE or the WNW .. 
before your crossing - always watch the ‘local’ weather for any local storm cells that may pop up .. do a final weather check before you head out .. ie local TV, WeatherBug, etc .. once you are underway if you feel it it is too rough you can always turn around and head back .. much better than getting beat up .. 
 
before your crossing - always watch the ‘local’ weather for any local storm cells that may pop up .. do a final weather check before you head out .. ie local TV, WeatherBug, etc .. once you are underway if you feel it it is too rough you can always turn around and head back .. much better than getting beat up .. 
. 
before your crossing - always check out other weather websites ..
NOAA - https://www.noaa.gov
MarineWeather - https://marineweather.net
capeweather - https://www.capeweather.com/marine-forecast.html
WindFinder - https://www.windfinder.com/
Windy - https://www.windy.com/?26.608,-81.694,5
Buoyweather - http://www.buoyweather.com/
Marine Weather Center - Chris Parker - https://www.mwxc.com
PassageWeather - https://www.passageweather.com
WeatherBug - https://www.weatherbug.com
.
rent an EPIRB or PLB - https://www.boatus.org/epirb/rentals/
.
float plan - establish a float plan .. before you head out execute your float plan .. example http://floatplancentral.cgaux.org/download/USCGFloatPlan.pdf ..
before your crossing - starting about two weeks before your anticipated crossing we recommend that you start watching our buoy weather crossing reports looking for weather trends etc and for planning the timing of your anticipated arrival at the Apalachicola / Carrabelle area .. 
.
the morning of your crossing - check the ‘local’ weather one more time for any changes (isolated storm cells etc) .. and then you will be ready to stick your bow out .. if you feel that the conditions are ok for your boat and crew go for it .. if the conditions are NOT ok you can return and start planning for the next weather window ..
.
definition
significant wave height - most all professional forecasts use 'significant wave height' .. it is the average of the one-third highest waves thus about half the waves will be bigger and half smaller .. the statistical distribution of wave heights follows a Poisson distribution (ie .. not a normal or "bell" curve) .. 10% of waves will be about 10% higher or more .. 1% of waves will be 50% higher or more .. 0.1% of waves will be 85% higher or more .. those numbers are for off shore locations .. in shallow waters the really big waves cannot develop ..” 
bumpy - wave heights above 1 foot to 2.5 feet ..
very bumpy - wave heights 2.5 feet to 3.5 feet ..
lumpy - same as bumpy except for a longer ‘per’ .. ie less chop and more rollers ..
doable - if the size and type of your craft is able to handle the wave heights and if your crew can handle the craft the seas will be doable ..
.
subscribe - if you are not getting our buoy weather reports via email you can subscribe for our free weather service by just click on this link .. “subscribe ” .. 
.
contact info
Marv Market - Marv’s Weather Service
2350 West First Street - unit 604
Fort Myers, Florida 33901 
cell - 239-560-1166
website - www.marvsweather.com 
website -