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My Best Sailing Day in the Bahamas | Downwind Across Little Bahama Bank to Mangrove Cay, Grand Bahama
June 3, 2026 · 15 min · 2K views · New Providence, Bahamas
Sailing vessel Mirage glides toward Mangrove Cay at sunset.
What this video covers
Vlad sails the Amel 50 Mirage on a 56-mile downwind passage across Little Bahama Bank from the Abacos to Mangrove Cay, Grand Bahamas, departing at 9 a.m. with 19–20 knots of wind on a broad reach at 160–170 degrees apparent.▶ 0:07 The boat holds 6.5–7 knots throughout, with flat water and no ocean swell — a sharp contrast to the rough offshore conditions Vlad describes from earlier Bahamas passages.▶ 0:07 Before departure, the hull was cleaned and the paddlewheel speed sensor cleared.▶ 0:56 An attempted anchorage en route showed charted depth of 3.5 meters but actual depth around 2.2 meters; a neighboring boat, Sea Weaver, touched bottom, and Vlad turned back after watching it happen.▶ 2:59 Mid-passage, Vlad extends the route by 20 miles to Mangrove Cay to position for a direct run to Customs and Immigration at Grand Bahamas the following day.▶ 6:37 Depth over Little Bahama Bank runs about 4 meters.▶ 12:49 At Mangrove Cay, Vlad anchors close to shore, trusting Vionix over the chart, with 2.5 meters confirmed at low tide.▶ 14:10 Charted depths on the Bahama Banks can be significantly shallower than indicated.
Boats in this video
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