Atlantic fieldbook · Tayana 37

One year.
One changing ocean.

A weather-led circuit from the U.S. East Coast to Bermuda, St. Martin, the Virgins, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, Florida and Maine—then south to Norfolk before winter.

Follow the loop ↓ See the planning numbers ↓
5,336
nautical miles
24
planned legs
381
calendar days
4.8 kn
planning speed

01 · The loop

Move with the seasons,
not against them.

The course is organized around broad weather windows: south before the harshest winter, west through the islands, north before hurricane season builds, and back to Norfolk in autumn.

Southbound · Oct–Jan Return · Mar–Nov
Yearly Tayana 37 loop from the East Coast through Bermuda and the Caribbean, returning through the Bahamas and Florida Open full-resolution map ↗

02 · Seasonal chapters

The year in four movements.

Each chapter has a different rhythm: offshore commitment, island hopping, a careful return north, then a summer coastal season.

01

Late October–December

East Coast → Bermuda → St. Martin

Stage in Hampton Roads, cross the Gulf Stream only in a stable multi-day window, clear at St. George’s, then use the Bermuda stop to reset before the 863 nm run south.

  • Norfolk to Bermuda · about 640 nm
  • Bermuda to St. Martin · about 863 nm
  • Provision the second leg for 10–12 days
Planning routes from St. George's Bermuda to St. Martin Open passage chart ↗
02

December–February

Leewards, Virgins & Puerto Rico

Short hops around St. Martin, a westbound break to the BVI, then a slower January through the Virgins and Spanish Virgin Islands toward Puerto Rico.

St. Martin west to the Virgin Islands passage map Open passage chart ↗
03

February–early May

Puerto Rico → Bahamas → Florida

Work west along Puerto Rico, wait for a Mona Passage window, clear the Dominican Republic and Turks & Caicos, then climb the Bahamas before crossing to Florida.

Dominican Republic and Turks and Caicos through the Bahamas to Florida Open passage chart ↗
04

May–November

Florida → Maine → Norfolk

Run north outside, use only Class A inlets, round Hatteras in a settled window, spend summer in New England and Maine, then work south to Norfolk before November.

  • Florida bailouts at Fort Pierce, Canaveral and St. Augustine
  • Cape Cod Canal with a fair current
  • September southbound from Maine
Florida to Maine and south to Norfolk seasonal passage plan Open passage chart ↗

03 · Go / no-go gates

The calendar suggests.
The forecast decides.

  1. 01Gulf Stream crossings

    Recheck the current axis, wind direction and sea state immediately before departure.

  2. 02Cape Hatteras

    Use a settled window with enough margin for the full rounding—not only the first day.

  3. 03Mona Passage

    Wait for moderated trades and swell; account for tidal and current interaction.

  4. 04Clearance

    Confirm current entry, departure and reporting requirements for every jurisdiction.

04 · Map room

Passages, arrivals
and first anchorages.

Open any map at full resolution. Filters separate the broad route charts from the Bermuda and St. Martin arrival references.

Florida north outside to Sandy HookMay–OctoberFlorida to Sandy Hook Short passages from St. MartinNovember–DecemberSt. Martin short passages Virgin Islands day sailsDecember–JanuaryVirgin Islands day sails Virgins west to Puerto RicoJanuary–FebruaryVirgins to Puerto Rico Puerto Rico west to Dominican Republic and Turks and CaicosFebruary–MarchPuerto Rico to DR & TCI East Coast outside return routeReturn trackEast Coast outside Bermuda arrival and long-stay anchorage overviewBermudaArrival sequence St. George's Harbour recommended free anchoragesSt. George'sFree anchorages St. George's Harbour check-in and anchorage detailSt. George'sHarbour detail Bermuda check-in and cruising anchoragesBermudaCheck-in & cruising Bermuda recommended free anchorages after clearanceBermudaLong-stay options St. Martin and Sint Maarten check-in and anchorage overviewSt. MartinIsland overview Simpson Bay and Marigot check-in and first anchoragesSt. MartinSimpson Bay & Marigot

05 · Planning numbers

The numbers behind
the route.

The plan uses 24 legs and a conservative 4.8-knot loaded-cruiser average. Passage and stay days are organized around the seasonal route, while the fuel estimate uses 0.65 gallons per engine hour with different motoring shares for offshore, coastal and island legs.

46.3
estimated passage days
334.7
planned stay / anchor days
1,521
estimated fuel gallons
18
passage and arrival maps

Complete itinerary

Every leg, in sequence.

Underway and stay times are planning estimates. Air and sea temperatures are seasonal averages—not forecasts—and currents must be checked again before departure.

Chapter 01East Coast → Bermuda → St. MartinLegs 01–03 · Oct–Dec
01

Oct 20–Nov 5, 2026 · Coastal

Sandy Hook, NJ → Norfolk / Hampton, VA

240 nm50 hr / 2.1 days underway13.9 stay days

Hampton Roads staging anchorage or marina.

02

Nov 5–Dec 5, 2026 · Offshore

Norfolk / Hampton, VA → St. George’s, Bermuda

640 nm133 hr / 5.6 days underway24.4 stay days

Ordnance Island Yacht Reporting Centre, then Powder Hole.

03

Dec 5–13, 2026 · Offshore

St. George’s, Bermuda → Simpson Bay, Sint Maarten

863 nm180 hr / 7.5 days underway0.5 stay days

Clear on the Dutch side at Simpson Bay; do not mix with Marigot clearance.

Chapter 02Leewards → Virgins → Puerto RicoLegs 04–08 · Dec–Mar
04

Dec 13–28, 2026 · Island cruising

Sint Maarten → Anguilla / St. Barts / Statia / St. Kitts

90 nm19 hr / 0.8 days underway14.2 stay days

Clear in and out at each jurisdiction; anchorages vary.

05

Dec 28–31, 2026 · Offshore

St. Kitts → Virgin Gorda, BVI

125 nm26 hr / 1.1 days underway1.9 stay days

Gun Creek or Road Town for official BVI clearance.

06

Dec 31, 2026–Jan 25, 2027 · Island cruising

Virgin Gorda / Tortola → St. John / St. Thomas, USVI

110 nm23 hr / 1.0 day underway24.0 stay days

Report entry to U.S. CBP before going ashore.

07

Jan 25–Feb 20, 2027 · Island cruising

St. Thomas, USVI → Culebra / Vieques / Fajardo, PR

70 nm15 hr / 0.6 days underway25.4 stay days

Cruz Bay departure; Ensenada Honda, Vieques and Fajardo stops.

08

Feb 20–Mar 5, 2027 · Coastal

Fajardo, PR → Boquerón, PR via south coast

120 nm25 hr / 1.0 day underway12.0 stay days

Use Salinas and/or Ponce; avoid the exposed nonstop north-coast assumption.

Chapter 03Puerto Rico → Bahamas → FloridaLegs 09–15 · Mar–May
09

Mar 5–12, 2027 · Offshore

Boquerón, PR → Samaná, Dominican Republic

140 nm29 hr / 1.2 days underway5.8 stay days

Samaná official entry and despacho.

10

Mar 12–25, 2027 · Coastal

Samaná, DR → Luperón, DR

110 nm23 hr / 1.0 day underway12.0 stay days

Obtain domestic despacho as required; Puerto Plata is optional.

11

Mar 25–27, 2027 · Offshore

Luperón, DR → Providenciales, Turks & Caicos

135 nm28 hr / 1.2 days underway0.8 stay days

Providenciales official entry.

12

Mar 27–29, 2027 · Offshore

Providenciales, TCI → Mayaguana, Bahamas

65 nm14 hr / 0.6 days underway1.4 stay days

Abraham’s Bay for official Bahamas entry.

13

Mar 29–Apr 18, 2027 · Island cruising

Mayaguana → Georgetown, Exuma

190 nm40 hr / 1.6 days underway18.4 stay days

Crooked/Acklins, Long Island, then Georgetown.

14

Apr 18–25, 2027 · Coastal

Georgetown, Exuma → Bimini

240 nm50 hr / 2.1 days underway4.9 stay days

Nassau optional; use daylight for banks and coral heads.

15

Apr 25–May 4, 2027 · Offshore

Bimini → Fort Lauderdale, FL

50 nm10 hr / 0.4 days underway8.6 stay days

Report arrival to CBP immediately; ROAM may be available.

Chapter 04Florida → Maine → NorfolkLegs 16–24 · May–Nov
16

May 4–10, 2027 · Coastal

Fort Lauderdale, FL → Fernandina Beach, FL

340 nm71 hr / 3.0 days underway3.0 stay days

Fort Pierce, Canaveral and St. Augustine are bailout options.

17

May 10–18, 2027 · Coastal

Fernandina Beach, FL → Morehead City / Beaufort, NC

346 nm72 hr / 3.0 days underway5.0 stay days

Charleston intermediate stop; time inlet currents.

18

May 18–21, 2027 · Coastal

Morehead City, NC → Chesapeake entrance

213 nm44 hr / 1.8 days underway1.2 stay days

Require about a 60-hour usable weather window around Hatteras.

19

May 21–28, 2027 · Coastal

Chesapeake entrance → Sandy Hook, NJ

229 nm48 hr / 2.0 days underway5.0 stay days

Cape May and Atlantic City are bailout options.

20

May 28–Jul 12, 2027 · Coastal cruising

Sandy Hook, NJ → Cape Cod Canal via Montauk / Newport

181 nm38 hr / 1.6 days underway43.4 stay days

Montauk, Block Island and Newport; transit the Canal with a fair current.

21

Jul 12–Sep 5, 2027 · Coastal cruising

Cape Cod Canal → Bar Harbor / Mount Desert, ME

212 nm44 hr / 1.8 days underway53.2 stay days

Portland, Rockland and the Maine islands.

22

Sep 5–25, 2027 · Coastal

Bar Harbor, ME → Newport, RI

254 nm53 hr / 2.2 days underway17.8 stay days

Portland, then Cape Cod Canal with a fair westbound current.

23

Sep 25–Oct 20, 2027 · Coastal

Newport, RI → Cape May, NJ

237 nm49 hr / 2.1 days underway22.9 stay days

Sandy Hook intermediate stop.

24

Oct 20–Nov 5, 2027 · Coastal

Cape May, NJ → Norfolk / Hampton, VA

136 nm28 hr / 1.2 days underway14.8 stay days

Finish in Hampton Roads; time the Cape May and Chesapeake tides.