SSCA announces the 2024 Bahamas Rally and 2024 Bahamas Gathering, Black Point Exumas

Bahama Gathering © Seven Seas Cruising Association

SSCA announces the 3rd year of this event, the 2024 Bahamas Gathering at Black Point, Bahamas. This event will also have an associated rally for boats coming from the eastern USA, in partnership with other groups.

In its third year, boaters will enjoy the hospitality of Lorraine's Cafe (Lorraine Rolle) at the anchorage at Black Point. For the past two years, Lorraine has hosted an amazing event, with several days of treasure hunts, beach parties, nature walks, and even fire dancers and bands. The event starts with a Thursday, March 14th arrival dinner, followed by March 15th, 16th, 17th for full up fun. Boats are asked to bring sport and school items for the local community as gifts/donations via Lorraine to the local school. Sign up for more information or to indicate interest at ssca.org/2024Bahamas. For rally signup/interest/information, visit here.

For the first time, SSCA is promoting a Rally with legs from the Gulf Coast and East Coast to the Bahamas. Boats may join for individual or multiple legs of the Rally. The Rally will end in Black Point Exumas, just in time for the SSCA Bahamas Gathering on or about March 14, 2024. The event is open to all boaters, members, and non-members. SSCA is investigating discounts with marinas etc. along the way. We will also have regular weather updates, land-based support and on-water support for boats traveling together.

The destination for both legs will be Black Point in the Exumas, in time for the 2024 "Bahamas Gathering". The Rally is NOT a race, it is open to anyone wishing to travel together to the Bahamas. You can join and leave as your plans permit. This is not a Flotilla - just a group of boats with a common destination wishing to keep in touch, enjoy the journey, and perhaps buddy-boat when plans coincide. Sign-up on the SSCA website (members and non-members) for event planning purposes and for information.

There is no fee for sign-up here for either the 2024 Bahamas Gathering, or the Bahama Rally, (a rally with several legs from both eastern USA as well as western Florida to Bahamas). Use www.ssca.org/2024BahamaRally for rally signup, and www.ssca.org/2024Bahamas for the 2024 Bahama Gathering. Come join SSCA, SSCA Partners, and fellow cruisers in the Bahamas!

The following is a summary of the tentative plans for the Bahama Rally Gulf Coast. This Leg will depart from the Pensacola Area. For planning purposes, we are looking at a January 5 departure for Pirate's Cove, Alabama or January 6 from Ft. McRee, Pensacola. This will be a "leisurely rally", with short legs, ICW options, and plenty of stops along the northern Gulf and Florida's West Coast.

Potential stops include (but are not limited to):

• Panama City
• Cape San Blas
• Apalachicola
• Clearwater
• Tampa Bay (St. Pete's Boat Show)
• Cayo Costa
• Naples
• Marco Island Marathon
• Bimini.

East Coast Route will depart from the Chesapeake area, and is being organized by Jason Lewis of OCC. This will also be a combination of offshore and ICW legs, and current plans are:

• 7 Feb - Arrive Chesapeake (Olde Point Comfort).
• 10 Feb - ICW Cruisers depart Chesapeake
• 13 Feb - Offshore Cruisers depart Chesapeake
• 17 Feb - Arrive Charleston
• 23 Feb - Depart Charleston
• 25 Feb - Arrive St Augustine
• 1 Mar - Depart St Augustine
• 2 Mar - Arrive Ft Pierce
• 7 Mar - Depart Ft Pierce
• 14 Mar - Arrive Black Point.