...but again, I think once you're in Beaufort, heading to Bermuda doesn't make that much sense, unless the winds happen to blow you that way, of course... But, even beginning the trip from where I am - on the Jersey coast - I'd be very reluctant to head south via Bermuda this time of the year, unless the forecast looked VERY settled for 5 days or so...

One thing where I think Street over-reacts a bit, is his caution against running down towards Hatteras inside the Stream... Departing from the Virginia Capes with a good forecast, one can be around Hatteras, or down there and across the Stream at it's narrowest point, pretty quickly... Every trip south I've ever had to go out around Hatteras I've done in this fashion, it's never been a problem, but of course you do have to be pretty confident of the forecast, and in your boat... That would be no place to experience a steering failure, for example, with a building NE breeze... (grin)

BTW, I just re-read the recent article in CW regarding sailing south, and IMHO is contains some of the worst advice I have EVER seen published in a sailing mag... The writer is describing a departure from Newport, and lists as good bail-out options in the event of deteriorating conditions along the south shore of LI as being MORICHES, AND SHINNECOCK INLETS!!! Is he freakin' kidding??? Hell, I'd think twice about running Moriches inlet in a 22' Boston Whaler on a flat calm day...

Shit, that has to be some of the dumbest advice proffered in CW since some gasbag delivery captain proposed Oregon Inlet as a strategy to avoid going inside at Norfolk a few years ago... (grin)