The Northern limits of the "Bahama Channel" to a 17th century Spanish captain

[Jolly Mon]

The Northern limits of the "Bahama Channel" to a 17th century Spanish captain

When would a Spanish captain of the 17th century have considered himself and his vessel "clear" of the "Bahama Channel" in an official testimony to the crown concerning a loss of Royal property?

Cape Canaveral ?
St. Augustine ?
Cape Romain ?
Cape Fear ?
Cape Lookout ?
Cape Hatteras ?

Somewhere Else ?
None of the Above ?

Here is a very interesting snippet from "Hurricanes And Typhoons: Past, Present, And Future"
By Richard J. Murnane (thanks to Tnet member Hobbit):

An example is provided in AGI Contratación, 730. Juan Ferrer, a ship’s master, begged the Casa de Contratación to be exonerated from any possible responsibility for the damage incurred by the Santa Inés sailing in the Nueva España Fleet in 1689:"being dismasted in the Bahamas channel between Cape Canaveral and Saint Helena we survived a violent sea hurricane [sic] with north-east and east-northeast winds of such ferocity that they lasted six days during which time we thought ourselves lost together with the naos of the fleet".

 

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[Darren in NC]

They were not mostly concerned with clearing the Bahama Channel before traveling east. They were indeed relieved to be clear of it due to its confinement. But since they didn't do well on longitude, they stayed within sight of land until Cape Romain. Then they knew they would clear Bermuda. This allowed them to ride the gulf stream before catching the winds to the Azores.