I C W WATERWAY

[starcrest]

how much of the ICW is actually off the coast from miami to south carolina any yone know?hmmmmmm?dont all answer at once

[Coastal Cruiser]

Running from Miami to the S.C., while its all technically protected waters, there are big bodies of open water that can be an issue with small cruising hulls. The ICw wonders through many inlets, that current and wind directions can cause some discomfort with salt spray and swell. Being aware of tidal changes, weather fronts and certainly forcasts is very important and goes without saying.
Its all done by many sizes of of boats each year, some being large canoes, with those folks that seek the ultimate challenge. But in the area of Georgia, facilities are not readily avaliable for a boat that makes six knots, and does require some planning for long days of running, and loosing daylight, too.  The tides are larger, and can cause some issues if you get hung up on a shoal or sandbar.

If you give me some specifics on your thoughts, maybe I can help you with some better comments.

[starcrest]

the  big bodies of water part doesnt scare me.its just that at the present time I am  not  prepaired for the ocean.I  am possibly going  to  relocate to  that area from dania beach where I am now,,,,,,and  a hospital in s.c. has asked for my work history,even If I dont go now theres always later,,,,I have a new outboard that will power me up there in about,,,,,,,2wks  time.........maybe,thnx 4 the info.

[Coastal Cruiser]

What part of the medical field are you in that takes you to S.C.?

[starcrest]

I have been  a radiographer for nearly 20 years and am ready to leave south phlorida.with this outboard I am verymuch motorboat ready as I have pretty much been up and down the coast from port canaveral.rite about this time b4 storm season I need an excuse to jusgettaway.in other words change is good  and I am long overdue for one.ya see I love the ocean and I like to travel,and by living on a boat I can combine the 2.and I can pretty much go where I want,except maybe kansas,or idaho,or  colorado,or wyoming.I dont think north or south dakota has many liveaboard marinas either.I could be wrong  correct me if I am.oh by the way.....welcome to miami....where the further north you go....the more southern it gets.you should see what peoples are coming over here on....plywood and innertube rafts,,,,,and like 150 hatiens on a 30 foot whatchamacallit,,,,the coastguard and boarder patrols really have there hands full....and then theres this horrific bunghole of a marina ...the "gerry springer marina"complete with all the problems of a real crimeridden trailerpark...drugdealers, ....prostitution.....streethoodlums.,,, alcoholics,..it aint doin'me no good at all,,, these lowlifes that come around trying to sell me their...bodies or what-have -you-----they see me----they see this boat----but they dont see the pounding into the tradewinds- they dont see the total seasickness----they dont see beyond the horison-----they dont see what  I have seen--- ,they-----will never amount to anything,, ,,does mayberry rfd really exist?and if so.....does aunt Bea allow liveaboards????no fish ever gave me the "come-on"

[CapnK]

Good advice, Coastal!

Eric - Georgia does inded have some stretches where you will go a day or two without reaching facilities, but at the same time it has lots of side creeks that you can fetch up in if you don't mind getting off the beaten track. Crossing some of the bays there, it helps to be handy with a compass, since you can't see where it is you are going to on the other side. It's a beautiful area. We kayaked the whole coast in March a few years back, and boat traffic was very very light. We had 2 days in a row where we didn't even see another boat or other people, except for distant shoreside lights at night. Kewl. :)

[nemona]

If you use the Cockpit Guide to the Intracostal and follow it you will have no problem. The closest you come to the open sea is down near St Andrew's past Jekyll Island in Georgia. I would consider waiting for good weather if I was in a very small boat.

A compass is good and there are a few points where it is nice to have a handheld GPS because there are stretches of several miles between markers. I did the ICW from Norfolk to the Keys last year and followed that guide religiously and had no problems. I was in a 28' sailboat.

It's a wonderful trip. Anchoring in the creeks in Georgia is a fascinating experience and the  marsh grass is so low you see way across the marshes.

I anchored in a creek behind the Savannah River and it looked like the giant freighters would come right into the creek but of course it was an optical illusion.

The trip is wonderful until you hit the bridges of South Florida. If you can possibly go outside from Lake Worth to Fort Lauderdale or Miami I reccommend it.

[CharlieJ]

LOL- as I have done Lake Worth to Fort Liquordale several times via ICW, I HIGHLY recommend going outside for that leg.

Looking back at one of my old logs- upped anchor at 0530 in Lake Worth. Reanchored off Bay Front Park, Miami at 1925, 14 hours later.

68 miles run through THIRTY EIGHT bridges!!!!

[starcrest]

I did the run from meritt island thru the canal to pahokee(no longer on the face of the earth) then  to where I am  now in dania.since  the  mast is unstepped I had  no worries about  bridges.however since I may move at any time north or south or even back west(naples ft  myers,etc) I am always interested in what the waterway may  be like in advance.

[Pixie Dust]

Here is weblink recommended by Psyche. 
Thought it could provide benefit to anyone needing ICW up to date info
http://www.cruisingguide.com/cruise-news/default.asp

It is the Salty Southeast Cruisers Net, Claiborne Young-- up to date info supplied by people cruising the ICW.  You can click on your area of interest.  You can also sign up to get bulletins.  Info on Restaurants, Marinas etc. 
Check it out.

[GordMay]

See also Tom Dove's online "Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) Guide' at:
http://mysite.verizon.net/tomdove/icw.html

[CapnK]

Gord is The Linkmeister. ;D

Karma for you - Thanks! :D

[s/v Faith]

I can not recommend it highly enough if you are traveling this area of the ICW.

On a trip this last week (car  :-[ ) I drove a bit out of my way to go up Hwy17 near the NC/VA border where it parallels the Great Dismal Swamp canal.

  It is open, and I spoke to the southbound Sailor docked at the NC welcome center.  I always hope to encounter boats there.



  When Rose and I made the trip to bring the boat down from Yorktown, we transited the Great Dismal Swamp. 

  On paper, it seems like it would be a pain.  It requires a bridge opening, and there are a set of locks.

  Now, two years later, we remember it as the best part of the trip. 

They are (like most of the ICW) un-funded for 2006.  Visit their web site to verify the status of operation before you go; http://dismalswamp.net/  There are also some political actions you can take that the site gives info on.

  We spent the night on the hook just north of the north lock, and were in Elizabeth city by the evening.  It was a wonderful experience.  Some are concerned about the depth.  We found good water all the way through, but be careful because if you get caught up in sight seeing, they have 'mast eating trees' there.  ;)

 

 

[CharlieJ]

I transited Dismal Swamp canal in Oct 82 in company with 4 other cruising boats and we  stayed at South Mills bridge since we got there after it closed for the evening. In fact, we were tied to the entrance walls to the bridge and got visited by trick or treaters, since it was Halloween night. Great fun. The two kids from a BCC 28 and my son had made Jack-O-Lanterns and we had them in the cockpit. So we got shore visitors.

Beautiful trip, and one of the boats we were traveling with met one of those "mast eating trees" Our only problem was it was SO pretty we began to get blase about it. Just TOO much beauty to continue to be impressed.

But I'd love to do it again, and again, in the fall.

[Pixie Dust]

Between the picts and the recommendations, it looks like a good reason for us southerners to take at trip north.  :)