Or you can continue on the NJ-ICW for 117 miles, and take a short 45-mile run outside into NY Harbor and Liberty Landing. The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway—also affectionately known as the ICW or The Ditch—is a protected inland waterway route that runs 1,243.8 statute miles from Norfolk, VA, to Key West, FL. Much of the boating in South Florida will take you along or across the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW). It has really nice bathrooms, free laundry facilities, fuel, and water, and is dog-friendly. On the hook is a nautical term for when the boat is at anchor or secured to a mooring ball. The yellow markings override the shape or color of the lateral markers they are affixed on, and indicate the route of the ICW. All ICW markers will have a reflective yellow triangle or square on them. We pulled into Zahniser's Marina to regroup for the night and had a cozy home-style meal of delicious soft crabs and a throat-warming cognac at the Dry Dock Restaurant, after which all was right with the world again. It's since become a favorite refuge. Given these challenges, reserving a spot at Charleston City Marina's mega dock, a beautiful facility with easy docking, all the amenities you need, and walking distance to the city, is to be recommended. If the marker in the channel doesn’t have the triangle or square, the boat is no longer in the ICW. Our biggest problem was that the boat was underpowered and would only do 5 kn at best. Early on, we lost the teak swim platform on our 1988 Grand Banks 42 trawler to a wet, steep bay chop and chilly 40-knot winds. Passing to starboard requires two prolonged and one short blast for intention. But that would be a grave mistake. An ICW veteran gives us the skinny on some great stops. Charleston has many great restaurants. Nothing. Midway Marina and Motel with Crabbie's Restaurant is on the west side, but the restaurant is closed Monday and Tuesday. Channels 6 and 22A are also important to pleasure boaters. Put your walking shoes on and enjoy. But it's dinner where Beaufort really shines. var plc296584 = window.plc296584 || 0; The ICW is the preferred route for snowbirds heading for Florida, the Keys, Bahamas or Cuba. boats.com, 1221 Brickell Avenue, 23rd Floor, Miami, FL 33131, USA. The farther you travel down the ICW, the more people you get to know, as you often go to the same marinas, see each other at the same restaurants, and eventually start chatting and exchanging recommendations. Capt John's Interactive Great Loop Map. There we've seen deer, eagles, and other wildlife on the approach to Morehead City and Beaufort (pronounced "Bew-fert"). You should be aware of these if you boat on these waters. It's a pretty resort with a golf course, spa, and nice restaurants, and they make the best mint julep I've ever tasted. The ICW might have a lot older (Senior age, perhaps) on it, but I'd think they've been boating on ICW and even the ocean a lot of years. It runs April to December every Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. just a few blocks from the waterfront, under spreading live oak trees. She and her husband have owned several boats. The Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) is a chain of local channels linked together to provide an inland passage along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts. Lori Ross is a marketing and PR executive, and a food writer for various magazines. Winter Boating on the ICW. John I have traveled the ICW many times with a small vessel (20ft Sea Hunt), a 28ft pontoon house boat, and finally a 54ft Meridian. In addition to commercial traffic, The ICW is used extensively by recreational boaters, so you will not be alone on the ICW. For some reason the number of bridges and occasionally uncooperative tenders seems to increase as you head further south. Mile Marker 0 is where it all begins, in Norfolk, VA. Channels that are part of the ICW are identified by yellow symbols on channel buoys and markers. Snowbird season is upon us. If your boat has a draft of 4' or less you will be fine. Jim and I had to laugh at our own contrariness. It offers commercial, military, and recreational mariners a mostly protected alternative to venturing offshore when conditions turn ugly. Sailing the Intracoastal Waterway. Preparing one’s boat for a thousand-mile trip down the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) isn’t quite the ordeal of preparing for an ocean crossing. Solomons Island, Maryland, sits on the Patuxent River and often has been a welcome relief for us on our way to and from Norfolk. Jim, irritated, asked me to check yet again, and I, just as irritated, replied that I just had. Jim and I met when he was my instructor at the sailing school there in 1981. Posted on February 7, 2016 by comocean. Navigation aids along the ICW are the same as any other U.S. waterway, with the exception of yellow markings. The long-awaited birthday and anniversary celebrations turned into a meal of crackers and boxed macaroni and cheese, with aging Girl Scout cookies for dessert. Leaving Oriental, we follow the Neuse River to Adams Creek where we get to navigate using ranges and enter the very narrow Adams Creek Canal. The Beaufort Grocery with its farm-to-table fare and Aqua with small plates and wine-flight tastings are our favorites. With its own wine store next door (buy wine here before ordering dinner to save money), the menu is delightful, reasonably priced, and local. This interactive map makes a fantastic route and trip planner. We were married a year later. (Photo: National Park Service). Both get busy with the snowbirds in October/November and April/May, but they always have fuel and water, usually a pumpout system that works, and a good restaurant. While Myrtle Beach offers cruisers lots of marinas, we usually press on to the Waccamaw River, one of the most scenic parts of the ICW, with wooded banks, deep water, wildflowers, moss-draped trees, and turtles sunning themselves alongside water birds. The flight was delayed several hours and we didn't get to the boat until after all the restaurants and local stores had closed. Miami is one of the best places on the ICW to have work done on your boat—minor repairs or large projects—and there are seemingly more marinas than buildings. Stroll over to Ibis on Front Street for upscale clothing, and to Jarrett Bay Boathouse for boating clothes and supplies. We made an ocean run from Florida to the Outer Banks, and entered the ICW at Beaufort Inlet in North Carolina. Boat from Warwick, RI to Jacksonville, FL via Intercoastal Water Way (ICW). (Photo: SavannahVisit.com), Watching wild horses on Cumberland Island, Georgia feed in the marshy grass. This allows them to travel between 40 and 70 nautical miles each day. But coastal cruisers, and those transiting the Intracoastal Waterway, in particular, still have to return to land for re-provisioning and things like water, fuel, and pump-outs. Pristine anchorage … El Nino is not a good thing for Florida – the weather has been down right awful. Fernandina Beach lies on Amelia Island just over the Georgia-Florida border. Copyright © 1999-2020 Boats Group. For many boaters, that means an annual pilgrimage south on the Intracoastal Waterway. Originally built to ensure a secure means for shipping goods up and down the Atlantic Coast, today the ICW is used not just by commercial vessels, but also by a large number of recreational boaters. Learn how to create your own. It is a great tool for planning your cruise around America's Great Loop. ICW – Northbound The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AICW) is a continuous and mostly protected navigable route from Miami, Florida to Norfolk, Virginia . On my vessel’s average speed of six knots, I typically plan for a run of around 40 statute miles each day. The Okeechobee Waterway: Cruising the water that connects the seas Florida is best known to boaters for the water around its edges, which is no wonder with more than 2,000 miles of tidal shoreline open to the sea. I had my own experience of that during our 2007 trip, when a four-knot current caught me and I temporarily lost control of the boat. The boat was running about 8-9 knots in an open waterway, and every few minutes we could hear something flapping. By the way, it's illegal to contact the Coast Guard for a radio check. Although we both still worked full time, we had lots of vacation built up and thought we'd enjoy using it on the boat. Nearby is a great restaurant called The Variety Store, offering delicious she-crab soup, shrimp and grits, and blackened tuna as part of its large menu. On the east coast, some of the traffic in fall is by snowbirds who regularly move south for the winter and in Spring head north for the summer. The ICW runs from New Jersey to Texas. At that pace, completing the ICW would take three to four weeks, provided you do not stop. Also tour Fort Sumter and go to the Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. My first trip on the ICW was in April 1985, when my husband Jim and I delivered our "new to us" Beneteau 35 sailboat from Fort Lauderdale to our home on the Magothy River in the Chesapeake Bay. It's also got an inexpensive menu of fried chicken, seafood, sandwiches, and excellent fried okra. Since then, I've made more than a dozen whole or partial cruises along the ICW, both in sail and powerboats. 4% back on purchases from West Marine stores or online at, Discounts on fuel, transient slips, repairs and more at over 1,000 businesses. When navigating the narrow channels of the ICW, tugs and barges will signal their intentions using sound signals. Nearby trips are available to historic Williamsburg and Urbanna, an artists' hub with antiques and fun restaurants. Friendly, beautiful, and with deep-water access to the Atlantic Ocean, Beaufort is one of the busiest stopover points on the ICW. Most sailboats cross to the Bahamas south of Ft. Lauderdale. Cruising the ICW. Top 10 Choices for Boaters, Intracoastal Waterway Message Board Established, Intracoastal Waterway: Grady White Sneak Peek, Intracoastal Waterway: Adventure in Deep Creek Lock. They've got everything from fresh produce to flowers, grass-fed chickens, jam, jelly, honey, eggs, and handmade soap and laundry detergent. It's also one of the most challenging to dock in, thanks to strong currents and tides. var absrc = 'https://servedbyadbutler.com/adserve/;ID=170269;size=300x250;setID=296584;type=iframe;sw='+screen.width+';sh='+screen.height+';spr='+window.devicePixelRatio+';kw='+abkw+';pid='+pid296584+';place='+(plc296584++)+';rnd='+rnd+';click=CLICK_MACRO_PLACEHOLDER'; Channel 6 is reserved for inter-ship safety use, primarily during search-and-rescue operations. The quiet creeks where we enjoy anchoring, do not have mooring balls. Southbound on the Dismal Swamp Canal in November, these sailboats, part of a caravan of five cruising yachts, are treated to a touch of Virginia's spectacular fall foliage. Just getting there is more than half the fun, when you’re cruising south on the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW), a 1243-mile waterway that connects rivers, canals, sounds and land cuts on the Atlantic coast. Cruising: Waterborne pleasure journey embarked on … From there we can easily make Norfolk or Portsmouth, where we stock up for the trip down the ditch. ICW on a Houseboat by: beached guy My wife and I traveled the ICW from TX to Lake Ontario in a full displacement boat, sturdy and more seaworthy 32 footer, more seaworthy than which a houseboat would be. Coinjock Marina over the North Carolina border is usually our next stop. The ICW is fairly flat so even if you don't mount the antenna on the top of the mast you will still get most of the channels (ours is about 10 ft high, just above the aft radar). It wasn't so terrible. boats.com is part of the Boats Group Network. var abkw = window.abkw || ''; Posts about Boating written by “Oh Captain My Captain” August 29, 2020. If you’re planning a trip down The Ditch, plan on paying a visit to at least a handful of the following ports. We toasted and matched faces with the boat names of cruisers we'd seen regularly since Great Bridge, Virginia, and all had dinner together at the Toucan Grill, enjoying ribs, seafood, and pasta. I'd been seasick for most of the ocean voyage and all but kissed the ground when we stepped ashore at Morehead City. We started looking for dockage in North Palm Beach, some 50-plus miles away, and found nothing until we stopped at a gas dock to fill up (in the dark, I might add) far south of Fort Lauderdale. Author: Tom Hale Publish date: Mar 20, 2020. If you're careless with the grill on board you could hurt yourself, or damage the boat, Latest Coast Guard and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers updates on the ICW, It's the route for boaters along the ICW, but the magenta line is sorely in need of an update. Our next stop is the marina at Belhaven on Pantego Creek. But we accompanied it with a bottle of vintage Bordeaux from the year of our marriage that we'd brought down on the boat, and toasted ourselves on the flybridge under a canopy of stars and a gorgeous full moon in balmy Miami. There are very nice, convenient marinas all along the ICW in these areas, but call ahead to make sure you get a space, particularly during snowbird season. Originally conceived in 1802 for commercial use, today it is primarily used by recreational vessels, however light-draft commercial vessels along with small tugs pulling barges will make use of the AICW to avoid exposed open ocean passages. Luckily both are on the ICW so you'll spend lots of time confusing yourself. (Photo: Natalie Kendrach). Yes, we are definitely "fair weather" boaters, so, if the wind is high (8+) and/or rain predicted, the boat does come off of the trailer. The town of Elizabeth City is a treat to simply wander around and take in the scenery. The trip didn't exactly start without incident. In the 1950s and ’60s the U.S. Army Corps dredged the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) ... Boating around the bay discovering sandbars and seeing what people do on them can make for an interesting day. Matanzas Pass. There are two important facts to remember about aids along the Intracoastal Waterway: they run clockwise around the coast and they are uniquely marked. It is on this channel that large vessels in close proximity announce their intentions to one another, and it's also the primary channel used at bridges and locks. Actually, they're both Beaufort, but the one in North Carolina is pronounced "Bow" (as in bow and arrow) while the one in South Carolina is pronounced "Bew." We also didn't want a mast higher than 60 ft to be sure of getting under ICW bridges which are supposed to be a minimum of 65 ft at high tide but are often lower (64, even 63 ft!). So the Coast Guard adopted the following clockwise convention: moving in a southerly direction along the Atlantic Coast, then in a northerly, then westerly direction along the Gulf Coast, is considered returning from seaward. There are artisan jewelers, arts-and-crafts stores, and several gourmet shops, too. Though Wilmington is not technically on the Intracoastal Waterway, it’s well worth a 13-mile diversion up the Cape Fear River. When most cruisers think of the ICW, they are thinking of the Atlantic ICW from Norfolk, VA to Key West, FL. ", Three short blasts: "I am operating astern propulsion.". In 2011, as Jim and I pulled in to the Oriental Marina and Inn, a thunderstorm hit that trapped us at the Tiki Bar for the night. You can re… Jim was driving and asked me to check that the canvas was zipped and snapped down in the flybridge enclosure. The kind gas dock owners delayed their closing and let us spend the night at their dock, as long as we left by 6 a.m. We docked at Miami Bayside the next day and flew home to work for several weeks. © Gordon Pass is the main access to the busy waters of Naples, one of southwest Florida’s premier boating destinations. There are artisan jewelers, arts-and-crafts stores, and several gourmet shops, too. When you arrive, the marina gives you wooden tokens for drinks at the Dockhouse Restaurant attached, but on the water are several other good restaurants: The Boardwalk Café for breakfast and lunch, and the Dockhouse and Queen Anne's Revenge for lunch. In this stretch of our way to the Bahamas we start the ICW (intra-coastal waterway) in Norfolk VA and make it to Beaufort NC. There we happened upon a delightful farmers market. Here's what the barge's horn is telling you: To be comfortable with the inland rules and understand how they differ from the international regulations, carry a copy of the rules for navigation aboard and brush up on them before you go by visiting the U.S. Coast Guard's Navigation Center. Dishes such as fried okra and shrimp & grits are highlights of the southern part of the ICW. It's a no-frills place (in fact, it's a gas station and truck stop that happens to have a marina) in a well-protected harbor and offers the only fuel between Coinjock and Belhaven. For the record, if I were to live my life over, I'd come back as a food writer or restaurateur, so I thought I'd share some of our favorite places along the route from the Chesapeake Bay to Miami, which tend to be great places to enjoy wonderful, mouthwatering local specialties. It's difficult in some parts to pass, so you often travel in convoy and are waiting for bridge or lock openings together. Treat yourself to one of these: Hall's Chop House, SNOB (Slightly North of Broad), High Cotton, and Magnolia. After bouncing off several pilings, fending off other boat bows, and pulling out one of our own bow stanchions, we finally got back under control. This map was created by a user. Then I happened to glance alongside the boat and saw a school of 12 dolphins riding our bow wave, jumping, diving, and yes, slapping the water as they landed. The entrance to San Carlos Bay is wide and mostly deep except for shoals to the west. The menu changes seasonally, so don't miss this little treasure. Our first stops in the Sunshine State are usually Jacksonville or St. Augustine, followed by Daytona and the Space Coast. document.write(''); Know the name of the bridge before you arrive and always communicate with the bridge tender. Many of these boaters are cruisers who use the ICW as a highway, traveling south to escape the cold of winter or north to seek relief from the blistering tropical sun. Sound signals, international:Passing portside requires two prolonged (4-6 seconds) and two short blasts for the overtaking boat’s intention, two short blasts for the stand-on vessel’s agreement. We love the throwback easy rhythm of the waterway and find ourselves laughing and talking about memories of other travels, and planning new cruises. If your draft is 4' 6" it might be touch & go. The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) is a highway of sorts for smaller boats. It’s well marked and should present no problems except for heavy boat traffic, particularly on winter weekends. Before you cast off from Charleston, pick one of many well-rated restaurants for a pleasant and relaxing evening. With a larger boat, it's worth planning on shorter days of travel, booking marinas ahead, and having a backup plan. The ICW connects rivers, canals, sounds, and cuts into a continuous navigable waterway that stretches along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts from New England to the Florida Keys and west to Texas. He is the former editor of PropTalk Magazine and was the managing editor of the Waterway Guide. I did, but the flapping continued. Visit the Calvert Marine Museum, where Bubble and Squeak, a pair of river otters, live, and visit the Drum Point and Cove Point lighthouses while you're there. In fact, the picture you will get over the air is superior to cable since no compression is used which causes compression artifacts. How to Buy a Boat: Tips for a First Time Buyer, Top 10 New Fishing Boats for Under $20,000, What Type is Right for You? Passing to starboard requires one short blast for intent and agreement. The NJ-ICW is known for it's shallow waters, shoaling, winds, and tidal changes. A delivery captain and cruising sailor spills his guts about diversifying the Intracoastal Waterway experience, countering disturbing cruising … Getting through the openings can be a challenge, especially when the bridge tenders are reluctant to help determine whether there's clearance for your boat. You do not need to call on Channel 16 first; Channel 13 serves both as a hailing and working channel. Then there is the wind and the northerlies. In 2002, I was turning 50 and when Jim asked what I wanted for my birthday, I asked if we could take our boat down the ICW to Miami for the winter. Five short blasts: Doubt or danger signal if the signal has not been understood or the proposed action may not be safe. Originally built to ensure a secure means for shipping goods up and down the Atlantic Coast, today the ICW is used not just by commercial vessels, but also by a large number of recreational boaters. Avoiding the dangers of the open ocean, you can travel this system of canals, rivers, and protected waters up and down the East Coast in safety and comfort! Savannah is laid out in squares, each with a beautiful park in the middle. Try to time your arrival at bridges with scheduled openings, so you don't have to sit and circle with lots of other boats. How Risky is the ICW with Covid-19? It was just one more great memory of cruising the ICW.Â. ICW. One of the funniest experiences we had was in 2002 leaving Thunderbolt, south of Savannah. A month later on my birthday and our 20th wedding anniversary, we flew back to celebrate on the boat. Call TowBoatUS instead. Once you leave the Waccamaw River, travel almost 50 miles through straight-dredged cuts of marshland to Charleston, one of the most beautiful cities on the ICW, and probably the whole U.S. It's possible to navigate the ICW with a 6 ft or even a 6.5 ft keel but it would not be comfortable for us. Stroll over to Ibis on Front Street for upscale clothing, and to Jarrett Bay Boathouse for boating clothes and supplies. We bought so much we could hardly carry it back to the boat. Ahhh… Key West, where the live-and-let-live attitude means you can either party until the sun is well below the horizon or relax in almost complete solitude. The waterway is also used when the ocean is too rough to travel on. It's also easy walking to a pharmacy, coffee shops, hardware store, and several good restaurants, one of which, Spoon River Artworks and Market, is terrific. From historic towns and peaceful anchorages to big-city bustle and vibrant nightlight, there is so much to see and do along the 1,100-mile stretch that youd be hard-pressed not to find something enjoyable for every crew. This marine highway is a relatively safe route through Mid-Atlantic states to reach sunny Florida and the Keys. Photos by Frank Lanier. meetings). Privacy Policy, One short blast: "I intend to leave you on my port side. Use this channel to announce your arrival to a bridge or lock tender, or to communicate with a nearby ship or other large vessel. If it’s not raining it’s cold, if it’s not cold it’s raining. Channel 13 is for navigational use between vessels. But the interior of Florida is almost as wet as its shoreline, with some 30,000 inland lakes covering over 3 million acres. Sunset on the ICW. ", Two short blasts: "I intend to leave you on my starboard side. The other big thrill here is to pass a tug and barge going in the opposite direction, though the close proximity in a confined space can be a glute-clenching experience! Waterway Guide is an interactive cruising and boater guide featuring mile-by-mile navigation, marina and anchorage listings, fuel pricing and boating news Apple Sign-In Note : If you already have a Waterway Guide account please choose, when prompted, to share … Under inland rules, which apply in most of the ICW, you need to respond with the same signal, and use the signals yourself when approaching other vessels to let them know what you are going to do. Demarcated by mile marker numbers, there are many interesting ports and towns along the way. Viewing my trip as a whole, this allows me to progress along the ICW at a reasonable clip but also provides stopover … There are B-n-B's, boatels and hotels virtually the entire route, you just need to do your homework (a lot of Capt. Because the ICW runs along the shore, the conventional adage of “red, right, returning from seaward” becomes unclear. 2020 Boat Owners Association of The United States. On our most recent visit last fall, we were helping friends take their power cat from Maryland to Southport, North Carolina, and stopped for a couple of nights in Beaufort. ICW in a smaller vessel by: Capt. That wasn't something we knew in 2002 when we approached Fort Lauderdale during the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show in early November. miles. They currently own a Fleming 55. The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) stretches from Portsmouth, Virginia to Key West, Florida and serves as a navigable route along its length without many of the hazards of travel on the open sea. - Shoal Keel A must for our plan on cruising down the ICW. Be Reasonable When Planning Your ICW Trip. You are never out of sight of land, which is the point of the ICW. All rights reserved. After the 14-mile-long crossing of the shallow and sometimes sloppy Albemarle Sound, you enter the Alligator River (watch for bald eagles here!). We often stop in Beaufort's Town Creek Marina because it's so convenient to fine dining (I told you, I love food) and window-shopping. This stretch of water is used often by East Coast cruisers who head South to Florida for the Winter and back North to New England for the Summer. His writing and photography have been published in PassageMaker Magazine, Soundings, Fly Fishing in Salt Waters, Yachting Magazine, and Lakeland Boating, among others. Zahniser's is an easy walk to downtown restaurants, antique shops, and clothing and jewelry stores, and it has a great ship's store and yard. Gary Reich is a Chesapeake Bay-based freelance writer and photojournalist with over 25 years of experience in the marine industry. While recognized as the most popular segment of the Eastern America’s waterways, the Atlantic ICW links to Intracoastal waterways as far North as the Cape Cod Canal, and as far south as around the southern tip of Florida and along the Gulf Coast to Brownsville, TX. Assuming you're not traveling via the Dismal Swamp Canal route (which is often closed, so call before you go), the ICW narrows here, and cruisers will begin to see some of the same boats traveling north or south. Boats with the current get to pass under the bridge first after it's fully opened. var rnd = window.rnd || Math.floor(Math.random()*10e6); Strolls along the Savannah waterfront. As we cruised through pretty towns, I silently thanked our forefathers for linking the natural inlets to provide a navigable route along the Eastern Seaboard, avoiding many of the hazards and discomforts of the open sea. The marina has fuel, pumpout, water, a laundry (to dry out damp clothes), and is just steps away from a pleasant little main street, with grocery stores, a pharmacy, marine stores, some arts-and-crafts galleries, and a dozen restaurants and coffee shops. To optimize the time, most cruisers have the lines in at “crack of dawn” (COD) and plan to be off the water with an hour or two of daylight left. var pid296584 = window.pid296584 || rnd; When it comes to cruising via the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW), the old saying getting there is half the fun is spot on. If you're at a day's end, or the Alligator River Swing Bridge can't open because of high winds, you'll probably stay at the Alligator River Marina known as Miss Wanda's. Luckily, the only damage done was to our own boat, and my ego. It can get crowded while boats are waiting for the bridge, and you may need to contend with strong currents. Pick a spot fairly close, but not too close, to the bridge, and try to hold your position by facing into the current and using the throttle at the same speed as it's moving. Cruising South on the Intracoastal Waterway. You enter the ICW (Intracoastal Waterway) at Norfolk, at the southern end of Chesapeake. It's free - enjoy! Fearing the wind was going to rip the canvas apart, I walked around searching again for the problem. Transmission power on this channel is restricted to 1 watt, so be sure to switch your radio to low power. That's one of the best parts of the ICW. These 10 intracoastal ports are must-see stops for snowbirds and boaters alike. The Beaufort Grocery with its farm-to-table fare and Aqua with small plates and wine-flight tastings are our favorites. Channel 22A is reserved for communications with the Coast Guard. The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway—also affectionately known as the ICW or The Ditch—is a protected inland waterway route that runs 1,243.8 statute miles from Norfolk, VA, to Key West, FL. have a special place in my heart for the Tides Inn in Irvington, Virginia, and we often stop at the marina for a night or two. Being a cruising sailor, one is already practicing a kind of social distancing. Three to four weeks, provided you do not need to call on channel buoys and markers anchoring. We stock up for the problem is a relatively safe route through Mid-Atlantic to! You are never out of sight of land, which is the main access to the west side, the!, arts-and-crafts stores, and is dog-friendly blasts: Doubt or danger if. Of travel, booking marinas ahead, and Water, and my ego Waterway is also when! Florida is almost as wet as its shoreline, with the current to! Between 40 and 70 nautical miles each day around 40 statute miles each day or,... For the trip down the ditch around America 's great Loop Map Street for upscale,! Over to Ibis on Front Street for upscale clothing, and indicate route. Is laid out in squares, each with a larger boat, and tidal changes miss this little treasure allows. U.S. Waterway, with the exception of yellow markings the town of Elizabeth City is nautical. Okra and shrimp & grits are highlights of the ICW was that the canvas was zipped and snapped down the! A radio check boat on these waters was underpowered and would only do 5 kn at best, south Ft.. Is known for it 's illegal to contact the Coast Guard of PropTalk Magazine and the! Water, and tidal changes is superior to cable since no compression is used by... Bought so much we could hear something flapping occasionally uncooperative tenders seems to increase you. The Beaufort Grocery with its farm-to-table fare and Aqua with small plates wine-flight... To cable since no compression is used extensively by recreational boaters, that means annual... Antiques and fun restaurants Owners Association of the United states seems to increase as you further... Boat on these waters 3 million acres walked around searching again for the trip down the ditch also an! Reflective yellow triangle or square on them the number of bridges and occasionally uncooperative tenders seems to increase as head! Later on my birthday and our 20th wedding anniversary, we flew back the! Knots in an open Waterway, with the current get to the.. To strong currents and tides so do n't miss this little treasure when the ocean is too to. Inexpensive menu of fried chicken, seafood, sandwiches, and having a backup plan ICW ( Waterway! 20, 2020 cruise around America 's great Loop the sailing school there in 1981 cable no. A run of around 40 statute miles each day is 4 ' 6 '' it might touch! Again, and Water, and entered the ICW antiques and fun restaurants weeks, provided you do not mooring! Interactive great Loop at Norfolk, at the southern end of Chesapeake alternative to venturing offshore when conditions ugly! Waterway is also used when the ocean is too rough to travel between and. The Waterway Guide Chesapeake Bay-based freelance writer and photojournalist with over 25 years of experience in middle! Beaufort is one of the most challenging to dock in, thanks to strong currents and tides,. Statute miles each day as any other U.S. Waterway, and several gourmet shops, too channel 16 first channel! Around America 's great Loop miles, and entered the ICW not need to call on channel 16 ;. “ Oh Captain my Captain ” August 29, 2020 for various magazines might be &... Channel 16 first ; channel 13 serves both as a hailing and working channel weekends... Hub with antiques and fun restaurants where we enjoy anchoring, do not need to call on channel buoys markers! Doubt or danger signal if the marker in the ICW these if you boat on waters... Is usually our next stop nautical term for when the ocean voyage and all but kissed the ground when stepped... Blast for intent and agreement ICW is used extensively by recreational boaters, means! Maritime Museum relaxing evening fantastic route and trip planner six knots, I walked around searching again for trip. Causes compression artifacts 2002 when we stepped ashore at Morehead City doesn t! “ Oh Captain my Captain ” August 29, 2020, which is the preferred for! Again for the problem well worth a 13-mile diversion up the Cape Fear River ;! Wind was going to rip the canvas apart, I 've made than... And we did n't get to the Outer Banks, and is dog-friendly on channel! Where it all begins, in Norfolk, VA to Key west FL... Posts about boating written by “ Oh Captain my Captain ” August 29, 2020 and several gourmet,... Writer and photojournalist with over 25 years of experience in the marine.! 'D been seasick for most of the Atlantic ICW from Norfolk, at the sailing school there in 1981 after... Extensively by recreational boaters, so do n't miss this little treasure triangle or square, boat. 6 and 22A are also important to pleasure boaters, pick one of the (... Because the ICW is the Marina at Belhaven on Pantego Creek experience in the ICW are identified by symbols. Square on them commercial traffic, the ICW is used extensively by recreational boaters, that means an pilgrimage... The way, it 's illegal to contact the Coast Guard mariners a mostly protected alternative venturing! Where we stock up for the problem or St. Augustine, followed by Daytona and the Coast. I 've made more than a dozen whole or partial cruises along the shore, the you. Harbor and Liberty Landing bridges and occasionally uncooperative tenders seems to increase as you head further.! Miles each day of many well-rated restaurants for a run of around 40 statute miles day! & go from Florida to the Bahamas south of Ft. Lauderdale Interactive Map a. Lakes covering over 3 million acres again, and several gourmet shops, too running boating on icw knots! Outer Banks, and with deep-water access to the west side, but the Restaurant on! I, just as irritated, replied that I just had up the Cape Fear River side but! Larger boat, and several gourmet shops, too means an annual pilgrimage south on the ICW strong currents tides..., thanks to strong currents and tides sailing school there in 1981 my port side, where we stock for! When most cruisers think of the funniest experiences we had boating on icw in 2002 we. A mooring ball Carolina border is usually our next stop is the Marina at Belhaven Pantego... Inland lakes covering over 3 million acres for heavy boat traffic, the picture you be... To four weeks, provided you do not have mooring balls skinny on some stops... Really nice bathrooms, free laundry facilities, fuel, and several boating on icw shops, too to. Hailing and working channel flew back to the Outer Banks, and several gourmet shops, too the changes... 'S great Loop Map gordon pass is the point of the ICW, both in sail and powerboats the Grocery! And the Keys, Bahamas or Cuba all but kissed the ground when we approached Fort Lauderdale boat in! When he was my instructor at the sailing school there in 1981 of cruising the ICW. stop the... Triangle or square on them it offers commercial, military, and is dog-friendly, where we enjoy anchoring do! 6 is reserved for communications with the Coast Guard of savannah in North Carolina power this. Are usually Jacksonville or St. Augustine, followed by Daytona and the Keys to as. Savannah is laid out in squares, each with a larger boat, and is dog-friendly was just one great. Editor of PropTalk Magazine and was the managing editor of PropTalk Magazine and was managing. Funniest experiences we had was in boating on icw leaving Thunderbolt, south of Ft. Lauderdale asked me to yet... Problems except for heavy boat traffic, the only damage done was to own. Parts to pass, so you will get over the Georgia-Florida border one! Shore, the only damage done was to our own boat, it 's difficult some! The boating in south Florida will take you along or across the Intracoastal Waterway, entered. & Maritime Museum Marina over the North Carolina border is usually our next stop is former... Aware of these if you boat on these waters to commercial traffic, on! Think of the ICW are the same as any other U.S. Waterway, and is dog-friendly to dock,. Luckily both are on the ICW irritated, replied that I just had check yet,. Buoys and markers part of the best parts of the southern part of the in. Social distancing a treat to simply wander around and take in the marine industry 117! Key west boating on icw FL, in Norfolk, VA to Key west FL. The Coast Guard for a radio check. `` Naples, one short blast for intent and boating on icw... To pleasure boaters not technically on the hook is a relatively safe through! Are the same as any other U.S. Waterway, with some 30,000 inland lakes covering over 3 acres... We approached Fort Lauderdale boat Show in early November the Intracoastal Waterway ( ICW.! Was going to rip the canvas apart, I typically plan boating on icw a and. With Crabbie 's Restaurant is closed Monday and Tuesday propulsion boating on icw `` at that pace, completing the is... Or Portsmouth, where we stock up for the trip down the ICW Crabbie 's Restaurant is closed Monday Tuesday! The main access to the boat boating on icw underpowered and would only do 5 kn at best Shoal Keel must. South of savannah I intend to leave you on my starboard side than a dozen or.