Here are my complete notes including shallow spots, no/minimum wake zones, and list of anchorages I used on this trip. Overall, i found the ICW to be in better than average shape and most boas drawing up to around 5' should have no problem transiting the entire waterway although in some areas it is obviously very nice to have a safety margin. Luckily, in most places you can play the tides and get a lot more water under your keel or props. In georgia for example, with up to 8' tides, if leave 2 hours past low tide, you can run for 6 to 8' and have at least extra feet of water under your boat. we often hear how slow travel is on the ICW due to all the no wake zones: this is an complete myth until you reach Jupiter in South Florida. This year, i noted the no or minimum wake zones encountered and it totals a whopping 36NM or of almost 1000NM!! In addition to these, there are many sections where boats along the waterway are kept on lift and not subject to wakes where you dont' need to run slow although among those, they are sometimes a handful of boats kept in water for which you should slow down. this amounts to 5 to 10 minutes a day at the most... I found traffic to be way down this fall compared to previous years. On average I passed or was passed 10 to 15 times a day. I saw a lot of empty Tee Heads at popular marinas and also many empty slips where you'd usually find local boats. Shallow spots, all depths are converter to LOW tide. MM45, North Landing River, 7' or less shoal across from G115, just green of centerline. favor red of centerline. MM80, Alligator River entrance. No an issue, but many run aground there. dont' miss the G3 (missing on OLD charts) then after splitting R8/G7 aim straight for R10 to avoid the shoal on the red side, south of R8 MM224, Bogue Sound, favor center or green of centerline between R40 and R40A MM 233, Bear Inlet, 8' MLW shoal 100/150' North of G55 on green side. MM 239, Browns Inlet. No issues, 10' MLW splitting R60/G61 and then splitting G63 and shoreline MM245, New river Inlet. No issues except for brief 9'MLW hump on south side of inlet crossing MM288, Masonboro Inlet South, 7' MLW shoal 100' north of G135, favor red of centerline MM330, Shallotte Inlet, all good except a short 9' MLW hump 200' North of R82 MM430, McClelanville, 9'MLW between G35 and G37, 8' to 9' MLW between G37 and R40 MM460, North of Ben Sawyer Bridge, numerous 7' MLW spots south a G117A all the way to G121 MM497, Dawhoo river. 7' MLW along the green floaties pat R110. 7' MLW between R116 and G117. 9' MLW off R132 just west of the bridge MM 503 Watts cut. 8' MLW mostly between G139 and G143 MM510 Fenwick Cut, 9' MLW between 162 and R162A, 12' between R162A and R164 MM516 Ashepoo Coosaw South, 6' to 7' MLW most of the way (northern section of the cut off bet R166 and R172 is no problem, over 12' MLW) MM570, Ramshorn Creek, deep except brief 9' MLW sounding at the south end, between R40/G39 MM575, Fields cut, 8' hump at the nothern end just south of point on east side.7'MLW at southern end, off the dock, mid channel MM602, Hell Gate, 7' MLW in the southern part, south of R90 MM625, Johnson Creek, 8' MLW between G127 and R128 MM655, Little mud River, 6'MLW south of G193. at R194, aim for a point halfway between G195 and range marker, then turn precisely on range without cutting/overshooting MM683, Jekyll Creek, 7' to 8'MLW south of G13. At G13, aim for R16 until about 200' before range marker, then aim for the range MM704, Cumberland Dividings, favor the green side south of G59A for 12' MLW all the way thru. Stay away from the reds. Most plotters will show you on a "ghost" round island! some 9' MLW south of G63A, stay in channel MM718, Amelia River, favor the green side north of the bend and G1. pass between the 11' sounding (actual depth there 7MLW) and shore line. pass about 20/30' of G1 then stay mid channel MM725 south Amelia River, favor the green side south of R34 (8' MLW on center and red of center). south of the bend, between G37 and G39, favor the red side before returning to center by G41 MM726 south Amelia river, favor the green side around the 11' sounding just south of R42 and after the shoal charted on red side. Favor the Red near R44 to G45 MM792 Matanzas Inlet, follow the temporary markers. Stay about 50' from the reds then favor the red side around the series of floating greens for 8' MLW MM843 Ponce Inlet, stay close to reds, about 20' away from R18 for 8' to 9' MLW. under 5' on the green side. MM1080 Bakers Haulover. I try to avoid that section as the only half the channel is usable with anything over 5 1/2 draft and very narrow. Last year, I made a few pass with the tender and found that if you stick to the green side, almost touching the buyos you will have enough water to avoid a steep step up running along the center line of the marked channel Anchorages used: MM60 Buck Island south (exposed to the south) MM160 Upper Bay River, about 2 miles from ICW MM244 Hammock Mile. limited wind protection MM295 Carolina Beach harbor. MM420 South Santee River, jsut west of ICW. strong curent MM487 Church Creek. note, creek shoals up rigth before New Cut Landing. strong current MM544 Port Royal, Cowen Creek (exposed to SSE). strong current MM635 Sutherland Bluff, good protection, strong current. follow the markers coming in, for 8' MLW then 15 to 20' in the anchorage MM765 Pine Island, Tolomato River, some current, good protection but limited swinging room MM832 Daytona Beach, suoth of Municipal Marina. limited protection, 8' to 9' MLW, wakes, crowded, but not many options MM995 Jensen Beach, south of bridge. limited protection, 8' to 9', wakes. Hooke Cove just 1NM off the ICW in St Lucie river is a much better option now that the river entrance has been dredged all have good holding and enough swing room unless noted. Due to draft (6+') and swinging room needed for a 70 footer, I find most of the anchorages listed in many sites/guides to be useless. Despite these requirements and the need to time the tides in some areas, I was able to anchor out every night except just nigth, at Osprey Marina in south Myrtle Beach since i stopped for fuel. The total dockage costs on the trip totaled a whopping $70! Every time i anchored, the 110lbs Bruce/Claw set on the first attempt and even in those anchorages subject to strong currents, it always reset. Obviously using all chain and generous scope is critical to a good night sleep as on current shift, the drag of the chain on the bottom as the boat moves back and forth allows the anchor to reset gently and not be yanked off the bottom. Marina/Fuel: Tidewater Yacht Agency, Porstmouth, $2.77 Osprey Marina (south Myrtle Beach), $2.66 and $1 a ft dockage! very freindly stafh, my favorite stop on the ICW ICW NWZ: MM0, Portsmouth, 4 MM15, Canal, 1 MM50 Coinjock, 1 MM195 Adams Creek, 2 MM205 Moorehead, 1 MM225, Swanboro, 2 MM246, New River, 1/2 MM305 Carolina Beach, 1/2 MM310, Southport, 1 MM325, Holden Beach, 1/2 MM342, Little River, 1/2 MM345, North Myrtle, 1 MM350, Barefoot Landing, 1 MM380, Waccamaw marinas, 1 MM412, Ferry, 1/2 MM435, Awendaw, 1/2 MM465, Isle of Palm, 2 MM470, Wapoo, 1 MM540, Beaufort, 2 MM580, Thunderbolt, 1 MM590, Isle of Hope, 1 MM685, Jekyl, 1/2 MM715, Fernandina, 1 MM735, Sisters Creek, 1/2 MM740, Jax Beach, 1/2 MM810, Flagler Beach 1/2 MM830, Daytona 1 MM840, New Smyrna, 1 MM855, Trailer Parks 2 MM860, Haulover Canal 1 MM935, Sebastian 1 MM952, Vero Beach 1 MM965, Ft Pierce, 1 Total 36NM out of 1000NM there are many areas not listed above where boats are kept on lifts and safe from most wakes but you may need to briefly slow down for a handful of boats which are kept in water. Bridges: Almost all bridges are easy to time if you take the time to look up the schedules each day and slightly adjust your speed and departure time accordingly. The only timing issue north bound is when leaving the Great Bridge Lock usually 15' past the hour and you have to wait to the Steel Bridge, only 2NM way, to open on the next hour. Construction is progressing quickly on the replacements for Sunset Beach Pontoon bridge and Titusville swing bridge. Both may be history by the spring of 2011.
Pascal, Thank You - Your notes provide service to those who need them and great day dreams for the rest of us. I look forward to the day that I can use them for real.
Thanks Pascal ! This will be a Great Help when we come south in December. We appreciate your time and effort.
I think it was K1W1 who awhile back had posted a pic of a boat on what was left of it's lift after what appeared to be the result of a wake lifting a boat and shifting it foward. Too many of those lifts hold the boat a foot or two above the water and many of the docks have a floating dock attached. Caution and patience are the watchwords.
Well yeah. Depending on the boat you are running and the speed you have to pay attention to what s along the channel whether boats on low lift, small fishing boats, etc. At 10 kts my wake is safe for all lifts I saw but I have to slow down for small fishing boats. On plane the wake could indeed reach boats on lifts
My first time running the ICW NY to So. Fl. was back in 1991 after I believe it was hurricane Bob (lots of blank landscape in the Carolinas). Back then I averaged 7 to 8 days not counting down days for weather or breakdowns. Now, even though the boats are faster, it averages 10 to 11 days due to all the construction along the ICW, and every year there are more docks. Even if your wake won't reach the boats on the lifts your radio will still crackle if you try to make any speed. (I attribute it to NY lawyers who retired south and are looking for someone to suppliment their income ) A couple of years ago I had a guy in Boca trying to bust my butt when I was in a 50 doing 4 kts. with the wind on my back. LMAO a few minutes later when a 60 or so came barreling up from FLIBS with his bow up and a good 4' wake following him and washing over the lawns behind the seawalls.
36 miles of no wake zones? Did you miss a decimal place? How about wrightsville beach? How about the locks near atlantic yacht basin? Sure seems like you missed some. From St Aug. to Palm beach there is alot more than you listed also IIRC.
Hi, I checked the addition of the numbers listed in Post No 1 and it comes to 36 so I guess that is the number Pascal intended to post.
hard to believe it's only about 40NM, isnt' it? what lock-S-? you mean THE lock, right? there is only one lock, the Great Bridge Lock and about 1/2 mile of no wake zone by Atlantic Yach Basin... after that, you have a small marina by the next bridge, which is why is simply put "canal, 1NM" teh only thing that's missing there, is about 1NM aroudn St Augustine but south of St aaugustine, the only long NWZ is that stretch along side all the mobile home part, past New Smyrna... after that, mosquito lagoon and indian river are wide open except for Vero, ft Pierce and melbourne. so... figure 40NM... still not much out of almost 1000NM. as to whether or not you can actually run on plane everywhere else, if depends on you boat and it's wake. for a small boat, up to about 50', you shoudlnt' have any problem... above that, there are too many factors but saying it's "full of no wake zone" is a gross exageration.
Actually from Norfolk south to the last lock it is all Idle Speed/Slow Speed. It states it on a sign at the first lock (several miles north of Coinjock I believe). That is why all of the bridges through there open only once an hour on the hour.
Captain, you have the wrong waterway. There is only one lock on the ICW from Norfolk to Miami and that's in Greatbridge. The slow speed zone you refer to extends from I believe Hospital Pt. or Lambert Pt through I believe Jordan Hwy. or maybe the RR bridge. However you have to go slow past any work being done along the shore. Plus, if you run fast you'll just get to wait at Gilmerton or Steel Hwy. The best you can really hope for is beat the sailboats that call from around the corner to hold the opening. It's not an official slow speed zone though. If you can clear the bridges you can run. I can tell you though, as someone who needs to make time but hates hearing his boat name on the radio that there are way more than 40nm where circumstances dictate slow speed between the docks, little boats fishing and sailboats that space themselves out like a chain. For official zones Pascal's #'s could well be correct. But if you haven't perfected your passing technique and your timing at bridges you could easily add hours to a day. Once you get to Ft. Pierce after a week + the choices are go outside or go insane (Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz).
