Cruising Areas

Catalina Direct Discussion Topics / Catalina 22 Discussion Area / Cruising Areas / Crusing the ICW
 
 
Author Crusing the ICW
David Brannigan
St. Petersburg, FL

Boat Name: Nixie

Model/Year: 1991 Catalina 28

Hull No. 152

Hailing Port: St. Petersburg, FL
06/26/2005 5:46 PM Pacific Time

Does anyone have any experiences or advice they'd like to discuss or share? I'm planning a trip in the future and would like to find out as much as I can.
R. C. Luiken
Milford, DE

Boat Name: Ricochet

Model/Year: C-22 Swing Keel/1986

Hull No. 13560

Hailing Port: Milford, DE/St. Michaels, MD
07/11/2005 2:51 PM Pacific Time

There is a really excellent guide to the waterway "Footloose, a guide to the ICW" It describes in great detail mile by mile what is available along the waterway in the way of anchorages, marinas, free docks etc. It was written by a friend of mine. We used my version of it to go down the Icw from Norfolk to Stuart FL.

I will try to get up with Vince and see if it is available in any book stores or marinas.

There is another. I think it is called "Capt Bob's guide to the ICW." I have seen it at the book store across the street from the City docks in Beaufort NC.

Both are around $25
Larry
Greenville, SC

Boat Name: Kemo Sabe

Model/Year: C-22 , 1973

Hull No. 2229

Hailing Port: www.keoweesailingclub.com
09/14/2008 3:27 PM Pacific Time

In the event you are still doing some ICW sailing/cruising, I have many charts- SC coastal area/chartbooks of east coast used during my days in the waterway.
Shoot me an email at larryepps at yahoo, if you are still around.
steve davis
acworth , nh

Boat Name: cold ponder

Model/Year: 1977 catalina 22

Hull No.

Hailing Port:
11/06/2008 7:34 AM Pacific Time

I am planning to launch from batlimore area early dec heading south for two months. Being a novice sailor , any help or advice from the voices of experience would be appreciated..



Boat Name:

Model/Year:

Hull No.

Hailing Port:
11/08/2008 3:49 AM Pacific Time

hi Steve,

what kind of cruising are you planning (short hops, overnight sails, any particular destinations, etc.)? We are in Solomons MD and can at least give you advice down to norfolk/Portsmouth. We haven't been any further south yet.
Tom Beaumont
Quixotic #7555
Bob Keim
Nashville

Boat Name: Pursuit

Model/Year: C22/1976

Hull No.

Hailing Port: Nashville
11/08/2008 5:02 AM Pacific Time

Make sure you motor is reliable! You will be doing a lot of motoring in narrow channels where sailing is next to impossible and there are large vessels pushing barges full of 1,500 tons of stuff that will crush you without even making a bump noticable in the towboat!

Get some Cruising guides.

Study your route from the maps overlaid on Google Earth at: http://earthnc.com/
Bob Keim
Nashville

Boat Name: Pursuit

Model/Year: C22/1976

Hull No.

Hailing Port: Nashville
11/08/2008 5:04 AM Pacific Time

Also down load the Coast Pilot from NOAA and decide if you want to buy it. The Coast Pilot gives all kinds of information on the near coast and inlets. The cruising guides focus on anchorages and marinas along the ICW.

Consider a spare motor, unless you motor is brand new.
Craig Burlette
St Louis MO

Boat Name: Toujours ete'

Model/Year: C22 / 1974

Hull No.

Hailing Port: Lake Saint Louis MO
11/08/2008 8:31 AM Pacific Time

A good hand held GPS like the Lowrance XOG should be very useful for this trip. The XOG comes pre-loaded with navigation charts and has the ICW in it's databse.
R. C. Luiken
Milford, DE

Boat Name: Ricochet

Model/Year: C-22 Swing Keel/1986

Hull No. 13560

Hailing Port: Milford, DE/St. Michaels, MD
11/08/2008 9:32 AM Pacific Time

Steve: I could think of a lot of places I would rather start out than Balitmore in Dec. Be that as it may, here are my thoughts. I have gone from the Chesapeake to Fla. and return 5 times. One of those times we ended up in the Abacos in the Bahamas and returned non-stop. I have been sailing on the Chesapeake for about 15 years.

The other advice given was spot on. One addition is to make certain your rigging is in top notch condition. Weather conditions on the Chesapeake change quite rapidly this time of year and at times it can be quite stormy. Last weekend we were out and the wind went from 15 knots to 40 knots over night. The bay had a 5 ft. chop.

You could spend your whole cruise on the Chesapeake. There are any number of places to visit. To me St. Michael's MD is a don't miss location. Annapolis is also a great stop.

If you are going to do any part of the ICW, I would suggest that you you use the route that takes you through the Dismal Swamp. You avaoid the commercial traffic that uses the other route. Getting through Norfolk is the hardest part. Bridges do not open from 0600 to 0800 due to rush hour traffic. You must be under way around 0500 to make it through all of the bridges to get you on the ICW at about Mile 6. The locks on the swamp route only open 4 times a day. There is a free dock near the mid point of the swamp route at about Mile 28. The Dismal Swamp route was surveyed by George Washington. Once you get out of the swamp you are in the Pasquotank river headed for Elizabeth City NC. There are lots of areas to sail in this river.

When you exit the Pasquotank you get into the Albermarle Sound. Don't even think about crossing it if the wind is anywhere from NNE to ESE. The swells are big and of very short duration. Coming North one time it took 4 hours to make the 8 mile crossing in a 46' boat. We had to tack with a furled jib and the engine running just to keep the prop in the water. It was by far the most uncomfortable ride of my sailing career.

After that you are in the Aligator River. Then there are lots of dredged areas that are straight and pretty narrow. Sailing is difficult unless the wind is out of the NW or SE and you are on a reach. The next stop is Oriental NC followed by Beaufort NC. I don't think you would get much further than that in our boats. That's about 450 miles from Baltimore.

Note my other posting in 2005. I cannot remember the name of the book store in Beaufort. The Dockmaster at the Beaufort City Dock could tell you the name and number our you might try Yellow Book on line to find out the number. The Footlose book covers only the ICW. While Capt Bob's book covers the Chesapeake Bay also.
steve davis
acworth , nh

Boat Name: cold ponder

Model/Year: 1977 catalina 22

Hull No.

Hailing Port:
11/08/2008 10:05 AM Pacific Time

hi, thank you Bob and Craig and R.C.

your comments make me think i don't really want to motor all that much, Is there a better way to make it to the south of florida? and the idea of leaving from baltimore is that i will have a friend trailor me down there from nh and i the longer the drive the more costly and difficult to find some one to do it. thanks, steve
R. C. Luiken
Milford, DE

Boat Name: Ricochet

Model/Year: C-22 Swing Keel/1986

Hull No. 13560

Hailing Port: Milford, DE/St. Michaels, MD
11/09/2008 4:51 AM Pacific Time

Steve: There was a thread some time ago about shipping the boat via container. One boat made it from FL to Chile in a cargo container. There are truckers who are looking for a load to preclude deadheading. A local freight terminal can help you with that one. There are also the boat hauling companies.

For you information it is 1003 statute miles from Norfolk to Stuart FL.

For those who are interested, the name of the book store in Beaufort is Scuttlebutt Nautical Books and Bounty. Telephone 252-728-7765
steve davis
acworth , nh

Boat Name: cold ponder

Model/Year: 1977 catalina 22

Hull No.

Hailing Port:
11/09/2008 3:20 PM Pacific Time

HI RC
still hurricanes brewing out there of which you must have a real distinct understanding after five trips that way....

i was just starting to think about buying an interim boat down south, which i think is along the lines of your advice, to start further south. shipping my boat south is another approach i will look into directly... thanks..
 
 
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