The inside scoop on the ICW

Boat/US Magazine, Jan, 2005 by Tom Neale

Rivers, creeks, sounds, and cuts uniquely wind from Norfolk to Miami. One leads to another and yet another, and they all lead you through more than a thousand miles of some of the prettiest and most historical regions of the U.S. east coast. Most of this course runs very close to the Atlantic, giving opportunities to glimpse the ocean while safely inside, or to even venture outside if you wish.

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But it also takes you through swamps dating back to the Pleistocene era and forest where bear and deer swim across the channel. The experience continuously broadens as you savor wild coastal marshes, barrier islands with lonely beaches, quaint villages, thriving cities, wilderness preserves, and finally white sands and clear waters beckoning to the Caribbean.

We're speaking of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. It begins at Mile 0 between Norfolk and Portsmouth, VA. Mile 1090 finds you in Miami. Most refer to this stretch as the ICW (Intracoastal Waterway), as will we. Other intracoastal waterways, including those along the coasts of New Jersey, western Florida and the Gulf of Mexico, also offer beauty and ease of cruising. But we'll save those for another time.

Boaters use the ICW all times of the year, often for short trips on one portion or another. For example, Norfolk boaters might use part of it in the summer to access the beaches and fishing of the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Georgia boaters might use part of it anytime for a vacation to the historical city of St. Augustine. Florida boaters might use it to experience the fabulous Christmas Boat Parade in Ft. Lauderdale. However, those making the full cruise usually prefer fall and spring. Each year, the "snowbird" fleet migrates south in the fall, returning in the spring.

Navigational Issues, Depths

Although the ICW can be safe and easy, extra care is sometimes needed. Below we mention only a few examples. It is very important to use updated guidebooks and paper charts. We also use electronic charts with our GPS chart plotter. We've found that C-Map, for example, with its multi-layered database, is helpful with information not only about the channels but also about areas outside of the waters covered by the strip charts. We use all three types of resources. Conditions can change rapidly. Always be alert and listen for U.S. Coast Guard broadcast Notice to Mariners.

Depths are supposed to be a minimum of 12 feet to Ft. Pierce (mile 965), and 10 feet from there to Miami (mile 1089). With recent budget cuts, many areas are considerably shallower but, as I write this, boats of 6.5-foot draft and careful skippers are having little problem getting through to Miami.

Dredging, Traffic

Dredging operations have been common in the past. It is critically important that they resume full-scale soon. Many areas shoal rapidly. The ICW is vital for commercial traffic, saving money and offering environmentally friendly shipping. When you encounter a dredge working, call it on the VHF (usually they stand by on 16 and 13) and ask directions for getting around.

Tugs, barges, and other large commercial traffic will generally need right of way because of their limited maneuverability. Follow the Inland Rules. It helps to stand by on VHF 13 as well as 16. Channel 13 is generally used by these vessels and you can hear about them before you meet them.

Aids to Navigation

When going south, red ICW markers are on the starboard side with even numbers, and green markers are on the port. In some areas, the ICW channel will share markers with an inlet or river channel, resulting in a variation of this scheme and confusion unless you are alert. But all ICW markers, whether shared or not, have a small reflective yellow/orange triangle for the red side and a small square of the same color for the green side of the ICW channel. Examples of areas of shared markers (and reversed colors) include the Pungo River, Cape Fear River, Bay River, Winyah Bay, Beaufort River, and Cumberland Sound. In some areas there may be range markers which should be carefully followed.

Tides, Currents

Tidal range can vary from 0 to 9 feet. It decreases from about 2.5 feet in the tidal tributaries in lower Virginia to 0 feet in the Neuse River area of North Carolina, after which it increases to over 4 feet in southern North Carolina and 8-9 feet in southern South Carolina, Georgia, and northern Florida. It diminishes to around 0 feet in the Indian River, and then increases to over 2 feet at Ft. Lauderdale/Miami. In some areas, such as the Albemarle Sound (NC) and the Indian River (FL), periods of relatively high winds can affect depths. In areas of great tidal range the currents are much swifter. They must always be taken into consideration, especially where you are passing channels from ocean inlets, deep creeks or rivers.

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Inlets

Many inlets to the ocean are shallow and local knowledge is needed for safe passage. However a great feature of the ICW is that some inlets are deep, easy, and provide the opportunity to travel in the ocean when the weather is good. Examples of normally good inlets include Beaufort NC, Masonboro, NC, Cape Fear, NC, Winyah Bay, SC, Charleston, SC, Savannah River, GA, St. Simons Sound, GA, St. Marys, GA, St. John's River, FL, Cape Canaveral, FL, Ft. Pierce, FL, Lake Worth, FL, Port Everglades, FL, and Government Cut, FL.