Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Sailing South, the first-timers guide to the ICW.
My name is Wally Moran, like yourself I'm a cruising sailor, I'm a Canadian, I write
for Sail Magazine and also for Waterway Guide, just what is the ICW?
Our purpose for the ICW is that section of it, which starts at mile zero in
Norfolk, Virginia and continues on down the East Coast to Miami, Florida at
mile thousand and ninety-five. Your entrance to the ICW, as you can see from
the photograph, can be a little bit intimidating. Coming down the ICW, the
first decision you're going to have to make is are you going to go through to
Coinjoch, where you'll find two marinas, there's no anchorage until several miles
past. When you come to the Albemarle Sound, if the wind is against you,
consider waiting a day or two because the wind against you can kick up a nasty
vicious chop that will slow your boat to two, two and a half, three knots. A lot of
people will tell you that you can't sail on the ICW and for large segments of it
that tends to be true because it's too narrow or there's simply no wind in that
particular area, but clearly you can sail on Chesapeake Bay, you can sail on
Albemarle Sound obviously and that can be a really good sail. Your goal-leaving
bell haven will, for most sail boaters and trawlers, will be Oriental. Most sailors
will find themselves ending up in some kind of an impromptu race on the
news river because Oriental is probably, is definitely the sailing capital of
North Carolina. One of the most important pieces of equipment that you'll find
a use for on the ICW is going to be your handheld BHF. Dingies, all kinds of
opinions on dingies. The one thing you don't want is a dingy that is in poor
condition that's leaking air or the leaking water. Some of the things you do
not need in the ICW, you may need them later, you may need them later, but you
don't need them in the ICW. You don't need an E-PURB. One thing, and I wish I
was getting a commission on this, don't forget to purchase a towing package for
either CTO or Toboe US. The charts that you need are all contained in the the
Intra Coastal Waterway Chart Book, which is a strip chart book. It's worth I think
$65 or $70. One of the things that naturally you need to know while you're
cruising down the ICW is the weather situation. Weather is a general rule,
is not a major factor on the ICW. Regarding communications are staying in
touch with the rest of the world. Assuming you're not escaping from somebody,
your primary means of communication will be your VHF radio. One of the issues
that we as sailors and power boaters have on the ICW and the narrow confines is
about passing and being passed. I hate to have to tell you this sailors, but we're
a big part of the problem. This is what you don't want to have happening, they'll
not keep flying, but you've got to slow down enough so that they can get past you.
Now power boaters, as much as we sailors are at fault, we're looking to you when
we slow down for you to slow down and pass us by getting fully off the way. I'd
like to introduce you to some of the signage that you're going to meet along
the ICW and explain what is important about each one, along with the help of
my highly trained assistant, who you see here standing on top of the sign.
Sailing south, a lot of us are going to anchor out 100% of the time.
Some of the rest of us are going to tie up at a dock 100% of the time.
It's nice to know that there actually are some free docks available on your
trips out. For up-to-date information on shoaling,
go online and check with waterwayguide.com, which has already been mentioned,
or cruisersnet.net. Very often I'm asked about
sailing outside along the coast rather than staying inside on the ICW.
Unless you're prepared to commit to a sail of 24 hours or more,
going outside is generally not a time saver. Ladies and gentlemen, here's some
ICW images for you. Some cruisers just taking it easy on the
deck. The welcome dock at the Indian River
Fruit Company. An old gentleman conking in the Bahamas.
Fernandina Beach, Florida. A really interesting and attractive city.
A mallard duck that decided to come visiting on the boat.
Some condos along the ICW. Very pretty actually along here.
17 friends aboard the boat New Year's Eve, Buford, South Carolina.
Oriental North Carolina here. A happy face in North Carolina.
A big ship coming out of one of the locks in the Welling Canal.
Cruising on the alligator pongo. The pride of Baltimore. Wolf trap on
Chesapeake Bay. Ladies and gentlemen, thanks for joining us
for this presentation of Sailing South, the first time we're
guide to the ICW. I hope you've enjoyed it. Fair winds and
following seas.
