Sailing South Seminar October 6, 2016 ICW Slides The ICW seminar is undergoing updates and changes as Hurricane Matthew approaches the Florida Coast. These slides include screen shots of all of the trouble areas with tracks as of May 2016. Due to the hurricane, many of these trouble areas are likely undergo unpredictable changes. These slides name the known troublesome areas and indicate a previously known route through them. Due to the changes likely as a result of the hurricane these slides are merely for discussion purposes only.
The ICW Resources, Hurricane Matthew changes USCG Local Notice To Mariners Local towers, TowBoat US Salty Southeast Cruiser's Net Active Captain
Managing the ICW The trip is not an epic voyage, it is a series of ever evolving day trips. Have a plan but not a schedule. Daily plan includes expected overnight stop. A short stop if the day does not go as well as expected, a good luck stop if everything goes better than planned. Schedules Time tides and weather will slow you down. You cannot catch up, so do not schedule. Splurge
Ready to Go? Prepare the crew Prepare the boat Navigating the ICW Skinny spots
Prepare the crew Navigation, piloting.
Prepare the crew The day starts early and ends early. Winter gear. Have polarized sunglasses: you are headed south in low angle light., Binoculars At least two sets. One for each of you. Stabilized binoculars National Parks Senior Pass Boat cards
Prepare the Engine Engine Oil Change and transmission change Learn to do maintenance e.g. fuel filter changes and bleeding Consultant.
50 amp adapter/splitter Be sure to carry a 50 amp adapter for your 30 amp cord NOTE: It must be a 50A 125/250V adapter It must cover both voltages it cannot be a 125 V and it cannot be 250V adapter
Prepare the Boat Have at least two extra long lines, and fender boards Steering station enclosure Cabin Heat Anchor(s) Choice Rode Paperwork Documentation MD tax sticker delays Dinghy registration - delays
Navigation Electronics Primary Chartplotter UPDATE YOUR CHARTS Routes. Time to waypoint Tracks Tide Current Secondary Chart Plotter with up to date charts Phone navigation for dinghy and for handy reference when you are talking to other cruisers. PC Navigation
Communication VHF 16/13/9 Radio Check on 26/27 Hand held WiFi Cellular
Provisioning Stock up on the heavy stuff e.g. soda, beer, wine, spaghetti sauce. Unusual foods. You may not find an authentic Asian market or a Whole Foods store. Does your signature docktails hors d ouvre require a special sauce? Refrigeration/freezer? Vacuum sealer Canned goods
Reprovisioning Plan a week ahead for food, water, pump out and fuel stops. Pump outs, know how far you can go. Get your fuel and pump out in the afternoon. Fuel Active Captain and Waterway Guide fuel list is very good. A bad tide or weather window is a good time to provision A marina with a loaner car or within walking distance of grocery store. Every 3-4 days along the way. Arrive at marinas early in the day.
How to identify the ICW navigation aids. Red Right Returning to Texas Red Right Returning from Sea
How to identify the ICW navigation aids. Red Right Returning to Texas Red Right Returning from Sea
Watch for Reversing Navigation Aids Cape Fear River, Snows Cut Cape Fear River, Southport
ICW Navigation Aids Dredge Symbols
Keep Your Charts Up To Date
Secondary navigation/chart plotter. Keep your charts updated all the time
Secondary navigation/chart plotter. Keep your charts updated all the time
Sedimentology, finding the deeper water, Outside of curves Hunting to find water
Sedimentology, finding the deeper water, cross setting currents Inlets
Ship on land and do not try to follow the magenta line. It is not a chart plotter route
When to stop and when to push on. How to stage for; Weather Daylight Trouble spots Bridges
Tides 2/3rds of the water moves in the middle two hours. Hell Gate GA, first week of November Hell Gate, GA Mid November 2016
McClellanville, SC Push on past a trouble spot. Awendaw Creek Anchorage
Skinny Waters, Shallow Spots. You have to manage all four dimensions as you cruise the ICW In SC and GA, it is the third dimension that holds your attention!
VA and NC Overview Statute Mile 0 to SM 340 Bridges and Trouble Spots Wilkerson Bridge Browns inlet New River Black Mud Chanel Carolina Beach Lockwoods Folly
Wilkerson Bridge 64 feet! The one problem bridge until you arrive in Miami Look for tide boards. Wind driven tides can give extra clearance. You might clear the bridge by heeling your boat Mast height Heel Angle 65 10 66 15 67 18 68 20
Browns Inlet sm 237 Browns Inlet As you approach from the north it will appear that the red is on the east side of the channel and the green is on the west side. That is because the best course through here does a 100 foot westward jog to avoid the shoal.
New River Inlet Mile Hammock Anchorage sm245 This area has seen frequent shoaling. As of our northbound trip in may we saw no signs of shoaling in the channel. BUT this area has significant cross setting currents. People may think they were in the middle of the channel when, in fact they had been pushed out of the channel. Note: On the left side of the picture you see a ramp is Swan Point Marina. It is a workboat marina but the fuel price in May 2016 was the lowest we have seen anywhere.
Black Mud Channel sm270 I forgot to turn on tracking through this section. It is reminiscent of Browns inlet. The marks look confusing as you approach. As of mid August 2016 the NOAA Charts show only nly 99A, and 99B.
Mason Inlet sm 280 Shoal building in from the inlet. Stay on the docks
Masonboro Inlet sm 285 Shoal building in from the inlet. Stay on the red side.
Mason Inlet sm 280 Masonboro Inlet sm 285 Carolina Beach Inlet sm295 There is a shoal encroaching from the green side.
Lockwoods Folly Overview sm 320 The western end of this inlet is very tricky. Do not get confused by the red navigation aids coming in from the sea.
Lockwoods Folly sm 320 As of mid August the NOAA charts do not show these nav aids. They still show a G47 which has been moved.
Shallotte Inlet sm 330 Did not have any trouble in May, but recently reported to be shoaling at G81. I stayed to the GREENs on the east side and to the REDs on the west side.
SC and GA Overview Mile 340 to SM 718 McClellanville Dawho Creek Ashepoo Coosaw Fields Cut Hell Gate Little Mud River Jekyll island Cumberland Dividings
South of McClellanville sm 430 to 435 We are unable to find any track that will have much more than about 4 feet at low water. Proceed through on rising tide. The Navionics Sonar Charts were a lot better than the NOAA charts in this area. Stage in McCellenville or go past to Awendaw Creek
Dawho River sm497 This area is becoming more of a headache. We found better water on the wrong side of G11 in May 2017. However, the Coast Guard is moving marks to help the situation. Proceed slowly on a rising tide. Short stop at Steamboat Creek
Ashepoo Coosaw Cut Off sm 516 to 518 Square the corner. Swing wide as you leave Rock Creek
East End of Fields Cut and Walls Cut sm572 Watch the marks. The USCG has shifted them from time to time, R48A appears to be in the middle of the creek. It marks a shoal extending off the western shore.
Hell Gate sm602 We can confirm that you can take 5 feet through hell gate at low water. We saw it done in November 2015. Don t try it! Wait and get some tidal help. The key to this trouble spot is to stay away from the green G89. Note the turning point. This has proven to work on our last two transits.
North Entrance to Little Mud River sm 654 to 656 This is one of the areas where you just have to wait it out. Back river anchorage is fine but no shore access
Jekyll Island sm 680 to 685 In Spring of 2016 it w not bad. It was reported that tug and barge had gone through an plowed a channel.
St. Andrews Sound sm 690 Watch the current and wind. This can be rocky and rolly. Sails up!
Cumberland Dividings sm703 Using the Navionics sonar charts we had plenty of water along this track. Others had reported problems in this area.
Florida Overview Mile 718 to 1235 Bridges and Trouble Spots Rayoneer Reach Matanzas River Ponce Inlet
Rayoneer Reach Amelia Island sm718 This is our 2016 northbound track the deeper water to the west is real an we missed our slit. There is a real mud bank between the two shorelines. NOAA charts are poor and the best track is to run through the marsh along the west side.
Rayoneer Reach November 2015 sm718 The highlighted track was my track in November 2015 after I had used the depth sounder in my dinghy to collect depth data. The NOAA shoreline is not drawn exactly correctly here and you do need to be very close to the west shore through this turn.
Pablo Creek Bridge sm 750
Matanzas Inlet sm792 to 793 You have to trust the marks as you see them in this stretch. The charts are not up to date. Drag your right hand in the sand as you go south.
Towns and Villages to slow down. Beaufort NC Southport NC Myrtle Beach McClellanville Charleston Beaufort SC Isle of Hope Jekyll Fernandina St. Augustine
McClellanville
Beaufort SC
Cumberland Island
St. Augustine Castillo De San Marcos Bridge of Lions Ponce de Leon Hotel 1888 Flagler College
Enjoy the Trip Prepare the crew and the boat. Have a plan but not a schedule. Plan Daily Schedules Time, tides and weather will slow you down. You cannot catch up, so do not schedule. Splurge Slow down, spend time in the towns.