Cruising from N to S.

Bill Roosa · Oct 12, 2010

Hey CptJimmy
All I can say about cold weather sailing is dress in layers, keep a waterproof layer on the outside and don't get wet.
The ICW in Maryland is the Chesapeak Bay It is pretty choppy in Nov as the winds pick up above 20 knots. Watch out for North or South winds as that is the direction with the longest fetch. East and West winds are not so bad. You can cover the distance (@5 knots) from the C&D cannel to Norfork in two days of continous sailing or 4 days of daylight sailing. Night sailing is easy as the bay is well marked with nav aids. Know your boat light configurations, keep your VHF on, and stay out of the main shipping channel. There are hundreds of places to stop for the night. The exact point of stopping for the night is very dependant on boat speed and currents. Most notable currents are around the route 50 bridge and southward till the Putaxitant R. with 2 knots being the most you will probably see.

RichH · Oct 12, 2010

There are a few 'guides' that you should consider:

Dozier's ICW waterway guide http://www.amazon.com/Doziers-Waterway-Atlantic-Guide-Intracoastal/dp/0982488904

Skipper Bob Publications: ICW Guide, ICW 'marina guide' - shows PRICES www.skipperbob.net

White Sound Press: SE Inlet Chartbook .... invaluable for 'shooting inlets' in the SE US because most of the less than 'class A' inlets are 'greyed out' on the NOAA charts. http://www.wspress.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=29&osCsid=7704280a76a20d43b5c38b0edc450af3

"Strip charts" of the ICW - http://www.landfallnavigation.com/-ben005.html

The above will define/locate the most common anchoring spots. Note: dont anchor 'anywhere' on the Alligator River as the bottom is FOUL with sunken logs. The Skipper Bob marina guide will list the most recent prices, so in case of cold/severe weather you can take 'refuge' at the most economical prices.
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A Garmin chartplotter with the LATEST updates of the ICW. Even so, most chartplotters of the ICW will be inaccurate 5% of the time - so you need to primarily depend on 'eyeball' and depth sounder navigation.

Sometime the late fall on the ICW is warm, sometimes its worse than New England ... all depends on the developing weather patterns and the 'equinoctal gales'.

Ross · Oct 12, 2010

You can expect almost any kind of weather from balmy 60-70 degree days to a cold blast from canada with snow flurries. The very worst that you can get is in the low 30's with light blowing rain. That will chill you clear to the bones. Pack food that will be easy to fix and will warm you when you eat. The "Progresso " soups are very good and not very expensive. Oatmeal pancakes are good food and convenient for eating cold out of hand.
Recipe for oatmeal pancakes:
1cup old fashioned oats
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 or 2 eggs
about a cup and a half of milk
and the fat from 3 or 4 strips of bacon stir the dry stuff first and then add the wet stuff and bake in a skillet turning once.
You can add nuts, raisins, cooked corn, gratted cheese, small chunks of ham, cut up apple or almost anything that sounds good that day.

Ed Schenck · Oct 12, 2010

I would add good waterproof boots to Bill's point about clothing. Cold it will be. But also windy. So it will be a long ride because you will have to wait out bad weather. Long Island Sound, the Atlantic off New Jersey, and the two bays can get nasty. It will be nice after Norfolk. Albemarle and Pamlico can act up but your P33 should have no problem. I was mostly offshore after Beaufort, NC so can't write much about the ICW in NC and SC. I have heard that most of the Georgia ICW is long and boring. We went in at St. Augustine and back out at Ft. Pierce and that was a nice section except for a bad storm in the widest part of the Indian River. It was the reason we were inside and outside probably would have been better, more room. Lots of places to ground in the ICW, especially near inlets at low tide. I draw a little over four feet and was stuck more than a few times. Fortunately it is just sand and mud. Having written all of that I would go with you in a minute if I could.

tommays · Oct 12, 2010

I think one of the bigger issues you face is fuel/motor time as its not as easy to get that late in the year

But in general if it holds say 20 gallons how far can you GO if it gets dead calm ?

The prevaling wind in Long Island Sound is going to be WEST

If your lucky you will be able to sail right through at 270 without tacking

IF not its a long motor and as you get towards NYC the fuel stops get rare and it becomes more likely you will have to motor

S

Ross · Oct 12, 2010

Jerry cans and modest speed will take you a long ways.

beneteau373 · Oct 12, 2010

N to S November

I am leaving October 15 from Boston and plan to stop over in Annapolis for a couple of weeks then on to the Cape Fear area of North Caroliina. I expect to be a little chilly but an hoping for some warm weather. I suggest you look into Active Captain which is an internet based cruising guide that has a lot of information about marinas, anchorages, points of interest and dangers.

Good Luck on your trip, I've done it a couple of times and love it.

Michael Elliott
Beneteau 373
Vixen

zeehag · Oct 12, 2010

how tall is your mast? we buddied last yr with some pearson folks who said their mast was too tall for icw----ours was 55 ft so it was out for us also....smooth sailing ....

gettinthere · Oct 12, 2010

Have you considered trucking half way, perhaps to Baltimore or Norfolk? You'd get past the worst of the weather and have protected cruising. The trip down the NJ shore might be pretty tough in November.
By the time you pay for fuel & dockage you might not be that far off.

dscribner · Oct 12, 2010

Low bridges???? No problemo!! Check THIS out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epz6BBZm__0

seadaddler · Oct 12, 2010

Weather

The weather will be the big problem getting cold and day light making short days,but plenty of places to anchor free but fuel could add up.
I did Montauk to Ft Pierce in 9 days all offshore except for a repair stop into N.Carolina for 2 days,but I left the end of Oct. before the temperture started dropping.
Yes wear plenty of layers and foul weather gear boots to stay dry,we lucked out not much rain at all on our trip but spray in cockpit was a yes,we are dressed real warm in Photo leaving Montauk with a day delay from too much wind.
Nick

JVB · Oct 12, 2010

If the weather allows consider going outside between Charleston, SC and Jacksonville to avoid the twisty ICW in that area.

Can I catch a ride from Charleston to Hilton Head, SC ?

seadaddler · Oct 12, 2010

Warm

Yes the fishing was good off shore but make sure dress very warm and stay dry.

cbsailor · Oct 12, 2010

What's your off-shore experience?

I can’t offer much advise on the trip down to Norfolk, VA, but I have made a couple of trips to FL from Portsmouth, VA. On the first trip (2007) I left at the end of Oct and arrived in Stuart FL just after Thanksgiving. We experienced the full weather gamut including remnants of Hurricane Noel, lots of weather fronts, and a mix of cold and mild days. Departure for the second trip (2009) was on Nov 8th and I arrived in Stuart the second week in Dec. The weather experience was brutal compared to the first trip. TS Ida, lots of nasty weather fronts with lots and lots of cold, cold air.

Most important advise is if you do not have off-shore experience, stick to the ICW. Second most important would be as others have already said, dress in layers with a waterproof/windproof layer
on the outside.

As noted, a good chartplotter with the latest map updates for the ICW will make the trip easier. But even with the chart plotter, inaccuracies will require “eyes on” the marks and depth sounder.

I found these guides and charts to be invaluable in my trips and recommend they highly.
The Intracoastal Waterway Chartbook, Norfolk, Virginia, to Miami, Florida
Skipper Bob Publications: www.skipperbob.net
Anchorages Along the Intracoastal Waterway
Marinas Along the Intracoastal Waterway
I would also recommend you get familiar with The Southeast Salty Cruisers’ Net website
http://www.cruisersnet.net . Pay special attention to the “AICW Problems” section. Lots of valuable “cruiser chatter” and information on this website. Most of the trouble spots are “shallow water” /Low Tide areas. Recommend you time your passage through these spots at mid-to-high tide.

Hope you have a pleasant trip south.

ggrizzard · Oct 13, 2010

You'll need heat.
I use the heater shown in the link below:
http://www.mrheater.com/product.aspx?catid=41&id=24
Very toasty in my '79 Cherubini 30'. I also installed a CO & smoke detector.

RAD · Oct 13, 2010

As others have said your toughest part will be from RI to Cape May so the earlier in November the better for good weather and be sure to study tide and current for passing through Hell Gate and the Battery before heading to New Jersey or do you plan on going outside around Long Island?

JVB · Oct 13, 2010

http://www.boatingmag.com/skills/seamanship/real-men-go-inside
For what it's worth here's a magazine article on cruising the intracoastal waterways.

Cruising from N to S.

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