Did the intracoastal

[RWSlater]

Well I moved my boat from Delaware to Ft. Pierce over the last two weeks and did the intracoastal to Beaufort / Hilton Head and then hopped outside to bypass GA. I wish I had gone outside earlier to get around SC, because unfortunately most of the day was low tide and there were some pretty shallow places. Never hit bottom but got to 5'4" depth on one spot. It took a total of 13 days from when we started in Essex MD.

 

[uncledom]

I usually only take it from Norfolk VA. to Moore Head City/Beaufort NC. then go out. As long as you stay within about 20 miles of shore your toward shore of the gulf stream and unaffected. It's only about 2.75 days and two nights in the intracoastal waterway depending upon your cruising speed. I run about 7 knots.

 

[RWSlater]

Do you anchor every night when you do inside? We had to due to bridge closings. Norfolk to Beaufort was 10 days, Two fuel stops, last being Beaufort and got to Ft Pierce with a tad less than half a tank. Averaged .85 GPH about 7 knots

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

I've done the Atlantic ICW in total three times now, and the gulf ICW more than that- No way I'd run after dark unless forced to.

Atlantic few commercial boats,, but many shallows. and Gulf due to MUCH commercial traffic

 

[RWSlater]

I've done the Atlantic ICW in total three times now, and the gulf ICW more than that- No way I'd run after dark unless forced to.

Atlantic few commercial boats,, but many shallows. and Gulf due to MUCH commercial traffic

I agree, I always anchored at sundown, I was just confused maybe, I thought uncledom said he only spent 2.75 days in the ICW from Norfolk to Beaufort and it took me about 10 Days. Maybe I read it wrong.

 

[Will Gilmore]

I usually only take it from Norfolk VA. to Moore Head City/Beaufort NC. then go out.

...

It's only about 2.75 days and two nights in the intracoastal waterway depending upon your cruising speed. I run about 7 knots.

I think unlcedom is including the outside time when he says "two nights"

I did the ICW 40 years ago with my family aboard a 3 mastered schooner named Sunflower. Clearwater, Fl to Rockland, Me and back, I was 14. Been dreaming about doing it again ever since. Maybe I'll get to take dragonfly down it someday.
It was pretty quiet back then. A deer leaped out of the woods and ran along beside us for about a quarter of a mile before disappearing. Ran aground once, 5ft draft. My Dad was not happy with my big brother for that. He made him row the tow line over to the boat that stopped to help. And we helped a power boat get off the ground another time, again, big brother in the dinghy. My Dad liked that. It didn't occur to him that the other captain may have had a teenaged son too.
- Will (Dragonfly)

 

[RWSlater]

Great memories Will. The last time I went down a few years ago was right after hurricane Sandy came up the coast. Man the areas around the inlets were messed up! We hit bottom 5 Times, once in SC and 4 in GA. I vowed to never do the GA ICW again.

 

[uncledom]

RW I sail to Beaufort NC not SC that's the difference. I go outside from Moorehead City NC/Beaufort NC and then head out via the Beaufort Inlet. It's only two nights of marina stays and 2.75 days. It depends on what time of year you go because I don't run the ICW in the dark either. From there it's only 1.5 days to Port Royal Sound on the outside providing you have crew and sail through the night. On the outside, we never stop moving.

 

[RWSlater]

RW I sail to Beaufort NC not SC that's the difference. I go outside from Moorehead City NC/Beaufort NC and then head out via the Beaufort Inlet. It's only two nights of marina stays and 2.75 days. It depends on what time of year you go because I don't run the ICW in the dark either. From there it's only 1.5 days to Port Royal Sound on the outside providing you have crew and sail through the night. On the outside, we never stop moving.

Ohhhh OK, NC! Gotcha. Yeah two of us on the boat and when we did the outside part the other guy had sleeping issues when he was "off" watch which made it hard for both of us, but we made it work. And when we did go out, the we had a following wind of 7-10 knots which was worthless and rolling 2-3 foot seas.

 

[uncledom]

Double his shift time, he'll sleep like a babe. LOL

 

[RWSlater]

Double his shift time, he'll sleep like a babe. LOL

Hahaha I bet he would!

 

[dirt rd]

The Carolinas and Georgia are some of the best cruiser not grounds anywhere. You do have to have to follow at the charts. The tide range is generally 6 to 9 feet in SC and GA, just be sure you hit the shallow spots just above Low tide. S/V Fleetwing has a good blog and cruising guide. The Corps of Engineers has good survey info on all the inlets . This info is contained in the blog. My wife and I have done the waterway six or seven times to Key West.