ICW - clean enough to swim?

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by puffcard

There is a sand bar in Ft Lauderdale on the ICW about a mile north of Port Everglades, you'll find a 100 people swimming there on a nice weekend. Most places nope.

Not that it really matters, but I think you're remembering the sand bar on the north side of Peanut Island within a mile north of Lake Worth Inlet at Palm Beach. Fort Lauderdale is my home town and I can't place anything like this north of Port Everglades except that shoal on the south side where the New River meets the ICW, but I've never seen swimmers there.

There have always been swimming in what we used to call "Whisky Creek" just south of Port Everglades. As kids, we used to swim across the New River while holding our clothes overhead to get to downtown and the movie theater.

[SailFastTri]

Nice to have a deck shower at the transom. I sometimes use it to cool down. It can be done underway without stopping.

[sailorchic34]

I swam in southwest Florida waters in the ICW, when I was over on that side of the US. Generally off St. James city/ pine island and around towards port Charlotte. Plus in the keys/ tortuga's.

Though I did NOT swim in the little shark river.

[captjcook]

Hudson...that is the place, frequently many small boats anchor there and swim on the weekends. Remember when there was a tree and a small island there?

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[MidwestRefugee]

The ICW in my neck of the woods is fine for swimming. "Gators like dark fresh water but occasionally get lost and end up in salty or clear water. The only shark I really fear are bull sharks. They are shallow water sharks and are not averse to fresh water. However if you look at the annual death by shark or "gators then you will realize you are more likely to be killed walking from the marina to the liquor store for resupply.
Oh, my neck of the woods is Sarasota/Bradenton, Fl.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by MidwestRefugee

The ICW in my neck of the woods is fine for swimming. "Gators like dark fresh water but occasionally get lost and end up in salty or clear water. The only shark I really fear are bull sharks. They are shallow water sharks and are not averse to fresh water. However if you look at the annual death by shark or "gators then you will realize you are more likely to be killed walking from the marina to the liquor store for resupply.
Oh, my neck of the woods is Sarasota/Bradenton, Fl.

We just had a kid killed from a brain eating ameba, in SC. Probably as likely as a gator or a Bull shark.