ICW Nav Question

[old squid]

Next year I plan on taking my sailboat down the ICW from near Annapolis to Amelia Island Florida. The best time of year to make the transit is my basic question. My first option or best choice was to depart the weekend following labor day in September to make the transit. This date is contingent upon when my house sells. My question is.....

What are the best months to transit south? More specifically, other that hot weather, any issue with going south in June vice September (house possibly sold)?

Boat stats... 31ft Sloop, 4.5 ft draft, 45 ft bridge clearance. Basic rough voyage plan: ICW to Cape Fear, go outside from Cape Fear to Chasn , overnight Chasn, then back outside from Chasn to Amelia Island. Outside plans contingent upon weather/wind.

Thanks in advance for your comments.

Old Squid

[svHyLyte]

The worst months for tropical storms/hurricanes on the southeast coast are September and October with nearly 65% of the storms tracked between 1851 and 2006. June and July, by comparison had only 7.25%. Your odds are more favorable early, May/June or later, November.

FWIW...

[MarkJ]

I left NYC mid September and the cold followed me down. So I would be south of Chesapeake before the end of September.



Sent from a stupid phone that replaces words with weird stuff.

[Peppercorn]

Since you're taking the ICW and you have less than 5.5 draft you can head down anytime. Make sure your Boat US is paid up and enjoy the trip. Pay attention to the tide tables but overall you will have few problems. We left Brunswick landing and headed down the ICW in our 42 Hunter Passage with a 5 foot draft. We grounded a couple of time but always soft and an easy back off and go. Enjoy

[laika]

Keep an eye on the western sky as you get further south into late summer. Afternoon squalls roll through with some regularity, and it's nice to be well anchored or docked ahead of those! You can usually see the black squall line hours in advance.

[deltaten]

tagged for updates, as I plan the same; 'crept inside.
Proposed Itinerary;
Depart N Chessie on/about Oct.. 1
Norfolk by Nov. 1
S.GA near to Dec.. 1, or much sooner?!
FL mebbe after; but notabsolute spend a month or so paddling about in the S.

Reverse course to arrive N.. Chesssie come May .

[valhalla360]

Doable pretty much year round but headed south, fall makes the most sense. We spent a summer in S. Carolina/Georgia and we spent much of the summer holed up in the boat with the air/con struggling to keep it comfortable. We would go out first thing in the morning and early afternoon.


Obviously, consider tropical storm windows and if insurance has rules.