Advice on offshore hops instead of the ICW

[Nani Kai]

Originally Posted by sailorman7225

I would time a Ft Pierce entry with care. I’ve run into a wicked current there. Personally I’d prefer Stuart or Lake Worth.

+1. Current in/out of Ft. Pierce is very, very strong. Imperative that you pay attention to the tides and transit the inlet at or very near slack tide. We've been in and out of there in daylight and at night. Wouldn't do either at night again unless an emergency. Narrow, angular channel that changes direction; must know your position relative to channel markers and break water at all times. Difficult to monitor in the dark.

St. Augustine can close out across most of the inlet except for the channel under even moderate conditions. Strong preference in navigating that entrance in daylight. Current can be heavy here as well, especially as you approach Bridge of Lions, which if you want to have the most comfortable night you must arrive in time for their last opening. Moorings/anchoring North of the Bridge can be rolly and veering with exposure to incoming wind, waves and varying current. City moorings OR city slips on the South side much nicer and reasonably priced.

[AJ_n_Audrey]

Originally Posted by drewcathell

We are heading south soon from Norfolk to Marathon and would like to do as many off shore hops as possible this year. Most folks we have spoken with seem to recommend the following stops:

Beaufort, Southport, Charleston, Brunswick, Jacksonville, Cape canaveral, Biscayne bay, Mararthon

Obviously weather will play a big role in choosing between the ICW and going offshore or skipping a city on the list and continuing to the next stop. Our question for those of you with experience in making these hops is what things to keep in mind with heading offshore in general or advice on improving the trip for any particular hop, i.e. A great spot to wait for a good weather window or a particular distance to stay off the coast for better conditions.

Thanks in advance. Drew and Kathy.

I tend to skip Brunswick - it is a looong way back in there to a marina. I go Charleston to Hilton Head, HHI to Amelia Island, inside to St Augustine, out at St Aug, back in at Canaveral. Or if you don't mind the 130ish NM from Mayport to Canaveral, do that. I agree with the rest.

[AJ_n_Audrey]

Originally Posted by Nani Kai

+1. Current in/out of Ft. Pierce is very, very strong. Imperative that you pay attention to the tides and transit the inlet at or very near slack tide. We've been in and out of there in daylight and at night. Wouldn't do either at night again unless an emergency. Narrow, angular channel that changes direction; must know your position relative to channel markers and break water at all times. Difficult to monitor in the dark.

St. Augustine can close out across most of the inlet except for the channel under even moderate conditions. Strong preference in navigating that entrance in daylight. Current can be heavy here as well, especially as you approach Bridge of Lions, which if you want to have the most comfortable night you must arrive in time for their last opening. Moorings/anchoring North of the Bridge can be rolly and veering with exposure to incoming wind, waves and varying current. City moorings OR city slips on the South side much nicer and reasonably priced.

++1 On my first entry to Fort Pierce I really got yanked around by flood tide current. I've also hit Ft Pierce coming back from the Abacos at ebb tide, and it took forever to get to the ICW. Fyi, Camachee Cove, north of St Aug is a very nice marina.

[Moontide]

The whole trip can be done in day hops once you get around Hatteras. With your rig you could also pop inside the outer banks and probably do that in day hops as well.



I usually go straight from Virginia Beach (Rudee Inlet) to Wrightsville as that avoids some extra miles going into Beaufort or Lookout Bight (great quiet anchorage). Wrightsville also has my favorite Mexican restaurant (hopefully reopened).


If you watch your weather the whole trip can be done reaching or running. If you look at your charts you will see lots of places that you can duck into. Some are fairly lively and others isolated and you will see wild horses coming down to the beach.



I've never seen the need or desire to do a non-stop run as there are many fun places along the way. My main impetus to get south is to stay ahead of the cold weather.



Bill

[flyingfin]

Based upon the size of your vessel, the voyage will be more enjoyable to follow the ICW the entire way. Distance covered inside is dependent upon your attitude that day, not weather and waves. Plus, going in and out of inlets will consume most of your daylight hours when the tides and/or winds are against you!

[SalingSue]

Having done this both ways


Unless you are unsure of the boat (or maybe you) just go and stay outside, some argument can be made of going inside to skip Hatteras.

The ICW is a good deal of work and a larger amount of time, most of the bottom is sand and it shifts, depending on your draft, make sure you have tow insurance as there is a decent chance you might need a quick tug off some sand at some point.

It’s also VERY slow, like Mark Twain on a paddle boat slow, but scenic and lots of shops you will have access too, to me it makes great sense for seniors in a motor cruiser who are looking for slow paced entertainment.

[Moontide]

FlyingFin. Downside I see of going inside is that you actually have to watch all the time, and the occasional power boat that doesn't understand a "slow pass".
Outside you can relax and enjoy the sail (assuming you pick your wx windows).
I can't do inside due to the mast height, but I do get all the radio chatter.

[skipgundlach]

Originally Posted by sailorman7225

I would time a Ft Pierce entry with care. I’ve run into a wicked current there. Personally I’d prefer Stuart or Lake Worth.

Fort Pierce is our way in and out of our nominal Vero Beach home port (it's not but that's where you'll find our boat the vast majority of the time).

It's well lit, and well charted. Aside from wind against current, while it's nicer to be with the tide in whichever direction you're going, we've never found it troublesome, day or night.

We're entirely comfortable with coming in at any time of day or night. If the tide's not right for going or coming to/from Vero (including that we NEVER do the ditch in the dark despite having many layers of tracks from prior trips to rely on), we throw out the hook right off the beach just before the ICW turns north or south...

YMMV, of course, especially with experience level, but it's an easy inlet in our view, and you don't have to worry about the channel moving as it does, say, at St. Augustine...

So much so in that case that I'd call TowBoatUS (we're unlimited members) and find out what's up at the time we want to come in...

[drewcathell]

The reason for hops is two fold, first to move based on good weather windows, second to enjoy some great shots along the way.

[drewcathell]

Originally Posted by Moontide

The whole trip can be done in day hops once you get around Hatteras. With your rig you could also pop inside the outer banks and probably do that in day hops as well.



I usually go straight from Virginia Beach (Rudee Inlet) to Wrightsville as that avoids some extra miles going into Beaufort or Lookout Bight (great quiet anchorage). Wrightsville also has my favorite Mexican restaurant (hopefully reopened).


If you watch your weather the whole trip can be done reaching or running. If you look at your charts you will see lots of places that you can duck into. Some are fairly lively and others isolated and you will see wild horses coming down to the beach.



I've never seen the need or desire to do a non-stop run as there are many fun places along the way. My main impetus to get south is to stay ahead of the cold weather.



Bill

Most of our coastal cruising to date has been north of long Island. In those waters we typically wait to leave a day after a change to favorable wind direction which allows contrary wind wave conditions to settle down. Any reason not to follow that rule south of Beaufort?

[Captain Anthony]

Following

[bluedotvoyages]

We often traverse the inlets in SC and GA. They are gorgeous, but yes, you need to watch your depth, and have up to date charts. Just did an SSCA presentation on them all - view that here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrXnyGXdwzs

[drewcathell]

Thanks to everyone who has contributed. We head out tomorrow!

[tomtriad]

I like Fernandina, Fort Pierce, and West Palm in FL as they are all well bouyed, well lit channels and cater to big (cruise liner size) boats. I have no problem using them at night, but one must be careful of currents on all harbors from Georgia through Florida. Georgia low country in/outs particularly subject to shoals and bars at the entrances. Not so much St. Augustine. Ft. Lauderdale is an easy in/out and you can sometimes anchor in Lake Sylvan without paying big $$ for a marina. No Name Harbor at Cay Biscayne (Miami) is a good cruiser's hangout.

Vero Beach, just south of Fort Pierce on the ICW, has a municipal marina/mooring field (low $$) with marine facilities and restaurants around the harbor, and bus service to shopping.

Stuart FL is recently rebouyed, but narrow channels, strong currents, and a bar at the entrance dictate that you enter/depart within an hour of slack (preferably at slack) tides. Sunset Bay Marina, 6 miles up the St. Lucy river at mile 0 of the Okeechobee canal is a great place to moor, with great shoreside facilities(showers, laundry airconditioned lounge, free wifi), free bicycles, and a bus twice a week for big box store/supermarket shopping. One of the few places you can leave a boat untended on a mooring for months at a time. Last time I was there it was $350/month for a mooring, and $20/day for shorter term. Easy walk to old downtown with lots of restaurants, Sundays feature a farmer's market in the am and free concert on the river in the afternoon. 45 minute drive to West Palm airport if you need to fly. Enterprise rental will pickup/dropoff you to the dock for a car.

Some cruisers prefer Manatee Pocket in Stuart where you can anchor for free. Peck Lake, on the ICW just south of the St. Lucy is a favorite well protected free anchorage - watch your depth and go in slowly. Trails lead over the nature preserve lead to a public (this can be busy on weekends as their is a ferry from a condo association across the way).

Agree that you must pick your weather around Hatteras and Cape Fear. If no good window, ICW is a good bet from Norfolk to Beaufort, NC. 2 free docks in Oriental NC 10 miles north of Beaufort. Makes a lot of sense to take ICW from Masonboro NC to Southport to go inside shoals at Cape Fear if weather window is not good.

Follow the 10 fathom line along the Bay of Georgia to keep a safe distance offshore, but easy to duck in in case of bad weeather.

Check you forecasts for good weather windows, usually the wind will go NW for a few days after a front passes through this time of year.

I've done this trip ten times since 2013, snowbirding to the Bahamas from New England.

[rupertfb]

As a professional Delivery Skipper, my 'window of opportunity' for passage making is generally somewhat restricted....but you can decide exactly when you want to leave!

Simply play the winds.....watch the forecasts with a decent weather App and enjoy sailing all the way down! Map out your bolt-holes for when the wind changes (ICW Norfolk to Beaufort particularly), but enjoy the passage - isnt that why you bought the boat?!

PM me if you'd like to discuss Wx Apps on the phone, or any other aspect of your planning.

Rupert Forester-Bennett
Delivery Skipper
Charleston, SC