Daytona FL to CT

[fp5885]

Hi All,

I am starting to plan a IC trip from FL to CT in a 34 foot aft cabin. I am hoping for some advice on what parts of the IC to avoid. I would also love some advice on don't miss stops along the way from folks who have done it before.

Thanks in advance

[ranger58sb]

We've not found any places along the AICW that needed "avoiding." There are a few places where timing your transit with the tides can be important.

If you haven't already, get a couple cruising guides (e.g., Waterway Guide, Mile-by-Mile, etc.), subscribe to ActiveCaptain, and get AquaMap USA with the Master option (to include USACE waterway surveys) on a tablet. Latter also includes Waterway Guide and AC markers on the charts. Time your trip segments for mid-tide or higher at the shallow bits.

The cruising guides will cover places to stop and smell the coffee; there's only 60 or 70 or so, I guess...

FWIW, we usually held ourselves to short daily segments, maybe somewhere between 30-50 NM, with a very occasional 60-70 NM segment thrown in here and there when tides dictated -- like through lower Georgia, where I think we ran from near Brunswick to Savannah, had to set out at oh-dark-thirty to time the tides through Hell Gate or Mud River or some such. But part of the reason for the short segments was so we could see Place X or Place Y along the way... and it didn't take much for us to decide to lay over for an extra day or two if we liked a place.

-Chris

[Hudson Force]

I agree with Chris' post above; however, if you add the New Jersey ICW into the mix there may be some to avoid. You don't mention your vertical clearance, but if your aft cabin 34 is a sailboat, then you can't clear the New Jersey ICW north of Cape May to Atlantic City. In addition, the Point Pleasant Canal connecting the Metedeconk River to Manasquan Inlet has a raging current with bridges to raise and this can get you into big trouble without careful planning.

It's easy to cut into Cape May through the canal from the Delaware River passing under two fixed 55' bridges. After a stay a Utches Marina or anchoring off the Coast Guard station, you can take an early morning outside and come back in after rounding Sandy Hook. 'or break this into two days with a stop in Atlantic City at Absecon Inlet.

[fp5885]

Ranger and Hudson, Thanks for all the advice. Exactly what I needed. This will be my first time doing this much of the east coast so the books and suggestions on navigational aides are helpful. I also appreciate the suggested routes and gotchas mentioned. I'll be doing the trip in a motor yacht with 16 ft. required clearance.

[ranger58sb]

16' air draft makes it pretty easy; you'll be able to get under many bridges without an opening, and the bridges were you DO need an opening will be obvious.

The cruising guides will have a list of bridges, and of course they're noted on the charts.

-Chris

[sailorboy1]

Just don't cut the corners. I feel at least 1/2 the ICW cautions about shallow water in Active Captain are from power boats cutting the corner. The post will like this )we were in 6-8' or water suddenly went aground". The water depth mostly is 12'+ except for a few places with shoal, always where water is flowing into the section like from an inlet of creek.