Abacos to Daytona Beach - Best Way In ?

[vegas]

I windsurf in the mouth of that inlet often. It should be avoided in anything over 15 knots out of the North through East. It is not unusual to have 10 foot waves breaking across from jetty to jetty in anything over 20 knots.

[DevOcean361]

I am located in Ponce Inlet with a 5' + draft. I go in and out at all tides. If heading north you will have no problems just be careful around low tide. Local knowledge helps a lot. If you come in a Canaveral you have to go through the lock and it is a much longer return from Abacos. St. Augustine is way out of the way if you are going to Daytona. If you are worried come in just before high tide, we have a 3' tidal range. I will be heading back myself from Abocos around April 22nd weather pending.

[SoonerSailor]

Thanks for everyone's help. Our entry through Ponce inlet and taking the south route before going north was pleasant and uneventful.

Chip

[teejayevans]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Inlet ChartBook: Southeastern United States - Chesapeake Bay to Miami
by Steve Dodge, assisted by Jon and Jeff Dodge

➥ Inlet ChartBook: Southeastern United States - 3rd Ed.

This book is 6 years out of date, and is no longer useful for many of the class B inlets.
Tom

[fblc]

HI,

In August I will plan to do Cape Canaveral to Charleston with a stop in St Augustine.

I am questioning myself about which Inlet to use : St Augustine Inlet or Ponce de Leon Inlet or not going outside and stay in the ICW from Cape Canaveral.

What do you think about that ?

[teejayevans]

Originally Posted by fblc

HI,

In August I will plan to do Cape Canaveral to Charleston with a stop in St Augustine.

I am questioning myself about which Inlet to use : St Augustine Inlet or Ponce de Leon Inlet or not going outside and stay in the ICW from Cape Canaveral.

What do you think about that ?

I wouldn't do either inlet with strong Easterly winds. I would stay inside unless I was making a bigger jump.
Tom

[fblc]

Ok for strong winds (ie. 20 kts) but with 15 knots do you think that it will possible to get in/out ?

[teejayevans]

Originally Posted by fblc

Ok for strong winds (ie. 20 kts) but with 15 knots do you think that it will possible to get in/out ?

Going out its much easier to see the waves and if they are breaking...and of course you can always turn around if you make your decision early enough. IF in doubt, turn around,
Coming in it's way more difficult check your tides, if ebbing with on shore winds, even with 15 knots, it could get sporty, I can't speak for your boat or captains ability, but since you are asking here, I will assume novice and say no.
I would skip those and do CC to St. Johns should be a nice 24 hr trip.
Tom

[fblc]

Well I have never used any Inlet except Cape Caneveral coming from St Martin in the Carribean.

My boat has a draft that can vary (due to the centerboard) from 5 to 7 feet.

Do you how many miles it is possible to travel in the ICW per day beetween The end of barge canal near Titusville and St Augustine ?

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by fblc

. . . Do you how many miles it is possible to travel in the ICW per day beetween The end of barge canal near Titusville and St Augustine ?

Generally speaking daily distance in the ICW is a factor of what speed you can carry under power along with factors such as the bridges you will need to traverse.
- - Most of the bridges now do not open during the morning and evening automobile "rush hours." So that limits you to 6 or maybe 7 hours of motoring per day.
- - If there are few bridges that need to be traversed than your boat speed under power times 6 or 7 hours will give you your daily distance. But is there are several bridges and some that only open on the "clock hour" or "half hour" then you might end up losing a couple of hours waiting for bridge openings. That will really reduce your distance per day you can travel.
- - The ICW in Florida is fairly straight so you can make good distance north or south. But in places like Georgia, the ICW snakes every which way but north or south so you end up with making very little distance towards your destination.

[fblc]

Thanks With a just 6 feet draft do you think that it will be better to do the trip from Harbor town marina in Barge Canal to St Augustine, by the sea or by the ICW ? My final destination is Charleston. While i'll be in Cape Canaveral in August I would want to do the trip in the shorter time to avoid any Hurricane but nevertheless I would want to visit St Augustine, Savanah and Charleston. What could you advise to me ? Thanks

[scallywag]

Search this board on "St. Augustine Inlet". Since January 2011, two vessels have been grounded in the inlet. One was a sailboat and the other vessel was a sportfisher. A bouy marks the shoal but is hard to see at night or if there are waves. St. Augustine is home to a fishing fleet. The fleet uses the St. Augustine Inlet. Of course, they have local knowledge. It would be nice to follow an experienced St. Augustinian through the inlet. The ICW just north of Marineland at Matanza Inlet, is also tricky. You have to watch for the floating bouys. Due to the shifting sand the bouys are repositioned. St. Augustine is a nice place to visit. A lot of vessels stop at St. Augustine each year. There is a 4 to 5 foot tide so there is a lot of movement of water. If you ever sailed in an area with that tidal range, you have an idea what the conditions are from Marineland going north.

Dot and John

[scallywag]

Just read about your engine problem. I would not attempt to run the St. Augustine Inlet with a questionable engine.

Dot and John

[fblc]

Thanks

So to conclude if the wind is lesser than 15kts, I'll cross barge canal do take the Cape Canaveral Inlet and sail to St Augustine AND if the wind is upper than 15 kts, I'll stay in the ICW.

[Sailndive345]

Originally Posted by fblc

Thanks

So to conclude if the wind is lesser than 15kts, I'll cross barge canal do take the Cape Canaveral Inlet and sail to St Augustine AND if the wind is upper than 15 kts, I'll stay in the ICW.

What's been said so far is fine; need to add: It is the 'quality' not the 'quantity' of the wind that causes problems. Anything heavy N/NE/E/SE, piles large, uncomfortable waves in the inlet entrances. This is made worse when there is ebb tide as you can imagine.

If, on the other hand, you have any kind of SW/W/NW wind, particularly combined with an ebb tide, things are usually fine.

Probably explained earlier (been too busy to keep up with the thread/forum) that there is a new green marker (very small, numbered 5A or 7A) in between the 5 and 7 (green) markers that is almost in the middle of the St Augustine inlet - south of this new green buoy is very shallow. If you follow the red buoys, you will be fine.

Fair winds - enjoy the Ovni - lovely boat!

Sailndive