A trip down the ICW...

[exposure]

I could use some help planning a trip from Annapolis south on the ICW.

I will be bringing my Prout 37 cat dwon to Florida this spring. The end of May I will arrive by car at Annapolis and have the boat put in the water. We plan to leave within a day or so of this and have about seven or eight days to get as far south as we can. From where ever we end up I will have to leave the boat for a couple of weeks, then return with a couple of friends and make an offshore trip, along the coast, straight to the Saint Marys inlet and my homeport near Fernandina Beach, Florida. I have the charts and guides I need, but am looking for some pointers from those who have made the trip before.

It looks like a two day run down to Norfolk. What is a good overnight stopping point halfway down the Chesapeake? We will consider anchoring, or a marina.

How far can I expect to get in 5-7 days travel from Norfolk? What is a good marina choice to leave the boat a couple of weeks that will be safe and not break the bank? It needs to be near a good inlet for the remaining trip south.

Thanks, Woody

[AnchorageGuy]

exposure, a lot of the answers to your questions are subjective. How fast and how far can you travel in a day? What weather conditions are you willing to travel in? We generally stop in Solomons on the way down. From there to Newport News. From Norfolk you could get to Georgetown SC, or only as far as Great Bridge. Much depends on weather. The Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds are no place to be in heavy winds. Read the guides you have, study the charts thoroughly and decide for yourself what anchorage or marina you want to be in at the end of the day. And then keep a close eye on the weather. BTW, we much prefer offshore heading south but for the last two trips almost all of the trip was done inside. Crazy weather patterns. This winter the fronts blew through every two days. Good Luck.

[exposure]

Thanks Chuck. Certainly we are subject the will of the weather gods and what is going to happen "is going to happen."

This will be the first time on the "new" boat and I will have the kids with me. With that in mind, we won't be pushing our luck with the weather, or traveling at night. But, reading the books it's hard to get a feel for how far is realistic on a daily basis given locks and bridges that have to be dealt with.

We will presumably travel around 6 knots most of the time. Thats 60 nm or about 70 sm in a 10 hour day. If I account for bridge schedules it looks like I can plan on 60 sm a day give or take. If the weather is decent for five of seven days on the ICW I can get 350 miles south of Norfolk. What would be the best marina for the boat in the area around mile marker 300 (plus or minus 50 miles) that would have a decent inlet for the offshore leg?

Woody

[AnchorageGuy]

We have stayed at Lightkeepers Marina at MM346 and had a very pleasant stay. You are near Little River Inlet and not too far from Georgetown.

[exposure]

What is the little river inlet like? The guide says to use caution due to shoaling, etc. Assuming decent weather with a "normal" swell, is it generally safe?

[exposure]

Sorry, I was remembering the new river inlet, not the little river. It says the little river inlet has jetties and is in regular use in good weather. Thanks, Woody

[James Morris]

Originally Posted by exposure

I could use some help planning a trip from Annapolis south on the ICW.

I will be bringing my Prout 37 cat dwon to Florida this spring. The end of May I will arrive by car at Annapolis and have the boat put in the water. We plan to leave within a day or so of this and have about seven or eight days to get as far south as we can. From where ever we end up I will have to leave the boat for a couple of weeks, then return with a couple of friends and make an offshore trip, along the coast, straight to the Saint Marys inlet and my homeport near Fernandina Beach, Florida. I have the charts and guides I need, but am looking for some pointers from those who have made the trip before.

It looks like a two day run down to Norfolk. What is a good overnight stopping point halfway down the Chesapeake? We will consider anchoring, or a marina.

How far can I expect to get in 5-7 days travel from Norfolk? What is a good marina choice to leave the boat a couple of weeks that will be safe and not break the bank? It needs to be near a good inlet for the remaining trip south.

Thanks, Woody

Hi Woody,

I will be in Norfolk by May 14th (going on the outside from Jersey to Norfolk) on my sailboat.. Trying to get down to Florida on the ICW from Norfolk.. I have similar questions.. I have the 'Skipper Bob' guides for the trip and the Waterway Guides as well... Send me a private message if you would like to..

[James Morris]

Just noticed that I was replying to an old post from a few years ago by the look of it!

[sv_makai]

Get a copy of Skipper Bob's (RIP) ICW guide. I understand it has been taken over and updates are active. We used the guide and found it contained excellent local info by cruisers who had been there recently and the updates can be downloaded on line to get the most recent post.