Intracoastal waterway

[duke1046]

What is the best time of the year to cruise the Intracoastal from NJ to Florida
Thank you

[Wheelguns]

In the fall, of course. You need to check your insurance. Some may not allow you to cross into Fl until Dec 1st. Stay for the winter, and come back in the spring.

[duke1046]

Thank you for the answer. Again not having any knowledge of the ICW as I only sailed in the Long Island Sound. Why not during early spring when it’s warmer?
Thank you again.

[Wheelguns]

Early spring and everybody is headed north. It wouldn’t be too bad. I would imagine that the bugs get bad in the summer. It depends what your plans are. No sense in getting to Fl just in time for hurricane season, unless you were just going to turn around. There is nothing wrong with that if that is your plan.

[Captain Bill]

Actually I think you'll find the fall warmer. I like to follow the nominal 75 degree line and that goes later into the fall. If you wait until NJ gets to 75 degrees in the spring it will already be 90+ in Florida. Whereas if you start south when daytime highs are averaging 75 in NJ then you can stay pretty much in that zone until you reach Fl. There will be a few cold days as fronts pass but in the fall the water will be warmer than the air on those days as opposed to starting out in near freezing water. I've done several trips to and from Maine from Florida and usually try to be to the Chesapeake by around the first of Oct. Assuming you are on a sailboat and not a power boat of some sort, I assume you are aware that you won't be doing the NJ ICW unless you have a small boat with a short mast. Many of the fixed bridges on the southern end are only around 35 feet. Arriving in Fl around the first of Dec.is not bad though an occasional cold front may catch up to you doesn't usually get cold and stay cold for a few days until January. If you get to Vero Beach or south even in January and Feb. it doesn't stay cold long. It also somewhat depends on whether your cruising style is anchor out or marina hopping. If you are going to be plugged in with heat or ac every night or on a trawler with full climate control then it's not as important.

[MicHughV]

The ICW is a pain in the butt. It's slow going, you will run aground, you will motor every day. You will burn a lot of fuel. You will need someone at the wheel every second. Transient dockage is prohibitive. Anchorages are few. The weather is always a toss of the dice. Some places have huge tidal differences and very strong currents.
If you are on a sailboat, with anything more than a 5' draft, drifting out of the channel to avoid a tug/barge is going to put you aground. Bridge clearances are fixed, 65' is the current height limit for a fixed bridge, but many draw spans are still in use .You cannot run the ICW at night, well, you could, but......

Having said all that, my advice is to get a current ICW guide. It will list all the problem areas, give suggestions, etc. and so on.

Finally, learn to look behind you all the time. This will tell you if you are still in the channel.

[Bobby Lex]

"Best time" can mean different things to different people.

Best for avoiding crowded anchorages or crowded marinas?
Best for avoiding tropical systems or hurricanes?
Best for avoiding cold weather? Or hot weather?
Best for avoiding bugs?
Best for sightseeing?
Best for someone in a hurry? Or best for someone wanting to take their time?

Also, following up on Captain Bill's comments on boat particulars -- there may be sections where you simply cannot take the ICW, and not just in the NJ section.

Air draft greater than 60' begins to be problematic. The same goes for water draft greater than 6'.

Besides the boat itself is your and your crew's schedule. How much time do you have?

Having said all that....as has been mentioned above, the traditional routine has been to head north for the summer; head south for the winter.

Bob

[canvasman]

I've traveled from R.I. to Key West using the ICW, anchoring every night. There are plenty of places to anchor. My boat at the time was a 36 ft. ketch with a 4 1/2 ft draft. I've also done almost the same stretch on other sailboats with a 5ft. draft. I did have a few soft groundings, mainly from drifting outside the channel. It is good advice to often look behind to check your drift. Some areas are prone to shoaling so you will need to check on conditions. As already stated, your draft and mast height can be limiting factors. It can be an enjoyable experience.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by duke1046

What is the best time of the year to cruise the Intracoastal from NJ to Florida
Thank you

when you are ready to go, nothing about time of the year changes the ICW

[smj]

Anchorages are plentiful, commercial traffic is almost non existent and if your planning on doing this trip in a Gemini catamaran your draft and mast height won’t be a problem.

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by duke1046

What is the best time of the year to cruise the Intracoastal from NJ to Florida
Thank you

Well...... it snows in NJ in the Winter. It's is hot and there are hurricanes in Florida in the Summer.

Most try to be in the Northeast for the summer, in Florida and Bahamas for the winter and they travel between the two in the mid to late spring (going north) and the early fall (going south).

I'd shoot for being somewhere around the Chesapeake by Memorial Day and Columbus day. Outside of those dates, services such as fuel stations and pump-outs start to either close or operate on limited schedules.

[SV Confianza]

I like the spring best, because the days are longer. We mostly sail outside, but there are some really beautiful parts of the icw, and some great towns to visit.

Seconding the answer to check your insurance. Ours doesn’t allow us below Hatteras before nov 15.