Waterway Guide

L

Larry Patrick

New member
Bought Virginia to Jacksonville ,studying it might plan a Carolina loop trip next year. Or a trip around Willmington ,Southport area. Lot of good info in these guides.
 
There is a lot of information, and I get a new one every few years. But much of the material is now on the internet, and Active captain, is certainly a supplement. I find that some of the information is out of date, even on the current edition. Since it is printed, the information is at least a year old. The focus on these guides tend to be a bit biased toward the marinas which advertise, and often out of the way places are missed. Still good basic material for planing.

Although the books are over 12 years old, Claiborne Young's guides have a lot of history for "off the marina" cruising. North Carolina, S. Carolina and Georgia. Also Skipper Bob's anchorages, and guides doing the loop for these areas.

It is a great trip--and you will really enjoy it--be sure and take enough time!
 
I hope you do, and when you do, let me know. We're in Southport/Oak Island.

You'll love Charleston and Georgetown SC.
 
Been reading it everyday started at beginning in Virginia at Willmington area. Learning what Inlets are better than others,anchorages ect. Was surprised that ICW and other waterways, even where there are no tides the wind can change water heights up to 3ft. Mentioned are fish stakes in different areas and to stay clear,guess they are wooden net stakes pounded in ? Aware of crab trap buoys,just never saw fish stakes.Interesting stories at each town Roanoke ect,as you read the guide. Learning about the rivers ,bridges,sounds along the way,and calling to bridge tenders ect. Also purchasing Chapmins piloting and seamanship.Wife called N.C. beach S.P. today for slip prices and camping prices,if we decide to go there.Thanks Ferg will say hello.
 
Larry, not sure if it is the same thing as you mention but on the Trent/Severn at The Narrows(Lake Simcoe) there is a site which contains fishing weirs placed there by natives around 5000 years ago. They are stakes which divers would drive into the lake bed in an effort to channel fish into an area where they could be readily caught. These areas are a restricted heritage site.

Regards, Rob
 
One thing to remember is that the controlling depth of the Atlantic Coast ICW is that the controlling depth is 12 feet--in reality some places are 6 feet and occ less. The Waterway Guides are written for boats of draft of at least 3.5 feet. The c Dory can get into many more places than what are outlined on the Guides. With 7 foot draft, we would go an entire day (60 to 70 miles) without a place to get off the ICW for an anchorage--with the C Dory there are hundreds of places in that same 70 miles! Have good depth charts on hour chart plotter, keep your eyes open and explore the back waters.

Also many of the "sounds" can get nightly choppy, and rough, so watch the weather and especially winds. Look for "line" or "white squalls"--anywhere on the East Coast, if you are not already aware of them. The can move at over 50 mph and have winds over 60 mph... Again, fortunately the C Dory can scoot back into some shallow creeks/or backwaters for protection...

The wind and barometric pressure effect is not only on the ICW, but Gulf Coast as well.
 
Rob Not sure what the fish stakes are ,im guessing some kind of netting. But they are mentioned quite often,to stay clear of them and some are submerged. Im aware of crab trap buoys. Bob was thinking about how the C-Dory can go under a lot of bridges and with the draft go a lot more anchorages. Those sailboats with the tall masts gotta be careful. A lot of info on travel markers keeping what colors on port or starboard on rivers ect. Between tug boats, barges and military ships nice to know the rules of the road.
 
One point on the ICW to remember is that there are two buoy (Mark) systems. There is the traditional "Red right returning from the sea".

Often this intersects with the ICW markings which are Red right south bound Atlantic Coast) , East bound on the Gulf.

The ICW marks will have a little yellow Square or Triangle on the Green or Red mark The yellow triangle or square corresponds to the ICW marking--unmarked with the yellow are the conventional from the sea, or up stream.

I would suggest that anyone new to the ICW or "loop" download and study this PDF from the Coast Guard on buoyage, marks and navigation. If you know this material, it can not only save your from running aground, having a collision or going a long way--the wrong way!

One of my friends who teaches CG license classes, says that material involving the ICW marking is one of the most frequently missed questions.

To confuse even more--there is the IALA system of "A" region or "B" region The Americas (N and S) plusCaribbean, Philippines, Japan and Korea, are in the minority, using Region "B". The rest of the World uses "A", which is the opposite of what we use in the Americas.

One trip up and down the ICW was with a vessel with 7 foot draft, and 62 1/2 foot air clearance (plus a 3 foot VHF antenna, which went "ting, ting" as we went under the 65 foot fixed bridges!
 
Just as a clarification, on the Gulf ICW, the reds are on the right as you are WEST bound (from Florida to Texas). Consider it a continuation of the ICW along the east coast, as the reds are on the right as one is SOUTH bound from New Jersey to Texas, even though along the Gulf is a BIG curve. :wink:

Red right returning (sorta) from New Jersey to Texas. The yellow squares or triangles with those markers signify the ICW, but there are intersections along the ICW with openings from the Atlantic or Gulf, where the markers ARE red right returning... and they run concurrently or intersect with the ICW... it can get confusing if you don't look at the big picture.

"On both the Atlantic and Gulf ICW however - for navigational purposes - the
markers assume you are always returning SOUTH from New Jersey to
Brownsville, TX. (Red, Right, Return to Texas)"

Also, for one more bit of clarification, much of the documentation of the Gulf ICW states that it runs south (or west) to Brownsville, Texas. Not so - the Gulf ICW ends about a half mile from our home, in the Port Isabel Turning Basin (about 15 miles from Brownsville)... from that point, the markers switch to the "returning from the sea" in the Port Isabel Channel that connects to the Brownsville Ship Channel.

We have seen more than a few big ol' sport fishers, here from distant places for the TIFT (Texas International Fishing Tournament) do a lot of damage by running aground where those red and green markers "switch sides" at the PI Turning Basin.

Just putting that out there, in case anyone needs to check off: I did the whole ICW. 8)

Jim
 
Ken, that is true for the GCICW buoys.(Marks). But for example coming into Pensacola Bay, thru Pensacola Pass, you have the channel going from the sea, with red right, and then turn to parallel the barrier Island for a mile or so, and the Green is gong to be on the mainland side of the channel (with a small yellow triangle on the marker) Looking at the chart, this would be markers #15, 17, along the ICW, then #1 and #3 to the channel going up Pensacola bay to the port of Pensacola. To avoid any confusion in this area, the ICW marks are only the small yellow triangles.

If you went seaward or barrier Island to the the Marks of 14, 16, 18 and 20, you will be out of the main ICW channel, and run risk of running aground.
 
Thanks Bob for coastguard PDF will study them. I always thought you just had to stay between red and green. Red right return ect, guess there isn't always red and green close enough to just stay between or see next buoy to determine exact channel. Any boating so far I just stayed between the two,able to see each one. Watching chart plotter for depths and course. So far been on Lake Erie, St Johns and Carabelle Florida buoys were easy to see and follow and understand. Also Cayuga Lake and part of Erie Canal. Will study over winter to better understand future areas of travel.
 
In much of the far southern (western) portion of the Gulf ICW, there are 4 or 5 green floating cans for each red daymark. You tend to favor the green side of the channel no matter which way you are heading.
 
thataway":2mvdwsqw said:
Ken, that is true for the GCICW buoys.(Marks). But for example coming into Pensacola Bay, thru Pensacola Pass, you have the channel going from the sea, with red right, and then turn to parallel the barrier Island for a mile or so, and the Green is gong to be on the mainland side of the channel (with a small yellow triangle on the marker) Looking at the chart, this would be markers #15, 17, along the ICW, then #1 and #3 to the channel going up Pensacola bay to the port of Pensacola. To avoid any confusion in this area, the ICW marks are only the small yellow triangles.

If you went seaward or barrier Island to the the Marks of 14, 16, 18 and 20, you will be out of the main ICW channel, and run risk of running aground.
Click to expand...

Of course I was talking about the ICW. I'm going to look at my Pensacola charts tomorrow. You are a wise man!
 
Ken, I used the Pensacola example, because it is one fairly close to you--and of course one I know well. But there are a number of other places, where this is true. It can be quite confusing to someone who is not familiar with the convention of the little yellow triangles and squares.
 
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