TWL: Stuart FL to New England
Well, we are past the survey hurdle on our new, to us, Defever 44. The
previous owner has gracioulsy agreed to deliver her from the west coast of
Florida to Stuart for us. Our plan is to leave Stuart on about May 23, bound
for Branford, Connecticut.Unfortunately, this will be a delivery trip, not a
scenic trip. We hope to put in long days, and get home as quickly ( and
safely) as possible.
So, our questions:
1.Best ICW guide book(s)? I have a full set of regular charts.
2. Spots to go outside, rather than stay in the ICW?
3. If you've done a fast trip like this, what was your itinerary? Where did
you spend the night?
4. Local weather knowledge ex, wind from the east, forget going outside...
5. We'd like to do a combination of marinas and anchorages on the way up. Any
favorite spots? Especially if they are easy to duck into if running outside.
6. Any spots to avoid in the ICW for any reason?
I've checked the archives, and found some fuel price info, but not much on a
quick trip north.
TIA
Ted Grave
Temporarily Boatless
Branford, CT
<<1.Best ICW guide book(s)? I have a full set of regular
charts.>>
For a quick trip like this, you need only the charts and two of
Skipper Bob's tomes, "Anchorages along the ICW", and "Marinas
along the ICW. Anchorages gives info and ratings of nearly every
viable anchorage from Tarpon Springs and Key West to the Hudson
River. About $15. Marinas gives detailed info on most of the
marinas near the ICW, including PRICES (most unusual, perhaps
unique), about $14. Both books are updated every year, are
available in some marinas along the ICW and some West Marine
stores. http://skipperbob.home.att.net
<<2. Spots to go outside, rather than stay in the ICW?>>
Stuart, FL - (call Seatow for local info, this inlet can shoal.
Ft. Pierce, FL - well marked ship channel, good in all weather.
St. Marys Entrance, Fernandina Beach, FL- a well marked channel
used by US submarines.
St. Simons Sound, ship channel for New Brunswick, Ga.
Savanah River, GA - Easy all weather entrance, but out of the
way when heading NB.
Charleston, SC - Easy in daylight, but many lights on shore and
many channels in the harbor make this entrance tricky at night.
Port Royal Sound - Easy entrance to lovely Beaufort, SC.
Winyah Bay - easy ship entrance to cruiser friendly Georgetown,
SC. Confusing lights for use at night.
Cape Fear River entrance - good ship channel for Wilmington, NC.
Enter here to avoid going around the Cape Fear shoals.
Wrightsville Beach, NC - easy entrance to a good nearby
anchorage.
Beaufort, NC Inlet - easy ship entrance to lovely Beaufort with
its busy anchorage. Go inside here to avoid the infamous Cape
Hatteras shoals, trust me.
From here, I'd go up the Chesapeake and down the Delaware, unless
you're in a really big hurry. Take the Cape May canal to Cape
May, NJ. From here, I've gone out Cape May inlet before first
light to reach New York before sunset, 123nm. Can't help you
after here, I like the Hudson River and New York Canals.
More to follow.
Mark Richter, Winnie the Pooh
anchored in Ft. Pierce, FL
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We recently brought Sanderling to Melbourne Florida from Solomons Maryland
on a "delivery" trip as you are contemplating. I've also made the trip from
Solomons to New York City (and beyond, both the Hudson, Long Island Sound,
and the Long Island ICW) several times. I assume you can cruise at about
8.0 - 8.5 knots in your 44 footer. I cruise at 7.5 knots in my 35 footer,
without regard to wind and tidal current.
A rough idea of the actual time involved. We ran only in daylight in
November (roughly 0700 to 1715), it took us 15 days of cruising, from our
start in Solomons, Maryland, and down the Chesapeake, then following the
ICW all the way from Norfolk, Virginia, and going through the lock, rather
than the Dismal Swamp Canal (it is just slightly shorter following that
route, but we avoided delays caused by work on the Dismal Swamp Canal
locks). Our actual time was one day longer, since we had a weather-related
delay in North Carolina. We only planned a few stops in advance (Norfolk,
Beaufort, NC), otherwise we started checking for available marinas
(particularly when we needed fuel) and anchorages about three hours before
sunset and projected our rate of transit, then picked the best spot to give
us the longest day. There were a few times, particularly in SC and GA, when
we had to stop before sunset because of the lack of safe anchorages and
marinas.
You can figure the approximate number of hours it took us for that portion
of the trip.
You can make it from Solomons to New York City in as little as 3.5 long
days (summertime) at 7.5 knots, disregarding tides. From Solomons heading
north, the first day we can get to the north end of the Bay, the second day
to Cape May (that would be about a 8-10 hour day), the third day to
Manasquan (an easy day) or even to Atlantic Highlands (a 13 hour day), and
the next into NYC by mid day from Manasquan or mid morning from Atlantic
Highlands. Then you really need to wait for a favorable tide on the East
River, or at least wait until you won't be plowing against the max current
of an unfavorable tide. Long Island Sound is a piece of cake, with lots of
anchorages and marinas to suite your needs.
Stuart, Florida, is about 64 miles from Melbourne on the ICW.
I'll be happy to discuss it in more detail off line, if you wish.
At 04:56 PM 3/16/2003, "Ted & Sally" tgrave1@cox.net wrote:
- If you've done a fast trip like this, what was your itinerary? Where did
you spend the night?
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Bob McLeran and Judy Young Email: mailto:rmcleran@ix.netcom.com
M/V Sanderling Manatee Cove Marina, Patrick Air Force Base
Hampton 35 Trawler Melbourne, Florida
<<3. If you've done a fast trip like this, what was your
itinerary? Where did you spend the night?>>
In fall, 1997, we took the newly launched (2.5 hours on the
engine) Winnie the Pooh from Indiantown, FL (20 miles W of
Stuart) to Solomons, MD - 1100 statute miles in 14 days, to get
to the second West Marine Trawler Fest there for my birthday.
Not the best way to try out what was essentially a new boat, but
we made it without serious incident. The following are excerpts
from my log.
9/24 Indiantown 10:25 to Stuart, 20 miles. Watered at city dock,
great water.
9/25 - Stuart to Ft. Pierce, about 30 sm. Fueled Ft. Pierce city
marina, 235 gal @ $.86. Anchored Faber Cove, MM966.
9/26 Departed Ft. Pierce 07:25. Out inlet bound for Beaufort,
NC. Boat unprepared, stuff not properly secured. Steadying sail
not completed. Wind S15-20, seas 3-5 ft. After 4 hours, altered
course to go in Cape Canaveral. Anchored in tight spot by
marinas before the lock, MM900.
9/27 Through barge canal to ICW. Throttle cable became
disconnected at fuel inj pump. Re-connected with locktite. Many
dolphins following in wake in Mosquito Lagoon. Tied up at New
Smyrna Beach park dock, MM829. Entertained trio from trimaran
"Rhythm", sundowners.
9/28 Under way 07:25. Installed TP holder. Glued on deck
nonskid. Anchored 19:00 Ft. George, MM735 <Lovely isolated
spot, popular with cruisers>.
9/29 Weighed 07:00. Passed sub base at Kings Bay. Alternator
over-charging. 15:25, anchored outside Wahoo Creek, MM630.
9/30 Departed ICW via Ogechee R. and Ossabaw Sound. Wind W-SW
15. Entered at S. Edisto River, entrance rough. Anchored 18:45
in S. Edisto River, MM505. <I don't recommend either of these
inlets withour local knowledge, but I was young and foolish at
the time>
10/1 Weighed 07:10. Disconnected alternator field. Anchored
Georgetown, SC 18:45, MM403. Walked 3 miles to new 24 hour Super
Wal-Mart, closed due to major power outage.
10/2 Weighed 06:55. Waccamaw River is the prettiest part so far.
Noticed small fuel leak at #4 injector. Waited 15 mins for "on
demand" Socastee Bridge. 18:40 anchored Dutchman Creek, MM310.
One other trawler here.
10/3 Weighed 06:35. Swan Point, NC bought fuel, 198 gals @$.71.
Anchored Swansboro, MM228.
10/4 06:50 departed Swansboro. Aground past marker 17, Bogue
Sound. Backed off w much power. Passed seafood festival at
Moorehead City. Marines landing on Radio Island. 10:20 anchored
Beaufort, NC, MM228. Went to Laundry & hardware store.
10/5 06:30 away. Channel N of bridge moved from that shown on
chart, went aground lightly near marker 35. Continued down
Alligator R in dark. Anchored N of bridge 20:30, MM82.
10/6 Changed Oil, 8 qts Shell Rotella-T 15w40. departed 07:30.
11:30 passed Coinjock. Installed towel bar & rear view mirror.
16:00 - no room at free docks in Great Bridge, VA, so continued
on. Locked through easily. Steel Bridge closed 16:30 til 18:00.
Fell overboard pushing off barge while drifting, waiting. Swim
platform works. 19:30 anchored Hospital Point, MM0 (Norfolk).
10/7 Depart 06:00. Wind W 8 kts. Up Chesapeake Bay. Anchored
Solomons, MD, 17:00. Sunny but hazy, 12 ft seas, great trawler
day. We made it! 150 engine hours, averaged 7.3 statute miles
per hour.
10/8 Solomons - Cleaned up workshop. Susanne washed boat
exterior. Drinks with Vern on "Salacia", President 41.
10/9 Solomons - Birthday breakfast, eggs, bacon, rolls. Fed wild
swans who hissed ferociously at Penny. <the pet ferret> Trawler
Fest dinner of BBQ chicken, too much wine. TFest seminars begin
tomorrow.
All in all, a fairly pleasant trip, but way too fast to enjoy as
it should be enjoyed. Going outside will generally save you time
only if you stay out over night. Most of the entrances are far
enough out of the way of the ICW route that day trips outside are
slower than inside. Pooh cruises at 7.5 kts.
Mark Richter
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