Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway
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Revision as of 13:58, 4 April 2008
Contents |
Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) - (Norfolk, VA to Texas)
Description and Background
The ICW, also called "The Ditch", is a protected all-season waterway consisting of sections of dredged canals linking natural rivers and waterways. The controlling depth is eight (8) feet (2.44 meters), although some places can be shallower. Maintenance of the waterway has been somewhat less diligent in recent years with demands on tax dollars being diverted elsewhere. It is well-marked.
Because the ICW is a coastal route that intersects ocean passes and navigable rivers heading in various directions, the US Coast Guard adopted the following clockwise convention for the ICW: moving in a southerly direction along the Atlantic Coast, then in a northerly, then westerly direction along the Gulf Coast, is considered returning from seaward. You can remember this rule as “red, right, returning to Texas.”
Also because the ICW crosses, follows, and intersects other marked and navigable waterways, ICW marks are distinguished from other marks by a yellow reflective triangle on the red marks, yellow reflective square on the green marks.
There are other marks that serve dual duty, as ICW marks and for other destinations. Where the marks of a channel serves as an entry channel from the sea as well as an ICW channel heading in the "opposite" direction, occasionally one will see a yellow square on a red mark, to show that it's "red right returning to port" but not "red right returning to Texas" and a yellow triangle on a green mark indicating that the mark is to starboard if you are heading towards Texas but portside if you are heading into port. Therefore, it is probably better to say it's "triangle right returning to Texas." Just to keep things interesting and everybody on their toes.
Radio Nets
Also see World Cruiser's Nets
Radio Nets for the region?
Weather
General weather conditions?
Sources for weather forecast information:
Timing
Best times to traverse?
Popular Stops (Listed North to South)
(A page will be made for each)
References
Books, Guides, etc.
Forum Discussions
Links to discussion threads on the CruiserLog Forum
External Links
Personal Notes
Personal experience
.
