Oct 26, 2011
We decided to spend the day in Portsmouth getting ready to navigate the Intracoastal Waterway. The ICW starts at Norfolk and runs all the way to Florida - over 1200 miles. We plan to give Cape Hatteras a miss and use the ICW as far as Beaufort Inlet, NC. We will wait on a Wx window and exit at Beaufort to continue coastal sailing to Charleston, SC.
The biggest hurdle in sailing outside around Cape Hatteras is fast moving Wx systems and swells from other Wx systems. The Gulf Stream runs very close to Diamond Shoals bringing warm water to cooler air at this time of year. There is a good possibility that we could be caught in heavy Wx conditions. Why risk it? The ICW bypasses the possibility and gives lots of wiggle room. In my 30+ years on tugs, I have been around Hatteras over 40 times. If I was going North and the Wx was fair, coming back South it was foul. I've never made a trip with fair Wx on both ends. Just listening to the Wx reports for that area gives one pause.
The controlling depth in the ICW is 12 feet with at least 90 feet width. Many smaller tugs and barges use it. There are many shoal areas and obstructions. Very careful navigation and watchkeeping is essential. We will do all our navigating during daylight hours and anchor at night.
Tomorrow we start our navigation from "mile marker 0" at Portsmouth and run 205 sm (statute miles) to Beaufort, NC. We won't have phone service or internet in many places along the route. I'll post when I can. Until then, we'll be too busy living life to write about it.
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