Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway
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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 βred, right, returning to Texas.β
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.
Bridges, schedules
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| | | | |
| N & PBL RR | 6' | Usually open. | Closed for RR traffic. |
| Jordan Highway lift bridge | 15' | Opens on Demand. Closed Mon.- Fri. 6:30-8:30am & 3:30-5:50 pm | |
| N&W RR | 9' | Usually open | Closed for RR traffic. |
| Gilmerton Highway Bascule | 11' | | |
| Gilmerton RR Bascule | 7' | Usually open | Closed for RR traffic. |
| I-64 High Rise Bridge | 65' | | |
Deep Creek & South Mills Locks (Dismal Swamp Canal) | | |||
| N & PBl RR Swing Bridge | 7' | Usually open | Closed for RR traffic |
| Dominion Highway Steel Bascule (Rt. 104) | 12' | | |
| Great Bridge Lock | | ||
| Great Bridge Swing Bridge | | | |
| NS RR Bascule | | Usually open. | Closed for RR traffic. |
| Centerville Turnpike Swing Bridge (Rt. 170) | | | |
| North Landing Swing Bridge | | 6 am to 7pm opens on the hour & 1/2 hour daily, Monitors VHF 13 | |
| Alligator River Swing | | Opens on demand | |
| Fairfield Bridge | | ||
Trent River Bascule (New Bern) | | |||
| Morehead City RR Bascule Bridge | | Usually open | Closed for RR traffic. |
Beaufort/Radio Island Bascule | | | ||
| Onslow Beach Swing Bridge | | | |
| Surf City Swing Bridge | | | |
| Figure Eight Island Swing Bridge | | Opens on hour & half hour year-round | |
| Wrightsville Beach Bascule | | | |
| Sunset Beach Pontoon Bridge | | | |
| Little River Swing Bridge | | Opens on demand. | |
| Socastee Swing Bridge | | | |
| Ben Sawyer Swing Bridge | | | |
| Wappoo Creek Bascule Bridge | | | |
| John F. Limehouse Bridge | | ||
| Ladies Island Swing Bridge | | | |
| Causton Bluff Bascule Bridge | | | |
| Skidway Narrows Bascule Bridge | | Opens on demand. | |
| Kingsley Creek RR Bridge | | Usually open | Closed for RR traffic |
| Sisters Creek (SR 105) | | Opens on demand | |
| McCormick Jacksonville Beach (US 90) | | | |
| Palm Valley Bascule (SR 210) | | Opens on demand. | |
| Bridge of Lions, St. Augustine | | | |
| Crescent Beach Bascule Bridge | | Opens on demand. | |
| Bulow, John Anderson Highway | | Opens on demand. | |
| Main St. Daytona | | Opens on demand. | |
| Carlton Black Daytona | | Opens on demand. | |
| Memorial Bridge Daytona | | | |
| New Smyrna-Coronado Beach | | Opens on demand. | |
| Allenhurs-Haulover (SR A1A) | | Opens on demand. | |
| Jay-Jay (NASA RR Bascule) | | Usually open. | Closed for RR traffic |
| Titusville (SR 402) | | | |
| Addison Point Space Ctr. Causeway | | | |
| Ft. Pierce Bascule (SR A1A) | | Opens on demand. | |
| Jensen Bch. Bascule (SR 707A) | | | |
| Ernest Lyons B. Stuart (SR A1A) | | | |
| Hobe Sound Bascule (SR 708) | | Opens on demand. | |
| Jupiter Isl. Bascule (SR 707) | | Opens on demand. | |
| Jupiter (US #1) | | Opens on demand. | |
| Indiantown Road Jupiter (SR 706) | | Opens on demand. | |
| Donald Ross Bascule Juno Beach | | | |
| PGA Blvd. Bascule P.B. Gardens | | | |
| Parker Bascule N.P. Beach Rte. 1 | | | |
| Flagler Bascule Palm Beach | | | |
| Royal Park Bascule Palm Beach | | | |
| Southern Blvd. Palm Beach (SR 700) | | | |
| Lake Worth Bascule (SR 802) | | Opens on demand | |
| Lantana Ave. Bascule | | | |
| Ocean Ave. Bascule Boynton B. | | Opens on demand. | New Bridge under construction. |
| S.E. 15th Ave. Woolbright Rd. | | Opens on demand. | |
| George Bush Blvd. Delray Beach | | | |
| Atlantic Ave. Delray B. (SR 806) | | | |
| Linton Blvd. Bridge, Delray B. | | Opens on demand. | |
| Spanish R. Blvd. (N.E. 40th) Boca | | Opens on demand. | |
| Palmetto Pkwy. Boca (SR 808) | | Opens on demand. | |
| Camino Real Bascule Boca R. | | 7am - 6 pm opens every 15 minutes | |
| Hillsboro Blvd. Bascule Deerfield B. | | | |
| N.E. 14th St. Bascule, Pompano | | 7am-6pm opens on the 1/4 & 3/4 hour. | |
| Atlantic Blvd. Bascule, Pompano | | 7am-6pm opens on the hr. & 1/2 hr. | |
| Commercial Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale | | | |
| Oakland Park B., Ft. Lauderdale | | | |
| Sunrise Blvd. Ft. Lauderdale | | | |
| Las Olas Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale | | Opens on demand | |
| SE 17th St. Brooks M Ft. Lauderdale | | | |
| Dania Beach Blvd. B. | | Opens on demand | |
| N. Hollywood B Sheridan Ave. | | Opens on demand | |
| Hollywood Beach B. (SR 820) | | | |
| Hallandale Bch. Blvd. (SR 824) | | 7:15am - 6:15pm opens on the 1/4 hr. & 3/4 hr. | |
| Sunny Isles (SR 826/NE 163rd) | | 7am-6pm - opens on the 1/4 hr & 3/4 hr. | |
| Broad Causeway Bay Harbor | | Year-round, 8am-6pm opens on 1/4 hr. & 3/4 hr. | |
| J.F.K. Causeway (79th St.) | | Opens on demand. | |
| Dodge Island RR Br. | | Usually Open | Closed for RR traffic |
| Jewfish Creek | | | |
| Snake Creek Bascule betw. Hawk Channel & Florida Bay at Plantation Key | | Opens on demand |
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)
- Mile 10-50 alternate route via Dismal Swamp and Elizabeth City
References
Books, Guides, etc.
Forum Discussions
Links to discussion threads on the CruiserLog Forum
External Links
Personal Notes
Personal experience
.