ICW-Intracoastal Waterway/Florida Keys Sailing School

For more information on our ASA sailing school and sailing classes in the Florida Keys please visit our website at

www.sunshinesailing.com

The Intracoastal Waterway- Officially it is called that way and it officially runs from the Annisquam River in Massachusetts, north of Boston, all the way down the East Coast and across the Gulf Coast to Brownsville, Texas. Officially it was constructed to provide a protected route for vessels that otherwise would hve to travel on more exposed bodies of water. Actually it is called, variously, the Inland Waterway, the Ditch, Inside, the Intercoastal, or the ICW. Actually, when most people refer to this waterway, no matter what name they call it, they are referring to the section that stretches from Norfolk, Virginia, to Miami, Florida. The truly protected "inside" section of the Waterway, and the one most mysterious to those who have never traveled it, begins at Mile Zero in Norfolk Harbor and ends at Mile 1,095.0 in Miami.

The Intracoastal Waterway Cruising Handbook by Jan and Bill Moeller

Bridges- Of the 137 bridges that cross the Waterway, 81 are opening bridges and need to be opened for most pleasure boat to pass through.

Anchorages- Please make sure to get a copy of Anchorages Along The Intracoastal Waterway by Skipper Bob for a listing of best anchorages, free docks, bridge and lock restrictions, and waterway shoaling from Hudson River to Key West. We used his guide everyday.

A cup of Ma-tea at sunset. Preparing ourselves with some mexican caffeine to sail thru the night the entire Chesapeake Bay. What a sail!

Under full sail in the Chesapeake Bay

Going thru the Dismal Swamp, just beautiful

Dismal Swamp Canal

Reflections

Lock

Psi Star waiting at lock

Visitor Center for boats offered us some cake

A truck slid down into the Dismal Swamp and they closed the canal to remove it after a power boat hit it.

Vegetation in canal

Coming to our first lock

Lock closing

Turtles resting on tree truk

Elizabeth City offers free docks for up to 48 hours. We got some fresh veggies and did some laundry and went out for some country cooking.

A really cool city

Docks at Elizabeth City

Book store at Elizabeth City

Osprey and nest

Encountered of Turtlebones, a CSY 44 that we knew from Key Largo that has been purchased by someone from Nova Scotia...small world.

Psi Star at dock in Elizabeth City

Jeff and a loaf of fresh home made bread....Yummy

I think I am going to have a bite too.

Jeff going to check the propeller...cold water!

Sunset at anchor

Jeff cranking on manual windlass

Beautiful morning dew

Monkeys at sunset holding hands

Oops my bad! A picture is worth a thousand word.

Osprey on daymark

Osprey proctecting his nest

Tug boat pushing hard

Grey heron on ICW

Fish On!

A fisherman getting ready for a hard day at work

Offshore Sailing course from Florida Keys to Chesapeake

Doctor Dave and his son BT the pirate came on a offshore sailing course to build their sea legs. We left on May 03, 2008 from Tavernier, Florida Keys on the sailing vessel Psi Star, a 44' CSY. These are the pictures of our trip.

Final Destination: Annapolis, Maryland

We awoke this morning to the sounds of woodpeckers, whippoorwill and cicada mixed with the grog of frogs and other animals we couldn’t identify. The stillness of it all contrasted very much with our last four days waltzing offshore with the Gulf Stream. The morning dew danced just above the creek’s brownish water creating a mist that gave our anchorage a mystical feel. The sweet green smell of our surroundings filled our lungs with a freshness that only nature can offer. We sat in silence grateful of our safe passage and thankful of our entourage; the nature, our friends, our family, our life. As we left our anchorage and started making way down the Thoroughbred River, we saw a reminder of the wildness of the swamps of South Carolina: an alligator. When he noticed our presence he went down under as we proceeded further down the narrow river into the sunrise and the morning mist. What a special way to start your day. The crew of s/v Psi Star.

For more information on our Key Largo sailing school and sailing classes please visit our website at www.sunshinesailing.com

Doctor Dave the pirate

Doctor Dave, BT the pirate, Jeff and Jenn

Passing Miami off our port beam

Sunset out at sea with aircraft carrier in background

BT the pirate at the helm offshore. We celebrated his birthday out at sea. He took part of our 3 hour shift watch schedule

Studying for their exam and navigating

BT the pirate on watch offshore

Doctor Dave turning into a pirate

Captain Jeff smiling at life

Coming into South Carolina inlet after 4 days offshore

Bald Eagle greetings us at the inlet

ICW-tree that was hit by lightning

ICW-Sunset at our first anchorage

Cruisers at anchorage

Capt. Jeff giving a Power Point class presentation

Morning mist on ICW underway

Doctor Dave at the helm in ICW

Another beautiful morning in the ICW in SC

Osprey resting on branch in ICW

Another Osprey in the morning mist

Grey heron flying to his nest

Psi Star underway in ICW

A quaint little marina and ship store on ICW

Doctor Dave...what is that your are drinking?;)

BT the pirate having some tea time

Swing bring on ICW