Information presented on this page is for the page author's use only. Use of this information by anyone other than the author is offered as guidelines and non-professional advice only. No liability is assumed by the author or this web site. Regardless of information presented here, the captain is solely responsible for the safety of craft and crew.
The following locations will require the use of tide in order to navigate through the area:
Fuel stops planned for: STM 8.8, 132 or 205, 373, 557, 717, 952, 1134, 1193. (at least every 330 mi)
ICW areas that change frequently (monthly): Browns Inlet, Lockwoods Folly, Shallotte, Watts Cut, Ashepoo-Coosaw Cutoff
A coastal storm affecting the entire US East coast will bring winds of 20 knots sustained with gusts over 40 knots starting Friday night and ending Saturday night. By Thursday morning, it developed into Tropical Depression Sixteen with winds of 22 knots gusts to 42 knots at Behlaven NC. By Friday it evolved into Tropical Storm Ophelia.
If approaching Sanitary Fish Market / Morehead City Docks, favor N marina side rather than Sugar Loaf Isl to avoid shoals
STM 575.8 to 714.0 is within the Georgia border. Effective 1 July 2020 Georgia House Bill 833 restricts overnight anchoring by any vessel within 300 ft (0.05 nm) of a marina (any facility that provides marine services), 150 feet (0.025 nm) from a marine structure other than a marina (private docks, bridge, pier, etc.), 500 feet (0.082 nm) of approved commercial shellfish growing areas and designated harvest areas.
As a consequence of this clear indication that transient boaters are not welcome in Georgia, this trip plan has been designed overnight only at remote locations, eliminating the many stops in the towns throughout Georgia that we would spend our money at.
STM 575.8 to 714.0 is within the Georgia border. Effective 1 July 2020 Georgia House Bill 833 restricts overnight anchoring by any vessel within 300 ft (0.05 nm) of a marina (any facility that provides marine services), 150 feet (0.025 nm) from a marine structure other than a marina (private docks, bridge, pier, etc.), 500 feet (0.082 nm) of approved commercial shellfish growing areas and designated harvest areas.
As a consequence of this clear indication that transient boaters are not welcome in Georgia, this trip plan has been designed overnight only at remote locations, eliminating the many stops in the towns throughout Georgia that we would spend our money at, and minimizing fuel stops.
We will need 7 out of 36 bridges from here south opened for us.
19 to 22 Oct 2023 REEF FEST - A CELEBRATION OF MARINE CONSERVATION Key Largo FL 8300 Overseas HwyKey LargoFL 33037 Registration (free)
25 Nov 2023 ISLAND ART FESTIVAL 2023 Big Pine Key 31020 Overseas HwyBig Pine KeyFL 33043 Chamber of Commerce grounds, MM 31 oceanside. 9am-3pm local arts & crafts. FREE admission and parking.
6 to 7 Jan 2024 FLORIDA KEYS CELTIC FESTIVAL Marathon Community Park, MM 49 oceanside. $12/pp
13 to 14 Jan 2024 20TH ANNUAL BIG PINE & THE LOWER KEYS NAUTICAL EXPO Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce grounds, mile marker 31, Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. FREE admission and parking.
24 to 25 Feb 2024 GIGANTIC NAUTICAL MARKET Islamorada Founders Park at mile marker 87 bayside at 8 a.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. Sunday. Parking is available at Coral Shores High School with free shuttle service to the park. FREE ????
24 to 25 Feb 2024 KEY WEST ART & CRAFT FESTIVAL Key West along the Quay at Truman Waterfront Park, 100 Southard Street
9 to 10 Mar 2024 MARATHON SEAFOOD FESTIVAL Marathon Community Park, 200 36th Street oceanside. $5/pp
The Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1 and runs through November 30th, with the majority of the activity between mid October and mid November, and the peak 10 September. Modern meterology is able to predict the path of a hurricane 4 to 5 days in advance as a cone of uncertainty. A tropical storm watch is issued within 48 hours of possible tropical storm conditions (39 to 73 mph). A tropical storm warning is issued within 36 hours of expected tropical storm conditions (39 to 73 mph). A hurricane watch is issued when sustained winds of 74 mph or higher are possible, and 48 hours in advance of tropical storm force winds (39 to 73 mph). A hurricane warning is issued when sustained winds of 74 mph or higher are expected, and 36 hours in advance of tropical storm force winds (39 to 73 mph). An extreme wind warning is issued for sustained winds of 115 mph or greater from a major hurricane (Category 3, 4, or 5) are expected within the next hour.
A tropical cyclone is a warm-core low pressure system, without any front attached, that develops over the tropical or subtropical waters and has an organized circulation. These include hurricanes and typhoons.
Hurricane force winds are sustained winds of 74 mph (64 knots) or more. Hurricane Cat 1 winds 82 knots (95 mph) to 94 knots (110 mph) sustained, Cat 2 95 knots (110 mph) to 111 knots (129 mph) sustained, Cat 3 112 knots (129 mph) to 136 knots (156 mph) sustained, Cat 4 greater than 136 knots (156 mph) sustained. Tropical storm force winds are sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph (33 to 63 knots). A tropical depression has maximum sustained winds of 38 mph (34 knots) or less.
2023 Preliminary Atlantic Tropical Cyclone Tracks - Updated monthly
Our boat has 3x 2000 GPH bilge pumps with automatic float switches, powered by a 900 Ah battery bank. We can easily travel 90 miles per day for 330 mi / 287 nm (fuel tank range) on the ICW toward a hurricane safe location. We have both satellite and cellular devices to keep us informed of weather predictions, and we know from our prior trips that we always have cellular coverage.
Our ground tackle consists of 200 ft of 5/16" HT Grade 43 (G4) ISO short link tethered to 200 ft of 5/8" 3-strand nylon line. HT Grade 43 (G4) chain is about 35% stronger than conventional BBB chain. We have a 40 ft of 5/8" 3-strand nylon rope used as a snubber (keeps load off of the windlass). Our anchor is a Ultra UA21 21 kg anchor, and is one size larger than recommended for our boat. Anchored in water that is up to 20 feet deep, we have sufficient ground tackle scope to employ a 10:1 scope with our chain alone, achieving 100% total holding power. According to ABYC holding power recommendations for a 40 ft LOA boat, our ground tackle is good for up to 53 knot winds.
We also carry a Fortress FX-37 spare anchor with 200 ft of 5/8" 3-strand nylon rope, and 5/8" braided nylon ropes for dock lines.
In the event of a tropical storm warning (or worse, e.g. hurricane watch or extreme wind warning) is issued for our area of navigation, we will immediately move our boat to one of the "Named Storm/Hurricane Haul-Out Locations Along the ICW" listed later, or go to a suitable anchorage if haul out is not possible. The boat will be stripped of all loose items, all potential water inlet ports closed (except for bilge), hatches and ports secured, shore power connections removed, any boat to shore lines doubled, line chafe protection added, bilge pump operation verified, and deploy fenders as appropriate.
During the month of October 2023, we will be traveling south from the Chesapeak Bay (Baltimore MD) to the FL Keys via the Atlantic Intercoastal Waterway (ICW). Our primary plan will be to monitor the weather daily, and then put as much distance (90 mi/day) between our boat and the path of any potential hurricane or tropical storm. We will then arrange with a marina for haul out of our boat for storage on land at a location well away from potential storm surge. With four days of advance notice, we can be at least 360 miles away from a potential weather risk.
In the unlikely event that we cannot be hauled out, we will anchor in 20 ft or less depth water in an anchorage with lots of room, using the ground tackle described previously. We will chafe guard our anchor chain snubber line.
We will not stay on our boat during any storm with winds greater than 50 knots
Monitoring the weather daily, if a reasonable chance of a tropical storm or hurricane striking our the Florida Keys exists, we will begin moving the boat north east up the ICW at a rate of 90 miles per day toward a safe location. In four days alone, we should be able to travel from Marathon FL (STM 1193) to Daytona FL.
In the unlikely event that we cannot be hauled out, we will anchor in 20 ft or less depth water in an anchorage with lots of room, using the ground tackle described previously.
We will not stay on our boat during any storm with winds greater than 50 knots
Availability and exact details need to be confirmed
Dry Tortugas National Park is an American national park located about 68 miles (109 km) west of Key West. The destination is the Fort Jefferson anchorage where a shallow reef provides protection from the ocean waves. The main west channel entrance is preferred. Must register boat in person with the ranger. $10/pp 7 day boat permit is collected through a self-service fee area on the main dock at Garden Key. Cash or check only. Florida fishing regulations apply, but other restrictions apply.
The total distance from Marathon to Dry Tortugas is 101 nm (116 mi). The fuel tank has a range of 260 nm at 8.2 knots (3.5 gph), or ~146 nm at 10+ kts (8 gph). The trip will take 13 hours at 8.2 knots, or 10 hours at 10 knots. Assuming a 7 am sunrise departure, we have 10 hours to cover 101 nm from Marathon to the Dry Torgugas before sunset. BUT we don't have enough fuel to travel at 10 knots from Marathon to the Dry Torgugas, and return and stop at Key West for fuel (about 170 nm). The only fuel option I can find is a stop at the south side of Key West at N24.53903, W81.73099 for fuel at Oceans Edge 786-862-6315, Perry Hotel & Marina 239-294-0229 or other options.
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Atlantic ICW
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