ICW through Miami and north

[GreenSailor]

i'm looking at a boat south of Miami and plan on bringing her north through Miami. Does the ICW run directly through Miami or around the port of Miami?

 

[Steve]

If I am reading your question right, the ICW goes between the city of Miami on the mainland and the Port of Miami on Dodge Island (just east of the city) bridges connect the city and Dodge island.
You can view the charts for the area on www.activecaptain.com ,very useful

 

[Moonstruck]

The ICW goes right by the city. This is a picture we took on the way north at the Miami River entrance.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

Here you go:

 

[Larry M]

If you do take a boat north through Miami, I would suggest, since this is your first time, that you don't do it on a Saturday or Sunday. It can be a bit crazy with the amount of boat traffic. This stretch also has a large number of bridges that you may have to have opened based on your air clearance. During the week would probably be more sedate.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. GS. Depending on where your starting point and your final destination is you may want to go outside around Miami and Ft. Lauderdale to Lake Worth. Go out at Government Cut (Miami) whilst traveling north. By doing so you will bypass 20+ bridges but do so only IF the weather is agreeable. If there's ANY north component to the wind AT ALL, stay inside.
It's a real easy run and DOES save time. 2 or 3 miles off shore and you're good.

 

[FF]

Outside makes the most sense , but like I-95 it has to be experienced (once is plenty) you understand Miami.FFL and the waterway going north.

Its an EXPERIENCE!!

 

[dannc]

Outside makes the most sense , but like I-95 it has to be experienced (once is plenty) you understand Miami.FFL and the waterway going north.

Its an EXPERIENCE!!

Yes, it is an "EXPERIENCE!" Ye should try it on a major holiday like the Fourth, Memorial or Labor day. Actually, don't try it.

I once saw a boat hit a navigation piling that had both markers and a light. It was broad daylight. Scary thing was the guy at the helm was NOT drunk.

Talked with a crew of an Israeli boat that had just crossed the Med and Atlantic and was running around in the ICW in a small dinghy during the Fourth of July weekend traffic. They had zero safety devices on the boat. Not even a life jacket. They thought since they had crossed the Atlantic, they were perfectly safe motoring around the ICW in a rubber dingy during the Fourth.

The most scary, frightful thing I have seen on the ICW...

A large woman wearing a thong, sunning on the bow of a boat, with her head point aft, while tanning her inner thighs....



Some things should not be seen in public. :lol:

Later,
Dan

 

[healhustler]

I've done it plenty of times and I'd also suggest avoiding weekends. You're gonna get waked plenty and sometimes the channel isn't wide enough to quarter the wakes. Make yourself a list of bridges and know your air draft. Mark the bridges you need to wait for and keep tabs on when they open so you can time your approach. I found heading north that about 6.5 knots brings me to the next bridge opening pretty good. Some open on demand, some at the half hour, some every 20 min., etc.. If you haven't done it yet, it might be a bit of a slog, but it's an interesting trip. Watch the markers ahead and behind to keep in the channel. Good luck.