Our first trip South.

The Admiral and I and our pup Pixie completed our first trip South Down the ICW. Left Toms River NJ on Oct 20th arrived Hobe Sound Florida Nov 20th. Best trip we ever took, weather was great, boat had no issues, we had a Blast!

Our boat is a 32' Island Gypsy 1983 with a single 120 lehman and a 4kw kohler genset. We logged 185 engine hours burning 2.5 gph including some daily generator use. I ran at slightly higher than my normal cruising rpm running at 1750. About 7.5 knots.

Currently we are back in NJ for the Holidays, I keep looking at the Hobe Sound weather on my phone and can't believe how cold it is up here.
At least "Adagio" has escaped the Winter.

Someday a bigger boat with better fuel economy would be nice, but for the difference in price I could probably buy diesel for the next 20 years.
Anyway can't wait to get back to the boat!

John Miri and Pixie

Congrats.

It's an awesome feeling isn't it!

Reminds me of our first trip over to the Abacos back in 2002. We left Jacksonville and spent 16 days on the boat - about 12 in the islands.

After we had backed into our slip back home and turned off the engines we kinda looked at each other and said "did we really just do that?!"

So we did it again the next year!

Congratulations! Best way to winterize a boat on the East Coast is to take it to FL.

Ted

menzies said:

Congrats.

It's an awesome feeling isn't it!

Reminds me of our first trip over to the Abacos back in 2002. We left Jacksonville and spent 16 days on the boat - about 12 in the islands.

After we had backed into our slip back home and turned off the engines we kinda looked at each other and said "did we really just do that?!"

So we did it again the next year!

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"Did we really just do that" Exactly our thoughts--the month rushed by it seemed like 10days!

Congratulations John, Miri and Pixie. Do you have a destination picked to steer a course for after holidays at home?

O C Diver said:

Congratulations! Best way to winterize a boat on the East Coast is to take it to FL.

Ted

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Hope to make it my new yearly winterization plan!

On a couple 5-8wk trips, I went south from NC down to fla or the Bahamas. Came back and on the ICW turned into my home creek to tie up, back in NC. Right then said to myself.. "I'd like to just keep going..." Maybe in a year or two..

CPseudonym said:

Congratulations John, Miri and Pixie. Do you have a destination picked to steer a course for after holidays at home?

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That's still up for debate, Options are hang in Hobe Sound and enjoy Florida living with the car. Or take the boat to Indiantown Marina and haul and paint,or cross Lake O and cruise around Southwest Florida. Any or all under consideration.

Ski in NC said:

On a couple 5-8wk trips, I went south from NC down to fla or the Bahamas. Came back and on the ICW turned into my home creek to tie up, back in NC. Right then said to myself.. "I'd like to just keep going..." Maybe in a year or two..

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I wanted to keep going also, Amazing how we all think alike?

Did you take the New Jersey ICW from Toms River?


I'm considering heading north to NYC and further and wondered about the NJ ICW.


Not now of course, in warm weather.

WesK said:

Did you take the New Jersey ICW from Toms River?


I'm considering heading north to NYC and further and wondered about the NJ ICW.


Not now of course, in warm weather.

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Stayed inside from Toms River to Atlantic City--than outside to Cape May.

Heading North you could go in at Atlantic City and back out again at Manasquan. If you draw no more than 4.5 feet it is okay, 4 is better, could be done with 5' but at that point you would probably be more comfortable outside.

I wasn't aware that there was a navigatable NJ ICW. I thought that those doing the Loop had to go out and come back in at NY and the Hudson?

menzies said:

I wasn't aware that there was a navigatable NJ ICW. I thought that those doing the Loop had to go out and come back in at NY and the Hudson?

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The inside route in NJ is navigable--However without local knowledge the best portion is from Atantic City inlet to Manasquan inlet. These inlets are straightforward and easy to enter and the inside channel is well marked.
In the Summer months the waters are very busy and if the weather and sea conditions allow a run up the coast from Cape May to Sandy Hook that is probably the best way to go North. If you need to break it up the inside is available, with some options to anchor out or take a slip.

JohnP said:

Stayed inside from Toms River to Atlantic City--than outside to Cape May.

Heading North you could go in at Atlantic City and back out again at Manasquan. If you draw no more than 4.5 feet it is okay, 4 is better, could be done with 5' but at that point you would probably be more comfortable outside.

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I draw about 3.5'. I find (at least on the AICW) that it's more fun and interesting doing the parts where there are things to see than the long straight stretches in the sounds, etc. And my boat is relatively small.


I have a book about the NJ ICW but it's pretty old.

Best to run the NJ ICW on the last 3 hrs of the rising tide and try to finish up within the first 3 of the falling.

That gives you an extra 2 feet of water in the channels.

There are some troublesome sandbars that on blowout tides, have been dry land across the entire channel.....the one I am most familiar with was in Stone Harbor behind Hereford Inlet. It was dredged 2 years ago. It can fill in pretty quickly though. I didn't cross it this year doing limited Sea Tow or with my trawler as the bridge nearby was inoperable for a couple months before I left.

JohnP....I plan to leave next October too....maybe run across you...but I do plan on taking a couple weeks in the Chesapeake.

psneeld said:

Best to run the NJ ICW on the last 3 hrs of the rising tide and try to finish up within the first 3 of the falling.

That gives you an extra 2 feet of water in the channels.

There are some troublesome sandbars that on blowout tides, have been dry land across the entire channel.....the one I am most familiar with was in Stone Harbor behind Hereford Inlet. It was dredged 2 years ago. It can fill in pretty quickly though. I didn't cross it this year doing limited Sea Tow or with my trawler as the bridge nearby was inoperable for a couple months before I left.

JohnP....I plan to leave next October too....maybe run across you...but I do plan on taking a couple weeks in the Chesapeake.

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We might cross paths sooner than that--When are you heading North this Spring.

In Ft Pierce for the first 3 weeks of February. Then headed to Miami and Northern Keys for a couple weeks, then back north to Ft Pierce for a couple days. Ultimately headed north around the 20th of March. But then not due back in Jersey till around May 18th because of stops with family and friends every couple hundred miles or so.

psneeld said:

...............but I do plan on taking a couple weeks in the Chesapeake.

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You could easily take a couple months in the Chesapeake. Or a couple summers. You can be anchored by yourself with no signs of civilization one day and be in the middle of a large major city the next.

I lived aboard for 2 yeas in Annapolis aboard a 20 knot sportfish and cruised/fished the Chessapeake all year round. In addition to many other runs and delieries.

Doesn't mean I have been everywhere...but quite a few.

Thought back...first overnighter on the Chesapeake was anchored out in the Sassafras River in 1970.

Congratulations on a successful run; we did it 6 yrs ago for 4.5 months. Greatest time of my life. Currently rebuilding cruising fund to do it again ASAP. Merry Xmas

chc said:

Congratulations on a successful run; we did it 6 yrs ago for 4.5 months. Greatest time of my life. Currently rebuilding cruising fund to do it again ASAP. Merry Xmas

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Thanks, Don't know why it took me so long to get around to it.

Nice trip for sure. JohnP

psneeld said:

I lived aboard for 2 yeas in Annapolis aboard a 20 knot sportfish and cruised/fished the Chessapeake all year round. In addition to many other runs and delieries.

Doesn't mean I have been everywhere...but quite a few.

Thought back...first overnighter on the Chesapeake was anchored out in the Sassafras River in 1970.

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If it wasn't for that pesky winter that rolls around each year, the Chesapeake Bay might be the best boating location in the country.