The ICW is definitely not for sissies

Last year when we traveled south, we stayed inside on the ICW the entire way from the Norfolk, VA to just above Miami.   Joe had transited the ICW several times, helping friends move their boats but I had never seen the waterway and wanted to experience as much of it as I could.   At times it is drop-dead gorgeous and at times it is congested and tedious but in my opinion it was definitely worth doing the entire "inside" ICW route once.   This year we planned to hop outside to do several ocean passages.   On the inside ICW route you only travel during the day and at an average of 6 knots (yes, that really is analogous to 6 mph) making anywhere from 45-70 miles a day depending on current, ambition and of course the availability of good anchorages.   Sailing outside in the ocean allows us to bypass the more tedious sections and since there are no anchorages in the ocean, we sail for 24-48 hours, clicking the miles away.   However, if weather is important on the inside ICW passages, it is downright critical to making a safe off-shore passage.   And weather has not been in our favor for too much outside sailing yet this year.   We did get outside from Port Royal, SC to St. Marys GA and we had hoped to go outside from St. Marys to Ft. Pierce.   We get our weather data from several sources on the Internet and also from Chris Parker on the single-sideband radio.   All the data indicated the sea and wind conditions would not be comfortable outside so on Saturday after Thanksgiving we headed back down the inside ICW route towards St. Augustine, FL.   One of the reasons we were trying to avoid the ICW in Florida is the bridges.   The bridges get more numerous and closer together the nearer you get to Fort Lauderdale and Miami.   Many of them are low bridges that require waiting for an opening.   After leaving St. Marys we had only 5 bridges to deal with before St. Augustine.   However, the first bridge set the tone.   The Kingsley Creek Railroad Swing bridge has only 5 feet of clearance when closed (we need 56' of clearance for the mast). The cruising guide indicates the bridge is usually open but will close for trains hauling logs to the area's 2 paper mills.   The bridge gives no warning when is going to close (really-why the heck not???) and it does not have a VHF radio (seriously?).  Every other low bridge we encounter on the ICW has a bridge tender with a radio so we can talk to them.  A direct quote from the cruising guide:  "If you are in this area and hear train whistles, be aware that the bridge could close as you approach it".   So of course we hear train whistles as we approach, and we slow down looking for a train.   Nothing in site, waiting, floating, current pushing us so we go through the bridge and all is fine.   Whew.   Then comes the second bridge with about a 3 knot current against us.   No problem except it was Sunday and lots of boats transiting the bridge in both directions.   Finally, there is the Atlantic Blvd Bridge.   This bridge is 65' high so we can easily pass under it.   However, there is an island on the north side of the bridge that very effectively blocks your view of boats coming from the south to the north.   And they are working in the area so there is a HUGE barge tied off on the right side of the bridge.  And again the current is against us.   Another direct quote from the cruising guide "currents are very swift at the bridge itself, yet not noticeable when approaching from either side.  The flood tide flows in a southerly direction and at right angles to the bridge with a velocity of 3.5 knots.  The ebb tide flows at 10 degrees off the channel line at a velocity of 5.5 knots".   We were moving south on an ebb tide (of course) and that water really is rushing through the bridge towards us at a speed almost matching our average boat speed.   And to complicate things, we just get to the bridge and see a ketch coming towards us (with the current) at at least 8 knots.   We spun around and waited for her to go through and then muscled under the bridge only making 2.1 knots (SOG) against the current.   I glanced over and realized the bridge has rubber fenders (they are usually wood) and they have lots of scuff marks on them.   Gulp.   We made it through but those of you who think the ICW is a leisurely float down the east coast couldn't be more wrong.   Lots of navigational challenges to keep us on our toes everyday.   That must be why it is so beautiful or no one (not even the crazy sailors) would do this!