ICW (Middle to South Eastern) questions

[thomm225]

Another thought about that northern high rise section you went under which many don't have to deal with as they are in protected waters would be the waves.

If you were to enter on the wrong day, you might be dealing with 4'-7' waves so the tunnel crossing would definitely be the best option.

https://charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/12222.shtml

[Mike Crothers]

I think being nervous is just a part of cruising not just for bridge clearance but also depth, docking, insects, anchor dragging, injuries, equipment failure, etc. You just get better at taking a deep breath and knowing the things you worry most about will likely never happen. It is the things you didn't worry about that seem to get you. Either way you get a story to tell for your troubles. A great line from the movie Bridge of Spies is when ask if he was worried the captured spy replied "would it help"

[wintergull]

We have mast height issues with the bridges on the ICW.

Terry came up with this idea. When in doubt, tape your Go-Pro to the boat hook. Tape the boat hook to the spinnaker halyard. Hoist it up until the go pro is just above the base of the antenna ( which bends ). The Go-Pro transmits to your IPad. Approach the bridge slowly. As long as you can see the underside of the girders, you are OK.

We used this method when faced with a really high tide just south of Morehead City. We got tired of waiting for the tide to go down.

Read all about it in our blog. Terry saved the video. You can watch the video of what the Go Pro saw ( and listen to the antenna scraping the bridge .)

https://svlux.blogspot.com/2015/12/v...e-heights.html

[jack630]

Watch out for spring tides from a full moon. We saw bridge clearance less than 63' and had to turn around and wait it out. We only go through at less than high tide now.

[glanrock]

Originally Posted by thomm225

If you or she wasn't certain, why not just go out over one of the tunnels? That's my normal way, but I'm usually going out on the Southern end.

I did go under the 40' section inside Fishermen's Island a few years back. I went under it very slowly, but it was still an uncomfortable experience.

Then when I got past that I didn't find the depth I was hoping for and had about 1' to play with a close to high tide.

I guess I wasn't too clear on that one. I felt pretty confident that we would be fine, however she wasn't. As got closer and closer, I basically had done what I am prone to do which is using logic and reason to decide that we must be good to make it under the bridge based on all available data. We definitely considered going over the tunnel area. I was considering it practice for the ICW at the time. However thinking about a bridge clearance of 65' and how tough it was for her. LOL!

[glanrock]

Thanks for all of the great responses! I (we) really appreciate them. We will certainly be looking to sail out and around, no doubt. However I also don't know that perhaps at least once, we'd like the experience of coming up or going down through.

[Curmugeon]

I have mast steps so I sent my children to the top of the mast and asked them to try touch the bridge,,, they loved it.