Daytona to NC, cellular phone range while WFB

[i-Zapp]

I'll be helping to deliver a 44' Hunter in a couple weeks, and will attempt to WFB ("work from boat") while enroute. My occupation requires that I stay fairly connected to the workplace (email, phone, intranet/internet, remote connection) and I'm hoping that while offshore I'll have decent reception to perform said tasks.

Any experience with this, particularly with ATT service?

Of course the idea will be to use my phone and cellular service as a hotspot for my computer. Minimal video conf, mostly data transfers and email. Ideally we'll be sailing offshore a few miles, and only hitting the ICW when needed.

TIA!

[flightlead404]

Depends how far offshore. If you're at the 50' contour no problem, if you're trying to ride the stream then no luck at all.

[skipmac]

First comment, the Gulf Stream is much more than a few miles offshore once you get to Ft Pierce more or less. If you follow a straight line course and the GS in the area where the coast is concave, roughly N FL to SC you could be 100-150 miles off the coast.

My experience once you're more that 5-6 miles off the coast you will lose cell phone coverage so you either have to stay closer in or give up on having coverage.

In the ICW mostly good coverage though there are areas with none. If I recall, several areas in the remote parts of central NC, a few spots in SC I lost all coverage.

[sck5]

what skipmac said. It is hard to imagine trying to sail close enough to have cell coverage. It would be rather nerve wracking with shoals, lots more traffice, aids to navigation, etc.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by sck5

what skipmac said. It is hard to imagine trying to sail close enough to have cell coverage. It would be rather nerve wracking with shoals, lots more traffice, aids to navigation, etc.

Exactly. Some of the shoals along that stretch of the coast extend 10 miles or more off. And there's several fish havens even farther offshore that are marked with giant, unlit buoys.

I have the same concerns, staying in email and phone range for work. It has worked well for me to make an occasional overnight offshore leg to get around the hazards then a day or three in the ICW or near shore to keep in touch.

[i-Zapp]

thanks. i'll have to dig into the charts to investigate our route (I'm not the skipper). He's recovering from shoulder surgery and I'm along to help bring her home. I really want to skip the ICW and run offshore as much as possible, and duck into port each night.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by i-Zapp

thanks. i'll have to dig into the charts to investigate our route (I'm not the skipper). He's recovering from shoulder surgery and I'm along to help bring her home. I really want to skip the ICW and run offshore as much as possible, and duck into port each night.

The problem with ducking into port each night, along this stretch of the coast most of the channels from ocean to anchorage or marina are 10-15 miles one way. Look at Savannah, Brunswick, Charleston.

So in a sailboat you will spend 2-3 hours getting in from the ocean for the night and another 2-3 hours to get back out to the ocean the next day. So basically in an 8-10 hour day you have lost over half of the day getting in and out so only 3-4 hours to make headway on your course.

[i-Zapp]

Originally Posted by skipmac

The problem with ducking into port each night, along this stretch of the coast most of the channels from ocean to anchorage or marina are 10-15 miles one way. Look at Savannah, Brunswick, Charleston.

So in a sailboat you will spend 2-3 hours getting in from the ocean for the night and another 2-3 hours to get back out to the ocean the next day. So basically in an 8-10 hour day you have lost over half of the day getting in and out so only 3-4 hours to make headway on your course.

skipmac - can you recommend a good ICW guide/map/book? (I'm not really in charge on this adventure, but certainly want to be knowledgeable about our options) thanks for the feedback.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by i-Zapp

skipmac - can you recommend a good ICW guide/map/book? (I'm not really in charge on this adventure, but certainly want to be knowledgeable about our options) thanks for the feedback.

Several.

ICW Cruising Guide by Bob423 has a facebook group and a website. They might be the most up to date as far as shoaling and hazards. They publish recent tracks followed through tricky areas showing the deepest routes and link this to Aqua Maps.

The Waterway Guide also publishes an excellent guide book and backs it up with a website that has updates on shoaling, hazards, bridge closures, etc.

ActiveCaptain.com also has ICW information but doesn't have the real time user support that it used to have.

[i-Zapp]

Well we completed the 600 mile journey, and it was an amazing trip. Took two weeks, about 50-70 nm per day, and had cell reception thru most/all of the trip.

I was concerned the ICW would be boring and a chore, but quite the opposite. Beautiful, challenging (currents, tides, shoals, navigation), and plenty of dolphins each day! We even went off-shore to avoid the circuitous route in southern Georgia (plus discovered a closed bridge that prevented passage N of Savannah) and got some good sailing in.

Had an amazing time, and looking forward to my next opportunity to "WFB"...