One of the ironic (dumb) aspects of insuring your yacht is that there are stringent requirements for offshore sailing including: number of crewmembers, experience level, safety equipment, area of operations, etc... but, there are no special requirements for operating within coastal US waters and the ICW. There is no body of water more dangerous to incurring damage to your boat than the ICW.
Today's journey was a good example. First we had to finish transiting the "Rockpile" around Myrtle Beach where the ICW is very narrow and bounded on each side with sharp, jagged rocks. Fortunately we didn't have to pass anyone there. Then we had to wait for the Socastee Bridge tender to get around to opening the bridge with current and wind behind us threatening to push us into the bridge. On the other side of the bridge we met two large tug/barges. The first forced us to stop and move to the edge of the ICW just feet from the cypress trees and a no-wake bouy. The problem is that on a boat, when you stop and have no motion, you have no steering and the boat will drift where it desires, like right into the path of the oncoming barge. So we had to keep minimum way on without running into the trees and bouy. Just made it.
Next up was a USCG buoy tender that was stationary in the channel replacing a lateral marker. Fortunately there was room to pass behind him.
Then came the rain and the fog. Several times we had to slow and wait for the fog to clear making minimum forward progress.
But the great thing about fog is I get to use my automatic foghorn function on the VHF radio and loudspeaker. It automatically sounds the foghorn every 2 minutes as required by regulations.
I also got to use the rain filter on my Raymarine radar which worked very effectively. It cuts out the rain returns when you want to look for contacts and channel markers. Then you can switch back to normal mode and scan out to see when the next rainshower is coming and how severe it will be. Fancy tools for the modern sailor.
The highlight of the day, though, was the great enclosure Sue made. Throughout this rainy day transit we were able to sit in shirtsleeves and leave the rain gear hanging to dry. The visibility was restrictive, but the comfort level was outstanding.
By 4pm we were anchored in the Georgetown anchorage area, after another trying, but successful transit. The wind has picked up and forecasted to blow at 30-35kts for next couple days so we will plan to stay here tomorrow as well.
The great thing about the ICW is the interesting sights along the way (compared to water, water everywhere offshore). Look at this unique home made craft in Georgetown!
You also meet interesting people along the way on the ICW. We had dinner last night with "Pancho" (aka James) from SV Muchacha at Barefoot Landing, a fellow transitor along the ICW heading to Florida. This is not his boat though, he has a nice Tartan 40.
