Watch for commercial traffic. Try to avoid darkness.

"Where's the marker? It is very shallow here in the channel! Get out the chart and use the binoculars and find me the marker!"

This was my first trip on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (commonly referred to as the ICW). Frustrated by his poor eyesight, the captain had slipped into panic mode.

"It's right there in front of us," I said. "Would you like me to take the wheel?"

I realized later in the delivery that if we had actually been in the channel, it wouldn't have been so shallow, since the controlling depth for that area was twelve feet. Although I could write a book about everything I learned during my first trip on the ICW, a few tips will do for now.

Every year, flocks of snowbirds travel north and south along the east coast, using at least some part of the ICW, which stretches from Norfolk to Miami. Since that first trip, I have made dozens of runs up and down the coast, working alongside knowledgeable boat owners and as a delivery captain. Often times, I use portions of the ICW when the weather offshore is poor, or when we prefer the change of scenery that the ditch offers. The navigational skills and pre-trip preparation required to run the ICW are the same as those of any other long-distance trip.

While outfitting a boat for cruising, too many boat owners emphasize buying the latest and greatest electronics, but neglect the basics. Many boats are loaded with more hardware and software than was sent on the first mission to the moon, but they have a cheap pair of binoculars, one of the most essential items. Many areas of the ICW have markers that are spaced far apart and with any movement of the boat, it is almost impossible to read the marker numbers from a distance. The latest motion-stabilizing binoculars eliminate the problem and are worth their hefty prices. In addition to helping boaters read markers, these binoculars allow you to read the name of any boat you overtake long before you come close astern. (This is especially important for planing boats in the unrestricted sections of the ICW).The sooner you call the slower boat for permission to pass, the safer both boats will be.

Technological improvements in chartplotters have made navigating and cruising on the ICW much easier. Too often though, the chartplotter becomes the only tool that gets used, which can lead to problems. The first few miles of the ICW, just south of Great Bridge, VA, runs straight through a dredged canal that bisects a beautiful forest. On my first trip, we were cruising along, when the owner's wife woke up from an off-watch nap and screamed, "You are off course! You are about to run aground! Come to starboard, or you are going to run up in the trees" She had only glanced at the chartplotter, without physically looking outside to see that the actual course of the boat was right down the middle. The chartplotter was off by a few meters. Always keep a visual lookout.

Lining up the markers, may be the most important skill in your repertoire, especially in the meanders. If you line up a marker and head straight for it, your course may take you out of the channel and onto the mud. Always check the chart and your position relative to the marker you?Ĵve recently passed (looking astern) and the one on your bow.

As you plan the trip, make sure that each leg gets you to the next anchorage or marina before sunset. I have run sections of the waterway after dark, and it's never pleasant. The concentration needed will leave anyone very tired after just a few hours. On my first trip, we misjudged our arrival time into a marina in a very dark part of North Carolina and discovered that there was not a working spotlight on board. While we navigated the channel into the marina basin, the dockhand flashed a light in our direction and notified us via VHF that we should head toward his light. The captain yelled that we were about to hit another boat anchored in the channel. He quickly spun us around, and we promptly ran aground. Although we eventually extricated ourselves, we could have avoided the drama simply by adjusting our daily mileage goal to arrive in daylight and making sure we had powerful light on board.

The ICW offers some of the most pleasant cruising on the east coast, but it should not be treated casually. Plan carefully, know the rules of the road and, most importantly, be courteous.