Some dos and don'ts along the Eastern seaboard Lindsay McRory January 7, 1996 As we prepare to make the jump from the United States mainland into the Bahamas, we have reflected on the good and bad points of sailing from Norfolk, Virginia, to Florida. Here's the latest news and tips from the Eastern seaboard. Tip 1: Guide books and charts We used the Waterway Guide and The Intercoastal Waterway--Norfolk to Miami. We found the Waterway Guide to be much more complete. It had better information on anchorages, shoaling, and facilities. The downside was the price. We needed two different Waterway Guides, one for the mid-Atlantic and one for the southern United States. Each costs $31.95. The Waterway Guide chart book contained all charts we needed for the Intercoastal. Again, two volumes are required: Norfolk to Jacksonville and Jacksonville to Miami. These are good quality color charts bound by a spiral ring. If we did the trip again I would supplement the chart books with NOAA charts for St. Augustine, Southport, Fernandina, and Charleston. Using NOAA charts in these areas will give you a better feel for the area. If you plan on a leg offshore, additional charts will be required. Tip 2: Suitable boat types Draft and mast height are the two primary constraints. A reasonable draft is five feet or less. Few boats drawing seven feet get by. All of the fixed bridges are 64 feet at high tide. We have talked to the owners of two boats that have 64-foot masts. They wait for the tides. Every marina we've been to has dockhands helping you dock. This makes boat handling easier when only two people are on board. Tip 3: Anchorages From Norfolk to Oriental the anchorages are dismal. Typically very small and shallow. From the Oriental area down there are a lot more options. The anchoring bottoms are typically mud and soft mud. Georgia and Florida is soft mud and silt. South of Titusville, Florida, many communities do not like boats anchoring in "their backyard." Some communities have tried make anchoring illegal, although none have gone through (that I am aware of). Particular anchorage-haters include Stuart and North Palm Beach, Florida. We've also been told it's not uncommon for homeowners to visit you on their launches and inform you that it's illegal to anchor. The rationale is that they have paid bigillions of dollars for their monster homes with prime views and you, who have paid nothing, are blocking the view. Tip 4: Cost The rumor is that things are more expensive as you go farther south. I'm sure that Fort Lauderdale and Miami will be expensive, but to mid-Florida the prices for dockage and diesel have been fairly consistent. Diesel is a little cheaper north. As you move south, every small town touts itself as being the last place to have work done at a reasonable cost. Talking to people who have had work done all along the way proves that these warnings are false. I'm sure you could find higher prices in the bigger boatyards if you looked. Tip 5: Worst sections --Most of Georgia, especially at land cuts joining rivers --Fernandina, Florida, is somewhat bad, a very short, tricky section --Nassau Sound --St. Augustine inlet Tip 6: Good places to spend more than a day --Oriental, North Carolina --Beaufort, North Carolina --Daytaw Island, Georgia --Beaufort, South Carolina --Hilton Head Island, Georgia --Jekyll Island, Georgia --Fernandina, Florida --St. Augustine, Florida --Titusville, Florida --Daytona Beach, Florida Tip 7: Go offshore for a leg or two Around 40 percent of the boats we have met are retired couples embarking on their dream vacations. They follow protected waterways down to Florida before they will take their first short offshore passages to the Bahamas. But south of Beaufort, North Carolina, there are many places to enter and leave the Intercoastal Waterway. These mini offshore legs will help break in the boat and give the crew confidence in crossing the Gulf Stream. Once in the Bahamas it will be difficult to get the little things that make offshore trips comfortable, safe, and enjoyable. Tip 8: Listen to the weather Always, always listen to the weather forecasts. The 24-hour forecasts are extremely accurate. Always listen for yourself. Don't rely on your neighbor's interpretation. If you know bad weather is coming. there are lots of places to hole up. If you wait until the last minute you might end up like we did on "Danger Dock" in Bellhaven. Tip 9: Enjoy the trip