Luckily there are many navigational aids along the ICW, placed and maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) or by private individuals or organizations who have obtained permits from the USCG. The aids are mostly in the form of day boards that are red or green and mounted on pilings.
Conventionally, a boater keeps aids that are red to starboard when returning from the open sea or heading upstream. Since the ICW frequently crosses or joins other waterways, it has its own unique symbols, a yellow reflective mark placed on each day board or buoy. When heading south, a yellow square marks port and a yellow triangle marks starboard.
To address the shoaling problems in the ICW, the Coast Guard will place small, floating navigational aids on problematic shoals, and it is known that you should avoid getting too close to these.
Unfortunately, even with all the navigational markers out there, running aground is one of those things that just happens.
Sometimes it's because you just aren't being as careful as you could. This happened to what I will call Vessel Aground #1 this morning, just as it was leaving Mile Hammock Bay. We later chatted with that boat's captain and first mate and when Jamey commented, "You just hadn't had your coffee yet," the captain agreed. "Tea," said the first mate, "I hadn't had my cup of tea yet." They had declined Jamey's offer of a pull when we passed them early this morning, and luckily were able to free themselves by winching the boat off using a stern anchor.
I'm not exactly sure what the circumstances were for Vessels Aground #2 and #3, but I will blame it on that fearsome menace, Big Bad Shoal (BBS). BBS takes the blame because I am assuming that like C.Spirit, Vessels Aground #2 and #3 have careful captains and relatively good navigational charts and tools. The thing with BBS is that he creeps and crawls out and sucks your keel in EVEN when you are watching out for him. Sometimes he recruits his evil friends, Big Bad Wake or Big Bad Wind. Sometimes, it is when a captain is kindly giving room to a barge or other large vessel, that BBS is opportunistic, and seizes the moment...and keel.
We passed Vessel Aground #2 by one of the floating green cans, marking an encroaching shoal at the mouth of an inlet. Sadly, it was hard aground, fixed sideways to the current and starting to keel over a little. As we moved down the river, a towboat rushed to its rescue, and we hope Vessel Aground #2 was able to be pulled off without damage.
We heard about Vessel Aground #3 over the VHF shortly after it ran hard aground at the turn into Wrightsville Beach in a channel known for persistent shoaling despite frequent dredging.
We later heard from some folks who had traveled our same route yesterday that they had also seen three boats go aground along the way. We made it to our anchorage safely and without incident, but our fear of BBS and his gang definitely grew.
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| Some navigational aids are more visible than others. |
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| Wrightsville Beach |
WHERE WE STARTED: Anchored in Mile Hammock Bay, Mile 244
WHERE WE ARE: Anchored in Carolina Beach Bight, Mile 294
FROM THERE TO HERE: 50 miles, 7.5 hours, Jamey at the helm. We traveled with around 5 or 6 other boats, at times everyone lined up in a row, looking like the "Gotta-Get-South Parade." At the end of the day, we had crew from several boats visit us. The passage down had been a sort of bonding experience for everyone, and it was great to be able to rehash the day.
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Waiting for the bridge to open. Jamey circled around; other boats were less hyper.
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| Pink! |
Jamey adds, "There is also Big Bad Current."
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