A Sail Tale

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North America

Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (Norfolk to Florida)

About 1,090 statute miles of protected canals, sounds and rivers from Norfolk to Miami, the snowbird highway of the US East Coast.

52 episodes on the chart

Length
about 1,090 statute miles Norfolk (Mile 0) to Miami
Typical duration
3-6 weeks one way
Authorized depth
12 ft Norfolk to Fort Pierce, 10 ft from there to Miami; many shoal spots are shallower; Dismal Swamp route about 6 ft
Fixed bridge clearance
65 ft standard; lowest fixed span 56 ft (Julia Tuttle Causeway, Miami)
Season
Year-round; snowbird traffic south in autumn, north in spring
Tolls
None

The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AICW) is a chain of natural rivers, sounds, bays and dredged cuts maintained by the US Army Corps of Engineers. It begins at Mile 0 in Norfolk, Virginia and runs south through North Carolina's sounds, the South Carolina and Georgia marshes and Florida's coast to Miami, with extensions to Key West. The Gulf ICW continues west from Florida toward Texas.

Snowbirds travel south in October and November and return north in April and May. Most cruisers take 3 to 6 weeks, in daylight, anchoring or using marinas. You can choose between the Virginia Cut and the Dismal Swamp Canal near Norfolk, and you can go outside in the ocean at inlets when weather allows. No tolls are charged.

The authorized depth is 12 ft from Norfolk to Fort Pierce and 10 ft from there to Miami, but funding limits mean shoaling is common. Tidal currents are strong, and Georgia and the Carolinas have many known trouble spots. Sailors must also handle numerous opening bridges and fixed bridges, with a standard of 65 ft.

Highlights

  • Dismal Swamp Canal
  • Albemarle Sound and the Outer Banks
  • Charleston and Savannah
  • Georgia's Golden Isles marshes
  • Florida's Indian River and Palm Beach

Watch out for

  • Shoaling and strong currents in the Carolinas and Georgia
  • Bridge openings on schedules, plus fixed bridges at 65 ft or less
  • Hurricane season (June to November)
  • Wakes and commercial barge traffic in narrow cuts

Episodes on this route 52

Crews on this route

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A summary for learning and dreaming, not for navigation. Rules, fees, seasons and security advice change: check current official sources before you go.

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