How many of you have ever wondered where the term "ICW" (Intercoastal Waterway) came from? Well, since I have spent the last five days winding my way through creeks, rivers, canals, land-cuts and sounds, I decided to do a little research on this unique waterway. Did you know that the Intercoastal Waterway is a navigable route of protected water going from Boston south to Florida and then along the Gulf Coast to the Mexican border. The project originated in 1909 but it wasn't until the late 1930's before most of the waterways were completed. The U.S. Corp of Army Engineers still oversees and maintains the ICW to this day. It is not unusual to pass tugs and barges along the way as the engineers are constantly trying to keep abreast of the ever changing water conditions.

Okay, so much for my history lesson; now I want to share some of my week with you. When I last left you it was Monday evening and I was heading to Orlando to pick up Toni and her dad, Don. We had a lot to do before starting our journey like stocking up on groceries, returning rental cars and picking up last minute supplies. By 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday we were finally ready to depart from Merritt Island, FL (Mile Marker 892) and begin our trip. The weather was sunny, but cool and very windy. Surprisingly, though, the waters on the "inside" were pretty calm and we turned north and headed up the Indian River.

Fortunately, there wasn't a lot of traffic on the ICW as it was still a little early for what is called the "travel season.".This is the period of peak time when the majority of boaters make the trip north or south for the winter or summer season and I hear it can be pretty crazy during that time. We only logged 117 miles the first day and stopped at Comanche Island Marina in St. Augustine, Florida (Mile Marker 775). You have to understand, especially through Florida, there are a lot of "no-wake" zones. I do fine with that for a while, but puttering at 9 mph isn't exactly my style for a long period of time. I passed a lot of slower vessels along the way but I am happy to report that not one boat passed me along the way.

Now for day two. I decided that we needed to make up some miles so it was up early and back onto the ICW. I had thought of heading out into the Atlantic for a while to "run the outside" but the report of 9- to 12-foot waves had Toni threatening to divorce me if I even thought about it. I told her that I would just stick our bow out just a little to see how it was. She wouldn't hear anything of it. I will admit, when we went by the Inlet the waves crashing waves over the break walls did look a little intimidating but still…

Well I have to admit, we had a great day anyway. We did try to take an ICW alternate route through Georgia. Toni and Don assured me that the charts showed 15–25 foot depths along the way but when my depth gauge started registering three feet, I wisely decided to spin it around and head back to the normal route. The thought of our Sea Ray sitting atop a muddy creek bottom for six hours waiting for the tide to come in did not sound like a fun time at all to me.

From Georgia to South Carolina we found ourselves winding through miles and miles of marshlands and narrow creeks. The scenery was awesome and it seemed as if each state we traveled through had its own scenic personality. We finally docked at Hilton Head Harbor in Hilton Head, S.C., (Mile Marker 557) where I am happy to report that we logged 268 miles and once again, not one boat passed me along the way.

While I was washing the boat that night a friendly manatee decided to visit. It was the coolest thing that I have ever seen. I was spraying the hose on the boat and the manatee kept trying to drink the water from the hose. He played around the back of the boat for at least 15 minutes before lumbering along his way. I have had the opportunity to see a lot of manatees, but never one that was this friendly. Manatees have been on the endangered species list for quite a while so you have to be very careful not to feed them or harm them in any way. It really is quite sad to see the prop marks across their backs where they have gotten to close to small boats.

On day three, we left Hilton Head and once again chose the ICW. We had cruised and idled about four hours and I had had all I could take of no-wake zones and whining captains. When we got to Charleston Harbor Inlet I checked the wave report which reported 2-3 foot seas and without hesitation we turned to starboard and out into the Atlantic we went. Finally, I could let my poor Sea Ray run. I plotted a course on my auto pilot to the Cape Fear Inlet in North Carolina, put the throttles at 35 mph, sat back and enjoyed the four-hour ride up the North Carolina coast. Of course, the way I went we didn't see much of the coast until we got close to the inlet, but the waters were smooth and there were no other boats in sight except for a distant fishing boat. Now this is my kind of boating. I didn't get passed by any other boats, but Don did see some gulls pass me at one point. I told him that didn't count!

We arrived at Cape Fear Inlet and stopped just inside at St. James Plantation Marina in Southport, NC (mm 307) and logged 257 miles. By the time we got to the marina it was 6:45 p.m. and the marina was closed but the dock master had given me a slip assignment before he left so we weren't worried. Well, change of plans. Unfortunately, another boat had pulled into the small marina and decided to take our spot so I had to do some fancy maneuvering to find a place to tie up to. Only a little drama ensued before we were settled in for the night and as they say, all's well that ends well. After washing the boat off, we sat on the bridge and watched the sunset before eating Toni's home-cooked meal and turning in early for bed. Another great day of boating.

Well, I will leave you with this and finish up my trip in my next blog. I also hope you enjoy my pictures. Before closing, however I have to wish Don (Toni's dad) a very happy birthday today. We had an awesome time on our trip and Don was my official navigator/First Mate along the way. We love you and hope you have a great birthday!