With Cheeks Clenched

Tolomato River
30 00.14 N 081 20.30 W

Well, we made it past the severly shoaled shallow point near Matanzas Inlet. We arrived there at the peak of high tide. The least depth we saw was 7.2 feet. No problem. However, considering the fact that tide was 4.6 feet above low, that spot was really dangerous.

The cost of doing that was getting up at 0300. We were underway at 0345. We have never traveled on the ICW before in the dark. It was much harder than I thought. The channel we traveled in is only 75 feet wide. The big danger is not leaving the channel and running aground. It is colliding with one of the red or green day markers. Four out of five of the day markers are not lit.

Here's how we did it. Basic navigation was to follow the blinking lights of the one of five daymarkers that were lit. Since the channel was basicly straight, not curvy, that part was easy. We also used the GPS chart plotter as the secondary navigation device. It showed us to be in the channel and pointing in the right direction. However, the GPS and the charts are not nearly accurate enough to avoid straying 50 feet from the center line. For that we used our hand-held spot-light. With that, we were able to spot the unlit markers from about one quarter mile away. We used the chart plotter to alert us when the next marker was 0.25 miles away, then the spot light to actually find it.

It all worked fine but it was very stressful. By the time first light came both Libby and I were pretty tired and stressed out. I don't recommend ICW travel at night unless there is a very good reason.

Anyhow, starting so early allowed us to pass the Bridge of Lions in Saint Augustine at 1230 and to anchor here at our favorite Tolomato River spot by 1500. We don't have a name for this anchorage. It's near marker 41. The only things visible are beautiful salt marshes, a very nice island, and far to the south, we see the top of the airport control tower.