Chapter 14: Conclusion

 

Sunrise at Deep Point, on the Alligator River, NC. 



Surviving Thriving on the ICW


Conclusion

One of the great things about cruising, particularly on the ICW, is that you keep crossing paths with some boats.  We’ve developed many great friendships with fellow cruisers who we met at anchorages and marinas.  The cruising lifestyle is unique.  You spend a lot of time in solitude, by yourself or with just your crewmate(s).  But then you also develop tremendous social bonds with fellow cruisers on other boats.  You can meet someone in an anchorage and immediately strike up a friendship because you share common interests, experiences, joys, and concerns.  You may not see that person again for years.  But if you do cross paths again, you will probably find that the friendship you shared is still alive and well.  It's a special feeling when you are just arriving in a new port, one that you've never visited before, and you're pretty sure that some of your friends are there.  And it's also special to know that there are people in this new place whom you haven't met yet, who will quickly become your friends over the coming days.   This sort of thing is very rare in the "real world," but oh so common among the cruising community.  And for many cruisers, it's their primary motivation to keep cruising.


Regardless of any of the tips described here, remember to follow the Navigation Rules.  Starting with Rules 1 & 2, which essentially boil down to: “All vessels are subject to The Rules” and “There is no excuse for not following The Rules.”  If, in the heat of the moment, you can’t remember which navigation rules apply to your situation or any of the suggestions offered here, just use common sense, caution, and courtesy: slow down, keep to the right, don’t impede other vessels, watch your wake, and be aware of your surroundings.  If we all use common sense and courtesy on the water, accidents would be very rare.


We have a saying that bolsters our confidence whenever we find ourselves in a tricky situation on the water.  This mantra may help you, too: 


“Dumber people than us do this every day.”  


If they can do it, so can we.


Hope to meet you out on the Waterway and add you to our growing circle of cruising friends. Thrive on! 


If this guide has been helpful to you and would like to support its continued improvement, consider buying us a hose clamp. You can never have too many spare hose clamps.  If you’re not into hose clamps, how about a Racor filter or water pump impeller?



Prime rib at Coinjock Marina, a rite of passage.  Celebrating the near-completion of our northbound transit of the AICW.  (And, yes, we did save a little for Loki.)




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Welcome to Thriving on the ICW

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  Welcome to Thriving on the ICW , a nuts & bolts guide to successfully navigating the Intracoastal Waterway. To access the guide, click on the tab for each of the chapters in the table of contents. Depending on your browser, you may first have to click on the "menu" icon to get the table of contents to appear. Alternatively, you will also find a table of contents with links to each chapter at the bottom of this page and at the  end of each chapter. This guide is a work in progress. It's still in an early draft form; the text needs editing, some of the figures are a bit amateurish, and we have inserted notes where photos or illustrations are still needed on specific topics. (Feel free to contact us if you have a photo that may be useful.) We are posting the draft on this blog site to make it easily accessible and to solicit constructive feedback from experienced ICW cruisers and those who aspire to cruise down "The Ditch" someday. The blog format makes it e...
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