2015 ICW Cruising Guide Available in ebook and hardcopy

The finished hardcopy in 8.5 x 11 inch format

The 2015 ICW Cruising Guide is now available on Amazon in both ebook format and hardcopy (pictured at left). It tops out at 216,  8.5 x 11 inch pages. To keep costs down it has a soft cover and retails for the Amazon minimum price of $29.95. All the full color pages drive up the printing costs but I'm pleased with the quality of the printed copy.

An ebook format is also available for $4.95 which has the same content as the printed version with the added convenience of active links to all referenced software and sources of information along with a linked Table of Contents. Those buying the hardcopy version will automatically qualify for a free ebook download.








Amazon has free apps for reading the Kindle version that will display in full color on your PC, iPad, iPhone, Amazon Fire or Android device. To get the app, just click or tap on "Free App" under the Kindle buy box. You will receive a link suitable for the device accessing the request for the Free App.

Shallows north of Ben Sawyer Bridge in Isle of Palms

The contents of the hardcopy and ebook can be viewed on the Amazon site with access to the Table of Contents and limited viewing of the inside pages. In short, the guide is not a complete guide to all anchorages and marinas but it does cover every hazard Ann and I encountered in our 2015 spring trip north from Key West to New York along the ICW. Each hazard has a full page and some come accompanied with Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) surveys in full color. Where surveys don't exist I've sometimes included satellite maps of an area to help determine the location of deep water. In all I think it would be a useful resource for anyone venturing down the ICW this coming fall. Due to all the full color content I would highly recommend the ebook only be viewed on a full color device like the iPad or equivalent. I looked at the ebook on my Kindle and although all the text is quite readable, the color charts just do not come out well in black and white even though it's grayscale. The download is 26.5 Mb for the ebook so get a good connection.

The eastern entrance to Dawho River - a great shallow experience!

Ann and I have made the trip south now for the last five years and thought it would be appropriate to detail what we've learned in a format easy to read and follow. In addition to the hazard coverage, we've also included things we've learned to make the ICW passage more enjoyable such as how to get your house ready for an extended absence (it's more complicated than you might think), how to get your affairs in order for being away, detailed coverage on what apps are most useful during a cruise, tips for traveling down the ICW, how to plan the tides through the shallow spots with distances between critical areas and I've thrown in a few photos that might be of interest (alligators, snakes, etc.)

So now it's on to boat work. We're hauling Fleetwing on August 3 and she'll get her usual makeover for the fall trip south, lots of work in the heat of summer in New York. If you see Fleetwing in the fall, be sure to drop by and say hello!