2016 ICW Cruising Guide is now available

The 2016 edition of the ICW Cruising Guide is available now by clicking on the icon at left. There's information on the update on all the new features added and a button if you wish to purchase a copy. It is also available on Amazon.com and will be in ebook format later. The link at left leads you directly to the publisher which is the same one used by Amazon to fulfill their book orders.

There have been many enhancements due to feedback from buyers of the 2015 edition:
- Hazards now have the mile marker displayed for their location in the header of each page
- Hazards show the minimum depth in the header of each page
- The charts have been enlarged and the marker number reprinted in large type by each marker. A small R2 or G1 becomes much larger for easier reading
- Where not obvious, a yellow line has been added on the chart to show the best path through a hazard.
- Waypoints have been added for some of the most difficult passages such as south of Fernandina, Jekyll, Hell Gate and others. A link has been included for downloading the routes in GPX format. I've detailed how to download the GPX files into Navimatics Charts and Tides as well as into the Garmin Mobile app on the iPad. Of course, the GPX files can always be downloaded for use in chartplotters per the manufacturers' instructions.
- Detailed instructions are included for transiting the Cape May Canal with its 55ft high tide bridges which are not really 55ft high. If your mast height is less than 58ft, then you may be able to take the canal passage by following the "bridge height equation" in the book at less than high tide.
- The photos have been embedded into the flow of the hazard descriptions to get a better feel of an area.
- Links have been left in blue with an underline and I will publish the links as a Page in the blog site for ease of finding the recommended apps, marinas, and other information from the guide.

As you will see in the description of the guide, it is not a complete compendium of all marinas and anchorages; there are plenty of other guides for that. However, it does include the marinas and anchorages we've found spaced conveniently for ICW travel and where there's pet relief easily available. Also included are updated lists of how to get ready for the trip and tips on making life more enjoyable on the waterway.

As in 2015, nothing in the book is second hand. I've been through all of the hazards at least 12 times and most recently in the spring of 2016 on my trip north from Key West. I hope you enjoy the guide and I would ask you to leave a review on Amazon.com to help other boaters.