We had a great time working our way south this past week from St. Augustine to Miami! Our student crew on board did excellent with navigating through the ICW channel markers and working together on our time off shore. Derrek and I couldn’t have asked for better weather, giving us an easy going broad to beam reach the entire sail offshore to Miami. 

For Derrek and I, this trip was a trip of lifetime (which we hope to continue!) There is so much to see and do along the ICW from quaint seaside stores, to lovely beaches, to dinner ashore overlooking the water with live music (and amazing conch fritters) that we are very excited for our return trip in the Spring to explore even more. Its also not just about the sights (which were amazing), but about the people. While cruising the ICW you start to become familiar with the other boaters, that pass or we pass, whom are also making the trek south. Its really neat meeting new cruisers at anchorages or marinas that have already made it to their destinations from 'up north' (they tend to know all of the 'local knowledge' on the best restaurants or who has the best catch of the day).

My favorite area to sail in the ICW were when we sailed through the Carolinas - there you feel as though you are the only one around where you can see the best that nature has to offer. The way the sunlight would reflect off the channel in the early mornings to the sunset shimmering through the pine trees - it was just beautiful. Florida is beautiful too! - don't get me wrong - but after living here and sailing here for the past few years it was just "Florida." Though nothing can compare to the clear bright blue waters of Miami and the Keys - we definitely felt a wave of excitement as we rounded the bend near Key Biscayne and starting sailing though "our territory". There we were able to put all the charts down / GPS on our phones and navigate from memory. The "8ft" on the GPS no longer would give me a mini heart attack when it would jump from 24ft to 8ft in the ICW, here in Miami and the Keys 6ft - 8ft was 'normal'.

Stay tuned for one last video of our ICW trip - hopefully I will have it up by the end of this week - as we started a charter to the keys with a lovely family from New York this morning!