The Intracoastal Waterway

Better known as the ICW or "The Ditch," the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway is a canalized inland water course that runs on the eastern coast of the United States, from Key West, Florida, to Boston. Its extention, the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, runs from Apalachee Bay, Florida, to Brownsville, Texas. For more than 2,500 miles along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts, the system affords a channel for barges and other light-draft vessels. It utilizes rivers, bays, coastal sounds, and canals to provide a navigatable channel with a minimum depth of 12 feet throughout most of its length. In sections, the channel has been dredged to the depth of 8 feet. (We found places much shallower than that—with the expected outcome—but perhaps we were out of the channel . . . )

Since the waterway runs so close to the continent, it is great fun to motor along and see the cities, towns and recreational areas along the way. Our favorite place is St. Augustine. This quaint little town—the oldest city on the American continent—is loaded with history and delight for the eye: an old Spanish fort, a lighthouse (love those lighthouses!), the only Spanish Revival architecture in the US, remnants of the lifestyles of the rich and famous—what a pleasing combination!

Some day we hope see do much more of this American specticle of a "Ditch."

(Left:) Oh, the feeling of POWER when all traffic stops,
the bridge goes up and WE sail (motor) through!
(Right:) One more beautiful and grandiose than the other,
the ICW is lined with luxury homes such as this.

(Left:) Candy-striped lighthouse (yes, it really is black and white!)
in St. Augustine, on the Anastasia Island.
(Center:) The whimsical Spanish fort in St. Augustine.
(Right:) The beautiful Spanish Revival Church in St. Augustine.