Norfolk In-Water Boat Show Returns

It’s back, baby! The Norfolk In-Water Boat Show returns in September.

After a 10-year hiatus, the Norfolk In-Water Boat Show returns this month to the Waterside Marina at Town Point Park September 13-15. The show runs from noon to 7 PM each day.

The last show was in 2008 during a downturn of the economy, and many reasons have prompted its return. Boat show chairman Chuck Guthrie, president/owner of Lynnhaven Marine in Virginia Beach, says, “The upturn in the boating market, availability of year-end boat deals, display of quality pre-owned boats, the renovation of The Waterside District, the new first-class Hilton, great restaurants, and improvements in Norfolk’s downtown area make for a perfect environment for a regional boat show.”

Mariners and interested buyers can expect to see a wide variety of new and used powerboats on land and in the water from dealers across the state and surrounding region. At the Norfolk In-Water Boat Show, styles of boats will include luxury motor yachts, sport fishermen, personal watercraft, and inflatables.

festevents.org

By Chris Knauss, Southern Boating September 2018

More Chesapeake Updates:

Trawlerfest

Virginia Beach Billfish Tournament

THIS YEAR’S VIRGINIA BEACH BILLFISH TOURNAMENT (VBBT) takes place August 23-26. Registration is open from 4PM to 10PM on Wednesday, Aug. 23rd, with a kick-off party and live music beginning at 6PM and a Captain’s Meeting at 7:30PM. After ﬁshing on Thursday and Friday, festivities include a dock party with music and dinner from 7PM to 9PM. The tournament concludes with an awards banquet from 7PM to 9PM on Saturday.

The VBBT is part of the Virginia Beach Billﬁsh Foundation, a nonproﬁt organization that supports the community’s youth and the area’s marine resources. One mandatory tournament entry level and six optional levels are available, including a Charitable Mystery Fish category with 25 percent of the winnings going to VBBT charities. Awards are also presented for the top female angler, top junior angler and top gameﬁsh angler. Last year’s tournament hosted 75 boats with 512 anglers and presented $544,500 in cash awards. Anglers released 455 billﬁsh overall: 18 blue marlin, 144 white marlin, 280 sailﬁsh, and 13 spearﬁsh. Marinas with accommodations and charter opportunities include Fisherman’s Wharf Marina, Rudee Inlet Station Marina, the Virginia Beach Fishing Center, and Southside Marina.

For more information: vbbt.com

By Chris Knauss Southern Boating, August 2017

Chesapeake Changes Gas for the Better

Maryland gas changes for the better

Mariners will soon find a new fuel at Maryland marinas that’s better for their boat and for the environment. Largely due to the work of the nonprofit Marine Trades Association of Maryland, Delegate Herb McMillan and the Gevo fuel company, isobutanol-blended gasoline is now legally available for marinas to dispense. The fuel solves the problems associated with the use of ethanol.

According to testing completed on isobutanol, it offers a 30 percent higher energy content than ethanol, elimination of phase separation issues, reduced emissions, increased octane, and no water solubility glitches.

The EPA-approved fuel is made from renewable resources such as cereal crops, sugarcane, sugar beets, and other cellulosic raw materials. Tested by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) in collaboration with the Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory, isobutanol is fully compatible with marine engines. Its performance — validated by Mercury, Evinrude, Johnson, Volvo Penta, Honda, Yamaha, and others — demonstrated that internal combustion engines have no problems running with mixtures of isobutanol and regular ethanol gasoline.

In Maryland, isobutanol is currently available only to on-water fuel facilities. Greg Roda, of Gevo, said he’s been “working like a dog” to make it accessible since it was legalized. “I believe there’s a big market there, and I believe everybody wants it. As you would guess, the supply chain is the hard part.” gevo.com

Non-ethanol fuel on the OBX

Speaking of gas, while Maryland changes gas for the better, you can find non-ethanol fuel this summer at Dock of the Bay Marina, the only marina on North Carolina’s northern Outer Banks with gas, diesel, deepwater access, and just about everything else you need for an adventure on the water.

The convenience store at this Kitty Hawk marina has ice, sandwiches, sodas, chips, and plenty of snacks to load up on. For adults, it also offers wine and beer. The marina also has crabbing supplies and fishing bait and tackle. The friendly and helpful staff can update you on the weather, provide directions and answer any other questions you may have. outerbanks.com/dock-of-the-bay-marina

Tournament time

Summer is fishing tournament time in the Mid-Atlantic with competitions throughout the region for charities and cash prizes ranging from $50 to more than $1 million. Charter boat operators and professional guides will be on-site to provide the know-how and stress-free entertainment. Daily tournament parties are also a big part of the fun.

For example, the 13^th Annual Virginia Beach Tuna Tournament is June 21-24 with weigh-ins at Marina Shores marina in Lynnhaven Inlet and the Virginia Beach Fishing Center in Rudee Inlet. In 2016, anglers aboard Skiligal reeled in a 216-pound bigeye tuna for first place and nearly $65,000. Sixty-eight boats participated in the tournament with a total payout of $122,850.

The big daddy of tournaments is the White Marlin Open in Ocean City, Maryland, in August. The 2016 purse was $4,450,000 with 1,412 fish caught. The money is so good, if you win, you’ll need to pass a lie detector test. Last year’s “winner” didn’t pass.

By Chris Knauss Southern Boating Magazine June 2017

Hart-Miller Island

There’s more to do these days on the man-made Hart-Miller Island. The transition from dredge dumpsite to wildlife habitat and state park for mariners, birders and others will bloom again this month. Starting May 7^th, visitors can rent bicycles, hike on newly cleared trails and participate in recreational programs on the south side of the island.

Hart-Miller is a 1,100-acre island located north of Baltimore near the mouth of Middle River. It is accessible only by boat and is a popular summertime raft-up area in the upper Chesapeake. The western shore offers safe mooring, wading and access to a 3,000-foot sandy beach. In the past, visitors have had access to only the perimeter of the island, but now they will enjoy the previously gated-off areas.

Park staff will be on site five days a week from May through September. The park will be open Thursday through Monday to accommodate weekend traffic and closed Tuesday and Wednesday. The 800-acre north end of the island remains an active construction zone. No more spoils are being deposited there, but workers are drying and processing dredge materials. Eventually, it will be planted with trees and shrubs and will also become a part
of the park.

The DNR will be monitoring visitor traffic to develop a long-range plan for the island. It’s potentially a major draw for birdwatchers because of the many birds that stop over during migrations. Nearly 300 species have been documented on the island, including killdeer, American oystercatchers, black ducks, tundra swans, and downy woodpeckers. dnr2.maryland.gov

Plans for Hatteras Inlet

The Dare County Waterways Commission met this past winter to review updates on the dredging project for Hatteras Inlet on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. The commission’s main goal is keeping open the connecting channel west of the inlet gorge, which maritime traffic has been using. A long-term goal of the commission is to reopen the shorter route east of the gorge. The inlet was especially shallow in February and several fishermen voiced their concern with navigating the channel during low tide.

To provide relief, Dare County hired a consultant to help secure permits for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the process is projected to have permits this spring. The project will commence under a one-year renewable agreement with the state and the corps.

Suds at the beach

Cruisers overnighting in Virginia Beach can now learn about the fine art of craft brewing, sensibly imbibe some suds and get a ride home without risking a DWI. According to the Taste Virginia website, craft brew tours in Virginia Beach are based on each group’s interests and the availability of venues. Tours generally require at least four guests and last around four hours with three stops. A tour guide can pick you up in their motor coach at your marina or another designated location. Guides provide behind-the-scenes information about local breweries and brewpubs, offer some instruction about the evolution, styles and production of beer, and give tips on how to select and pair beer with food. tastevirginia.com

Big fish, big money

Winter fishing in the Chesapeake is a big deal.

But a bigger deal is the legal drama over who will receive $2.8 million of winnings from this year’s White Marlin Open in Ocean City, Maryland. In August, Phil Heasley, aboard Kallianassa of Naples, Florida, caught a 76.5-pound white marlin to win an estimated $2.8 million, which was reported as the largest individual cash prize in sportfishing history. Tournament rules state that anglers cannot fish until after 8:30AM, but adherence to the tournament’s rules is in question and the prize money is now in escrow.

Heasley, president and chief executive officer at ACI Worldwide, caught the only “qualifying” white marlin in the tournament, fishing along with Capt. David Morris and mates Kyle Bohannon and Joseph Hagen. According to a court document filed by White Marlin Open Inc. (WMO), Heasley, Morris, Bohannon, and Hagen were on Defendant Heasley’s vessel when he caught the white marlin. None of them passed multiple polygraph tests administered by two examiners.

Heasley contends that he and his crew did not violate tournament rules. In September, Heasley and his attorneys filed a notice of removal to have the civil case removed from Worcester County Circuit Court and transferred to a federal court. That’s where it stands now. Richard Kosztyu, who caught the winning tuna in the tournament, would gain the most if a judge rules against Heasley. Kosztyu has received $767,091 and would receive an additional $2.3 million. The circuit court document is available on the WMO website. whitemarlinopen.com

Time for stripers
Striped bass fishing is a fine winter fishing activity at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. Action typically picks up in the Virginia Beach area in October and runs through April. With their annual migration, tens of thousands of stripers move through the area in search of schooling bait fish. Located in the middle of two food-rich currents—the Florida Current coming up from the south and the North Atlantic Current coming down from the north—and two great bodies of water for winter fishing, the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, Virginia Beach is an ideal feeding place. Add the 17-mile-long Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel to the mix and you’ve got plenty of structure for anglers to target hiding fish. Anglers can also try to cash in on their catch this season by participating in the Mid-Atlantic Rockfish Shootout. This year’s benefit tournament runs December 8-10 with weigh stations at Rudee Inlet and King’s Creek Marina on Cape Charles. midatlanticrockfishshootout.com

Good clean fun at Harbor East
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has certified Harbor East Marina in Baltimore as a Maryland Clean Marina. The facility earned the recognition after adopting best management practices from the Maryland Clean Marina Guidebook, meeting all environmental and regulatory requirements and passing a site inspection. Harbor East is a 200-slip marina that can accommodate vessels up to 125 feet. Transients are welcome. The marina offers easy access to many of Baltimore’s best attractions including the National Aquarium, Harborplace (shopping and dining), sports venues, the convention center, and others. Harbor East also plans to participate in the Great Baltimore Oyster Partnership, a collaborative effort to restore the state’s oyster population. As part of the program, oyster gardens will be installed at the marina, where baby oysters will be planted and protected. harboreastmarina.com

By Christopher Knauss, Southern Boating Magazine December 2016

Patriotic festivities at the beach

This year’s Virginia Beach Patriotic Festival is June 3-5 and will feature Chris Young with special guest Bobby Bones & Raging Idiots on Friday, Sam Hunt with guest Canaan Smith on Saturday, and Big & Rich with an appearance by Cowboy Troy on Sunday. The oceanfront concert site is at the foot of 5th Street. Tickets are available online at patrioticfestival.com.

The festival’s Military Expo Village showcases our national defense mission, equipment and personnel through exhibits, demonstrations and displays on Friday through Sunday from 15th Street to 20th Street. The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard branches of the military are all participating. Transient slips are available at marinas throughout Lynhaven and Rudee inlets.

Boardwalk docking

Chrismar Marina has opened at the head of Middle River, a tributary of the Chesapeake near Essex, Maryland. The 38-slip docking facility is located on the site of the previous Buedel’s marina and prop shop. Charlie and Mary Frances Gast have completely transformed the property to include a 735-foot boardwalk with docking that can accommodate yachts up to 50 feet. The mean low tide is 5 feet, 5 inches. Minor repairs and washing and cleaning are available. Winter storage will be on the water with all slips bubbled. chrismar-marina.com

Leukemia Cup events

The 2016 Leukemia Cup Regatta hosted by Eastport Yacht Club is scheduled for Saturday, June 4th. Last year’s regatta was a record-breaking fundraising year with 103 boats in the regatta and $247,000 raised for the mission of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. An “Off the Water Fundraising Race” that encouraged fleets, clubs and individual teams to join in the fight against blood cancer raised $120,000. The event weekend kicks off with live entertainment and auctions the night before and concludes with an awards dock party after the races.

The Southern Chesapeake Leukemia Cup Regatta is July 8-10, hosted by the Fishing Bay Yacht Club in Deltaville, Virginia. The regatta offers three courses including one for Typhoons and other one-design monohulls less than 20 feet that run inside Fishing Bay. National Capital Area events include a junior regatta on August 20th, a poker run on August 27th, and a sailing regatta on September 9-20. Advanced registration for all the events is required. leukemiacup.org

Nurse a beer or three

Cruisers to the Northern Outer Banks can find plenty of action underway this month without the summertime rush. If you like beer and art, May 30-June 5 is the week for you. It’s Outer Banks Craft Beer Week, which was “created to showcase the marriage between the craft beer industry and the arts.” It’s an adult event and no kids are allowed. One option is three days of craft beer education at a one-of-a-kind brewing retreat at North Carolina’s oldest microbrewery, the Weeping Radish Farm Brewery.

For the kids (and adults), Tuesdays, starting May 31, is Kitty Hawk Kites Kids Days. Activities include games, kite making, toy and yo-yo demonstrations, rock wall climbing (Nags Head and Waves Village only), and more. kittyhawk.com/events/outer-banks-kids-day/

— By Christopher Knauss, Southern Boating Magazine May 2016

Urban wetland planned for National Aquarium campus

Cruisers to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor will see more green and more wildlife by the end of this decade.The National Aquarium has unveiled a plan to create an urban wetland to demonstrate how natural ecosystems can improve the health of the harbor and the Chesapeake Bay.

The urban wetland will be in the water between Piers 3 and 4 and consist of habitats such as floating wetlands and underwater shelves with bay grasses and terraced edges. The project’s goal is to showcase natural ecosystems as an aesthetic and practical method to improve water quality.

The 2.5-acre area would be free and open to the public. Work is expected to begin by the end of this year, with completion set for 2019. The project includes interactive exhibits, kayaking, picnic spaces, and educational activities in the middle of the aquarium’s campus off Pratt Street. “We see this as an opportunity for a second renaissance for Baltimore’s harbor by creating not only a commercially thriving place, but also one that is thriving in terms of its health and green space, and as a habitat for animals and humans to enjoy themselves,” said John Racanelli, the aquarium’s CEO.

Laurie Schwartz, president of the Waterfront Partnership, said her group fully supports the aquarium’s plans. “We’re excited about bringing the National Aquarium’s conservation and educational components outside,” she said. “It really helps advance the Inner Harbor 2.0 objective of creating a more dynamic harborfront area.”

Judge the soup

Crab soup lovers will get their fill at the East Coast She Crab Soup Classic at the 24^thStreet Park in Virginia Beach on April 9^th. The rain or shine event showcases an open competition among local restaurants who serve their individual recipes and compete for People’s Choice Awards, the winners of which are determined by the ballots of those attending and a panel of four regional cuisine experts. Tickets are sold in advance and offered at the gate if available. (The event is limited to 1,500 paying guests.) Children 12 and younger who are not sampling and are accompanied by an adult are free. Dogs and beach chairs are not permitted in the tasting area.

Smoked duck tacos

The Duck & Wine Festival is slated for April 30^th in the town of Duck on North Carolina’s Northern Outer Banks. Festival attendees are invited to sample each restaurant’s special dish paired with a selected wine. Ticket sales are all online this year and the event has sold out in the past. The price of a ticket includes a reusable wine tote bag, an event wine glass, a wine lanyard, and cork screw. A good place to park your yacht for the rain or shine festival is Coinjock Marina & Restaurant located on the ICW at Mile Marker 50, an ideal stop for mariners traveling north and south along the waterway.

By Christopher Knauss, Southern Boating Magazine April 2016

Rockfish Shootout

Hearty anglers in search of a good striped bass bite should find that and more at this year’s 13^th Annual Mid-Atlantic Rockfish Shootout December 10-12 off the waters of Virginia Beach. You can leave from any inlet in Virginia and weigh-ins are at Rudee Inlet at the Virginia Beach Fishing Center or King’s Creek Marina in Cape Charles. If you’d rather try a charter, the folks at the fishing center (757-491-8000) will be glad to help.

The tournament began in 2004 sprouting from the fishing enthusiasm of tournament director Mike Standing. With Atlantic Coast rockfish congregating in the area during the winter, his efforts have developed into the richest striped bass tourney in the country. Last year’s winners aboard LeGrande Slam weighed in more than 125 pounds of fish and took home a check for $23,000 from a $111,000 total payout.

The tournament also gives back to the community with donated filets serving area food banks and monetary donations helping local causes. Striped bass movements change and with the tournament moving from late December to early December, I predict plenty of trophy-sized fish will be brought to the scales this month. midatlanticrockfishshootout.com

Island View now a Clean Marina

Island View Marina serving mariners and anglers of the middle Chesapeake Bay area has been certified as the latest Maryland Clean Marina.

Already recycling and providing a pump-out station, Island View owner George Ritter has also reached Clean Marina standards through his pollution prevention efforts by capturing all boat bottom wash water and improving storm water management.

The marina is a family owned-and-operated full-service facility founded in 1984. Located at the mouth of Crab Alley Creek leading into Eastern Bay, Island View offers services like bottom painting and mechanical troubleshooting and repairs. The site provides do-it-yourself and full-service options, with Ritter offering more than 35 years of mechanical and repair experience in both sail and powerboats.

The Island View Marina marks the 156^th Maryland Clean Marina certified facility. islandviewmarinaoncraballeycreek.com

Anglers should find some trophy-sized striped bass this month while fishing in the Mid-Atlantic Rockfish Shootout. Photo: Mid-Atlantic Rockfish Shootout

Bring a dish

Members of the Cape Hatteras Anglers Club meet the second Saturday of each month September through June in Buxton. Doors open at 6PM followed by a covered dish dinner at 6:30PM prior to the 7:30PM meeting. The club provides coffee, iced tea and soft drinks. There is a 50/50 drawing at each meeting along with door prizes usually consisting of a rod, a reel and gift certificates redeemable at Hatteras Island tackle shops. The club’s primary mission is to serve as a “Watch Dog” organization to help keep Cape Hatteras National Seashore beaches free and open to the public. Of course, there’s plenty of piscatorial talk going on at the meetings, and it’s a great way to pick up pointers and new fishing friends. capehatterasanglersclub.org

By Christopher Knauss, Southern Boating, November 2015

Groovin’ in the Park concert series in Deltaville

The Maritime Museum located in Deltaville, Virginia, on Mill Creek just off the Chesapeake Bay will host its Groovin’ in the Park Concerts on the fourth Saturday of each month from 5PM to 8PM through September. Groovin’ is the museum’s casual outdoor music series held on the stage at its waterfront park. Bring your own chair, cooler and picnic to Holly Point Park, and in the case of inclement weather, head inside to the new 300-plus-seat pavilion.

To get there by boat, upon entering Jackson Creek at the entrance of the Piankatank River, follow the Mill Creek entrance to the right just after passing green Day Marker #5. Holly Point Park offers walking paths, a kayak landing, waterfront pier, and picnic areas. The park is dog friendly, but pets should be on a leash.

Music Fest in Annapolis
Eastport a-Rockin’ will return to the Annapolis Maritime Museum on Back Creek, June 20^th from 11AM to 8PM. Three stages will host more than 25 bands featuring up-and-coming local bands with a wide range of styles including rock, folk, roots, blues, jazz, bluegrass, and funk. Attendees will also enjoy mouth-watering favorites such as local seafood, BBQ, gyros, shaved ice, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, smoothies, and coffee drinks. A kids’ area will offer moon bounces, face painters, tattoo artists, and other family-friendly activities.

Bryan at the Beach
Due to overwhelming demand, country music fans have two opportunities this year to see Luke Bryan perform at the Farm Bureau Live amphitheater in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He has performances scheduled for June 24^th and 25^th. The amphitheater is a short distance from transient docking options in the beach town’s inlets.

Sailing on the Elizabeth
The annual Cock Island Race sponsored by the Portsmouth Boat Club offers sailors a fun racing activity—though not a CBYRA-sanctioned event—this month near the mouth of the Chesapeake. This year’s 28^th annual race and pre- and post-race parties are scheduled for June 19-20 with registration due by June 17^th. There will be “hardcore” monohull racing in Classes A, B, and C as well as PHRF Non-Spinnaker (single headsail) and a “softcore” class for non-rated boats. Race organizers have added a multi-hull class this year. The start/finish line is on the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River, just off the Portsmouth Seawall near Tidewater Yacht Marina. For more information and an entry form go to portsmouthboatclub.org.

Narrows Fireworks Return
Fireworks return to the Kent Narrows this year for one of many Fourth of July celebrations along Chesapeake Bay waterways. County commissioners voted to reinstate the fireworks after they were cancelled in 2014 due to budget constraints. The Narrows is a boating mecca during the summer months with many dockside eateries in the slice of water that connects the lower Chester River with Eastern Bay. Festivities usually begin around 6PM on the waterfront grounds of Chesapeake Exploration Center, located on the northwest side of Kent Narrows off Piney Narrows Road.

By Christopher Knauss, Southern Boating June 2015

“Tie One On” at Prospect Bay

Anglers interested in learning successful techniques and materials used in fly fishing have a unique opportunity to see some of the world’s best fly anglers and tiers at this year’s Lefty Kreh TieFest at the Prospect Bay Country Club in Grasonville, Maryland. Even if you’re not into fly fishing, you can see the patterns that work effectively for landing fish such as striped bass, perch and trout. The Coastal Conservation Association of Maryland sponsors the event. Among other accomplishments, the nonprofit was instrumental in bringing back the yellow perch population in Chesapeake tributaries. The event is March 7th and activities run from 10AM to 9PM. ccamd.org

Norfolk resident sets world record in a dinghy

A personal achievement became a family achievement for 51-year-old Norfolk, Virginia, resident Robert Suhay when he set the world record for the longest single-handed sail in a dinghy by a male. This past November, Guinness World Records confirmed he had sailed 283.5 nautical miles (326.24 miles) in a journey that ended on July 2nd. In a story published in the Christian Science Monitor, his wife Lisa wrote “While he didn’t set out to do this, this voyage emerged as a father’s route back to a meaningful relationship with his sons—Zoltan, 20, Ian, 19, Avery, 15, and Quin, age 10. And that’s the real feat my husband accomplished.”

Robert began sailing at 5:08AM on Sunday, June 28th in a 14’15” Laser. Eighty-six hours later and far up the Patuxent River, he accepted a tow to Calvert Marina unsure if he had accomplished his goal. Suhay sailed without a chase boat and rough conditions created by Hurricane Arthur forced him to zig-zag across the Chesapeake Bay in order to outrun the storm. Effects of the hurricane knocked out his communications early in the journey and later prompted the U.S.C.G. Mid-Atlantic Division to eventually stop his record attempt short of home. But data from a GPS in his life jacket pocket proved that he had sailed the record distance. A complete and, at times, gripping personal account of his journey is available at robertsuhay.com.

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Gulf Stream Fishing

Captain Ernie Foster will talk about the origins of Gulf Stream sport fishing off the North Carolina Coast during a presentation at the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras April 7th. Foster made his first trip to the Gulf Stream in 1951, and his father, the late Captain Ernal Foster, had the first charter boat in North Carolina built specifically for deep-sea fishing. The free presentation will include vintage photographs and vintage fishing tackle along with historically accurate information from a true waterman. For more details, call the museum at (252) 986-2995 or visit ncmaritimemuseums.com.

Back Bay Project

A developer is moving forward with a proposed marina project near Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia Beach. Doug Wilkins applied for the permit for the marina (64 members-only slips) and a boat ramp, which would be located off Sandpiper Road in Sandbridge, near the Baja Restaurant. However, the project faces challenges as biologists and supporters of the refuge believe the marina will be detrimental to the wildlife and vegetation that flourish in the area. The Army Corps of Engineers is currently working on an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project.

By Christopher Knauss, Southern Boating, March 2015

“All Aboard Florida” Potentially Threatens the Marine Industry

Increased future rail traffic is certain to impact Fort Lauderdale’s marine industry. A high-speed passenger train between Miami and Orlando under the project name “All Aboard Florida,” and projects in Port Everglades and the Port of Miami require building several new bridges over 30 or more waterways. The New River railroad bridge in central downtown Fort Lauderdale is a main concern and when closed offers a slim four-foot clearance. Since many of the area’s refit and repair yards are up the New River, the slow-paced bridge would be closed more often. A 2009 study showed the bridge closing for 20 minutes, 11 times a day. Fear is that with added hindrance to marine traffic, repairs and jobs in the area’s marine industry will go elsewhere. Concerned citizens and boat owners are encouraged to contact Governor Rick Scott, state legislators, and Florida congressional delegation. allaboardflorida.com

Shipwrecks rich with history
A mysterious shipwreck near St. Augustine, Florida, was identified as the Bermuda schooner The Deliverance, wrecked in a brutal 1947 storm. The vessel was named after the original Bermudian Deliverance that helped settlers in Jamestown in 1608. The shipwreck of the SS Central America in 1857 led to the first worldwide financial crisis and is now being raised off the coast of North Carolina. Within its hold is 21 tons of gold worth $100 million. Its recovery by Tommy Thompson in 1988 led to litigation against him and his eventual fugitive status in 2012. And finally, budding maritime archaeologists are measuring and mapping century-old Carolina duck hunting skiffs to create models using 3-D printers at East Carolina University’s Maritime Studies Program. By doing so, students learn how a boat is put together—a prerequisite to examining shipwrecks.ecu.edu/cs-cas/maritime

Free dockage in North Carolina
Mariners Wharf’s free docks in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, are even more inviting to visiting cruisers this season with new restrooms and showers. Elizabeth City is on the ICW halfway between Virginia Beach and the Outer Banks. Restrooms are free and showers are $5, payable at Elizabeth City Area Convention and Visitors Bureau or the Elizabeth City Downtown, Inc. offices. Both offices are closed on weekends. discoverelizabethcity.com

Another friend to ICW transients is the North Carolina Museum in Beaufort, North Carolina, known for its artifacts from Blackbeard’s Queen Anne’s Revenge. The expansion on Gallants Channel just north of downtown brings deep-water fixed 1,500-foot wharfs, 10-slip floating docks, and a 110-foot face dock. Short-term dockage is just $1 per-foot per-night or $10 per foot per month. Water and power are available, but there are no shore-side facilities as of yet.

Biscayne Bay navigation notes
Severe shoaling continues to be a problem along the ICW near Bakers Haulover Inlet near Biscayne Bay Buoy 7B south to DBN 11 and from Biscayne Bay 6A to Biscayne Bay DBN8. Channel depth and width vary, and at any tide boats may be pushed east or west out of the channel. Cruisers should contact dredge Jenni Lea II on VHF channel 13, 16 or 78, or local tow boat operators for information on a good deep water passage around the shoal.

By Nancy E. Spraker, Southern Boating July 2014