Holy cow! Between Rogers account and Daves blog, I've had a real feel for the ICW this winter. It's brought back memories of what I loved about traveling the ICW, and some of what I haven't missed about traveling the ICW. Still these two accounts have been fantastic and very different.

http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=138560

Daves(and Pam) account is pretty laid back, he's(doing the writing) kind of settled into the deep south, in his mind and is writing about it. Rogers account is more frenetic in he's traveling more it sounds. I think he wants to get "somewhere"(time and or place), so he can slow down.

Rogers in no hurry to do the ICW again, and if he does, he'd like company. I can see his point. It's a lot of travel that doesn't necessarily mean interaction with others.

I don't think Dave is far enough along on his ICW experience, to think about the future.

A powerboat sounds like a better rig for the ICW, you're going to be on one anyway. That and size make Daves ICW winter, less climate affected. Roger, single handing, no dodger(some people don't do dodgers), smaller boat, means more long hours "driving" the boat and taking the weather. (I forget you can't use an AP on the ICW )

But the mosquitos, that's a new one! My first trip down, we shipped the boat back(cheaper) and our second, we sailed from the Bahamas to Charlestown, where we had to buy diapers for two babies.

Everybody does the trip differently.