and I didn't have a schedule, I'd hop down the coast on fair days, there will be plenty of them, and probably 2-3 in a row. I don't know if the ICW works with 6.5 of draft ? Once you get to Florida, it won't be cold ! Take your time getting to at least Lake Worth (Palm Beach), maybe Ft. Pierce, but the further south the better. Wait for a window and be ready to go, windows will be short, perhaps 24 hours. And if the Front is not bad, leave on the tail end of it as soon as the wind goes West and ride that over, get there before the east wind picks up. There will be plenty of windows and periods of good sailing weather over the winter months, I've done the trip several times in December, January and February. But, like many have been, you could be stuck in Florida for a week or two, but if you're patient, that'll afford you time to move further south down the coast, making the crossing all that much easier and enjoyable, leaving from south of Miami is ideal. Once you get to the Bahamas, there will always be changing weather and days to travel without bucking the Trades, and traveling between islands at night is fine, as long as you aren't entering/exiting Cuts in bad or no light. Cheers, John