Traveling along the Intracoastal Waterway(ICW) is a Cruise-by-the-Numbers kind of game. It requires following “rules of the road” and “rules of etiquette”. Much of the West Coast of Florida has very skinny water...only 2 to 4 feet deep in many places. A dredged path of 10 to 12 feet in depth has been created to allow boats to navigate safely. Consecutively numbered red or green markers placed on tall poles provide the outer boundaries for the prudent captain to steer between. There are also bridges crossing the ICW from the mainland to the barrier islands. Most of them are low, offering 12 to 22 feet of clearance, so they must open to let the boat with a mast and/or high pilot house pass through. The protocol for the boat captain is to radio to the bridge tender on Channel 9. “Venice Bridge, this is the northbound trawler “Summertime” requesting a bridge opening.” The tender may reply, “Summertime”, this is Venice Bridge. As soon as the pedestrians clear the bridge, I will begin the opening. Stand by on Channel 9.” Some are bascule or draw bridges and others are swing bridges. Some open on a published schedule and others open on demand. The bridge tenders are always very businesslike and very polite. As the boat clears the bridge, the captain thanks the tender for the opening, and the tender wishes the captain a good day.
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