Vessels that can safely transit the bridge with the reduced horizontal clearance of 35 feet may do so. 

The bridge operator can be contacted on VHF-FM Channel 13 or (757) 482-3081. For any questions on the above deviation please contact the US Coast Guard Waterways Management Division via email at VirginiaWaterways@uscg.mil. 

AIWA Executive Director Brad Pickel has been invited to speak at two recent stakeholder meetings representing diverse interests along the waterway.

At the Atlantic Region meeting of the American Waterways Operators in Savannah, GA, Brad highlighted the value of the waterway for the numerous roles it plays as part of the Nation’s Maritime Transportation System and how the AIWA works to secure federal funding for waterway operations and maintenance dredging. The AWO represents America’s Tugboat, Towboat and Barge Industry, and the meeting was well attended by commercial operators, the U.S. Coast Guard and affiliated businesses.

The next visit was to the South Carolina Yacht Club in Hilton Head Island, SC. The SCYC is a strong supporter of our association and the evening’s presentation focused on completed and upcoming dredging projects and discussions about recreational use of the waterway. The common thread through each of these presentations is the need for a well-maintained Marine Highway 95 for all users. We are proud to be a Voice for all of our Waterway users.  (Photo above: SCYC, HHI, SC)

Bob Sherer, known as Bob423, has a chapter in his ICW Cruising Guide of essential insights and practical advice for navigating the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. Covering topics from dinghy protocol to adept boat handling in confined areas, below are two more tips and we recommend reading the full article to find tips 11 to 17 by clicking here.9. Swing into a Dock

When we first started, we would approach a face dock parallel to the pilings. It was tough to estimate the best path and would invariably get a fender caught between a piling and the boat with something giving way and a lot of yelling. So now we come into a dock at a 30-degree angle and at the last minute Ann will swing the bow over and throw the engine in reverse causing the boat to stop and drift into the dock with no fore or aft motion, all without bow thrusters. This is known as the “Captain Ron Maneuver” for those who have seen the movie, “Captain Ron,” which I highly recommend.

10. Put Strength Where Strength is Needed

This can be a sensitive topic with some boaters. When picking up a mooring, sometimes strength is needed to pull up the rope and tie it off on a cleat. Who’s best able to do that? Most of the time for cruising couples, the stronger of the two should be on the bow, not at the helm. The one at the bow can give directions by pointing which way to go for a successful pickup of a mooring and when anchoring or picking up an anchor, but strength should be at the bow for best results. Many boaters don’t follow this guide and do okay but some situations do require an added boost of muscle, which one of the crew may have. It’s up to you to decide which one. The same comment goes for docking. On Fleetwing, Ann does all the helm work: anchoring, mooring, and docking. I haven’t docked a boat in months?  Click here to keep reading for tips 11 to 17.

If you missed the first eight tips in part one covered in last month’s AIWA newsletter, you can find them here.

This article is shared with permission from our friends at Waterway Guide.