03/23/2025 ICW Day 82 : ICW Mile Zero!

We made it! 1262 nm (1452 statute miles) to our endpoint—Mile Zero of the ICW.

My favorite part of the trip wasn’t even the ICW portion but actually the Everglades loop we did in southern Florida! I liked the nature and warm water down there the best. There were some long natural stretches further north, but they lacked the warmth. One of the best moments was anchoring in a quiet mangrove creek, completely surrounded by wildlife—birds calling, sea creatures below our tent, and not a single human sound except our own.

Janet and I both gained a lot more confidence on the water than we had during our kayak trips in “the old days.” While I don’t think I’ve technically gotten better at trimming the sail, I do have a lot of ideas—both big and small—on how to improve aspects of a sailing next time.

Also, there were a couple of things I got better at (which I think make me better at sailing, even if they aren’t technical skills):

1. Accepting the pace. When we started, the slow speeds felt painfully slow. I’m used to bike touring, where 100 miles in a day is easy, so covering only 30 miles felt frustrating. But at some point, I adjusted—and I started enjoying the slower pace just as much as cycling.

2. Weather waiting. It’s hard to wait out bad weather… and we did it a lot. But I think patience is a skill because it meant most of our time on the water was actually fun time. The forecasts were reliable enough that we could find spots to hide out for a few days. We made the best of the downtime—I did some work, and when I was done, I researched ways to make my boat faster or how to design and build a better hull (which I know contradicts point #1… but we can always dream!).

3. Adjusting to new discomforts. Something I love about new types of travel is adapting to discomforts. Before a trip, I always worry about them. But once I’m in it, I find that what seemed unbearable at the start becomes something I hardly notice later. An example from this trip: launching and landing in mud. Early on, I did everything I could to keep my feet dry—futile, obviously. By the middle of the trip, we stopped resisting. It was just easier to sink into the mud and get on with things. And washing up was easy—there was water everywhere!

4. Accepting hospitality. Janet and I are introverts who like people, but we also enjoy quiet nights in the tent, just the two of us. In the past, we’ve turned down offers of kindness, preferring solitude. On this trip, we made an effort to say yes to three invitations—and ended up meeting some really great people. This isn’t sailing-specific, but it made the trip richer.

I’m excited for the next adventure, though it sounds like Janet might be limiting her future sailing voyages—at least on boats with only six inches of freeboard. She enjoyed the journey but has hinted that she’d prefer something a little less… wet next time. 🤷