Waterway Wildlife

The USA seem to be very eco-savvy. The Federal Law on pollution is stringent and enforced. We are not permitted any discharge within 3nm of any shore, nor within any of the inlets or estuaries. Vessels must have a holding tank and pump out facilities are frequent. In the UK, yachts often pump out anywhere in tidal waters, and many of our race colleagues were smelt to even pump out in confined marina waters. If the US board a vessel without a holding tank, they will forcibly close the seacock and wire lock it shut to insist occupants use shore facilities.

As a consequence, the marine life is profuse. Our first venture into the ICW via the Canaveral Barge Canal was idyllic. The waters were calm and fringed by mangroves and palms. Fish were plentiful, the sea birds were feeding, and we even passed two alligators, a manatee and a pod of bottle-nosed dolphins in our first hour. We also had to negotiate several opening bridges and a lock. All the operators have come out in person to wish us a safe trip and admire our yacht. It is still perilously cold (for Florida) at 6C and we are the exception, moving north so early in the season.

Breakfast aboard when it's 6 degrees C

The Waterway itself is somewhat shallow for us, narrow and not overly obviously defined. The depth sounder regularly reaches 0.1m below the keel and we’ve seen zero a few times. At least the bottom is soft so we hope to be able to dredge our way through the worst bits. It was unnerving to see a fellow yacht hard aground at anchor just off the channel.

Bridge opening for us on Canaveral Barge Canal

The Marine Stewardship movement also seems healthy in the US. At Tampa Aquarium, I picked up the US equivalent of our UK Marine Conservation Society “Good Fish Guide” which informs consumers which species are sustainable and which should be avoided. The US “Seafood Watch” is produced by the Monterey Bay Aquarium and includes both general and sushi guides. They not only colour code the best choices, good alternatives and avoid species, but also annotate which should be consumed in moderation due to concerns over mercury and other contaminants in large species higher up the food chain. We’ve been eating plenty of crab, local tuna and catfish – the latter is delicious wrapped in smoky bacon and pan-fried.