The Intracoastal Waterway, after 72 years of loyal services to the boating community, is in trouble. This 1,200-mile-long thoroughfare (stretching from Norfolk to Key West, Fla.) used by commercial and recreational vessels alike, is no longer as accessible and safe as it should be. In the fall, traffic peaks with thousands of northeasterners migrating down the coast for the winter (and again in the spring as the boats head back for the summer season). The waterway is getting shallow in many areas, which increases the incidences of groundings. Faced with delays, boats of all sizes choose to use the route along the coast. As a result, there has been an increase in incidents in the much rougher Atlantic waters, especially around the Carolinas. For all these reasons BoatUS—the Boat Owners Association of the United States—has chosen to attend the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association’s Conference, which takes place in Charleston, SC, November 13 and 14. Several sessions during the two-day conference will address navigation, safety and funding issues.

For more information, visit atlanticintracoastal.org