The Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) is a wonderful way to see America with fresh eyes. The ICW travels through historical port towns, sweet deserted anchorages, and stunning national seashores. While taking your dog on this iconic trip requires a little planning, bringing your furry crew member will add to the fun.
Read on for some tips to make sure the whole family enjoys the ride.
What is the Intracoastal Waterway?
The Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) is a series of connected inland waterways. The waterway runs from Boston, runs the entire Eastern seaboard south to Key West, and then travels along the west coast of Florida and continues through the Gulf states. However, in this post, we’ll be looking at the most popular part of the Intracoastal Waterway, the Atlantic ICW. This portion starts at Mile Marker 0 in Norfolk, VA, and travels the East Coast to Key West, Florida, Mile Marker 1153. That’s over 1,000 miles of waterway to experience!
Our Intracoastal Waterway Experience
We’ve traveled the Atlantic ICW with two different dogs. We started our cruising lifestyle when Hastings the cocker spaniel was 10.
We were worried about our older dog adapting to a totally new lifestyle. He was hesitant at first, but after a few short and positive boat visits, he quickly settled into the boating lifestyle. His priority was being with us. Dogs are so adaptable!
Chelsea joined us at four months old and started cruising at seven months old. She’s never happier than when playing with another boat dog on a sandbar.
Each ICW trip has been completely different, but each trip has been enhanced by our fabulous dogs.
Training Your Dog to Go Potty on the Boat
Most ICW cruisers dream of beautiful sunsets, cute port towns, and memorable wildlife encounters. However, one of the first questions many ICW cruisers ask is, “How do I get my dog to go potty on the boat?” If you are planning on anchoring along the ICW, you may not be able to get your dog to shore as much they do in a land-based existence. For example, when we are docked, Chelsea goes out at 8:00 AM, 1:00 PM, 5:00 PM, and 10:00 PM. When we’re traveling the ICW, she’ll always get a morning and afternoon walk, but the 10:00 PM last call is unlikely.
None of us want our dogs to be uncomfortable, so most of us encourage our dogs to use a piece of grass on the deck. This piece of grass might look like land, but most dogs will ignore it or treat it like a bed (at first!) With a little training and encouragement, your dog may acquiesce to the seeming humiliation of the boat grass.
Build A Command
Every time your dog is on a land walk and gets ready to use the restroom, say your command, “Go Potty.” After your dog has relieved themselves, give them a big reward. Do this scenario every time, for a few weeks.
Train on the Grass
Take the fake grass to an area your dog likes to go and try and position it so your dog will use it. Try the command. If your dog goes on the grass, give a really big treat. Keep up with this until your dog can use the piece of grass consistently.
Now it’s time to try this on the boat. First, put down the piece of grass. Then, at your dog’s usual potty time, point to it and say the command. This might work for you!
However, our dog ignores the grass completely when living at a dock. She’ll expect her usual walk and will treat the grass like a scourge. After all, she can see the easily accessible real grass. Can you blame the dogs? I prefer easy-flushing drama-free land toilets too! However, as soon as we leave the dock, and are at anchor, Chelsea will use the fake grass.
Patience
Many dogs find it very challenging to use grass on the boat and will hold it forever. Be patient. I’ve heard stories of dogs “getting it” and going on fake grass after a few weeks, and I’ve heard stories of dogs that will simply hold it for 30 hours. If your dog is truly uncomfortable, you may have to adapt your plans to ensure they have land access.
A Sailing Vet Discusses Toileting Your Dog on a Boat
Check out this video with Sheridan from Sailing Chuffed who talks about best practices when toileting your dog on a boat.
Finding Dog Friendly Shore Access on the ICW
There are thousands of anchorages listed in different guides; however, finding a dog-friendly anchorage can be tricky! Aqua Map is our go-to source for finding anchorages. We’ll load up Aqua Map and turn on the “Waterway Guide” and “Active Captain” reviews. Now, we can see reviews for different anchorages and find out if any other cruisers have discussed shore access for dogs.
Private property or marshy land makes landing the dinghy tricky. Boat ramps can be a life-saver and are often frequently available. Boat ramps are usually listed in Aqua Map. The faster your dinghy, the further you can travel to get shore access.
Some places are great for long walks, like Cape Lookout and its endless beach. Some anchorages have only the smallest patch for relief, like Adam’s Creek.
Cruising the ICW with a Dog for Free
If you are cruising from marina to marina, getting the boat dog ashore is easy. However, if you prefer to anchor out each night, it is a little more challenging.
The Dismal Swamp route provides easier free shore access than the VA cut route. The Alligator River area is challenging, but there are boat ramps available. Adam’s Cut features the tiniest spot of land that your dog can use at low tide. It’s a daily adventure, but it can be done!
We’ve curated a list of anchorages, free docks, and moorings along the ICW that provide shore access. Check out Chelsea’s Guide to the Dog-Friendly ICW for our list of dog-friendly stops.
Boat Dog Gear for the ICW
We have become big Ruffwear fans. Their gear holds up well in salt water and sun, unlike some other brands. It can be expensive, though! Check out FB Marketplace and FB Ruffwear Buy/Sell/Trade groups for used gear. I even found a great harness at 50% off on Poshmark, a used clothing site. Most used dog gear is in great condition after being used by a quickly-growing puppy.
Ruffwear Float Coat – life jacket that helps dogs swim, hold their head up, and increases your dog’s visibility. We love the high quality and handle.
Ruffwear Harness – Handle is very handy
Ruffwear Frisbee – the only frisbee that floats and stands up to saltwater and sand
Adventure Dog Medical Kit – Full kit includes a great backcountry first-aid guide
Boat Dog Health Insurance
If you want to buy health insurance for your pet, check the policy to make sure you can use it in all states.
We chose Figo because we can use it in all states, and it includes 24/7 text access to vets.
So, if your dog hurts their paw or has a medical condition along the route, you can get immediate support.
A Day in the Life of an ICW Boat Dog
Chelsea’s first full day on the ICW is a great example of a day in the life of a boat dog. We dinghied from our MM0 anchorage into Portsmouth for our morning walk and enjoyed the port town. Then, we secured the dinghy and maneuvered through the busy Norfolk stretch with bridges, traffic, and more bridges. Next, Chelsea went through her first lock in the Dismal Swamp. We went up an impressive 15 feet! Finally, it was time to stop at the Dismal Swamp Visitor Center free dock.
The first day only covered 28 ICW miles, but took us from a vibrant city, through a historic canal, an exciting lock, and ended in a very peaceful park in a new state- North Carolina. Lucky dog!
Enjoy the ICW Journey With Your Dog
Chelsea is part of the family, and we couldn’t imagine traveling without her. Chelsea does a great job introducing us to other cruisers and locals.
She makes us memorable, too. Most people don’t remember our names, but they remember Chelsea’s! Chelsea makes sure we get off the boat, get to meet new people, and experience some swampy backwater boat ramps we’d never even know existed. If you’re planning an ICW trip, check out my post about our favorite ICW surprises.
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