From the water

The Harbormaster's Office

Saw something the rest of the fleet should know? A lock running behind, fresh shoaling, a fuel dock down, heavy tow traffic, a crowded anchorage, debris in the channel — send a short note from the water. The Harbormaster reads every report before anything appears. No account, no sign-in, no comment threads. One captain telling the next what's out there.

File a report

What did you see?

Keep it short and plain — the kind of thing you'd tell a captain pulling in behind you. Required fields are the waterway, what you're reporting, and the note itself.

Waterway

The corridor you're reporting from.

Passage if you're on a named route

Only some corridors have named travel days yet — pick one if it fits.

What are you reporting?

Lock delay Shoaling / depth change Fuel or dock down Tow & barge traffic Marina / anchorage crowding Debris or hazard

Where, exactly optional

A mile marker or landmark helps the next captain place it.

Vessel name optional

Shown with your note if you include it. Leave blank to stay anonymous.

The report

Plain and factual. What you saw, where, and when. 600 left

Files automatically at —

No account · nothing tracked · reviewed before it appears.

What happens to your note

1It reaches the Harbormaster. Your report lands in the review queue — it is not posted anywhere yet.

2It's read and weighed. If it adds to the fleet's picture, the Harbormaster may add a line of context.

3It appears, dated. Approved notes show up in Recent Fleet Reports for the corridor you named.

How long notes stay up

Fresh — first two days. Current dock and traffic conditions, shown plainly.

Older — up to a week. Anchorage and route notes carry a little longer, marked "older report."

Then it retires. After that it leaves the board as conditions move on.

In an emergency

This is not a distress channel and is not monitored live. If you need help, hail the U.S. Coast Guard on VHF 16 or call 911.

ICW News interprets — it does not authorize. Reports are one captain's observation, not verified conditions. Your own judgment and official sources always come first.

Received

Thank you — that's with the Harbormaster.

Your note is in the review queue. If it adds to the fleet's picture, it'll appear in Recent Fleet Reports for the corridor you named, dated and with any context the Harbormaster adds. Nothing publishes automatically, and there's nothing more you need to do.

Fair winds. File another report →