[EXPIRED]Phil Herl Reviews Sherer’s 2015 ICW Cruising Guide – Robert Sherer Responds
Phil and Sandy Herl have been submitting marina reviews along their 2015 Fall migration and SSECN is grateful for their page by page comments on the Sherer text. And on 12/1, Author Sherer responds below.
Review for Bob and Ann Sherer’s 2015 ICW Cruising Guide
I enjoyed the introduction, gives a quick summation of their experience and boating style.
Bob gives lots of very good advice on everything that is needed for a trip up or down the ICW. Some items are what I would call overkill but for anyone that is not experienced in boating or in the ICW it is all good advice.
For instance Bob gives 5 different weather condition sources, that is good to start but I would select the one or two that I trust most and stick with them. It is nice to know what sources are out there.
The ICW legs (chap.6) also a good read, good information on tides to watch and where to pay attention also distance information for planning.
Chapter 7 pictures makes you want to go boating now.
Bobs descriptions of the anchorages are also good. We passed the Hampton VA one because we needed to get to Portsmouth for Rx refill.
Dismal Swamp breakdown is also good information, everything Bob describes are the same things we have heard often from others. That’s why we did not go that way, too many stumps and logs for my taste.
When we got to Alligator River Marina Page 69 and we could not find it. Bob gave no marker numbers or mile markers. So we were unable to find Alligator River marina on any of our charts. We finally found a reference ton Alligator River Marina in our Chesapeake Bay to Florida chart book but were past it and anchored when it was found, too late. I still am not clear if it in on the north or south side of the East Lake Bridge. That would be nice to know. The other chart books cut that end or the bridge off.
Also on page 70 he mentions a stop at R E Mayo docks but has no references to follow to get there and no chart marking. Nothing on our charts either. We did pass by R E Mayo, it did look interesting but no room on the dock to stop for any frozen goodies and too many fisherman in small boats to anchor. It’s location is south of the CG rescue station and Hobucken Bridge and just North of channel marker
G 21.
Cedar Creek anchorage, we did not try it.
Newport Marshes shoaling good advise. Stay near the green. Saw local shrimp boats doing as stated.
Peletier Creek: followed the rout for south, so we kept to the red side no problems.
Same thing o n Spooner creek and shoaling around markers G13 and R14.
Again moving south and staying to starboard, no problems, markers G41 and R40 page 77.
We passed Swansboro no problems. Did not stop. Page 78
Page 79, we stayed toward our old track going north with no issues.
Page 80, It’s still there,heading south need to head for the G63 if you head for center channel it gets skinny.
Page 81, New River,all comments for New River are correct, if not followed could be a problem. Did not stop at Swan Point Marina. Bob is correct it is a working marina. Rustic.
Page 82,83,84 good advice for any channel. Watch your depth as well as the channel markers.
Page 87, it is a bit confusing when you see a marker in the middle of the channel, close to docks.
Page 88, Masonboro shoaling, being southbound we did favor the red in this aria.
Page 89, again just watch you depth as usual and follow the deep part. It is nice to have a heads up.
Page 92, we did not stop but it would be a gunk hole for anyone with less than a 5 ft draft.
Page 93, 94, nothing to add.
Page 95. Very bad shoaling, the Coast Guard were in the area getting ready to move some markers and talked us through that area.
Page 97. just followed the markers. No problems
Page 99. We came through A-OK, the incoming tide did try to push us into the shoal area. The tide was very strong.
Page 100 the Rock Pile. With the tides being very high and lots of water we just stayed in the middle, not a problem.
Page 101, again with the high water we had no problem here.
Page 102 thru 118, With the tide rising in the AM and all the high water we had no problems with any if the skinny water. We were getting toward low tide in the McClellanville area and did see some 5 to 7 feet of water. By the time we were near Ben Sawyer bridge it was going on low tide so we stopped at Dewees Creek just past marker 109 and achored. 18 to26 ft of water. There was a good tide current but with all chain I had no problems.
Page 119 to 134 again High Tides no problems.
Page 135 through 137, to show what the water levels were. We were at mid tide and saw 9.2 to 12.2 through this area.
Page 135 to 166 all high water
Page 167 Bob is exactly right, came through just 1 hour after low tide.
Page 168 through 198, again I followed Bob’s advise about giving way to markers and or stying in middle of channel. With high water, again no problems.
We continued to St Lucie and run the Okeechobee rout while Bobs rout is to the south.
Bob has very good suggestions on the ICW, I think it is well worth the read.
Comments from Cruisers (1)
Phil Herl makes some very good points. Part of the problem writing a guide book is what to include and what not to cover. There are many guidebooks on the ICW covering marinas and anchorages so I didn’t want to repeat the information in all the other books. I did cover the marinas and anchorages I used mainly because they were spaced at convenient distances apart for travel legs for a sailboat and they offered good value. I certainly didn’t cover all marinas or anchorages. However, I covered all hazards I encountered on my trip north in the spring of 2015 along with a minichart of the problem area with directions on the best route.
Phil points out that the hazards, marinas and anchorages needed to be better located, a very valid comment. Again, being so familiar with the ICW, it never occurred to me to include Lat/Long and/or Mile Marker information but it’s obviously needed, Thank you Phil for pointing that out. I will include both Lat/Long and Mile Marker data in the update due out in the summer of 2016.