[EXPIRED] Possible Reduced Clearance at Morehead City/Newport River Bridge, AICW Statute Mile 204
We do not know the tide stage as the Pipers approached the Morehead City/Newport River bridge, but we have to assume they were at or near an extreme high tide. Where even a few inches matter, Captain Piper made exactly the right decision by trusting the clearance board and taking an alternate route. The Morehead City/Newport River Bridge crosses the ICW at Statute Mile 204, immediately north of the Morehead City Turning Basin and south of unlighted can buoy #39.
Note that southbound sailing vessels wishing to skirt the fixed bridge in question must enter the Gallants Channel through the Russell Slue Channel departing the AICW between markers #29 and 30.
Submitted on 2010/12/07 at 11:11pm
According to the height board on this bridge on 11/27/2010 clearance can be much less than the charted 65 feet. We witnessed a reading of approximately 63 feet as we approached this bridge. Having a mast height of 63′ 6’³ we backtracked to Gallants Channel and went through the bascule bridge. Depth of water must be influenced by wind as well as tides.
Captain Charles Piper
It seemed to us that there were fewer clearance boards/gauges on our southbound trip this fall than on our northbound trip this spring.
Captain Larry Shick
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To Gallants Channel
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To A “Navigation Alert” Position at the Morehead City/Newport River Bridge
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