Cruising News:
The popular dinghy landing spot at the north end of Lake Worth will be closed starting January 21. The bridge next to the landing will be undergoing reconstruction. Signs are posted, telling cruisers to remove everything from the spot by the 21st. There’s no clear alternative landing spot.
Ron

And this update from our good friends at Waterway Guide:

Hi Claiborne,
According to Mr. Cavendish, the bridge construction will continue until at least July 2012 (the article cited is from Nov. 2010). I hope the dinghy landing is still accessible when the project is done – he said they will be leaving a 7-ft. opening; however, I’m guessing that it will be a tougher climb, and that many fewer dinghies will fit. I remember once landing there when the dinghies were rafted out 4-deep…maybe 20 total! Here’s my latest entry if you want to link it: http://www.waterwayguide.com/newsupdate.php?area=6#1125
Mike Ahart, News Editor – Waterway Guide

If you are aware of an alternative landing spot, please let us hear from you. The marina of which James speaks is Old Port Cove Marina, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, but they currently do not have a dinghy dock.

Sorry to hear about this closing of a landing I have used in the past. Is there any alternative? I remember a marina on the west side of the anchorage.
James L. Owens

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Eastern Florida Anchorage Directory Listing For Lake Worth Anchorage

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of the Northern Lake Worth Anchorage

Any updates on Adams Creek to Beaufort? The sixth ed. is a little scary on that subject. Thanks, Bill Martin

We are planning a trip on the St Johns this Spring…. Anyone know when the leaves start to come out on the St Johns River in the Spring?
Also, favorite places and anchorages to consider?
Thanks,
Jim TWINS

Are you talking about the St. Johns River in Florida? If so, it’s FLORIDA – there are always some leaves on the deciduous trees, and of course, palm trees don’t shed all at once and the evergreens (well, you get the idea).
It’s a great trip. Check our blog at http://sanderling2010.blogspot.com/ for our thoughts on the river. Since it’s a relatively short lineal cruise (180 miles each way from the ICW crossing near Mayport to Sanford (all in Florida) it’s easy to check Active Captain for anchorages and other places of interest, as well as the other cruising guides. Claiborne Young does a nice job of describing the area, its history, etc (as he does with all the areas he covers) in his eastern Florida guide.
March through May would be a good time for the cruise.
Bob McLeran and Judy Young
MV Sanderling

The St Johns is the cruise I want to take. Sooner, rather than later. Is the spring better than the fall, say September/October? I would like to see the manatees, alligators, etc. and be able to take a swim (away from the alligators of course) from time to time. It’s going to be a four to five week cruise from Charleston, SC and back.
Ron Widman

We spent weeks, maybe four, heading from Jacksonville to Sanford in November of 2008. We had perfect weather and very little traffic, as an added bonus we had no bugs! It’s a wonderful trip and should be done slowly to really enjoy all the sights and sounds. Here is the link to our photos and
stories on our blog.
http://btlifes2short.blogspot.com/2008_11_01_archive.html
http://btlifes2short.blogspot.com/2008_11_01_archive.html
Have a great trip and watch those gators!
Todd & Brenda Lanning
Life’s2Short

Click Here To Open the Cruisers’ Net’s St. Johns River Marina Directory

Click Here To Open the Cruisers’ Net’s St. Johns River Anchorage Directory

Cruising News:
Good news for all cruisers – dredging has now completed at Lambs Marina giving minimum water depth throughout at 8ft 6ins MLW. Vessels up to 50ft are welcome at this very friendly and laidback marina. Call Larry Lamb at 252 202 4150 for info or reservations.
Capt. Parky

We used Lambs a couple of years ago to put in for a trip to Hampton, Va. I do not believe we could have put our 19′ Cuddy Cabin back on the trailer then, has the ramp been improved so a float on trailer will work? Thanks and they are very nice people! Reg Holden
Replies to regandbarb@msn.com

Lambs Marina has finished dredging to a minimum 8ft and the water is now wonderfully clear again. Check it out at www.lambsmarinanc.com
The dredging company is now on it’s way to Morehead City, NC, to dredge out their badly needed waterfront docking – and after that the notorious Peletier Creek and Spooners Creek.
Is there no end to our good fortune? I might buy a bigger boat!
Cap’n Parky

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s North Carolina Marina Directory Listing For Lambs Marina

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Lambs Marina

From: charles
Subject: grounded ketch
Cruising News:
Any word on the ketch grounded off Ormond Beach FL? Paper said cpt taken off but not much else. Appreciate any update.

http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/east-volusia/2011/12/03/crane-to-remove-sailboat-aground-on-ormond-beach.html

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Ormond Beach

Can someone give a fairly accurate depth of the entry channel at low tide for Palm Cove Marina? I’ve wanted to stop here but have heard conflicting responses regarding the depth. Thanks! Rick

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Eastern Florida Marina Directory Listing For Palm Cove Marina

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Palm Cove Marina

11/7/2011 Jones Fruit Dock is apparently still available for overnight dockage. When we arrived there was another boat already here. We were told that the gate at the end of the dock is normally locked, but a neighbor who has a key, unlocked it. So don’t count on being able to get off the dock. Fees are not being collected at this time.
Barbara Semper

Click Here To Read an Earlier Update On Jones Fruit Dock

Any Oct. 2011 updates to this alternative? As a sailboat with 64′ mast, we would like to consider this route, but wonder if Hurricane Irene stirred up the sand in this channel. Is the channel east of Roanoke Island in the Roanoke sound still passable for a 5’7″ draft? Thanks for any info.
Paula and Dave email: Innispf@gmail.com

Click Here For a Recent Article on This Alternate Route

Another area of concern is that we would like to do some outside running and don’t know which inlets are suitable to our boat and limited experience.
We have heard some inlets referred to as a “Class A Inlet” and would assume that these are inlets that we should consider. We don’t know where to find a list of Class A inlets. Do you have any recommendations for such a reference?
Shay and Elizabeth Glass
49′ Defever CPMY

Shay and Elizabeth,
As to inlets from Beaufort, you will have Wrightsville Beach, Cape Fear, Little River, Winyah Bay, Charleston, St. Marys, St. Johns River, Cape Canaveral, Fort Pierce, Lake Worth, Fort Lauderdale, Miami and Key Biscayne. There are many other inlets but most are either not navigable or are local knowledge only. Any one of these can be unusable under certain conditions so watching the weather is a must.
Chuck

St Simons is also class “A” inlet for the major port of Brunswick, Ga. Class “A” inlets are associated with major commercial shipping Ports so maintained to a very high standard of navigational aids and depths. They are very obvious when referenced on a chart. Check notes …any local knowledge only is not a class A.
Joe
M/V “Carolyn Ann” GH N-37

I would add that between Charleston and the St. Mary’s River, you have Port Royal Sound, Tybee Rhodes (Savannah River) and Doboy Sound. In this stretch, there are several other inlets that are acceptable, like Sapelo and St Catherine’s Sounds. If you can read a chart – an UP-TO-DATE chart – it’s no problem. There are shoals, but these inlets are marked. Some buoys are fairly far apart and can be tough to locate visually. Nevertheless, success depends on finding and honoring them.
Port Royal and Tybee are Class “A” inlets for commercial shipping.
Doboy Sound is in an area that has a terrible reputation. It’s immediately north of the Mud River and Altamaha Sound, some of the shallowest water in the ICW. However, Doboy itself is wide, straight-forward, well marked and carries 15′ – 18′ at MLW. Southbound, we stay at the Duplin River, just north of the ferry dock. Then, in the morning, we balance tides and the beauty of the region against weather (conditions and forecast) and sea state. If tides are against us and weather and sea conditions meet our criteria, we leave via Doboy and travel south offshore to either St. Simons (Brunswick), St. Mary’s (Fernandina) or St. John’s (Jax). The run from the Duplin to the intersection of the ICW on the St. John’s is 90 – 95 StM or so. In November after the change to EST, it’s twilight-to-twilight at 7.5 knots. It’s 115 – 120 StM on the inside. You do have to run nearly 5 miles offshore to clear shoaling on the shelf at Altamaha Sound, south of Doboy. At max ebb and max flood, the current in the DOBOY channel can run to 3 knots. That’s also true on the class “A” inlets, btw. Once on the outside, run in shallower water for better sea conditions. In winds with a S or SE component, seas on this run will be abeam, and potentially uncomfortable. But then with active stabilizers on a big DeFever…
Hope this helps.
Jim

Thanks to all for so much information! Has anyone ever traveled out of (or in to) Wassaw Sound?
John B.