Here’s an interesting article regarding dredging at the Breach Inlet/AICW intersection which has been a Problem Stretch for years due to shoaling and channel shifting.
The waterway south of McClellanville all the way to the Ben Sawyer Bridge has been shoaling for years and Cruisers Net still recommends mid to high tide for passage through this section. Our thanks to Tom Hale for this report posted on AGLCA’s Forum. See Bill Reynolds for another report from October 2018.
Shallow waters ICW Markers 40-35 near McClellanville The section of the ICW called the “South of McClellanville” section is one of the longest and shallowest trouble spots on the ICW. While there are some places with 8-10 feet of water, there are also stretches with less than 5 feet of water at MLLW. If you drift out of the “channel” you will find water less than 3 feet. So, what defines the channel? How do you find it?
We transited this section for the eleventh time on March 31, 2019. We are using 4 navigation products. We have NOAA charts on Coastal Explorer as our primary navigation system, a Navionics chart chip in our chart plotter, and two iPad navigation apps, Navionics and Aqua Map. The NOAA chart 11518 is of almost no help through here: it lacks any depths and does not indicate the edge of the channel. It can’t: the channel has shifted since last NOAA surveys. You will however, have almost seven feet of tide here, so if you draw more than 4.5 feet you should wait for a rising tide before entering this piece of water. This stretch will require that you have a bit of tidal help.
This stretch of shoaling north of the Ben Sawyer Bridge has been a Problem Stretch for some time with numerous warnings in the past. Cruisers Net continues to advise mid to high tide passage only. See Nov 21 Local Notice. Our thanks to Mike Holleman for this onsite report.
Went through this section of the ICW today, mid tide rising. Did not find depths below 6 feet. However MM 430 through 440 was touch and go. 3 to 5 feet for several miles. This was at low tide. Mike Holleman
This stretch of shoaling has been a Problem Stretch for some time and just recently, see https://cruisersnet.net/171976. Our thanks to Bill King for this onsite report confirming shoaling and groundings, as well as good advice about mid to high tide passage.
Crept through at 30-minutes after low tide. This entire stretch between the bridges is a very challenging area. We draw 4′. Stayed in center most of the time for 5′-8′, favored the red side opposite the small inlets for double-digit depths. Just south of the high rise bridge, it is shoal on the red side. A sailboat with 5.5′ draft was aground; 50′ sportfisherman was just off center to red side and being pulled off as we approached. Much less stressful to do this stretch at mid-tide or more. Bill King
This stretch of shoaling has been a Problem Stretch for some time, see https://cruisersnet.net/153694. Our thanks to Phillip Mullins for this most recent warning.
Just south of IOP connector high-rise bridge Isle of Palms South Carolina red day mark 118. Middle of channel on the magenta line it was four feet deep two hours after low tide on May 2nd. You must hug the Daymark 118 to get around this low spot in the Waterway. It is not marked and I have seen no information about it. There is 10 to 12 feet next to marker 118.
Crept through at 30-minutes after low tide. This entire stretch between the bridges is a very challenging area. We draw 4′. Stayed in center most of the time for 5′-8′, favored the red side opposite the small inlets for double-digit depths. Just south of the high rise bridge, it is shoal on the red side. A sailboat with 5.5′ draft was aground; 50′ sportfisherman was just off center to red side and being pulled off as we approached. Much less stressful to do this stretch at mid-tide or more.
This good advice was forwarded to us by Hank Pomeranz at Carolina Yacht Care of Southport Marina, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR! Skipper Wehmer has been communicating with Hank about Problem Stretches he had encountered. Funding for dredging the Problem Stretch north of Ben Sawyer Bridge has been approved but has not yet begun. See /?p=149544. SSECN continues to recommend mid to high tide passage for this stretch.
Hank, From connector bridge to Ben Sawyer: Favoring the red side found more water as suggested. At G117A and B a sailboat in front of us drawing 6.5′ went aground staying to the far red side. They had approx. 1.5′ of tide. They radioed us and suggested to stay 40′ off of those buoys, which we did and had about 8′ MLW. For the balance of the passage, the notes you provided were good. If you draw 6 feet or over, we recommend waiting until there is at least 3′ of tide before making the trip, however, other than grounding next to 117A, the boat in front of us made it through with 1.5-2′ of tide. We are going to try to go outside from here to Fernandina, but if we do not, I’ll send you what we find. Bill Wehmer S/V Island Bound
This good advice was forwarded to us by Hank Pomeranz at Carolina Yacht Care of Southport Marina, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR! Skipper Wehmer has been communicating with Hank about Problem Stretches he had encountered. Funding for dredging between the IOP Connector and the Ben Sawyer Bridge has been approved and one can only hope that the Isle of Palms Problem Stretch will also be dredged. See /?p=149544. SSECN continues to recommend a high tide passage for this stretch.
Hank, We transited from Isle of Palms to Charleston yesterday. The stretch between IOP marina and the IOP connector bridge: Stay in middle as suggested. We strayed right of center to see how depths were and it shallows very quickly from center. Lowest spot we saw was about 50 yards before the bridge at 3.4 MLW in the middle of the channel. Otherwise we saw 7-10′ MLW.
We are going to try to go outside from here [Charleston] to Fernandina, but if we do not, I’ll send you what we find. Bill Wehmer S/V Island Bound
This AICW Problem Stretch has been shoaling badly along its southern and southeastern flank between the Ben Sawyer and Isle of Palms Bridges.
On Tuesday, 4/28/2015, between 07h20 and 07h40 EDST, Sanctuary and crew transited Mt. Pleasant, SC, northbound, between the Ben Sawyer Bridge and Isle of Palms, at mid-tide (falling). Here is our observation report:
Conclusions: 1. Shallowest water is north of G”119″ and nearby but south of Green floater G”117A.” 2. Exact path through the area matters; favor red for best water depths through this entire stretch. Proceed carefully in the vicinity of G”117A” at Swinton Creek. * Almanac numbers based on Garmin chart plotter matched to Coastal Explorer’s tide table. Jim Peg and Jim Healy aboard Sanctuary, currently northbound at Socastee, SC
And this from AGLCA’s Forum:
Just north of Charleston is the swing bridge at the entrance to the ICW heading north. Between markers 119 to the next bridge (and mostly around marker 117) it is very shallow. After getting a positive trip report from Seahorse on a successful trip, we went today. Only difference was an hour difference of tide. We watched a sailboat and a tow get stuck at marker 117. While TowBoatUS says to keep to the red side (port), the key is to go at least 2 hours AFTER low tide. The thicker water (note not a channel) is to the red side, but don’t stray too far. Note that there are shoals at the ocean inlets, so at those points the green side does get thin. Quo Vadimus Nowhere OK Foster and Susan
Our thanks to the Skippers Healy for their report from this Problem Stretch. The 2.5ft depths referred to came to us in September of 2013 from Mark and Diana Doyle (/?p=122644), so it is possible that shoals have shifted since that time. However, as recent as May of this year, there have been groundings reported at Marker #117 (/?p=141177). No dredging has been done through this section. If you draw 5ft or less, Skipper Healy’s depth readings are good news, but slow and cautious is still a good recommendation.
Sanctuary and crew came through Mt. Pleasant southbound (Isle of Palms to the Ben Sawyer Bridge) between 13h15 – 13h40 yesterday, Monday, November 3, 2014. Our Garmin Tide Almanac and our “Tides and Currents” Android app reported +2.8 ft at 13h15. Summary: Slightly favor red, control depth at +2.8 ft was about 8 ft, so no worse than 5.2 ft at MLLW. Details: (Southbound) G’117’ – 18′ mid channel Mt. Pleasant Bridge – 12.1′ mid span R’118’ – 11.6′ mid channel Swinton Creek – 8.1′ mid channel G’117A’ – 9.7′ mid channel Coneh Creek – 8.4′ favor red G’119’/Inlet Creek – 8.2′ favor red G’121’ – 10′ favor red It seems to me I have seen reports of 2.5′ at MLLW, but on the path we followed, that would not have been the case. Peg and Jim Healy aboard Sanctuary, southbound at Charleston, SC http://gilwellbear.wordpress.com Monk 36 Hull #132
A common problem along this stretch is the side currents, especially at Inlet Creek. The current can quickly set the boat out of the deeper water without notice if someone isn’t looking both ahead and astern to be sure the boat is still in the channel. Looking only ahead will give the impression that you are still in the channel when in actuality, the boat has been pushed into shallow water. Chuck and Susan, Trawler Beach House
This report comes to us from Dan and Jaye Lunsford’s log of their voyage through South Carolina, see /?p=145002. The Salty Southeast Cruisers’ Net has posted reports of shoaling in this Problem Stretch (which the ACOE terms as “behind Breach Inlet”) for months now. And, as the Lunsfords confirm, cruisers piloting craft of almost any draft MUST time their passage of these waters for mid to high tide!
SM 460 shoals before Ben Sawyer bridge: 4′ MLLW, so its really important to time the tides here. Favor the north side of the channel from before G117A to G119. Dan and Jaye Lunsford
Here is an article that Waterway boaters need not read, because we are all very aware of the shallow waters in most inlet intersections along the AICW. Charleston Post and Courier writer, Prentiss Findlay, describes the problem in terms that non-boaters can grasp. Let’s hope some legislators are reading! This area north of Ben Sawyer Bridge has been a “SSECN Problem Stretch” for several years.See /?p=122253
Dry channel plagues Intracoastal Waterway near Breach Inlet The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway near Breach Inlet has been nearly dry at low tide because of shoaling, a condition in which sand builds up and blocks the channel, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The problem has been on the Isle of Palms side of the inlet, where only 25 percent of the channel had water at low tide in soundings taken on Sept. 11. The water there was only 3 feet deep. For the rest of the story, go to: http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20141009/PC16/141009372
This reported shoaling lies north of Isle of Palms bridge in the vicinity of AICW marker #117 and is part of an area declared a serious AICW Problem Stretch in 2009. For a recent survey of the area, go to /?p=125717
Photo by Fran Lavigne
North of Isle of Palms bridge, SC. 3 boats 2 cruisers. 1 shrimp boat grounded in channel. CG in inflatable called me to assist. Our 42′ Chris. Frat. Easy Rider made it through barely. 4′ draft. Low tide now approaching Ben Sawyer bridge. Fran Lavigne.
Cruisers’ Net has posted reports of shoaling in this Problem Stretch (which the ACOE terms as “behind Breach Inlet”) for months now. (see /?p=120335). And we are once again greatly indebted to Captains Susan Landry and Chuck Baier, owners of Beach House Publications, publishers of “The Great Book of Anchorages,” (http://www.tgboa.com) for providing the superb, in-depth article below. THANKS CHUCK AND SUSAN! Please read on!
Claiborne, We transited the ICW from Dewees Creek past the Ben Sawyer Bridge at 0830 this morning, November 7, 2013. Here are the depths that we found. First, we did study the Corps of Engineers most recent survey to determine on which side of the channel the deepest water could be found. It appeared to us that favoring the red side would be best, and that is what we did. We are southbound, so take that into consideration for the report. All depths reported would be at low tide for today. Before the Ben Sawyer at red “118” we found 8.2 feet at about 30 feet off the marker. The depths increased to 10 feet as we approached Swinton Creek. Very near the crossing at Swinton Creek the depths were 6 feet. Here is a situation where many may get confused. The currents at Swinton Creek and several other crossing of the ICW near inlets are very strong cross currents. As we crossed the creek we were set immediately off to starboard and pushed out of the channel due to the incoming tide. Fortunately the depths as we crossed these creeks were 17 to 20 feet where the current has scoured them out. But if running on autopilot, the course would not be corrected enough to get the boat back into the channel before hitting shoal waters. We have also found that if set by current, looking ahead will give us a false sense of still being in the channel. But if we look behind us, it becomes very apparent the we have been pushed far out of the channel. We recommend hand steering through this stretch and looking forward as well as behind to determine where the boat is. The speed and direction of these strong currents will depend on whether the tides are incoming or outgoing and how strong the currents are at that particular time. Now back to the depths. Approaching green “117” the signboard is missing and the piling only is sticking about 6 feet out of the water and angled toward the channel. Passing Swinton Creek we found depths of 7 feet, then dropping to 6 feet. As we approached first opening to Breach Inlet, the depths were 5.8, then 5.3, then 4.5. At the intersection of Breach Inlet, the depths were 12 feet with very a strong cross current. Beyond that point to the second crossing at Breach Inlet we saw depths of 10 to 12 feet until we reached Inlet Creek where we briefly had 6 feet. The depths came back to 10-12 feet, which continued until the Ben Sawyer Bridge. Beyond Ben sawyer we never saw anything less than 12 feet. As you can see, there is one very shallow area at low tide in the 4- to 5-foot range, so boats with deeper drafts will need to transit at higher tides. With tides in the 5- to 6-foot range for this area, that allows plenty of depths for deeper drafts. We hope this will help all of those that transit this section of the waterway after us. We will keep you posted on any other issues we find. Chuck and Susan. Trawler Beach House The Great Book Of Anchorages <http://www.tgboa.com/> Navigation Notices <http://www.marinalife.com/navigationUpdates/index.cfm> Our Blogs Trawler Beach House <http://trawler-beach-house.blogspot.com/> Voyages of Sea Trek <http://sea-trek.blogspot.com/
The Salty Southeast Cruisers’ Net has posted reports of shoaling in this Problem Stretch (which the ACOE terms as “behind Breach Inlet”) for months now. (see /?p=120335). Our thanks to the US Army Corps of Engineers in Charleston, SC for providing SSECN with the newest (October, 2013) survey of this Problem Stretch. Once again, the Salty Southeast Cruisers’ Net is honored to be the FIRST means by which the US Army Corps of Engineers chose to get this critical information into the hands of the cruising community. By looking closely at the area in the center of the survey, hard by Marker #117A opposite Swinton Creek, you can see MLWW corrected depths of AS LITTLE AS .2 FEET ON THE SOUTHERN (SOUTHEASTERN) TIER OF THE WATERWAY CHANNEL, and even the northern section, which has always been the deeper part, MLW soundings can run to only 4.2 ft depths. Need we say it, cruisers piloting craft of almost any draft MUST time their passage of these waters for mid to high tide!
For the last year or two, the AICW channel north of Charleston, SC Harbor, between the Isle of Palms and Ben Sawyer Bridges, has been an SSECN designated “AICW Problem Stretch. Recently, these waters were the co-subject (along the Ashepoo – Coosaw Cutoff) of a joint call from the SSECN, the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association, and the South Carolina Marine Association, suggesting members of the cruising community contact the SC US Congressional delegation, and ask them to support a special appropriation to dredge these waters. (see /?p=121335). Now, our good friends, and SSECN strategic partners, Captains Mark and Diana Doyle, founders and owners of “On The Water ChartGuides” (http://www.onthewaterchartguides.com/), give us an updated, graphic report relaying what they discovered as they navigated through the Waterway north of Charleston on 8/27/13. NOTE THAT THE DOYLE’S SOUNDINGS WERE TAKEN AT MID-TIDE, MEANING THAT YOU MUST SUBTRACT 2.3 FEET FROM THEIR SOUNDINGS TO DISCOVER WHAT MLW DEPTHS WOULD BE. As you will discover, there are a few spots southwest of the Swinton Creek intersection that would only carry as little as 3 feet at MLW! YIKES!!!!!! We need to get these waters dredged NOW!!!!! Incidentally, Diana and Mark are just about to publish a new edition of their immensely popular “ICW CruiseGuide.” Click on the book graphic to the above right for more details, and to place a pre-order!
It’s no accident that the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association is pushing very hard to have this Problem Stretch dredged (which they term as “behind Breach Inlet”), and, along with the AICW’s passage through the Ashepoo – Coosaw Cutoff (see /?p=5480 and /?p=119918), the US Army Corps of Engineers in Charleston, SC have made dredging these stretches their #1 priority. Now, we just have to find some money/”supplemental appropriate” to get the job done!
We traveled this section 8-2-2013 leaving McClellanville just as the tide started back up at the marina dock. Traveling on plane in an express cruiser we saw 8 to 11 ft under our hull most all the way. The last mile or so going into Isle of Palms I did see readings down to 5 and 6 ft. Keep in mind we traveled mid channel by the `sticks’ paying no mind to any `pink lines ‘ on the chart plotter. Magneta lines can be a good guide but nothing beats eyes on the sticks and following the marked channel. David Doyle
The AICW is shoaling badly along its southern and southeastern flank between the Ben Sawyer and Isle of Palms Bridges. MLW depths of as little as 2 feet have been noted by an official November, 2012 US Army Corps of Engineers survey.
I came through this stretch at exactly low tide on June 2, 2013. I stayed to the preferred north side, but bumped bottom and plowed mud almost continuously from G119 to just before Isle of Palms bridge. I draw 5.5′ and made it, but don’t recommend it. Bill Raynor
Shoaling North of Ben Sawyer - Click for Chartview
From earlier reports and as Captain Mullins confirms, the water gets thin between AICW markers #111 and #119, north of the Waterway’s entrance into Charleston Harbor. These waters have been designated an SSECN Problem Stretch and caution should be exercised through the AICW channel past the Ben Sawyer Bridge and the Isle of Palms.
AICW abeam of Breech Inlet: I’ve written about this area before but I am noticing an increasing number of sailboats aground during low tide. It is in the area where 3 creeks wash from Breach Inlet into the AICW. There are 2 green day marks north of the Ben Sawyer bridge and this bad stretch is shoaling between them. You can make it in a 5 ft. draft boat, but you must weave and bob a little to get through. Philip W. Mullins (Phil) S/V Katash
From earlier reports and as Captain Bell confirms, the water gets thin between AICW markers #111 and #119, north of the Waterway’s entrance into Charleston Harbor. While not yet designated an SSECN Problem Stretch, we have established a Navigation Alert for these waters and caution should be exercised through the AICW channel past the Isle of Palms.
Three days ago we had to wait for one hour past low water, which was `0’³ tide, to pass between 117A and 119. Our sailboat has a five foot draft. We made two slow attempts to pass but ran aground mid channel and west or land side of mid channel. NOTE: while we waited for an hour past low tide we made an attempt to bypass the low spot by going around the Atlantic side loop. The chart shows deep water, which there is until you are 100 yards from 119, then there is a shoal that is less than four feet. So back to 117A you go. David Bell
As Palmetto Moon reported last week, the water gets thin between AICW markers #111 and #119, north of the Waterway’s entrance into Charleston Harbor. While not yet designated an SSECN Problem Stretch, we have established a Navigation Alert for these waters and caution should be exercised through Isle of Palms.
Hi Claiborne, Sanctuary and crew transited southbound through Isle of Palms, SC, at 08h30 this am (Thursday, 11/3/2011). It was low tide, and our chart plotter reported the current datum at +0.91 ft. That stretch of 4 – 5 miles has some very shallow spots, with some depths in mid-channel as low as 5 ft. We heard others talking about what they were seeing, so I pursued a route slightly favoring the red side of the channel. We found no less than 6.9 feet. Here’s the detail: At R’118′ – 7′ mid-channel, 9′ red side At G’117A’ – 40′ – 50′ off the marker, 7.5′ At the un-named creek 1/2 mile north of inlet creek – 6.9′ At G’119′ – 7.5′ red side of channel (There are crab pots in this area on both sides of the channel. Some extend into the channel. To favor the red, we passed some of the crab pots on the red quarter to our port side. Found favorable water depths there today. Of course, the crabber will move the pots, so the advice remains, favor red. At G ‘121’ – 8.5′ red side of channel With lower datum or celestial lows, this stretch would definitely be a problem for most cruising boats. Peg and Jim Healy aboard Sanctuary Currently at St. John’s Harbour Marina, Charleston, SC Monk 36 Hull #132
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To This AICW Problem Stretch
Be the first to comment!