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SAFETY/STONES BAY/ATON/SEC SNC BNM 0210-26
THE RESTRICTED AREAS IN THE NEW RIVER, AS SHOWN ON NATIONAL SHIP OPERATIONS CONSISTING OF LANDING CRAFT, AMPHIBIOUS DUE TO UNEXPLODED ORDNANCE ON BROWNS ISLAND AND IN THE ADJACENT CANCEL AT//220000Z JUN 26// BT
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WW: blat (34.51079) , blon (-77.39444) , bWWid (5) , bMM (250.2) , bDOffWW (5.6) , bAbbrev (AIWW) , bWWName (Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.gpx)
SAFETY/NC – TOPSAIL INLET/ATON/SEC SNC BNM 0197-26
1. NEW TOPSAIL INLET BUOY 4 (LLNR 30000) IS MISSING. BT
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Privacy Policy | GovDelivery is providing this information on behalf of U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and may not use the information for any other purposes. This email was sent to curtis.hoff@CruisersNet.net
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WW: blat (34.35967) , blon (-77.67341) , bWWid (5) , bMM (270.0) , bDOffWW (1.5) , bAbbrev (AIWW) , bWWName (Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.gpx)
The Waterway’s path through Wrightsville Beach is a narrow congested channel, so caution must be exercised during these dark hours, especially in vicinity of spectator boats.
Click here for Wrightsville Beach Holiday Flotilla and Fireworks, Nov 26, 6:30-8:30 PM, AICW NC Statute Mile 283
luminanews.com
The entrance channel to Carolina Beach State Park marina cuts off southward from the AICW, at the western end of Snows Cut, between markers #163 and #165. Our thanks to Dave Rowe, AboardStinkpot.com, for this review and recommendation.
For the budget conscious boater, or one who loves a natural park setting, Carolina Beach State Park Marina is for you! Miles of wooded trails and one of the only spots on earth to spot a Venus Fly Trap in the wild. $30 flat fee for dockage includes power and water. This is the perfect place to hole up and relax while waiting for a favorable current on the Cape Fear River or Snow’s Cut. Choice of grocery stores and a pharmacy under a mile and a half away.
Click Here To View the Cruisers Net North Carolina Marina Directory Listing For Carolina Beach State Park Marina
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Carolina Beach State Park Marina
I second everything in the article. We live nearby. A great resource for local and visiting boaters. Usually has good fuel prices compared to others in the area but check first.
These upgrades are certain to affect navigation at times. Check Cruisers Net Current Local Notices to Mariners for Notices when plotting your float plan. With a closed vertical clearance of 20ft, the Wrightsville Beach Bascule Bridge crosses the AICW at Statute Mile 283, southwest of marker #125.
Wrightsville Beach bridge to undergo yearlong facelift
CoastalReview.org
Click Here To View the Cruisers Net North Carolina Bridge Directory Listing For SR 74 Bridge
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of SR 74 Bridge
Please clarify whether this construction affects the C. Heide Trask Memorial Bridge (opening bridge commonly known as the Wrightsville Beach Bridge). It only mentions the fixed portion of the Wrightsville Beach Bridge spanning Banks Channel and shouldn’t affect most Cruisers due to the fixed height at under 8 feet.
Our thanks to Phil and Karen for sharing their AGLCA Forum posting with our readers. Many of you will travel through Snows Cut at some point in your cruising lifetime. Mile long Snows Cut departs the coastal Waterway at the entrance to Carolina Beach and intersects Cape Fear River at Mile 296.
Living on the ICW, it’s amazing the number of boats we see every day heading south for the winter. 20, 30 a day perhaps, and we only see some of them. Trawlers, sailboats, large yachts and other craft, a few with looper flags but mostly snowbirds. Most loopers know Snow’s Cut, a few miles south of us, as a tricky waterway that connects the Cape Fear River with the ICW at Carolina Beach.
Though interesting, few good photos of this area exist. It’s difficult to get decent photos as you’re transiting it as you’re busy navigating a narrow, tricky channels with a 2 or 3 knot current. On a recent bike ride over the Snow’s Cut bridge, I took a few photos that might give our captains a good overview of the mile-long man-made cut.
Phil & Karen Barbalace
Helms Port
Wilmington,NC
Gold Loopers
Phil Kent and Karen Barbalace
Phil Kent and Karen Barbalace
Phil Kent and Karen Barbalace
Thanks for the great photos… Pictures are certainly worth a thousand words.
The Lockwoods Folly/AICW intersection has been designated a Problem Stretch for years due to shoaling and a shifting channel. Despite dredging of the intersection in March of this year, Cruisers Net still recommends mid to high tide for passage. Our thanks to Tom Hale for this report as posted on Robert Sherer’s Bob423 blog.
Lockwoods Folly April 3, 2019
This has been a tough ICW trouble spot for the past couple of years. Dredging has just been completed and the channel has been re marked. As of today, it is a simple straight shot. Just stay between the markers for 12-14 feet at low tide. I can attest to the low tide depth, we came through at dead low this afternoon.
There is one spot where we saw 8.5 feet. That was about 300 feet west of R36. It is a shallow spot already identified on the USACE surveys from post hurricane Florence, 2018. At 8.5 feet MLLW it is not a significant issue. It may help to stay on the green side of the channel. But this shoal must be watched over the course of the next 6 months as it may build up and become an issue for the southbound cruisers next fall.
The USACE surveys have been a fabulous help transiting the ICW this spring. We have transited Ashepoo-Coosaw Cutoff, Dawho River, Watts Cut, Fenwick Cut, Isle of Palms and, Hell Gate, so far. Will hit Snows Cut, Carolina Beach, Mason Inlet, and Browns inlet in the next few days.
1. Our track on a NOAA chart. We were travelling with another boat who was using only Navionics (as were we also). They reported that Navionics was also fine in this section.
2. This is the overview of Lockwoods Folly showing our track of April 3, 2019 at 13:30. The USACE surveys at the west end of Lockwoods folly are no longer accurate due to the recently completed dredging. There was a survey boat working in this area today. Hope to see updated survey soon.
3. This is the western end of Lockwoods Folly. You can see our track at low tide. The USACE survey data is now wrong. Just follow the ATONs for 12-14 feet at low tide.
4. This is the eastern end of Lockwoods Folly. You can see our track at low tide. The USACE survey has been showing a shoal near R36 since the hurricanes last fall.
5. Close up of the east end showing the shoal.
— with Cristina M. Sison.
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To This AICW Problem Stretch
For years, Cruisers Net has admonished its readers to not blindly follow the magenta line on their chart plotters. Now experienced sailor and frequent contributor, Hank Pomeranz of Carolina Yacht Care and daily navigation/weather briefs at Southport Marina, affirms that advice with “get your head out of the cockpit.” Thank you Hank! Lockwoods Folly, a Cruisers Net Problem Stretch, is notorious for shoaling and channel shifting with almost every tide change.
Hi all,
I think it’s a good time to reiterate that visually following the marks across Lockwoods Folly Inlet is critical to safe passage. I am seeing in my nightly briefs that many people are depending on Bob’s posted track (mostly my waypoints), which they are plotting on various apps – primarily AquaMap and Navionics. The track is valid but these two apps (and I suspect others) have 3 issues with buoys: R48, G47A are both incorrectly plotted and R46A, while shown in the apps does not exist.
A key issue is that our Lockwoods Folly track plots on the wrong side of R48 and points to a G47A that isn’t where shown. The questions I’m getting from cruisers who are looking ahead is: Do I follow the track despite the fact that it goes on the wrong side of the red? I tell them that the buoys are misplotted and the track is good and to make sure they follow the marks. I wonder about the cruisers who may be looking at the image on the screen and assuming they should take R48 on the wrong side.
When I was learning to fly, I did what a lot of nuggets do and that is to focus on the gauges. My flight instructor told me to get my “head out of the cockpit”! Good advice up there and good advice down here. I think it’s time to instill in our new cruisers that, unless you have a reason to believe otherwise (mark reported offstation, destroyed, etc) it is best to assume they’re correct and follow them. Where they are shown on the many apps is not enough reason to trust that the plotted positions are accurate, as the Lockwoods Folly Inlet so aptly demonstrates.
We will do the cruising community a service by reminding them to get their heads out of the cockpit and trust their eyeballs.
Thanks
Hank
P.S. I am getting positive reports from experienced cruisers that they are doing well following Bob’s tracks. My concern here is not that group, but rather the ones who don’t understand that blind and complete reliance on one source and a lack of trust in one’s own observations does not make for a good mariner.
This Navionics chart received 11/16/18
And Robert Sherer, editor for Waterway Guides, adds this:
Hank,
Just to add, I had one report a day ago that a cruiser bumped bottom between G47A and R48A. We had an exchange of notes to clarify whether he followed my track or eyeballed it using the two buoys (I was concerned further shoaling had occurred). His reply was that he eyeballed it to be midchannel between the two buoys when he should have favored the green side per my track.
I also had notes back to me about the missing buoy and miss located buoy. I tell them that one is not there and the other one had been moved and to honor all buoys but follow the track – to prevent touching bottom between G47A and R48A.
I’ve had good reports back on the tracks with two provisions. The turn southward into Sawpit creek swings too wide. It’s a good track if you follow it exactly but there’s no room for error if you swing a little wider than I did. That’s complicated by the usual swift currents there (which caught me, the reason for the wide turn). I am going to edit that track to fix that problem. The second provision is that I have not posted a track from Jacksonville to St Augustine. I found shallows when I went too far to the green side of the new channel (not on any charts) after crossing St Johns River. All charts showed plenty of water including SonarChart, they are all wrong. Just follow the new buoys which are far to the right side when going south (The channel used to be on the left side there) They are small and not easy to see. I get a lot of complaints about not posting that route! I do plan on editing that route too and it will be posted soon. In the meantime, I would favor the red side some, the building shoal is on the green side of the new channel.
Robert Sherer, aka Bob423
Waterway Guide On-The-Water Editor
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To This AICW Problem Stretch
Experienced cruisers, Jim and Peg Healy, continue to generously share their observations and advice as they make their way south for the winter. Thank you Jim and Peg! Regarding Jim’s observations at the New River Inlet/AICW intersection, see LNM: AICW Buoy 70 Off-Station.
Today is Friday, 10/19/2018. Sanctuary and crew traveled from Morehead City to Wrightsville Beach. The section from Morehead City to Swansboro is unremarkable. No significant changes.
I have updated all of my routes to incorporate the data made available from the USACE, so I mean no criticism of anyone. Following are just my observations, as I had a couple of surprises.
At Brown’s Inlet, the USACE routes are the correct shape, but displaced a bit to the north. In other words, heading south, if I had let the autopilot drive the route, I would have overshot the turns. The waypoints did not quite coincide with the markers in the water, and I had to make manual corrections. The good news is, there are floating Red and Green markers at Brown’s Inlet that accurately guide boaters through the area.
I planned perfectly to arrive at the New River Inlet at dead low tide. (Listening for applause…. Hearing none, I continue…) Southbound past Mile Hammock Bay approaching the New River Inlet ICW Crossing, three markers are prominently visible; they are prodigiously confusing. To the visual left, there is I think floating R72A; it is not more than about 30 ft off the shoreline; to it’s visual right, there is a now obsolete Green, and to it’s right, a second probably obsolete Red. So, left to right, red, green, red… What to do, what to do? ALL STOP!
A boat before us had gone between the Green and rightmost Red marker; the original ICW markers… and promptly ran aground. OK, that’s what I had expected from the description of the shoaling in that area, but the leftmost Red floater is so close to the shoreline that one doubts it is correctly positioned. I called the grounded boat, and the captain said he had watched boats honor that leftmost Red successfully. So I proceeded at idle speed (never approach anything faster than you’d want to hit it), but I can tell you, that routeline puts the boat very close to shore; more so than the preplan USACE route. And, water depths are prodigiously shallow; no more than 4.5″ at MLW. The USACE route’s shape is right on, but I again found the actual waypoints did not coincide with the physical placement of markers… the route needed manual intervention. Then as I approached the south end of the Inlet, there is a lone Red marker on a post. The USACE route does not honor that marker; it holds the marker to STBD. I was confused, and decided to honor the marker. My track went well wide of the preplan route, and again, I saw no more than 4.5′ – 5′ of water.
Finally, similar observation about the Mason Inlet Crossing. There are Red and Green floating markers that correctly identify the route through the area, but the route waypoints do not quite coincide with the markers in the water. They are close and the shape is correct, but manual corrections are needed.
So anyway, the route guidance is very good, but does need onsite adjustment. It’s not always possible to time tides, but to the extent one has a choice, low tide is not the best time to transit New River Inlet.
Just my observations…
Jim and Peg Healy
Monk 36 Hull #132
MMSI #367042570
AGLCA #3767
MTOA #3436
Our thanks to Robert Sherer, ICW Cruising Guide by Bob423, for this report and survey of Shallotte Inlet/AICW Intersection.
The ICW at Shallotte Inlet has a new survey as of 10/1/2018. Just follow the old channel but note the placement of G81, it’s on the red side of the channel. That could be confusing. You can still honor the buoys but you have to hug G81. I’ll have a GPX route Wednesday.
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To This AICW Problem Stretch
Our thanks to Hank Pomeranz of Carolina Yacht Care for this report of shoaling at Marker #162A in Snow’s Cut. See Shoaling Surveyed from March 2017. Snows Cut is a 1.5 mile cut connecting Cape Fear River with the east coast Waterway at Carolina Beach.
The second image shows the south side of the cut. Note that waypoints 3 and 4 take you a bit south around some 6′ humps between R162 and G161A. I can personally attest to their existence. Those waypoints are not meant to take you outside the channel between the 2 marks but rather to keep you a bit to port [southbound]. Finally, it is definitely shoal at 162A. No reason to take this one close aboard.
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Marker 162A
Click Here To View the North Carolina Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Southport Marina
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Southport Marina
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Bald Head Island Marina
Click Here To View the North Carolina Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Deep Point Marina
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Deep Point Marina
If you have navigated New Topsail Inlet recently, let Doug and us hear from you!
Have never used top sail inlet south of surf city. Do you have any information on the inlet?
Thanks
Love all the information on your site
Doug
Was exploring the channel this past week. Difficult Inlet to navigate thru. Several bouys are missing. Shoaling is rampant and the channel thru to the ICW is VERY hard to find and follow. I would not try this route with a fixed keel boat. Even at high tide, it’s risky.
This destroyed ICW light is on the west shoulder of the Waterway immediately north of its intersection with Masonboro Inlet channel.
2. SEC NC BNM 348-18
3. NORTH CAROLINA – NEUSE RIVER TO MYRTLE GROVE SOUND (CHART 11541)
4. NEW RIVER – CAPE FEAR RIVER LIGHT 128 (LLNR 39625 [34°11.8130N / 077°49.4033W, 34.196884 / -77.823389]) RPTD DESTROYED. PORTIONS MAY REMAIN.
Last dredged in 2017, Carolina Beach Inlet is noted for shoaling and a shifting channel. The approximate location of uncharted buoy 4, re-positioned in May, is marked with a pin on our Chartview. Local knowledge is strongly recommended for navigating this inlet.
1.MARINERS ARE ADVISED THAT SHOALING HAS BEEN REPORTED BETWEEN CAROLINA BEACH INLET BUOYS 4 AND 5 ACROSS ENTIRE CHANNEL TO A DEPTH OF 2 FEET MLW. MARINERS ARE ADVISED TO USE EXTREME CAUTION WHILE NAVIGATING THIS AREA.
Our thanks to Bev Burger for confirming (sadly!) that Topsail Island Bridge is not at the old charted 65ft, but 64ft as noted in a NCDOT notice in 2012: https://cruisersnet.net/3862. Why the clearance gauge board was incorrect is unknown. See https://cruisersnet.net/45168.
Topsail Island Bridge (at milemarker 252.5) is shown as a 64’ fixed bridge. Upon approach (with a very clear 65’ +) we hit the bridge with our anchor light. (We need 64.5’ clearance and did not have any issues with other bridges marked 65’.) We estimate the bridge is off the markets by 1/2 – 1’. Please proceed with caution.
And we know the bridge is listed at 64’ in the guide, but the markings on the bridge showed a clear and visible 65’ which is why we proceeded. So not only is the bridge a lower bridge, but the markings from the water line are what are not correct.
Bev Burger
Click Here To View the NC Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Topsail Island Bridge
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window Zoomed To the Location of Topsail Island Bridge
Popular Banks Channel has two anchorages, Northside Anchorage and Southside Anchorage which is located south of the Banks Channel’s flashing daybeacon #15.
Good anchorage at N34 degrees 12.149′, W077 degrees 48.250′
Room for 5-7 boats and MLW is about 12′. 2 knot current. Quiet at night.
Charles Hagen
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Banks Channel
This report of shoaling at Marker #162A in Snow’s Cut comes from Robert Sherer’s Cruising Down the ICW 2017 blog, March 12, 2017. Snows Cut is a 1.5 mile cut connecting Cape Fear River with the east coast Waterway at Carolina Beach.
Western end of Snow’s Cut, survey 11/8-9/2016
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Marker 162A
Our thanks to David Grimes for this warning via WWAY TV3. Our most recent Nav Alert on the perennial shoaling at Mason Inlet is from July of 2016, see /158529.
Dozens of boats running aground near Mason’s Inlet.
David Grimes
CLICK HERE FOR THE WWAY TV3 REPORT
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To A “Navigation Alert” Position at Mason Inlet.
This 84 mile stretch of the North Carolina Waterway is regularly at risk of shoaling. All of the locations listed in this report by the USCG are designated as SSECN Problem Stretches or as Navigation Alerts. The chartview for Browns Inlet is shown and the remaining three chartviews may be opened by entering the specific mile in the St.M.Lat/Lon Widget found in the blue tool bar of our Homepage.
Coast Guard notifies mariners of AICW shoaling in NC
WILMINGTON, N.C. — The Coast Guard is notifying mariners Saturday about several areas on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AICW) in North Carolina where shoaling poses a hazard to navigation.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL REPORT
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To This AICW Problem Stretch
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To A “Navigation Alert” Position at Mason Inlet.
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To This AICW Problem Stretch
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