As part of a 4/30/13 South Carolina Wish List, we posed the following question:

Statute Mile 565 to 555 ‘“ reviews, impressions or experiences with any of the several marinas on Hilton Head Island would be very helpful to your fellow cruisers. In particular, if you visited Harbortown or Shelter Cove Marina, what depths did you find? Any dining recommendations on Hilton Head would also be very useful.

Responses follow:

Skull Creek marina is ok good restaurant in walking distance some weather problems in a east wind. Good fuel dock.
Jim Delligatti

Click Here To View the South Carolina Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Skull Creek Marina

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

On 4/30/13 as part of a South Carolina Wish List, we posed the following question:

Statute Mile 565 to 555 ‘“ reviews, impressions or experiences with any of the several marinas on Hilton Head Island would be very helpful to your fellow cruisers. In particular, if you visited Harbortown or Shelter Cove Marina, what depths did you find? Any dining recommendations on Hilton Head would also be very useful.

Responses follow:

Windmill Harbour is a real find, great protection in any weather, reasonable fuel, great food at the SCYC at marina.
Jim Delligatti

Click Here To View the South Carolina Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Windmill Harbor Marina

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

On 4/30/13 as part of a South Carolina Wish List, we posed the following question:

Statute Mile 565 to 555 ‘“ reviews, impressions or experiences with any of the several marinas on Hilton Head Island would be very helpful to your fellow cruisers. In particular, if you visited Harbour Town Yacht Basin or Shelter Cove Marina, what depths did you find? Any dining recommendations on Hilton Head would also be very useful.

Responses follow:

Last visited in April. Great dockmaster thoughtfully gave us a slip that would protect us from forecast high winds during the night. Easy in and out. Great shopping and food. Great people watching in beautiful surroundings.
Favorite stop.
John Wild

Harbour Town is a great stop lots to do, easy access to all needs, Only problem is at low tide there are some real depth problem.
Jim Delligatti

Click Here To View the South Carolina Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Harbour Town Yacht Basin

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Harbour Town Yacht Basin

On 4/30/13 as part of a South Carolina Wish List, we posed the following question:

Statute Mile 544.5 ‘“ anyone tried anchoring on the waters of Cowen Creek, north, northeast of AICW marker #33? Were you able to successfully avoid the surrounding shoals as you entered this stream? Where did you drop the hook? Please give us your overall impressions of this anchorag.

Responses follow:

We anchored there on 4/18/13. We and buddy boat anchored about 2 miles upstream along the south shore, just above the small island on the north side. Friends anchored 1/2 mile further up-stream in the south leg. No one had any problems with shoaling. We were well protected from the east wind and expected potection from the forecast south wind. By morning the south wind made the anchorage a bit rolly but quite acceptable. I would probably go a bit further upstream into the south leg for better protection.
s/v Skye

Just followed the Chart Plotter and watched the depth sounder and had plenty of room between the charted shoals. Followed our bread crumb trail out thenext day. Good water depth for our 5 ft draft and real good mud holdingground. Enjoyed our stay at Lat 32 Deg 21.498 N Lon 081 Deg 38.527 W7 ft under the keel. Plenty of swing room. Good anchorage.
Capt Bob Kovach

Yes, this is a lovely anchorage, highly recommended. It’s a large open area, especially attractive for larger vessels or those wanting plenty of swinging room. It’s well protected with land on 270 degrees, and a shallow sand bar across the open south side. The entrance doesn’t have channel markers, but it’s plenty wide and deep and doesn’t offer any navigation problems.
Most boats anchor in the wide part of the creek, just beyond the entrance. There are 8′ tides, so there will be a reversing current. If there is really severe weather coming, you can proceed further up the creek to a three way split. Take the branch on your left into Distant Island Creek, and it will continue around to another anchorage area that is a local “hurricane hole”.
Rapid Roy,
S/V “Gideon”

Click Here To View the South Carolina Cruisers’ Net Anchorage Directory Listing For the Cowen Creek Anchorage

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of the Cowen Creek Anchorage

On 4/30/13, as part of a South Carolina Wish List, we posed the following question:

Statute Mile 539 ‘“ who has stopped lately at Port Royal Landing Marina, hard by the western AICW shores, north of the McTeer bridge? Please tell us about your experiences and impressions.

Responses follow:

Great Marina, excellent facilities, just too far from town.
Tracy Hellman

Spent 6 days there last fall going south. Great marina, excellent people, transient car, decent marine store, OK restaurant. The crew smoked six turkeys for Thanksgiving dinner for the live-aboards and transients. A bit open to north and south winds. Would stop there again.
s/v Skye

I stayed at the Port Royal Landing Marina on April 18th. Even though the current was rather swift I was able to turn my 32′ Grand Banks around and dock on the inside of the face dock into the current. The dock helpers were great! The marina manager was a young man who was full of southern hospitality and made me feel very welcome. We were given a little goodie bag with several interesting items. While my wife borrowed the courtesy truck and ran errands around town, I borrowed one of the courtesy bikes and rode over the bridge to Lady’s Island. Had a few cold beers and shrimp basket at the local restaurant. Everything was delicious. Will definitely make this a stop on my return trip through this area.
Randy Hondros

Port Royal Landing is a truly premier operation. Tom Wilson and his staff are really wonderful! A class act! It’s a long walk from the dock to the marina/restaurant, but they’ll come and get ya in a golf cart if you have mobility problems.
Jim
Peg and Jim Healy aboard Sanctuary

Port Royal Landing marina is great place. It’s a friendly, family operated facility. They take care of their customers! The Back Porch Grill is the on-site restaurant; the marina has gasoline, diesel, and a ships store, and a courtesy car (pickup truck) is available. If you stay two nights, the third night is free. AND… the local live-aboards host a pot-luck cookout on the marina deck every Friday. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
My Admiral and I live aboard our cruising sailboat docked at Port Royal when we’re not in Florida or the Bahamas. Say Hi to Mary & Roy on S/V “Gideon” on B dock.
Rapid Roy, S/V “Gideon

Click Here To View the South Carolina Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Port Royal Landing Marina

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Port Royal Landing Marina

On 4/30/13, as part of a South Carolina Wish List, we posed the following question:

Statute Mile 542 ‘“ we would like to hear from those of you who have anchored on Battery Creek, hard by the historic community of Port Royal. Where did you anchor? Did you dinghy ashore to Dockside Restaurant? If so, how was the food?

Responses follow:

In my opinion, Dockside Restaurant is one of the top 5 restaurants in [the] Beaufort [area]. Price, Portion Size, Atmosphere are all great. You gotta try the cornbread ( or what I call CAKE!) they bring to your table before the meal. I have never anchored, but I have seen several boats just north of the restaurant. There is a dock which can accommodate a trawler or dingys is available.
Tracy Hellman

This is another nice anchorage, but not as nice as Cowan Creek. It’s main attraction is being adjacent to the best seafood restaurant in the area, which has a courtesy dock you can dinghy to.
The anchorage is up Battery Creek, past the old port facilities and past the Dockside Restaurant, where you will see shrimp boats docked. Another 500 feet straight ahead is an anchorage area where you’ll see several local boats permanently moored. DO NOT try to get behind them, closer to the shoreline; the wide expanse of water north of the moored boats is shallow.
The Dockside Restaurant has a great local reputation. There is a courtesy dock which you won’t see initially. It’s out of sight behind the shrimp boats, but it’s accessible by dinghy or small run about if you go around the south end of the shrimp boats. The dock can be used by small boats but it isn’t large enough for a cruising sailboat or trawler.
Rapid Roy, S/V “Gideon”

The Dockside [Restaurant] in Port Royal is an excellent seafood restaurant. There is a short dock for tying up.
Emil

Click Here To View the South Carolina Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For the Battery Creek Anchorage

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of the Battery Creek Anchorage

On 4/30/13, as part of a South Carolina Wish List, we posed the following question:

Statute Mile 554.5 – who has anchored on the deep water south of AICW marker #6, abutting the eastern shores of Skull Creek? Did you have any problem with passing commercial fishing vessels during the night?

Responses follow:

Haven’t anchored in the Fisherman’s Channel, but routinely pass through it from Skull Creek into Port Royal Sound. As of 4/25 and low tide, water depths in that channel are not less than 10 feet.
Peg and Jim Healy aboard Sanctuary

We have spent a few nights anchored in the East channel, South of marker `6’, in Skull Creek. We usually drop the hook just below the small island where the depth is marked as 13 feet. The last time we were there, Verizon wireless service was very limited. Shelter from the wind was good. There is quite a bit of current so you will swing 180 degrees during a tide change. The small island is nothing but oyster shells and mud, forget bring your pet ashore here you will just tear up your dinghy and feet. Swinging room is limited.
This spot is off the marked ICW route, however the fishing boats as well as traffic from the marina to the south use it as a short cut to reach the Chechessee River. Wake consideration does not seem to be their main concern. The passage is narrow so if you do decide to stop here be sure that your boat is well lit at night.
Dave Boxmeyer

Ha! Yes, this is listed in several popular anchoring guides. However, there are two problems. One is, all the local fishing boats blast through the “cut through” short cut, at morning and evening twilight. You’ll be waked frequently. The other problem is that it’s a foul anchorage. There’s the wreckage of an old shrimp boat on the bottom. This wreckage has claimed the anchors of three cruisers that I personally know of. How do I know? I’m the Captain for the local Towboat U.S. that’s been called to bring a diver out to help them with their fouled anchors.
Well… other than that… it’s a nice anchorage. (Smile!).
Rapid Roy, S/V “Gideon”

Click Here To View the South Carolnia Cruisers’ Net Anchorage Directory Listing For the Skull Creek Anchorages

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of the Skull Creek Anchorages