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Please Note That Postings Below From Fellow Cruisers Are Listed in Chronological Order, Based on Publication Date
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Sunrise Bistro will require automobile transportation to get to, but it definitely sounds worth asking a favor of a friend or the cost of a taxi. The City Marina courtesy van does not go out to Johns Island.
Please note that Charleston City Marina is a VALUED SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR!
Cruising News:
Claiborne,
As we continue our voyage north we had the occasion this weekend to dock at the City Marina in Charleston. As a frequent visitor to Charleston and its fine eating establishments, we are always eager to uncover another favorite.
Our escorts for this foray were Ed and Cindy Kridler of Charleston. Ed is a great guy and the District Commander of District 26 of the United States Power Squadrons.
Our destination was the Sunrise Bistro at 1797 Main Road on Johns Island. The building is not much to look at but just wait until you go inside.
You are warmly greeted by Brittany or the co-owner Jessica Welenteichick (the spelling is correct).
Sunrise Bistro is normally open for breakfast and lunch but on Friday and Saturday they are open for dinner also.
We started with hushpuppies wrapped in bacon. Holy Moly Claiborne, Hursey’s and the Mayflower restaurants would really be jealous of these gems which are served with Cajun honey butter. You just can’t stop eating them.
For my entrée I chose one of the few remaining braised pork shanks with mashed potatoes, asparagus and Newcastle sauce. Quite simply Claiborne it was one of the finest meals I’ve had in and around Charleston.
Other selections prepared by Chef Brian Appelt include Chef’s Home-Style Meatloaf with scalloped potatoes and asparagus in a carmelized onion demi glaze.
Bistro Short Ribs over grits and wild mushroom demi glaze was a great hit with another of our party.
Other offerings include Shrimp and Pepper-Jack Grits, Honey Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Pan-Seared Grouper (in garlic olive oil), Candied Rosemary Salmon and Creole Pan-Seared Pork Chop.
The rest of the menu may be found at www.sunrise-bistro.com. Claiborne, this one is really special.
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of
Earlier reports have indicated depths of 5.8 feet at dead low in this perennial “AICW Problem Stretch” north of Beaufort, SC. Captains Cordello, Horowitz and Raynor all confirm our recommendation to take this passage at mid to high tide.
June 1, 2013
Ditto to the above comments. Arrived at Asheepoo Coosaw Cutoff at dead low tide on June 1, 2013, and plowed into mud with a depth under 4′. Waited for 2 hours and got through with 6′. Wish I’d have looked at the alternate route down the Coosaw River and up the Asheepoo to Fenwick Island. It adds 4 miles but would have been a lot faster and less nerve-wracking.
Bill Raynor
April 20, 2013
We just came thru Ashepoo Coosaw Cutoff on 4/20/2013 and the reported shoaling has gotten worse. We consistently saw 4.5 feet at MLW and one 3.9 foot at MLW. There appears to be an easy by pass by going down the Coosaw River toward St Helena Sound and up the Ashepoo Rv. We have not tried this route but will on the trip south next fall.
John Holmes
Oct 12 we also transit the Ashepoo/Coosaw Cut on a falling tide, just 2.5 feet above mlw, what we saw was exactly what was reported between markers 184 and 185 there would have been only 4.5 feet of water, strongly suggest going at mid to high tide.
Doug Cordello
Southbound, 3 November 2012. Exited the Ashepoo Coosaw Cutoff (“185″) at 1735. Low tide at 1818, +1.27′. Saw depths as low as 6 1/2′, so when you do the math there is not a lot of water at MLLW +0.0. At 1600 +2.8′, 1700 +1.8′, 1800 +1.2′, so check the daily tables and plan your passage accordingly.
Mike Horowitz
ALTAIR
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Stretches” Listing For Ashepoo/Coosaw Cutoff
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To This AICW Problem Stretch
Dynamite Hole - Click for Chartview
Dynamite Hole is a marked channel opening in the south jetty, at the ocean side entrance to Charleston Harbor. The shoaling location is described below by Captain Mullins.
Local mariners often use this route as a short cut, particularly when entering Charleston Harbor from the south. ALL captains who are contemplate taking this passage should read the message below with the greatest care!
May 1, 2013
There is a large shoal that has grown on the seaward side of Ft.Sumter adjacent to the Dynamite Hole area. We found it and spent 6 hours high and dry and had to be pulled off by Tow Boat US. There has always been a shoal about half way out from the ship channel while trying to go through Dynamite Hole, but it has been about half way between the green side of the channel and the cut itself. Now, this shoal has extended to about 100 ft. to starboard of the green channel marker while making passage offshore. We were not trying to go through Dynamite Hole when we hit, but were just to starboard of the green channel marker.
We hit it under full sail and hit 4 times before we stopped on a falling tide.
It is not marked by any buoys or signs and is not shown as a danger area on my GPS charts.
The prudent sailor should stay in the shipping channel until at lease half way through the jetties going to sea.
Philip W. Mullins (Phil)
S/V Katash
Isle of Palms, SC
Hi, how close in time were you to low tide? I’ve gone thru Dynamite Hole a couple of times. Are you suggesting not using it any more or to go past the marker (as you head out to sea) marker on starboard and then turn south and head thru the cut in the jetties. Looks like that would avoid the shoaling.
Skip Hardin.
S/V Platypus
Cruising News:
Re the question “how close to low tide did you go aground” It was about 2.5 hrs before dead low tide. You can still go out Dynamite Hole, but I would pass Green “21″ to seaward then turn south to Dynamite Hole, keeping the cut well to your west as you progress to the cut.
Phil Mullins
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To A “Navigation Alert” Position at South Jetty
On 4/30/13 as part of a South Carolina Wish List, we posed the following question:
Statute Mile 469 – who has had the pleasure of spending time at the Charleston City Marina? Please tell us about your experience.
Responses follow:
Excellent marina and wonderful showers. People were great. Marina van will take you into the city and pick you up !!! Like a bus….
Many super large yachts…flowing water. Pump out boat is hard to get ahold of….
It is a VERY LONG walk to your boat ..no matter where you are located !!!!!!!
Barbara and Ernie Roberts
Bermudiana
In the past 5 years CAVALIER has spent over 15 nights at the Charleston City Marina. A great marina as long as you follow a few simple rules:
1. Do not tie up on the outside of the outside pier unless you gross over 100 tons. It is pretty rocky.
2. Do not tie up close where the outside pier is connected to the stationery pier with a ribbed, non-slip steel ramp. The security cart that runs across that ramp all night long will make for a sleepless night.
3. Do be careful with the current – docking should be done into the current and slowly and carefully. When departing, plan your get-away carefully so that you have a safe basin to turn around, if necessary.
Jeanne and Terry Bieker
CAVALIER
Sanctuary and crew WILL NOT stay at the Charleston City Marina. If you stay there, make sure your insurances are all paid up and in force. Fast currents, totally unenforced no wake zones, narrow fairways. I don’t need it!
Jim
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Charleston City Marina
Cooper River Marina is a Charleston County recreational facility, and they are indeed located on the grounds on the old US Navy Base, pretty much out in the middle of absolutely nowhere. You will definitely need landside, motorized transportation to enjoy Charleston’s many delights.
As for the current issue, swiftly moving water is part and parcel of almost every marina in South Carolina and Georgia, but the current can be quite swift here on this part of Cooper River.
Do NOT go to Cooper River Marina…an old navy base up stream…they try hard..but.. the river flows by at about 15 mph and it is very dangerous to get in there !!!!
Barbara and Ernie Roberts
Bermudiana
Currents in the Cooper River at this marina can run in the vicinity of 3 knots with storm run off on a spring tide ebb. We had no trouble dealing with them with a single screw sailboat. Just come in just before slack before ebb and leave the same way.
The current issue here is that wind against tide can set up quite a chop. Pick the downwind side of the face dock or find another place.
Yes it is remote, and yes the neighborhood is not so hot, but the staff is excellent, the facilities are well maintained. For an overnight stay is is a very good deal compared to the marinas for people with deep, deep pockets on the other rivers which also have their share of current and wind issues.
Chris & Janet
Click Here To View the South Carolina Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Cooper River Marina
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Cooper River Marina
On 4/30/13 as part of a South Carolina Wish List, we posed the following question:
Statute Mile 472.5 – Who has spent some tme at St. Johns Yacht Harbor, on the Stono River, south of the AICW’s entrance into Elliott Cut. Did you find this facility as nice as we have always discovered it to be? Did you try out the second story cruisers’ lounge? How about the swimming pool?
Responses follow:
Stayed there in spring and fall of 2012. Will stay there again. Some of the nicest facilities anywhere. Be careful if not arriving at slack current. Didn’t try pool or lounge. Could use a better eating facility and/or a courtesy car.
s/v Skye
We spent two nights at St. John’s for our Charleston visit. It was Race Week and all our normal venues were taken. This was our second visit and things are still excellent. The best change is that they now have a modern courtesy car for local shopping trips. Normally we rent a car from this marina to visit the city and surrounding areas. Enterprise has several offices that will pick you up. We were able to use the courtesy car the first evening to see a music performance at the Circular Congregational Church, which saved us a days car
rental.
After 9 years of doing tourist parts of Charleston, it is a nice change to tour the outskirts. BTW it was too cold for the pool but last year it was a refreshing stop. We did not use the lounge.
Great service and modern facilities.
Gregory Han
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of St. Johns Yacht Harbor
As part of a 4/30/13 South Carolina Wish List, we posed the following question:
Statute Mile 469 – please provide your fellow cruisers with some Charleston dining and sightseeing recommendations
Responses follow:
During this past weekend [May, 2013], we hunkered down in the Charleston Maritime Center during gale force winds. During respites from weather, we had an opportunity to walk around the downtown, Historic Charleston market area. There are many excellent restaurants from which to choose with a price range of low to high. Three moderate ones are “Amen”, “Magnolia”, and “S.N.O.B.”(Slightly North of Broad). All are close to each other on East Bay Street, but many other restaurants are also nearby. I chose “S.N.O.B.” from past recommendations, and was not disappointed. I walked in dressed with boating clothes, had no reservation, but was seated almost immediately. The atmosphere is classic Charleston, and the staff was pleasant, young and busy. I was quickly served warm sourdough and cornbread cubes (some of the best I’ve tasted) with softened butter. My server, Kyle, recommended an Atlas Peak Cabernet to compliment my order of Shrimp ‘n Grits. My meal was an excellent example of a classic, low country, recipe that was one of the best. For dessert, I tried the strawberry shortcake because the shortcake is a homemade cornbread pudding that reminded me briefly of “cornbread flan”. With blueberries added for color and taste along with a sweet sauce, it was a unique finish to a wonderful meal.
S.N.O.B. is billed as a Maverick Southern Kitchen; it offers why southern cooking is loved, and why Southern Hospitality is cherished. Ask for Kyle Smoak, she will brighten your day.
Bruce Franz
“Hemisphere Dancer”
A fun trip with a car is the firefly distillery about thirty minutes outside of town. There is a wonderful barabcue place on the right (J & D shack). They have a buffet with the best Fried Chicken I have ever had. Probably not healthy but good. Fish is an excellent seafood place, and Tratatorra Lucca is both good and interesting.
JackP
We stayed at the Maritime marina. It is an easy walk to all of downtown Charleston. Dining is a delight with lots of choices. Fig offers a fabulous fine dining experience. The servers really know the menu and the food is great. Husk is highly rated but it is really difficult to get an evening reservation. We were able to get a lunch reservation and enjoyed the meal. The Pavilion roof top bar is a great place to have a cocktail and watch the sunset. The pizza was pretty good too – thin crust. Hominy grill was quite a hike-2m- but breakfast
was great. Best grits ever. There are many restaurants to choose from but we can recommend trying these four.
Rock Chalk
You need a car for this visit but if you want “real” soul food, head for Bertha’s Kitchen in North Charleston at 2332 Meeting St Rd. It is a neighborhood place, nothing like the excellent Jestines which is gentrified soul food on Meeting St just north of Hymans and Sticky Fingers Ribs. Fried pork chops, fried chicken, okra soup, corn bread, Mac and cheese unlike any I have tasted, Lima beans. All so flavorful and like Berthas mama made. All of the other patrons were locals getting their regular meals with many getting the $4
dinner special. For use dinner for 2 under $20.
Too much to describe here. Look at Yelp listing. Also, the best martini in town and maybe in the south is at the hotel in Charleston Place with and entrance on Meeting just north of Market.
Gregory Han
LOTS of wonderful lace to eat !!!!
We love “Bubba Gumps” by the old slave market (now a craft market)
Wonderful Gulla Geeche baskets made and sold by the islanders !
Barbara and Ernie Roberts
Bermudiana
When ashore, be sure to take a carriage tour and to dine at Slightly North Of Broad (SNOB), High Cotton or Magnolia’s.
Jeanne and Terry Bieker
CAVALIER
Click Here To View the South Carolina Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Dolphin Cove Marina
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Charleston, SC
On 4/30/13, as part of a South Carolina Wish List, we posed the following question:
Statute Mile 465 – who has spent time at Charleston Harbor Marina on the Mount Pleasant side of Charleston Harbor. Please give us a report. Did you find anyplace good to dine ashore?
Responses follow:
The marina staff was excellent & quite helpful with an excellent service attitude.
Tripp Jones
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Charleston Harbor Resort Marina
On 4/30/13, as part of a South Carolina Wish List, we posed the following question:
Statute Mile 472 to 469 – has anyone had problems with the strong tidal currents barreling through the Elliott Cut – Wappoo Creek section of the AICW, between the Stono and Ashley Rivers? Did you have problems keeping off the morning and afternoon restricted bascule bridge which crosses these waters east of marker #7?
Responses follow:
We have been through Elliott Cut -Wapoo Creek Bridge many times. No problem with current, They have always been managable. I do put out a Security Call on Both VHF 13/16 for commercial traffic. Transited the cut on 4-19-13 on a flooding tide. Dropped the Antenna’s and took our 30 ft Air draft right under the bridge with no opening necessary any restrictiions is not a problem if you just check your cruising guide and plan your arrival accordingly.
Capt Bob Kovach
We encountered a 2 1/2 kt current through the cut carrying us towards the bridge. We have a cat so it was not a problem, but a monohull might not have been so lucky. There was a significant current through the bridge which is offset to the eastern bank.
John Pholeric
On 4/30/13, as part of a South Carolina Wish List, we posed the following question:
Statute Mile 465 – anyone found a berth at the Charleston Maritime Center, west of marker #36? Please describe your experience here. Did you find enough shelter from choppy water? Did you have any problems with the depths? Did you take the opportunity to walk to the nearby Harris Teeter supermarket? How about some dining recommendations for restaurants close to this facility?
Responses follow:
We’d tried more than once to get in. Last fall we were successful and secured two nights in November by calling a week in advance. Our experience there was positive. The staff was helpful. We didn’t find a problem with boat wakes, but we may be more tolerant than some. Harris Teeter was a short walk away and was a great place to provision. While I can’t name a particular restaurant, we’ve eaten at a few and found them to be really good. We enjoyed the short walk to the old marketplace and downtown.
Our boat is a Beneteau 36CC sailboat with a 5.5 ft draft.
Bob & Sandra
Carpe Diem
Cheapest fuel south of Myrtle Beach with Boat/us discount
Charleston Maritime Marina is best entered at slack tide. Does not have protection against strong northeast winds with subsequent surge! There are definite ship wake issues. Fish is four blocks away, and the Harris Teeter is expensive, but has anything you could ask for. The Aquarium is right there and worth a visit. Patriot Park is a water taxi ride away and a nice afternoon. The aircraft carrier was quite interesting.
JackP
Stayed several nights at the center. We did have to plow a bit of mud at dead low tide with our 5’3″ draft to get to our slip. there is a shallow hump inside to the southeast. Once at our slip we had several feet at low tide.
Walking to Harris Teeter is easy, a very well stocked market.
We loved the easy access to the historical district. Biking or walking is great.
Ed
Great Location, easy walk downtown, fuel prices are good. The facilities are a long walk from the docks. NO hiding the chop with winds out of the North or Northeast and then you add commercial traffic and can be kind of rough in there.
Tract Hellman
The Charleston Maritime Center around the battery is greatly preferred; closer to downtown, easy walk to provisioning at Harris-Teeter, and more welcoming and appreciative of your business!
Jim
Peg and Jim Healy aboard Sanctuary
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Charleston Maritime Center
The appealing account below is excerpted from our good friend, Captain Wally Moran’s site, “LiveBloggin’ the ICW (http://bloggingtheicw.blogspot.com/). We will be hearing a LOT more from Captain Wally as he follows the AICW during the next several weeks/months. Give his blog a look-see. It is well worth the time of any true cruiser!
Somedays you simply might as well sleep in. Today would have been a good day for that, and when the alarm went off at half past six, I thought about it. Today appears to be the last day of the winter that just won’t end – cold, dreary, drizzley with a cold and biting wind out of the north. Tomorrow’s forecast is sunny and high 60s. I headed out for Elliot Cut, naturally at the very height of the ebbtide. Elliot Cut is a difficult cut at the best of times if the current isn’t with you, and the current today was between 3.5 and four knots. My boat speed was down to .9 knots at one point – and hovered between 1 and 1.4 knots for almost the entire cut.
Waiting till the tide switched wasn’t really an option if I wanted to make any distance, as it didn’t reverse itself until nearly 1 pm. I’d lose half the day, so onward I struggled, making three boat lengths a minute. To put that into perspective, normal would be 15 to 18 boat lengths per minute.
Slowly, oh so slowly, Gypsy Wind struggled…I was grateful that this cut is fairly short, less than a half mile…and finally, we came through into the Stono River. Now the wind that I hadn’t felt inside the cut bore down. It was brisk – a Canadian word meaning ‘really damn cold!’
The tide was still against me but less strong so I was now making about 4.5 knots while watching the wind push mist along the water. This wasn’t fun. Then I noticed poor Aduana shivering and that decided me – I turned around, the speed shot up to 6 knots even as I dropped the engine speed to idle, and we returned to the anchorage to spend the day sensibly, rather than struggle in the cold and wet.
Cruising is supposed to be fun, and sometimes we forget that in the rush to get somewhere. So, excuse me while I take the pup ashore and we play ball and she chases some squirrels. After that, I’m going to put together a video about what an average day cruising the ICW is like, so those of you who haven’t done this yet can get an idea of how good it can be.
Do I know how to have fun or what?
Posted by Wally Moran at 3:45 PM
We have been through Elliott Cut -Wapoo Creek Bridge many times. No problem with current, They have always been managable. I do put out a Security Call on Both VHF 13/16 for commercial traffic. Transited the cut on 4-19-13 on a flooding tide. Dropped the Antenna’s and took our 30 ft Air draft right under the bridge with no opening necessary any
restrictiions is not a problem if you just check your cruising guide and plan your arrival accordingly.
Capt Bob Kovach
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Wappoo Creek and Elliott Cut
After reading an earlier posting about a trip from Charleston Harbor to Lake Marion http://cruisersnet.net/?p=100198, Kim has the following question:
We live near the cove at Santee State Park and Poplar Creek where you spent the night. At what speed were you cruising and how long did it take you to get from Charleston to there? We are planning on cruising 24ft pontoon with 6 to 8 people from there to the marina beside California Dreaming, eat dinner, spend the night and come back next day. Is this possible or do we need to give ourselves 3 days?
Kim
If you have made this trip, let us hear from you!
The Corp of Engineers of Charleston has rolled out a great website that allows you to see the latest hydrographic survey data in the Federal Channels in Charleston Harbor and the AIWW. It works great on an IPAD or other tablet.
1. Click on the Charleston or AIWW block. Use your mouse to drag the map around and scroll wheel to move in and out. The legend is in the upper left corner (Small squares with lines).
2. Remember in the legend generally Blue is good-Green-OK-Red Look Out. The depths are at MLLW. We will be adding the buoys and markers.
3. This is a small step and we will be putting a comments button on it for the public so we can improve the site.
Link is: http://w3.sac.usace.army.mil/home/;
Regards,
David Warren
Project Manager Civil Works
USACE Charleston District
These three anchorages lie between the intersection of the Waterway and Ashley River and the Hwy 17 bascule bridge several hundred yards up the Ashley. As a longtime Charleston boater, Capt. Koerner is very familiar with these waters.
The northernmost anchorage, closest to the City Marina (and their dinghy dock) has the shallowest water during tidal range. Holding ground is pluff mud, but great for catamarans. Off the City Marina you will find deeper water, but strong currents, and it tends to get crowded during the seasons. If you go under the 56′ bridge, you will find it much less crowded, though a much further dinghy ride to the City Marina dinghy dock. The Harborage on the Ashley River (former Ashley Marina) does not offer service to cruisers at anchor.
HB Koerner
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Charleston/Ashley River Anchorages
The Harborage at Ashley Marina - Click for Chartview
The Harborage at Ashley Marina lies along the northeastern shores of Ashley River (on the Charleston peninsula), between the charted 56 foot fixed bridge, and the 18-foot Highway 17 bascule bridge.
While we certainly have NO argument with either Captain Koerner’s or Captain Jay’s advice to be on the lookout for swiftly moving waters when approaching this facility’s piers, I might just add, “welcome to the South Carolina Low Country.” Strong tidal currents are part and parcel of almost every anchorage and marina from south of Myrtle Beach to St. Marys River.
I keep my sailboat at this marina. Last April she was T-boned by a trawler whose captain used hiS bow thrusters to turn the boat around during a strong ebb tide. Boat never made the turn.
A powerboat struck another powerboat yesterday while trying to back in against the current (which seems to run 45 degrees to the shore, rather than parallel).
And this morning, a transient sailboat was unable to back ouy against the current and was T-boned against the pier before striking another sailboat in his slip.
THIS IS NOT A DANGEROUS PLACE – JUST RESPECT THE CURRENTS! COME IN ON SLACK WATER, BACK OUT WITH THE CURRENT!!
HB Koerner
I second HB’s advice. I’ve stayed at Ashley’s a couple of times as a transient, and usually ask if I can stay on the outside dock so I don’t have to deal with navigating the interior slips with the current.
Dennis Jay
“Delta Blues”
Annapolis, Md.
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of The Harborage at Ashley Marina
The Harborage at Ashley Marina lies along the northeastern shores of Ashley River (on the Charleston peninsula), between the charted 56 foot fixed bridge, and the 18-foot Highway 17 bascule bridge.
The Harbourage is a great marina. All floating docks, good AC power and fresh water connections at all docks. No wake zone which seems to be pretty much obeyed! Fast tidal flow, so be prepared or come in at high/low water (they used to call this the Crashley marina). There is tons of depth (30′+ on transient dock). Friendly staff, fair bathroom facilities. They run a shuttle van into the tourist area of downtown, and also to West Marine. A fair restaurant about 200 yds away at City Marina (b’fast, lunch, dinner), and another across the river (100yd dinghy ride) with a dinghy dock. Sailboats beware of the of the
Keith Rawlings
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of The Harborage at Ashley Marina
The following narrative is an excerpt from the blog of Chuck and Claria Gorgen. To see the full journey log go to: http://www.gorgensodyssee.blogspot.com.
This is a trip undertaken by very few cruising size craft. Most captains choose to cease their upstream explorations at the “T” on upper Cooper River. HOWEVER, as you will see below, this cruise has its charms, and perhaps should be considered more often.
The Cooper River heads NW from the Charleston, SC harbor up to Monks Corner where it meets Lake Moultrie. Back in 1939, a WPA project dammed up the Cooper and Santee rivers to form two large lakes, Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion. This reservoir backed up the Santee River to the Congaree and Wateree Rivers, and created a water route from Columbia to Charleston. The Cooper River is deep enough to support barge traffic up to the hydro power plants that were build at the bottom end of both lakes. The Santee Cooper project was the largest WPA project undertaken.
On Tuesday we started up the river at about 10:00. The cooper river was very deep all the way up to Lake Moultrie. 35 miles up the river we came to the first bridge we needed open. To request an opening you need to call the bridge 6 hours before you get there,and then call again as you get close, so the bridge operator can drive to the bridge you want opened, he operates two bridges about 10 miles apart.
Another 10 miles up the river we arrived at Monks Corners, where we spent the night tied up to the dock at Gilligan’s Restaurant, free night dockage with power if you have dinner, what a deal!
Wednesday, we needed a second RR bridge opened just before the dam and lock at Lake Moultrie. The same bridge tender arrived to do the honors. As the bridge goes up we can see the 80 foot high dam and lock. We call the lock master and proceed to the lock door. These bridges and lock have no VHF radios so all communication is by cell phone. When this lock was built back in 1939 it was the highest single chamber lock in the world at 75′.
Once in the lock, we tied up to a floating dock that was secured to the locks bollards. YOUNG at HEART rafted up to us and we started up. the lock was very friendly with little turbulence as we went up.
Once to the top of the 75′ lift we can see Lake Moultrie off to the NW. Once on the lake there is a 6 mile buoyed straight channel to diversion channel which connects Lake Moultrie and Monroe. Parts of Moultrie are 90′ deep, and when the lake was flooded they flooded over roads, bridges, and towns, all of that stuff still down there.
YOUNG at HEART lead the way out of the lock and across the lake, and enters diversion channel leading into Lake Monroe. Lake Monroe is not as deep as Moultrie, and they never cleaned all of the trees out before they flooded, so there are trees and stumps all over, it’s important to stay in the buoyed channel.
We spent the first night anchored behind the Santee National Wildlife Refuge at the North East corner of the lake.
Thursday morning was overcast and drizzly. We continued up the lake with the intention to get to Santee State Park. About halfway up the lake we go under Interstate 95. At this point the lake was getting shallow except for the old Santee River bed, which winds all over between the trees that continue to stand. Here YOUNG at HEART follows us through the maze.
Friday we set out to see how far we could get up the Santee River and then up the Congaree River. As we approached the far west end of Lake Monroe, the channel got narrow and shallow, with lots of growth crowding in on the channel. We found the deepest water on the outside of the river bends and we hugged the growth close.
We anchored in a nice cove behind Santee State Park.
Friday we set out to see how far we could get up the Santee River and then up the Congaree River. As we approached the far west end of Lake Monroe, the channel got narrow and shallow, with lots of growth crowding in on the channel. We found the deepest water on the outside of the river bends and we hugged the growth close.
The water was very skinny, running between 6-8′. It look like we wouldn’t be able to get through, but the bottom was very soft mud and many had told us we could get quite a ways up the river, so we slowly continued. They were right, within a few miles the river became a typical river, with a downstream current of 1.5 to 2 MPH, with depths along the deep channel of 12-18′. We knew there were three bridges to get under, the first a RR bridge with a reported clearance of 18′. The water is down about 1.5′, and we found about 20′ clearance. A little further upstream the Santee River ends and the Wateree goes off to the north and the Congaree goes off to the west towards Columbia. We turned left up the Congaree and soon found the second bridge, highway 601, with a new span under construction.
About 3 miles further up the river we came to the third bridge, with an 18′ clearance per the chart. Well, this bridge was also under construction and a temporary span was across the river for the crawler cranes to use. One of the construction guys stretched his tap measure down to the water and announced the clearance was about 15′. We may have been able to get under, but YOUNG at HEART could not, so we decided we were as far as we were going.
The Ehlers have a good suggestion for all pet owners at this or any marina. Like most marinas today, Charleston Harbor Marina – A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR! – requires at all pets be leashed, but that rule is so often ignored.
We have stayed here a couple of weekends with our boat “Keeper of the Stars” and we found it very nice and staff friendly. There are 2 things that we would like to mention, #1…We wish they had a general store on site instead of having to leave the property to buy soft drinks, cleaning supplies etc. #2 and most important to us….I wish they would make people put their dogs on LEASHES at all times….I have 2 small pugs that are on leashes and when ur big dog comes over and gets my dogs riled up…your dog better not cause me a problem, because I will protect them at all costs…so keep your dog on a leash!!!!!
Jim and Tera Ehlers
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Charleston Harbor Marina
"Early Morning at Snows Cut Bridge (North Carolina AICW, north of Southport, NC)"
by: Captain Sheila Dixon
