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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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This nifty anchorage lies just off the AICW, north of Ramshorn Creek, and northwest of AICW marker #37. “Rapid Roy” is quite right about the strong currents present on these waters. Be SURE your anchorage is well set before heading below for a well-earned toddie!
I’ve anchored there around the bend, in the straight stretch of the river. A nice anchorage. You have grass on both sides so there’s no protection from high winds, but you’re well away from open water and boat traffic. Because of the local 8′ tides, be aware that you’ll have a strong current that reverses direction every 6 hours. My personal practice is to place one upstream and one downstream anchor, from the bow, so the boat swings from one to the other with the tide and current changes.
Rapid Roy
S/V “Gideon”
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of the Upper Cooper River Anchorage
As part of a 4/30/13 South Carolina Wish List, we posed the following question:
Statute Mile 565.5 – Who has dropped the hook on Bull Creek, north of AICW marker #34? How far upstream did you cruise before anchoring? What depths did you find on these waters?
Responses follow:
Bull Creek, one of my favorite anchorages. I go up around the first bend and anchor off the dock. There is some shallow water there so you don’t need to put out too much rode. However, it drops off fast so you want to be sure you don’t drag into the hole at the bend in a strong westerly wind. There can be enough fetch in such conditions to make it less comfortable than you might expect. Some boat traffic going to and from Bluffton by the back way.
I took this video in Bull Creek:
http://www.cruisingonstrider.us/videos/BullCreekBuffet.wmv
14.93 meg, 2 minute, Windows Media video.
Roger Long
S/V Strider
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of the Bull Creek Anchorage
On 4/30/13, as part of a South Carolina Wish List, we posed the following question:
Statute Mile 570 – What were your experiences with the shoaling at the southern foot of the Ramshorn Creek section of the AICW, near marker #40? What was the best track you discovered to keep to good depths?
Responses follow:
Status quo prevails. As of 4/23. 2013, no significant changes over past 2 – 3 years.
Jim
Peg and Jim Healy aboard Sanctuary
We traveled through Ramshorn Creek on 11/12/12. We got a heads up that the red mark at the south end was missing and that we should hug the green mark. We did so and got through without trouble. However, we did see another boat hard aground that appeared to have tried to stay in the middle. The missing red mark must have disoriented them. It was near low tide when we went through, and it was obvious, with so much of his rudder and keel out of the water, that this boat would be there for hours. We travel on a Beneteau 36CC sailboat with 5.5 ft. draft.
Bob & Sandra
Carpe Diem
The best guideline is to hug the shoreline. It’s especially treacherous when you are southbound. As you emerge from Ramshorn creek into the larger river, it’s tempting to angle out into the center of the river. DON’T. Hug the shore line initially until you’re well past the growing shallow spit.
Rapid Roy, S/V “Gideon”
Northern Fields Cut - Click for Chartview
The “AICW Problem Stretch” at the intersection of northern Fields Cut and Wright River was dredged three years ago and was more or less clear through the end of 2012. However, as recent reports confirm and Captain Healy observes, shoaling is once again beginning to occur.
North entrance of Fields Cut is a BIG problem. At +1.2′, a sailboat in front of us grounded mid-channel. We saw less than 5′ on the Green side. Later radio traffic said better water depth was found in the RED quarter, but I can’t personally confirm that. Also, Later radio traffic indicated several groundings.
So, control depth at normal low would less than 4′. Less for celestial low tides.
FOLLOW THE OUTSIDE RADIUS OF ALL BENDS!
Note: we followed small passenger ship American Star through Fields Cut. At +1.2, that small cruise ship can make Fields Cut, Watts Cut and Ranshorn Creek.
Peg and Jim Healy aboard Sanctuary
Currently at Beaufort, SC
Monk 36 Hull #132
MMSI #367042570
AGLCA #3767
MTOA #3436
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Stretches” Listing For Northern Fields Cut
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To This AICW Problem Stretch
Fields Cut South - Click for Chartview
Fields Cut lies just north of the intersection of the Waterway and the Savannah River. Shoaling there has always been an issue and even with last year’s dredging, shallow depths can be expected. Follow the link below for the detailed specs on this AICW problem stretch to learn more!
As of 4/24/2013 at 12h17:
Field Cut tide data: Low – 14h17
At 12h13: +1.2 against normal low reference on my Garmin CP almanac…
Readings, northbound:
South entrance is not a problem; slightly favor RED (west)
Approx 1000 ft north, favor RED; avoid the docks on the east shore (inside radius of that first bend. We saw 10.3′ at 60 ‘ from the docks
FOLLOW THE OUTSIDE RADIUS OF ALL BENDS!
Peg and Jim Healy aboard Sanctuary
Currently at Beaufort, SC
Monk 36 Hull #132
MMSI #367042570
AGLCA #3767
MTOA #3436
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Stretches” Listing For Fields Cut
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Fields Cut
Northern Fields Cut - Click for Chartview
The “AICW Problem Stretch” at the intersection of northern Fields Cut and Wright River was dredged three years ago and was more or less clear through the end of 2012. However, as Captain Colburn relates from personal experience, shoaling is once again beginning to occur.
This posting at first created quite a ruckus here at the SSECN, as Captain Colburn originally recommended favoring the “red” side of the channel. Heretofore, the shoaling at the northern end of Fields Cut, always seemed to build from the northwest side of the passage, between the northern mouth of Fields Cut, and marker #48. We wondered if the new shoaling was coming in from the southeast, rather than its traditional direction from the NW, and sent out a special “Alert” soliciting more information from the cruising community.
SHORTLY AFTER ISSUING THIS SPECIAL ALERT BASED ON CAPTAIN COLBURN’S ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION TO FAVOR THE “RED” SIDE OF THE CHANNEL, WE RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING CLARIFICATION, AND HAVE CHANGED HER ORIGINAL TEXT ACCORDINGLY!!!
Yikes! What was I thinking??
I can’t say I’m sorry enough, but I meant to favor the GREEN side of the channel. Please amend my recent report on the intersection of the Fields Cut north end with the Wright River.
Patrece Colburn
April 7, 3:30PM
North end of Fields Cut — stay way over on the GREEN side of the channel coming out of the cut (northbound).
After spending the last hour or so aground in the center of the channel at low tide, I could recommend staying close to the [GREEN] side of the channel. A sail boat was also aground with us. We waited for the tide to come up and both freed ourselves under our own power.
Patrece Colburn
Claiborne,
I transited Field’s Cut in late Jan. 2013 and found the shoal dead in the middle of the channel on the north side. I was pulled off by Boat U.S. Savannah, very expertly may I say. We entered the cut right in the middle of the channel and about 100 yards or so, ran aground. The tide was ebbing, but not dead low.
We were on the bar about 30 minutes before a boat passed us near the south side of the channel and shouted the deep water is to the “green ” side.
Unfortunately, we discovered a fuel leak from a corroded injector and had the Boat U.S. captain take us to Thunderbolt Marina where we spent 2 weeks getting it and one other injector fixed.
Instead of continuing on south, we decided to return to Charleston, SC and lick our wounds.
On the way back north, we paid particular attention to Field’s Cut and stayed on the “green” side and had no problem.
Our Boat US captain said a new shoal had been forming for a couple of months.
Then northwest side of the channel is not the side to transit. There is some deep water on that side of the shoal,but finding it may be difficult.
Captain Phil Mullins
S/V Katash
Isle of Palms, SC
We were the sailboat aground at the north end of Fields Cut during low tide April 7, 2013. We had followed the advice to favor the red side and ran aground. The trawler that ran aground with us was close to the center of the channel, on the magenta line. The deepest water was while hugging the green side of the north end of the channel and going close to G47 going into the Wright River. We were traveling northbound.
Roger Globig
AllEZ! MT50 with 5 ft draft. Transited Hells Gate on 4-14-13 at 2 hours into a rising tide. Transit time 4 minutes.
Water 8-10 ft. (5 ft under our keel) Fields Cut Transited on 4-14-13 @ 12:25 Noon Entered from South going North
5 ft draft we had 10 feet under the keel. We were 1 hour into a falling tide. Just stay in the middle and do some
cruise planning. Follow you Depth sounder. No Drama, just planning.
Capt. Bob
We just passed thru Fields Cut on 4/19/2013 and found no problems. We carried over 10 feet MLW for the entire cut. As a point of interest we changed sides (going north favoring Red to favoring Green) at about 32 04.611N and 080 56.836W.
John Holmes
Here are my GPS tracks going and coming last December. My draft is only 4′-3″ but I start paying attention whenever the depth gets under 8. I don’t remember any particular concern on either transit. There are lots of other stretches that seemed worse.
Roger Long
S/V Strider
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Stretches” Listing For Northern Fields Cut
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To This AICW Problem Stretch
Fields Cut lies just north of the intersection of the Waterway and the Savannah River. Shoaling there has always been an issue and even with last year’s dredging, shallow depths can be expected. Fortunately, most of us do not have a 7ft draft with which to contend.
If Captain Dennis had favored the northern and northwestern banks as he cruised south, round the last turn to the south, north of Savannah River, he might have made it without imitating a plow. Follow the link below for the detailed specs on this AICW problem stretch to learn more!
Came thru Fields Cut today with our 7ft draft Catalina 42 and had to plow our way thru the last 100 ft before the Savannah River with tide at +1 ft. This was center of channel.
Dennis Lawrence
S/V Thate Wata
Catalina 42 #758
Center and green is indeed shallow, you must favor the red side there (see my notes posted in October) and you ll have plenty of water!
Pascal
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Stretches” Listing For Fields Cut
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Fields Cut
These two anchorages, southern and northern upstream, are on the waters of Bull Creek, south of Calibogue Sound and Hilton Head Island, east of the Waterway’s flashing daybeacon #34.
Spent a wonderful evening here August 21, 2011. 20 feet of depth. Payed out 150 feet of rode and spent a nice evening. Plenty of room for me and any passing boating traffic. Much more reasonable than Hilton Head.
Skipper Carl
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Bull Creek
Severe shoaling has shelved out from the southern and southeastern banks, just north of the Fields Cut/ICW’s intersection with Savannah River
Came thru this morning (April 8, 2011) and stayed closer to the green side, never saw less than 11 MLW. While this seems like great news, since the 7′ MLW hump at the north side is still there, you still have to play the tide if you draw 6′ +!
I came through Fields Cut today at dead low tide. Called TowBoatUS for advice which was spot on. When entering Fields from the south, hug the red side. Lots of water.
When in the cut, stay center. The lowest I saw was 7-8′. When exiting the north end favor just to the green side of center. Again 6-7′ of water.
Skipper BobK
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Stretches” Listing For Fields Cut
The area Captain Monsein describes is the infamous Fields Cut which is the very last stretch of the AICW in South Carolina and, despite dredging last Spring, continues to shoal in spots. It is gratifying that the USCG has recognized the shoaling and added a temporary marker.
In vicinity of Dafuskie Island, South Carolina: while southbound on ICW at buoy 49- there is a ” local temporary” red marker marking a sand bar. Be sure to honor this unusual marker.
Also- while southbound, just north of the Savannah River crossing after passing Dafuskie Island, there is significant shoaling with depths as low as 6 feet at low tide. Use caution in this area!
Captain Skip Monsein
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Section” Listing For (Southern) Fields Cut
Click Here To Open A Chart View Windows Zoomed to the Location of Fields Cut”
Until it was dredged this past spring, the Fields Cut stretch of the AICW, between Wright River and Savannah River, was the source of numerous groundings. Despite the dredging these comments support the contention that there is sto;; shoaling on the southeast side of southern Fields Cut, beneath the magenta line, just as the canal takes its last swing before entering the Savannah River. The advice given by Capt. Jamie and by others has been heeded successfully this fall.
Came through Fields Cut just above the Savannah River yesterday on our way south at absolute low tide with a 5 ft draft. If you stay in the middle and then closer to NW side at the southern end of the cut, depths were no less than 11 feet all the way. Do not follow the magenta line on your electronic charts.
Captain Jamie McLane aboard Wanderer’s Rest
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Section” Listing For Fields Cut
ALLEZ is a 50ft trawler with a draft of 4.5 ft and had no problems with the dredged Fields Cut which is the final leg of the SC AICW before crossing the Savannah River.
Larry,
Fields Cut whole length was a piece of cake. Then we met a tug and barge coming into the southern entrance of the cut and we had to move to the Green and near the end of the dock on the left. This Captain was cool as he had to get the barge on the range and was right on the Red side close but talked us over to his starboard side, as he was port to the Red side and we made it.
The other side was also a piece of cake once we crossed the Savannah River. Trick: do this passage from two hours before high tide.
Captains Bob and Helen aboard M/Y ALLEZ
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Section” Listing For Fields Cut
No Problems are Good Problems. We’re always glad to hear of uneventful anchorings along the AICW. This anchorage lies just to the west of the Waterway at the northern entrance into Fields Cut.
We spent the night here recently and had no problems. You can see the lights of the Savannah River industries from here. A boat pulled in farther upstream from us and anchored. It did not show an anchor light. We did.
Captain Ron
Fields Cut remains a problem for anyone with a draft in excess of 5 feet, even at mid-tide. If you carry that draft, waiting until high tide to enter from the Savannah River is your best bet. Click on the three links below for more observations re Fields Cut
Submitted June 13, 2010
Fields Cut SC.
We are traveling north with another trawler, we draw 4’8”, the buddy boat 5’5”. I was following as we entered Fields Cut mid channel two hours prior to low tide. The buddy boat was aground 100 yard in, and as we followed I saw rapid decreasing depth(Down to 1.5’ below keel). Made another try 20 -30 feet from the north shore, saw 20 feet of water. The rest of cut was not a problem.
Adrew Stepniewski
Click Here To View a Previous Posting on Fields Cut
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Section” Listing For Fields Cut
Check out the link below to see the two suggested anchorages in Bull Creek with swinging for up to 48 feet length. Careful, there are any number of “Bull Creek”s on the South Carolina coastline. The one referred to below lies just off the AICW, south of Hilton Head Island and Calibogue Sound.
Submitted on 2010/06/06 at 10:56am
We have anchored here several times. Other than the occasional wake, it is a wonderfully calm spot. A big thrill we experienced here was when a large sea turtle, with a head as big as a basketball, swam between my wife’s float & our boat! What a magnificent sight he was! Nice depth & good protection. Highly recommended!
Michael Seguin aboard SOUL MATE
Captain Arnold offers suggestions on tying up free of charge on Daufuskie. The AICW runs past this isle, south of Calibogue Sound and Hilton Head Island, as the Waterway scampers south towards the Savannah River.
Several drop-by free docks on Daufuskie Island. First, at Mama’s Marshside restaurant – buy a meal there and they’ll let you stay overnight at the dock FOC. Second, just a little further north is a small failed marina where you can dock as long as you wish and nobody will question it. Walk about a half mile and you’ll come to Freeport Landing (Freeport Marina) with a great restaurant and ships store – very nice people rushing around on golf carts.
Captain Arnold
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Daufuskie Island
When I read the message below from Captains Todd and Brenda Lanning, it occurred to me that I misspoke last week when, in an SSECN Alert, I stated that the only AICW problem stretch left in the two Carolinas was found at the intersection of northern Alligator River/AICW and Albemarle Sound (in North Carolina). As Todd and Brenda learned, depths along the southern portion of Fields Cut (just a short hop north of this passage’s intersection with the Savannah River), can still run much too shallow at low tide.
So, you may be asking, why hasn’t this section of the Waterway enjoyed the “stimulus” dredging that has so enhanced the AICW along the rest of it’s run through both Carolinas. I asked the Army Corps of Engineers that very question not too long ago, and was told that their survey missed the shoaling on southern Fields Cut.
Dredging was performed, however, on northern Fields Cut, where this passage leaves the Wright River. If you follow the links below, you will see we have separate “AICW Problems” listings for both these waters.
So, do take care when cruising from Savannah River through the southern 1/3 of Fields Cut, and time your passage for mid to high tide if possible. Follow the links below for more specific advice.
Greetings again,
We just transited Fields Cut at low tide and registered water less than 4.5 feet. Fields Cut is located just after you cross the Savannah River going north. The shallow area is between the range marker at the south end of the cut and the cement pilings on the east shore, roughly 100 yards of shallow water.
Be careful out there!
Todd & Brenda Lanning
Life’s2Short
1985 40′ Oceania Trawler
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Section” Listing For Southern Fields Cut
Harbourtown Yacht Basin on Hilton Head Island is one of the most famous marinas in the world, with its candy cane striped lighthouse, ring of chic shops and adjacent, world class golf course and tennis courts. And, of course, they are a SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR!
Stay here often. Great resturants, great bars, great shopping, great service and fairly pricey. This marina is at the top of my list. They just do it right!
Marsha and Bob
M/V “Threadbare”
"Blue Run Springs Park Manatees – St. Johns River"
by: Glen and Jill Moore
