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Please Note That Postings Below From Fellow Cruisers Are Listed in Chronological Order, Based on Publication Date
South Edisto/AICW Anchorage is south of Charleston on the waters of the South Edisto just above Watts Cut, in the body of the hairpin turn that swerves back to the west.
We anchored here over the 11 ft mark on the chart and found the charted depths to be accurate. The anchor grabbed quickly and held through the night despite a 30 mph blow at 2:00 am.
Max Miller
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of South Edisto Anchorage
Even the latest chartplotters cannot keep up with buoys added to mark shoaling and it can be confusing to approach a marker that often just does not make sense when looking at the chart. Thanks to Capt. Long for bringing this uncharted marker to our attention!
This is easy to miss because, even when you are looking at it and the chart, it’s hard to believe you have to go way over there. The charted depths inside it look generous.
Roger Long
Ashepoo River about Mile 512
Between G 165 and R 166
N32 31.898 W80 26.125
Red to mark apparent shoaling
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To A “Navigation Alert” Position at Mile 512
Capt. Miller gives us good news about depths in two problem stretches in this leg of the Waterway and I’ve added charts below for the sections he mentions.
Captain Miller is probably lucky that he did not come near the marker #185 and the southeastern shores, of the southwesterly mouth of the Ashepoo Coosaw Cutoff. If he had, depths would have been CONSIDERABLY less that what he encountered. Click the link to the Ashepoo Coosaw Cutoff’s listing in our “AICW Problem Stretch” Directory below to learn more!
Today we left St John Harbor Marina @ 7:13 AM and had no trouble all the way to Beaufort. This included the cut by markers 184 & 185 [Ashepoo/Coosaw Cutoff] which we hit at 12:30 AND LOWEST DEPTH RECORDED was 11.4’ just north of those marks center channel. There was no shoal from there to the next red on direct course line.
Also we carried 14’ plus through the cut that ends with markers 164 & 165 [Fenwick Cut].
Regards, Harry Miller
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 Ashepoo/Coosaw Cutoff
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Fenwick Cut
Palmetto Moon with Jim, Su and Lazy Cat Alex have just traveled from Georgetown, SC To Brunswick, Ga. Palmetto Moon cruises at 8.5 MPH and draws 4.5 ft. Here are the issues and observations of their travels:
2-Isle of Palms (MM-456.9) to Port Royal Landing (MM-539.5) We left 2.5 hours before low tide.
In the White Point area (MM-495-500) at low tide
Between R-110 and G-121 center of channel;
At G-111 – G-113 we saw 4 feet under us
At G-115 – G-117 we saw 3.5 feet under us
Running at just above Idle Speed stirred up a lot of mud/sand through most of the area from G-111 G-119
This info is what we experienced in our travels. As always you are the captain of your vessel and should use this as info only. Safe travels.
Palmetto Moon
This report coincides with earlier reports of 5.8 feet at dead low in this perennial “AICW Problem Stretch” south of Charleston, SC. These reports might also indicate a renewal of shoaling at the cut’s southwestern tip. In a few months this stretch might once again become a serious problem for AICW cruisers.
Capt. Roney chose to turn south out of Fenwick Cut (statute mile 511) down the Ashepoo River, then northwest up the Combahee River to the Coosaw River just south of the Ashpoo/Coosaw Cutoff. And as Capt. Roney advises, give a wide berth to the flashing 4s marker at the southern end of Combahee Bank.
September 26, 2011
There is shoaling in this area [Ashepoo/Coosaw Cutoff] around Green Marker “185″. We happened to be traveling with another motor yacht this same day. The tide was 1.5 hours before low on a 6.4 foot tide range. Around Green Marker “185″ He reported 7 feet of water. I opted to take the southern route after Fenwick Cut and head for St. Helena Sound and return to the ICW after the Ashepoo Coosaw Cutoff. This put us in deep water between Hutchinson Ilsand and Fenwick Island. All navigational aids where present. This put on an extra 4.5 nm on the trip however being a motor yacht this did not affect us too severely. You will want to watch your currents in the area for slower moving vessels.
If you take this route please watch out for the Combahee Bank. It extends much further then the chart shows. Give it a wide berth. Safe Travels,
Brendan Roney
Oct 24/11
We saw only 4 ft at marker 184 near low tide. There are several 6 ft deep places near marker 181.
Richard Ross
MV Chez Nous
AICW Problem Stretch Link:
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
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Fenwick Cut
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Combahee Bank
We have had reports of shallow water encountered near the eastern end of the AICW’s traversal of South Carolina’s Dawho River, between the North and South Edisto Rivers, and we established a “Navigation Alert” for the waters just east of this position this past spring. We’re glad to hear that Carl had no problems here.
I came through here 8/24/11 at dead low tide and had 7.5 feet of water off Marker 115.
Skipper Carl
A dead-head is a log or stump which is semi-permanently stuck to the bottom, the top of which protrudes above the waterline. While the hazard may stay in place or move away with a high tide current, caution is called for until it has cleared the channel. Watts Cut is a straight, narrow Waterway channel that connects the South Edisto River with the Dawho River south of Charleston.
We hit a dead head which just below the surface at 2 hours before low tide in Walls Cut. We were on the magenta line between day markers 139 & 138. Saw a very small ripple in the water just before we hit it.
Skipper Bob Hermans
My wife and I were down at our boat (in Beaufort, SC) this past weekend, and when I opened our ICW Chartbook to make a note of this hazard, I found that I’d already noted a previous (but unfortunately undated) posting from Cruisers Net warning of “a submerged palm tree on the red side of the channel between markers 138 and 139″. I’d guess that the deadhead reported now is the same palm tree, probably minus a few branches by now.
Bob Schwerzel, M/V Harmony
Large tree between marker 139 & 138 in Watts Cut 1:50 est time.
Skipper Tracy Hellman
I can confirm that this “dead head” still exists. Its top was about 18″ above the water at MLW this morning.
Larry Shick
Came through here at dead low tide on 8/24 with mirror-smooth water and saw no turbulence to suggest a deadhead. There were two pairs of crab trap markers not directly in the channel between markers between 138 and 139. Whether they were errant crab traps, or placed to mark a deadhead was not apparent. However with minimal tide and otherwise smooth water, one would suspect some turbulence from a deadhead. Anyway, the middle of the channel was clear.
Carl
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To A “Navigation Alert” Position at Watts Cut
This report of good depths in this perennial “AICW Problem Stretch” south of Charleston, SC is good news for cruisers. However, earlier reports of 5.8 feet at the cut’s southwestern tip shows the channel is indeed shoaling once again. By fall of 2011, this stretch might once again become a serious problem for AICW cruisers.
Passed #184 – #185 yesterday, June 28,2011 one hour after low tide heading north on AICW. Depth was recorded as 6.4 ft mid channel between markers (slight favor to red). We draw 5’5″ no problems.
Doug and Michelle Jacoby
AICW Problem Stretch Link:
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
Watts Cut is a straight, narrow AICW channel that connects the South Edisto River with the Dawho River south of Charleston.
On the way back, we came thru this area at dead low tide. I draw 5 ft. in a 42 ft. sail, we took it very slow through Watts Cut, just south of the Dawho R. Bridge. We favored the red side and found 8 ft. of water. After the bridge, we had plenty of water until we hit the last turn and it went to 7 ft. Again, dead low water.
Philip W. Mullins aboard S/V Katash, Isle of Palms, SC
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To A “Navigation Alert” Position at Watts Cut
This area of AICW shoaling and navigation alerts occurs southwest of marker #108 where the Waterway exits the Wadmalaw River into the Dawho River.
The USCG was spotting several new, green buoys in the area of markers 111-113 this morning as we transited the area. We never saw less than 10′ (at MLW datum).
Capt. Larry Shick
Just had a short voyage to Beaufort, SC with my yacht club, the Wild Dunes Yacht Club. Went offshore from Charleston and came in the N. Edisto River and traveled up it to Steamboat Creek. We left the next morning and entered the ICW where the N. Edisto and Dawho Rivers meet. As usual, very thin water at the first two green markers, but after you make the turn, the water gets deeper and no problem from there on through the bridge. The tide was mid tide rising.
Philip W. Mullins aboard S/V Katash, Isle of Palms, SC
The dredging of two years ago has held until recently and, as Captain Healy reports, shallow spots are beginning to reappear. Mid-high tide is still our best advice for this stretch. We have placed a Navigation Alert between markers #185 and #184 at the south end of the cut.
4/23/2011, Sanctuary and crew travelled from Beaufort, SC, to Dewees Creek, North of Charleston; NORTHBOUND. As you know, the Ashpoo-Coosaw Cutoff has two parts, separated by Rock Creek, in the vicinity of StM 516 – StM 515. Approaching the southern cut from the Coosaw River, we made our approach by staying off in deep water until we lined up with the cut, and then turning into the cut along it’s centerline between the red and the green. With that approach, we saw 5.7′. The tide was near low. I don’t know if a more oblique approach there would have provided more water. That area needs monitoring for shoaling. The entire southern cut (below Rock Creek) is filling in. The northern cut (above Rock Creek) was dredged a couple of years ago and remains fine.
Peg and Jim Healy aboard Sanctuary
Went through on rising tide, about 1 hour before high tide. Saw 8.5 feet below transducer at the start of the channel going north. After that depths were anywhere from 12 to to 15 feet. Go through on a rising tide. Since the tide change was around 7 feet, could be scrapping bottom at low tide.
Capt. David
We transisted this area northbound on May 10, 2011 at 1.4′ above datum. Two boats in front of us favored the red at 184, and reported 7.3′ or just under 6′ at MLW. We stayed directly in the center, and saw no less than 8.4′, or 7′ at MLW. The rest of the cut had even more water.
James Forsyth aboard S/V Solution Allied Seawind II
May 10, 2011. waited to get 3′ of tide to come thru. At the south end, the key is NOT to line up with the cut when coming in northbound but follow the ICW line, at an angle. this will give you 8′ MLW. Once in the cut, depth are adequate with at least 8 to 9′ MLW. At the junction with Rock Creek, stay clear of G177 by about 150′ for at least 12′ MLW.
The northern section, north of Rock Creek is no problem, just stay on centerline and don’t cut corners at the entrances.
Pascal aboard MY Charmer, 70′ 6+ draft
Claiborne, We came through the Ashapoo Cut today, 5/14/2011 and you guessed it, right at low tide. We followed the magenta line on our plotter and came out into the Coosaw with plenty of Depths EXCEPT immediately past red “184″ on the magenta line we had 6.9 feet for a very short distance, then 8.5 feet and then deeper as we entered the River. The trick is to follow the line exactly, if you have a current chart in your plotter. Chuck and Susan
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
This report of good depths in this perennial “AICW Problem Stretch” south of Charleston, SC is good news for the upcoming spring migration. However, that sounding of 5.8 feet at the cut’s southwestern tip (see below) shows the channel is indeed shoaling once again. By fall of 2011, this stretch might once again become a serious problem for AICW cruisers.
Cruising News:
We passed through the cutoff at DEAD LOW TIDE on March 13, 2011. Skinniest water was at the southern end of the cut, between markers 184 and 185, where we saw 5’8″. Most of the rest of the cut showed 7′-9′. March 13 was not a particularly low tide, so you might encounter shallower water on low low tide days.
Skipper Larry Thackston on M/V PEACH
Transited this area on 3/26/11 and stayed in the middle to tending towards the green side of the middle. Tide was at 3.2-3.5 feet above mlw. Between the two entry markers at the south end saw 9.8′. Least we saw in the southern third of the cut was 9.1′. the rest of the cut was at or above 10′ with most readings above 12′. Estimated minimum depth at mlw through the southern third is 5.5′.
Skipper Ed Grygent
At the Ashapoo – Coosaw Cutoff (about mm 516 – North of Beaufort, NC), there was 6′ at the entrance near R184 just after low water. Also in the cutoff stay well clear of G177. When we went through there was 10 of dry ground between the waterway and the marker. The Waterway Cruising Guide details this cut well.
Mitch & Carole Brodkin
AICW Problem Stretch Link:
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
We have finally been able to confirm the Rock Creek soundings reported by Captain Ted Jones below, and many earlier contributors to the Cruisers’ Net. Once deep Rock Creek has shoaled badly, south of the stream’s first turn to the northeast, north of the it’s intersection with the AICW. To avoid that sad sound of underwater hardware meeting the bottom, be sure to drop the hook well south of this northeasterly turn, AND favor the eastern banks in order to stay clear of the correctly charted shoal making out from lower Rock Creek’s westerly banks.
ICW mile 515 ~ Rock Creek. The chart shows a narrow creek well protected from the NW by tall trees and deep water (except on the west side at the entrance) for much further than we wanted to go. However, the depth sounder indicated otherwise, and as we were turning around we grounded. It was near low tide, and we were able to back off easily and find deeper water (but nothing like the soundings of 22 feet) closer to the entrance, where we dropped anchor for the night.
Buttoned up to conserve what heat we had left, we heard the sound of an engine nearby, and I stuck my head out of the hatch in time to see a Pearson yawl go steaming by headed for the spot where we grounded. I yelled, but he didn’t hear me. I watched unable to affect the inevitable outcome as I Gotta Go ground to a halt 50 yards astern of us. We talked on VHF, and I told him where the deeper water was. The skipper, who appeared to be along, said he was not concerned as the tide was flooding. Later, we could see that he had gotten off and anchored south of us closer to the ICW where the chart indicated — and we had confirmed — 7.5 feet.
Ted Jones
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of the Rock Creek Anchorage
Captain Shick has proposed an alternate route to the Ashepoo Cutoff into the Coosaw River to avoid the shoaling at that intersection. We invite your experience and opinions on this alternate route.
Please note that the SSECN does NOT advocate this alternate route, as we have yet had the opportunity to sound it for ourselves.
Why not take the Ashepoo River instead of the cutoff? Yes, it takes an additional 4-5 miles, but if it avoids all this…?
Captain Larry Shick
Yes, you can do the Alternate route at Marker 184 you are talking about, but the shoals do shift some, so just be careful. I can not see why you would want to avoid the Cutoff unless it is dead low tide and you are a deep draft boat or want to anchor. We went thru there this summer with no problem.
Name Not Provided
Further on this: We went through the Ashepoo River – St Helena Sound – Coosaw River route this morning. The one surprise was that Combahee Bank (32-28N/80-26W) is rather larger than charted in my 11/2009 S57 chart. We saw 8′ (at +3′ tide, so 5′ MLW) in an area charted for 15′-20′. So swing a little wide, and watch your depth sounder if you choose to go this way. Otherwise, no problems.
Captain Larry Shick
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Section” Listing For Ashepoo/Coosaw Cutoff
Captain Bob Poovey has thoughtfully provided us with reports on several AICW problem stretches along the South Carolina and Georgia portion of the Waterway. This particular segment deals with the AICW’s run through the eastern end of Dawho River. This stream connects the Waterway between the North Edisto and South Edisto Rivers.
While Captain Poovey found no shoaling along this stretch, others most certainly have, and we actually have two navigation alerts in place for this stretch of the AICW. We, as well as your fellow cruisers, would love to hear what soundings you observed while cruising through these waters. Please click the “Comment on This Posting/Marina/Anchorage/Bridge” link below, and share your information.
Came through this area heading south on Saturday, Oct 23 at 10:30 AM (45 minutes prior to high tide), We had received a report from the Coast Guard earlier in the day concerning “heavy shoaling” at this location near marker Red “110″. Did not observe this and found 22 ft. adjacent to this marker. Further south depths varied from 13 ft. to 17 ft. ending at Green “117.” Lowest reading came adjacent to Green “111″ at 12.8 ft. This is no significant change from my last three trips through this area.
Captain Bob Poovey
I went north through there from Beaufort, SC to Charleston in mid September and back through there obout Oct.1. You will have more trouble at MM 497, between R110 and G111, as you enter Dahoo River. You want to stay north of the charted deep water, it isn’t there now. We had trouble finding any deep water going north. As we came south, at dead low water, there was a tug boat ahead of us, figured he knew his way through there, and watched him go aground in the charted deep water, found out he drew about 5′. WONDERLAND was following us, they draw 4′ 6″. We went through that area further to the right in about 8′ of water. Turned out the tug was from Norfolk, VA and had never been through this part of the ICW, he followed us the rest of the way!
Captain Chuck Gorgan aboard Odyssee
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the “Navigation Alert” Section of AICW/Dawho River
Click Here To Read An Earlier Posting about AICW/Dawho River
Click Here To Read Another Earlier Posting about AICW/Dawho River
Captain Bob Poovey has thoughtfully provided us with reports on several AICW problem stretches along the South Carolina and Georgia portion of the Waterway. This particular segment deals with the southwestern mouth of the Ashepoo Coosaw Cutoff. The AICW uses this man-made stream to connect between Rock Creek and the wide reaches of the Coosaw River.
While Captain Poovey found reasonably good depths here, others have not been so fortunate. We would love to hear what soundings you observed while cruising through these waters. Please click the “Comment on This Posting/Marina/Anchorage/Bridge” link below, and share your information.
Ashepoo/Coosaw Cutoff
Came through here Saturday, Oct. 23 traveling South at 1:20 PM (2 hours and 15 minutes before low tide). Lowest reading was between markers “184″ and “185″ at 8.2 ft.
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Section” Listing For Ashepoo Coosaw Cutoff
Click Here To Open A Chart View Windows Zoomed to the Location of This AICW Problem Stretch”
Below, Captain Bell tells us about shallow water he encountered near the eastern end of the AICW’s traversal of South Carolina’s Dawho River, between the North and South Edisto Rivers. This piece of news is not surprising, as we established a “Navigation Alert” for the waters just east of this position this past spring, courtesy of a posting from Captain Zach Carney. Check out:
Now. thanks to Captain Bell, we have even more confirmation that shoaling is a real problem along this section of the Waterway. Proceed with maximum caution
Shoaling between Pair of markers 116/117 and 112/113 provides only 5 1/2′ of water at MLW. I checked this at the end of June and again mid Sept 2010.
Dave Bell
As the Parkers now positively confirm via their keel, this Problem Area cannot be traversed at low tide if you draw more than 4 feet, especially at the north end of the cut.
We bumped our way northbound this morning at low tide. We saw 4′ soundings mid channel. At the north end #177 sat high & dry about 25′ on shore–stay clear of this one. On our way back we’ll wait for high tide for this cut.
Susan Parker
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Section” Listing For Ashepoo Coosaw Cutoff
"Sunset After The Storms"
by: Susan Leaf
