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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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On 4/30/13 as part of a South Carolina Wish List, we posed the following question:
Statute Mile 513 – anyone leave the ICW, cruise north on the Ashepoo River, and anchor or just visit Mosquito Creek? If you anchored, what were your impressions here? Did you dinghy ashore and purchase some fresh seafood at the commercial establishment?
Responses follow:
We have visited Mosquito Creek three times in the last six months, and enjoyed our time there. There is room to anchor by the last of the private docks on the creek and around the bend. Holding was good with great protection from fetch. We also spent one night at the B&B Seafood docks. They charge $25/night, for which you get a dock and access to shore. Just down the street, the SC Department of Natural Resources has a large grassy area where your dog can exercise. If you have bicycles, there is a long road though wildlife refuge areas to explore. The next road and intersection is 16 miles away. While the road has no bike lane, the traffic is so light that there are no safety issues. The only business in Bennetts Point is the B&B, which has fresh shrimp, if the shrimp boat has been out, and a few convenience store items.
Glen and Jill Moore
DeFever 40 Last Dance
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 dreaded 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.
We anchored after the northeast turn. There is a shallow section on the starboard side the channel right where you approach the first trees along the bank. The port side has 15 to 18 feet of water with 7 to 8 feet at 1 hour before low tide past the turn getting shallow on the starboard tide of the creek past the turn. We anchored in 6.5 feet of water 250 meters past the turn. We were having 20 to 22 kt of wind from the north which calmed down to 12 to 15 behind the trees.
John Pholeric
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of the Rock Creek Anchorage
Even the latest chartplotters cannot keep up with aids to navigation 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. Butler for bringing these uncharted markers to our attention!
New red nun 166 in Ashepoo River to mark shoal and the QR168 where you make the hard turn to port for the cutoff. Also noticed a new G175 in place of the range in Rock Creek.
Karen Butler
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To A “Navigation Alert” Position at Ashepoo River
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Marker #175
I well remember one delightful October afternoon in 1983 when we came cruising along the AICW’s run through South Carolina’s Dawho River. This stream, along with a man-made canal, serves to connect the AICW between the North and South Edisto Rivers.
Anyway, we were on our initial research trip, seeking out anchorages for the first edition of my “Cruising Guide to Coastal South Carolina and Georgia.” As I always still do to this day before beginning on-site research of new waters, I had poured over (in this case) chart 11518, looking for good anchorage possibilities. And here, hard by marker #128, were several charted oxbows which NOAA reported as having 6 to 12 foot depths.
Well, like Diana and Mark, we arrived, THANK GOODNESS, at MLW. Imagine my astonishment when our first look inside all three oxbows revealed nothing but MUD!!!! To say the least, we warned everyone away from these potential traps and cheats in the pages of “CGSC-GA!”
A check of the very latest version of chart 11518 on the Cruisers’ Net’s “Chart View” module, shows that NOAA is FINALLY showing no depth on the northeastern oxbow at MLW, but is still erroneously promising some MLW depths in the south side oxbow, which is the subject of Mark and Diana’s article below (see chartlet at right – click to open a Chart View page centered on the oxbow in question). It only took NOAA 29 years to correct 1/3 of their error. Need I say more about my opinion of the NOAA charting folks.
So, if you seek to safely drop the hook on the Dawho River section of the South Carolina AICW, please continue cruising west, pass under the Dawho – Edisto Island Bridge, and give Fishing Creek along the northerly banks a try. Even this body of water has a TRICKY entrance. Follow the link below to learn how safe entry can be achieved!
Check Out the MUD!
Hi Claiborne,
No names mentioned here … but someone asked us about anchoring in the oxbow off Dawho River R128.
We told them: In a word, DON’T !!!
As you well know, the closest tide station, Dawho Bridge, has an STR (Spring Tidal Range) of 7.2 feet, which can make a lot of South Carolina and Georgia bad ideas seem like good ones … especially when NOAA charts the oxbow at 7 feet low water.
[See depth-annotated track and NOAA chart screenshot below.]
We’ve heard people chatting about this possibility before, so on our last pass northbound (two months ago), we just happened to be passing R128 near low tide.
As you can see in the chart screenshot and accompanying photo, there is plenty of water in the ICW channel but EVERYTHING dries out in the oxbow.
Again, no recommendation being made here. Just sharing data. Captains are responsible for their own decisions and outcome.
Best and see you On the Water,
Captains Mark & Diana Doyle
http://www.OnTheWaterChartGuides.com
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of the Oxbow Off the AICW/Dawho River
Click Here To View the South Carolina Cruisers’ Net Anchorage Directory Listing For Fishing Creek
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of the Fishing Creek Anchorage
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.
Ashepoo River about Mile 512
Between G 165 and R 166
N32 31.898 W80 26.125
Red to mark apparent shoaling
Roger Long
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To A “Navigation Alert” Position at Mile 512
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!
An uncharted buoy to keep an eye out for.
Dawho River entrance into North Edisto River about Mile 496.25
Opposite Fl R 110
N32 37.563 W80 16.679 (PA)
Green to mark apparent encroaching shoal shown on chart
Roger Long
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To A “Navigation Alert” Position at Mile 496
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 marker is when you start to look for the bridge fendering and line up for it. It looks like a straight shot to the bridge but it isn’t.
Stono River Mile 480.1 just south of John F. Limehouse Bridge
Between G 39 and G 41
N32 46.824 W80 07.162
Red to mark apparent shoaling
Roger Long
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To A “Navigation Alert” Position at Mile 480
With his 6.25 ft draft, Capt. Pascal keeps a very sharp eye on the Waterway’s trouble spots and we can rely on the accuracy of his reports and the depths recorded here coincide with earlier reports of 5.8 feet at dead low in this perennial “AICW Problem Stretch” south of Charleston, SC. Penny’s report of Jan 23 suggests that the channel is shifting with the renewed shoaling.
I found shoaling to have worsened significantly over the summer in the southern section between the Coosaw and Rock creek. I follow the exact same path and found depths to be almost 2 ft shallower than back in May. I had planned to arrive with 3′ of tides remaining and ended up squeaking by with just a ft under the wheels (6.25 draft). This is definitely a play-the-tide stretch for most and close to Lil Mud River level.
Everything else so far is pretty much unchanged since spring.
Here are my notes:
MM516 Ashepoo Coosaw Southern section, 6′ to 7′ MLW most of the way but some 4.5 to 5′ MLW spots just north of R184. This is down almost 2′ from this spring on the same line. Make sure you come in or exit the southern end of the cut at an angle as shown on the charts (by R184/G195).
A new can G177 has been added by the FL G 177 to mark the shoal.
Note that the northern section of the cut off bet R166 and R172 is no problem, over 12′ MLW.
Capt. Pascal Gademer
Cruising News:
Claiborne
Just came through the Ashepoo-Coosaw Cutoff roughly two hours after high tide, +5.8’, and the lowest depth readings were 10.8’, suggesting there would be only 5’ at low. Looks like severe shoaling; suggest transiting with this in mind.
So far, in our transit south this year from Sandy Hook to Delray Beach, this is the first serious shoaling we encountered.
Mike Horowitz aboard ALTAIR
Just came through the Ashepoo Coosaw cutoff 3 times in the last 6 weeks. At the southern end near the Coosaw river, I saw 6 ft. at dead low tide. Favour the red side going south.
The other two times I came through at mid tide rising and had no trouble. My vessel draws 5 ft. Hope this helps.
Phil Mullins
Just cleared the Ashepoo Coosaw Cutoff 1 hour after high tide with a 5 ft draft. Lowest water reported was 12 ft. near red 184. The new green can 177A is off station. Currently in the grass about 100 feet south of green day marker 177.
Dick White aboard M/V Emerald Lady
These updated reports are pretty accurate except showing even more shoaling as green markers 169 and 177 are standing in grass with 20-30 feet of sand/mud on the bank at just before low tide. Depth sounder went off more times than I care to count. stay exactly between R 184 and G 185 then hug south bank to avoid extending shoal just after before heading to R 186. Favoring red as mentioned in another report put us in the mud for a quick thrill.
Penny aboard Penelope
Click Here To View Another Recent Report from This Trouble Spot.
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
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
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
"Blue Run Springs Park Manatees – St. Johns River"
by: Glen and Jill Moore
