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:

1-Georgetown (MM-403) to Isle of Palms (MM-456.9) We left 3.5 hrs. before low tide and had a favorable tide most of the way, averaged 9.25 MPH and only found shallow H2O just before Jeremy Creek (McClellanville MM-430) and 500 yards after Jeremy Creek.
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

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Beautiful St. Johns Harbor, just off the Waterway, on Stono River, south of Charleston, SC, is A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR!

Tried to make reservations in Charleston but the marinas there were fully booked. Came across Saint Johns Yacht Harbor. I am now glad we couldn’t stay in Charleston. Beautiful Marina. Great Bathrooms and laundry room. The Restaurant is under renovation. Boat US discount. Will return.
Claudia Young

Click Here To View This Facility’s Full Listing of Services on the South Carolina Marina Directory

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The “Rock Pile” is a three mile section of a man-made canal, officially known as the Pine Island Cut, used by the AICW to run between Little River and the Waccamaw River. Capt. Marquet was wise to heed the “dire warnings” about the Rock Pile, but misses the point of those warnings. The channel is narrow and lined with submerged concrete and rocks. Cruisers are urged to announce their presence on VHF in case large commercial traffic is approaching which could force you out of the channel’s mid-width and onto the “rocks”, especially at high tide when the rocks are fully submerged. Capt. Marquet is correct in stating that the passage is easy “if you stay well within the channel”, but that becomes a “big if” when facing an approaching barge in the narrowest sections.

Cruising News:
Because of dire warnings, we slogged through here @ 6 knots, but if you stay well within the channel there is no problem going faster.
Carolou Marquet

Located just south of Hwy 17 Bridge in the mouth of the Great Pee Dee River, Georgetown Landing Marina has a long, welcoming transient/fuel dock that makes easy handling of the occasional opposing wind and river currents that can occur.

Very good marina. People are very helpful. They helped us move our sailboat to other side of facedock to point into wind for storm. Not many marinas this considerate. Arranged for free transport to local WalMart and stores. Highly recommend a stay here on way through ICW.
Dean & Nancy aboard S/V Pegasus

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s South Carolina Marina Directory Listing For Georgetown Landing Marina

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Always a pleasure to hear such good words about A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR! Charleston Harbor Marina is located on the eastern banks of the Cooper River downstream of Patriots Point between Horse Reach’s flashing buoys #34 and #36.

My husband and I made Charleston Harbor Marina our 1st stop in a month long cruise out of Southport. Capt. Stan, the Harbormaster, and his crew made our stay carefree and he even offered to make reservations for our destinations along our route. The breakwater out front does its job to deaden the wakes of boat/ship traffic and lessens any current, which makes the boat happy. The showers and bathrooms were clean, laundry on site and the hotel amenities and a shuttle to Charleston are available. We enjoyed our stay and look forward to stopping again on our return.
The Callemyn’s aboard
M/V Turning Point,
320EC World Cat

Cruising News:
We are staying at Charleston Harbor Marina and find it an excellent facility. It’s really windy (20-30knots) but we are comfortable in a slip. Shuttle serve to Charleston was convenient. Enjoyed a nice light supper at the Reel Bar. Definitely recommend this marina if you can’t get in to the City Marina.
Eve-Marie Lacroix

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

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Upon receiving the message below, we immediately telephoned SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, Osprey Marina, and learned that Captain Good’s observations below are quite correct. Due to slow landside traffic during the summer months, the on-site grill is indeed not currently operating. Also, South Carolina DOT work on a small “channel bridge” nearby has closed direct access from Ospry to Scatori’s Italan Restaurant, which normally picks boaters up from the docks and returns them to the marina after dining. The road work in question was originally slated for completion this November, but, surprise, surprise, that date has been put off until the latter part of December, 2011.
Fortunately, all is not lost when it comes to shoreside dining. The 707 Diner (843-215-7707) and Delaney’s Dog Haus (843-650-8336), will both make food deliveries to the marina parking lot. And, Captain Lynn at Osprey tells us Delaney’s has “the best cheeseburgers in the world.”
Even with these dining changes, Osprey Marina remains one of the very best marinas in northeastern South Carolina. Pay them a visit, and you won’t be sorry!

Cruising News:
We stopped at Osprey Marina 10/08/11 for fuel and to spend the night. Scatori will not pick up for dinner or deliver because of a bridge being out. The cafe at the marina is closed at present.
Nice folks. 1.00 per foot.tied up at their fuel dock for the night.
Reggie Good

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s South Carolina Marina Directory Listing For Osprey Marina

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The discussion below is copied from the MTOA List-Serve. Note that Captain Chuck Baier is the past editor of “Waterway Guide” and the current southeastern Navigational Editor for a good friends at “Marina Life.”

Another area of concern is that we would like to do some outside running and don’t know which inlets are suitable to our boat and limited experience.
We have heard some inlets referred to as a “Class A Inlet” and would assume that these are inlets that we should consider. We don’t know where to find a list of Class A inlets. Do you have any recommendations for such a reference?
Shay and Elizabeth Glass
49′ Defever CPMY

Shay and Elizabeth,
As to inlets from Beaufort, you will have Wrightsville Beach, Cape Fear, Little River, Winyah Bay, Charleston, St. Marys, St. Johns River, Cape Canaveral, Fort Pierce, Lake Worth, Fort Lauderdale, Miami and Key Biscayne. There are many other inlets but most are either not navigable or are local knowledge only. Any one of these can be unusable under certain conditions so watching the weather is a must.
Chuck

St Simons is also class “A” inlet for the major port of Brunswick, Ga. Class “A” inlets are associated with major commercial shipping Ports so maintained to a very high standard of navigational aids and depths. They are very obvious when referenced on a chart. Check notes …any local knowledge only is not a class A.
Joe
M/V “Carolyn Ann” GH N-37

I would add that between Charleston and the St. Mary’s River, you have Port Royal Sound, Tybee Rhodes (Savannah River) and Doboy Sound. In this stretch, there are several other inlets that are acceptable, like Sapelo and St Catherine’s Sounds. If you can read a chart – an UP-TO-DATE chart – it’s no problem. There are shoals, but these inlets are marked. Some buoys are fairly far apart and can be tough to locate visually. Nevertheless, success depends on finding and honoring them.
Port Royal and Tybee are Class “A” inlets for commercial shipping.
Doboy Sound is in an area that has a terrible reputation. It’s immediately north of the Mud River and Altamaha Sound, some of the shallowest water in the ICW. However, Doboy itself is wide, straight-forward, well marked and carries 15′ – 18′ at MLW. Southbound, we stay at the Duplin River, just north of the ferry dock. Then, in the morning, we balance tides and the beauty of the region against weather (conditions and forecast) and sea state. If tides are against us and weather and sea conditions meet our criteria, we leave via Doboy and travel south offshore to either St. Simons (Brunswick), St. Mary’s (Fernandina) or St. John’s (Jax). The run from the Duplin to the intersection of the ICW on the St. John’s is 90 – 95 StM or so. In November after the change to EST, it’s twilight-to-twilight at 7.5 knots. It’s 115 – 120 StM on the inside. You do have to run nearly 5 miles offshore to clear shoaling on the shelf at Altamaha Sound, south of Doboy. At max ebb and max flood, the current in the DOBOY channel can run to 3 knots. That’s also true on the class “A” inlets, btw. Once on the outside, run in shallower water for better sea conditions. In winds with a S or SE component, seas on this run will be abeam, and potentially uncomfortable. But then with active stabilizers on a big DeFever…
Hope this helps.
Jim

Thanks to all for so much information! Has anyone ever traveled out of (or in to) Wassaw Sound?
John B.

We confirmed David’s prices: $2.30/ft under 50ft, $2.50 for 50ft and over, $6.00/night for 30amp, $12.00/night for 50amp. There is a $.10 per foot discount for seven days or longer. The transient rates at Charleston’s City Marina, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, are $2.00/ft up to 69 ft and their monthly rates vary with the season. In September, the monthly rate is $20/ft. Comparing this to Harbor Town Yacht Basin, also A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, on Hilton Head where the rates are $2.00 up to 49ft, $2.50 50ft to 79ft with weekly discounts of $.25 /foot up to 49ft and $.50 /foot 50ft to 79ft. $12 for 30amp and $15 for 50amp, makes Beaufort Municipal Docks slightly more expensive than both City Marina and Harbor Town. With these prices along the AICW, one can easily understand why anchoring rights are so much in the news now.

We loved old town Beaufort – great food, shops and friendly people. The marina is expensive (2.30/ft with a whopping 0.10 discount for > 7 days) — 2 weeks there cost almost twice what a month costs at Charleston City Marina which is much nicer. Lots of current, rude staff (except the head dockmaster who was very helpful and friendly), and old equipment. We’ll not return.
David Fry

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s North Carolina Marina Directory Listing For Beaufort Municipal Docks

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Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s South Carolina Marina Directory Listing For Charleston City Marina

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Click Here To View This Facility’s Full Listing of Services on the South Carolina Marina Directory

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What a nice set of special pricing and discounts for cruising visitors to this SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR!!! And, the offer to have groceries waiting for you upon coiling your lines is really going above and beyond!
Dataw Island Marina actually lies on the Morgan River. It is easily accessible from the AICW’s run along Broad Coosaw River, via Parrot Creek. Follow the link below for more information!

Cruising News:
Dataw Marina is offering free electrics for transients for the months of October and November. Stay with us for two nights and the third night is free! The Outpost Coffee Shop and Bistro is offering 10% off to transients for October and November. Sweetgrass Restaurant will provide a free bottle of house wine with the purchase of two dinner entrees (dine in only). If you need groceries or supplies, call ahead to the marina (843) 838-8410 before 12 PM and we will try to have them here for you when you dock. Don’t forget to ask about our long term storage rates. Hope to see you soon!
Carol Clayton

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s South Carolina Marina Directory Listing For Dataw Island Marina

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Battery Creek Anchorage lies south of Beaufort and Port Royal on the waters of Battery Creek (northeast of the AICW’s flashing buoy #41) , west of unlighted daybeacon #47.

Arrived at Battery Creek on Tuesday 27th September 2011. Adding to the previous submission we anchored in a similar position beyond the three resident sailboats and confirm the holding is good and we did not budge during the overnight storm which hit at 2.30 am during which there were southeasterly gusts touching 45 knots. We also awoke to the distant sounds of firing on the range. A safe and comfortable anchorage.
William Spouse aboard S/V Alexia Hallberg Rassy 42

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

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Skipper Reggie Good would like your recommendations for haul-out and land storage in SC. If you have suggestions, give him a shout. Thanks!

Cruising News:
We have a 36 ft sailboat. we are starting down the ICW now, but will need to put the boat to bed and head back to Montana. We are looking to find decent, inexpensive haul-out and dry storage in South Carolina.
Reggie Good,
my1972ih@hotmail.com

This dredging operation is centered well north of the Waterway as it passes through Charleston Harbor, but it might affect cruisers wanting to navigate upriver to explore the Cooper River. Marker #48 lies north of the Ravenel Bridge.

LOCAL NOTICE TO MARINERS: Week 38/11
Southern Dredging Co. Inc., will be working in Daniel Island Reach of the Cooper River in the vicinity of channel marker 48 and Shipyard River commencing on or about September 26, 2011 and ending approximately October 6, 2011. The dredge CHEROKEE will operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and will monitor VHF channels 13 and 16 for on-scene coordination. The pipeline will be not block the channel. For further information please contact the project manager Mr. Neil Rodgers 843-729-1269 or Mr. Michael Kitchell 843-830-1015. For Coast Guard related issues, please contact Sector Charleston Waterways Management Office at (843) 740-3188 or the 24 Hour Command Center Line at (843) 740-7050. Chart 11524

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Cooper River Marker #48

Certainly the Waccamaw River is one of the most scenic portions of the AICW. The dark waters and moss-hung cypress trees take you to another time before GPS and Iphones. Ben seems to have found a favorite spot in Thoroughfare Creek. These two anchorages lie west of the Waccamaw River/ICW flashing daybeacon #73.

We anchored here a couple years ago. We stopped here again a couple weeks ago but now we have a dinghy. We cruised the canals, then over to the beach for some swimming. We had some conversations with the locals who come there often for swimming. We hiked a little on the trails and then spent a quiet night on the hook. It’s a great anchorage.
There was a mention above about developers. The was a PBS special on this island, but the short story is, the state of SC bought it and recently turned it over to an environmental group. While there may be some more homes on the canals and in the traditionally black town on the other side of the island, there will be no bridge or “development”.
Skipper Ben

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s South Carolina Anchorage Directory Listing For Thoroughfare Creek Anchorages

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This is certainly good news for area boaters. We’d like to hear from others about boating conditions in your waters.

This morning took icw Charleston to Georgetown. No damage visible. No significant floating debris. Marinas at both ends doing well.
Skipper Tom Divers, aboard m/v Tanqueray

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 View the Cruisers’ Net’s South Carolina Anchorage Directory Listing For Bull Creek Anchorages

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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

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To A “Navigation Alert” Position on the AICW/Dawho River

Barefoot Landing Transient Dock adjoins the popular Barefoot Landing Outlet Center and overlooks the ICW’s southern banks, a short hop west of the Barefoot Landing Bridge.

We are here now (08/20/2011). We’ve been here three days and are leaving tomorrow. Friendly staff and easy dockage. The costs go down the longer you stay. Ice is available. Plenty of restaurants and “beach” type stores within walking distance. The restrooms are public, but clean. Just keep in mind, it’s a “dock”, not a “marina. No pool, no showers, no captain’s lounge, etc. Would I recommend it? Yes, I would.
Skipper Ron

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s South Carolina Marina Directory Listing For Barefoot Landing Dock

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Shelter Cove Marina is perched in a man-made cove on the southeastern shores of Broad Creek (Hilton Head Island) departing the Waterway east of marker #23 and departing Broad Creek at marker #18.

Top notch marina whose staff is par excellence!
Laura Bender

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s South Carolina Marina Directory Listing For Shelter Cove Marina

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Charleston Harbor Marina is located on the eastern banks of the Cooper River downstream of Patriots Point between Horse Reach’s flashing buoys #34 and #36.

Just stayed at Charleston Harbor Marina – can’t say enough about it. Clean, modern facilities, resort amenities, friendly staff (especially Stan, the Harbormaster), and a great location. Will definitely be back!
Harold

On a trip from SC to New England my wife and I stayed at this first class marina both coming and going. It is under new management and it certainly shows it. We were treated very nicely by the dock hands and the use of the hotel amenities are phenomenal.
Lee Barber

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

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