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UPDATE/SC – CASINO CREEK TO BEAUFORT RIVER – WADMALAW RIVER/ATON/SEC CHS BNM 0165-25 UPDATE-1
1. WADMALAW RIVER DAYBEACON 101 (LLNR 34935) PREVIOUSLY REPORTED DESTROYED HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH A TRUB ON APPROXIMATE POSITION. BT
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WW: blat (32.65339) , blon (-80.25050) , bWWid (5) , bMM (494.3) , bDOffWW (0.1) , bAbbrev (AIWW) , bWWName (Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.gpx)
SAFETY/SC – CASINO CREEK TO BEAUFORT RIVER – WADMALAW RIVER/ATON/SEC CHS BNM 0165-25
1.WADMALAW RIVER DAYBEACON 101 (LLNR 34935) REPORTED DESTROYED. ALL MARINERS ARE REQUESTED TO TRANSIT THE AREA WITH CAUTION. BT
For more Coast Guard news, visit our online newsroom here.
SUBSCRIBER SERVICES:
Privacy Policy | GovDelivery is providing this information on behalf of U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and may not use the information for any other purposes. This email was sent to curtis.hoff@CruisersNet.net
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WW: blat (32.65339) , blon (-80.25050) , bWWid (5) , bMM (494.3) , bDOffWW (0.1) , bAbbrev (AIWW) , bWWName (Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.gpx)
This is the much debated and postponed extension of the 526 interstate.
SOUTH CAROLINA – STONO RIVER – CHARLESTON: Special Bridge Notice
The Coast Guard has published Public Notice 03-24 after having received a bridge permit application from South Carolina Department of
Transportation. The applicant is requesting approval of the location and plans for the Mark Clark Extension Bridge across the Stono River, Charleston,
Charleston County, SC. Public Notice 03-24 outlines the proposed bridge project and solicits comments on proposed navigation clearances, placement
of a bridge protective system and other navigational safety issues. The public notice is available at: https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/public-notices-forbridges-active-by-district?district=7&subdistrict=n.
This is good advice from one of our tall-masted and deep keeled friends. Go slow and trust the markers. The southbound Waterway enters Dawho River at White Point and there is a shoal charted in the mouth of the river entrance.
Entering the Dawho River from the N Edisto River, Navionics chart was erroneous. Follow the day markers to prevent grounding.
Ann Frederick
S/V Bees Knees
Our thanks to Ted Arisaka for this report on a continuing debate over oyster farming and anchoring rights. See LNM: Oyster Beds to be Installed, Steamboat Creek and Oyster Farming Dispute Again in the News.
About 6 months ago, I made a request to Kyle Ward of NOAA, to consider charting the mariculture area in Steamboat Creek (south of Charleston) as establish in the USCG Local Notice to Mariners District 7 Week 49 of 2020.
Click Here To View the Cruisers Net South Carolina Anchorage Directory Listing For Steamboat Creek
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Steamboat Creek
Considered by many to be one of the best anchorages south of Charleston, Tom Point Creek cuts the western shores of North Edisto River, well south, southwest of flashing daybeacon #102. Our thanks to Jackie and Charlie for this report.
9-11-20. (Looks like we’re only ones using this great anchorage!) Anchored in Tom Point creek (and 3 nights ago also) – about mm 495.5. Came in pretty far (2nd anchor ) to escape threatened storms. Very good protection. About 5-6 times here. A favorite bad weather anchorage. Anchored in about 13-14′ at 80% hi tide. 33# claw 50′ chain 34′ boat. Anchor not move – came up almost clean. Easy in/out- keep middle channel. No place to take dog. Current normal tidal flow. Beautiful and serene!! Charlie and Jackie on Traveler
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Tom Point Creek
Steamboat Creek cuts the southwestern banks of the North Edisto River, southeast of the ICW/Dawho River and this popular anchorage lies northeast of the charted position of Steamboat Landing. There have been recent local objections from boaters about these floating oyster beds and their implementation may be temporary. Many boaters consider the floating beds to be a danger to navigation and a reduction of anchoring space.
SOUTH CAROLINA – STONO AND NORTH EDISTO RIVERS – NORTH EDISTO RIVER – STEAMBOAT CREEK: Oyster Farm Project
Charleston, South Carolina. The activities include the installation of a total of 700 floating OysterGro cages in one project area. The cages will be configured in 28 trawls (or groups) of 25 cages per trawl, with each end of the trawl being anchored by an auger. From the shoreline, the trawls will be established 50’ from the MLW line and continue channelward with 25’ of spacing between parallel trawls. The perimeter of the project will extend up to approximately 205’ wide and 1,685’ in total linear length. The project area will be marked with five white “Danger Obstruction” buoys; two of the five buoys have been deployed in approximate position 32-36-39.600N, 080-16-40.800W (32°36.6600N / 080°16.6800W, 32.611000 / -80.278000) and 32-36-37.620N, 080-16-39.510W (32°36.6270N / 080°16.6585W, 32.610450 / -80.277642), which mark the southwestern end of the project area. Operations will begin on or around July 13, 2020 and conclude June 2022. For further information regarding this project, please contact USCG Sector Charleston, Waterways Management Division at (843) 323-7761. Chart 11522 LNM 28/20
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Steamboat Creek
Thank you Larry for this heads up. I see reference to prior objection from boaters on these encroachments into navigable waterways – do you have any links to these? Thank you
As you can tell from the comments of Charlie and Jackie, Church Creek is a long-time favorite anchorage. Church Creek anchorage lies 18 miles south of Charleston. Church Creek, with 13-22 ft. depths, indents the eastern flank of the AICW’s hard by marker #77.
3-27-2020- back in one of our favorite anchorages- Church Crk, about mm 486.8. We always go farther into crk than most- quieter! Anchor held first time- never dragged here before. Great Verizon, 19 over air TV, normal tidal current, no shopping or dog walking. Plenty of swing room for many large boats. Beautiful view is worth the stop. Some protection from southerly wind- more of a moderate weather anchorage. This is in top 5 of our favorites- been here well over 12 times- and will be back in future.
Charlie and Jackie on Traveler.
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Church Creek Anchorage
Located on the western shore of the Stono River just south of the Waterway’s passage through Wappoo Creek – Elliot Cut and only a very short cruise from Charleston Harbor, St. Johns Yacht Harbor is A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR!
St. Johns Yacht Harbor is open with reduced hours and manpower. Management office is manned by reduced staff. The store is closed for walk-in sales until further notice. The fuel dock is open from 10AM-4PM daily. Transient and long term slips are still available. For reservations, call 843-557-1027, use Contact/Reservation page on our newly revised website (www.sjyh.com).
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of St. Johns Yacht Harbor
Watts Cut is a straight, narrow AICW channel that connects the South Edisto River with the Dawho River south of Charleston. Our thanks to Heather Craven for this report.
Went through Watts cut at low tide and followed the center of the channel and the lowest depth was 8.1 feet. We draw 6.0 feet.
Heather Craven
Experienced cruisers, Jim and Peg Healy, continue to generously share their observations and advice as they make their way south for the winter. Thank you Jim and Peg! Fenwick Cut slices through a narrow neck of Fenwick Island and connects the Ashepoo River with the Stono, north of the infamous Ashepoo-Coosaw Cutoff, a Cruisers Net Problem Stretch.
Today is Saturday, 10/27/2018. Sanctuary and crew traveled 75 StM from Mount Pleasant, SC to Beaufort, SC. High tide in the region was right around 12h00.
The Dredge Tenacious is working at the northern entry to the Dawho River. The Dredge answers on VHF 13 and VHF 65. The Dredge DOES NOT monitor VHF 16, which was a severe surprise and consternation to a lot of pleasure craft today, who nevertheless continued valiantly to try to raise him on VHF 16. Approach the dredge slowly, and follow his directions. Don’t forget to thank him for his work, which of course is to our benefit!
We entered Watts Cut at the McKinley-Washington bridge at 11h30. The minimum we saw in the cut was 13.7′ at +7.7′ on the tide. That makes the control depth (13.7 – 7.7) = 6.0 ft at MLLW. We followed the visual center of the cut except I cut the corner at Green 135. DO NOT cut the corners. Where I was, I would have had a problem of the muddy sort at low tide.
We entered Fenwick Cut at about 12h30. The tide station at Edisto Beach was reporting +5.6′. We saw 12.4′ in the cut, so control depth was (12.4 – 5.6) = 6.8 ft. Southbound, we saw red lateral R162 on a piling. The chart shows a red R162A on a piling and a floating R162B. There is a piling there for R162A, but no dayboard is present. We did not see a floating Red nun there, either. Net is, come down the S. Edisto river, and turn into the center of the cut. There is shoaling along both shorelines, so don’t cut the corners. Line up and go through along the visual center.
The Ashepoo-Coosaw Cutoff is in two halves. Southbound, we entered the northern half at 12h45, with the tide station in that cut showing +6.2. Depths were in the range of 17 feet, so I didn’t pay much attention there. The southern half was dredged in the spring of 2018. There was severe shoaling at the junction of the Cut with the Coosaw River. We cleared that area at 13h00, with the tide at +5.8. We saw 11.9′ depths in the visual center of the entrance between G164 and R185, so the control depth would be (11.9 – 5.8) = 6.1 ft. I guess I would say the spring dredging helped at the junction of the Coosaw river, but did not do much to otherwise deepen the southern half of the Ashepoo-Coosaw Cut. At least most boats don’t have to do the St. Helena Sound route at this time.
We’re just coming off full moon. We faced strong 2.5 kt ahead currents on and off all day, and particularly up-stream on the Coosaw River. That made for a tedious slog up the river. But at the divide at Brickyard Creek on the Beaufort River, we picked up speed and did very well for those last 8 miles into Beaufort. These strong flood and ebb currents will affect slow boats.
Jim
Peg and Jim Healy aboard Sanctuary, currently at Charlotte Harbor, Punta Gorda, FL
Monk 36 Hull #132
MMSI #367042570
AGLCA #3767
MTOA #3436
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 Ashepoo-Coosaw Cutoff Problem Stretch
77 Miles in one day – that is definitely a good day’s run, especially through the numerous shallow spots in that stretch. Such tidal luck may be a once in a lifetime occurrence! And that fact that both Downtown Marina of Beaufort and Isle of Palms Marina of Charleston are CRUISERS’ NET SPONSORS had a lot to do with it! Well done Phillip.
Left Beaufort South Carolina two hours after low tide from the downtown Marina and caught the incoming tide up the Beaufort River it continued through the Coosaw back into the Waterway and all the way back to Isle of Palms. Could not believe it. 42-foot sail and we averaged 6.6 knots. Saw 7.5 and 8.10 several times. Never had a head current. Could not believe it. Please pass this along to the Northbound Cruisers this spring.
This trip usually takes us two days but on this occasion it took 10 hours.
Phillip Mullins
Click Here To View the South Carolina Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Downtown Marina
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Downtown Marina of Beaufort
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Isle of Palms Marina
With a fixed vertical clearance of 65ft, the John F. Limehouse Bridge crosses the Waterway/Stono River at mile 480. If you have local knowledge of the current in that area, please let John and Cruisers’ Net hear from you.
How fast do the tidal currents run on the Stono River at say the Limehouse Bridge?
Thanks.
John of Jacksonville
Click Here To View the South Carolina Cruisers’ Net Bridge Directory Listing For Limehouse Bridge
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window Zoomed To the Location of Limehouse Bridge
Maximum currents in the Charleston, SC area will be about 2 knots. Elliot Cut is an exception where currents can reach 5 knots.
Tagging onto this subject… For those transiting the ICW/Stono River in this region, PLEASE slow down approaching the floating docks at Ross Marine, just north of the Limehouse bridge. Many people fly by there with no regard for the vessels docked there and or the workers aboard them. Thank you!
Noted for swift currents in a narrow, steep walled channel, Elliott Cut is south of the Waterway’s southbound exit from the Ashley River in Charleston, SC connecting with the Stono River. The current flows southbound on a rising tide and northbound on a falling tide. See History of Wappoo Creek. Our thanks to John Stolz for this report and advice.
I came through Elliots Cut today about an hour before low tide, heading south. Tide was furious against me. 36′ sailboat. At 3/4 power I could only manage 1.9-2 knots but could maintain control. Thankful no other boat in cut. Would recommend waiting until slack tide, go like heck and get through.
John Stolz
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Charleston City Marina
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Charleston Harbor Marina
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
Actually, Elliot Cut ebbs to the East and floods to the West. Although the current can be very swift, it is unnecessary to wait for slack tide, the cut is not that long. Typically tugs pushing barges will give a security call before entering the cut. Not a good idea to try to share the cut with a barge.
This leg of Peg and Jim Healy’s voyage through South Carolina takes them through Charleston Harbor and south to Beaufort, home of CRUISERS’ NET SPONSORS, Downtown Marina and Port Royal Landing. The infamous Ashepoo-Coosaw Cut at Mile 517 is a Problem Stretch notorious for shoaling and channel shifting. And, as always, Cruisers’ Net is grateful to these experienced cruisers for sharing their observations and advice.
Sanctuary and crew cruised from Mt. Pleasant, Isle of Palms, to Beaufort, Port Royal Landing, on 10/18/2017.
Mt. Pleasant Range – The area from StM 460.0 to 460.5 is shoaling. We passed this area mid-channel at about 07h10, near high tide (+6.0), and saw 11.5 feet of water. The control depth would be 5-1/2 feet at low tide, less on a celestial low.
Dawho River, North Creek, Watts Cut – We transited this area between 11h50 and 12h15 (+3.0 –> +2.7 ft) and saw areas at 8.5 ft. The control depth for this area is about 5.5 feet at low tide, less on a celestial low.
Ashepoo-Coosaw Cut – This cut is in two parts; the north section that connects the Ashepoo River and Rock Creek and the South section that connects Rock Creek to the Coosaw River. The North cut is not a concern at this time. We transited the South section at 13h15, 1-1/4 hours before low tide (+0.5 ft). Favor “G181,” the outside radius of the curve there, and then favor red at the entrance, floating R”184.” Do not cut the corners here; follow the centerline of the cut out into the deeper water of the Coosaw River. There is a 5-1/2 ft sandpile at the entrance. We slowed for our passage, and never saw less than 5-1/2 ft.
Hope this is useful.
Jim
Peg and Jim Healy aboard Sanctuary, currently at Rock Creek, Pasadena, MD
http://gilwellbear.wordpress.com
Monk 36 Hull #132
MMSI #367042570
AGLCA #3767
MTOA #3436
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To This AICW Problem Stretch
Click Here To View the South Carolina Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Downtown Marina
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Downtown Marina of Beaufort
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Port Royal Landing Marina
From scemd.org
You will need to bring these items with you to any emergency shelter:
| County | Shelter Name | Address | Status | Pet Friendly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colleton | Colleton County Middle School | 1379 Tuskegee Airmen Drive | OPEN | |
| Jasper | Ridgeland High-Junior-Elementary Complex | 250 Jaguar Trail | OPEN | |
| Richland | Dent Middle School | 2721 Decker Blvd | OPEN |
For several years Cruisers’ Net has had reports of shallow water encountered near the eastern end of the Waterway’s passage through South Carolina’s Dawho River between the North and South Edisto Rivers. Our thanks to authors Bob and Ann Sherer for sharing their observations on the erroneous magenta line in this section. The Sherers have just released the 2017 edition of their ICW Cruising Guide, see /166170.
Hi Larry,
I wrote an article about a 5.5 MLW route through the shallows of the east entrance into the Dawho River, a notoriously shallow area of the ICW south of Charleston. It’s also where the magenta line can lead you astray as far as finding the deepest water. The article might be of interest to your readers so I’ve included a link if you think that’s the best way of presenting the information.
Here’s the link to the article:
http://fleetwing.blogspot.com/2017/08/dawho-river-beware-magenta-line.html
Thanks, Bob Sherer
aka Bob423
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Dawho River
This 10/17 9:00 AM report of a lot of debris in the vicinity of ICW Marker #92 in the Wadmalaw River comes from our friends, Carmen and Cathy Salemno, traveling south from Charleston. The debris consists of a large tree and many pieces of floating lumber. Slow and a sharp watch are called for! Also reported are lots of private dock damage.
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Marker #92
Longtime cruiser and SSECN Contributing Editor, Captain Jim Healy, shares his knowledge and experience in these observations on this portion of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. Thank you Jim!
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