AICW/Mason Inlet – Click for Chartview

The SSECN has had a “Navigation Alert” for the intersection of the AICW and Mason Inlet posted since August 5, 2013 and a warning has appeared concerning these waters in a USCG Local Notice to Mariners (see /?p=120325). We have had also several additional reports of shoaling on these troubled waters since our Nav. Alert was issued (see /?p=127818). See /?p=134413 for the most recent reports.
Fortunately, Mr. Stewart of Southwind Construction Corp brings good news about the scheduled dredging of this intersection in April. He also updates the dredging currently underway in several other Problem Stretches. Until then, the need for extreme caution in any passage through the Waterway/Mason Inlet intersection is warranted.

FYI, our firm is currently under contract to dredge this intersection of the AIWW in April of this year. We are presently dredging Bogue Inlet Crossing for the Wilmington District USACE and will relocate to Lockwood’s Folly Inlet Crossing late next week and subsequently end up at Shallotte Inlet Crossing. Mason Crossing will be completed after our USACE contract is complete for the Figure 8 Island Homeowner’s Association.
Darrell Stewart

Mr. Stewart added further clarification today:

Our contract with the Wilmington Distict includes dredging of Shallotte Inlet Crossing and Lockwood’s Folly Inlet Crossing. The USACE Wilmington District has advised me that Weeks Marine will be doing some beach nourishment at Ocean Isle Beach so that’s likely what you saw in the LNM. I’m not really sure where Weeks Borrow source is for the nourishment project but it could very well be Shallotte Inlet itself. Again we will be dredging the Crossing there which is only confined to the limits of the AIWW.
We are now finished at Bogue Inlet Crossing and according to USACE surveys we have achieved all grades to at least -13′ MLW. We will be moving to Lockwood’s Folly Inlet Crossing this Friday and stringing pipeline to Holden Beach early next week. We are contracted to pump 80,000 Cys from Lockwood’s Folly Crossing to Holden Beach and subsequently thereafter we are to pump another 100,000. Cys from the adjacent widener to Holden Beach for the Town (See attached). At this juncture, our schedule shows us to be at Shallotte Inlet Crossing around mid March and from there we will end up at Mason Crossing during the first part of April.
I will post a LNM tomorrow for Lockwoods Folly Crossing indicating our intended arrival.
Thanks, Darrell

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To A “Navigation Alert” Position at Mason Inlet