Captain Bob's message report below of shallow water at the intersection of the Dawho and North Edisto Rivers is not good news. This stretch of the Waterway was just dredged recently, and it appears as if shoals are already encroaching on the AICW anew. Take great care when transiting this section of the Waterway, and if possible, time your passage for high or at least mid-tide.

Subject: ICW 496.5 Shoaling
Cruising News: Today, approximately 1 hour before low tide, we went aground as we exited the Dawho River to the North Edisto River at approximately ICW Mile Marker 495.5  The chart shows 15-17 feet and we went agound with a draft of 4.5 feet.  Warned other boats as they came down the Dawho River and they were successful by aiming at Red daymarker 110 from Green day marker 111 and passing daymarker 110 to port by about 50 feet.  We were probably 200 feet to the south of this marker.
Bob Hermans
on "Sojourn"

And, here's another report concerning the same shallows, received within hours of Captain Bob's message above:

Subject: AICW/Dawho River (near Statute Mile 500)
Cruising News: At appoximately two hrs to before low tide we passed this area today. From Marker red 116 to Marker Red 112 the depth was 5 ft and less ( as low as 3' 8".WE were unable to find any deeper water towards Green marker 115 at all. Afer Marker 112 the depths shown on throm Red 110e east side of the channel as 14, 15, and 17 do not exist. As 44 ft trawller was aground on the 17 depth marker south east of marker RED 110. A slow trip found deeper water towards the West bank and staying about 30 feet from Red 110.  It appears the shoal on the East bank has encroached way out into what was the deepest part and caution says stay west of the Magenta line till the RED 110.
John E. Burns
Gpsy Time

Well, let it never be said that the Army Corps of Engineers is not responsive. Within three hours of posting the above two messages, Captain Mike Verdolini, of the Charleston ACOE office called our office. Turns out he reads the "South Carolina" section of the Cruisers' Net every weekday. That's quite a compliment.
Anyway, Mike allowed that the latest ACOE survey map does not show anything like the "15" and "17" foot soundings southwest of marker #110, pictured on NOAA chart 11518. His surveys show the AICW channel far closer to #110, just where Captain Hermans (see above) found the better depths. So, clearly, the trick is to stay away from the southern shores of the Dawho River, as you cruise east into the North Edisto River.
Captain Mike also speculated that the shoal depths reported above by Captain Burns between #15 and #17 might have been the result of his accidentally getting into the correctly charted shoal that stretches southeast from #117. These shallows lie southwest of the Waterway channel. 
The AICW/Dawho River passage has always been at least a bit challenging, and, clearly, current conditions still meet that description.