These are the current Local Notices to Mariners and NAV ALERTS that are relevant to ICW cruising in Districts 5, 7 and 8 of the OBX, AICW, OWW, Keys, GIWW and adjacent waters. Open each LNM link for the USCG notice and a chart for each location. Listed north to south to north. NAV ALERTS will also be posted on our Homepage. For previous Weeks, go to the Specific State under Select Region on our Homepage.

Week 20/22

NAV ALERT: NOAA’s webserver is down and you will not see the usual details in our Chartview.

LNM: Special Notice – Hurricane Season

LNM: United States Coast Guard Navigation Center Website Maintenance

LNM: Teaches Hole Shoaling, Pamlico Sound, NC

LNM: Ocracoke, Buoy 27 Missing, Pamlico Sound, NC

LNM: Pamlico Sound, New Channel, Hatteras Inlet, NC

LNM: near AICW MM 205 Daybeacon 8 Destroyed, Morehead City, NC

LNM: AICW MM 246, Live-Fire Drills, 14-20 May, New River Restricted Areas, NC

LNM: near AICW MM 246 Inlet Buoy 9 Missing, New River Inlet, NC

LNM: near AICW MM 270 Inlet Buoy 6 Off-Station, New Topsail Inlet, NC

LNM: near AICW MM 276, Shoaling Reported, Snows Cut/Cape Fear River, NC

LNM: Tybee Island Entrance Buoy V-AIS T Replaces Lighted Buoy T, Tybee Island, GA

LNM: near AICW MM 843, Jetty Extension, Ponce De Leon Inlet, FL

LNM: AICW MM 844 Daybeacon 28 Destroyed, New Smyrna Beach, FL

LNM: Fleming Key Daybeacon 3 Damaged, Key West, FL

LNM: GIWW MM 59 Daybeacon 12 Destroyed, Venice, FL

Week 19/22

LNM: AICW MM 5 ICW Light 22 Missing, Norfolk, VA

LNM: AICW MM 286 ICW Daybeacon 135 Destroyed, Masonboro Sound, NC

LNM: AICW MM 288 Daybeacon 141 Destroyed, Masonboro Sound, NC

LNM: AICW MM 480 ICW Daybeacon 45 Destroyed, Johns Island, SC

USACE: OWW MM 94 Width Restriction CANCELLED, Ortona Lock, FL

Update: LNM: N Gulf, Sunken Vessel, St Andrews Bay, FL

Week 18/22

LNM: May 6: Weather Advisory: North of MM Zero and Lower Chesapeake

LNM: AICW MM 2 Military Exercises, 12:00-3:00, May 24, Norfolk, VA

NAV ALERT: LNM: AICW MM 5.8 June-July Proposed Closures, Norfolk Southern #7 RR Bridge, VA

LNM: AICW MM 79 ICW Lighted Buoy 1AR Missing Daymark, Alligator River, NC

LNM: AICW MM 201, ICW Junction Light RS Destroyed, Russell Slough, Beaufort, NC

LNM: AICW MM 211 ICW Buoy 12A Off-Station, Bogue Sound, NC

LNM: AICW MM 246, Firing Exercises, New River, NC

LNM: AICW MM 298 ICW Daybeacon 170 Destroyed, Cape Fear River, NC

LNM: St Johns River Daybeacon 46 Destroyed, Welaka, FL

LNM: St Johns River, Daybeacon 110 Destroyed, north of Lake Monroe, FL

LNM: AICW MM 740 ICW Light 5 Destroyed, St Johns River, FL

LNM: AICW MM 799 ICW Daybeacon 108 Destroyed, Matanzas River, FL

LNM: AICW MM 956 ICW Daybeacon 160 Destroyed, Vero Beach, FL

LNM: AICW MM 778 Bridge of Lions Closed to Navigation, July 4, 8:00 – 11:00 PM, St. Augustine, FL

LNM: N Gulf, Hazardous Operations, Pensacola, Panama City and Tallahassee, FL

LNM: N Gulf Hazardous Operations, May 10-12, south of Destin, FL

Week 17/22

Dismal Swamp Welcome Center Update, AICW Alternate Route

LNM: AICW MM 145 Junction Light PR Destroyed, Pamlico River, NC

LNM: AICW MM 799 ICW Daybeacon 108 Destroyed, Matanzas River, FL

LNM: AICW MM 893 ICW Daybeacon 65 Destroyed, Indian River, FL

LNM: AICW MM 900 ICW Daybeacon 81 Destroyed, Indian River, FL

LNM: AICW MM 1062 E Sunrise Blvd Bridge Closed to Navigation, 3 PM – 4 PM, Apr 30 – May 1, Ft Lauderdale, FL

LNM: N Gulf, Munition Launches, April 28-29, South of Destin, FL

For previous Local Notices, go to the Specific State or Region on our Homepage

Please be advised that the Coast Guard Navigation Center (NAVCEN) website may be unavailable due to scheduled maintenance period from 6:00 PM, Eastern Time, until 10:00 PM, Eastern Time, on Tuesday, May 24th. Should you have any questions, please contact NAVCEN at NAVCENWebTeam@uscg.mil.

SPECIAL NOTICE – HURRICANE SEASON

The hurricane season is considered to extend from June 1, 2022 through November 30, 2022. Tropical storms and hurricanes often develop with little warning. Extensive damage to small craft often results in loss of life. All mariners, particularly operators of small fishing vessels, are reminded that advanced planning which might prevent loss of vessel and crew should include:
(a) Instruction of crew and passengers in location of emergency equipment and emergency procedures.
(b) Presailing check of vessel, machinery, and equipment for seaworthiness.
(c) Installation of strong ground tackle.
(d) Review of storm center evacuation procedures.
(e) Knowledge of nearest hurricane shelter or port.
(f) Constant radio watch on VHF-FM Channel 16 and frequent monitoring of VHF-FM Weather Channel for National Weather Service Broadcasts.
Due to tropical storms and hurricanes, mariners should be aware that aids to navigation along the coasts of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, and on structures in the Gulf of Mexico and surrounding waters may have been damaged or destroyed. Lighted and unlighted buoys may have been moved from charted position, damaged, sunk, extinguished, or otherwise made inoperative. Mariners should not rely completely upon the position or operation of an aid to navigation, but should also employ such other methods of determining position as may
be available. Wrecks and submerged obstructions may have been moved from charted locations and pipelines may become uncovered or moved, due to the force of storm surges. Storm surge and winds may create shoals in affected waters. The U.S. Aids to Navigation System marking wrecks and obstructions is intended for use with nautical charts. The exact meaning of a particular aid to navigation may not be clear to the mariner unless the appropriate nautical chart is consulted. Virtually all U.S. lateral marks are located in International Association of Marine Aids to
Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) Region B and follow the traditional 3R rule of red, right, returning. In U.S. waters, returning from seaward and proceeding toward the head of navigation is generally considered as moving westerly along the Gulf Coast. Mariners should exercise caution and report aid to navigation discrepancies and hazards to navigation to the nearest Coast Guard unit.

During the hurricane season, drawbridges along the coast may deviate from normal operating procedures. Some bridges may be unable to open because of high winds. Others may be authorized extended closed periods to facilitate evacuation of land traffic. Mariners should anticipate bridge closures by listening to the National Weather Service and Coast Guard Broadcasts on hurricane conditions. Because of the uncertainty of hurricane movements and bridge closures, mariners are urged to seek passage through drawbridges well in advance of the arrival of gale force
winds. Locks and Navigation Structures are operated to pass navigation until such time, that water levels and wind conditions warrant operations unsafe. The structures are then closed in accordance with hurricane preparation procedures. Mariners will be given as much notice as possible when structures are to be closed. However, these structures may be closed on short notice well in advance of the actual storm. Mariners are advised to seek safe harbor as soon as possible.