Today’s Local Notice on Barden Inlet and the still valid 2016 Local Notice that follows are reminders of the extensive shoaling in many inlets and in the corresponding Waterway intersections, as listed in Cruisers Net’s Problem Stretches for every southeast state.

NC BARDEN INLET ATON / SHOALING

MARINERS ARE ADVISED THAT SIGNIFICANT SHOALING EXISTS IN BARDEN INLET AND BACK SOUND BETWEEN BARDEN INLET BUOY 8 (LLNR 29180 [34°37.4681N / 076°31.9342W, 34.624469 / -76.532237]) AND BARDEN INLET BUOY 15 (LLNR 29210 [34°38.0510N / 076°31.1867W, 34.634183 / -76.519779]) TO AN AVERAGE CHANNEL DEPTH OF LESS THAN 3 FEET AT MLW. UNDER THE CURRENT CONDITION OF THE INLET, THE AIDS TO NAVIGATION CAN NO LONGER BE CONFIGURED TO SAFELY MARK A PASSABLE CHANNEL AND THE AIDS TO NAVIGATION WILL BE DISCONTINUED. TWO DANGER SHOAL BUOYS WILL BE PLACED AT EACH END OF THE REMOVED SECTION. MARINERS ARE ADVISED TO USE EXTREME CAUTION WHILE NAVIGATING THIS AREA.

NC – HAZARDS OF NORTH CAROLINA COASTAL INLETS
This notice is to notify mariners about accessing hazardous inlets, to heighten public awareness about the hazards that exist in and around the inlets, and to provide the mariner with available information. Mariners are advised that shoaling conditions exist at following North Carolina coastal inlets:
Oregon Inlet
Hatteras Inlet
Ocracoke Inlet
Barden Inlet
Beaufort Inlet
Bogue Inlet
New River Inlet
Topsail Inlet
Masonboro Inlet
Carolina Beach Inlet
Lockwoods Folly Inlet
Shallotte Inlet
Shoaling conditions increase the potential for groundings. These inlets are subject to continual and sometimes rapid environmental changes. Mariners are highly encouraged to obtain the most recent U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Wilmington, North Carolina District hydrographic survey information, centerline waypoints and controlling depth at: http://www.saw.usace.army.mil/Missions/Navigation/HydrographicSurveys.aspx
Mariners should use caution when navigating in these areas and passage through the inlets is not recommended without local knowledge of the area. The aids to navigation in these inlets may not be charted and may not be marking best water due to continually shifting shoals. Consult Local Notice to Mariners, 5th Coast Guard District for the latest positions and status of aids to navigation: https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?ageName=lnmDistrict®ion=5
To report any aids to navigation discrepancies (missing, damaged, off station, extinguished lights), shoaling, hazards to navigation, or discrepancies on bridge lighting, please contact Sector North Carolina Command Center (910) 343-2200. LNM 17/16