One of the real advantage to our new ARGUS service, is that we receive advance warning of new shallow water reports directly from Survice Engineering. Be SURE to follow the “Chart View” link below to get a bird’s eye view of where this shallow spot is to be found. After following the link, turn on the new Argus layer by clicking in the “Argus (MLLW)” checkbox.
As you will see, the shallow soundings in question seem to lie just north of the intersection between the Clearwater Pass inlet channel and the marked, northward running cut which leads to Clearwater Yacht Club and Clearwater Municipal Marina, between markers #2 and #4.
We would WELCOME reports from local Clearwater area cruisers who have seen similar or dissimilar soundings along this stretch!!! Please click the “Comment on This Posting/Marina/Anchorage/Bridge” link below, and share your information.
We are establishing a Salty Southeast Cruisers’ Net Navigational Alert between markers #2 and #4!

Capt. Bill of Reality Check Sailing provides this report on the approach to Clearwater Marina. Capt. Bill noted water depths as low as 5 1/2 feet, confirming previous indications now available through Cruisers Net.
John Hersey
ARGUS Development Team
SURVICE Engineering
http://argus.survice.com

We ran aground between G6 and G7, less than 5 feet on that side of the channel. Favor R4 side in that area.
Stealing Home

About 6 months ago I was in that area. Knowing the perennial problem, I did some sounding with my dinghy. I discovered that the shoaling between R4 and R2 had extended from the west clear across the channel. However, there is a deep streak (over 10 feet) just outside (east) the marked channel.
When I later went through with our 5 1/2 foot draft boat I went very close on the correct side of R4, swung out of the channel, and then came back in very close to the correct side of R2. No problem at all.
It appears that the channel may have actually moved from the charted and marked location. However, I did not verify the width of the `new’ channel, and it could be quite narrow.
Gene Fuller
Punta Gorda

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To A “Navigation Alert” Position on the Channel from Clearwater Pass to Clearwater Municipal Marina