Advice for Navigating AICW/Cumberland Dividings Problem Stretch and Brickhill River, Statute Miles 696-704
The Brickhill makes a pleasant, parallel detour east of the Waterway, with a north departure at Waterway marker #40 and rejoining the Waterway at Cumberland Dividings, markers #62 and #63. Captain Conrad’s advice on entering the Brickhill refers to the southern entrance. Cumberland Dividings has been a Problem Stretch for several years due to constantly shifting shoals and an erroneous magenta line on many chartplotters.
Claiborne,
After watching a sailboat go hard aground yesterday and laying on its side most of the afternoon, I would like to offer an alert for the AICW mile marker 703 near Cumberland Island and its intersection with Brickhill River. When northbound, stay well to the eastern, outside edge of the marked channel including going between a charted marshland and G59A. That is well off the magenta line but it is deep water, a minimum of 11 feet. It is also a major safety issue to go through these waters at a mid to rising high tide. If going into Brickhill River, stay on the northern edge of the junction as yesterday’s sailboat found bottom only a few feet from where we found 10+ water depth.
Stay safe,
Tom Conrad
Nordic Tug 42 True North
Currently in Brunswick, Georgia
Very good advice Capt Tom. You can also call Boat US and they will give you local knowledge as you travel about a specific location problem or best practice for the current conditions. We cruise that area and shoaling can be a problem.
Seeya,
Sonny Reeves
We just came thru here and took the Brickhill all the way thru after docking at the Plum Orchard pier for a couple of hours, and agree with this posting. Go slow and your depth finder will tell you which way to go. The Brickhill was easy all the way using normal navigation techniques (chart watching and outside of curves)
John Winter
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Stretches” Listing For the Cumberland Dividings
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To This AICW Problem Stretch
Comments from Cruisers (1)
I have been going through this stretch for ten years at all tide stages in a coastal passenger ship 240′ long drawing 9 feet…coming South staying to the left (GPS will show you actually going through the marsh) will carry 20+ feet all the way. Forget that the red markers exist!