Calabash Creek Anchorage
Calabash Creek Anchorage
Statute Mile: 342
Lat/Lon: near 33 52.353 North/078 34.176 West
Location: on the waters off Calabash Creek’s eastern shores between unlighted daybeacons #2 and #3
Minimum Depth: 4 1/2 feet MLW at entrance to Calabash Creek
Special Comment: southern entrance to Calabash Creek from the AICW is shoaling
Swing Room: sufficient room for boats as large as 40 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: Very Good
Rating: 
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Comments from Cruisers (14)
We’re locals and anchor there frequently in our 35′ Island Packet with 4-1/2′ draft. Enter and exit BETWEEN the Reds, favoring the ICW R2. Anchor in 9-12′ at high tide north of the channel anywhere before the Clubhouse on the north bank. Lots of fishing boat traffic, so anchor out of the channel, but don’t get too close to shore either, lest you swing ashore. Keep your rode as short as you dare. 2-3kts of current at full stream, but good holding on a muddy bottom.
Michael Hetzer
The whole place is super shallow..except for the channel where the fishing boats go.
Many skeletons there !!!!
We finally threw the anchor just off the channel in the creek and waved to the fishing boats. Then in the AM we tried again and were able to make our escape !
Barbara and Ernie Roberts
Bermudiana
I’ve always (4 times at least) gone the other way to the Little River Inlet and anchored near marker #18. It’s always worked well for us with only another boat there on occasion. It is important to be out of the channel, since the gambling boats head out that inlet.
Capt. Bob Clemons
We have been traveling the waterway for 10 years and ALWAYS stop in Calabash Creek for the night. Our boat is at least 43′ long and draws 6′. We have never had a problem anchoring there, even with 6-8 other boats. The trick is to stay out of channel, as the head boats coming out of Calabash at all hours of the day and night, must get through safely. They won’t hesitate to let you know if you get too close for comfort. You need to know exactly what the tide is doing and plan your anchoring depth accordingly. The Seafood Hut is our favorite restaurant; we never miss our dinner of shrimp and flounder (yum yum).
Cap’n Norman and Admiral Barbara
s/v Blown Away
I anchored at Calabash on 10/09/2012. I entered near high tide and saw nothing under 10 feet. I stayed close to the ICW R2, and well off the Calabash Creek R2 as I had reported several years ago. When leaving, it was just past low tide, and I read nothing under 7′. I’m 38′ and draw 5.5′. I will point out that another boat in the anchorage anchored too close to shore and found himself lying on his side in the morning. I anchored in 9′ and had no problem.
Bill Raynor
We attempted this anchorage on 10/6/2012 and found the entrance shallow at mid-tide and with one vessel in the anchorage, did not feel comfortable with minimal swing room for our 44′ sailboat and 5′ draft. The water here shallows up quickly.
Capt. Pat Carter
Ditto to what Bill said. On 11-23-11 found the same depths took the same route. ICW #2 to port Calabash #2 to Starboard and hooked in just off the line between R2 and the Green 3 off notrh shore. three other boats drawing 5.6′
JiM Lady Lady
11-23-2011
Fit three boats in here on north shore between red #2 and the green #3 other side of dolphins. Moon tide carried 12-14′ during high. Expect 6 tonight I hope
Jim & Dede McGuire
I anchored at Calabash Creek on July 5, 2011, without any problem. I arrived at exactly low tide, and watched a large sportfisher and two large drift fishing boats go through and decided to give it a try. They were coming from New River inlet and crossing the ICW. They hugged the ICW R2, leaving it to port, then stayed well of the Calabash Creek R2, leaving it to starboard. I draw 5.5 feet, and saw 6.5 feet passing ICW R2. I anchored in 9.5 feet between R2 and G3 just off the north shore. It was a nice anchorage once the stream of fishing boats and shrimpers finished the day. I would never have tried this on falling tide.
Bill Raynor
Anchored here 4-19-10 with nine other boats – 6 sail and 4 power altogether. It’s pretty tight with that many boats and I doubt the shrimpers will be please with those that are impinging on the channel. Not a lot of anchorage choices in this area however.
Coming out of Calabash Creek at dead low this morning (4-20-10) keeping close to the east of the ICW#2 marker, minimum depth was 6.4 ft.
Jean Thomason
Coming out of Calabash Creek at dead low this morning (4-20-10) keeping close to the east of the ICW#2 marker, minimum depth was 6.4 ft.
Jean Thomason
A recent delivery found us anchored near Little River Inlet, M/M 342, snug against the eastern shore of Calabash Creek and positioned on the east side of a line between markers #2 and #3. I like this anchorage, the first one you get to in South Carolina if you’re southbound, just 4 miles past the Sunset Beach Pontoon Bridge. Use caution at the #2 entrance marker as the shoal it marks extends 20 yards or so directly south beyond the mark. This is a small anchorage — a dozen boats will fill it up — so get there early or there might not be sufficient room. If you anchor too near the channel you’ll get the wrath (and wakes) of the fishing boats going out just before sunrise. The town of Calabash, a mile up the creek of the same name, is famous for its seafood, and you can dinghy there and tie up on the inside of the commercial pier. Great food! I recommend Captain John’s. The current runs noticeably in this anchorage and you need to be cautious of other nearby boats if the anchorage is crowded (as it often is during “snowbird” seasons). For southbound sailors this is about the only viable anchorage between Carolina Beach and Marker #29 in the Waccamaw River. Georgetown is a 60 +/- mile day from here with several good anchorages and marinas south of Socastee Bridge. Oh, I forgot to mention the sunsets with the entire horizon visible to the west — spectacular in the fall!
Captain Andy Denmark
s/v “Rhiannon”
Oriental, NC
Our adventure was not over. Our intention was to anchor in Calabash Creek. However, we knew we were now only 1 ½ hr before low tide and that this could be a problem. We left flashing green daybeacon 119 and crept toward red floating ICW R2, eyes on the sounder. DON’T DO THIS. Stay mid channel on the ICW. There is shoaling well out from the northeast at Calabash Creek. We had about 3 hours to watch shrimp boats and casino boats traverse this section, as we sat aground in the ICW channel just over the midline to the northeast in the ICW and east of red floating 2. We didn’t feel quite so inept, when we watched a shrimp boat go aground just in front of us as he came in from sea and crossed the ICW to go into Calabash Creek. He was able to wiggle off, however. By 1930 we thought we had enough water to work our way into deeper water, and persevered when we cited two shrimp boats returning from sea. They crept through the creek entrance and we followed them in. Of course it was now dark but we only went in enough distance to anchor in 9’ of water. That anchorage had been so close and so far away.
No problem leaving at 8 this morning, and we had a great run to Georgetown.
Jeanie Quigley