In the last edition of “Cruising Guide to Coastal South Carolina and Georgia,” I warned that the entrance to Calabash Creek was shoaling, and that low water entrance and egress from this popular anchorage could be more than slightly tricky. Looks like Captain Jeanie’s report bears out those observations!

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

Click Here To View the South Carolina Cruisers’ Net Anchorage Directory Listing For Calabash Creek