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1. max miller -  April 16, 2012 - 7:55 pm

   We turned in northbound off marker 27A and rounded #1. We first motored north to investigate the entire reach of the oxbow but ran aground in what chart and plotter showed as deep water just as the channel turns back toward the ICW on the north side of the oxbow.

   We reversed direction and anchored in the Oxbow near the 8 foot depth shown on the chart. We dropped our Bruce in 10 ft of water at near-low tide and the anchor dug in quickly. We first motored a circle to assure swing room and found the charted depths to be accurate.

   Thinking back on our last time anchoring here, I regretted not rigging a trip line as I dropped our anchor because we grabbed some bottom debris on our last visit making anchor recovery difficult. On this visit, we luckily recovered our anchor easily the next morning.

   It’s a beautiful anchorage and the bird life here is terrific. The only caveat, until sunset, is the waterborne cowboys who zip though the area like mentally challenged houseflies .

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2. Claiborne -  December 16, 2009 - 1:54 pm

   Subject: Waccamaw River marker #29 anchorage
   Cruising News: I’m pleased to report that the rustic anchorage at Waccamaw River #29 is still nice and unobstructed although there’s considerable development along the “green side” shoreline. EQUUS spent a pleasant night here on 12/12 in warm temperatures and drizzling rain with only one other boat. This is one of my favorite ICW anchorages and it looks like a place where a dinosaur might appear from the swamps at any moment! I always use a trip line here as there are snags on the bottom.
   Captain Andy Denmark
   s/v EQUUS

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3. Jean Thomason -  September 29, 2009 - 8:11 pm

   Stayed here two nights September 2009. Anchored closer to the river on the northern leg of the loop. Nice anchorage except for the local boat which anchored in the afternoon on the far side of the island and shot off what sounded like a semi-automatic weapon repeatedly. They went away and then came back after dark and anchored for the night. We tried to do things right and use a buoyed trip line but ended up with the line wound around the anchor chain as we switched back and forth with the current.

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1. Claiborne -  November 2, 2009 - 8:29 am

   Swing room is much reduced in this anchorage due to the presence of new docks.
   Rick Emerson

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1. Rick Parish -  September 19, 2009 - 3:02 pm

   September 2009 – We anchored in Bull Creek just off the sand hill near the charted 14′ depth. This anchorage is similar in appearance and ambience to Throughfare Creek at it’s sand hill. One signficant difference: Bull Creek is widen and allows for more swing room/larger boats/more boats. Word of caution. We dropped the hook abeam of the sand hill and about 1/3 of the width of the creek from the sand hill. I noticed in setting and raising the anchor that I could feel some little tugs on the anchor and chain that were most likely caused by small soft rotten logs or tree trunks on the bottom. It took almost no effort to free the anchor and chain as I raised it, but the bottom is not debris free in that spot.

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2. George Hechtman -  August 5, 2009 - 5:42 pm

   Just to add to my pasted-in comment above, our boat is 61 ft LOA and we have used those lower two anchorages in the chart picture (or further upstream, if you will) quite happily. You have to patient in getting a good set, as there are a couple of rocky patches in there.

   George and Ann
   “Incentive” Hatteras 56MY.

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3. Claiborne -  July 22, 2009 - 8:21 am

   A little further south from Bucksport, Bull Creek has some of the most beautiful anchorages on the entire east coast. We anchor there and take the dink to Bucksport and the many surrounding picturesque side waters. We spend an extra day just to enjoy this great cruising destination.
   George

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1. Glen and Jill Moore -  May 2, 2013 - 10:48 am

   The spot by the sand dune is a beautiful anchorage. You can beach the dinghy and go ashore. The property is part of a SC wildlife refuge and has some walking trails. One of our visits to this anchorage was on a warm, spring Sunday afternoon. A large group of young folks were having a party on the beach with loud music and drinking. They had fast boats which they only ran at full throttle through the anchorage. It was unpleasant and unsafe. We pulled anchor and moved to Cowhouse Creek for a quiet night. Be cautious on weekends.
   Glen and Jill Moore
   DeFever 40 Last Dance

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2. Roger Long -  May 2, 2013 - 9:51 am

   I anchored off the sandy bluffs on a misty late afternoon in January and it was still one of the most enchanting places I’ve anchored on the ICW. The next morning was even more amazing. I expect it’s not very pleasant in weather warm enough for local boating though. I understand it is jet ski heaven.
   https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3591927937294.115157.1846284215&type=1&l=c9b450c93c
   Roger Long
   S/V Strider

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3. Doug Cordello -  October 14, 2012 - 2:56 pm

   Oct 9 Anchored at Thoroughfare Creek Anchorage, anchored just off the ICW in 16 of water near the mouth of the creek, very quiet night.
   Doug Cordello

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4. Captains Mark & Diana Doyle -  July 26, 2012 - 2:40 pm

   We often revel in the changing seasons. Every transit is different depending on the weather, the seasonal cloud formations, the patterns of bird and mammal migration, and the colors of the wooded shores or saltmarsh expanses.
   But here’s a seasonal change we weren’t expecting: the Waccamaw River in summer.
   For most experienced ICW cruisers, the Waccamaw River is one of their favorite cruising grounds. Anchorage after peaceful anchorage, typically the only boat tucked into a surreal cypress setting draped with Spanish moss. Birds call from the dark swampy woods and ospreys whistle from their huge stick nests.
   But that’s the Waccamaw River of early spring or fall. Come summer, especially on weekends, this waterway that is part of a national wildlife refuge becomes a playground for the jet skis, pontoon boats, and Baja cruisers from nearby overflowing Myrtle Beach.
   Don’t believe us? We witnessed quiet Thoroughfare Creek anchorage (STM 388.8) become a speedway for party boats to access the sandy bluffs at charted Belin, known to locals as “Sandy Island.” It looked like Coney Island!
   So we gave up on anchoring in Thoroughfare Creek, deciding to press on along the magenta line. We departed the Waccamaw with the company of a noisy jet skier, zig-zagging back and forth right off our stern using our wake to “catch some air.”
   Sheesh …
   Best and see you On the Water!
   Captains Mark & Diana Doyle
   http://www.OnTheWaterChartGuides.com

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5. Ron -  September 1, 2011 - 7:57 am

   We anchored here a couple years ago. We stopped here again a couple weeks ago but now we have a dinghy. We cruised the canals, then over to the beach for some swimming. We had some conversations with the locals who come there often for swiming. We hiked a little on the trails and then spent a quiet night on the hook. It’s a great anchorage.

   There was a mention above about developers. The was a PBS special on this island, but the short story is, the state of SC bought it and recently turned it over to an environmental group. While there may be some more homes on the canals and in the traditionally black town on the other side of the island, there will be no bridge or “developement”.

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6. Larry and Suzi -  June 14, 2010 - 10:26 pm

   There are so many places to choose on the Wacamaw River, but this one is great. We were here for the first time on 6/12/2010, a Saturday. Found several locals using the area for swimming and water skiing but had a very pleasant night and early morning there anchored by the sandy bank. Would recommend it highly.

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7. Dick Litchfield -  May 22, 2010 - 5:50 pm

   We decided to stop short of our goal and anchor in Thouroghfare Creek to take advantage of the trees that provided some wind protection.
   We shared the anchorage with one other sailboat. We dropped the hook and immediately found out why its called “Thoroughfare”. There was lots of local traffic evidently running between the Waccamaw River and the Great Pee Dee River plus the usual local fishermen, skiers and jet skis.
   Thankfully, the wind and traffic died a little after sundown and we had a quiet evening.
   It’s a beautiful anchorage especially in when you are fogged in at daybreak.

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8. HB Koerner -  November 18, 2009 - 9:40 pm

   Spent the day under power in a drizzling rain. This was my last chance to find an anchorage before nightfall. It was beautiful to me then, in the rain, and remains so in my memory. One sailing catamaran was there when I arrived, and a trawler arrived just after I set the hook. My Bruce anchor dragged, so I changed to a CQR. No problem. It was probably due to fluky conditions, though, as wind and current were at odds when I arrived. Didn’t get a good set to start with.

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9. James Lea -  September 11, 2009 - 9:56 am

   Last November we anchored there, arriving about 4pm to find about six other cruisers anchored there. We didn’t land the cliff, but did take the dinghy into the maze of canals on the east side of the creek. We saw no place to land and a few homes or summer cottages. Not certain.
   James Lea
   S/V Estelle
   Bristol 41.1

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10. Arnold -  September 3, 2009 - 1:22 pm

    Sandy Island has a primarily black history – one time slaves. With a friend we found the skeleton timbers of an old old sunken boat there and a badly rusted ball and chain which we were pretty sure once must have held a plantation slaves ankle to the boat. There is a dock there for dinghies. It’s worth an afternoon trip
    Best wishes
    Arnold

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11. Bob Love -  July 22, 2009 - 9:23 am

    It has been about 6 months since I anchored on Thoroughfare Creek. The sandy cliff and beach area is quite a gathering place on weekends and holidays. All types of boats anchor there or tie up to shore. Adventurous captains with smaller boats and drafts to 3′ can probably motor their way into the center of the island and come out on the other side of the sandy cliff. I have done it in a 35′ Regal with 35″ draft. The entrance is almost hidden but watch and you will see other boats entering or ask a local. There is an interesting story about the history of this island but time does not permit me to tell it now. Suffice it to say that some developers wanted to develop the island and build a bridge to it but it was voted down and I believe it is now owned by the state and will not be developed.
    Bob Love
    Home Port: Pawleys Island, SC

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12. Captain Bobbie Blowers -  July 22, 2009 - 8:59 am

    WOW! This is absolutely one of our all time favorite anchorages. We’ve been known to stay 2 nights. Our 2 big dogs LOVE the big sand dune and the Nature Conservancy trails through the woods. The traffic all goes away before dark and the nights are among the most peaceful on the waterway. Highly recommend it as a hidey hole for bad blows. We’ve been there in one and barely felt a ripple in the water. The only downside occurs during spring floods when the current runs quite strong through the anchorage, enough to turn our props! Had to weight them down with monkey wrenches to stop the turning. Holding is, however, great. If ya’ll haven’t been there, do it now before the developers get their way!
    Captain Bobbie Blowers

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1. Claiborne -  November 30, 2009 - 2:54 pm

   I passed through Jericho Creek between Pee Dee and Waccamaw Rivers about six months ago at low tide (three foot draft trawler). It was beautiful and adventurous, but I saw two large stumps just above the surface, center of the creek, in the winding part of the creek near Wacammaw River. I would not have seen these with one foot more water. I don’t know if they were transient or there all the time. Be careful in this area.
   Russ McAden

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2. Dick Litchfield -  November 24, 2009 - 9:36 am

   We anchored here on the south side of the oxbow. The south side gave us better protection from northerly winds. As noted, not much swing room and two anchors might be advisable, but we passed the night on one. You need to watch the tide, shoaling and bar at the mouth. We had to bugout early AM to get across the bar safely. We noted 6.2′ as we crossed the bar.

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