Lots of dredging being done this time of year, so check the Local Notices posted on Cruisers’ Net for dredging in your area, go at no-wake speed and heed Tom’s Rules of the Road advice.
When you come upon a dredge you will see black shapes displayed in the rigging. You are to pass the dredge on the side with the diamonds. The Black Balls are no go! Diamonds are your friend.
Tom Hale
Noted for swift currents in a narrow, steep walled channel, Elliott Cut is south of the Waterway’s southbound exit from the Ashley River in Charleston, SC connecting with the Stono River. The current flows southbound on a rising tide and northbound on a falling tide. See History of Wappoo Creek. Our thanks to John Stolz for this report and advice.
I came through Elliots Cut today about an hour before low tide, heading south. Tide was furious against me. 36′ sailboat. At 3/4 power I could only manage 1.9-2 knots but could maintain control. Thankful no other boat in cut. Would recommend waiting until slack tide, go like heck and get through.
John Stolz
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Charleston City Marina
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Charleston Harbor Marina
Click Here To View the South Carolina Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Cooper River Marina
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Cooper River Marina
Actually, Elliot Cut ebbs to the East and floods to the West. Although the current can be very swift, it is unnecessary to wait for slack tide, the cut is not that long. Typically tugs pushing barges will give a security call before entering the cut. Not a good idea to try to share the cut with a barge.
Be on the lookout for manatees! 2017 was the third highest mortality rate for manatees and tied with the all-time record for watercraft deaths.
More Than 6000 Manatees Counted In Florida
The survey serves as a loose population count. It’s conducted during Florida’s coldest days as manatees gather for warmth near deep canals, natural springs and power plants.
READ MORE from Amy Green, WUSF News
Comments are invited at a public hearing, Feb 5, 5:00 PM, Sunset Beach Town Hall.
No-wake zone proposed for Intracoastal Waterway at Sunset Beach
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is seeking public comment on a proposed no-wake zone along the Intracoastal Waterway in Sunset Beach.
The proposed no-wake zone would extend shore to shore, from 150 yards east of the Sunset Beach bridge to 50 yards west of the bridge.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL ARTICLE from StarNewsOnline.com
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Sunset Beach Bridge
Explorer Chartbooks, A CRUISERS’ NET PARTNER, has long been the standard navigational supplement for enjoyable, informative, and safe cruising through the beautiful Bahamian waters and island visits.
Bahamas Chatter: “Fishing tackle” plus 1 more
Fishing tackle
Posted: 30 Jan 2018 02:39 PM PST
Finding fishing tackle in Eleuthera can be hard. Found a great shop in Spanish Wells, Island Custom Rod and Tackle. Located on West end of Spanish Wells at end of 28th St North, about three blocks west of Food Fair. Great selection and good prices and very friendly service.
Posted: 30 Jan 2018 04:46 AM PST
Scotia Bank in Spanish Wells has been replaced by CB Bank. While they have an atm I believe most foriegn debit cards will not work.
On Leo Pinder St the convenience store “Island Mart” has a Royal Bank of Canada atm inside which does work with international debit cards.
Explorer Chartbooks, A CRUISERS’ NET PARTNER, has long been the standard navigational supplement for enjoyable, informative, and safe cruising through the beautiful Bahamian waters and island visits.
Bahamas Chatter: “Floating Docks” plus 1 more
Floating Docks
Posted: 28 Jan 2018 05:08 AM PST
My wife and I love the Bahamas. The challenge we have is finding suitable dockage. We have a 90lb dog and need to get onto land, for guess what? I cannot easily get him onto fixed docks.
Could anyone with significant Bahamas knowledge help us take Dusty with us?
Meeks Patch Eleuthera no longer unoccupied
Posted: 27 Jan 2018 05:41 PM PST
Meeks Parch, between Royal and Spanish Wells, now has a dozen pigs and some ducks residing there. Large sign adverising “Pig Island Adventures”.
Still a great anchorage, just no longer suitable to take dogs ashore.
This crash occurred in a Waterway idle speed zone! 57 mph!
A boater was impaired and drove too fast on a dimly lit stretch of the Intracoastal Waterway when his vessel slammed into another one and killed a man, state investigators said.
Boater facing manslaughter, DUI charges after fatal crash on Intracoastal Waterway from Sun Sentinel
Explorer Chartbooks, A CRUISERS’ NET PARTNER, has long been the standard navigational supplement for enjoyable, informative, and safe cruising through the beautiful Bahamian waters and island visits.
Bahamas Chatter: New Source of Diesel Fuel
New Source of Diesel Fuel
Posted: 25 Jan 2018 11:10 AM PST
Thanks to John Gula for finding more economical fuel prices for cruisers. The power plant on the south shore of Russell Island (near Spanish Wells, Eleuthera) has a pier at longitude 76* 46.36’ W. They sell diesel at a reduced price. We verified the current price below.
$3.22 gal.VISA/MC accepted. SEE EXPLORER CHART EL 9.
Open to all vessels. This is a power plant co-op.
St. George’s Cay Power Co. Ltd.
Mr. Roylaton McKenzie
Operations Manager
1-242-333-4481/4407
1-242-559-3068
e-mail royliston@yahoo.com
Manatee Rescued from Life Vest from CTVnews
NEWS From BoatUS
Boat Owners Association of The United States
880 S. Pickett St., Alexandria, VA 22304
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Boat-Towing Captains in FL, MD, MA, CA
Honored For Lifesaving Acts
JUPITER, Fla. January 22, 2018 – When recreational boaters need a tow home, a battery jump or fuel drop-off, captains from the red TowBoatUS on-the-water towing fleet are there 24-hours a day to provide routine assistance. When recreational boaters are in grave trouble, TowBoatUS captains don’t hesitate to act. Ten TowBoatUS captains who acted as Good Samaritans to save lives in 2017 were recently honored by their peers at a ceremony held at the annual BoatUS Towing Conference in Jupiter, Florida, on January 18.
The 10 captains serve TowBoatUS towing locations in Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts and California. These are their actions:
Woody Pollack Lifesaving Award
· Capt. Dallas Kyle Potts, Capt. Andres Rosado, Capt. Jerry Acosta, and Capt. Shane Earhart, TowBoatUS Charlotte Harbor, Florida: With help from a “sixth sense,” the four captains rescued two young anglers after their small boat overturned in stormy harbor waters, nearly drowning the anglers in “washing machine”-like conditions.
Meritorious Service Awards
· Capt. Dale Plummer, Capt. Austin Plummer, TowBoatUS Baltimore, Maryland: After an unmanned sailboat careened ashore with her sails aloft like a ghost ship, the father-and-son team rescued the vessel’s owner at very last light. The man had been in the water nearly seven hours.
· Capt. Nathan Lins, TowBoatUS Catalina, California: One simple mistake nearly cost the life of a sailor who, clad only in board shorts, went overboard while his boat and crew sailed on without him. Lins quickly searched for and rescued the man.
· Capt. Sawyer Smith, TowBoatUS Newburyport, Massachusetts: A man fell off a marina dock and unable to swim, was swept away by a ripping tidal current until Smith dove in to save the man.
· Capt. William ‘Pat’ Davis, TowBoatUS Stuart, Florida: When a father’s 14-year-old son and friend fail to follow procedures while free diving in open, choppy waters and are swept away from the boat, Davis was able to locate the boys a mile away and bring them to safety.
· Capt. James Freeman, TowBoatUS Tarpon Springs, Florida: When a vessel is about to sink, and the only call to go out is to BoatUS National Dispatch, Freeman responds, sets up a search pattern, and rescues two crewmembers a mile from the sunken boat.
Old Port Cove Marinas, A CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, is located on the western shore of the northern Lake Worth channel, near unlighted daybeacon #7.
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Old Port Cove Marina
Causeway Cove Marina is east of the Indian River channel immediately south of the 65ft fixed bridge connecting Causeway Island with downtown Fort Pierce.
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Causeway Cove Marina
Explorer Chartbooks, A CRUISERS’ NET PARTNER, has long been the standard navigational supplement for enjoyable, informative, and safe cruising through the beautiful Bahamian waters and island visits.
Bahamas Chatter: US vessel seized
US vessel seized
Posted: 20 Jan 2018 02:52 PM PST
4 January in Marsh Harbour Abaco Bahamian Customs and RBDF officers boarded and searched a US flagged MV that had not cleared customs. They found weapons aboard. The two US citizens were handed over to Bahamian police and the vessel confiscated.
The Dismal Swamp Canal was almost closed earlier this month due to surface ice and freezing conditions in the canal, see Dismal Swamp Frozen! Our thanks to Donna Stewart, Welcome Center Director, for this good news update. Docks and information are provided at the Dismal Swamp Canal Welcome Center, an NC DOT Rest Area facility, and are located adjacent to the Dismal Swamp State Park, offering trails, exhibits and ongoing programs in Camden County, NC.Our thanks to Donna Stewart for this report and these photos.
Larry,
The canal here thawed out and we had two boaters lock through yesterday. One checked in yesterday afternoon and stayed with us last night and one stayed at the Douglas Road dock. The latter and his son checked in with us and had coffee this morning. They both left today to make the 11am locking. I understand there were issues, due to frozen duckweed near the lock. They both stated they had no problems from Deep Creek to me, one drawing 4’ and another drawing 5’. This photo yesterday shows we had no ice or duckweed here, but unfortunately, there are still problems at the lock today.
I don’t know how cold it has to be to kill it {duckweed} all and make it die…………..We were at 3 degrees during the hard cold spell and previous snow. We had about 2-3 inches of snow last night, but it is clearing quickly.
Donna
Donna Stewart, Director
Dismal Swamp Welcome Center
2356 US Hwy 17N
South Mills, NC 27976
Phone – 252-771-8333
www.DismalSwampWelcomeCenter.com
Bird, Bike, Hike…..take in the sights!
Coast Guard, NOAA seize illegal shrimp catch
MIAMI — The Coast Guard and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration seized approximately 6,000 pounds of shrimp with an estimated price of $60,000 from the 68-foot fishing vessel Ronald E. near the Dry Tortugas Shrimp Sanctuary Preservation Area, Friday.
The vessel Ronald E. was observed fishing inside the marine sanctuary and was boarded by a Coast Guard Cutter Raymond Evans and NOAA joint boarding team. The boarding team cited the vessel for illegally fishing inside a national marine sanctuary and safety violations.
“This case demonstrates the importance of strategic partnership,” said Capt. Jeffery Janzsen, commander, Coast Guard Sector Key West. “Within the Florida Keys, we take protecting the National Marine Sanctuary very seriously. Boaters and fishermen should familiarize themselves with the boundaries of the sanctuary to make sure they are complying with federal law.”
Fishing within federally protected waters is illegal.
“The partnership between NOAA and the Coast Guard allows for efficient enforcement of the commercial fishing fleet in the waters surrounding the Florida Keys,” said Lt. Cmdr. Jonathan Wolstenholme, commanding officer, Coast Guard Cutter Raymond Evans. “Integrating NOAA enforcement officers into our boarding teams ensures quality at sea inspections of both required safety equipment and fishing gear.”
The evidence package for this seizure has been forwarded to the National Marine Fisheries Service, who will determine if a formal Notice of Violation will be issued.
Here is another interesting and informative blog from a couple cruising the Waterway and other travels.
Re-posted with permission.
This photo was taken by Ann Marie Tyrell aboard the vessel “Hydrophilic” at Old Port Cove Marina.
Old Port Cove Marinas, A CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, is located on the western shore of the northern Lake Worth channel, near unlighted daybeacon #7.
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Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Old Port Cove Marina
Our thanks to Melissa G for this good news:
s/v Ellipsis found, washed ashore the night of Jan. 8 on Elbow Cay, Hope Town, Abaco. Both passengers and their dogs are alive and in a home onshore.
Melissa G
This alert comes to us from St Augustine Cruisers Net.
Sharing this info:BOLO for the S/V ELLIPSIS
Seven Seas Cruising Association’s HF Radio Service KPK has been asked for assistance in locating the S/V ELLIPSIS which departed Puerto Rico on December 26, 2017 on a voyage to St Augustine, Florida. The vessel is a 32’ Westsail cutter rig sloop, light tan hull, maroon stripe below the rail, with tan bark sails.
There are two POB. The Captain is Scott Kans, age approx 55, accompanied by crew Rafael Torres, approx age 30. Neither men are known to have medical issues, although Scott is believed to have a hernia.
The vessel has a 6 person life raft, however no EPIRB, SSB or HF Radio, or other means of communication other than two cell phones. They have no way to receive weather information since departing Puerto Rico. Scott’s cell phone is 787-306-9114.
The vessel sustained major damage during the hurricanes in Puerto Rico, including damage to its rigging which is believed to have been repaired prior to departing Puerto Rico. It is believed the vessel may have a cutlass bearing issue.
Their intended route was to pass close enough to the Turks and Caicos to allow them to call their emergency contact via cell phone. The contact expected hearing from them on or around January 2nd. From the Turks and Caicos they planned to continue through the East Bahamas into the Gulf Stream to St Augustine, Florida.
The USCG Sector Jacksonville has been notified.
Chris Parker of the Marine Weather Center is also aware of this overdue boat and will broadcast a lookout on his Monday SSB morning weather report for the Bahamas.
Dick Giddings of the afternoon Doo Dah SSB Net is also aware and broadcasting a lookout as well as putting it out on the morning Cruiseheimers Net.
KPK will ensure the Waterway Radio & Cruising Club Amateur Radio Net covers it as well as the both SSCA morning SSB nets at 1215 hrs UTC and 1315 hrs UTC on frequency 8.104.
Anyone with information regarding this vessel may contact KPK@ssca.org and the USCG.
Glenn Tuttle – Net Manager
SSCA HF Radio Service KPK
941-456-5070
s/v Ellipsis found, washed ashore the night of Jan. 8 on Elbow Cay, Hope Town, Abaco. Both passengers and their dogs are alive and in a home onshore.
I hope all is well with this vessel and the passenger, but having no Epirb onboard is irresponsible.
Sandpiper’s Cove Restaurant and Bar is a premier restaurant at Old Port Cove Marina, A CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, located on the western shore of the northern Lake Worth channel, near unlighted daybeacon #7.
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Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Old Port Cove Marina
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