Northern Fields Cut - Click for Chartview

The “AICW Problem Stretch” at the intersection of northern Fields Cut and Wright River was dredged three years ago and was more or less clear through the end of 2012. However, as recent reports confirm and as Captain Lawrenson experienced, shoaling is once again a real problem at this intersection.

We grounded badly on May 24, 2013 about 30 feet short of the north exit of Fields Cut running northbound (about where the line runs through the chart next to the N on the insert chart). I had 4.0 to 4.5ft MLW about 10 feet to the red side of the center line. As it was a negative 1.0 tide and I draw 4.5 ft., we sat for 1 1/2 hours in 3.5 Ft of water and swatted flies.
After we came free (about + 0.5 ft from MLW) I went back towards Savannah a short way. A trawler passed us and despite my warnings promptly went aground just past where we had been (they also drew 4.5 ft.). I then turned back and went north again, strongly favoring the green side ‘“ about 75% (half way between mid channel and the green shore) and had 7.0 ft. or better past the grounded trawler and all the way out of the cut splitting the markers outside the cut.
The shoal is like hitting a brick wall from the Savannah side. I had 11 ft. and then stopped abruptly, aground. It was so sudden I thought I had snagged something ‘“ no warning. All the locals including the Bloody Point Ferry (Savannah to Daufuskie) that passed us three times strongly favor the green side.
On the other end, (Savannah River Side) we came through just fine favoring the red side (1/3 from red bank, 2/3 from green bank) at the entry where the cut bends right after the northbound entry from the Savannah River ‘“ 7.5 ft or better at about MLW. Stay away from the jetty on the green side and don’t follow you plotter line.
I am a sailor, not a marine professional, and this is what I recall happening to us. Hope this helps others.
William Lawrenson

July 8, 2013
Every time I went through S.C. Field’s Cut this weekend there were sailboats aground in the middle of the north entrance of the cut at low tide. Either they don’t read anything don’t know anything or don’t believe how far to the east side of the cut you have to go. I know people are afraid to try this but to go through the north end of the cut you have to stay all the way to the east side of the cut: that means 25 feet from the dirt if you cannot reach out and touch the grass you are not close enough. Do not worry if your GPS or Chartplotter shows a covered and uncovered place here. Look at the water and the mud bank. You will find a channel here where all the water goes out of the cut and it is 10 feet deep at dead low tide.
Captain Kevin R Quinn

Did have serious problem with north side of Fields Cut, went aground in middle part of channel before turning south into Fields. Hard grounding with quick stop.
Carter Hopkins
M/V Amazing Grace

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Stretches” Listing For Northern Fields Cut

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To This AICW Problem Stretch

Northern Fields Cut - Click for Chartview

The “AICW Problem Stretch” at the intersection of northern Fields Cut and Wright River was dredged three years ago and was more or less clear through the end of 2012. However, as Captain Colburn relates from personal experience, shoaling is once again beginning to occur.
This posting at first created quite a ruckus here at the SSECN, as Captain Colburn originally recommended favoring the “red” side of the channel. Heretofore, the shoaling at the northern end of Fields Cut, always seemed to build from the northwest side of the passage, between the northern mouth of Fields Cut, and marker #48. We wondered if the new shoaling was coming in from the southeast, rather than its traditional direction from the NW, and sent out a special “Alert” soliciting more information from the cruising community.

SHORTLY AFTER ISSUING THIS SPECIAL ALERT BASED ON CAPTAIN COLBURN’S ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION TO FAVOR THE “RED” SIDE OF THE CHANNEL, WE RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING CLARIFICATION, AND HAVE CHANGED HER ORIGINAL TEXT ACCORDINGLY!!!

Yikes! What was I thinking??
I can’t say I’m sorry enough, but I meant to favor the GREEN side of the channel. Please amend my recent report on the intersection of the Fields Cut north end with the Wright River.
Patrece Colburn

April 7, 3:30PM
North end of Fields Cut ‘” stay way over on the GREEN side of the channel coming out of the cut (northbound).
After spending the last hour or so aground in the center of the channel at low tide, I could recommend staying close to the [GREEN] side of the channel. A sail boat was also aground with us. We waited for the tide to come up and both freed ourselves under our own power.
Patrece Colburn

Claiborne,
I transited Field’s Cut in late Jan. 2013 and found the shoal dead in the middle of the channel on the north side. I was pulled off by Boat U.S. Savannah, very expertly may I say. We entered the cut right in the middle of the channel and about 100 yards or so, ran aground. The tide was ebbing, but not dead low.
We were on the bar about 30 minutes before a boat passed us near the south side of the channel and shouted the deep water is to the “green ” side.
Unfortunately, we discovered a fuel leak from a corroded injector and had the Boat U.S. captain take us to Thunderbolt Marina where we spent 2 weeks getting it and one other injector fixed.
Instead of continuing on south, we decided to return to Charleston, SC and lick our wounds.
On the way back north, we paid particular attention to Field’s Cut and stayed on the “green” side and had no problem.
Our Boat US captain said a new shoal had been forming for a couple of months.
Then northwest side of the channel is not the side to transit. There is some deep water on that side of the shoal,but finding it may be difficult.
Captain Phil Mullins
S/V Katash
Isle of Palms, SC

We were the sailboat aground at the north end of Fields Cut during low tide April 7, 2013. We had followed the advice to favor the red side and ran aground. The trawler that ran aground with us was close to the center of the channel, on the magenta line. The deepest water was while hugging the green side of the north end of the channel and going close to G47 going into the Wright River. We were traveling northbound.
Roger Globig

AllEZ! MT50 with 5 ft draft. Transited Hells Gate on 4-14-13 at 2 hours into a rising tide. Transit time 4 minutes.
Water 8-10 ft. (5 ft under our keel) Fields Cut Transited on 4-14-13 @ 12:25 Noon Entered from South going North
5 ft draft we had 10 feet under the keel. We were 1 hour into a falling tide. Just stay in the middle and do some
cruise planning. Follow you Depth sounder. No Drama, just planning.
Capt. Bob

We just passed thru Fields Cut on 4/19/2013 and found no problems. We carried over 10 feet MLW for the entire cut. As a point of interest we changed sides (going north favoring Red to favoring Green) at about 32 04.611N and 080 56.836W.
John Holmes

Here are my GPS tracks going and coming last December. My draft is only 4’-3″ but I start paying attention whenever the depth gets under 8. I don’t remember any particular concern on either transit. There are lots of other stretches that seemed worse.
Roger Long
S/V Strider

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Stretches” Listing For Northern Fields Cut

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To This AICW Problem Stretch