And, let’s not forget that Osprey Marina is a SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR!
Stop at Qsprey marine.$1.00 a foot. Go to the Italian restaurant.They will pick you up.
George and Mary Kay
Georgetown,S.C.
Click Here To View the South Carolina Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Osprey Marina
Harbourtown Yacht Basin on Hilton Head Island is one of the most famous marinas in the world, with its candy cane striped lighthouse, ring of chic shops and adjacent, world class golf course and tennis courts. And, of course, they are a SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR!
Stay here often. Great resturants, great bars, great shopping, great service and fairly pricey. This marina is at the top of my list. They just do it right!
Marsha and Bob
M/V `Threadbare’
What else can I add except to agree that Osprey Marina is a superb facility that deserves the attention of every cruiser, and they are a SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR!
This is one of the best marinas we have found in our 33 years of cruising. We stayed there the night of 9/29/09 on our way to Georgetown, SC and look forward to another night there on our way home to Morehead City.
Brice Sumner
Click Here For The Cruisers’ Net’s South Carolina Marina Directory Listing For Osprey Marina
Indeed, Osprey is one of my favorite stops. good fuel prices, good docks, and friendly staff!
Pascal
MY Charmer
This anchorage will be discovered near where the AICW makes its northerly entrance into beautiful Waccamaw River, northeast of marker #29. Very well sheltered overnight haven, but, WOW, I hope I don’t run into the vessel (described below) with the automatic weapon!
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.
Jean Thomason
This little anchorage is located behind (south of) a small marsh island, just west of the Highway 171 swing bridge. As Captain Thomason notes below, swing room is a bit limited, so take care when dropping the hook here.
Anchored here September 23 (and have before) just about at the large pole that says Freddy, Freddy, Good anchorage but always have the concern of being blown either towards the grass island or over toward the docks. There is a mooring buoy right in the middle of the curve that restricts where one can anchor.
Jean Thomason
The confluence of Toogoodoo Creek and Wadmalaw River forms the North Edisto River. The AICW leaves the Wadmalaw and cuts down the North Edisto, before leaving this latter body of water via the Dawho River.
I have always loved anchoring on Toogoodoo Creek, but you do have to be careful of the shoals flanking this stream’s entrance. At high tide the mud flats cover completely, and the channel appears to the uninformed eye to be much wider than it actually is. Take great care when entering, but once the stream’s mouth is in your wake, you can choose from a wide variety of good spots to drop the hook!
We anchored in Toogoodoo Creek on the afternoon of June 11, 2009 at 1450 hours, after departing Beaufort, SC, at 0935 that morning. The shoal at the entrance wasn’t a problem – we just followed the electronic chart and stayed away from the shoal area on the north side of the entrance. We dropped the anchor in about 12 feet of water just past the stretch where the creek runs basically east-west and turns NW, more or less over the charted 11 foot depth. Good water all the way in, and the creek is wide enough for the small boat traffic to pass by without feeling too much of a wake. Holding is excellent (SuperMax with chain) and Sanderling stayed put during a severe thunderstorm that passed through about 2100 with winds we clocked at 56 knots at the height of the storm!
Bob McLeran and Judy Young
Click Here To View the South Carolina Cruisers’ Net Anchorage Directory Listing For Toogoodoo Creek
The Cooper River Marina is a Charleston County owned and operated facility. It is located well upstream on Cooper River from the Charleston’ downtown/historic district, on the grounds of the old US Navy Base. While the dockage is pretty good, even if somewhat unsheltered, and the shoreside support buildings are very acceptable, you will be docked a long way by land from most Charleston attractions.
We docked at Cooper River Marina during the month of November last year and were very pleased with the cleanliness of the facility and the very friendly and most helpful staff. We hope to stay at Cooper River Marina again the next time we’re in Charleston. It’s very cool watching huge ships traveling up and down the Cooper River…nothing boring about this marina.
Ginny Walsh
Click Here For The Cruisers’ Net’s South Carolina Marina Directory Listing For Cooper River Marina
The intersection of the Dawho, plus the eastern 1/3 of the AICW’s passage through the Dawho, has been infamous for shoaling, ever since I began researching the South Carolina poriton of the AICW, back in the 1980’s. There was some dredging done here in late 2008, and that is why these waters are not currently part of our “ICW Problem Stretches” list. That may have to change as this fall cruising progresses. Everyone please take maximum caution as you transit from the North Edisto to the Dawho, and everyone PLEASE send us more postings concerning the sounding you observe on these waters!
Subject: shoaling
Cruising News: Just an alert that at red marker 110 in SC going from Edisto into the Dawho River where the chart says 17ft of water on the SE side of the inlet near low tide there is NO water. We “discovered land” there and had to wait for tide to come back in….which we would have expected at low tide but did not expect in what was reported as 17 ft on the charts. It is also very shallow for a few miles south of that marker even inside the channel.
Sami and Barry Shreve
White Point (Dahwo/Edisto) MM497
Some spots at 6 1/2 MLW between R110 and the two green cans G 111 and G113. Since we had plenty of tide, i tried looking on either side of centerline but didn’t find anything better than that. same between G115 and R116, following the ICW line towards G115.
Pascal
Miami, fl
Further on my earlier experience:
I think we hit the shoal amidships at the Lat/Lon given. It was difficult to tell in the muddy water, but it appeared that one could transit the intersection either (a) *VERY* close to (within 200′ of) marker 110 or (b) as we eventually did traveling due East at 32-37.5N. By then we were at +2′ tide and after getting unstuck we saw no less than 7′.
If every anchorage were as nice as those on the AICW/Waccamaw River’s Bull Creek, we might never visit a marina again. Seriously fellow cruisers, it doesn’t get much better than this overnight haven, and, as you will see below, Captain Parish endorses this sentiment!
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.
Rick Parish
Click Here For The Cruisers’ Net’s South Carolina Anchorage Directory Listing For Bull Creek
The stretch of the AICW reported on below by Captain Dave is found south of McClellanville, near Awendaw Creek. This is the first I’ve heard about kayackers on these waters. Proceed with care!
Subject: dangerous wake
Cruising News: At approximately SM 436 just beyound R \”48\” southbound is a beach area that is apparently popular for kayakers. Because of the shallow water approaching the beach and the fact that it is located just beyond a small point, our wake was exagerated significantly. We could have caused damage but did not – but we left a very unhappy kayaker behind. Suffice it to say, reduce to no wake in advance of passing this point if anyone is on the beach. My apologies to the kayakers if they should read this.
Dave
on GB 46 At Last
On 9/1/09, as part of a “South Carolina Wish List,” I posed the following question:
33. Has anyone encountered depth problems on the Dawho River portion of the AICW between markers #111 and #119? The Waterway uses the Dawho as a connector between the North and South Edisto Rivers. This stretch was dredged a few months ago, but shoals are sure to begin reappearing soon!
Responses follow:
Subject: North Edisto / Dawho River
Cruising News: South bound we essentially followed our magenta line and had good depths throughout. The magenta favored the red side of the channel. We passed 10 yards off 112, 50 yards of 111 and 113, turned a little early before 115 and favored the red side with 20 yards off 116. Good water all the way.
FL G 121 has southbound “12” sign missing. Easy to confuse until the green light is visible.
Dave on GB 46 At Last
Hi,
Came thru S.C. area today [10/13/09] between buoys 110 – 120 at dead low water and never saw less than 7 feet. This should relax followers.
Ed
As Captain Dave notes below, it’s a very good idea to call the bridge tender prior to your arrival at her/his span, to check on the latest vertical clearance stats.
However, a check of chart 11534 shows the official closed vertical clearance of the Socastee Swing Bridge is 11 feet, as noted below by Captain Donavan.
Subject: Bridge clearances
Cruising News: The Socastee and Wrightsville Bridges both have 20 foot clearances listed. When we passed Socastee they had 22 feet which allowed us to pass without an opening – and Wrightsville Bridge a short time later had 17 feet which did require an opening as we need 20′. We learned that a call ahead to ask what the real clearance is proved useful.
Dave
on GB 46 At Last
The socastee bridge clearance is 11 feet
Donovan
The “Pine Island Cut” section of the AICW (which runs behind Myrtle Beach, SC) has long been known to Waterway veterans as the “Rock Pile.” That’s because there are all sorts of underwater rock shelves, waiting to trap those who deviate too far from the Waterway’s mid-width. Looks like Captain David found one of those “rocks” in his account below!
Cruising News: At approximately SM 347.4 (the rockpile section starts at SM 350.1) we found a rock on the red side of the channel. We obviously strayed too far to the right southbound and were greeted with a grinding sound as the keel ground its way across the top of the rock. The guide books are correct. Stay in the middle.
Dave
on GB 46 At Last
On 9/1/09, as part of a “South Carolina Wish List,” I posed the following question:
38. Has anyone anchored on the waters of Rock Creek, north of the ICW’s leaving of this stream via the southern half of the Ashepoo – Coosaw Cutoff? Did you find these waters as beautiful and idyllic as this writer?
Responses follow:
We anchored there Nov 2008 in company with two other cruisers and had a beautiful evening.
James Lea
S/V Estelle
Click Here To View the South Carolina Cruisers’ Net Anchorage Directory Listing For Rock Creek
On 9/1/09, as part of a “South Carolina Wish List,” I posed the following question:
29. Has anyone anchored on the Waters of Tom Point Creek lately (off the western banks of the North Edisto River/AICW, south of Toogoodoo Creek). What depths did you discover? Did you find sufficient swing room for your vessel?
Responses follow:
We anchored in Tom Point Creek,in April, 2007. We anchored about 0.5 miles up (the 9′ spot on the chart) and found the depths as charted with plenty of swinging room for us (41′ sail). Very pretty
James Lea
S/V Estelle
Click Here To View the South Carolina Cruisers’ Net Anchorage Directory Listing For Tom Point Creek
I can add to Captain Lea’s comments below Kudzu Bakery, by relating that their chocolate chip cookies are to die for, and, really, we’ve never had anything here that wasn’t good. Kudzu is within walking distance of all the downtown Georgetown marinas, and within a long walk or a quick taxi ride from Georgetown Landing Marina (on the Pee Dee River). Give Kudzu a try, you won’t be sorry!
We have not eaten at the Kudzu Bakery but always stop there to buy their delicious foods, jams, pickles, etc. Not to be missed in Georgetown!
James Lea
S/V Estelle
49. Can anyone give us an entrance channel depth report, as late as this summer, for world famous Harbour Town Marina on Hilton Head.
Responses follow:
This marina is a fun place to stay. During warm wether there is music outside with different guys placing. Makes it nice to sit on the boat deck to listen. There are lots of boats >100′ that stop there, so great to watch. With the restuarants, shops, nice shower area, and helpful marina staff it is a great place to stop. My inexperienced boating companions sure needed the help docking and the gift bottle of wine helped them relax after their 1st boating trip.
Judity Richardson
On 9/1/09, as part of a “South Carolina Wish List,” I posed the following question:
51. Has anyone tried anchoring on the waters of (yet another) Bull Creek, the one which cuts north off the Waterway, a short hop south of the ICW’s exodus from Caliboge Sound (near Statute Mile 565.5.). Did you discover, like this writer, that depths suddenly drop off to nil (contrary to the chart) just upstream of the stream’s first sharp turn to the west.
Responses follow:
Yes, two years ago we weathered a storm anchored about 1.6 miles up where the creek turns west. Another half mil up or so you can land the dinghy on an abandoned road for a walk ashore.
James Lea
S/V Estelle
Bristol 41.1
Click Here To View the South Carolina Cruisers’ Net Anchorage Directory Listing For Bull Creek
On 9/1/09, as part of a “South Carolina Wish List,” I posed the following question:
43. Has any cruiser northbound on the Beaufort River portion of the AICW mistaken Battery Creek at Port Royal, for the Waterway’s track? If so, what would be a good way to avoid this error?
Responses follow:
We have not but saw at least one sailboat limp in demasted. The easy and most obvious solution is to have whatever authorities drop a sign off the bridge stating its clearance. Someone is going to get killed there one day.
Sami and Barry Shreve
s/v Ever After
41. Any restaurant recommendations in Beaufort, South Carolina would be very welcome!
Responses follow:
there are so many good restaurants in Beaufort and surrounding areas….The Thai restaurant is excellent. Nippys is casual and always good. My favorite is the shrimp taco and their wonderful shoe string fries. You can not beat Blackstones for breakfast especially on Sundays when they have Eggs Benedict. Emilies has the best Steak Au pouvre. Paninnis has very good food all around. There is a new Japanese steak
Sami and Barry Shreve
s/v Ever After
Being a long time resident of Beaufort the best seafood in Dockside. Unfortunately it is in Port Royal, but they do have day dock space. It does get crowded weekends, but worth the wait. Downtown there is a new bistro 2 blocks walk from the ICW. It is called Wren on Carteret Street. Very good, but I suggest reservations.
Judith Richardson
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