Statute Mile: 542
Lat/Lon: near 32 22.540 North/080 42.063 West
Location: on the waters of Battery Creek (northeast of the AICW’s flashing buoy #41) , west of unlighted daybeacon #47
Minimum Depth: 15 to 22 feet
Swing Room: sufficient room for vessels as large as 55 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: Fair to good; open to southeastern and western winds
Rating: 
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Statute Mile: 544.5
Lat/Lon: near 32 22.556 North/080 37.977 West
Location: on the waters of Cowen Creek, immediately southwest of this stream’s juncture with Distant Island Creek
Minimum Depth: 15+ foot depths, but you must negotiate several unmarked shoals between Beaufort River and the anchorage to maintains these soundings
Swing Room: sufficient room for vessels as large as 50 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: Good, but open to strong southwesterly winds
Rating:
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We attempted to anchor here on 4/24/10. The evening’s predicted wind direction and strength nixed all possible anchorages except one in Cowen Creek. We ran some distance up the creek and tried anchoring in 10′ of water in the lee of some trees on shore. Our Rocna anchor set quickly, but failed to hold in the “fluff” mud bottom. After several attempts to find good holding, we abandoned the anchorage and headed for Port Royal Landing about 8 miles away.
Other spots in the creek may work better in better weather conditions. However, distance in and out along with our experience puts Cowen Creek on our “Not Here” list.
Statute Mile: 553.50’”northerly entrance
Lat/Lon:
32 15.407 North/080 44.565 West (northern anchorage)
32 15.162 North/080 44.684 West (southern anchorage)
Location: along the easternmost branch or Skull Creek south of the ICW’s flashing daybeacon #6
Minimum Depth: 8-feet
Swing Room:
sufficient room for vessels as large as 45 feet in northern anchorage
Sufficient room for vessels as large as 34 feet in southern anchorage
Foul Weather Shelter: Good, but northern anchorage is open to strong northerly winds
Rating:
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Statute Mile: 558
Lat/Lon:
32 14.410 North/080 47.021 West (anchorage south of Buzzard Island)
32 15.527 North/080 46.351 West (anchorage southwest of unlighted daybeacon #8)
Location: on the waters of Mackay Creek between this stream’s intersection with northern Calibogue Sound and its northern juncture with the Chechessee River
Minimum Depth: 6 feet, but there are many unmarked shoals flanking the channel
Special Comment: Your vessel must be able to clear a 25-foot fixed bridge to access these anchorages, and the use of a GPS chartplotter is recommended when navigating these waters
Swing Room: sufficient room for vessels as large as 40 feet
Foul Weather Shelter:
Good for southerly anchorage, but open to southern winds
Excellent for northerly anchorage
Rating:
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Statute Mile: 559
Lat/Lon: near 32 12.587 North/080 46.208 West
Location: on the eastern shores of northern Calibogue Sound, south of Jenkins Islands and east of flashing daybeacon #1
Minimum Depth: 7-feet
Swing Room: sufficient room for vessels as large as 34 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: Very good, but open to westerly winds, and surrounding marsh grass shores do not give sufficient shelter in especially heavy weather
Rating:
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Statute Mile: 563.5
Lat/Lon: near 32 10.666 North/080 48.163 West
Location: on the broad and charted but unmarked channel northwest of Middle Marsh Island, north of unlighted daybeacon #30
Minimum Depth: 12+ feet, but an extensive unmarked shoal must be bypassed
Swing Room: sufficient room for vessels as large as 45 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: Fair; open to southwestern and northeaster winds
Rating:
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Statute Mile: 563.5
Lat/Lon: near 32 10.593 North/080 49.404 West
Location: off Calibogue Sound’s northwestern banks well west of unlighted daybeacon #30
Minimum Depth: 7-feet, but unmarked shoals at creek’s entrance must be successfully bypassed
Special Comment: Use of a GPS chartplotter is recommended to safely enter this anchorage
Swing Room: sufficient room for vessels as large as 36 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: Very good
Rating:
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Statute Mile: 565.5
Lat/Lon:
32 09.496 North/080 51.089 North (southern anchorage)
32 09.878 North/080 51.370 West
Location: on the waters of Bull Creek, east of the ICW’s flashing daybeacon #34
Minimum Depth: 8-feet
Swing Room:
Sufficient room for vessels as large as 48 feet in southern anchorage
Sufficient room for vessels as large as 40 feet in northern, upstream anchorage
Foul Weather Shelter:
Fair in southern anchorage, open to southerly winds
Excellent in northern, upstream anchorage
Rating:
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5-2-16 Now anchored in one of our favorites– Bull Crk east off ICW just south of MM565. Anchored in front of house where water not so deep. Good holding and usual tidal current. Good verizon. Look out over Calibogue Sound and Hilton Head island. Nice.
Charlie and Jackie on Traveler
Spent a wonderful evening here August 21, 2011. 20 feet of depth. Payed out 150 feet of rode and spent a nice evening. Plenty of room for me and any passing boating traffic. Much more reasonable than Hilton Head.
We have anchored here several times. Other than the occasional wake, it is a wonderfully calm spot. A big thrill we experienced here was when a large sea turtle, with a head as big as a basketball, swam between my wife’s float & our boat! What a magnificent sight he was! Nice depth & good protection. Highly recommended!
Anchored here 4-9-10 in the area between two anchors on the chartlet. Two other boat also there. Some wakes from small boats. Larger cruise boats went by slowly. Nice setting. No-see-ums in the morning. Lots of swing room and good protection from north winds and some from the south or east, more open to west.
Bull Creek has excellent protection from northerly winds if you can get around the first large bend and behind a large stand of trees. Depths are varied from 30’+ to beginning to verge on shoal. Additionally, there is some small boat traffic on occasion plus a small RO-RO (Rip Rap II) passed, carrying a big SUV and horse van. Holding is good in the current we experienced (somewhat under a knot?) and in gusty winds to 20-25 kts.
Statute Mile: 568.5
Lat/Lon: near 32 08.145 North/080 53.599 West
Location: northwest of the Waterway’s flashing daybeacon #37, on the upper reaches of Cooper River abandoned by the ICW
Minimum Depth: 27-feet
Swing Room: sufficient room for vessels as large as 40 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: Protection: Fair; open to northeasterly winds
Rating:
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Statute Mile: 570
Lat/Lon: near 32 07.513 North/080 55.299 West
Location: on the waters of upper New River, abandoned by the Waterway, well west of flashing daybeacon #39
Minimum Depth: 8-feet, but an unmarked shoal must be successfully bypassed near #39
Swing Room: sufficient room for vessels as large as 50 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: Good, but open to strong northeasterly winds
Rating:
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Statute Mile: 572
Lat/Lon: near 32 05.372 North/080 56.562 West
Location: west of unlighted nun buoy #48, on the upper Wright River, bypassed by the ICW
Minimum Depth: 15 feet, but entrance into upper Wright River can be tricky for first timers
Swing Room: sufficient room for vessels as large as 40 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: Good
Rating:
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Please note that channel conditions, depths, references to navigational aids and almost all on-the-water navigational and anchorage data is subject to change at any time. While we have been careful and attempted to verify all anchorage information, on-the-water conditions may be QUITE different by the time of your arrival. Failure to follow current on-the-water reality, even when it differs from the data contained in this anchorage directory, can result in expensive and dangerous accidents. There are potential hazards in any cruising situation, for which captains, navigators and crew are solely responsible.
Neither I, nor any member of the Salty Southeast Cruisers’ Net make any guarantee as to the accuracy or reliability of the information contained within this Anchorage Directory, and will not accept any liability for injuries or damages caused to the reader by following this data!’
A word about anchorage Lat/Lon co-ordinates given in the Anchorage Directory:
We have included APPROXIMATE latitude and longitude positions of the recommended anchorages within this Anchorage Directory. All of these lat/lon positions are presented strictly for informational purposes; they must NOT be used as GPS or Loran way points!
There are several reasons why. Loran C and GPS readings give mariners a straight-line distance or bearing to the intended way-point destination. Straight-line tracks do NOT take into account such vagaries as shoals you will need to avoid, peninsulas you will be unable to cross, or islands that just seem to get in the way.
Please also note that anchorage Lat/Lon positions are given to help generally locate an overnight anchorage. With few exceptions, mariners need not drop the hook at the exact location given. Within most creeks, bays, and other sheltered bodies of water appropriate for anchorage, there will likely be many places where you can rest comfortably and safely for the evening, swinging tranquilly on the hook.
Comments from Cruisers (5)
The Dockside [Restaurant] in Port Royal is an excellent seafood restaurant. There is a short dock for tying up.
Emil
This is another nice anchorage, but not as nice as Cowan Creek. It’s main attraction is being adjacent to the best seafood restaurant in the area, which has a courtesy dock you can dinghy to.
The anchorage is up Battery Creek, past the old port facilities and past the Dockside Restaurant, where you will see shrimp boats docked. Another 500 feet straight ahead is an anchorage area where you’ll see several local boats permanently moored. DO NOT try to get behind them, closer to the shoreline; the wide expanse of water north of the moored boats is shallow.
The Dockside Restaurant has a great local reputation. There is a courtesy dock which you won’t see initially. It’s out of sight behind the shrimp boats, but it’s accessible by dinghy or small run about if you go around the south end of the shrimp boats. The dock can be used by small boats but it isn’t large enough for a cruising sailboat or trawler.
Rapid Roy, S/V “Gideon”
In my opinion, Dockside Restaurant is one of the top 5 restaurants in [the] Beaufort [area]. Price, Portion Size, Atmosphere are all great. You gotta try the cornbread ( or what I call CAKE!) they bring to your table before the meal. I have never anchored, but I have seen several boats just north of the restaurant. There is a dock which can accommodate a trawler or dingys is available.
Tracy Hellman
Hey Claiborne:
We took your advice and anchored on Battery Creek. We are even more glad that you spoke to us about nearby Dockside Restaurant. We blew up our dinghy, and rowed the short distance to this restaurant’s docks which were easy to pick out from the anchorage. Most of the outer dock was taken up by local shrimpers, and those piers were quite high as well. Fortunately, we found some lower, floating docks on the inside, and were able to easily tie up the dink.
We found the restaurant a warm, homy kind of placed, walled and roofed with lots of knotty pine. There was a GREAT view of Battery Creek from the windows.
Even though we visited on a Thursday night, there was a waiting line by 6:30 pm. Fortunately, we were already well into our dinners by then. I got the fried “Captains Platter” which proved to be enough food for the Russian Army. The flounder was some of the best I’ve had anywhere, anytime. Sue got the broiled seafood platter, and she has raved about the scallops and “local” shrimp ever since.
So, it was a good evening all around at Battery Creek, though my waistline is larger for the visit. I would definitely recommend this anchor down spot to fellow cruisers!
Skipper Fowler
We arrived on 11/29/09 at near the top of the tide and anchored just past the shrimp boat docks and near three sailboats on moorings. We anchored in 18’ of water with about 10 kts of breeze. The anchorage is exposed to south and west winds. Tidal range overnight was eight feet. Just after dark we had 20’ of water beneath the boat and when I got up at around 0200, we only had 12’. Holding was good and despite the aggressive tidal switches, the anchor held firm. Not much local traffic while we were there.
The evening passed quietly but it gave way to a “Beirut Breakfast” at daybreak. All heck broke loose as we were eating. Seems the marines at Paris Island were on the small arms firing range and it reminded me of the middle east fighting you hear on the TV.
Otherwise a nice spot.