With his 6.25 ft draft, Capt. Pascal keeps a very sharp eye on the Waterway’s trouble spots and we can rely on the accuracy of his reports and the depths recorded here coincide with earlier reports of 5.8 feet at dead low in this perennial “AICW Problem Stretch” south of Charleston, SC. Penny’s report of Jan 23 suggests that the channel is shifting with the renewed shoaling.

I found shoaling to have worsened significantly over the summer in the southern section between the Coosaw and Rock creek. I follow the exact same path and found depths to be almost 2 ft shallower than back in May. I had planned to arrive with 3′ of tides remaining and ended up squeaking by with just a ft under the wheels (6.25 draft). This is definitely a play-the-tide stretch for most and close to Lil Mud River level.
Everything else so far is pretty much unchanged since spring.
Here are my notes:
MM516 Ashepoo Coosaw Southern section, 6′ to 7′ MLW most of the way but some 4.5 to 5′ MLW spots just north of R184. This is down almost 2′ from this spring on the same line. Make sure you come in or exit the southern end of the cut at an angle as shown on the charts (by R184/G195).
A new can G177 has been added by the FL G 177 to mark the shoal.
Note that the northern section of the cut off bet R166 and R172 is no problem, over 12′ MLW.
Capt. Pascal Gademer

Cruising News:
Claiborne
Just came through the Ashepoo-Coosaw Cutoff roughly two hours after high tide, +5.8′, and the lowest depth readings were 10.8′, suggesting there would be only 5′ at low. Looks like severe shoaling; suggest transiting with this in mind.
So far, in our transit south this year from Sandy Hook to Delray Beach, this is the first serious shoaling we encountered.
Mike Horowitz aboard ALTAIR

Just came through the Ashepoo Coosaw cutoff 3 times in the last 6 weeks. At the southern end near the Coosaw river, I saw 6 ft. at dead low tide. Favour the red side going south.
The other two times I came through at mid tide rising and had no trouble. My vessel draws 5 ft. Hope this helps.
Phil Mullins

Just cleared the Ashepoo Coosaw Cutoff 1 hour after high tide with a 5 ft draft. Lowest water reported was 12 ft. near red 184. The new green can 177A is off station. Currently in the grass about 100 feet south of green day marker 177.
Dick White aboard M/V Emerald Lady

These updated reports are pretty accurate except showing even more shoaling as green markers 169 and 177 are standing in grass with 20-30 feet of sand/mud on the bank at just before low tide. Depth sounder went off more times than I care to count. stay exactly between R 184 and G 185 then hug south bank to avoid extending shoal just after before heading to R 186. Favoring red as mentioned in another report put us in the mud for a quick thrill.
Penny aboard Penelope

Click Here To View Another Recent Report from This Trouble Spot.

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Stretches” Listing For Ashepoo/Coosaw Cutoff

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