The entrance to Factory Creek lies immediately north of the Ladys Island Swing Bridge in Beaufort, SC. This stream is also home to Ladys Island Marina. The anchorage is located upstream of this facility.
Be careful as you cruise from the AICW/Beaufort River into Factory Creek. Captain Emerson’s comments below and earlier reports here on the Cruisers’ Net indicate the channel is narrowing.

We got in on half tide without a problem but didn’t do quite so well leaving close to low tide. We draw 6′ and dragged a bit coming out, although it’s likely we were closer to G `1’³ than we should have been. Once past this area, however, there’s plenty of depth. The anchorage area is strung out along a moderately narrow channel that curves around over 90 deg. along its length. The current in the creek is significant but manageable. The real challenge the creek’s width. On one side are docks (private or marina) and on the other side is marsh. With roughly 15′ depths, a short scope isn’t likely, but over-doing can be a problem, too. We saw some boats riding to a Bahamian mooring (to limit swinging in current) and some (ourselves included) riding to one anchor. The bottom held well enough to allow riding on chain and a CQR in breezy conditions; the hook was hard to break out when it came time to leave. The trip from Factory Creek to the `day dock’ ramp area is long enough to make part of the trip on plane (but NOT in the No Wake areas!).
As mentioned, there are some derelict boats in the creek. We saw one, a motor boat, clearly on its way down. We called Ladys Island Marina to see if they knew about it. `Oh, that happens about twice a month. We worry if we don’t get called twice a month!’
Rick Emerson

Click Here For The Cruisers’ Net’s South Carolina Anchorage Directory Listing For Factory Creek