Sawpit Creek - Click for Chartview

The Salty Southeast Cruisers’ Net posted an earlier “Navigation Alert” for this stretch of the AICW (see /?p=109184). Fortunately, these waters are slated for dredging beginning April 1, 2013. See Local Notice to Mariners at /?p=108798. Unfortunately, the dredging was not in time for Captain Hermans.

Cruising News:
On 3/23/2013 we contacted the bottom in Sawpit Creek, just south of Nassau Sound. We were going north approximately 2 hours after low tide and just north of daymarker R50, our 4.5 foot keel made solid contact with the bottom while we were on the magenta line. We warned a south bound tug and he called us back with the following information. He stayed west of the magenta line after G49 and made a big roundhouse turn staying well off of the magenta line right until he passed daymarker 50 on his right. He found 8 foot of depth by doing this.
Bob Hermans

Cruising News:
Near mile 730 at marker 49 on ICW 3 1/2 feet. We touched bottom and the sailboat behind us grounded. No easy way through!
Ann Bearden

A closer look at the chart segment indicates that the tug captain was indeed correct; following the magenta line will definitely put you in 4ft of water, whereas a curve to the West Bank will give you more depth. In rivers and creeks water generally runs faster and deeper on the outside of curves, and shoals generally build inside the curve.
Steve Kamp

Yes; this has been a problem area for the last 5 years or so.
Donavan

Claiborne,
Another photo for you to illustrate a recent story appearing on Cruiser’s Net.
You can see two sail boats aground, both on the magenta line, a straight line between markers R50 and G49. You can also see the floating can indicating that the correct course between the two daymarks is a large curve. We followed the markers and found over 10′ of water 20 minutes before low tide.
When there is a conflict between the Magenta Line on the charts and Coast Guard installed markers, we have never found the markers to be incorrect.
Glen and Jill Moore
DeFever 40 Last Dance

We passed through this area on March 10. We saw a 47 ft. sailboat aground. We tried to pull them off, and to give them a big wake. Neither worked. Our four foot draft allowed us to get close to them and their 5.5 ft draft.
There is a floating, small green marker trying to put you over to the red side, but it is really too late by the time you get to the marker. Holding over to the red side provides deep water all the way through, with no problem. Stay to the red side, and go there well before reaching the green marker.
Norman Mason

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Sawpit Creek