North Santee River Upstream Anchorage (Statute Mile 417.5)
On 9/1/09, as part of a “South Carolina Wish List,” I posed the following question:
17. Has anyone taken the plunge and gone up the North Santee River as far as the Highway 17 twin bridges, anchored here, dinghied ashore, and visited Hopeswee Plantation? Please describe this cruise and what you saw!
Responses follow:
From Georgetown S.C., we motored south (20 mi) to the North Santee River and navigated to the Hwy. 17 bridge where we anchored for two days to visit Hopsewee Plantation, the birthplace of Thomas Lynch, Jr., a signer of the Declaration of Independence for South Carolina, and a step back in time for sailors. We dinghied under the bridge and tied up to the small, Hopsewee dock; just look out for any alligators or snakes which may be “sunning” on or near the dock! Two original slave homes are intact, and archaeological digs around the Plantation are active. There are no marinas or restaurants nearby. The old rice fields and flood control gates are still around, as well as shrimp, crab, and fish. Our thanks go out to Frank and Rae Jean Beatty for opening their Hopsewee Plantation home to us, and preserving a piece of American History. http://www.hopsewee.com One could spend months cruising the Waccamaw River and points on the way to Charleston, S.C.; the history, traditions, and scenery are almost unchanged over the past two hundred years.
Claiborne, I anchored near the bridges without problem. My boat is a Dickerson 41ft., ketch, draft 5 ft.
Bruce
We anchored above the bridges on the south side in 14 feet of water, just slightly upstream from Hopsewee. Spent the night and took the dinghy to the Hopsewee dock and visited the plantation. Interesting tour. Need to keep an eye out for floating logs which move up and down the river with the tide on the south side of the river.
Jean Thomason
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