Safe Harbor Charleston City Marina, A CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, resumes its free Happy Hour on the Mega Dock. Charleston City Marina is located along the Ashley River’s northeastern banks, northeast of marker #5.
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Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Safe Harbor Charleston City Marina
With 100 mph winds Hurricane Lorenzo is moving NE at 22 mph.
Wounded Nature-Working Veterans is a group of veterans, non-veterans and active duty military personnel run by Captain Rudy Socha, a former Marine turned conservationist. The non-profit volunteer organization is working to cleanup, preserve and protect our coastal environment, particularly from derelict vessels.
Click here for Wounded Nature Working Veterans Summer 2019 NEWSLETTER
Our thanks to Loopers Dan Merrill and Tom Hale for these kind words for Southport Marina, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, as posted on AGLCA’s Forum. Southport Marina is located just west of the Cape Fear River along the northern banks of the Waterway hard by flashing daybeacon #2A.
A reminder to all loopers that Southport Marina In Southport NC is a great stop. One of the best run marinas period. Helpful, friendly staff, great facilities, walking distance to restaurants and shopping.
Dan Merrill
Every evening at 6:00pm Hank Pomeranz, a retired Navy meteorologist and experienced cruiser provides updates on the ICW conditions with pages and pages of 4 d color handouts. Its FREE! If you are planning to go outside and run along the coast, he will provide you with weather and sea state information for your trip. The briefings are held right in the Southport Marina office building. Second floor room 202 in the past years. His information is all pertinent and up to date!
Tom Hale
Tadhana
Helmsman 38
Click Here To View the North Carolina Cruisers Net Marina Directory Listing For Southport Marina
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Southport Marina
Good news for cruisers who are not docking overnight in the Hollywood area or who might be anchoring. However, the nearest anchorage is three miles south.
Where boating is a pleasure: A new Publix could let you dock to shop
SunSentinel
TL;DR: It’s an empty lot. It *may* eventually be a Publix with a dock. Definitely not this season.
[Editor: Thanks Sean! Title has been adjusted. LD]
Bahamas Chatter is produced by Explorer Chartbooks, A CRUISERS NET PARTNER, which has long been the standard navigational supplement for enjoyable, informative, and safe cruising through the beautiful Bahamian waters and island visits.
Bahamas Chatter: “An Encouraging Word from Abaco” plus 1 more
An Encouraging Word from Abaco
Posted: 25 Sep 2019 02:44 PM PDT
Dear Cruise Abaco Family,
It has been a little over 3 weeks since Hurricane Dorian crossed paths with Abaco. The words “Abaco Strong” are evident all over the islands. There is a flurry of activity everywhere and everyone is doing their part to clean up and make plans for rebuilding a better, stronger future. Ray and Renee’s home have plans for a new roof and it’s nice to see their smiles as they overlook the beautiful Sea Of Abaco! The airport is looking better and not far from opening soon. As you can see, things are moving along and the future is looking brighter for Abaco!
An ongoing thank you to all the folks who are sending in donations, holding fundraisers and/or collecting relief supplies and to those who are tirelessly bringing those relief supplies and medical care…. the community of Abaco just can’t thank all of you enough. A big shout out & THANK YOU to Team Rubicon for helping Cruise Abaco get our staff house a plastic roof so we can get it dried out and begin plans to replace the roof and interior so they can have safe shelter soon. Power poles are going up and new plans are being discussed for adding a solar system along with the grid which is such exciting news for us all.
While this has been a very stressful time with much loss, the community of Abaco is so moved by the tremendous support and love from people all over the globe. We all feel it and appreciate it more than words can say. Abaco’s strength is in the perseverance of the people and it is those people that make Abaco so very special. Everyone is committed to a new beginning so please keep us in your future vacation plans. We’ll let you know when the doors are open, the lights are on and our fleet is sailing again and we will welcome you with open arms!
Captain Mark & Patti Gonsalves
Proud Owners of Cruise Abaco
Disney to Develop East End Point, Eleuthera
Posted: 25 Sep 2019 01:47 PM PDT
Full article can be found in cruisindustrynews.com
Disney Confirms Second Bahamas Destination Lighthouse Point
August 25, 2019
Disney has revealed new information and two early conceptual artist renderings for its second island destination in The Bahamas, which is located on the island of Eleuthera at a place called Lighthouse Point (charted as East End Point) and will serve cruise passengers on an expanding Disney Cruise Line fleet.
Disney Cruise Line completed its purchase of privately owned Lighthouse Point earlier this year and signed an agreement with the Government of The Bahamas that guides the responsible and sustainable way the site will be developed.
According to a press release, Disney has committed to develop less than 20 percent of the property; employ sustainable building practices, including an open-trestle pier that eliminates the need to dredge a ship channel; establish environmental monitoring programs during construction and operation; and donate more than 190 acres of privately owned land to Government, among other commitments.
Construction at Lighthouse Point will begin only after an Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Management Plan are reviewed and accepted by the Government of The Bahamas and public consultation has occurred. Construction could begin in 2020 with completion in late 2022 or 2023.
Our thanks to Ted Arisaka for this update from Kim Russo of AGLCA as posted on Forum and on Save Georgia’s Anchorages.
Update on Georgia Anchoring Law
If you’ve been following along with the rulemaking process to implement Georgia’s new anchoring law (HB 201) which gives DNR the authority to both require a permit for overnight anchoring and to determine where boats can and can’t anchor, we have an important update for you.
As of mid-September, DNR reports that they are still examining the possibility of requiring anchoring permits, but has no immediate plans for implementation. This is a change from the previously announced intention to require permits beginning next year.
In May, DNR issued a proposed rulemaking, which quickly caught the attention of boaters who were outraged by the idea of having to purchase a permit in order to anchor overnight in waterways in Georgia. After a public comment period with a high level of engagement from boaters, stakeholders including our coalition were invited to a meeting at DNR in July to further discuss ideas for implementation. At that meeting, DNR planned to go back to the drawing board and release a new set of permitting rules around October.
However, that plan has been abandoned for now. DNR currently has no immediate plan to move forward with the permitting process.
DNR is, however, moving forward with defining anchorage areas. The approved anchorage areas are expected be the whole state, minus shellfish beds and some setback from marine infrastructure. The setback distances for these anchoring exclusionary areas is still to be determined after additional input from marinas and other stakeholders.
While our group will remain vigilant as the rest of the rules pertaining to anchorage areas unfold, we view the current status as positive. The abandonment of permitting rules for the time being shows that the voices of boaters are behind heard. Many thanks to all of you who have taken part in this process to date.
Kim Russo
Wally,
HB201 is still law, and will be until (hopefully) a revised version is passed in the next General Assembly, but without approved rules it is teethless. It is encouraging that DNR has decided to back off on any implementation of rules, but we still need to be concerned. Setback distances must eventually be addressed because of the passing of HB501, which establishes an aquaculture/oyster industry in the coastal area. Even though HB201 is independent of HB501 they are interacting as far as setbacks are concerned.
I would be surprised if DNR eventually establishes setback rules for only the shellfish beds. So setbacks from structures (my guessing here) will probably occur in the same rule. Director Doug Haymans has been consistent in saying that he does not think a uniform setback from structures (private docks, marinas, etc.) will work. The various groups protesting HB201 has offered 250' as a compromise distance that we will think will work. Any distance over 250' will affect anchoring near multiple marinas and this is a concern.
As far as permitting still being on the table, my understanding from the July 31 stakeholders meeting, is that DNR is willing to back off on this for short term anchoring, but the stakeholders and Director Haymans agreed that DNR must have some way of managing long term anchoring vessels, if they are allowed at all. Such vessels are problematic as they often become derelict and/or washed ashore during severe weather.
It's my hope that DNR will continue to reach out and work with the stakeholders so we can develop reasonable rules for anchoring concerns in GA coastal waters.
The fact that setback distances have not been defined as yet, and that the permit process is not entirely dead as we were told originally, leaves me with some concerns.
My understanding from others was that the permit process was dead. Apparently the DNR has changed its thinking on this, and that concerns me greatly. Furthermore, we have heard nothing as to the setback distances, and this may create additional problems. We need more than vigilance, we need to be speaking to these people and letting them know what is not acceptable.
We have shown that this is doable, because the DNR has backed off on its original plans… But the job is far from done in my opinion.
Update came from Kim Russo. I merely shared her post. Please correct attribution.
Via the AGLCA Forum, Loopers asked each other for favorite marinas along the Waterway. The list below is by good friend and frequent Cruisers Net contributor, Jim Healy. Note that of his nine marinas recommended, SIX are CRUISERS NET SPONSORS!
Ron,
Not easy to meet all of your requirements. Also be aware, even in North Florida, you’re going to have some weather cold enuf that you won’t be in the pool.
Marinas I respect along the ICW:
River Dunes In Oriental, NC
Morehead City Yacht Basin In Morehead City, NC [A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR!]
Southport Marina in Southport, NC [A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR!]
NC marinas will shut down dock water and pump out facilities in freezing weather.
Osprey Marina in Myrtle Beach, SC [A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR!]
Port Royal Landing in Beaufort, SC [A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR!]
Brunswick Landing Marina in Brunswick, GA
Camachee Cove in St. Augustine, FL [A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR!]
Titusville Muni in Titusville, FL
Ft. Pierce Muni In Ft. Pierce, FL [A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR!]
None of these marinas meet all of your requirements. Closest would be Southport. All require advance reservations. You may already be too late for 2019-20. “Winter” is very different from Oriental, NC to Ft. Pierce, FL…
Opinions are free; these are mine…
Jim
Monk 36 Hull #132
This is good news for cruisers to this popular port in the NC Outer Banks. See also Recovery Process.
Ocracoke In Recovery Mode, Awaiting Relief
Coastal Review Online
Fernandina Harbor Marina, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, was damaged by hurricane Matthew and is slowly recovering – good news for cruisers. The Marina docks and restaurant are right in the heart of the many wonderful things to do and see in this special port. For latest dockage information, call 904-310-3300.
9/23/19 According to Joe Springer, the marina is making great progress and he is pleased with all the improvements. Here are a few pictures:
August 6, 2019 – Electrical Updates
August 14, 2019 – 80′ Gangway Arrives
August 6, 2019 – Updates
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Fernandina Harbor Marina
Hope to be one of the first visitors to arrive for the GRAND re-opening. the absence of this marina has been felt by many of us that plan weekend trips to Fernandina. So many great places to eat and see here not to mention some of the friendliest marina staff anywhere.
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