Bennett Brothers Yachts/Cape Fear Marina, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR and currently offering a complimentary week of dockage, is located on the eastern banks of the northeast Cape Fear River, just north of the Isabel Holmes – Highway 133 bascule bridge, and only a few steps from the downtown Wilmington waterfront. Our thanks to Jim and Denise Kiley for their praise as posted on AGLCA’s Forum.
Bennett Bros. Yachts. Great boatyard with an excellent reputation. Good people. I’m having work done there now. Jim and Denise Kiley M/V Sirenuse III Prestige 50
Our thanks to Richard and Jill Spurlock for granting permission to share their excellent description of Cumberland Island as posted on AGLCA’s Forum. Cumberland Island National Seashore is a National Park on the east shore of the Waterway’s passage through Cumberland Sound south of Jekyll Island. There are only dinghy docks on the island and one of Claiborne’s favorite side trips along the south Georgia coast was to leave the Waterway at marker #34 and cruise up the Cumberland Island channel to anchor off the west side of Cumberland Island and east of Drum Point Island. See Anchoring off Cumberland Island and the Park’s website is https://www.nps.gov/cuis/index.htm.
If you would like to explore a great island park stop at Cumberland Island National Park just North of Fernandina Beach, Florida. Cumberland Island is the first barrier island you see [northbound] after you cross the Georgia line on the ICW. There is a long anchorage area that is protected except from the south and southwest. There were boats from 22 feet to 55 feet anchored in this 1/2 mile long anchoring area while we were visiting. There is a lot to see and do here if you like the outdoors. There are the Dungeness ruins, remains of a huge mansion and outbuildings, wild horses, Plum Orchard Mansion still intact with tours. You can also walk a half a mile to the Atlantic side and have a beach that goes as far as you can see. We only met two people walking the beach the day we were there. If the weather is nice you can easily spend 3 days here walking and enjoying the outdoors. There are 2 docks where you can tie a dinghy on the southern end and one on the Brickhill River where the Plum Orchard Mansion is located. This is a national park so there is a $10 per person entry fee for adults. Check it out on the web. Richard and Jill Spurlock Jill Kristy MacGregor 26 X
Once again experienced cruiser, Tom Hale, shares his observations from his recent navigation of this Problem Stretch. As recently as January, Local Notices report shoaling and relocation of ICW buoys in the constantly shifting sands of this intersection.
Our thanks to Martin and Cindy Dahm for this report of another door closed to cruisers. Will anchoring in the Basin be next? See https://cruisersnet.net/690 for more comments from Martin Dahm. Tarpon Basin lies on the east side of the Waterway in the northeast corner of Buttonwood Sound.
My wife and I have been anchored at Tarpon Basin in Key Largo for the last 3 weeks and have been using the dinghy dock at the Murray E. Nelson government building without any issues. However yesterday we returned from running errands ashore and found the attached signs had been posted in the parking lot and in several places on the dock. As of April 15, 2019 no one will be able to tie up to the dock, trees or moor within 25 feet of the dock. Overnight parking will also be prohibited. I suppose you could still use the dock to drop someone off and then pick them up later, but no can leave their dinghy tied up anywhere on the property. Looks like Monroe County is rolling up the welcome mat for the cruising community. Best Regards, Martin and Cindy Dahm S/V Just One Dance Lagoon 380 S2
When I saw the first photo I wondered, how many cruisers have their car parked overnight at the county property? These are not cruisers, but they sure are ruining it for those of us who are.
Amen to that. No matter what part of the proverbial “public” you work with, there will always be some that will spoil the amenities offered, and all will suffer.
It isn't the water, it's the land; or more specifically, the abuse of the shoreside facility by unthoughtful live-aboards. The county center had become a garbage dump, bathrooms were constantly fouled, and the parking lot had become an ersatz boatyard. Efforts were made to educate users of these issues, but the problems continued to be exacerbated. When we cruisers take advantage of community resources, we have to be responsible, and most of us are. Yet, some who decide that they want to "live off the grid" have taken the generosity of the public too far and the results are that we all lose some of the benefits that we as taxpayers and visitors should enjoy. This should be a lesson to us all.
Our thanks to Tom Hale for allowing Cruisers Net to post his recent Waterway passage through Isle of Palms as posted on SailFeed.com. This stretch north of the Ben Sawyer Bridge has been a Problem Stretch for some time with numerous warnings in the past. Cruisers Net continues to advise mid to high tide passage only. Isle of Palms is home to CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, Isle of Palms Marina, located on the east side of the Waterway north of the Charleston Harbor.
This safety zone is established for the move of equipment barges up the Cape Fear River to Wilmington as announced earlier, see One-Day Closure. The closure will effectively shut down the AICW from Southport to Snows Cut.
Coast Guard to establish safety zone on Cape Fear River, NC
WILMINGTON, N.C. — A temporary safety zone is scheduled to be enforced on the Cape Fear River, April 8, for the transit of the 776-foot motor vessel Zhen Hua 25.
The temporary safety zone will close a large portion of the Cape Fear River to vessel traffic for approximately five to seven hours, affecting all navigable waters about 26 miles south of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge, until the ship is safely moored at the North Carolina State Ports Authority.
Commercial vessels moored at facilities within the safety zone must depart prior to midnight, April 7, and no vessel is authorized to moor, transit, or remain within the river while the safety zone is in effect.
A second safety zone will be enforced for approximately two to four hours on separate days for the offload of a Neo-Panamax crane. The zone will include all of the waters within a 200-yard radius around the motor vessel Zhen Hua 25 while moored at NCSPA Berth Eight.
Vessel traffic south of NCSPA will not be impacted during the second safety zone.
If you have any questions concerning the closure of the Cape Fear River, please contact the
Waterways Management Division at NCmarineevents@uscg.mil or Coast Guard personnel at 910-772-2230.
For media inquiries, please contact Lt. Cmdr. Elizabeth Buendia at 252-241-6042.
Tried to read the story about Wadmalaw Island and local environ of Edison River Low Country. Pop up link to Coastal living subscription made the article unreadable . The “Low Country” is a remarkable place. My wife and I have traveled the area by car, camped in the state parks, and cruised the ICW numerous times, venturing off the beaten path to anchor up the tidal creeks and backwaters Every skipper should take the time to visit this region and expand the horizon to all of the salt marsh / tannic waters from the Waccamaw to the St.Johns. Each trip is a different experience. Our approach to cruising is to enjoy the journey without running a marathon to the destination. Steve Kamp S/V Carolina, a Hunter 38
Editor’s Note: Usually, clicking No Thanks will make the ad go away.
This excellent report comes from Robert Sherer’s Facebook page, Bob423. Thank you Robert! See also Pomeranz Report on dredging in Dawho River from October of 2018.
Many of you have used my GPX routes as an aid in passing through many of the shallow areas of the ICW. The number of individual routes proliferated when Aqua Map added USACE Survey maps to their Master upgrade which allowed me to form a route based on their recent depth surveys.
Using the previously unavailable USACE data, I’ve formed new GPX routes for Ft Matanzas, Buttermilk and Altamaha Sound, Little Mud River, Hell Gate, Ashepoo-Coos…
NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has awarded a five-year services contract to U.S. Facilities Inc. for operations and maintenance of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway’s locks and bridges.
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