Our thanks to Southern Boating for allowing Salty Southeast Cruisers’ Net to post this excellent edition of Southern Exposure.
Bermuda, Bahama, Come on Pretty Mama
Traveling to The Bahamas just got a whole lot easier.
Myrtle Beach Yacht Club on Coquina Harbor has been a great stopping place and a friend to cruisers for years. Naturally, they are A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR! The entrance to Coquina Harbor lies on the north side of the Waterway opposite Marker #13. Our thanks to Charles Ridley for this report.
7-5-17. Left Harbor Village at 6:15am. Beautiful day all day. Changed plans when realize get into Southport way too early and changed to MBYC at mm346. Fueled up– 80 gal/stb. And 62.2 in port -total 141.6. With Boat US dockage was $34!!! (my boat is 34″) $5 for electricity- 30 amp. Gene was as competent as cute helping us dock and take on fuel. Have a pass to get in the club’s grill- taco and tequila sunrises on very special! Shower secure, clean and even the soap dispensers had soap. Wifi strong on A-10. Easy to take dog out. No current and maybe a foot tide fall. Docks in great shape. We are here for only 1 night but may be a very good place for several days since so much going on around here. We will be back – most definitely.
Charles Ridley
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Myrtle Beach Yacht Club
Shelley Island is off the southern tip of Cape Hatteras. See /165551 for an article and photos.
NC – CAPE HATTERAS – NEW ISLAND
Dangerous rip currents have been reported around a newly formed island known as Shelley Island, off Cape Hatteras in approximate 35°12’50” N, 075°31’39”W. Swimming to and from the island is strongly discouraged. To report emergencies or if there are any questions or concerns, mariners should contact Coast Guard Sector North Carolina at (910) 343-3882. Chart 11555 LNM 27/17
From the description below, we assume that Hunky Dory was taking the direct Lake Route and not the Rim Route. Our thanks to Dan and Peggy for sharing their experience. See /165580 for advice given to Dan and Peggy by fellow Loopers.
For those that asked about Lake Okeechobee crossing….. In the Clewiston Channel heading East…. We hit rocks about 1 mile out from the lock. Apparently, the locals know which side of the channel to favor when you head out. We were definitely between the markers and were trying to stay right in the middle. According to Bill with Lake Tow, who got us safely back to the lock, you have to favor the green marker. Fortunately, the Roland Martin Marina is right inside the lock. The lock is open 24 hours a day right now. It’s a small marina with services, fuel, a restaurant and to top it off, The Tiki Bar. The restaurant and bar have very good southern comfort food, so all was not lost on this part of our adventure.
We’re not going to chance another try at the Lake. We are heading around through the Keys when we get all of the repairs completed. We were just the first to arrive at River Forest Yachting Center with damage from the Lake. Just as few hours later, a boat that was totally disabled arrived from hitting the bottom.
Very helpful information on the Keys. We were trying to plan out our stops from Fort Myers to Miami and realized that we will have to take the Hawk Channel because of the shallow water on the inside. The lack of anchorages and many miles from Marathon to Key Biscayne had us wondering what to do. Now we know that Channel 5 can be a stop over if we need it.
We are a 50′ Ocean Alexander with a 4.5′ draft, if this info will help anyone else.
Thanks to everyone from Dan and Peggy Stricklin, aboard Hunky Dory.
What green mark? Do you have a lat lon? We were through a few months back with no issues drawing 4.5 feet.
[Editor’s note: from advice given in http://cruisersnet.net/165580 by Jim Healy, the green marks were possibly G9, G9A or G5.]
Dan and Peggy – Thanks for the report. It would be helpful if you could identify exactly where you struck the rocks by reference to the numbers and color of the nearest markers or buoys. If you have a chart plotter and it was recording your tracks, you should be able to see an interruption or a blip in the track at the place where it happened, which would also give the lat/lon. I didn’t see the date of your incident, or what the water level was reported to be on that day.
Jim Healy’s comments elsewhere on this site about Clewiston channel are quite accurate: there are no obstructions if you stay within the channel. That can be difficult sometimes, since some of the markers in the Clewiston channel are single marker poles, and we have seen some vessels not stay close enough to the single ones, in effect “splitting the distance” – swinging too wide -on the way to the next marker on the other side of the channel. Jim also correctly comments on the need to watch for the boat crabbing sideways in the channel, due to current or wind. If you aren’t looking aft every minute or so, to see how you are lined up, it’s easy to go off track.
I hope that you can provide the exact location for all of us who use the Okeechobee.
We crossed through the Clewiston cut on June 18th of this year. The Corp of Engineers reported the level of the lake to be 5.93′. Our draft is 4’7″, and the shallowest actual depth we recorded was 6’6″ in the Clewiston cut.
Sorry for your troubles. Enjoy the rest of your cruise, wherever it takes you.
Greg Allard
M/V Meander
If you cruise with a dog aboard or wish you did, you will enjoy the photos in this article by Nina K. Jussila in theLog.
Annie
CLICK HERE FOR DOG ABOARD ROUNDUP
Explorer Chartbooks, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET PARTNER, has long been the standard navigational supplement for enjoyable, informative, and safe cruising through the beautiful Bahamian waters and island visits.
Bahamas Chatter: Miami to Bimini to Great Harbor Cay (Berry)
Miami to Bimini to Great Harbor Cay (Berry)
Posted: 03 Jul 2017 03:25 PM PDT
We are looking for a buddy to cruise from Miami to Bimini on July 15th and then to Great Harbor Cay on July 16th.
My boat is a Formula 37 and cruises at 17 mph.
Oriental is home to two SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSORS, Oriental Marina and Nautical Wheelers! Oriental Marina is on the eastern banks of inner Oriental Harbor.
7-2-17 . Last time here 7 1/2 years ago and just as great then as now!. Left Belhaven for Oriental. Tom and Joe helped us tie up. Tom owner. Pole docks with small finger slips. Tiki bar and Toucan grill still open and food great. Wifi strong as is Verizon. Great dog spots right off back of boat. Showers great- even provide towels. Very sheltered marina and Joe-dock hand- the best. Don’t know yet re the w/d or cable. Small grocery less than a mile away- nice for bicycle ride. Still one of our very favorites! Ice cream across is a must stop!!
Charles Ridley
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s North Carolina Marina Directory Listing For Oriental Marina
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Oriental Marina
I agree 100%!!!!
7/18/17 – We can confirm everything Charles said. I would add that they have no pump out facility at Oriental Marina, the free Oriental Town pump out was not functional when we visited and reportedly had recurring issues. We were able to slip over to on Whitaker creek into Deaton’s travel lift slip and self pump out for a nominal $5 charge.. very boater friendly community.
Will this be a permanent addition to the Outer Banks or just a visitor until the next hurricane?
A new island has emerged off North Carolina’s Cape Hatteras, with speed that has surprised observers and tourists alike. PHOTOGRAPH BY CHAD KOCZERA
New Island Appears Off U.S. Coast
It appeared out of nowhere in April just off North Carolina’s Outer Banks—a new land mass poking through the surf, a brand new Atlantic Ocean island.
CLICK HERE FOR THE STORY by Craig Welch of National Geographic
Explorer Chartbooks, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET PARTNER, has long been the standard navigational supplement for enjoyable, informative, and safe cruising through the beautiful Bahamian waters and island visits.
Bahamas Chatter: “Looking for a buddy cruiser Bimini to Chub” plus 1 more
Looking for a buddy cruiser Bimini to Chub
Posted: 30 Jun 2017 04:13 AM PDT
We are leaving the Bimini Big Game on Tuesday July 11th. We cruise at 10kts. We would love to cruise with another boat.
Thanks Dynamic Duo Plus
Bimini’s downward spiral continues.
Posted: 30 Jun 2017 04:11 AM PDT
We rarely go to Bimini anymore as for the last 10 years or so it seems the island has been in a downward spiral. I am so glad I got to experience the real Bimini, a pretty, welcoming and unmolested island just across the Stream.
We went back a couple of weeks ago and it looks like Bimini has hit a new low in just one year since our last visit. Overall the island is dirty, smelly, with junk is everywhere from rusty golf carts to trash and unfinished structure.
Anyone remember the trail running along the beach under the pines on the north west side? All gone all is left is the beach on the north east side, which is very nice and a good spot to anchor in light winds but I wonder how far will Resort Workd continue to expand. Will this last stretch of natural shoreline disappear too?
The destruction of Bimini’s natural beauty continues at resort world with constant bulldozing, dredging, filling and expansion.
Mother Nature hasn’t helped with currents and wave action continuing to erode the beach at honeymoon harbor on Gun Cay. Most of it is gone now…
All that remains of the Bimini of old days is the fishing and the wreck of the Sapona, still visible for miles and still worth a snorkeling stop. Ironic how a wreck is the symbol of this wrecked island.
Sad
This report might be of interest to those of you who have left a number of your hard earned $$ with West Marine.
West Marine acquired by private-equity firm
Posted on June 29th, 2017
West Marine is being acquired by New York-based private-equity firm Monomoy Capital Partners for $12.97 per share and will be privately-held following the transaction.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL REPORT from Soundings’ Trade Only Today
Be the first to comment!