The entrance channel leading to Amelia Island Yacht Basin, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, cuts into the Waterway’s eastern shore, immediately north of the Kingsley Creek Railway Bridge and just south of Waterway marker #13. Only gasoline pumps are out of service!/p>
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Amelia Island Yacht Basin
This article by Prentiss Findlay in Charleston’s Post and Courier is a second follow up to his earlier piece on much needed dredging in the Problem Stretch at Isle of Palms area of the Waterway, /?p=150352. As before, SSECN recommends SLOW passage at mid to high tide.
Inland Waterway at Breach Inlet to get long-awaited dredging
Prentiss Findlay
Prentiss Findlay Email Facebook @prentissfindlay
Nov 13 2015 12:26 pm Nov 13 4:50 pm
The Intracoastal Waterway at Breach Inlet will be dredged to improve navigation.
Dredging of the dangerously shallow Intracoastal Waterway at Breach Inlet between Sullivan’s Island and Isle of Palms begins this week, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said.
`It’s long overdue,’ said Charleston County Councilman Dickie Schweers.
The county contributed $500,000 to the nearly $3 million effort which includes work in McClellanville to dredge a waterway channel for fishing trawlers.
Some $2.4 million in federal funds has been authorized for both projects.
`This project is a prime example of how collaboration between federal and non-federal partners for dredging can lead to increased waterway maintenance,’ said Brad Pickel, executive director of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association.
The waterway at Breach Inlet is almost dry at low tide because of shoaling, a condition in which sand builds up and blocks the channel. The authorized channel depth is 12 feet and the width is 90 feet.
Waterway dredging at the inlet will last about a week, said Glenn Jeffries, Corps spokeswoman.
Mile-long Jeremy Creek in McClellanville, which is part of the waterway, will be dredged starting in mid-January, Jeffries said.
`This schedule is tentative. Weather and machinery have a lot to do with a dredging schedule. But we will start in Breach Inlet for sure,’ she said.
The last substantial funding the Army Corps received for waterway dredging was in 2009 through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Waterway conditions at Breach Inlet at low tide have been blamed for boating injuries. `There’s just been a huge safety issue out there,’ said IOP City Administrator Linda Tucker.
A Mount Pleasant woman was seriously injured in a 2013 boating accident blamed on the shallow waterway. She was traveling in a 44-foot trawler drawing 3 feet 10 inches of water that hit bottom. The impact caused her to fall. Doctors determined she had a fractured vertebrae, a concussion and a broken rib. She spent two nights in the hospital, officials said.
IOP Marina and Charleston City Marina lose customers because recreational vessels often go offshore to avoid the waterway here, said IOP Mayor Dick Cronin.
`They just basically have bypassed our marina and the city marina to a large extent,’ he said.
Sen. Lindsey Graham’s office was instrumental in getting funds for the dredging, Cronin said.
`We had appealed to everybody and their brother,’ he said.
In McClellanville, Jeremy Creek is the route to two seafood processing plants. But it has become a muddy mess that idles trawlers for long stretches of the day, said Mayor Rutledge Leland.
`It’s getting worse and worse. Every time you see a boat moving anywhere from half-tide on down there’s mud boiling up behind it,’ he said.
After dredging, the creek will be eight feet deep at low tide, he said.
`That should help for a couple or three years anyway. It will start silting immediately. We’ll have to start arguing and lobbying and begging almost as soon as they get through but that’s the way it works to get ourselves into the next budget,’ he said.
The creek was created from mud flats as part of the original waterway project, he said.
Some states, such as Florida and North Carolina, have dedicated funding for waterway maintenance. The Florida Inland Navigation District collects about $20 million annually to pay for waterway maintenance in 12 counties. North Carolina funds waterway maintenance through boater registration fees and the gas tax.
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To This AICW Problem Stretch
Good reports keep pouring in for SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, Marineland Marina which lies south ‘“ southeast of AICW marker #87, along the Waterway’s eastern shore.
Such an awesome little marina! Very nice staff, helpful and went above and beyond to ensure we were happy. Even provided a loaner car for a run to the Public. Beach is just a 2 minute walk!! Quiet, and deserted, we had it to ourselves! Can’t wait to stop back in the Spring!
Still Clueless
All of the glowing reviews posted previously are very well-deserved. Easy in and out. Staff VERY friendly and helpful. Facilities were very clean, also. By far, the best value we found traveling from NC to FL.
Capt Jack Henry & 1st mate Steve Oakley
Click Here To View the Eastern Florida Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Marineland Marina
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Marineland Marina
Skipper Meyer sent us a report about these anchorages back in October, /?p=153405, and now he fills in many details about the area. The twin Jensen Beach Bridge anchorages lie west of the Waterway, north and south of the Jensen Beach bridge, south of unlighted daybeacon #219.
So I ended up staying here nearly two weeks. The spot was just too good. There’s a nice park north of the anchorage that my dog loved and a bait shop west that was happy to let me use their beach for the dink. Shopping and restaurants are within a stone’s throw and there’s also a laundromat near the Publix about 1/2 mile away. The anchor did come up muddy but held well through some moderate winds.
Chad Meyer
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Jensen Beach Bridge CAnchorages
As this report from Channel 7 News, Miami/Fort Lauderdale states, a number of West Marine stores have been targeted recently by burglars throughout Florida. If you have information that might lead to an arrest, please Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.
Florida Marine supply store burglarized
Posted: Nov 12, 2015 11:22 AM EST
Updated: Nov 12, 2015 11:22 AM EST
MIAMI (WSVN) — A Florida Marine supply store is offering a cash reward to anyone who can help police find crooks, they believe, are targeting their stores.
According to the general manager at West Marine, four men seen on the store’s surveillance video cleaned out display cases at the South Dixie Highway location. They made off with thousands of dollars worth in merchandise, including Marine electronics, sunglasses, fishing reels and other items.
The company said this was the eighth break-in at a West Marine store statewide. Burglaries have happened in North Palm Beach, Miami, Tampa, Winter Haven, Jacksonville, and as far north as Hilton Head, South Carolina.
If you have any information on this crime, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a $1000 reward.
BoatUS remains the premiere advocate for boaters on all waters and SSECN is proud to have BoatUS as a SPONSOR!
Boating Apps That Keep You Current
By Mark Corke
Want to be a savvy boater? There’s an app for that.
Although many of us go boating to escape and unplug, there are some very compelling reasons to take your smartphone or tablet with you, even if you have no intention of making a phone call. With a seemingly unending number of apps available for the boater, we loaded up our phone with some of the latest and most popular, then took them for a spin. Most are available via iTunes and Google Play, but we also included a website, when possible, where you can find extra information.
CLICK HERE for the list of apps.
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Angelfish Creek, like Broad Creek just to the north, connects Card Sound and Hawk Channel and sees a lot of traffic, especially large sportsfishing vessels. Capt. Abell is responding to comments made earlier in /?p=100355 on traffic in Angelfish Creek and offers good advice about sharing the narrow, but short channel. See /?p=153759 for a recent Navigation Alert for Angelfish Creek.
As Capt. Copeland stated it is necessary for large sport boats to stay on top to transit this stretch of water’¦ I to captain a 50+ foot sport fish and have a draft of 5′-3’³ and always run through at 25 plus KTS. I sometimes will have to wait for the East channel to be clear before shooting though and every once and a while there is someone in a center console that just doesn’t get it and we will meet in the worse possible spot’¦ I cannot stop as it would result in disaster, so please pay attention to the larger boats up on top transiting Angelfish creek, we’re not trying to show off, only trying to get through!
Wes Abell
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To A “Navigation Alert” Position at Angelfish Creek
The problem with Captain Wes Abell’s argument is that we all have experience on the water. That experience includes encounters with large sport fish vessels. In the overwhelming number of cases, that experience is negative. I am always surprised when I encounter a polite sport fish captain. Appreciative, definitely, but surprised. Wes, it’s your colleagues that give you a well-earned lousy reputation. I agree with the other poster that said, if you can’t manage that passage safely, find another route. Inconvenient, but what if you hurt or kill that dummy center console operator that “doesn’t get it?” If I were on that jury….
I admittedly am not familiar with the Anglefish Creek transit.
I am familiar with rules of the road and have a modicum of common sense.
If a sport boat, NEEDS, to stay on plane to transit a body of water common sense would dictate that an alternate route should be pursued.
It would seem, from looking at the map provided, that Broad Creek is an available alternative.
One thing not mentioned but should be made abundantly clear is that the captain of a boat is RESPONSIBLE for his wake. This is proven law.
Should a sports boat, pursuing a shallow channel need to stay on plane to transit that channel he is responsible for ANY damage caused by his boats wake. The reason is no release of that responsibility. A recent 2015 BoatUS Seaworthy magazine article, I believe, related a story of a sport boat who’s wake overturned a Jon boat and the sports boat was held responsible, even though there was NO, No Wake zone, for the damage caused to the Jon boat and it’s occupants.
You ‘need’ to run through a narrow channel, make sure you understand it could become a costly run.
I don’t doubt that the sportsfisher captains honestly believe that running on plane is essential, but I wonder if any actual measurement has been done to see if this belief is correct? What is the actual draft of their vessel at plane versus at hull speed; what is the actual depth at the entrances? Sure, I’d avoid ruining a $40,000 prop, but I wouldn’t place others at risk of injury or death to do so.
The CCCC proves that there was always plenty to do on their visit to Charlotte Harbor. Fishermen’s Village Marina, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, is on Charlotte Harbor/Peace River’s southeastern shore.
CCCC Revisits Fisherman’s Village Marina
By Steve and Nell Winner
Despite a rocky, rolling, breeze driven Charlotte Harbor, eleven hardy Cape Coral Cruise Club vessels and their crews maneuvered their way to Fisherman’s Village Marina in Punta Gorda for the October 21-23 cruise. Counting the boat crews and folks who traveled by land yacht, over 30 club members enjoyed all or some of planned activities over the 3 day event.
While some went fishing, others played card games, went biking on Marina provided bicycles, or visited the local art galleries. All enjoyed shopping at the local craft and tourist shops on Fisherman’s Village concourse. Warm weather and light breezes added to the pleasure of afternoon pool time where many members floated and shared stories of the day.
Steve and Nell Winner coordinated the cruise and attending members enjoyed daily hot breakfast casseroles prepared by Nell. As is customary with this group each afternoon ended with happy hour snacks and docktails in the Captain’s lounge. The staff at Fisherman’s Village Marina are quite accommodating in that the Marina makes the Captain’s lounge available at no added cost.
Wednesday was a pre-arranged pizza party in the Captain’s lounge with several pizzas delivered by a local restaurant. All enjoyed pizza along with their favorite beverages.
Thursday evening was the group dinner party at the `Captains Table’ restaurant on the second floor at the north end of the concourse. All participants enjoyed a wonderful salad bar and meal overlooking Charlotte Harbor while watching the sun set on a beautiful clear evening.
The Friday morning departure saw all boaters safely exiting the harbor and traversing much calmer conditions on Charlotte Harbor and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. The Cape Coral Cruise Club has been making Fisherman’s Village Marina a fall cruise destination for years and it is a cruise that regularly takes all the slips that the marina makes available.
The Cape Coral Cruise Club is open to new members who own a boat with overnight accommodations and reside in the Cape Coral / Ft. Myers area. For membership information please contact Phil Kryger at 239-541-0236. View a short picture video of recent Club activities and read additional Club information on its website
www.c-c-c-c.org
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Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Fishermen’s Village
According to a spokesperson at the marina, the MLW in the entrance to Delegal Creek is 3 ft with a tidal range of 8-9 ft and, as Cap’n Parky confirms, mid to high tide would be the best time to enter Delegal Creek. Once in the creek, there is plenty of depth, however the entrance channel is an issue if you draw more than 3 ft. The entrance channel begins northeast of waterway flashing daybeacon #86. just north of Hell Gate.
Recently had the opportunity to visit Delegal Creek Marina at Mile Marker 601 a few miles south of Isla of Hope. This is the best and friendliest marina I have stayed at for a while. Certainly it’s probably a good idea to enter the creek a couple of hours before or after low tide – which gives you an easy channel around 8ft or more. The marina offers a lower transient rate than average while at the same time giving first class facilities well sheltered from inclement weather. Super clean restrooms and showers, laundry, floating slips, clubhouse, and above all a courtesy golf cart giving you a delightful run through the woods of Skidaway Island to the Publix grocery store, Bar & Grill restaurant and other stores at the Village. If you have a motorised dinghy – great fun also visiting nearby tropical island beaches. I give it a Five Star rating. Call Dockmaster Billy in advance for a reservation at (912) 224 3885.
Cap’n Parky
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Georgia Marina Directory Listing For Delegal Creek Marina
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Delegal Creek
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