We most often receive complaints about bridge tenders, so it’s nice to hear good words for an oft maligned bridge. With a closed vertical clearance of 7ft, Little River Swing Bridge crosses the Waterway at Statute Mile 347 just south of SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, Harbourgate Marina.
Very attentive and efficient bridge tender. Traveling under 5/23/16 mid day. Carolyn Hackett
I’ll second that. Just a couple of years ago the comments were negative. Now, however, the bridge tenders are very courteous and attentive. It’s been a welcomed change…kudos to them!
Bath Harbor Marina is located on the eastern shores of Bath Creek, north of flashing daybeacon #4. For an indepth report on Bath, see /126912 by Captains Chuck Baier and Susan Landry.
Bath Fest: Where Art Meets History! BathFest
Bath Fest 2016 is merging with the First Port Celebration to bring a combined event to Bath on May 28, 2016
Many thanks to the volunteers, vendors, and visitors who make BathFest a great success every year! For photos and additional information, visit the Bath Historic Site’s Facebook Page
This article and video by Todd Tongen comes from Local ABC News 10 of Hollywood, FL.
Hollywood condo owners blame live-aboard boaters for dirty waterway Residents near North Beach Park say boaters dump sewage into Intracoastal
By Todd Tongen – Anchor/Reporter , Samantha Bryant – Intern Posted: 6:19 PM, May 13, 2016
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Hollywood condominium owners are blaming live-aboard boaters for a dirty Intracoastal Waterway behind their complex. Residents of The Moorings condominiums near North Beach Park in Hollywood told Local 10 News reporter Todd Tongen that the live-aboard boaters are nothing more than squatters on the water. Marybeth Cullinan, a Moorings homeowner association member, reported seeing raw sewage dumped in the waterway.
The vast majority of waterway contamination is not due to boaters but to surface runoff through storm drains. Intact feces could not make it through the choker valve on marine heads. They would most likely be dog dropping washed into storm drains. Similarly cigarette butts , styrofoam cups,paper and other trash are from irresponsible land dwellers, not boaters.
Always good to hear words of praise for one of our newest SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSORS! Homer Smith’s Docks and Marina are located on Town Creek in beautiful Beaufort, NC.
Went into Homer Smith last week and it is a gem and is going to be a top notch marina (actually already is). Fairly easy walk to town great folks and much easier to dock than downtown docks. Also the price is much better, facilities are much better, and the attitude and service of the owners and staff far exceeds the downtown docks. This is now the place to stay if you want to see Beaufort. He has plans for expansion and even more services down the road. Navigating from the north is a piece a cake as you do not have to go under the lift bridge (which is being replaced). Leaving to founder the bridge is same as before. North bound boats can either go under the bridge, or take the Gallants Cut (even though longer, it is easier). Extremely nice docks. John Winter
One of our newest SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSORS, Gulfport Municipal Marina has recently undergone renovations and is also adding a nearby mooring field. The marina and harbor are found on the northern shores of Boca Ciega Bay and are easily accessible from the Western Florida ICW near Statute Mile 115, just north of Tampa Bay.
Looking for crew for our Catalina 309, located in Gulfport on Boca Giega Bay. Barbara and Frank Downward
Taylor Creek runs along Beaufort’s waterfront and the “jig” David Mentions is at the creek’s east end. The Creek connects several narrow cuts through Back Sound that are often used by shallow draft vessels to reach the anchorage behind Lookout Bight.
My question is, has anyone traveled from Beaufort, NC down Taylor’s Creek toward Harkers Island recently? Is the little jig at the end of Taylor’s Creek passable to vessels drawing 3-1/2 feet, and is it reasonably accurately portrayed on the latest charts? Also, is the channel past Harkers Island and through Barden Inlet to Cape Lookout similarly passable and well charted? Thanks. David Swanson s/v Lucky Penny
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Comments from Cruisers (2)
Don Mercz- October 2, 2017 - 4:08 pm
Has anyone transited the east end of Taylor Creek heading up behind Harker’s to the Cape Lookout Bight recently? I’ve done it several times before in a 16′ skiff without any problems, but it’s been a couple of years. At that time, there were nothing (that I could see) marking a “channel” at the end of the creek. I’ve got a slightly larger skiff now (18′), and will probably be passing thru about 2 hrs. after low tide – just wondering if anyone has had recent experience with that route. Thanks – Don
David, The cut on the east end of Taylors Creek has more markers than this chart is showing. At mid to full tide you can get through here, however the run to the Hook inside has much shallow water and would require local knowledge to run in a vessel drawing 3.5 feet. It would be much safer to run out Beaufort Inlet and down the front side of Shackleford Banks to the Hook of Cape Lookout. Just stay a half mile off the beach.
Reports of shoaling south of Fernandina Beach have been coming in for several years and prompted a USCG Hazard Warning in May of 2014 (/?p=140702). Our thanks to cruising writer Robert Sherer, New Intracoastal Waterway Cruising Guide, for sending this survey and waypoints to guide you through the shoals.
Fernandina Shallows with two GPX routes for 9 to 10 MLW
The shallows south of Beach have been a bane on cruisers schedules for years and yet there are two deep water paths through the hazard. The problems are the two unmarked shoals: one in the middle of the apparent route as you turn south around G1 and another one on the east bank just south of G1. The third shoal just north of G3 now has a red buoy to mark its location. If buoys were placed to direct boaters away from the shoals, then there would be no issues having a 10 MLW passage through the area. After a dozen passages through the area, I mapped out a green side route for 9 MLW that many have used successfully. Last fall the Coast Guard asked Taylor Engineering of Jacksonville, FL to do a survey of the area and recommend a new route so the appropriate buoys could be relocated to provide safe passage. I was given a copy from Bill Aley of Taylor Engineering along with waypoints. This fall I used those waypoints to verify a 10 MLW route. So now we have an embarrassment of riches, two paths through the shallows, each one with 9 to 10 MLW. The Taylor Engineering Survey is shown below: Contrast that chart with a NOAA ENC chart below showing both the survey route (dotted line) and the green side route I posted earlier shown in blue which I’ve taken many times for 9 MLW.
Note the differences in the two routes as you round G1. The survey route (dotted line) would seem to take you into the shallows if you believed your chart but it doesn’t, the chart is wrong (shifted). Just look at the Taylor Engineering chart with their route plotted on a satellite view. At some point the buoys will be moved to direct boaters through the dotted line route. I have two GPX files available, one with the green side route and one with the survey route (dotted line). With either the Fernandina shallow passage should no longer be a problem although it does appear that the survey route has more leeway in route width, besides we will be following that route at some point in the future anyway when the Coast Guard marks the new route with buoys. The GPX files (standard disclaimer, user assumes all responsibility): – For the Taylor Engineering Survey: tinyurl.com/gvmwrmd – For the Green side passage posted earlier in the year: tinyurl.com/hnvfjo2
5/20/16 Bob received this reply today from Bill Aley of Taylor Engineering:
Bob, Thanks so much for the information and the route verification. We’re still working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Coast Guard to get the buoys moved, and to do some minor maintenance dredging to get a nice clean channel through the area. I hope for all of this to be done by this fall. The information that you provided will be very helpful in my ongoing coordination with the Army Corps and the Coast Guard. Much Appreciated, Bill Aley Professional Geologist Taylor Engineering www.taylorengineering.com
You only have to spend a short time talking with Randy Mims to know that he has the soul of a true sailor. Randy not only built his 27ft gaff-rigged cutter, Ideath, but each year he single-hands the cutter from North Carolina to the Northern Gulf Coast and back again. “Ideath” is pronounced Idea-th and loosely translates as “house of ideas”. Randy stops along the way to visit maritime museums and, indulging his passion for music, he volunteers to sing in church choirs along the way. He also takes time to share his travels with his friends and has agreed to allow SSECN to post his emails. For more photos and more on Randy, go to http://towndock.net/shippingnews/ideath?pg=1 from TownDock.net in Oriental. See previous installment: /156499.
Dear Friends, Well, it has been nine days since saying goodby to my North Carolina friends and the gang at Duck Creek Boatyard. Today finds me in Charleston, SC. I had been hoping that I would be sailing from Beaufort Inlet to here but the wind seems to be nailed to the southwest which is of course exactly the direction that I have been traveling down the waterway for the last week. Two nights ago I was anchored in Bull Creek where I made one of my Youtube videos. This time it was far less tranquil than it was on the night of the video. Within half an hour of anchoring there was a thunder storm raging. During a storm I instinctively find myself counting “Thousand one, thousand two…” after the flash of lightning to figure out how far away the strike was. Twice the snap and the boom happened at exactly the same time or at least so close together that you can’t keep the adrenaline from dumping into your stomach and your heart from pounding. Anchored there brought me to reflect on so much that has happened to me since I was last there. From sailing and having fun on the sounds and rivers of coastal North Caroling to the untold hours of hard but rewarding work getting “Ideath” into better than just launched condition, life has been a fun but challenging whorl of activity. Many of my friends have commented on my love of travel. Of course everything can be taken too the extreme. After getting the boat back in the water the plan was to take the the van back to Apalachicola, ride the bus back and begin the trip back to Florida and close the loop on the year long voyage. Leaving New Bern I drove to Greensboro for one last visit with Dad and family. I then drove to Apalachicola. It turned out to be the “last visit” as my Dad passed away at the age of 92. So I spent a day in a car at 70 miles an hour to get back for the funeral then turned around and made a hurried trip back to Florida. Arriving there I met up with old friends and helped them drive their trawler across the Gulf of Mexico to Clearwater. That night I was on a 17 hour bus marathon back to NC and “Ideath”. In less that a week and a half I had traveled twenty seven hundred and sixty miles. In the past nine days I have covered two hundred seventy-four. I am so glad to be going four knots again. It is certainly a better speed to live my life. I hope your lives are going at the right speed and you are all well. Love and Peace to you all, Randy
The Tryon Palace Museum is another good reason to visit New Bern and be hosted by the ideally located New Bern Grand Marina! One of our newest SPONSORS, New Bern Grand Marina is on the northern shore of the Trent River between the two bridges near the intersection of the Trent and Neuse Rivers.
Tryon Palace Museum
Hot day? Cool off with Pepsi’s new 1893 Original Cola or Ginger Cola made with Fair Trade Certified sugar and now on sale in the Tryon Palace Museum Store!
Charlie and Jackie continue their reports with as visit to St. Augustine City Marina which overlooks the western shoreline of the Waterway, just south of the Bridge of Lions.
5-8-16 Now at St Augustine Municipal Marina. At MM777. We like it here since it’s in the middle of everything. Had AC problems here but called Dometic and they recommended Hansen Marine. Chris came out the very next day- even tho they VERY slammed– and not only fixed but also cleared 2 other problems. Charge was VERY reasonable and on top of the Chris is a pretty nice guy. Use him if need AC work there. Ate at AIA like everyone else but in the bar and was great!! A walk around is necessary in the town. Careful docking!!! Listen to dock hands. Current can exceed 5kts!! Showers are very clean and laundry is largest I’ve seen. Money change machine! Charlie and Jackie on Traveler.
Comments from Cruisers (3)
I agree this is one of the easiest bridges on the ICW to get through. The Alligator River Bridge is another one who has their act together.
I’ll second that. Just a couple of years ago the comments were negative. Now, however, the bridge tenders are very courteous and attentive. It’s been a welcomed change…kudos to them!
Yep, he is a good one. This is our home port, so we travel under this bridge a lot. He will accommodate boaters nicely