Who among us cruisers has not experienced exactly the same lack of respect shown to moored vessels by wake making machines along the Waterway? Coincidentally, we are having the same issue here in South Carolina with cars speeding down flooded streets causing wake to flood into homes. Those drivers must be the same immature skippers who rock boats wherever they go…?
What I find most maddening, having been boating down here for 20 odd years, is that there is absolutely NO enforcement of no wake idle speed or slow speed zones going past bridges or marinas. We have had extensive problems in several different marinas and no one seems to care or do anything about it. I have seen numerous times large yachts and sport fish boats leaving huge damaging wakes and they are never stopped by FWCC or local law enforcement. However, I have seen dinghys stopped, small boats stopped, and slow small sailboats stopped and given citations, which leads me to the conclusion that FWCC is totally catering to the rich. They don’t dare stop them, just some poor, working class guy in a dinghy, who couldn’t throw a wake if he wanted to. Karen Lawrence
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Comments from Cruisers (2)
Rick Cass- October 30, 2015 - 7:41 pm
When actual damage is done to you or your boat, get in Ch16 and call the offending boat back. We did that recently, and the boat returned, and a claim against the boat resulted in payment for damages.
Try recording your trips on the waterway with video cameras of your wake and surrounding boats. When the overpaid cops show up record them also then go to court to get the charges thrown out and sue them for harassment especially after you show the huge wake left after a large boat passes by compared to yours if any.
If your marina doesn’t have an onSpot WiFi system, pass this information along. You will be glad you did! Old Port Cove Marina is located on the western shore of the northern Lake Worth channel, near unlighted daybeacon #7. Both Old Port Cove Marina and onSpot WiFi are SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSORs!
Ever pull into a marina desperate to check your messages only to encounter Wifi issues? Don’t blame the marina’s Wifi service! According to Bob Taylor of onSpot Wifi, marinas have a very unique set of circumstances when it comes to providing Wifi service. It might not be the service at all, it just could be your device! Read Bob’s very useful TIPS & TRICKS on our blog atwww.OPCH.com
Old Port Cove Holdings is pleased to provide onSpot Wifi service at all three of our marina facilities. Thank you boaters for choosing to do business with us! Sincerely, Sue Morgan, Marketing Director www.OPCH.com
This dredging is in a relatively short section of the Waterway paralleling Hugh Taylor Birch State Park to the east and north of the Sunrise Blvd Bridge at Mile 1062.5. Unfortunately, this article from Soundings does not give project dates. However, the dredging is in a relatively wide section and should not impact through traffic.
Dredging set to start for ICW in South Florida Posted on October 26th, 2015 After several years, permits were issued and a contract awarded for the dredging of the Intracoastal Waterway in South Florida, allowing the vessels that patronize the area’s waterways to have better access to local marinas and boatyards.
The dredging, which will take place from 17th Street to Sunrise Boulevard to 17 feet deep, will be the largest single public works project for the Florida Inland Navigation District, a special state taxing district tasked with managing and maintaining the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, according to the Marine Industries Association of South Florida.
`The Florida Inland Navigation District’s ICW dredging project will provide an extraordinary benefit to Broward County through the infusion of $20 million by increasing the depth of the ICW from the congressionally authorized depth of 10 feet to a new depth of 17 feet to accommodate the vessels that are seeking to visit, reside and retrofit at our local marinas and boatyards,’ Tyler Chappell, the Broward commissioner for FIND, said in a statement.’
James Newsome is a regular contributor to SSECN and other publications, both online and print. He has been compiling his list of free dockage along the Waterway for several years and it is a list worth perusing! Naturally, author Newsome mentions Elizabeth City, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, and one of the best known free docks on the Waterway.
I don’t know if you remember me mentioning the “FREE DOCKAGE” list project back during the summer, but I’ve continued to work on this and believe I have everything listed from 0 MM at least down through Jacksonville, FL and 738 MM. I have a few more listings below Jax, but I have a lot more work to do in this area.
I’ve started a Facebook page FREE DOCKAGE where I offer the complete list. I’ve had a very good reception from folks who find the list useful and I’m currently at 643 likes. This format is working well for now because it is a no cost option for me to get this information out to a lot of folks who realize, like me, that none of the other cruising guides offer a short concise list for FREE DOCKS.
Elizabeth City, NC is a great example of a town that really tries to promote themselves as cruiser friendly with free dock offerings. They understand that most cruisers who come to their town are essentially tourists who happen to arrive by boats instead of cars, and these cruisers always spend money when they stop. Therefore, “Free Docks” is a win-win for boaters as well as communities.
James H. Newsome Contributing Writer – Southwinds Magazine s/v CaiLeigh Anna – Coastal Cruising With Hugh & Suze 98 Buena Vista Avenue Warrenton, GA 30828
Free “daytime” docks at the Gulfport, Florida Casino. No overnight docking but unlike the “courtesy” docks in downtown Saint Petersburg, there is no docking meter.
I have used and really like the list of free dockage list. We traveled to the Cheaspeake and used quite often. Great idea James and thanks for the work.
James Newsome is a regular contributor to SSECN and other publications, both online and print. Since he is a Georgian, as am I, we can forgive his concern for the reputation of Georgia’s Waterway. However, he makes valid points in comparing Georgia’s ICW to those problem areas in South Carolina and Florida.
I have found that GA does have a few areas of concern on the ICW, but the extent of the concern far surpasses the reality of the problems. On my cruise down to St. Augustine last spring I learned that FL has more shallow areas between Fernandina and Jacksonville that all of GA’s ICW. And my good sailing friends who cruised to the Chesapeake Bay last summer brought to my attention the terrible condition of the ICW just north of Charleston.
I’ve never quite understood why GA’s ICW has such a bad reputation. We arguably have two areas of concern, which is Little Mud River and Jekyll Creek, but both are easily manageable. I personally don’t consider Hell’s Gate near Savannah to be a concern, but I know there are many folks who will disagree with me. James H. Newsome Contributing Writer – Southwinds Magazine s/v CaiLeigh Anna – Coastal Cruising With Hugh & Suze 98 Buena Vista Avenue Warrenton, GA 30828
Walburg Creek shapes the east side of Walburg Island and the Waterway lies on the west side. Good depths and great beach combing. Our young daughters always called the beach spooky because of the skeletal trees and dense forest to the east! While the creek has both a northern and southern entrance from the AICW, we prefer the northern passage, though there is still an unmarked shoal northwest of Middle Ground in St. Catherine’s Sound which must be bypassed. Our thanks to Bob McLeran for this graphic depiction of the southern entrance which exits the Waterway eastward at Mile 623.5.
Larry, Attached is a JPG file I created of the track we produced on October 24th when we exited Walburg Creek via the “southern” entrance/exit closest to the ICW. There seems to be a lot of misinformation about that particular entrance/entrance to this great anchorage and how best to get across the shallow area. Perhaps this will help cruisers decide whether to use the anchorage without having to go out into the “wilds” of St. Catherine’s Sound to get there.
Obviously, if one goes into the creek from the ICW in the late afternoon, the same tide height (roughly) would be available the following morning. Mid-tide or higher would work best for boats drawing more than five feet.
FYI, the software creating the background and the track-point intervals is Fugawi ENC (version 4.5x). Our primary navigation software is PolarNavy, but we also run Fugawi as a backup on the same laptop. Fugawi was used here to display the track because it highlights the track point (the square box) and the point’s data whereas PolarNavy doesn’t do that. Bob McLeran
Our thanks to Skipper Meyer for these words of caution. The twin Jensen Beach Bridge anchorages lie west of the Waterway, north and south of the Jensen Beach bridge, south of unlighted daybeacon #219.
I entered the south anchorage from the east across the thin strip marked as 6′. It was a bad decision. The depth-finder showed 4’6’³ (my draft) in a couple spots. Managed to hop through but it was nerve-wracking. Will go southeast through the deeper water to exit. Chad Meyer
Our thanks to Skipper Newsome for responding to a Nav Alert posted last year by a longtime resident of Jekyll Harbor Marina, Sonny Reeves. As Sonny would tell us, the channel through Jekyll Creek seems to shift a little with each tide and, as Skipper Newsome advises, “finding” the deep water at low tide is key to a successful passage at low tide. SSECN still recommends mid to high tide passage for this Problem Stretch. See other recent reports and further advice at /?p=148121 and /?p=144895.
Passed through this area on 10/25/15 an hour past low tide and saw no less than 7-1/2′. Assuming there is at least 1′ more water an hour into the flood, this means there was at least 6′ to 6-1/2′ of water at low tide. And there was a negative .2′ tide yesterday that I’m not taking into consideration. A dock hand at Jekyll Island marina told us prior to passing through that there is at least 6′ of water in Jekyll Creek. We confirmed this with our readings. The key to passing through here near low tide is `finding’ the water. Skippers reporting less than 6′ of water obviously aren’t in the deepest area of the channel. I draw 5’8’³ and still wouldn’t pass through here at dead low, but I feel pretty confident making the run through here an hour past low, assuming there’s not a huge negative low tide. James Newsome
Bennett Brothers Yachts/Cape Fear Marina, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, 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.
Acting as your host to beautiful and historic Wilmington, NC, Bennett Brothers Yachts at the Cape Fear Marina features 3,000 feet of floating docks in a sheltered harbor. Bennett Brothers Yachts (BBY) has been a widely recognized repair yard since 1986 and every conceivable repair – mechanical, below waterline, electronic, and carpentry – is readily available. Most of all, BBY has the safe and sure reputation of getting it right the first time.
Voted by USA Todayfor 2015 “America’s Best Riverfront City”, Wilmington, North Carolina is a “must see” as you travel through the Carolinas and a visit Bennett Brothers Yachts at the Cape Fear Marina could be your best stop on your passage or journey. With so many sites to see and so much fun to take part in, Wilmington is located in the northernmost subtropic region with pleasant weather year round. No frozen harbors in Wilmington!
Beautiful antebellum architecturewith great “gingerbread” can be
Photo by Wedding Mapper
seen as you stroll this pedestrian friendly city. Guided tours and horse drawn carriages are commonly enjoyed, but self guided visiting is encouraged and well worth it. The locals are approachable and happy to share a story or two and will direct you to whatever you seek. Restaurants are abundant in all genres of fair, and provisioning is easy with Whole Foods Market, Trader Joe’s , Harris Teeter Supermarkets and a local seasonal Farmers Market nearby.
Photo by Brad Van Amberg
The Downtown historic districthas some new things brewing and brewing makes another great reason to sample the flavors of the area. Microbreweries and brew pubs have become increasingly popular for locals and visitors alike. Sample craft beers while enjoying the backdrop of a fun peninsula city borded by the Atlantic ocean and the Cape Fear River. The Cotton Exchange, The City Market and Chandlers Wharf are filled with unique one of a kind retailers where you can pick up the perfect gift or present .
If your vessel needs any attentionduring your visit, BBY – awarded ABBRA “Excellence in Customer Care 2015” – can handle most any repair or service you require. Full mechanical, paint and glass departments supported with carpentry and electronics service are found here at BBY. Work can be completed via our mobile service in-water or, if needed, hauled-out by our certified 70 ton Marine Travel Lift with extra wide capacity to haul catamarans. It is one of the largest lifts in the region. Ask for a free, full guided tour of the BBY facility when you arrive, to see if there is something you would like to fix or upgrade to make your cruising more enjoyable.
If you happen to schedule work on your vessel, or just stop for a visit, there will certainly be no shortage of things to see and do. For starters, The USS North Carolina is moored in her permanent home and has tours below her decks that will inform even the experts and entertain the whole family. Golf, fishing, SUP, kayaking, birding, triathlon training and competition, sailing, surfing and theater are just a small taste of what the “Port City ” has to offer. Wrightsville Beach is just minutes away and was acknowledged by National Geographic as a top ten surfing town!
Located just 26 nautical miles north of Southport, North Carolina, BBY is easier to get to than you think. BBY and Cape Fear Marina are on the Northeast Cape Fear River, approximately 12 nautical miles from the Snow’s Cut passage on the AICW. As you travel north along the Cape Fear River, you will first pass the NC State Port Facility, then USS North Carolina and the scenic downtown Wilmington riverfront. You will then pass under two bridges, first the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge, with a closed vertical clearance of 65 feet and 138 feet maximum when raised, should be hailed on Channel 18. Next is the Isabel Holmes Bridge with a closed vertical clearance of 42 feet and should be hailed on Channel 13. The Isabel Holmes Bridge opens at 10 AM and 2 PM between the hours of 6 AM and 6 PM and on demand at all other times.
Fly in and out of Wilmington through the International Airport ILM, located just 5 minutes from BBY. We will even pick you up at the airport! We hope you have a wonderful visit when you’re here and return with your friends to experience the many facets this ‘off the beaten path’ town has to offer.
Patricia Donovan Bennett, President
Editor’s note: Patricia Bennett was honored recently by Marina Life Magazine, see /?p=145444
Bennett Brothers Yachts, Inc. Cape Fear Marina 1701 J.E.L. Wade Drive Wilmington, NC 28401 www.bbyachts.com 910.772.9277
Comments from Cruisers (2)
When actual damage is done to you or your boat, get in Ch16 and call the offending boat back. We did that recently, and the boat returned, and a claim against the boat resulted in payment for damages.
Try recording your trips on the waterway with video cameras of your wake and surrounding boats. When the overpaid cops show up record them also then go to court to get the charges thrown out and sue them for harassment especially after you show the huge wake left after a large boat passes by compared to yours if any.