Cruisers' Net | Cruisers Helping Cruisers

Jun 22, 2015by: Larry Dorminy No Comments 31.9796,-81.05619999
Good Visit to Isle of Hope Marina, Savannah, GA, AICW Statute Mile 590

View In Chartview

A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR!, Isle of Hope Marina lies along the northwestern shores of the Waterway in the body of a hairpin turn northwest of AICW marker #46A.
Isle of Hope Marina, Savannah, Georgia
Isle of Hope is a great place to stop. It’s not real close to Savannah but they do offer loaner cars. The cars are loaned out for 2 hours, if more time is needed you can call the Marina and if no one is looking to borrow the car they will let you have it longer.
Since we wanted to go to Tybee Island and do so some shopping, taking more than just 2 hour, we called Enterprise rent a car, this was a Saturday morning, They said they would be there by noon. We were stood up. Tried to call them back after waiting for an hour but they close at noon on Saturday. The Tybee Island trip was shot. Monday we called Enterprise rent a car, spoke to a manager, they apologized and set up another delivery. Again we cooled our heels for 45min. The gal in the marina told us to take one of the cars and not to worry about the time. Saved our day, we got to see Savannah, do the carriage rides and all. That evening upon our return we talked to the marina and they confirmed that again Enterprise was a no show. I will no longer trust Enterprise to pick you up.
Close to Isle of Hope is the Wormsloe plantation. A good relaxing, walking, sightseeing, history and nature sight. We loved it. We also enjoyed the restaurants in the area.
All in all we did enjoy our stay, the crew at Isle of Hope are great, helpful in every way.
Phil and Sandy Herl

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Georgia Marina Directory Listing For Isle of Hope Marina
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Isle of Hope Marina
Share:
Be the first to comment!
Jun 22, 2015by: Larry Dorminy 2 Comments 33.3638,-79.28169999
A Visit to Harborwalk Marina, Georgetown, SC, AICW Statute Mile 403

View In Chartview

Harborwalk Marina, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR! is the northwesternmost marina on the downtown Georgetown/Sampit River waterfront. Check out their shiny new, first-rate, shower and laundry building! Skipper Herl’s report isn’t dated, but it seems to coincide with the current heatwave we are enduring in SC.

Harborwalk Marina
Just a short run, 4 hr, north of Lelands [McClellanville] into Georgetown to Harborwalk Marina. Cris met us at the dock. Cris and my crew prevented me from crashing and burning at the dock. We arrived early so were able to take a walk down town, It is hot (100deg.) so the walk was short but very interesting. Visited the museum and some stores, they all had AC.
The dock was nice, it was just too hot to do anything.
Phil and Sandy Herl
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s South Carolina Marina Directory Listing For Harborwalk Marina
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Harborwalk Marina
Share:
Comments from Cruisers (2)

Linda Allen - June 26, 2015 - 4:32 pm

We spent a month at this marina just after it was updated in 2009. The staff and the facilities were excellent. The location is perfect for strolling downtown or through the back streets with the lovely houses.
Reply to Linda

John Wampler - June 26, 2015 - 2:13 pm

As a delivery captain with over 200 Florida to New York transits under my keel, when weather is more than marginal, I try to make Georgetown a stop. Cris, the new dockmaster, took over for my old friend Dave and the service has not suffered one bit.
I like Thomas Cafe for an early morning bite before I get underway and the River Room can hold it’s own with the finest of restaurants.
Swamp Players has live theater when in production.
Enjoy a stop here.
yachtaide.com
Reply to John
Jun 22, 2015by: Larry Dorminy No Comments 36.7238,-76.24789999
FOCUS ON Atlantic Yacht Basin, Great Bridge, VA, AICW Statute Mile 12

View In Chartview

One of our many loyal sponsors, Atlantic Yacht Basin is located just south of the Great Bridge lock and bridge at Mile Marker 12. AYB’s continuing and longtime support of SSECN helps keep our site free to all users. This background material about their business and detailed information about their products and services is provided so that you our reader will be fully and better informed. Our thanks to Atlantic Yacht Basin for their participation with and sponsorship of “The Salty Southeast Cruisers’ Net.”
ATLANTIC YACHT BASIN
HISTORY AND REPUTATION DEFINE THIS ICONIC FACILITY
You can’t buy it, you can only build it: history and reputation. Atlantic Yacht Basin has been serving boaters, at the same location, for nearly 80 years. And over nearly eight decades, AYB has earned the reputation as a premier boat repair and storage facility on the eastern seaboard.
In order to understand who we are today, it helps to understand AYB’s history.
We are a third generation family owned business. Our founder, D. Dunwoody Atkinson founded AYB in 1936. The familiar bascule bridge, Great Bridge Bridge, over Mile 12 of the ICW—within walking distance to AYB– wasn’t built yet.
While convenience for boaters was an immediate advantage, it is the professional approach to boaters’ needs and attention to detail that is the foundation of AYB’s reputation.
Today, we are known as a facility that has the experience and expertise to carry out all facets of boat maintenance and repairs, and strategically located on the fresh water side (non-tidal) of the Great Bridge Locks.
We realize that your boat is a major investment. We believe that protecting your investment is as important as maintaining it. That’s why we committed to creating the largest undercover, freshwater boat storage facility on the eastern seaboard.
Today we offer 158,000 square feet of undercover storage. The vessels undercover here range from classic wood boats to contemporary, ocean going yachts. We have the height, width and depth to protect virtually any boat. In addition we are staffed 24/7, 365 days a year. There is always a Dockmaster on duty and AYB is a secure yard.
Not only have we been in business at the same location for nearly 80 years, we have professionals who have been taking care of all facets of repairs and maintenance for decades. Some of our professionals have built that experience at AYB, others have come on board, bringing with them their own reputation of excellence.
The fact is, no matter what brings boat owners to AYB, our professional staff has seen it before and has the ability, skills and work ethic that exceeds expectations.
Our mechanics, carpenters, paint and varnish crew, fiberglass team, re-fit specialists, detailing experts and supervisory staff are all committed to perfection. It seems to be in our DNA.
And, as an extra level of commitment to excellence, the work is monitored by a project manager.
We understand that when you are traveling the ICW, convenience is one of the factors that determines your stopping points.
AYB isn’t just close to the Waterway. We are ON the waterway. When you get to Mile 12 and Great Bridge, you are at the docks of AYB. You immediately notice our organized, clean and busy yard. You can’t miss our 1,700 linear feet of outdoor dockage space and fueling dock. And even if you just stop for fuel, you can take a breather, and relax in one of our comfortable Adirondack chairs, strategically located right at our docks. It’s a great spot to watch the ICW traffic going by, see some of the work being done at AYB or talk to other cruisers.
And if your plans call for an extended stay here, you will benefit from our convenient location that extends beyond the ICW.
We are within walking distance to a full service grocery store, many restaurants, a hospital is nearby, rental car facilities, hardware stores, banks, propane fill facility, you can catch up on your laundry at AYB, there is a wonderful park and walking path directly on the opposite side of the ICW from AYB, and much more.
If you need to catch a flight, Norfolk International Airport is a 20-minute ride from us.
We have a fully stocked marine store. It is staffed by professionals who not only have years of experience…they are boaters too. If we need to order parts for you, we know what you are looking for, we know where to find it, and we can often expedite the order if necessary.
If your boat repair or refit needs extend beyond what we offer…remember…we are in the heart of the largest maritime community in the world with the U.S. Navy in our back yard and a very active and progressive port supporting a wide range of industries. AYB has the support of qualified subcontractors from the local region that know boats. No matter what your needs for repair, refit or manufacture of a specialty part, we know who to trust to meet the specs and exceed your expectations.
We are understandably proud of our work and our reputation. We are honored to have earned the trust of boat owners like you. Telling you about us is one thing—seeing who we are, what we do, and hearing from our clients is another.
We invite you to click on our Video Archive section of our website. We recently initiated this aspect of our proof of performance. You will find a growing number of videos that show you what we do, what we offer, and see and hear why we are a trusted boat repair, refit and storage facility on the ICW.
Atlantic Yacht Basin has earned the trust of literally thousands of boat owners over the years. We would be honored to earn your trust too.
Please give us a call toll-free at (800) 992-2489 or local at (757) 482-2141 or drop us a line at info@atlanticyachtbasin.com to get a free quote or to find out more about our comprehensive range of marine services.
If you are outside of the area, we can also help arrange transport to our facility or recommend a licensed captain to bring the boat in for you via the Waterway.
Also, please check us out at www.atlanticyachtbasin.com, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for interesting updates, tips, and specials going on at the Yard.
Enjoy the rest of your Spring and looking forward to seeing you soon!
Your Friends at AYB
Click Here To View the VA to NC Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Atlantic Yacht Basin
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Atlantic Yacht Basin
Share:
Be the first to comment!
Jun 19, 2015by: Larry Dorminy No Comments 26.9291,-82.06339999
Fishermen’s Village Awarded TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence, Punta Gorda, FL

View In Chartview

Fishermen’s Village in Punta Gorda, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, on Western Florida’s Charlotte Harbor/Peace River is more than worthy of this award! Whether you are moored in Punta Gorda’s mooring field or berthed at Fishermen’s Village Marina, also A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, this is the place to be!
FISHERMEN’S VILLAGE AND FISHERMEN’S VILLAGE RESORT AWARDED 2015 TRIPADVISOR CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE
Recognized as a Top Performing Shopping and Vacation Destination as Reviewed by Travelers on the World’s Largest Travel Site
Punta Gorda, FL , June 19, 2015’“ Fishermen’s Village Mall and Resort today announced that it has received a TripAdvisorÂ® Certificate of Excellence award. Now in its fifth year, the award celebrates excellence in hospitality and is given only to establishments that consistently achieve great traveler reviews on TripAdvisor. Certificate of Excellence winners include accommodations, eateries and attractions located all over the world that have continually delivered a superior customer experience.
When selecting Certificate of Excellence winners, TripAdvisor uses a proprietary algorithm to determine the honorees that takes into account the quality, quantity and recency of reviews and opinions submitted by travelers on TripAdvisor over a 12-month period as well as business’s tenure and ranking on the Popularity Index on the site. To qualify, a business must maintain an overall TripAdvisor bubble rating of at least four out of five, have a minimum number of reviews and must have been listed on TripAdvisor for at least 12 months.
`Winning the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence is a true source of pride for the entire team at Fishermen’s Village and we’d like to thank all of our past guests who took the time to complete a review on TripAdvisor,’ said Kathy Burnam, Marketing/Events Manager at Fishermen’s Village. `There is no greater seal of approval than being recognized by one’s customers. With the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence based on customer reviews, the accolade is a remarkable vote of confidence to our business and our continued commitment to excellence.’
“TripAdvisor is pleased to honor exceptional hospitality businesses that have received consistent praise and recognition by travelers on the site,’ said Marc Charron President, TripAdvisor for Business. `By putting a spotlight on businesses that are focused on delivering great service to customers, TripAdvisor not only helps drive increasing hospitality standards around the world, it also gives businesses both large and small the ability to shine and stand out from the competition.’
Fishermen’s Village Mall, Resort and Marina is located on pristine Charlotte Harbor in Punta Gorda Florida. A two level complex, the lower level features independently owned shops, boutiques and waterfront restaurants, water recreation, military heritage museum, live entertainment and special events. The second level sports vacation villas, available for daily/weekly rental. For more information, visit www.fishville.com or call 1 800 639-0020.
Kathy Burnam
Marketing/Events Manager
Fishermen’s Village
kathyb@fishville.com
READER’S CHOICE AWARDS FAVORITE SHOPPING DESTINATION!
1200 West Retta Esplanade #57A
Punta Gorda, FL 33950
P 941 575-3007
M 941 258-1327
F 941 637-1054
e-mail
www.fishville.com
Follow us on Facebook!
Click Here To View the Western Florida Cruisers’ Net Anchorage Directory Listing For Punta Gorda Waterfront Anchorage
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of the Punta Gorda Waterfront
Click Here To View the Western Florida Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Fishermen’s Village
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Fishermen’s Village
Share:
Be the first to comment!
Jun 18, 2015by: Larry Dorminy No Comments
Reminder: Flesh-Eating Virus is Real!
As our good MTOA friend, Jim Bertch, will attest, this virus is rare, but real and not a myth. This article from Rapid News Network gives details as well as some dos and don’ts. Any open sores or cuts must avoid contact with salt water on lines, traps, etc.
Health officials warn of rare flesh-eating bacteria on Florida beaches | The
Contributed by ADMIN on June 16, 2015 at 12:28 am
The flesh-eating bacteria, also called vibro vulnificus, is reportedly a bacteria thriving in warm seawater. People with some preexisting medical conditions (especially chronic liver disease) as well as previously compromised immune systems, the bacteria can get into the blood stream and cause fever, chills, septic shock, and blistering lesions on the skin. Sufferers sometimes endure painful skin infections and have their limbs amputated; death results in about half of life-threatening cases.
Vibrio vulnificus is a species of Gram-negative, motile, curved, rod-shaped (Bacillus), Pathogenic bacteria of the genus Vibrio. Vibrio is a rare cause of human disease, but it is underreported.
CLICK HERE for the complete report.
Share:
Be the first to comment!
Jun 18, 2015by: Larry Dorminy 1 Comment
BoatUS Media Alert: NC Legislature Proposes New Coastal Waters Fees
BoatUS remains the premiere advocate for boaters’ rights in all states and we are proud to have them as SPONSORS!
NEWS From BoatUS
Boat Owners Association of The United States
880 S. Pickett St., Alexandria, VA 22304
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 18, 2015
Press Contact: D. Scott Croft, 703-461-2864, SCroft@BoatUS.com
Chart showing the proposed new fees for North Carolina boaters and out-of-state anglers in coastal NC waters.

MEDIA ALERT: NC Legislators Looking to Charge Boaters New Fee
BoatUS Urges Boaters to be Heard
Would be Highest State-Imposed Charges on Boats in the US
THE ISSUE: As part of the current North Carolina budget debate, the state General Assembly is currently considering legislation that would impose a significant new user fee on all recreational boats 24 feet and longer that are used in coastal waters. For example, the costs proposed for the new North Carolina `Coastal Waterways User Identification Fee’ for a 25-foot boat would be $75, $128 for a 32-foot boat, and $200 for a 40-footer. This fee would also apply to any out-of-state vessel fishing in NC coastal waters. Combined with registration fees, the proposed Coastal Boat Fee would be the highest state-imposed charges on recreational boats nationwide.
The proposed fee would be in addition to current state registration fees, which were most recently increased in 2013 to fund dredging and lake weed control. To see a complete list of fees, go to: BoatUS.com/gov/ncfeechart.
ACTION NEEDED NOW: Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) urges North Carolina boaters, anglers, and sailors to speak out now and contact their State Senator and Representative today and respectfully urge them to vote “No” on the `Coastal Waterways User Identification Number’ and associated user fee contained in the North Carolina Senate version of House Bill 97.
While the intended use of this fee is to increase funding for dredging of waterways and inlets, this budget proposal places too great a financial burden on recreational boaters. Ask your State Senator and Representative to consider other means to pay for dredging North Carolina’s coastal inlets and essential waterways. Access to the waterways brings substantial economic benefits to coastal communities. Maintaining them must be a shared responsibility.
The budget bill is now before the North Carolina General Assembly and will be voted on in the next few days. Boaters may easily contact their state legislator by going to: http://goo.gl/zWMTpx
ABOUT BOATUS: Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) is the nation’s leading advocate for recreational boaters providing its over half million members with government representation, fighting against unfair federal taxes, fees and regulations that single out boat owners. It has over 20,000 North Carolina members. BoatUS is also non-partisan working on both sides of the aisle as well as with state agencies to promote boating laws that make sense.
Share:
Comments from Cruisers (1)

Mike Feeney - June 19, 2015 - 4:26 pm

It appears that a significant amount of the new fees would be to support dredging the ICW, inlets and other areas. I, as an out of state boater, don’t like seeing the NC boats pick up the tab for dredging the ICW since many out-of-state boaters use it on a regular basis.
A thought occurred to me that maybe the thing to do, and maybe in all ICW states, is to institute a “toll’ for use of the ICW that would support dredging in the ICW. It shouldn’t be too much, maybe $5 or $10, or boaters would bypass the state, if they could.
Reply to Mike
Jun 18, 2015by: Larry Dorminy No Comments
The Beautiful Abacos Islands of the Bahamas
Here is a website for those of you who have opted to remain in the Bahamas for the summer:
http://www.bahamas.com/islands/abacos
Welcome to The Abacos. Calm waters, warm breezes and panoramic beauty make this 120-mile’“long chain of islands a boating and sailing paradise. But it’s not just the sea that attracts travelers from around the world. Those who prefer to explore by land will find championship golf courses on Treasure Cay, charming colonial towns on Green Turtle and Elbow Cays, and countless hotels, restaurants and bars throughout The Abacos.
Share:
Be the first to comment!
Jun 17, 2015by: Larry Dorminy No Comments
Report from Leland Oil Company, McClellanville, SC, AICW Statute Mile 430
Recently renovated Leland Oil Company sits on the northern shores of Jeremy Creek in the heart of McClellanville, hard by the stream’s charted turn to the west. Like many others, we find McClellanville to be one of the most delightful stops on the AICW and yet it’s known to only a few cruisers. Our thanks to Skipper Herl for this report and excellent photos.
Leland Marina
Started out first thing in the AM and made good time, too good. Or maybe I just did not calculate the tide correctly. Anyway, early for Lelands Marina (low tide) so we just dropped an anchor and waited out the tide and came in after 3:00 pm with no problems. Lelands is a small Marina, very friendly and close to the ICW. We did have some issues with the electric (weak breakers) but we got it sorted out.
Lelands are trying to continue to upgrade but still have some bumps to get over. I would stay again if for no other reason than the location is great for picking up fresh shrimp for dinner. The town (McClellanville SC) is small and very quiet. All within walking distance.
Phil Herl

Click Here To View the South Carolina Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Leland Oil Company Marina
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Leland Oil Company Marina
Share:
Be the first to comment!
Jun 17, 2015by: Larry Dorminy 1 Comment 28.8362,-81.32799999
Reeves’ Reports: Boat Tree Marina, St. Johns River, Sanford, FL

View In Chartview

Skipper Reeves continues his exploration of the St. Johns, visiting some of the off the beaten path locations. Boat Tree Marina lies just north of the St. Johns’ entry into Lake Monroe. This facility features a well sheltered harbor.
We visited Boat Tree and stayed for a couple of months. Would have stayed longer but the docks are dangerous, in need of replacement. See for pictures web site attached. The people are wonderful. Kristy is awesome ! Taking care of us and all. The marina is about 2 miles from nearest food store and 4 miles to shopping center. Ships store has some supplies. The bicycle trails are not there or they stop just when you need them to stay out of traffic. The restaurant/bar was closed. The showers are clean and the laundry is clean. The pool is nice. There is a cafe with good food & prices for breakfast and lunch on site along with a Hair Salon, Sherry the owner is most gracious allowing us to use her wifi at the cafe otherwise we never saw the free wifi. The leash your pets rule is not enforced and a small dog was bitten by a boater’s big dogs running loose. For pics and more see http://ontheofficewautoteacher.blogspot.com/2015_06_01_archive.html
Sunset @ Boat Tree Marina looking East from the Cafe. We enjoyed our stay at Boat Tree. Kristy made us feel welcome and helped us with any question we had. Kristy took care of us! We would have stayed except we had issues with the dock and safety.
Click Here To View the Eastern Florida Cruisers’ Net Anchorage Directory Listing For Boat Tree Marina
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Boat Tree Marina
Share:
Comments from Cruisers (1)

Cpt. Bill - June 21, 2015 - 9:03 pm

We stayed abut a year at Boat Tree a few years back and agree completely with Skipper Reeves” comments. The staff is terrific but the docks are terrible. That’s the primary reason we left. They could not provide a stable dock for our 50’+ boat. We found the same concern at the downtown Sanford marina.
Reply to Cpt.
Jun 15, 2015by: Larry Dorminy No Comments
Industry’s Use of US Inland and Coastal Waterways
This interesting article from MarineLink.com looks at our waterways from a very different perspective than that of the recreational boater, i.e. an industrially-useful waterway network.
Taking Inland Waterways To the Mainstream
By Chip Jaenichen, U.S. Maritime Administrator
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
It takes nonstop work to maintain America’s position in today’s global economy. Every day we compete against strong international rivals for demanding foreign and domestic customers. Thankfully, the American economy has a large-scale, crucial asset that gives us an edge on the rest of the world: over 28,000 miles of inland river and coastal waterways with consistent navigation at suitable depths (9 feet during 9 months of the year) ‘“ more any other nation on earth.
Although we have the world’s greatest industrially-useful waterway network, we are barely using its full capacity. In 2013, the U.S. moved just under 5 percent of our domestic freight shipments by water. Imagine if the Denver Broncos played Peyton Manning for just three minutes each game. That’s essentially what our nation is doing. We are hardly utilizing our greatest competitive advantage. But you can rest assured, other nations are using theirs. Inland waterway shipping currently accounts for over 40 percent of all European Union freight transportation, and that percentage is rising.
CLICK HERE to read the full article.
Share:
Be the first to comment!