Cruisers' Net | Cruisers Helping Cruisers

Oct 25, 2014by: Larry Dorminy No Comments
Still Another Alternative to the Ashepoo-Coosaw Cutoff, AICW Statute Mile 517
We have had lots of discussion (/?p=141157) on bypassing Ashepoo-Coosaw Cutoff by heading southeast to Combahee Bank then northwest to return to the Waterway south of the Cutoff. Now Skipper Dammeyer offers another alternative by heading almost due west from Combahee Bank into Morgan River to SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, Dataw Island Marina. Slipper Dammeyer and I had a chance to compare navigation notes this week just before he headed south from Charleston. If Dataw Island Marina is in your float plan, this is a logical choice of routes.
Larry,
Thanks for the encouragement to take the alternative to Ashepoo Coosaw cut. We arrived at Fenwick [Cut] about 2:30 or a couple of hours before low. We motored out and down the Ashepoo in calm seaway, went below the Combahee Bank and across St Helena Sound all the way to green 11 below pelican bank and found 25-30 ft of water to turn up Morgan Creek to Dataw Marina. Saving us from having to motor up the ICW and then crossing at Parrot Creek.
Thanks again,
Rick Dammeyer
S/V Promise, Catalina 445, 5ft draft
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Combahee Bank
Click Here For The Cruisers’ Net’s South Carolina Marina Directory Listing For Dataw Island Marina
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Dataw Island Marina
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Oct 25, 2014by: Larry Dorminy No Comments
Shark Repellent Developed at Florida Keys Community College, Key West
This article from The Associate Press is for our scuba diving friends and those of us who still insist on diving under to clean the props!

NOAA officials praise shark repellent developed at Florida Keys Community College
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
First Posted: October 25, 2014 – 3:01 am
KEY WEST, Florida ‘” Federal officials are praising a shark repellent developed at the Florida Keys Community College.
The project was funded by a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration grant. In a recent report to Congress, NOAA officials highlighted the repellent among efforts in coastal communities to reduce the numbers of sharks caught in commercial seafood harvests.
For the rest of the story, go to: http://www.dailyjournal.net/view/story/bb8904b720b547539448b8aaee993ae1/FL–Keys-Shark-Repellent/
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Oct 25, 2014by: Larry Dorminy 2 Comments
Bahamas Anchorage Fees?
Our thanks to friends Chuck and Susan for sending this article by Natario McKensie in Tribune242. From the Bahamas Trust Chairman’s remarks, you can see that he doesn’t think much of transients from the US.
Could we soon be paying to anchor in the Bahamas? It’s not as far fetched as you might think.
Chuck Baier and Susan Landry
Trust Chief: Anchorage Fees Must Be Nationwide
By NATARIO McKENZIE
Tribune Business Reporter
The Bahamas National Trust’s (BNT) chairman has called for anchorage fees to be imposed in mooring spots throughout the Bahamas.
Addressing the ninth annual Exuma Business Outlook conference, Eric Carey noted that while the BNT had implemented anchorage fees at the Exuma Land & Sea Park to cover its annual operating expenses and upgrade infrastructure, the initiative was one he believed should be implemented in other areas.
`We need to think about doing these sorts of initiatives in other areas like Elizabeth Harbour off of Black Point, Staniel Cay and Nassau Harbour,’ he said.
`They come down there they anchor and they pay absolutely nothing and they come fully stocked. Half of the time they don’t even spend $5 in the Bahamas and what do they eat? Our fish,’ said Mr Carey.
For the rest of the article, go to:
http://www.tribune242.com/news/2014/oct/24/trust-chief-anchorage-fees-must-be-nationwide/
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Comments from Cruisers (2)

Chuck Baier and Susan landry - October 27, 2014 - 7:47 pm

We would like to send out a big thank you to everyone that has rallied and responded to our initial posting of this article. It shows that the boating community can come together and make a difference. We just received this reply…..” Executive Director of the Bahamas National Trust (BNT), Eric Carey, extended his sincere apologies to all boaters that visit The Bahamas year after year today.
During the Exuma Business Outlook forum Director Carey answered a question from the floor that painted annual boaters in a less than flattering light. He and the BNT Executive team acknowledge that comments such as those should not have been made considering that the yachting; sailing and small craft boaters who visit the islands have a significant impact and role in the Bahamian economy, tourism and environmental longevity.
Since its inception in 1958 the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park has been a premier anchoring location for boaters who visit The Bahamas. Recently the BNT introduced anchorage fees due to the increased annual operational cost of repairs and upkeep of the Bahamas’ oldest National park. In Mr. Carey’s passion to defend his organization’s need to increase income to support the Park’s operations, he suggested that the residents of Elizabeth Harbour install moorings to help with their efforts to clean up and restore their harbor. Some residents made comments to the effect that some boaters were not willing to pay for moorings. Carey unfortunately went on record to support the comments and agreed that some of these boaters do not contribute significantly to the economy.
“The comments which I made at the Exuma Business Outlook Conference are not the views of the Trust,” noted Carey. “We welcome all visitors and most importantly boaters in The Bahamas – not only to the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park but throughout The Bahamas.”
Carey continued “international boaters are significant contributors to our economy and specifically to the more boutique islands which are not visited my mainstream tourists. In addition hundreds are annual supporters of the Trust through membership, valued Support Fleet members, the payment of mooring fees or by donating much needed personal resources to the protection of the marine environment. I offer my heartfelt apologies and hope that all boaters will continue to visit The Bahamas.”
Reply to Chuck

Scoobert Diver - October 27, 2014 - 12:03 pm

What do they expect when a gallon of milk costs $9, or they charge for water. they need to work on bringing costs of basics down, then people would provision there. Otherwise I think we do in fact spend money, just not at the grocery store.
Scoobert Diver
Reply to Scoobert
Oct 24, 2014by: Larry Dorminy No Comments 32.4197,-80.65899999
More Good Words for Ladys Island Marina, AICW Statute Mile 536.5, in Beaufort, SC

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Over the last three years, Ladys Island Marina has been undergoing big improvements in the marina portion of this property under the direction of owner, Kelly Ryan, and these improvements have been confirmed by the recent positive comments SSECN has received. Ladys Island Marina is located in Factory Creek just east of Ladys Island Bridge.
Thanx, Larry, that spot [Jekyll Creek] has been troublesome forever. I’m glad you found our observations useful; we’ve gotten so much assistance from this site over the years that its wonderful to be in a position to pay it back, and keep Claiborne’s vision alive.
BTW, can’t say enough good things about Lady’s Island marina (SM536). Quiet, well-maintained, many services within easy walking distance (groceries, hardware store, liquor store, nice bakery and many restaurants, etc). Very accomodating management/dockmaster Steve is going cruising, new dockmaster TJ started on Monday and he’s clearly committed to carrying on the cruiser-friendly tradition. Loaner car and/or bikes. A ***woodshop*** for doing boat projects!!! Longish walk or short bike ride across the swing bridge to historic downtown.
We’re waiting on a part for our autopilot, expected in next Friday. We’ll be staying another week, then if weather permits we’ll be doing a single overnight and bypassing Georgia.
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s South Carolina Marina Directory Listing For Ladys Island Marina
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Ladys Island Marina
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Oct 24, 2014by: Larry Dorminy No Comments
“Cruising Carolina” DVDs Available Online
Claiborne S. Young’s classic dvd series, “Cruising Carolina”, is available for purchase at UNC-TV. Enter Cruising Carolina in their Search box, then select Cruising Carolina DVDs. At Click Here to Order, an order form for the particular region will come up from Blue Water Media in Danbury, NC. Not all regions are available, but the ones remaining are $19.95 each.
You might also try this link: http://www.cruisingcarolina.com/tempDVDorderPage.html
Page to find:
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Oct 23, 2014by: Larry Dorminy No Comments
More from the Lunsford Log: NC Waterway, Statute Miles 210-330
We are very grateful to the Lunsfords for sharing their observations of the North Carolina Waterway. Remember that on our Homepage you can enter each statute mile mentioned into the ST.M./LAT-LON WIDGET and bring up a chart of the exact area discussed below. Several of the spots mentioned have been designated Problem Stretches on Cruisers’Net and their sites are listed below.
Delighted to be able to help, after all the assistance we’ve gotten from you over the years. This is a little bit older, we posted it on Facebook on Oct 8, having transited North Carolina during the previous 2 weeks. We’re hanging out in Beaufort for a couple of weeks for insurance restrictions, after 1 November we’ll head to Florida. If weather permits we’ll go outside overnight, otherwise, we’ll update you on conditions in Georgia.
Dan and Jaye Lunsford
We’ve just done the ICW through North Carolina from Beaufort/Morehead City on down toward Myrtle Beach, SC. We have a few passage notes for those following. Mostly it was a very easy trip with plenty of water, most of the traditional trouble inlets have been recently dredged.
Mile 210-ish, daymarks 9-11, stay to the red side of the channel if it gets shoal.
Mile 227, Bogue Inlet – this traditional trouble spot was dredged Feb 2014, no issues.
Mile 237, Brown’s Inlet – There are 3 marks here that look like they are in a straight line, Red 60, Green 61A and Green 63. The marks are NOT off-station, you will sweep a wide lazy “S” turn around them. Stay close to R60 (20 feet off) then stay to the red side, or no further than mid-channel, from G61A to G63.
(See /?p=144468)
Mile 246, New River Inlet – Favor the red side between Red 72A and Red 72B. Get close to R72B before you turn (I call it “squaring the corner”) and you will find 9 feet MLLW.
Mile 270, marker 99A – it’s way over to the side of the channel, favor the red side over near the boat dock.
(New Topsail Inlet/AICW, see /?p=144470 and /?p=144976)
Mile 293, Carolina Beach Inlet – this traditional trouble spot was recently dredged, no issues.
Mile 321, Lockwood’s Folly Inlet – recently dredged Feb 2014, and well-marked with cans that may not be on your chart. Make sure to follow the ICW marks (with the gold squares or triangles) and not the inlet markers, there is plenty of water.
Mile 330, Shallotte Inlet – this traditional trouble spot is recently dredged March 2014, no issues, we saw nothing less than 9.5 feet MLLW.
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Stretches” Listing For the AICW/Bogue Inlet Channel Intersection
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Stretches” Listing For the AICW/Browns Inlet Intersection
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Stretches” Listing For New River/New River Inlet
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Stretches” Listing For the AICW/Lockwoods Folly Inlet Intersection
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Stretches” Listing For the AICW/Shalotte Inlet Intersection
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Oct 22, 2014by: Larry Dorminy No Comments 33.9171,-78.02829999
Report on Southport’s Free City Dock, AICW Statute Mile 309

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Although seldom mentioned, Southport, NC does have a free (48 hours) city dock as described below. Southport is also home to SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, Southport Marina, located just west of the Cape Fear River along the northern banks of the Waterway hard by flashing daybeacon #2A. This reminder comes to us from Hank Pomeranz of Carolina Yacht Care.
`The City of Southport, NC, always a transient friendly destination, now allows transient boaters to use the free city dock for 48 hours instead of 24 hours. Since most transients arrive late in the day and generally leave in the morning hours, the old 24 hour policy did not allow time for provisioning or visiting the city. Visitors should check in with the police station when they arrive. The phone number is: 910-457-7913.
As you enter the Yacht Basin, the City Dock will be to port (opposite the restaurants). It is the T-Head on the outermost (closest to the ICW) dock.’
Thanks
Hank Pomeranz
And we have this description of the free dock from our good friends, Chuck Baier and Susan Landry in a 2013 review of Southport:
At the end of a long dock at the west end of the basin is the town dock where you can tie up for free for 48 hours. There is water on the dock and a 20-amp power outlet if you can make it work for the boat. Depths at the town dock can be 4 feet at low tide and with the tidal range, climbing onto the dock at low tide can be a challenge. Boaters do offer to allow others to raft up at the dock and it is much deeper even just a boat width off.
For the full review, see /?p=128381
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s North Carolina Marina Directory Listing For Southport Marina
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Southport Marina
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Oct 22, 2014by: Larry Dorminy No Comments 32.5146,-80.49619999
Report from Ashepoo-Coosaw Cutoff, AICW Problem Stretch Mile 517

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This report comes to us from Dan and Jaye Lunsford’s log of their voyage through South Carolina, see /?p=145002. And, as reported by our good friends Mark and Diana Doyle: For those transiting South Carolina, Ashepoo Coosaw Cutoff continues to be a problem area and carries LESS THAN 5 FEET MLLW. For an alternative to Ashepoo-Coosaw Cutoff, see /?p=134342
SM 517 Ashepoo-Coosaw Cutoff: Stay at least a couple of boat lengths off G177 at the entry (“square the corner”) for 10′ MLLW. At the exit, R184 was reported destroyed; a new temporary drop aid (floating can) was placed there on Friday — we met the Coast Guard small boat that was doing the work on their way back. Slightly favor that NW side between R184 and G185, but time the tides if necessary, we saw 5′ MLLW here briefly.
Dan Jaye Lunsford
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Stretches” Listing For the AICW/Ashepoo Coosaw Cutoff Problem Stretch
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To This AICW Problem Stretch
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Oct 22, 2014by: Larry Dorminy No Comments 32.785,-79.819999
Report from Problem Stretch North of Ben Sawyer Bridge, AICW Statute Mile 460

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This report comes to us from Dan and Jaye Lunsford’s log of their voyage through South Carolina, see /?p=145002. The Salty Southeast Cruisers’ Net has posted reports of shoaling in this Problem Stretch (which the ACOE terms as “behind Breach Inlet”) for months now. And, as the Lunsfords confirm, cruisers piloting craft of almost any draft MUST time their passage of these waters for mid to high tide!
SM 460 shoals before Ben Sawyer bridge: 4′ MLLW, so its really important to time the tides here. Favor the north side of the channel from before G117A to G119.
Dan and Jaye Lunsford
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Stretches” Listing For the AICW North of Ben Sawyer Bridge to Isle of Palms Bridge
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To This AICW Problem Stretch
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Oct 22, 2014by: Larry Dorminy No Comments
A SC Waterway Mini-Guide from Little River Inlet to Beaufort, AICW Statute Miles 349-517
Many thanks to Skippers Lunsford for providing very recent reports from six shoaling areas between Myrtle Beach and Beaufort. Three of these areas have been designated SSECN Problem Stretches and their descriptions are listed below.
For a recent report on McClellanville, see /?p=144354
For a 2013 ACOE survey of area north of Ben Sawyer Bridge, see /?p=125717
For a 12/2013 report on Ashepoo-Coosaw Cutoff, see /?p=129101
For an alternative to Ashepoo-Coosaw Cutoff, see /?p=134342
Hi there. We just came through this area in the last week, a bit ahead of the pack, so thought we’d pass on what we found at the traditional trouble spots to help those who come behind us (a copy of what we posted on a couple of Facebook groups). Thanx for all you do.
Dan and Jaye Lunsford
SM 349-352 The Rockpile: This stretch has numerous rock ledges on the sides of the channel so its important to stay in the middle. Not quite as scary as it sounds, but its the first time on the journey that the ICW is anything but mud if you do make a mistake. The ledges are very easy to see at low tide, and there is plenty of water depth even at the lowest tide. On weekends it can be crowded with power boats who may want to pass you if you are a slower sailboat and there really isn’t a lot of room to move over.
SM 430-435 McClellanville: Time the tides here if at all possible. If you’re really motivated you can tiptoe your way through; we saw 6′ MLLW, but so much simpler to just give it a couple of hours.
SM 460 shoals before Ben Sawyer bridge: 4′ MLLW, so its really important to time the tides here. Favor the north side of the channel from before G117A to G119.
SM 471 Wappoo Creek Bridge: This operator is REALLY a stickler for time; bridge is closed during rush hour opens every 1/2 hour during the middle of the day (check the complex operating schedule) but if you aren’t waiting at the bridge before the opening, the operator will not hold even a moment but will make you wait for the next one.
SM 501-504 Watts Cut: Although not listed as a traditional trouble spot, there are numerous shoals to 6′ MLLW along this reach. In a slow sailboat it’s hard to time the tides to have water here, and also water at the next trouble spot.
SM 517 Ashepoo-Coosaw Cutoff: Stay at least a couple of boat lengths off G177 at the entry (“square the corner”) for 10′ MLLW. At the exit, R184 was reported destroyed; a new temporary drop aid (floating can) was placed there on Friday — we met the Coast Guard small boat that was doing the work on their way back. Slightly favor that NW side between R184 and G185, but time the tides if necessary, we saw 5′ MLLW here briefly.
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Stretches” Listing For the Waterway south of McClellanville to Awendaw Creek
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To This AICW Problem Stretch
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Stretches” Listing For the AICW North of Ben Sawyer Bridge to Isle of Palms Bridge
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To This AICW Problem Stretch
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Stretches” Listing For the AICW/Ashepoo Coosaw Cutoff Problem Stretch
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To This AICW Problem Stretch
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