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    • Dec 27, 2012by:   Claiborne Young No Comments

      Updates on Fernandina Beach Mooring Field – Captains Mark and Diana Report (St. M. 717)

      On the Water GuidebooksThe Fernandina Beach Mooring field lies almost directly west of the city marina, and within easy dinghy distance of the large dink dock at this facility. All the many dining, shopping and sightseeing attractions of downtown Fernandina Beach are within easy walking distance.
      Thanks to our strategic partners, Captains Diana and Mark Doyle, founders and owners of On The Water ChartGuides, we can present updated information on these facilities below.

      Moorings are inexpensive and convenient to town.

      Here are [two] important updates and reminders on the Fernandina Beach, FL area (STM 716.9):

      Payment in Person
      Some sources mistakenly report that you need to dinghy ashore to pay the mooring fee. In our experience (two visits), this is not the case. If you don’t have a dinghy, or don’t feel like launching your dink, simply phone Fernandina Harbor Marina at 904-491-2090. You can provide your credit card information over the phone.
      The rates have increased slightly, posted on their website as: $20/day for a mooring, $3/day for dinghy dockage, and $7/day for dinghy dockage with shower access. Weekly rates are available. More rate details ‘” including the marina’s tiered pricing for inside versus outside slips ‘” are here: http://www.fbfl.us/index.aspx?NID=102

      Farmer’s Market
      And while you’re in the area, don’t forget the Fernandina Beach Market Place. It’s a popular farmers’ market a short walk from the dinghy dock, gathering every Saturday from 0900-1300 hrs.

      These moorings are great in mild conditions. When the wind howls against the tide it is a rough, rough ride. When the tide changes, we have seen boats using not very long bridles carried completely over the buoy pendant. I would not recommend leaving your boat unattended during tidal current shifts. That said, I we found pay by phone friendly and efficient.
      Chris

      Click Here To View the Eastern Florida Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Fernandina Harbor Marina

      Click Here To View the Eastern Florida Cruisers’ Net Anchorage Directory Listing For Fernandina Beach Mooring Field

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    • Dec 26, 2012by:   Claiborne Young No Comments

      Great Account of Cruising Western Florida’s Big Bend Region, North to South

      I’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating. Get a dozen veteran cruisers together, put forward the question about the best way to cross Western Florida’s waterwayless “Big Bend” region, and you’ll get fourteen different opinions. For those not familiar with these waters, it’s basically a question of whether to cut the corner, if southbound, and head directly for Anclote Key or Clearwater (this often involves an overnight passage), or, staying well offshore, follow the Big Bend coastline around, with the opportunity to anchor or moor on one of the regional rivers. Almost all of these are naturally beautiful, but all have long, torturous, and sometimes shallow entrance channels from the open Gulf.
      Captains Judith and Paul give one of the best arguments below I’ve heard in some time as to the good attributes of taking the Big Bend coastline route.

      We opted to travel The Big Bend from Carrabelle to Tarpon Springs. The distance is greater than the cross-Gulf trek, but well worth it. This area is of historical significance and is comprised of small/tiny fishing villages among marsh, cypress, fir, hardwoods, palm trees and alligators, not to mention dolphins and a myriad of sea/woods birds. Fishing is the name of the game here. There were large, deep draft boats in all the marinas, but one would have to watch the tides. This would be a much better trip if it were a bit earlier in the year before the northerlies arrive. The ubiquitous crab pots/fishing pots are easily seen and avoided
      as long as the seas are 1-2′ and the sun is not in your eyes.
      Our first stop was St. Mark’s (20 miles south of Tallahassee), staying at the new Shield’s Marina (showers/laundry/well stocked chandlery/full service) and a couple of anchorages in the beautiful St. Mark’s River. We lunched at the Riverside (Paradise) Cafe, walked the park, museum/fort, and the railroad converted to bike path. The area/fort has been significant historically since the 1500’s (and 12,000 yrs before) under the control of 9 different cultures. The area provided the most important salt for the Confederate troups. They have a post office and a limited grocery store and are the heart of the Stone Crab industry with a festival in October. A man came to talk with us for awhile and loaned us his car to go to the St. Mark’s Wildlife Preserve and The Lighthouse. We saw many alligators sunning. We found out later, the owner will loan you his car for Walmart or the lighthouse/nature preserve tour.
      Next we went to Sea Hag marina in Steinhatchee. There is a post office, good grocery store and several restaurants. Fiddler’s Restaurant will come to the marina, pick you up and bring you back. Delicious seafood dinner. We took our zodiac up the river for a few hours as the weather was not condusive for anchoring out.
      The wild and beautiful Suwanee River was next on the list, bypassing Cedar Key about which we had not heard good things. We stopped at Miller’s Marina for fuel and a pumpout. This is a very basic place on a lovely pool approached from the river by a leafy narrow canal. A short walk to The Salt River Seafood Company Restaurant provided us with a delicious lunch. We understand they will let you stay the night at their dock for free if you eat there. 350 people call this village home with 750 vacation homes–small is an overstatement. Predicted stormy weather prevented our anchoring out up the Suwannee which we very much wish we had been able to do–you know, the song and all!
      After a few hours of being hammered on the open Gulf, we slipped into the first marina on Crystal River, Twin Rivers Marina. They are 6 miles from town, but had a floating dock for us which we prefer, being so small. One
      could stay in town at Pete’s Pier. TRW is a full service marina, and we need a wiper repair and a stove repair after our Gulf ride. Crystal River is home to the largest herd of manatees in Florida. Photographing manatees
      is similar to dolphins–as soon as you focus, they are gone.
      We are waiting here for a window to get down to Tarpon Springs and back on the ICW. We have met friendly people and had quiet, secure havens and would highly recommend Florida’s “Forgotten Coast” to complete your Loop experience.
      Judith and Paul
      Tranquilo
      26′ C-Dory

      Click Here To View the Western Florida Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Shields Marina

      Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Shields Marina

      Click Here To View the Western Florida Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Sea Hag Marina

      Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Sea Hag Marina

      Click Here To View the Western Florida Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Millers Marina

      Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Millers Marina

      Click Here To View the Western Florida Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Twin Rivers Marina

      Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Twin Rivers Marina

      Click Here To View the Western Florida Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Pete’s Pier

      Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Pete’s Pier

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    • Dec 23, 2012by:   Larry Dorminy No Comments 31.9483,-81.06579999

      Skidaway Narrows Bridge OPERATIONAL!, AICW Statute Mile 592.5


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      Our “onsite reporter”, Roger Long, gives us the good news that the bridge has been repaired. Capt. Long had been anchored in the immediate area waiting for an opening since early Saturday. Thank you, Roger! However, he warns that more problems with the old bridge may arise before the new bridge is completed. Skidaway Narrows Bridge crosses the ICW at Statute Mile 592.5. A new high-rise bridge is under construction immediately north of the old bridge.

      Opened Sunday evening 12/23/12. In view of the big head shaking gathering by a bunch of people who looked like they had been pulled from church and family activities, I expect there will be more uncertainty about this bridge in its short time remaining.
      Roger Long

      Click Here To View the Georgia Cruisers’ Net Bridge Directory Listing For Skidaway Narrows Bridge

      Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Skidaway Narrows Bridge

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    • Dec 21, 2012by:   Claiborne Young No Comments

      Possible Shortcut From St. Catherine Sound to Walburg Creek Anchorage (St. M. 619)

      It might help to understand the posting below, if you were first to take a look at the portion of chart which depicts the northern entrance to the excellent Walburg Creek anchorage, from St. Catherine Sound. As you will see, there is a long shoal charted as “Middle Ground” which thrusts into the western flank of the creek’s entrance.
      The classic way to avoid these shallows has been to continue cruising east, as if you were going to follow the St. Catherine Sound Inlet to the open sea, and then curl back around to the south and west from a position east of marker #7.
      What Captain Long is attempting to do, as described below, is find a way to short-cut the long cruise east to get past #7. Looks like he may have found a way for the moment, BUT, as he notes, depths in this region are subject to rapid and uncharted changes. Cutting the corner may be a risky proposition, and the responsibility to take such a chance rests entirely with each individual captain!

      When coming across Saint Catherines Sound in a stiff breeze as I did yesterday, it’s tempting to cut across the long shoal that forms an extension of the north bank of Walberg Creek if you plan to seek shelter there. It’s also tempting at the end of a long run to this beautiful spot.
      BobT’s friends in Second Wind ran the magenta line which goes far out into the entrance of the sound to the ocean. This left them with a hard slog under power back up to the creek. It also could have left them in a dicey situation if their engine hadn’t started, being carried out to sea by two knots of current. It would have been tough in those conditions to set sail and beat to windward in the nasty chop.
      There have been a lot of changes in this area and the chart is pretty much fictional now. Since it was calm this morning and I planned a very short day, I decided to do a quick survey. My soundings are in red, corrected to MLW with the tide data in my Garmin chartplotter.
      The highlighted track shows my attempt to feel my way along the 8 foot sounding line. There are some 10 foot spots along that track but I was shy about pushing right in with a lot of current behind me. When I found the 5 foot spot earlier on, the depth change was quite fast.
      Roger Long

      And, here is some additional info from Captain Long:

      You should probably mention that I took the shortcut over the 9 foot, now 32 foot soundings and went very near the 5 foot sounding early this year and didn’t notice the depths being significantly different than the chart. I may not have been paying as much attention but this appears to be an area subject to fast changes.
      Roger

      Click Here To View the Georgia Anchorage Cruisers’ Net Anchorage Directory Listing For the Walburg Creek Anchorage

      Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of the Walburg Creek Anchorage

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    • Dec 18, 2012by:   Larry Dorminy No Comments 29.9093,-81.29689999

      A Word of Caution about Adverse Currents at AICW/St. Augustine Inlet, Statute Mile 777.3


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      Marker #60 - Click for Chartview

      Capt. Burnham offers compelling words of caution which should be taken seriously during falling tides at the intersection of the Waterway and St. Augustine Inlet at statue mile 777.3, especially at marker #60 where the channel makes a dogleg turn. And, no matter how often it happens, as any displacement hull vessel operator will relate, it is a strange sensation in the pit of your stomach when Mother Nature, in the guise of a crossing tide, unexpectedly wrests your boat from your control! While Capt. Burnham’s remarks pertain to St. Augustine Inlet, such adverse crossing tides can occur at a number of inlet/Waterway intersections.

      We were cruising north from the Bridge of Lions in St. Augustine and planned a short daysail north up the AICW and back again. On a ebb flowing tide, two currents collide with the eastbound flow through the St. Augustine inlet. The southbound AICW ebb current and the northerly ebb current from Salt Run. A vessel traveling south on the ebb current of the AICW that desires to continue westward to the Bridge of Lions, will be swept past floating RED AICW marker `60’³ into the path of a vessel heading eastward from the Bridge of Lions toward the inlet. This is not a narrow channel but the eddies created on an ebbing tide will cause a southbound vessel on the AICW to momentarily lose steerage at this right hand turn UNLESS the Captain APPLIES SUFFICIENT POWER to maintain forward momentum. Exercise CAUTION if you are leaving St. Augustine and you see vessel traffic coming from the north on the AICW. If that southbound vessel turns westward away from the inlet into the ebbing current it will lose the apparent speed of the southbound current as it turns right around the floating RED AICW marker `60’³ and MAY be swept into the path of the eastbound vessel if caught in the eddies. This is especially true for displacement hulled vessels and vessels not at planing speeds. Give these southbound vessels ALOT of room to make their turn to the west.
      David Burnham

      Thank you Captain Burnham. We plan to be heading south through this area in mid-January.
      Brian Walter

      Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of St. Augustine Inlet/AICW Intersection

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    • Dec 18, 2012by:   Claiborne Young No Comments

      Things Have CHANGED On Troup Creek, Georgia (Statute Mile 670.5, just north of Brunswick, Georgia)

      Just this past week, I was reminded of one reason why, several years ago, I made the transition from authoring paper cruising guides, to publishing all the data I gather on the world wide web. This tale begins when I received a very polite e-mail from the owner of Hidden Harbor Marina, a very nice facility on the shores of Troup Creek, just off the AICW, a short hop north of Brunswick, Georgia.
      A visiting cruiser had informed the owner that in my “Cruising Guide to Coastal South Carolina and Georgia,” I had less than nice things to say about visiting this body of water. Turns out the CGSC-GA edition in question was at least six years old, and, at that time, there was a seriously scuzzy, combination bar and marina perched on the shores of Troup Creek. Hence my less than glowing recommendation.
      Happily, those days are LONG GONE, and there is every good reason for cruisers to visit the facility which now occupies these shores, Hidden Harbor Marina. And, to bring this discussion full circle, that is one of the real problems with paper cruising guide. They often hang around far past their “sell-by” date.
      So, if you have old editions of my cruising guides or anyone elses, use them for a bon fire, and get the latest edition of all your guide books, or better yet, get your data on marina, anchorages and bridges right here, on the Salty Southeast Cruisers’ Net!

      Click Here To View the Georgia Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Hidden Harbor Marina

      Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Hidden Harbor Marina

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    • Dec 18, 2012by:   Claiborne Young No Comments

      Little Shark River Southern Fork Anchorage

      Looks like Captains Ken and Pat are reporting on (or near) the second anchorage we recommend on Little Shark River moving upstream from the stream’s mouth. In our “Western Florida Anchorage Directory” (follow link below), we recommend dropping the hook north of the “island,” but, hey, Little Shark River is one of those places where you could spend a month, and never exhaust all the anchorage possibilities!

      I wish we would have spent more time exploring the Everglades. We did anchor in Little Shark River, and enjoyed exploring in the dinghy.
      We went up the mouth of the river, turned right at the T, and anchored below the first Island. Very nice spot!
      Ken & Pat Goewey

      Click Here To View the Western Florida Cruisers’ Net Anchorage Directory Listing For the Little Shark River Southern Fork Anchorage

      Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of the Little Shark River Southern Fork Anchorage

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    • Dec 14, 2012by:   Larry Dorminy No Comments

      Dismal Swamp Canal Re-Opened! AICW Alternate Route

      Dismal Swamp Canal Bridge

      The Great Dismal Swamp Canal Bridge, which crosses the Waterway at statute mile 28, has been closed for maintenance for several weeks and, except for small craft, the repairs essentially closed the Dismal Swamp Canal to navigation. With repairs now completed, the Dismal Swamp Canal is once again open for navigation. The AICW Alternate Dismal Swamp Canal Route southbound departs the primary AICW south of Norfolk at Statute Mile 7.2 and begins officially at Deep Creek Lock at Statute Mile 10.6.

      Supt. Joy Greenwood reports the bridge repairs have been completed and the Canal has reopened for transient boating traffic. Please help us get the word out!
      Thank you!
      Donna Stewart, Director
      Dismal Swamp Welcome Center
      2356 US Hwy 17N
      South Mills, NC 27976
      Phone ~ 252-771-8333
      www.DismalSwampWelcomeCenter.com

      Larry and Claiborne,
      Thanks for sharing the message. We were only closed for four and a half days due to hydraulic work on the bridge which crosses over the Canal to the Dismal Swamp State Park. We had a boat make the 1:30pm locking at Deep Creek and stay with us last night. If you’re still traveling south, we would love to see you.
      Donna Stewart

      Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Dismal Swamp Canal Swing Bridge.

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