Our good friends, and SSECN strategic partners, Captains Mark and Diana Doyle, founders and owners of “On The Water ChartGuides” (http://www.onthewaterchartguides.com/), give us an updated, graphic report below, relaying what they discovered as they navigated through the AICW Hell Gate Problem Stretch on 11/20/13! Note that the Doyle’s soundings were taken near high tide, so to calculate MLW depths, you must subtract 7.8 feet from their figures. Applying this correction, Diana and Mark noted “multiple soundings around 5 feet at MLLW, southward toward R90.”
PERHAPS THE MOST USEFUL PART OF THE DOYLE’S REPORT, IS THEIR DISCOVERY OF A NEW, UNCHARTED MARKER, #90, LOCATED BETWEEN CHARTED MARKERS #89 AND #91! Be sure to observe the new #90 marker as you cruise through!
Incidentally, Diana and Mark have recently published a new edition of their immensely popular “ICW CruiseGuide.” Click on the book graphic to the above left for more details, and to place an order!

Hi Claiborne,
For those transiting Georgia, Hell Gate has a new, uncharted navaid that should help passage through the shallower sections of this perennial ICW Trouble Spot.
I’ve attached a printable high-resolution file of our November 20th survey report and depth-annotated track.
Hopefully, SSECN readers cruising this area will find the report useful.
Best and hope to see some of the Cruisers’ Net gang at this year’s St. Marys Cruisers Thanksgiving!
Captains Mark & Diana Doyle
m/v Semi-Local
http://www.OnTheWaterChartGuides.com

Just transited Hell’s Gate on 11DEC2013. Delivery of 58′ power vessel with 5’4’³ draft. Passed through at 0620, with tide at approx +2.2. Minimum depth noted was approx. 2.5′ under under running gear.
Captain Rob Welling

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Stretches” Listing For the AICW Hell Gate Problem Stretch

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To This AICW Problem Stretch