Waterway Updates

The following is from the CG 5th District NTM 45/11.

Mariners are advised that the southern Pasquotank River Bridge, mile 50.7 at Elizabeth City will be raised and locked in the open position for demolition of the bascule spans. The work will take place from the road and nothing will be in the waterway. Workers will stop for boat traffic to proceed through the bridge. The northern bridge will operate as usual. A temporary work bridge will be installed on the southwest side of the southern bridge. The temporary work bridge will not be in the navigational channel at any time and will remain in place throughout the replacement bridge project. Mariners are advised to proceed with caution. Chart : 12206.

Hit submerged tree just north of mile marker 120 with keel of 5-ft draft. Tide was near zero. The impact was about 15-20 feet green side of center. Advise staying red side of center through this area.

Arnstein Mustad

Arnstein, thanks for the report.

Ted Stehle

The Beaufort, NC post office is no longer located on the harbor, rather has moved some distance inland, on pedestrian-unfriendly Hwy 70 just past the Food Lion grocery.

-Lori Steinbrunner Of S/v Cheshire

We received the following via email today from the CG 5th District.

Mariners are advised that Marine Contracting Corporation will be replacing the fender system at the Emerald Isle Bridge on SR 58 Bridge over the AIWW mile 226.0 between NC 24 and Emerald Isle, NC beginning the week of 14 MAY 2012 through 31 OCT 2012. There will be a tug, a crane barge, and a deck barge moored in the area, will periodically cross the channel, and will obstruct a portion of the channel while operating below the bridge. During periods of severe weather and/or sea conditions the floating equipment will be relocated elsewhere out of the waterway and display all required navigational lights. The crane barge and tug will monitor VHF channels 16 and 13. Mariners are requested to stay clear of the equipment, exercise extreme caution, and produce no wake when approaching, passing, and leaving the area. Chart 11541

Many thanks to Pascal Gademer aboard the m/v Charmer for this report.

8’ MLW shoal 100 to 250’ North of G55 worst on red side. Favor green side passing 100’ from G55

Thursday, 3 May 2012, headed north from Wrightsville Beach to Beaufort we reached the New River Inlet just after low tide and from the inlet north to past Bear Creek there were frequent thin spots. Two notible areas were at Browns Inlet, north of Green 61, and for several hundred yards on either side of the turn at Bear Creek. The least we saw was 6.2 feet but, particularly near Bear Creek the channel was narrow and the strong current coming in the inlet made paying attention critical.

Red Walkabout

Bill, many thanks for the report.

Many thanks to Pascal Gademer aboard the m/v Charmer for this update.

No issues except for brief 9’MLW hump on south side of inlet crossing as well as on the red side just north on the intersection.

Motts Channal: The afternoon of May 2, going into the Banks Channel anchorage via Motts Channal at near low we had a minimum of 7 feet all the way through except for a brief 6 foot spot right by the Green 25 at the ICW junction. Coming out in the morning near high we had about 10 feet all the way out except, again, right at the junction. On our way in a young girl on a stand-up paddle board shot out from between two of the boats on the Seapath Yacht Clubs face dock, right in front of us - she never looked, Betty had to do a sudden reverse or we might have hit her. Wrightsville Beach is a resort and there were paddle boards, kayaks and several swimmers in the banks channal anchorage with local small craft zipping through at high speed.

Shinn Creek: As we were approaching Wrightsville Beach a deep draft sailboat called Sea Tow and asked about Motts Channel, he was advised to use Shinn Creek instead and to treat ICW Green 129 as though it was also a Shinn Creek Green, keep it on the right going in.

Red Walkabout

Bill, many thanks for the report.

Many thanks to Pascal Gademer aboard the m/v Charmer for this report.

7’ MLW shoal 100’ north of G135, favor red of centerline

Many thanks for Pascal Gademer aboard the m/v Charmer for this report.

Depths in the cut are more than adequate and the channel is well marked by two floaties. It is the stretch between the cut and the river where sometimes depths are reported as shallow. Between G163 and G167 staying on the range will ensure 10’+MLW. South of G167 the best water (10’ MLW) can be found on a line about 100 to 150’ of the reds (R170 to 176) Straying further to the green side results in lower depths.

this T-Pier Free Dock has been repaired but some boater has hit the new ladder and almost tore it off! You can still access the rustic dock from your boat tho! 24 hour rule is not enforced, the locals say most boaters stay up to a week there.Still you need to call and let the police department you are there and give your name and your boat name. Great historical town, a must see if you have not been there yet!

-Colleen &stan Anderson

Today, Nov 16 2011 we have have just negotiated Lockwoods Folly & found it dredged to 11 foot & marked with small red nuns & green cans.

-Claire Gace

Many thanks to Pascal Gademer aboard the m/v Charmer for this report.

Passed a little closer to G81 than usual due to numerous pots IN THE CHANNEL and found 7.5 to 8’ MLW.
The pots are in the channel, between the buoys and one if them had an 8’ line floating near the surface at high tide. Also FL G83 is damaged and floating on it s side, likely extinguished

Just north of Barefoot Landing Bridge the green mile marker post "21" has been hit and bent over. At low tide it is just visible. At high tide it will under water and not visible as boat come around the curve after passing through Barefoot Landing Swing Bridge.

-Anna Armstrong

Facing dock in 36' water depth is now open to transient traffic. Free 30/50 amp power, city water and clean bathrooms and showers available.

-Carl Schwandt

Leland Oil Co. has completed the update to our docks. We have 450' new floating docks with new power post. We are open for business.

-Duane Merritt

Many thanks to Pascal Gademer aboard m/v Charmer for this report.

9’ to 10’ MLW thru the section just south of the village.

Many thanks to Pascal Gademer aboard m/v Charmer for this report.

North of Ben Sawyer Bridge, numerous 7’ MLW spots south a G117A all the way to G121. channel is very narrow and shoals rapidly off centerline. As often the humps are where small creeks meet the waterway.

Hi Ted,

Sanctuary and crew transited southbound through Isle of Palms, SC, at 08h30 this am (Thursday, 11/3/2011). It was low tide, and our chart plotter reported the current datum at +0.91 ft.

That stretch of 4 - 5 miles has some very shallow spots, with some depths in mid-channel as low as 5 ft. We heard others talking about what they were seeing, so I pursued a route slightly favoring the red side of the channel. We found no less than 6.9 feet. Here’s the detail:

At R’118’ - 7’ mid-channel, 9’ red side

At G’117A’ - 40’ - 50’ off the marker, 7.5’

At the un-named creek 1/2 mile north of inlet creek - 6.9’

At G’119’ - 7.5’ red side of channel (There are crab pots in this area on both sides of the channel. Some extend into the channel. To favor the red, we passed some of the crab pots on the red quarter to our port side. Found favorable water depths there today. Of course, the crabber will move the pots, so the advice remains, favor red.

At G ‘121’ - 8.5’ red side of channel

With lower datum or celestial lows, this stretch would definitely be a problem for most cruising boats.

Jim

Peg and Jim Healy aboard Sanctuary

Thanks to Jim for another excellent report.

Many thanks to Pascal Gademer aboard m/v Charmer for this update.

7’ MLW along the green floaties past R110. 7’ MLW between R116 and G117. 9’ MLW off R132 just west of the bridge

Many thanks to Pascal Gademer aboard m/v Charmer for this update.

8’ MLW mostly between G139 and G143

9’ MLW between 162 and R162A passign about 100’ off R162A, 12’ between R162A and R164

Many thanks to Pascal Gademer aboard m/v Charmer for this report.

Southern section, 6’ to 7’ MLW most of the way but some 5’ MLW spots just north of R184. This is down almost 2’ from this spring on the same line. Make sure you come in or exit the southern end of the cut at an angle as shown on the charts (by R184/G195). A new can G177 has been added by the FL G 177 to mark the shoal. Note that the northern section of the cut off bet R166 and R172 is no problem, over 12’ MLW>

Thanks to Pascal Gademer aboard m/v Charmer for this report.

Deep except brief 9’ MLW sounding at the south end, between R40/G39.

Thanks to Pascal Gademer aboard m/v Charmer for this report.

Thanks to Pascal Gademer aboard m/v Charmer for this report. Note the missing nav aid.


9’ MLW or more in the cut but R42 is missing tempting people to cut the corner

At the northern end favor the green side for 11’ MLW or more. Found some 8’ mlw readings in the bend hslfway thru. At the southern end, near the Savannah River, favor the red side around the bend stay away from the dock on the green side. Found 12’MLW passing about 100’ off R50 and the range tower, then about 200’ off the dock

Thanks to Pascal Gademer aboard m/v Charmer for this report.

8’ to 9’ MLW thru most of the cut but some readings as low as 5’ to 6’ MLW around R90. I usually pass about 40’ from R90, and about 30’ from G89; this time around it s definitely shallower by about 2 to 2.5’ compared to earlier this year

Thanks to Pascal Gademer aboard m/v Charmer for this report.

Many thanks to Pascal Gademer aboard m/v Charmer for the following report.

8’ MLW between G127 and R128 on the red side

Many thanks to Pascal Gademer aboard the m/v Charmer for this report.

I found similar depths as on previous runs. 
9’MLW north of G193
8’MLW 100’ off G193
5’MLW by the charted wreck
7’MLW 100’ off R194
5’ to 6’ MLW half way between G195 and the range marker
Once on the range depths increase rapidly to 10+MLW

Near G195 I always split G195 with the range marker and get on the range right away when southbound. Depths shoal up quickly close to G195

7’ MLW is as shallow as I saw mostly near G19 and along the range. I passed about 150’ off G19 then turned on range (was northbound). Stayed on the range till past R16 ( passed about 75’ away) then split R16 with the southernmost range marker. No change from previous trips.

Thanks to Pascal Gademer aboard m/v Charmer for this report.

All Markers (R60 to R62) have finally been moved and are marking the shoal on the red side. 12 to 15MLW throughout.

Ed Note: Your chart plotter most likely will not be accurate, therefore, do not follow the magenta line. Follow the markers. The area of most confusion is at the intersection of Cumberland Dividings and the Brichilll River. 

Thanks to Pascall Gademer aboard m/v Charmer for the above report.

Favor the green side north of the bend and G1. I always stay about 20/30’ from G1 thru the turn and then come back mid channel south of G1. Note that I have seen reports of deep water way over on the red side / outside of the turn. I have never tried that route but in any case, avoid the center of the channel!

Thanks to Pascal Gademer aboard m/v Charmer for this report.

5 years ago this morning I had to tell my children that their dad had died. It seems like yesterday but still like forever ago. 5 years ago today I lost the best friend I ever had.

Elaine Reib

Exactly five years ago today, I got out of bed and checked my email and saw
there was one from Skipper Bob. The evening before, I had sent him my
latest batch of updates for the New York Canals book. The email was a
short thank you note from Bob, time-stamped exactly 8 AM that morning. I
could picture Bob sitting at his desk, probably looking forward to doing
some editing on the books that morning.

It turned out sending me that email was the last thing Bob did … and then
he slumped to the floor and died. The email remained on his screen
afterwards.

Bob is a great guy. He wrote the Skipper Bob books to asist the long
distance cruisers, and with the help of his wife Elaine Reib, he did a
mighty fine job.

I first saw a copy of the New York Canals book, on my first visit up here
in 2003. I was amazed how it contained absolutely everything I needed to
know for my cruise, and I got my own copy the first chance I had. Kathy
and I spend many days planning our future trips with the Skipper Bob book
open as the ultimate reference. It wasn’t very wordy, but it was concise
and to the point, the perfect cruiser’s helm reference. I loved the book,
so I contacted Bob and started helping with it.

Since about 2004, I had been sending Bob all kinds of updates and
corrections, so that the book might be correct and complete and benefit
future boaters, as it had done for me. The books are now continued by Ted
Stehle, who continues Bob’s excellent work, and I continue to send Ted
updates for it. Bob is often in my mind as I gather info for the next
updates.

When Bob died, he left a big gap, but I always talk about Bob in the
present tense as he will always be around. He will live on in the memory
of those who knew him, those who worked with him, and his family. Skipper
Bob is out there on the canals and waterways somewhere even now. You may
not see him on your cruises, but he’s out there with you.

Skipper Bob, December 11th, 2006. May he cruise with us forever.

Fred Wehner

The following is from the CG 7th District NTM 45/11.

Mariners are advised that shoaling extends 15 yards channelward between St Marys River DBN 6 (LLNR 6805) and St Marys River DBN 8 (LLNR 6810) with minimum depth reported at 2ft MLW.

Just to let you know, the post office is no longer on the waterfront but has been moved to SR 70. Also, the museum is no longer loaning out their car.

-Melinda Schell