Thanks to Larry and Kathryn Putt on “Blue Lagoon” for passing along this information today.

“Please be advised that the Kingsley Creek RR bridge mile 720.8 will be
closed Monday, May 14 -Friday,May 18,2012 from 8:00AM-11:30AM and
1:00PM-5:30PM and opened 11:30AM-1:00PM.

I had to call the Coast Guard in Jacksonville to verify. They did not know about the
closing but took my phone number and called me back with the information.”

We made way from St. Augustine, Fl to St. Mary’s, Ga yesterday. Passed 2 trawlers hard aground in Sisters Creek, 3 sailboats aground and 1 barge on the Amelia River. Tides were about 2 foot lower than predicted. With Supermoon Saturday here, it will be even lower today. Please be careful if on the southeast portion of the ICW, especially north FL, GA, and South Carolina. /Larry and Christine onboard BlueSkies/
____________________
Larry and Christine Hayden
BlueSkies

Larry and Christine…..thanks for the post.

Peck Lake (probably the 2nd most popular stop north after North Palm) - there is a large barge with dredge here pumping the sandbars from Peck Lake to the ocean side. This will significantly enlarge the anchoring at Peck Lake, but for now, the barge has areas of the lake marked off with white poles and runs 24 hours a day. It is very noisy and stinky!

In addition, a sailboat in “storage” has sunk, west of the 2-story wooden structure marked “Danger.” It is almost submerged at high tide with just the tops of the port stanchions showing. It is a significant problem that has not been addressed in over a month. No orange signs on it, so it’s here for awhile more.

Janice Callum

We went through Stuart yesterday (3/15) and as we approached the ICW from the OWW at markers 3A & 4 we noticed, on our depth sounder, a shallow spot with about 6 feet of water about 1 hour before low tide. I think it is just a narrow hump. We certainly didn’t see any real issue with it, but sailboats should be aware of it. The bottom is soft in this area.
We also saw the dredges working in the inlet. They are going to be done with dredging later this month, and hopefully the problems with the St. Lucie Inlet will be solved for a while.
Bud and Elaine
Diamond Girl
Waterway Guide Cruising Editors

We have received an unconfirmed report that marker “R210”, which marks a shoal, has been removed. We would appreciate additional reports.

The following is from the CG 7th District NTM 05/12.

Norfolk Dredging Company will commence dredging operations in the St Lucie Inlet on or about February 19, 2012. The dredge “CHARLESTON” will
be working in the Federal Navigation Channel of the St Lucie Inlet and the Impoundment Basin in the north side if the channel. A pipeline will be
placed from the dredging area to the vessel PULLEN which will be stationed near the south bank of the St Lucie Inlet. From the vessel PULLEN, the
pipeline runs to St Lucie Inlet State park near South point. The project will continue until approximately April 10, 2010. The dredge operator will
standby in VHF-FM channels 13 and 16. Vessel traffic should call 30 minutes prior to expected time of passage.

The following is from the CG 7th District NTM 03/12.

The Coast Guard received a report of a submerged object approximately 6ft beneath the water in position 29-31.9N 081-09.3W between Fox Cut
Light 3 (LLNR 39680) and Fox Cut Daybeacon 4 (LLNR 39683) in vicinity of Beverly Beach. Mariners are advised to stay alert and transit the area
with extreme caution.

The following is from the CG 7th District Notice to Mariners 52/11.

The Coast Guard has approved a request from the bridge owner of the FEC Railroad Bridge across the St Johns River mile 24.9,
Jacksonville, Florida to close this bridge to navigation from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and from 12:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily Sunday through
Thursday starting January 15, 2012 until March 29, 2012. The Coast Guard recognizes that this will place a burden on vessels transiting
through this area during these dates and times. After review of this request with the bridge owner it has been determined that this work
cannot be safely completed during nighttime operations nor would it be beneficial to reduce the amount of time allocated for this requested
closure, doing so, would have the potential of extending this project an additional 4 to 6 months.

Ed note: The closed vertical clearance is 6 feet.

FYI - Day Marker R “210” is missing for over a month now. This is a long, fairly straight section of the Treasure Coast just past the Power Plant on the east side of the channel and before the Jensen Beach Bridge. You may want to hug the greens here as we don’t know why the red is missing. May have been knocked down and broken off below the water line so stay green to avoid “finding” R210 and having a bad day.

Captain Chris Yacht Service

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

Stay close to reds, about 20’ to 30’ away from R18 and R18A for 8’ to 9’ MLW versus 5’ or less on the green side. Just south of the cut, favor center as R20 is clearly set in shallow waters.

Thanks to Pascal Gademer aboard the m/v Charmer.

Dredged 2011, no issues, two green cans mark the channel, split with shoreline for 12 to 15 MLW>

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

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

Stay 125’ off R38 for 15’MLW. reports of grounding close to marker.

Pascal Gademer aboard the m/v Charmer sent in the following. Thanks Pascal.

Favor the green side around G21-23 as it shoals on centerline. I found 
15MLW 150’ off G21, 
10MLW 100’ off G23 
10MLW 100’ off G25

I always favor the green side there, never had a problem passing about 100’ from G3 and 200’ from G5.

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

The following is from the CG 7th District NTM 42/11.

All mariners are advised to exercise extreme caution while in the vicinity of and transiting Ponce De Leon Inlet at night due to the North Jetty Light (LLNR 9520) being unlit as a result of being destroyed.

Ted Stehle, editor

The following is from the CG 7th District NTM 43/11.

The Coast Guard has received a report of shoaling channelward of Amelia River Lighted Buoy 6 (LLNR 7070). Reported depth at low tide is 6ft. All mariners are advised to exercise caution while transiting this area.

Ted Stehle, editor

The entrance to the anchorage at G43 is shoaling, we could not find any deep water at low tide to enter. We draw 4.5’ and ran aground twice trying to find the deeper water. The charted deep water was only 4.5’

-Mike Link

There is 1 mooring with a sailboat on it in this anchorage and it is the only deep water. The charted deep water is now only 4’ at low tide. We ran aground multiple times trying to find deeper water and we only draw 4.5’

-Mike Link

The Blue Heron bridge is published on nautical charts and bridge clearance documents to provide 65 ft from MHT clearance. The construction at the east opening provides 65 ft. The construction at the west side, the main channel provides only 63 ft. From mid tide to high tide, sailboats needing 65 ft use the east opening.

Iracha

Ed note: The official name of this bridge is Jerry Thomas Memorial Bridge.

Since completion of the rebuilt Bridge of Lions there has been controversy as to what the actual vertical clearance is. Current NOAA charts show it to be 25 feet, mean high water. Many cruisers have reported (see previous posts) that this is not accurate. Waterway Guide called the FDOT and they told us the new bridge is certified at 18.6 feet low steel (outer edges) at mean high water. They do not list nor certify centerline clearance. The tide board on the bridge fender shows clearance at low steel. There is normally a 4 foot rise to maximum clearance in the center, which if true in this instance, would provide a maximum of 22 feet 6 inches at mean high water.

Ted Stehle

At mile 897.8, Cocoa Beach, we found the gorgeous 200’ city dock that we have enjoyed in the past, is gone! Along with that all the fingers to tie a dingy to have also been removed.

-Paula

The following is from the CG 7th District NTM 21/11.

Due to shifting shoal Biscayne Bay Buoy 6B (LLNR 47823) is off station last know position 25-54-08.219N 080-07-52.126W and Temporary Biscayne Bay Buoy 7B is severely sanded in from shoaling last known position 25-54-07.437N 080-07-51.189W. All mariners are requested to transit the area with extreme caution.

We transited Sisters Creek northbound yesterday on our way to Fernandina Beach. The Waterway Guide noted potential shoaling between Red “74” and Green “73” about MM 735.5. As we approached Red “74” we slowed down to 5 knots (Far Niente is an Island Packet 45 and draws 5’) and began to monitor depth. At the time we were between Red “74” and Green “73” the tide was about 1/2 way up and rising. The depth started to rise from about 10-11’ to 7-8’ as we moved north. Then a couple hundred yards from Green “73” the depth fell again and we saw as much as 13-14’. I relaxed and increased the speed.

Suddenly about 100-150’ south of Green “73” and about 50’ west of the east side of the channel, our bow swung rapidly about 20-30 degrees to the west. We slowed noticeably and of course the depth sounder indicated 0’ feet (beneath the keel). We went from 13’ of water to 5’ during mid-tide. The boat plowed through the soft bottom and then the depth dropped rapidly back to 10-12’

I don’t know if favoring the Red side would have solved the problem, but the shoaling noted in the guide is real.

Jeff Graham
s/v Far Niente
IP45 #33
Lying Fernandina Harbor Marina

the anchorage listed at the haulover canal,
icw mm 869.5 is closed. they are installing dockd and a marina. efectively blocking any anchoring. sorry to see this sweet spot go away.

In the Skipper Bob booklet on Anchorages, there is an anchorage listed in the Florida section of the book east of Green 19 in Pablo Creek south of the St Johns River. East of G-19 is totally shoaled in and at low tide a sandbar is above water. Entrance to the anchorage via G-17 is still valid, but not east of G-19. I ran aground there two months ago. After being towed out I entered the anchorage at G-17 without a problem. I spend the night and watched the shoal east of G-19 appear well above the low tide water level twice. I suggest you immediately correct future versions of the Anchorage guide and place a notice on your website.