Bridge comment on Lady's Island (Woods Memorial) Bridge

Comment by: Benjamin Resch on Dec 13, 2024
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'

Learned this morning that winter hours are in effect; bridge master told us first opening is at 9:30, not 9:00am (as published), so spent 30 mins circling around.

• WG Editor Comment:
  

  The schedule in this listing is from the CFR's. Nothing mentioned about 0930 openings.

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Marina Review for Jekyll Harbor Marina

Reviewed by: Benjamin Resch on Mar 3, 2024
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.5'

Rating: 5

Fantastic little marina. Experienced dockhands, reasonable rates. Free golf carts (2hr limit) and bicycles available for enjoying this gem of an island. We were on face dock, super simple tie-up. Fuel facility is on N end, also easy access. A simple, but excellent restaurant/bar is steps away, which also houses laundry, showers, etc. highly recommend this place.

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Anchorage Review for Darien River

Reviewed by: Benjamin Resch on Mar 3, 2024
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.5'

Stopped here again, very consistent. Good holding in 18-23'. Excellent spot to stop on southbound ICW to wait for tide in Little Mud River (which was at 5' MLW in some places)

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Anchorage Review for Doboy Island - Back River

Reviewed by: Benjamin Resch on Mar 3, 2024
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.5'

Easy access from Doboy and ICW. Relatively shallow (we saw 10' at low tide) but good holding. Great, remote GA anchorage. No shore access but reasonable cell signal.

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Bridge comment on Nixon Crossroads Bridge

Comment by: Benjamin Resch on Nov 9, 2023
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'

We have 63.5 air draft - passed under with no problem at mid tide (~2.5 ft)

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Bridge comment on Wilkerson (US 264) Bridge

Comment by: Benjamin Resch on Oct 17, 2023
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'

As best as I can tell, the full number needs to be visible to indicate that height (e.g. ALL of "64" visible is 64 ft.). Although this sounds obvious, there are no specific lines to indicate each height. Our air draft is 63.5 feet. The 64 was partly obscured and we tickled each beam of the bridge with our antenna as we went through.

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Bridge comment on South Mills Bridge

Comment by: Benjamin Resch on Oct 14, 2023
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'

For southbound vessels, there is no docking and very little space to maneuver on the N side of the bridge, so time your arrival carefully to avoid a lot of close quarters maneuvering.

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Anchorage Review for West Crib Island

Reviewed by: Benjamin Resch on Jul 26, 2023
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.5'

These islands are amazing! Very picturesque, and can offer reasonable protection if you're careful with planning for prevailing winds.

We anchored just after (NE) of the morning fields - only one other boat there during the week.

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Marina Review for Pequonnock Yacht Club - PRIVATE

Reviewed by: Benjamin Resch on Jul 26, 2023
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.5'

Rating: 4

Easy access from the sound, mooring ball field is easy, pick up any ball available. Club didn't respond to VHF, but explained everything by phone. Be sure to get a pass card from the bar/yacht club.

Reasonable access to New Haven and Yale, although you'll need a bike or Uber to get there. We are in Little Italy (great pizza).

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Anchorage Review for Cockenoe Island N

Reviewed by: Benjamin Resch on Jul 26, 2023
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.5'

Great anchorage, although protection only of the winds are from certain directions. Awesome bird watching toward sundown on Cockenoe Island. Tides are significant here (7ft) so watch where you anchor if you enter at high tide.

Anchor stuck and held through 29kt gusts

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Anchorage Review for Little Alligator River - Mill Point

Reviewed by: Benjamin Resch on Apr 30, 2022
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.5'

Good, relatively open anchorage N of Alligator River bridge. Was useful for staging an early crossing over Albermarle Sound the next morning. Depths were relatively uniform 9' across the area, though lots of crab pots. Very weak cellular signal (T-mobile). Holding was good -chain came up clean, although anchor came up covered in something like wet cement!

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Anchorage Review for Mile Hammock Bay

Reviewed by: Benjamin Resch on Apr 24, 2022
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.5'

Great anchorage situated between Southport and Beaufort. Protected, with dependable depths in West half of area, possibly shallower on east half. Easily room for 6-8 boats here, although today it's just me and one other sailboat.

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Marina Review for Morningstar Marinas Southport

Reviewed by: Benjamin Resch on Apr 24, 2022
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.5'

Rating: 5

Great facility, mostly new, docks in very good shape. Electrical water was all relatively new. Experienced dockhands, and bast part - 10 minute enjoyable walk into Southport - really makes this marina worthwhile. Laundry and restroom facilities were clean and new.

We did find that the marina can be slow to respond to hail on VHF 16 - might be due to short staffing, so just need to be patient. It's worth it!

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Marina Review for Safe Harbor South Harbour Village

Reviewed by: Benjamin Resch on Apr 24, 2022
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.5'

Rating: 3

Really good experience with dockhands here, nice facility, a captive bar and restaurant. Unfortunately the marina is really far from town due to some creeks that pass between the marina location and Southport itself. No Uber or Lyft service, local taxi service was great, although $20 each way. We moved to Southport Marina after the first night.

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Anchorage Review for Outside No Name Harbor

Reviewed by: Benjamin Resch on Apr 9, 2022
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.5'

Dependable spot, good holding, plenty of room. Offers good protection from NE through SE winds, can be choppy at other times. Easy dinghy ride to Bill Baggs park (and we found a water hose available behind the food truck on shore). We stayed here several times, mostly because anything closer to Miami is chaos. It's a distance to get into town for shopping, but it can be done, and it's a nice walk through the park.

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Anchorage Review for No Name Harbor

Reviewed by: Benjamin Resch on Apr 9, 2022
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.5'

This anchorage might work for smaller sailboats, but was too tight to be comfortable for us, or really any other >40' boat IMHO. Crowded, lots of dayboats tied up, and visitors around. We opted to stay just outside where there is plenty of room for 20+ boats.

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Anchorage Review for Pumpkin Key

Reviewed by: Benjamin Resch on Apr 9, 2022
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.5'

Great sailboat anchorage on interior of the keys. Navigable waters on all sides allows shelter from winds and waves. One night we had a few wasps bother us, and lifted anchor to move further from the island. Peaceful, few other boats here, and scenery is nice.

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Anchorage Review for Peck Lake

Reviewed by: Benjamin Resch on Mar 23, 2022
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.5'

Love this place. Great anchorage south of Stuart, quite remote, fun and easy beach access to the Atlantic. We found 7-13 feet in most places but do mind the guidance to not angle further north than 060 from the green marker - some really shallow spots that way. Good holding.

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Marina Review for Jensen Beach Mooring Field

Reviewed by: Benjamin Resch on Mar 23, 2022
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.5'

Rating: 4

A great bargain for a stop on the ICW. Mooring field is new and in great shape, town is accessible with groceries, mail box Etc and everything you're likely to need. Good restaurants and a fun town nearby. Only drawback for us was that the mooring field can get rough in south winds - and makes for a challenging dinghy ride to/from their docks.

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Anchorage Review for Harris Saxon Bridge G45

Reviewed by: Benjamin Resch on Jan 25, 2022
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.5'

Good stop in our way down to Canaveral. There are a few derelict boats, but ample room for 6-8 boats along this stretch. We encountered some shoaling just east of ICW on north end of this area, was easier to get into the pool further south.

Current was predictable and mild in this area.

Fun to watch the dolphins and birds playing to the east.

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Bridge comment on Seabreeze Bridges

Comment by: Benjamin Resch on Jan 24, 2022
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'

We crossed under - no problem - with our 64 ft. air draft when boards were showing only 62 ft. Like most bridges in the area, the boards show "minimum clearances," not "center clearances," and there is additional clearance in the middle of the span.

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Anchorage Review for Fort Matanzas G81A

Reviewed by: Benjamin Resch on Jan 24, 2022
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.5'

Great Anchorage south of St. Augustine. Current does run fast - 2kts or higher, but with appropriate ground tackle we held just fine through 3 tidal changes.

We entered about 100ft off the N shore, and found 10 ft of water about everywhere.

We didn't try to tour the fort, although we saw a ranger leading a group through it, so it appears to be open again.

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Marina Review for St. Augustine Municipal Marina

Reviewed by: Benjamin Resch on Jan 23, 2022
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.5'

Rating: 5

Amazing place. Super organized, professional, and as close as you can get to the center of St. Augustine. Docks are in great shape, and 24/7 on site presence. Even had free coffee in the marina office when I was there.

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Anchorage Review for Darien River

Reviewed by: Benjamin Resch on Jan 19, 2022
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.5'

Great spot right off the ICW. We pulled over here for the night in order to wait for the tide to pass through Little Mud River (headed south). Peaceful, good hold and plenty of swing room. Current was moderate and manageable.

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Marina Review for Sunbury Crab Co. Restaurant & Marina

Reviewed by: Benjamin Resch on Jan 16, 2022
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.5'

Rating: 5

A few miles off the ICW, and well worth the trip. Turn off between marker 114A and 116 and head up the Medway River. Sunbury Crab Co has easy, long face docks, 30/50A, and gas/diesel. Sunbury Crab Co. is a local favorite, with fresh local seafood simply prepared and served with a smile. A neat historical site is a long walk south of the docks - tells the story of the old town of Sunbury that rivaled Savannah until the mid 1800s. We stayed two nights to wait out some high winds and storms that were passing through the area. Glad we found it!

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Marina Review for Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina

Reviewed by: Benjamin Resch on Dec 10, 2021
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.5'

Rating: 1

We arrived a bit past slack tide. Be advised the current runs very strong through the harbor. We were assigned a spot on "I dock" in front of and between several catamarans. Even the most experienced monohull captain would have struggled to accomplish 25' of sideways motion to the dock while the current swept under them. Our dockhand offered no meaningful advice other than pulling on lines. Fortunately, several other sailors nearby rendered assistance, advice, and even a couple of large fenders to help us.

We left early the next morning at exactly slack tide. That was easier, but still tricky.

Aside from this, the walk from the slips to the parking lot and facilities is L O N G, and charging us a "resort fee" seemed ludicrous on a blustery December day when everything outside was shut down for the season.

Finally, other than the captive restaurants and bars on the marina complex, there is little else around. We Ubered to Mt Pleasant and had a nice evening there. However to get over to Charleston would be a major undertaking. If that is your objective, pick something closer.

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Bridge comment on Isle Of Palms Connector Bridge

Comment by: Benjamin Resch on Dec 9, 2021
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'

Bridge clearance marker is intact and easy to read. Be sure to take tides into consideration, as high tide clearance can definitely be less than 65 feet.

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Anchorage Review for Whiteside Creek

Reviewed by: Benjamin Resch on Dec 9, 2021
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.5'

Nice anchorage situated close to Charleston Harbor. We initially tried the "Red Marker #90" anchorage just north, but lack of available charts made us reluctant as approach was very shallow. By contrast, Whiteside has plenty of depth and a good set. The creek stays relatively deep even around the bend. No wakes from ICW and very secluded. There is predictable moderate tidal current.

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Marina Review for Harborwalk Marina

Reviewed by: Benjamin Resch on Dec 8, 2021
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.5'

Rating: 5

Stayed here for an overnight in Gtown on our way south. Well kept, Chris and the crew were very helpful in docking, getting us set up, etc. Ideally located to explore the town. Definitely would recommend. Gas/Diesel available.

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Bridge comment on Carolina Beach Road (US 421) Bridge

Comment by: Benjamin Resch on Dec 6, 2021
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'

Clearance board ranges only from 65 to 63. If you can't see it, it's less than 63. Also, there are lateral boards on the bridge likings spaced about 1ft apart. At 65' clearance 8 boards are showing, 64' 7 boards are showing, etc.

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Marina Review for Carolina Beach Marina and Mooring Field

Reviewed by: Benjamin Resch on Dec 6, 2021
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.5'

Rating: 5

Tremendous value on the ICW. We moored our boat here to return to see family for the Thanksgiving week. Mooring balls are in really good shape, easy to grab and secure. NOTE: there is a 7-day limit.

Also, gas/diesel is available at a few nearby spots. We fueled up just north of the mouth of the Carolina Beach Harbor while we waited for Snows Cut bridge clearance.

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Anchorage Review for Calabash Creek

Reviewed by: Benjamin Resch on Dec 6, 2021
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.5'

Very nice secluded anchorage just off the ICW. Water level to enter Calabash can be tricky at low tide - so time entry and expected exit as needed. We entered/departed right between the two red markers and were fine at mid tide with our 5.5 draft

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Marina Review for Bald Head Island Marina

Reviewed by: Benjamin Resch on Nov 20, 2021
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.5'

Rating: 4

Great way to see BHI. Reasonably well appointed, dockhands are professional, patient and very helpful. Strong Cape Fear currents and high winds from N required a strong push to maintain control through the harbor entrance, but it was doable. Also, ferry and tug traffic operate from in the marina, and run frequently. BE WATCHFUL entering/leaving so as not to get in a tangle with them.

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Marina Review for Belhaven Marina

Reviewed by: Benjamin Resch on Nov 14, 2021
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.5'

Rating: 5

Basic marina, really nice service with the omni-present Greg (harbormaster) to help you. About as "walk-to-everything" as you can get in Belhaven NC. A couple of really good restaurants and a pub within a 200 yard walk of the harbor. Fueling is "in-slip" - which reduces the need for maneuvering. Pump outs are at the city docks just west - and require a $5 token from the Ace Hardware in town.

Service was really super - we had several odd questions and specific things we needed to do, and the folks at BHM really stepped up to assist. Free laundry, clean toilets and showers. And location - you just can't beat that!

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Anchorage Review for Pungo River - Scranton Creek

Reviewed by: Benjamin Resch on Nov 13, 2021
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.5'

Was good anchorage to deal with South/Southeast gusts for the night we were there. No bugs, no other traffic or boats. Quiet and peaceful spot just N of Belhaven.

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Bridge comment on I-64 Bridge

Comment by: Benjamin Resch on Nov 9, 2021
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'

We are a Jeanneau 479 with a 62ft air draft. Barely squeaked under today - this bridge has no reference marks, so watch tides and water levels carefully.

This was 2 hrs after high tide at Money Point station, after significant winds from the north.

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Marina Review for Salt Ponds Marina

Reviewed by: Benjamin Resch on Nov 6, 2021
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.5'

Rating: 4

Great shelter just off the Chesapeake. SP has good prices, and offers easy access slips, fuel, and pump outs. Wifi and cellular was iffy, but do-able.

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