 I. Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net Adds Beaufort, North Carolina Photo Gallery
We are playing with an exciting new capability here at the Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net by way our newly installed NextGen Gallery plug-in. This really neat piece of software makes it a SNAP to establish photo galleries for marinas, anchorages and ports of call! In time, each and every marina, plus many of the anchorages we cover in our various Marina and Anchorage Directories, will each have their own photo albums!  For the moment though, we couldn't resist putting together a quick photo gallery of one of the most photogenic ports of call in the Southeastern, USA - Beaufort, NC. Everyone, please appreciate that this is our first BIG photo gallery, and I have not taken the time to perfectly sort all the 100 images included. Even so, I know that many members of the cruising community will enjoy seeing sights they have previously enjoyed, or, for those who have not yet visited Beaufort, their appetite will be whetted for a cruise to these waters.
PLEASE let us know what you think of our Beaufort, NC gallery, by sending e-mail to us here at, [email protected].
OH YES, AFTER FOLLOWING THE LINK BELOW, PLEASE BE SURE TO READ THE  BRIEF INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE BEGINNING YOUR PHOTOGRAPHIC SOJOURN!
Beaufort, NC Photo Album: http://www.CruisersNet.net/beaufort-nc-photo-gallery And, if you would like to see how we intend to use this new capability in regards to marinas and anchorages, check out our North Carolina Marina Directory geographic sub-region category for the Dismal Swamp Canal Route at: http://cruisersnet.net/category/marinas-nc-dismal-swamp-rotue/ Scroll down, and click the colorful, "Click Here for Photo Gallery" link at the bottom of each, individual marina listing! Try clicking one, and you will quickly note that we  begin all our marina and anchorage photo galleries with a Google Earth image. Again, please let us know what you think of this new feature. We REALLY need the input of the cruising community. Send your thoughts, suggestions and comments to: [email protected] Happy Viewing! |
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 II. Dramatic Photo Depicts Why North Carolina Outer Banks Marinas May Not Have Reliable Power For Two Months
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 III. Okeechobee Waterway Will Be Open For Fall, 2011 - Winter, 2012 Cruising Season
Here's some really GOOD news for the cruising community. The short version is that the US Army Corps of Engineers, in a meeting which took place during the evening of 9/1/11, changed course, thankfully, and decided to indefinitely delay previously scheduled maintenance work on the Moore Haven Lock. That's a very good thing for cruisers, because when one lock on the OWW is closed, the entire Waterway is shut down.
 Back on 8/11/11, we posted a message informing our readers that the Moore Haven Lock would be closed for maintenance from 9/19/11 to 11/14/11. We reproduced a copy of the official Army Corps of Engineers Notice notifying one and all of this impending closure, and I personally called and spoke with the Moore Haven lockmaster, further confirming the scheduled closure. A copy of the original (earlier) notice can be viewed at:
http://www.CruisersNet.net/okeechobee-waterway-to-be-closed-91911-to-111411
As part of this closure notice, we opined that this was a very strange time of the year to be closing the Okeechobee Waterway for maintenance work. Even the Moore Have Lockmaster told this writer, "I have no idea why they've waited so long to do this work."
Well, since that time, marine related businesses in both Stuart and Fort Myers have  been making noise about the timing of this closure. SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS' NET SPONSOR Fort Myers Yacht Basin copied the Cruisers' Net on their protest.
Well, apparently those protests did not fall on deaf ears. As alluded to above, the Army Corps of Engineers, in a meeting conducted 9/1/11, decided to indefinitely postpone the proposed maintenance work on the Moore Haven Lock!
Hooray, happy days are here again. Now the cruising community can make use of this useful route during the fall, 2011 - winter, 2012 cruising season without  man-made impediment.
Full details can be found at:
http://www.CruisersNet.net/okeechobee-waterways-moore-haven-lock-september-2011-maintenance-work-delayed-indefinitely
Very briefly, a message appeared on another mailing list terming our 8/11/11 announcement of the Okeechobee closing as "sensationalization" and "there was never any closing and there were no Local  Notice To Mariners published." I will only repeat that I personally spoke with the Moore Haven Lockmaster and confirmed the original intent to close the Waterway, and we reproduced the US Army Corps of Engineers Notice announcing the closure. Just follow the link above to see the earlier notice. Enough said - case closed! |
 IV. Positive Movement on Georgia Anti-Liveaboard Law
On 7/19/11 the Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net published a thought provoking message from, among others, Captain Charlie Waller, owner of Isle of Hope Marina and President of the Georgia Marine Business Association, concerning a little known, and often not enforced Georgia law which seems to ban live-aboard cruisers in Georgia waters. You can view this earlier posting at:
http://www.CruisersNet.net/georgia-live-aboard-regulations-being-re-thought
 Well, it looks as if Captain Charley's efforts and those of his compatriots may be bearing fruit. We have just recently posted a very hopeful report from Captain Kevin R. Quinn regarding this onerous regulation, AND this same message gives specific instructions on how the cruising community can register comments on proposed changes to this law.
So, for the sake of all who want to stay aboard their vessels in Georgia waters, please go to:
http://www.CruisersNet.net/more-on-the-georgia-anti-liveaboard-law
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 V. Both AICW Passages From VA To NC Open and Ready for the Fall, 2011 Transient Season
Those of you who have been following the SSECN's coverage of Hurricane Irene's aftermath, already know that BOTH the North Carolina - Virginia Cut (a. k. a. Albemarle - Chesapeake Canal) and the Dismal Swamp Canal Alternate Route have reopened, and are operating normally.
 High waters from Hurricane Irene had damaged the electrical system and the lock doors at Great Bridge, VA, part of the North Carolina - Virginia Cut route. And, one of the nearby bridges was also damaged and not operating normally. Happily, repairs on both were completed several days ago, and, as previously reported on the SSECN, all has now returned to typical operation:
http://www.CruisersNet.net/flash-limited-lockings-at-great-bridge-831-and-91
On 9/6/11, the Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net was the first member of the nautical  press to break the story that the Dismal Swamp Canal AICW Alternate Route would reopen the morning of 9/7/11. Earlier, even before Hurricane Irene, lockage had been reduced on the Canal due to drought conditions, and, a bit later, the passage was closed entirely due to a large swamp fire in the region.
 Happily, all those bad times are behind us now, and this fall cruisers can choose either route to continue their journey from Virginia to North Carolina waters.
Full details at:
http://www.CruisersNet.net/flash-dismal-swamp-canalalternate-aicw-route-will-reopen-91011
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 VI. Punta Gorda (Western Florida) Mooring Field Ready For Business
During the morning of 9/1/11, we heard from Captain Jay Buckley, Chairman of the Punta Gorda Waterfront Development Advisory Commission. Captain Jay gave us excellent details about a mooring field recently established by the city of Punta Gorda, on the western mouth of the Peace River, a short hop east of the Highway 41 Bridge, and the charted overhead power cable. This field consists of 32 balls, and is administered by nearby Laishely Park Municipal Marina.
 One caveat to this field is that your vessel must be able to clear the fixed 45-foot Highway 41 bridges to access the moorings. Taller sailcraft are out of luck!Western Florida cruisers planning on a visit to Charlotte Harbor and the charming city of Punta Gorda, will want to learn more at: http://www.CruisersNet.net/punta-gorda-mooring-field-ready-for-business
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 VII. Crucial Aid to Navigation NOT Replaced on Troubled St. Augustine Inlet
There have already been a number of postings on the Cruisers' Net, and several other notices have appeared in past alerts, about shoaling and remarking of troubled St. Augustine Inlet. Recently, this channel received some dredging, but the project only lasted for a few days, and while helpful, has certainly not cleared up all the problems here.
 Earlier, St. Augustine Port Commissioner, Captain Jay Bliss reported that a key missing marker, #5A, was back on station. HOWEVER, that has turned out NOT to be the case. ALL mariners thinking about running St. Augustine Inlet, please check out: http://www.CruisersNet.net/important-missing-marker-on-troubled-st-augustine-inlet |
 VIII. Hazard to Navigation Reported Near Stump Pass Channel (off Western Florida ICW, Statute Mile 41)
Earlier, we cherry picked a report in the Local Notice to Mariners advising cruisers that the newly dredged Stump Pass Inlet Channel, south of Venice, FL, was undergoing a remarking project, and currently the passage lacked (lacks?) any aids to navigation whatsoever. (See http://www.CruisersNet.net/stump-pass-being-remarked-near-statute-mile-41)  As if this troubled inlet didn't already have problems enough, now fellow cruiser, Captain Rick Cass, reports "a large tangle of gear on the bottom."
Western Florida cruisers can read all about it at: http://www.CruisersNet.net/hazard-to-navigation-reported-on-stump-pass-channel-off-western-florida-icw-statute-mile-41 |
 IX. No Hurricane Irene Damage Noted Along the AICW Between Gerogetown, SC and Wrightsville Beach, NC As of 9/2/11
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 X. Thoroughfare Creek Idyllic Anchorage, AICW Statute Mile 389
Few would argue against the notion that the Waccamaw River is one of the most scenic portions of the entire AICW between Norfolk, VA and Miami, FL. The dark waters and moss-hung cypress trees take you to another time before GPS and Iphones.  For many years, one of our two favorite anchorages along this ANCHORAGE RICH section of the Waterway has been found on Thoroughfare Creek, near Statute Mile 389. Now, another cruiser, Captain Ben, seems to have had a similar, happy experience. Share his report on these wonderful waters at:
http://www.CruisersNet.net/good-visit-to-thoroughfare-creek-aicw-statute-mile-389 |
 XII. Update on Hazard in Watts Cut, South Carolina AICW Statute Mile 503
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