In This Issue
I. Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net Garners Welcome Recognition on Panbo.com
II. Okeechobee Waterway Closes 6/11/12 For At Least Two Months
III. SSECN Navigation Alerts and AICW Problem Stretches Postings Now Color Coded
IV. Jetty Light and Temporary Lighted Buoy Missing, Key West Northwest Channel, Key West, FL
V. Explosive Safety Exclusion Zone North of Glimerton Bridge, AICW Statute Miles 5 to 5.8
VI. Myrtle Beach Yacht Club Celebrates "National Marina Day" (6/9/12) With An Open House (St. M. 346)
Panbo.com I. Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net Garners Welcome Recognition on Panbo.com
 

If you have never heard of panbo.com, let me just quickly say that it is, without a doubt, the premiere, on-line marine electronics blog/web site in the world. Founder and editor, Ben Ellison, is a force to be reckoned with in the world of marine products and services. His web site/blog is carefully watched by almost all the "heavy hitters" in the marine industry.

 

Capt Ben Ellison of Panbo.com 
Ben Ellison
 

So, it was with tremendous excitement and satisfaction when we learned earlier this week that Panbo had honored the SSECN with a very laudatory review of our web site in general, and our implementation of the ARGUS sounding data in particular.

 

Equally encouraging was Ben's comparison of the Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net with some of our competitors. After reading his article, we think you will agree that the SSECN comes off very well indeed.

 

You can read the entire Panbo review at:

 

http://www.panbo.com/archives/2012/06/crowdsourced_soundings_on_the_icw_cruisersnet_more.html  

 

LukFuel However, for those who have limited time, please allow us to present some snippets from Capt. Ellison's article:

 

"As a guy who may actually cruise the Intracoastal Waterway this fall (as opposed to last year, when I only talked about it!), I'm delighted that there's so much competition to collect and share relevant information about it. A particularly notable development is the way CruisersNet.net has teamed with Survice Engineering and EarthNC to overlay the former's "Argus" volunteer-collected and tide-corrected depth data onto the latter's slick online charting engine, along with lots of other valuable CruiserNet info."

 

R. E. Mayo Seafood Docks " . . . at least on my Internet connection changing layers, panning, and zooming are all quite snappy. What you'll see is some current ICW depth detail that could be darn useful for visualizing the issues ahead, especially as it's color coded."

 

"Also seen on the screen above is some anchorage info that might be helpful to someone who didn't want to overnight at the Coinjock marinas just north of this spot. These are not shown on ActiveCaptain, which may well be because CruiserNet is edited by Claiborne Young, who used to write print guides to the ICW and is now enthusiastically trying to provide the same thorough coverage online and with reader assistance. As wonderful as pure crowd sourcing can be, Albemarle Plantation Marina I've always thought that there was still room for pros . . . "

 

Many THANKS to Ben Ellison for these wonderful words. It's not hard to understand why we find this development to be tremendously exciting.

Coinjock Marina II. Okeechobee Waterway Closes 6/11/12 For At Least Two Months   

 

Well, it's not like we didn't know it was coming. Back on 3/9/12, we published an article on the Cruisers' Net describing how, after much wrangling and hand wringing, the United States Army Corps of Engineers had been persuaded to put off lock maintenance work on the Okeechobee Waterway (thereby closing the entire passage) until the summer months (see http://cruisersnet.net/?p=81799). Clearly, this is the time for such work, when River Dunes Marina the OKWW is far less used than during other times of the year. Nevertheless, first the USACOE wanted to do the work last fall, and then this past spring. The SSECN worked with many other marine groups and Florida businesses and local governments to get the closing moved to this summer.

 

Well that effort was indeed successful, and the 6/11/12 summer closing is now upon us. Follow the link below for a look at the official USACOE closing the Waterway statement, including a hint about when this useful passage might reopen.

McCotters Marina  

Please go to:

 

http://cruisersnet.net/?p=89667  

Morehead City Yacht Basin III. SSECN Navigation Alerts and AICW Problem Stretches Postings Now Color Coded


A really good web site must accomplish at least two objectives. First, the site must provide great content. But almost equally important, a web site manager/developer must strive in every way possible to make their "great" content as easy to access and use as possible. In my humble opinion, many otherwise good web sites stumble and fall on this second objective, particularly Health Care and retail shopping sites.

 

That's why all of us here at the Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net are continually trying to find new and innovative ways to allow our users to zero in on the most important data they are seeking and/or need to know, with the minimum effort possible. One way we try to accomplish that objective is doing away with the usual user name and password nonsense.

 

Now, we have come up with what we hope is another small but significant improvement to make critical data on our site easier to recognize.  Effective immediately, postings on our "Cruising News" sections Belhaven Waterway Marina which have been deemed by our staff to rise to the important level of "Navigation Alerts" will have a bright yellow background. Similarly, postings which refer to an "AICW Problem Stretch," will now display a light blue background. It is our hope that this color coding system will help our users to pick out these critical postings as they are browsing through our various Cruising News sections.

  

Here are a couple of examples. First, to see how a Navigation Alert posting will now appear, please go to:

  

http://cruisersnet.net/?p=89056

 

Manteo Waterfront Marina Similarly, please follow this link to check out the new appearance of postings which reference an "AICW Problem Stretch."

 

http://cruisersnet.net/?p=87816

 

Please let us know what you think of this new color scheme, and whether you find it helpful. Send e-mail directly to me at:

 

[email protected]

 Southport Marina 

Many thanks in advance for your input!   

River Forest Marina IV. Jetty Light and Temporary Lighted Buoy Missing, Key West Northwest Channel, Key West, FL

Northwest Channel is the primary access to Key West via the so-called "Back Route" to and from Marathon. This underutilized passage (do NOT try this route if your vessels draws more than 5 feet!) skips off the northern face of the westernmost section of the Florida Keys. The message linked below has been Anchorage Marina cherry picked from Local Notices to Mariners, May 30, 2012.

Please go to:

http://cruisersnet.net/?p=89056 
Galley Stores Marina V. Explosive Safety Exclusion Zone North of Glimerton Bridge, AICW Statute Miles 5 to 5.8

Boy oh boy, here's an article cherry picked from the Local Notice to Mariners that got our attention. It concerns the AICW stretch just south of Norfolk, VA, and will be of interest to all who plan on cruising this section of the Waterway from 7/23/12 to 8/27/12!
Toucan Grill
Check out:

http://cruisersnet.net/?p=88984  
Myrtle Beach Yacht Club VI. Myrtle Beach Yacht Club Celebrates "National Marina Day" (6/9/12) With An Open House (St. M. 346)

Tomorrow, Saturday, June 9, 2012 is NATIONAL MARINA DAY! Our good friends at Myrtle Beach Yacht Club are celebrating this event with a joyful open house, complete with free food and refreshments. Sounds like a rollicking good time to yours truly. Wish we could be there!

Deep Point Marina Full details at:

http://cruisersnet.net/?p=89034

That's all for now, Good luck and good cruising to all!  

   

Claiborne S. Young Bald Head Island Marina

Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net

http://www.CruisersNet.net  

[email protected]

          
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