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In This Issue
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I. Our Sincere Thanks to the Cruising Community For Making 2012 Our Best Year EVER
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II. SSECN Strategic Web Partner, the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association, Publishes First 2013 Newsletter
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III. GREAT Video of the Winning Entry in the 2012 Key Largo Boat Christmas Boat Parade
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IV. Edenton, North Carolina Slated to Hold 300th Anniversary Celebration Cruiser Rally 5/6/13 to 5/12/13
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V. Florida "Sojourner's Permit" Reprise.
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VI. Interesting Night in Russell Pass Southern Anchorage, between Indian Key and Everglades City
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VII. Mile Marker 0 Marine Supply Is Moving
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VIII. New Docks and Dockage Rate at Riviera Beach Municipal Marina, AICW Statute Mile 1018
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IX. New Pink Shell Resort Marina Opens in Fort Myers Beach
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X. Additional Information on Main Street Bridge, St. Johns River, Jacksonville, FL
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XI. IMPORTANT - Serious Shoaling on Jeremy Creek - McClellanville, SC (Statute Mile 430)
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XII. Sunken Vessel Reported in Stump Pass Channel (off Western Florida ICW, Statute Mile 41)
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XIII. Shoaling Reported at Longboat Pass (Inlet) Channel, north of Sarasota, FL
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XIV. Reduced Clearance Reported at Socastee Bridge,...AICW Statute Mile 371
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XV. Sears Landing Restaurant - A REAL FIND!, Surf City, NC, AICW Statute Mile 260.5
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XVI. Restaurant Now Open At Crystal Cove Marina (St. Johns River, north of Palatka)
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XVII. Concrete Hazard on Entrance to Lake Sylvia From The AICW (Fort Lauderdale, FL - Statute Mile 1064.6)
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 I. Our Sincere Thanks to the Cruising Community For Making 2012 Our Best Year EVER
Hard to believe, but it's now 2013, and it's time to look back at the BEST YEAR EVER for the Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net. Thanks to each and everyone of you, as well as the other members of the cruising community, our site has reached greater heights of popularity than we ever thought possible.  During 2012, the Salty Southeast Cruisers Net enjoyed a 22.70% increase in "Unique Visitors" and an 18.90% increase in page reads, compared to 2011. Wow, an almost 23% increase in "Unique Visitors" is a GREAT annual increase for any web site, but what really make these figures impressive is when you consider that 2011 was already a RECORD SHATTERING year for SSECN popularity. And, yet, here we are a year later looking at yet another 20+ % increase!
WE THANK EACH AND EVERY CRUISER WHO MADE USE OF THE SSECN DURING 2012, AND WE INVITE YOU TO COME BACK AND VISIT OFTEN IN 2013!
 The year 2012 was also very important in regards to the new, strategic partnerships between other nautical entities and our web site. Among these were:
Survice Engineering/ARGUS - the Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net is the exclusive on-line provider of the important depth information that continues to be gathered by the ARGUS project
Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association - the Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net was picked as the one and only strategic web partner of this fine organization, whose sole reason for existence is to promote the maintenance and improvement of the single most vital highway of waterborne activity for the Southeastern USA
 MarinaLife - the Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net has linked all MarinaLife member facilities directly to the MarinaLife dockage reservation module, from our various SSECN Marina Directories
On the Water Chartguides - owners Mark and Diana Doyle now make important, regular contributions to SSECN's editorial content
And, we are only a week or two away from announcing yet another strategic partnership with the Seven Seas Cruising Association. But, more on that later!
But, we are NOT sitting on our 2012 laurels. Far from it!
 I don't want to say too much yet, but just to give you a quick peek, we are currently at work on what will be the single most important makeover ever, of how our professionally researched data on marinas, anchorages, bridges, AICW Problem Stretches and Navigation Alerts, will be displayed and searched. This one is really going to knock everyone's proverbial socks off. More about this just a little later.
Again, we THANK-YOU, and wish everyone good luck and good cruising in 2013.
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 AICW
II. SSECN Strategic Web Partner, the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association, Publishes First 2013 Newsletter  We are very pleased to provide a link to the first newsletter of 2013 published by Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net's strategic web partner, the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association. As mentioned above, this worthy organization works tirelessly to promote the maintenance and welfare of the single, most vital avenue for cruising craft (and other waterborne traffic) in the Southeastern USA. As such, the AIWA deserves the wholehearted support of the entire cruising community!
Please check out: 
http://cruisersnet.net/?p=105131
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 Florida Keys
III. GREAT Video of the Winning Entry in the 2012 Key Largo Boat Christmas Boat Parader
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 North Carolina
IV. Edenton, North Carolina Slated to Hold 300th Anniversary Celebration Cruiser Rally 5/6/13 to 5/12/13
 As part of its 300'th Anniversary, the charming and historic town of Edenton, North Carolina, our newest SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS' NET SPONSOR, is planning a HUGE event to welcome the cruising community during the first part of May, 2013. PLEASE follow the link below for a good look at the details already in place! We will bring you more information as soon as it becomes available.
Notice the FREE dockage at the city marina (during the week of 5/6/13 to 5/12/13 ONLY!), and the anticipated water taxi if the marina becomes full, and some vessels need to anchor off the town waterfront! Coupled with this community's many historic and striking homes and public buildings, CRUISERS HAVE MANY, MANY REASONS TO LEAVE THE COMFORTABLE CONFINES OF THE AICW AND CRUISE WEST ON ALBEMARLE  SOUND TO THE EDENTON WATERFRONT!
Full details at:
http://cruisersnet.net/?p=103946
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 Eastern Florida, Florida Keys, Western Florida
V. Florida "Sojourner's Permit" Reprise
Recently, there was a lively and ongoing discussion which took place on the AGLCA (American Great Loop Cruisers' Association) Forum about the so-called Florida Sojourner's Permit. This string of messages was kicked off by a posting which opined that the Sunshine State had cancelled the Sojourner's permit.
 NOT SO! That, as pointed out in all the subsequent messages on the AGLCA forum, linked below, was bad info from a badly informed Florida county official. And, by the way, many Florida county officials are NOT fully (or sometimes even partly) informed about this important document for cruisers.
So, even though the SSECN presented a thorough discussion of this issue back in September of 2012 (see http://cruisersnet.net/?p=97389) we thought a perusal of the various AGLCA messages, as well as our own analysis of why a Sojourners Permit is important, and how one of these documents can be obtained, would be very helpful to the cruising community.
 So, if you are cruising in Florida this winter season, and plan to be in Sunshine State waters longer than 90 days, run, don't walk to:
http://cruisersnet.net/?p=104513
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 Virginia to NC
VII. Mile Marker 0 Marine Supply Is Moving
We recently received word from SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS' NET SPONSOR, Mile Marker 0 Marine Supply in Portsmouth, Virginia, that these good people are in the process of moving to a NEW location. PLEASE drop by and visit, and PLEASE, SUPPORT THEM, as we always ask, whenever possible, that you support all our SSECN sponsors!  Full details on Mile Marker 0"s new location can be found at: http://cruisersnet.net/?p=103962
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 Eastern Florida
VIII. New Docks and Dockage Rate at Riviera Beach Municipal Marina, AICW Statute Mile 1018
Riviera Beach Municipal Marina lies west of AICW marker #42, hard by West Palm Beach. This facility has been undergoing an extensive rehab and renovation process for some time now.  We are happy to report, that while the project continues, SOME OF THE NEW DOCKS ARE NOW OPEN, and ready to welcome cruisers. Get the full skinny at:
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 Western Florida
IX. New Pink Shell Resort Marina Opens in Fort Myers Beach
We had an earlier contact here at the Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net with the dockmaster of what was then the as yet unopened marina at Pink Shell Resort. Sounds like this facility is going to be a GREAT addition to the cruising scene for the waters hard by the southerly genesis of the Western Florida ICW, and the westerly extreme of the Okeechobee Waterway/Caloosahatchee River.
 From Captain Smith's report, linked below, it appears some of the marina's wet slips are already open and ready for business, while the rest will be coming online by the 25'th of this month (January, 2013).
From our previous research, we know that Pink Shell Resort guards the southern shores of the Mantanzas Pass channel, west of Moss Marine, making this new marina the first facility encountered as one enters Fort Myers Beach from the waters of the open Gulf!
 It's really great to get such an early, positive report of a new marina such as the one linked below. Can't wait to check out this facility in person!
Hear what one of the first cruisers to visit this new facility has to report, at:
http://cruisersnet.net/?p=104295
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 Eastern Florida/St. Johns River
X. Additional Information on Main Street Bridge, St. Johns River, Jacksonville, FL
Linked below, and copied from the Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net Eastern Florida Bridge Directory, is the updated listing for the Main Street Bridge in Jacksonville, with new comments by the Bridge Tender, Dave, who has been very helpful in offering his expertise and exact information.
 By the way, may I be so bold as to point out that this report exemplifies one of the real advantages of a moderated, and professionally researched, nautical web site. Someone, in this case our Senior Editor, Captain Larry Dorminy, actually gets in touch with bridge tenders and finds out the latest data!
Check it out at:
http://cruisersnet.net/?p=104463
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 South Carolina
XI. IMPORTANT - Serious Shoaling on Jeremy Creek - McClellanville, SC (Statute Mile 430)
Our contact at the US Army Corps of Engineers has just forwarded copies of an official USACOE survey of depths on Jeremy Creek taken 11/19/12. Take a look at the first three lines of soundings north of the stream's mouth, in the article linked below. You will quickly see why we have designated this posting as "Important" and have set an SSECN Navigation Alert for these waters.
 All depths shown on this survey are corrected for Mean Low Water. So, a quick glance will show you that, at low tide, you might be cruising through as little as 2.0 to 2.6 feet depths, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CHANNEL! Fortunately, channel depths improve farther upstream.
However, until and if dredging can be accomplished on the southern portion of Jeremy Creek, entrance and exit at times near low water will be relegated strictly to shallow draft vessels!
 Now, why is this such a big deal. Well, Jeremy Creek provides the only water access to the charming village of McClellanville, South Carolina, and its recently improved marina, Leland Oil Company. The shoal depths at the entrance to Jeremy Creek are going to be a real obstacle to visiting both this marina and the adjoining community. FORTUNATELY, THERE IS A WAY AROUND THIS PROBLEM, THOUGH YOU WILL HAVE TO TIME YOUR ENTRY AND EGRESS WITH THE TIDES!
 A telephone conversation with the dockmaster at Leland Marine on 12/28/12 confirmed the surveyed shallow depths, and we were told that deeper draft boats are indeed having to play the tides when entering and leaving. On the other hand, the dockmaster said he had accommodated several boats this fall season with 5-foot draft, but clearly, these vessels did not arrive or leave at low water.
The dockmaster went on to say that everyone in McClellanville is hoping that the USACOE will dredge Jeremy Creek this year, but he has not heard of any definite plans to do so. Let's hope this dredging happens  soon!
Follow this link to check out the survey for yourself, and get even more details:
http://cruisersnet.net/?p=103937
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 Western Florida
XII. Sunken Vessel Reported in Stump Pass Channel (off Western Florida ICW, Statute Mile 41)
 The article linked below sets the THIRD Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net Navigational Alert for this errant inlet, which lies south of Venice, Florida: first due to an absence of navigational aids and a re-marking project in progress, then a real danger of ones keel finding an underwater pile of metal junk and now, a sunken sailboat. All cruisers making use of Stump Pass need to proceed at MAXIMUM ALERT, or better yet, make use of deeper and more reliable Venice pass to the north! 
Full details at:
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Western Florida
XIII. Shoaling Reported at Longboat Pass (Inlet) Channel, north of Sarasota, FL
Captain Briskman's message, linked below, refers to the Longboat Pass (Inlet) channel, running between south Bradenton Beach and north Longbeach, allowing access from the Gulf of Mexico to Sarasota Bay. Heretofore, we have always strongly recommended using this inlet instead of either New Pass or Big Pass, both hard by Sarasota, FL.
 Now, we hear that Longboat Pass is suffering from some shoaling as well. While it would still appear Longboat Pass is preferable to the other two inlets mentioned above, Captains are now going to have to proceed with far greater caution.
Check out the full story at:
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 South Carolina
XIV. Reduced Clearance Reported at Socastee Bridge, AICW Statute Mile 371
The Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net lists the closed vertical clearance for the old, decrepit Socastee Bridge at 11ft. However, this has been an unusual year for higher-than-normal water levels at many bridges over the AICW, aggravated by a number of damaged or misplaced tide boards. When in doubt, take Captain Tigars advice (in the article linked below) and call the bridge tender to discuss the clearance and/or to request an opening. 
Full details at:
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 North Carolina
XV. Sears Landing Restaurant - A REAL FIND!, Surf City, NC, AICW Statute Mile 260.5
Because Sears Landing is not a marina, this restaurant with transient dockage will not be found in our NC Marina Directory, so we are very grateful to Captain Tigar for bringing this spot to our attention. It certainly sounds YUMMY.  Don't dare miss:
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 Eastern Florida/St. Johns River
XVI. Restaurant Now Open At Crystal Cove Marina (St. Johns River, north of Palatka)
The Crystal Cove complex flanks the western banks of the beautiful St. Johns River a few miles north of Palatka, Florida. This facility has been going through a transition and an upgrade for some time now. The opening of the new restaurant, described in the article linked below, is, hopefully, a harbinger that better days are at hand. 
Check out:
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 Eastern Florida
XVII. Concrete Hazard on Entrance to Lake Sylvia From The AICW (Fort Lauderdale, FL - Statute Mile 1064.6)
This concrete obstruction is off to the south of the Waterway where it turns 90 degrees west at the north end of Lake Sylvia, between Fort Lauderdale and Port Everglades. The hazard should impact only boaters wanting to enter Lake Sylvia. However, the lake is sometimes used by cruisers as an anchorage for a few nights. If this accurately describes you, PLEASE follow this link:
 That's all for now. Good luck, good cruising and Happy Holidays to all!
Claiborne S. Young
Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net
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