The "I"nfo Icon
I. Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net Announces Our New "I"nfo Icon Feature
The Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net is pleased to announce an exciting, new feature/capability, which will allow an even closer integration of the "Cruising News" and "Chart View" modules of our web site. And, this same fresh service will also allow our editorial staff to insert comments/information based on our combined 60+ years of cruising experience.
Well, enough of the big build-up. As you have undoubtedly noticed from this section's title, and the sample icon, the Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net now has the ability to insert "I"nfo icons on our Chart View pages wherever they might be useful.
About 70% of the time, when you click an "I" icon, a window will open displaying an index of multiple posting titles submitted by your fellow cruisers, which provide meaningful information about the body of water, channel or other nautical feature in question. Clicking any posting title within this window will take you to the full article, which will open in separate window or tab. Once you are finished reading, close the second widow or tab, and you can quickly return to your chart perusal.
Less often, when you click an "I" icon, a window will open displaying the title of an article/posting, created by yours truly and/or the SSECN editorial staff, which imparts some useful navigational tip. And, finally, we will also use the "I" icon to pass along information about historic points of interest. As always, a couple of examples are worth another thousand words or so. First up, when you clink the link below, a Chart View page will open centered on the AICW Dismal Swamp Canal route, where this passage crosses the Virginia - North Carolina border. You will also see one of the new "I"nfo icons. It may take an extra second or so to appear, so just hang in there.
Click this "I" icon, and a window will open showing a whole list of postings/articles, authored by your fellow cruisers in which they share their experiences while "Doin the Dismal."
Pick one of the posting titles, click on it, and a new window/tab will open showing the full version of the posting. Close the additional window/tab when you are finished reading, and presto-chango, you're back to the Chart View page where this process began.
Give it a try at:
http://cruisersnet.net/cruisersnet-marine-map/?ll=36.545961357480735,-76.37677428693928&z=14
Here's another example. Click the link below, and you will be taken to a Chart View page showing the Old House Channel between North Carolina's Roanoke Sound and Pamlico Sound. You will actually see three "I" icons on this Chart View Page. Click the middle one, near marker #OH. A window will open displaying a posting title, "Change in Marker Colors on Old House Channel." Click this title, and a new window/tab will open, displaying a short article yours truly has authored concerning a mind bending marker color change along this section of the channel.
Give it a try at:
http://cruisersnet.net/cruisersnet-marine-map/?ll=35.76202073127289,-75.56593941192624&z=14
Finally, follow the link below, and you will be transported to the AICW's passage through South Carolina's South Edisto River. Notice the "I" icon on shore, east of marker #151. Click this "I" icon, and the index window will appear. Now, click on "Prospect Hill Plantation History and Legend." You will then have the opportunity to read a fascinating story about this plantation and its original owner.
http://cruisersnet.net/cruisersnet-marine-map/?ll=32.58150061777632,-80.39343805647047&z=14
By the way, DON'T FORGET, OUR CHART VIEW PAGES ARE NOT STATIC. All you need do is put your cursor somewhere on the chart, hold down the left mouse button, and drag the chart in whichever direction you prefer. You can drag as far north as Maine, or south to the Florida Keys.
One word of warning! We are just beginning to populate our Chart View pages with the new "I" icons. As of this writing, most are centered on northeastern North Carolina waters. That will change rapidly over the next several weeks, as we place more and more "I" icons!
And, that's how the new "I" icon works. We hope you find it useful. Our goal is, as always, to provide more and higher quality information that helps the cruising community safely explore and enjoy all Southeastern USA coastal water!
We would welcome hearing comments about this new feature from the cruising community. Just send your "words of wisdom" to [email protected].
Many thanks in advance!
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South Carolina
II. Dangerous Shoaling Reported Inside South Jetty, Charleston, SC near AICW Statute Mile 469
The ocean side entrance to Charleston Harbor, one of the busiest ports in the USA, is bounded to the north and south by extensive jetties to protect the channel. Many local captains and some visitors approaching Charleston from the south, often take a shortcut straight through the southern Charleston Inlet jetty, known as the Dynamite Hole Channel.
Some 48 hours ago, we posted an important article, authored by Captain Philip W. Mullins, detailing dangerous, new shoaling abutting the Dynamite Hole Channel. ALL navigators who have even a thought of using this passage anywhere within the next year or so, will want to spare no effort to visit:
http://cruisersnet.net/?p=114481
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Western Florida
III. Report from Mooring Field at Marina Jacks, Sarasota, FL, Statute Mile 73
Marina Operations/Marina Jacks abuts Sarasota Bay's east-northeastern shores, to the northeast of marker #8A, in the heart of downtown Sarasota, Florida. This city leased facility administers an adjacent mooring field, which has been the subject of more than a little controversy during the past several years. This mooring field is the subject of a just posted article, authored by Captain David S. Powers, linked below.
The controversy surrounding this field derives first from its displacement of a very popular anchorage, and secondly, some claim its cost/benefit ratio to the city of Sarasota is very much a negative concept. On the other hand, there was a legitimate problem with abandoned and derelict vessels in the old anchorage.
Sarasota IS one of the Florida Pilot Mooring Field Program sites, so the regulations surrounding their mooring field are legal, at least according to Florida state law. Federal law is different matter entirely, but that's another discussion for another day!
Full details at:
http://cruisersnet.net/?p=114363
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SSECN Web Site
IV. Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net Garners Welcome Fuel Price Reporting 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/newsletter/web site in the world. Founder and editor, Captain 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.
| Captain Ben Ellison |
So, it was with tremendous excitement and satisfaction when we learned late last week that Captain Ellison had honored the SSECN with a very laudatory review of our web site's fuel price reporting services!
Equally encouraging was Captain Ellison'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/2013/05/marine_fuel_prices_why_so_hard.html
However, for those who have limited time, please allow us to present a snippet from Captain Ellison's article:
"My favorite resource, though, is CruiserNet (look under the State tabs on the right). Not only does CruiserNet call marinas along the ICW every week (I'm told), but they let you sort the results in several useful ways, as shown below. It's a great help for cruising boats like mine that can go about 500 miles between fill-ups (depending on my throttle hand), and can thus shop wisely if they have the information. And, yes, I did happily fuel at Top Rack Marina both times I passed by (and got a free night's south-bound dockage in exchange for dining well in their restaurant).
But CruisersNet only covers the ICW. Why can't ActiveCaptain sort marinas for a given region by fuel prices? And certainly MarineFuel.com should. Why is this so hard? And why would an embarrassed secretary for a marina in New Jersey ( Hoffman's) have to tell me that they don't give out fuel prices on the phone? Let's discuss (but now I need to get home ;-). "
Let me quickly add that there is a small, but important error in Captain Ben's article. As most of you know, the SSECN reports on many more marinas and fuel price retailers than just those along the path of the AICW. We also report the prices found at fuel outlets on coastal bodies of water well off the various Southeastern USA Waterways, as well as both the Florida Keys Inside Route and Hawk Channel passages, and the Western Florida coastline from Marco Island to Tarpon Springs. Captain Ellison was kind enough to correct this oversight in his "Comment" section at the bottom of the article in question. Many THANKS to Captain Ellison for his wonderful words. And, thanks to this same article, the Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net now enjoys even wider recognition throughout the marine industry. It's not hard to understand why we find this development to be tremendously exciting.
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North Carolina
V. 15th Annual Edenton Music and Water Festival Slated For 5/31/13 to 6/1/13 (off the AICW on Western Albemarle Sound)
The event described in the below linked article sounds like an absolutely wonderful festival. And, all the described activities will take place within walking distance of the breakwater protected Edenton City Docks. So, make plans now to point your bow westward on Albemarle Sound, and visit the historic community of Edenton during this very special weekend! FULL details at:
http://cruisersnet.net/?p=114465
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Western Florida
VI. Update on Shoaling Reported at Longboat Pass (Inlet) Channel, north of Sarasota, FL, 5/17/13
Longboat Pass is an important inlet located between Sarasota and the mouth of Tampa Bay. Its importance derives from the unreliability of Sarasota's two inlets, Big Pass and New Pass. And so, Longboat Pass has, at least up until now, been the most trustworthy seaward passage between Venice Pass and Tampa Bay.
Several weeks ago, we reported that new shoaling on the seaward side of Longboat Pass was developing. Now, in the below linked article we present recent, additional reports from Captain Watson confirming further shoaling in this area. ALL Western Florida cruisers should run, not walk, to:
http://cruisersnet.net/?p=104390
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NOAA Electronic Charting
VII. FREE NOAA Charting Program Now Available on Android
After seeing the below linked message from Captain Dave Legrow, I searched the Google Play Store for the free NOAA beta charting app he describes. It was not easy to find, but finally, after searching under just "NOAA" it came to light. I installed the software on my Asus Infiniti Tablet, and then downloaded all the NOAA charts for the Southeastern USA coastal waters.
The program is basic, BUT the price of both the app, and the charts, is RIGHT, being that all this is free. If you have an Android tablet, you might want to give it a try.
If you do take the plunge, please let us know what you think of this trial software. We will pass your comments along to NOAA!
Follow this link for the URL where you can learn lots more about this app:
http://cruisersnet.net/?p=114785
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North Carolina - South Carolina
VIII. Support Vessel Acquired for a Worthy Cause
We are very proud to announce that, through the efforts of SSECN Senior Editor, Captain Larry Dorminy, and the outreach that the SSECN enjoys with the Southeastern USA cruising community, a support vessel has been volunteered for YOLO Board team rider Kacie Wallace and friend Kimberly Sutton's June 8, 2013 paddling trip up the North Carolina coast, from the South Carolina state line to Virginia, to raise awareness of plastics pollution in the ocean. LOTS more details at: http://cruisersnet.net/?p=114294
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Eastern Florida Western Florida IX. Two AICW Aids to Navigation Damaged on Indian River
The AICW follows Indian River for almost 100 miles south of Haulover Canal, and comprises the longest single section of the Eastern Florida portion of the Waterway. This week, we learned of not one, but two aids to navigation that have been heavily damaged along this lengthy run. Both of the below linked articles were cherry picked from the latest Local Notice to Mariners.
Please check out both:
http://cruisersnet.net/?p=114518
and
http://cruisersnet.net/?p=114512
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North Carolina XI. Two Valuable Reports of North Carolina AICW Shoaling
During this past week, the Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net received a very welcome and valuable, on-the-water telephone report from long time contributor, Captain Bruce Franz, about shoaling at two "AICW Problem Stretches" along the North Carolina coastline. One is found at the juncture of the Waterway and New River, south of Swansboro, NC, and the second at the intersection of the AICW and Lockwoods Folly Inlet, south of Southport, NC. BOTH reports are mandatory reading for ALL AICW cruisers, including year round Tar Heel mariners.
Don't miss:
http://cruisersnet.net/?p=114243 (Lockwoods Folly)
and
http://cruisersnet.net/?p=114248 (New River)
That's all for now. Good luck and good cruising to all! Claiborne S. Young Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net
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