Ponce de Leon Inlet, FL Hazards

[Holding Pattern]

Ponce de Leon Inlet, New Smyrna Beach, FL.

We hear many people refer to the inlet as "The Dreaded Ponce" as there is shoaling at the ICW junction as well as the inlet itself. We've never had a problem until yesterday.
1 hour after high, G-7a we found a 5 1/2' spot. (We draw 5 1/2" and we hit, thus...)
We used this inlet in the spring and 1 hour after low we saw no problems...this time was different. G-7a was nicely to stbd there it should be, granted there was a trememndous amount of recreational (Bubba Basshole and Waverunners galore) traffic and the wind had swapped to E-NE in the last hour so it was a bit rough but nothing out of the ordinary.
If you use Ponce, stay close on to the rock jetty to the N and it seems the Red 1/3 of the channel has the most water.

[GordMay]

Ponce Inlet

[ssullivan]

And watch that Ponce Inlet Cut where they are dredging too.

There was less than 3' (even my cat touched bottom) in center channel in that cut right before it merges back with the alternate channel, northbound.

Don't take the cut. Go around it.

[Holding Pattern]

Sheepshead Cut is the best route around...
Plus, to make things more interesting we heard there was a dredge barge at Rockhouse Creek that you had to call to get instructions how to get around it... we just went outside to avoid it.