ICW Intracoastal Waterway NC / SC local knowledge question

[Boat Guy]

First off....Slightly surprised there isn't a subforum for the ICW. I'm sure there are millions of questions...


Anyway, on my trip traveling north on the ICW years ago I hit a cut that had massive current flow. Lot's of little bow riders and people towed on inner-tubes, etc...It put me on high alert as the swells created by the current were large enough to make these small vessels disappear. I recall people on the banks enjoying the day as it seemed to be an area where the locals hang out and capitalize on the "rapids"... Me, I was on high alert as I was the biggest vessel going slow trying to maneuver around all the madness...



Any idea where this would have been? From recollection, coming from the south, I rounded a bend and then turned to port to enter the cut. It was relatively straight and narrow and wasn't very long before it dumped into another river...So long ago, I don't remember the specifics...Just good 3-4' swells....

[PJHoffnet]

Not sure if you're a FaceBook user or not - if you are, you might want to join Bob Sherer's ICW Facebook group. Lots of nice folks with tons of local knowledge and cruising experience.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ICWCruisingGuide/

[Boat Guy]

I am....Thanks. Just thought this would be something the cruisers remembered. I was i a vessel similar to yours and it was a bit of a struggle to go against the current with two big diesels...I imagine it would be even more "exciting" in a small sailboat.

[PJHoffnet]

There certainly are a few places, especially at the intersection of inlets and the AIWW, that can be a pain. Doing a tide and current check as part of your voyage planning for the next day and a day or two out can help you manage both those intersections and some shallow/tight spots. Might mean a shorter day of cruising than you want, but crossing off the max number of miles you can each day shouldn't be the primary objective.

[R2boat]

Checkout Wappoo Cut, entering N bound from the Stono River headed for Charleston

[Lowcountry]

Sounds like it could be Wappoo Cut based on part of the description, but I have never seen people lining the banks of the cut (which would be back yards of residences). Nor have I ever seen fetch so great that it obscured boats. I have been everywhere on the ICW between Norfolk, VA and Fort Lauderdale, FL (multiple times), and I can't think of anywhere that matches this description.

[Boat Guy]

I'm beginning to think it was a unique situation. Just as the recent boat parades have shown how numerous boats can create a lot of confused "seas", I'd bet the combo of heavy currents and excessive amounts of boats using the cut to play with tubbers behind was a contributing factor....Seriously wish I had the GoPro active as I'm not sure some of you would believe it.

As I said, I usually tried to only go on the "inside" on weekdays, otherwise I'd shoot offshore...But I forgot it was Memorial Day weekend. So Monday was worse than a normal Sunday

[Hudson Force]

The description sounds like Elliott Cut between the Wappoo River and the Stono River. I've never heard it called Wappoo Cut, but maybe that's a local name. It does have the most dramatic current south of the Point Pleasant Canal in New Jersey. There are standing waves in this cut during the maximum current. I always called on the VHF to inquire about meeting any large commercial traffic when I approached when running with the current and with less control.

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by Boat Guy

First off....Slightly surprised there isn't a subforum for the ICW. I'm sure there are millions of questions...

This is a Global forum. A sub-forum for every geographically specific area around the world would not be scalable. You have no idea how many users are looking up ICW because they have no idea what you're talking about.