Chesapeake Bay, water depth through Hart Miller/Pleasure Island Cut

[KaLu Peter]

Hi, i am helping a friend move his boat north past Baltimore to Middle River and was wondering if anyone has recently transited the cut on the South side of Hart and Miller island, the charts look fine on depth BUT I have heard lots of rumbling of shoaling and was hoping to get some up to date straight scoop info including any marker changes? Would be grateful as it will save a bunch of time on delivery. Thanks!

[bensolomon]

At low tide I saw 5 feet on the depth meter.

[KaLu Peter]

Thanks for the info, was that depth noted this spring sometime i hope?. I have found the winter weather tends to push stuff around alot when we arent out there! Been impressed a few times by the changes from late one season to the next one!

[glanrock]

Sail or power? If sail, whats your keel depth?

[bensolomon]

I haven't been through, yet, this season. That is from last season. If you time it at high tide, you'll have no problems. I hit bottom once, during a neap tide around green "3". That was years ago.

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by KaLu Peter

Hi, i am helping a friend move his boat north past Baltimore to Middle River and was wondering if anyone has recently transited the cut on the South side of Hart and Miller island, the charts look fine on depth BUT I have heard lots of rumbling of shoaling and was hoping to get some up to date straight scoop info including any marker changes? Would be grateful as it will save a bunch of time on delivery. Thanks!

If you are uncertain of the depth in the cut and you go hard aground, you will not save any time. The better part of valor would be to go around.
What will you save, 30-40 minutes (in a sailboat) by taking the cut? If it is a sailboat, you'll likely need to motor thru the cut, while you could most likely sail around the island (more enjoyable).

[jeff356]

Haven't gone through the CraigHill Channel cut behind Pleasure Island this year but last year on mid tide in the channel on the bay side between the last 2 markers (way further out than I thought would have a shoaling issue) I bounced in less than 5'. I would not go through unless you time it on hide tide.

If coming from lower than Baltimore I would just go around the northern tip of Millers Island.

Jeff

[Scrimshaw4]

Also be aware that the tide depths in the bay are greatly affected by the direction of the wind. The water can either get blown out or or stacked up depending on direction and the side of the Bay you are on. The stronger the wind the greaternthe effect.

[Sirago]

I sailed Middle River for years and never went through there. Not much water on the Back River side. Go around, you don't need to honor the first green on your way into Middle River.

[KaLu Peter]

Many thanks everyone, the fact that the depth detail is from last season is enough for us to stay out and go around HM Island, its a friends power boat and while the depth should be fine for his, as a deep draft sailor myself I had never been through there. Hope everyone has a safe and healthy season!