I’m planning a trip to Charleston soon and will be staying at a condo near Folly Beach Public Landing. I am keeping my 18’ center console in a wet slip at the condo on the Folly River. I like to fish the jetties and was wondering what the best path is to the jetties? I know I could probably go the ocean route, but if the wind is up I would rather use an inland route.
You need to use Government cut. It’s a small creek that can be tide sensitive. Check google maps for an idea. I think there are some pvc pipes that “sorta” mark the way. Good luck
www.advoutdoors.com
“I have tomorrow open!”
the cut is doable but I would highly suggest running through that area with someone who has done it more than once. There are lots of flats and oyster bars. Some of the channels are makeable at low tide but the channels can be very narrow. My 21 ft has made it several times. I would go with someone who has done it. It can be very deceiving at any tide. Figure in a long boat ride, because if you have any sense you won’t run wide open your first time through.
You can go out the inlet, but that can be tricky and possibly not a good idea in an 18.
Other option is going up the Stono and through the cut, but you are talking a long way.
I have done all three from either Folly or Sol Legare landing
Are you trailering the boat down and then keeping it in the wet slip? If so, I would load it back on the trailer and drag it to Wappoo cut.
Iain Pelto
Sea Hunt Triton 160 w/ 90 ETEC “JB3”
Native Manta Ray 14
quote:
Originally posted by CaptFritzYou need to use Government cut. It’s a small creek that can be tide sensitive. Check google maps for an idea. I think there are some pvc pipes that “sorta” mark the way. Good luck
I would be just as concerned with the Rat Island Creek route between the Folly River and Lighthouse Creek…and don’t let somebody try to “tell” you how to go through there…as mentioned above, you need to follow somebody who knows where they are…and use a breadcrumb trail for the return trip…the PVC markers might be pulled up the next time out there (they strangely disappear)…
with an 18’ boat you will be able to make the Rat Island Creek run at any tide…Govt Cut you might be cutting it close on a negative tide…but I would also recommend running both at a low tide rising…
The Morris Island Lighthouse www.savethelight.org
Thanks for all the suggestions. I can see this might become quite an adventure.
#1 best way through = bribe bonzo with beer, and follow him with GPS track on.
make sure he gets < 1 beer/30 mins, or your track will look like you followed a one-eyed man with an inner ear infection.
#2: if gas money isn’t a big deal, it’s snotty offshore (but you suspect there’s a good side of the jetties to try), and you don’t want to trailer, it may actually be quicker to run stono up through wappoo cut and out the harbor.
#3: hairball’s suggestion isn’t a bad one. i typed something similar last night before i read your entire post. it’s a tricky, circuitous, time-consuming run described above. if conditions are that poor for running offshore, it may a good time to learn where the reds and trout like to hang out in the folly/stono/kiawah.
What everyone else said plus:
Its not a run you want to make blind ( no track)
Do not depend on your GPS map to accurately show the “Sisters” . The last time the charts were updated they were done by air for this area.
Government Cut can only be run on a half to high or half to low tide or your gonna go aground. We usually run a dozen or more calls a year for people not familiar with the Folly to Harbor route. And I’ve pulled the Coasties out of there six times.
If you go the Stono to ocean route, be prepared to come home the long way. You’ll get a 50/50 consensus on if its safe or not. Personally, I stay away from the Stono Inlet.
If you want to be safe, go the long way around. Its usually takes me about 50 minutes to make it from the Harbor to Folly Landing. And don’t forget the big sandbar in the middle of the Folly at Sunset Cay Marina. It has become very popular for groundings.
Mike Crouch
Sea Tow Charleston
843-881-8949
and Mike, the Coast Guard still deems the Stono inlet as “un-navigable”…meaning Sea Tow or TowBoat will NOT come that way to rescue you or bring you home…right?
The Morris Island Lighthouse www.savethelight.org
'Been up the Folly to the top of Rat Island Creek, up Lighthouse and through Clark Sound plenty of times of the years. The top of the Folly River and Clark Sound can be really tricky. Find someone to follow or do it at dead low tide. Easier to avoid ending up on the top of the oyster rakes.
Where is ‘Government Cut?’
17’ Henry O Hornet
26’ Palmer Scott
quote:
Originally posted by PalmerScottWhere is ‘Government Cut?’
when Rat Island Creek dumps you into Lighthouse Creek and as you are heading “inland” towards James Island Govt Cut is a couple of turns up and on your right…narrow creek connecting Lighthouse Creek to Schooner Creek on the other side of Clark Sound…
The Morris Island Lighthouse www.savethelight.org
And when you get to the end of Schooner (harbor side) stay to the right, hug the grass cause ain’t nothing but mud in the middle
Mike Crouch
Sea Tow Charleston
843-881-8949
there is a shortcut straight across that big flat, no kidding…before they tore down the water tower on Sullivan’s years ago you could come out of schooner Creek and aim straight towards it…but now I always still hug the grass by Morris Island… :))
The Morris Island Lighthouse www.savethelight.org
You could pick a spot in between the breakers outside morris island. Just follow the beach all the way to the jetties. I have done it a few times in a sixteen foot boat. Not that bad, just watch the breakers and find a spot where there is no white water.
Yeah, I’d second Hairball’s idea unless you: follow someone out, or really are looking for adventure on your way to go fishing. Those routes look very different at high and low tides. I can get a heavy 22’ CC through Governor’s Cut at dead low- of course I’m out of the boat, walking it through like a dog on a leash.
Hairball’s comment is dead on tract. It’s an 18ft boat…easy to trailer…much safer and less worries.
John
Again thanks to all for the good information and insight. I believe I have decided to: (A) Find some “new” places near where I’ll be staying and (B) Load the boat back on the trailer and haul it to Wapoo Cut or Remleys Landing to fish the harbor/jetties if plan (A) doesn’t pan out.
We stay at Folly every year and we just trailer the boat to Remleys.
There’s plenty of reds, trout, a some flounder right around Folly so need to flee there. You can run out to LCA reef , or to jetties via lighthouse inlet on flood tide.
If you head toward charleston on the folly river, there is plenty of good fishing and some deep water in the lighthouse inlet. folly river oyster beds will be easier to spot at low to mid tides. The sand bars in the lighthouse inlet shift weekly, but you can ease out the inlet between the breakers almost always with plenty of water. Go slow and if it gets too shallow turn around. If you go through governor’s cut, I never come off plane. I’ve been runnign through there since I was 14 in anything from a 14’ jon boat to 23’ center console and the only time I’ve been bogged down is when I got stuck behind another boat that was going too slow and I had to come off plane in the cut and then got bogged down in the mud. I stay on plane and take a hard turn at the pole in marsh. Can’t get through governor’s cut at low tide. Then there are mud flats in clark sound, don’t cut across the middle towards ft sumter or morris island. You see the PVC poles, stay on the marsh side of the PVC poles. after that you are home free to the jetti’s if don’t stop at morris island for the party. follow another boat if you can. stay on plane in governor’s cut! If it is a weekend you will probably see boats come through there a few times an hour…