Has anyone taken the ICW to Beaufort? Me, wife, and kids are wanting to try it late July. We were thinking of docking at the downtown marina and finding a close hotel for a few nights. There are a lot of restraunts and stuff by the marina. We just thought it would be a cool trip. I was wondering if anybody had any advice on where to stay or where to not go etc… Also, about how long was your trip? we are going to probably launch at limehouse landing. Thanks for any advice.
55 miles from Wapoo cut- easy trip under 2 hours- go see the monkeys on Morgan Island. The trip across St Helensa sound can be a little bumpy if it’s windy. Try to plan your trip each way on half tide or higher- there are some shallow spots.
HAMMURRED - We are planning to make the run Saturday July 13 for the Water Festival Sandbar Concert. Planning on bunch of boats staging and leaving from Limehouse between 9 and 9:30. Easy 2 hour ride. We will head back to Charleston between 5 and 6. Best Western Sea Island Hotel is still across the street from the Downtown Marina but they are usually booked during the Water Festival sometimes 2 years out.
Victor
SAKATUMI TRAE
19’ SEA PRO CC // 150 HP YAMAHA
My wife and I do this trip every year in August with half dozen other buddy boats from Charleston. It’s intercoastal the whole way so very easy to follow. I have the upgraded chip in and my Garman and shows the ICW to you, never had a problem with any “shallow spots“ regardless of tide as long as you’re in the ICW channel. We usually take a slow cruise leaving from Charleston around 11 A.m. and arriving around 4 PM. Lots of cool scenery on the way with a handful of nice sandbars to get out and swim off of. Saint Helena sound can get a little sporty particularly if the wind is bucking the tide if you do not have the ICW marked on your chart plotter then this would be the place to drop your breadcrumbs as the markers are spaced out real far and if it’s bumpy on the way home or raining it’s nice to have a back up of the chart plotter. The Best Western is directly across from the marina it’s always been one of the nicer best westerns I’ve ever seen and they even remodeled last year. I believe it’s an independently owned franchise and you can tell because the owners really care for their guests. They have A nice pool, continental breakfast every morning and the kitchen staff will allow you to grab ice from the kitchen freezer to restock your boat. Downtown has nice window shopping area for the women, Old Bull Tavern serves a nice dinner, Saltus is nice but a bit pricey in my opinion, Que serves OK barbecue plus some other mid price options, Luther’s usually has evening entertainment and greasy barfood, There is an Italian restaurant as well with decent food but I cannot remember the name. Huge Sandbar directly across from the marina usually has a good mix of people. Watch the tides close, on average their tides are a foot more than ours so when the water starts new then it moves fast. Someone here said you could make the trip in two hours, we just went to the air show earlier this year by water and even running 30 kn on the way home it still took us closer to three hours. It’s really not the type of trip t
We went to Morgan Is. Sunday and the full moon, low tide had two places super shallow. Watts Cut just south of Edisto bridge and right before you enter Coosaw River. We’ve run that route many times and I’ve never seen it that low.
Forgot to mention Blackstone cafe killer breakfast/brunch u need to call ahead and make a reservation. Will need a reservation at old bull and Saltus as well. Pinne? Spelling? Is the ok Italian place…
Watts cut is narrow for sure especially on a super low tide. Went through there in April and they had a small dredge in the channel working so hopefully it’s better. Even going around that we still had 4-feet at low, just tough if your in a big sport fish or trying to pass a big boat.