I have a question about my new Lowerance. Cards like Navionics, how accurate are they as far as the Edisto coast line? I know you have to be very familiar with you can take you boat because of the sand bars etc. Didn’t know if these would help or give a false sense of security.
My Navionics chips are pretty darn accurate, but NEVER navigate solely on their information. Sometimes, they are off enough to cause problems.
Mine does real good, but in areas of shifting sandbars there is no way it keep up with daily changes in the channels unless they are rock. We don’t have much rock.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
Hey Jim.
I had the same question years ago when I was just learning the water around Edisto and the greater St. Helena sound area. I have Garmins on my boat but I use the free maps from the open map source. They’re pretty good in some areas, but I agree with Capt. Larry that the bottom can change around there pretty often. You probably won’t have any problems in the main channels, but I would be careful when you get back up in the creeks. I keep my track log turned on so I can see the paths that I have gone through before. The biggest thing that can help you is to just pay attention and use your common sense, and if you have a doubt about the water you’re in just slow down and take your time. If you run out of water, stop and go back to where you had water. The other thing is to pay attention to the tide and don’t get caught in skinny water on a falling tide. Sometimes I will go for a ride and scout around new creeks at low tide, that way I know if I can get in and out at higher tides.
I’m no expert by any means and still learning every time I go out, but that is my $0.02.
Matthew K. Mizell
Sea Pro 190CC
Johnson 115 4-Stroke