South Santee Inlet

To the North Georgetown / Grand Strand
1

can anyone tell me the best way to navigate out of the south river? I’d like to try getting into the little inlet on the south side, but I’m not confident to run it without some guidance. Help is appreciated

2110 NauticStar ShallowBay
150 Yamaha

2

That’s a treacherous area. Best to stay out of there unless you have been in and out of there many times with locals. Not really an area that someone can give you guidance through by keyboard.

But I will tell you it involves going out in the ocean, and coming straight in. You have to parallel sandbars, and are usually “surfing” rolling waves on the way into the inlet. On the way out, plan on taking serious waves over the bow.

“Banana Pants”
Indigo Bay 170
90 Johnson

Wilderness Ride 115

3

i have never tried it but was told its not that easy and the sad bars shift so it may not be the same when you leave as when you come back.

while allot is comfort it also has to do with how confident you are… ive seen 20ft cc leave pawleys island to the ocean but it was a guy who knows it like the back of his hand and understands the shift… id assume south santee is the same its one you know it or are punching thru on plain hoping you made the right choice…

dependin on your destination you may want to just put in around south island and run out georgetown jetty and run south a bit in open water…

4

Don’t do it. Theres a 1 to 3 foot shoal that goes out a mile or better. Good way to get sunk.

5

Just run down the south bank at high tide. Stay 150 yrds off the beach and your fine. There’s not much to that inlet. Looks better on google earth than it is. But you can run in and out at high tide on a calm day. It’s about 3.5-4.5 ft deep. Let me know if you catch anything.

6
quote:
Originally posted by the cooker

Just run down the south bank at high tide.

I’ve never run this inlet and have no personal knowledge of it. I just found the comment a bit humorous because even if bearcatas can get out at high tide, how does he get back after fishing? :slightly_smiling_face: If it’s 3.5-4ft. at high, what is it at low?

16’ High Tide Flats (Green) w/Yamaha 90
Wilderness Ride 135
Wilderness Tarpon 120

7

Its ankle deep. And you can see the swells crashing for a while. Ive seen many dummies blowing sand in the air.

8

I’ve been in that little inlet several times. It’s very small, and everything but the ditch dries up at low tide. I’ve never caught more than a few at a time. It’s not worth the risk IMO. The worst part is making the trip all the way there at the butt crack of dawn to find 2 other boats ran it at dark to beat you there.

9

He asked how to get into it. Directions provided.
Not how to get out. so here you go from low tide. wait 7 hours and retrace your way back to SIF.

10

Thanks guys…It sounds like I’ve got better options until I can get someone experienced to show me. I had someone take me in their last year and we tore up the flounder and reds on an incoming tide. The difference is that we ran from McClellanville, not from the river.

2110 NauticStar ShallowBay
150 Yamaha