Category: U.S. Atlantic

Find upcoming events from Maine to Florida, along with detailed destination reviews of major hubs and lesser-known small towns. If you’re looking for the best cruiser resources, you’ve come to the right place. Each month, Southern Boating posts Regional Reports that cover the Atlantic Coast in detail. Chesapeake, Southeast Seaboard, the Carolinas, and down to Miami, Southern Boating keeps you updated on marinas, events and the resources you’ll need to successfully navigate the U.S. Atlantic.

More for loopers

There are three more reasons to cruise the Albemarle Loop Route in East Carolina’s historic Albemarle Sound—new marinas. This year’s latest additions are Manteo Waterfront Marina, Everett Marine at Cypress Cove Marina and The Dismal Swamp Welcome Center. Nine marinas now offer free dockage, pump-outs, two nights’ free dockage, and several amenities including swimming pools, shopping, museums, tennis, and restaurants on the Sound. albemarleloop.com/Marinas.html

Inlet advocate 

According to North Carolina Congressman Walter B. Jones, continuous poor navigation conditions at the Hatteras and Oregon inlets in North Carolina may close both inlets to vessel traffic if additional dredging isn’t performed. Jones is calling for increased funding from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to dredge those Outer Banks waterways. “I will do everything I can to fight for that cause,” Jones said, “[…] fishermen, recreational boaters and the Coast Guard must have reliable access through the inlets.” The Waterway Guide steers cruisers away from both inlets due to constant shoaling and shifting.

Party time in South Carolina

For a one-of-a-kind cultural experience in South Carolina’s low country, visit Beaufort, South Carolina’s Original Gullah Festival May 27-29. Festival tickets are only $5 on Friday to celebrate its 30th anniversary. Arts, crafts, a Caribbean Dance Party, African drumming, jazz, rhythm & blues, gospel, reggae, storytelling, and local delicacies await your arrival. For more information and ticket prices visit theoriginalgullahfestival.org

Sea cows’ center

South Florida manatees have yet another place to call home: West Palm Beach’s Manatee Lagoon—An FPL Eco-Discovery Center. The 16,000-square-foot educational center that opened on February 6th features hands-on exhibits that teach visitors about these unique endangered creatures and their Lake Worth Lagoon home. With free admission and parking, the center is open 9AM to 4PM Tuesday through Sunday. Due to improvements in its population, manatee’s status may be downlisted from endangered to threatened by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. visitmanateelagoon.com

Miami-Cuba ferry

U.S. travelers may soon be able to visit the island of Cuba by sea. Overnight ferries from the Port of Miami, Florida, to Cuba are set to begin late this year or early 2017—that is, if the Castro regime picks up the pace. Although a ferry terminal is needed at PortMiami, officials are looking at temporary solutions to get things started. The Italian Grimaldi shipping line proposes a 220-foot ferry and Miami’s Baja Ferry plans to carry 2,500 passengers per week on its 623-foot vessel. Both lines foresee daily runs. United Caribbean, Carnival and other operators were also issued Cuba-ferry licenses by the Obama administration. Last winter, 55 sailboats raced from Key West to Havana’s Hemingway Marina in the Conch Republic Cup after responding to an invitation from the Commodore of Club Náutico Internaciónal Hemingway de la Habana. While it wasn’t the first Key West to Cuba race, it was the first one sanctioned by the U.S. government.

— By Nancy E. Spraker, Southern Boating Magazine May 2016

 

Patriotic festivities at the beach

This year’s Virginia Beach Patriotic Festival is June 3-5 and will feature Chris Young with special guest Bobby Bones & Raging Idiots on Friday, Sam Hunt with guest Canaan Smith on Saturday, and Big & Rich with an appearance by Cowboy Troy on Sunday. The oceanfront concert site is at the foot of 5th Street. Tickets are available online at patrioticfestival.com.

The festival’s Military Expo Village showcases our national defense mission, equipment and personnel through exhibits, demonstrations and displays on Friday through Sunday from 15th Street to 20th Street. The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard branches of the military are all participating. Transient slips are available at marinas throughout Lynhaven and Rudee inlets.

Boardwalk docking

Chrismar Marina has opened at the head of Middle River, a tributary of the Chesapeake near Essex, Maryland. The 38-slip docking facility is located on the site of the previous Buedel’s marina and prop shop. Charlie and Mary Frances Gast have completely transformed the property to include a 735-foot boardwalk with docking that can accommodate yachts up to 50 feet. The mean low tide is 5 feet, 5 inches. Minor repairs and washing and cleaning are available. Winter storage will be on the water with all slips bubbled. chrismar-marina.com

Leukemia Cup events

The 2016 Leukemia Cup Regatta hosted by Eastport Yacht Club is scheduled for Saturday, June 4th. Last year’s regatta was a record-breaking fundraising year with 103 boats in the regatta and $247,000 raised for the mission of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. An “Off the Water Fundraising Race” that encouraged fleets, clubs and individual teams to join in the fight against blood cancer raised $120,000. The event weekend kicks off with live entertainment and auctions the night before and concludes with an awards dock party after the races.

The Southern Chesapeake Leukemia Cup Regatta is July 8-10, hosted by the Fishing Bay Yacht Club in Deltaville, Virginia. The regatta offers three courses including one for Typhoons and other one-design monohulls less than 20 feet that run inside Fishing Bay. National Capital Area events include a junior regatta on August 20th, a poker run on August 27th, and a sailing regatta on September 9-20. Advanced registration for all the events is required. leukemiacup.org

Nurse a beer or three

Cruisers to the Northern Outer Banks can find plenty of action underway this month without the summertime rush. If you like beer and art, May 30-June 5 is the week for you. It’s Outer Banks Craft Beer Week, which was “created to showcase the marriage between the craft beer industry and the arts.” It’s an adult event and no kids are allowed. One option is three days of craft beer education at a one-of-a-kind brewing retreat at North Carolina’s oldest microbrewery, the Weeping Radish Farm Brewery.

For the kids (and adults), Tuesdays, starting May 31, is Kitty Hawk Kites Kids Days. Activities include  games, kite making, toy and yo-yo demonstrations, rock wall climbing (Nags Head and Waves Village only), and more. kittyhawk.com/events/outer-banks-kids-day/   

— By Christopher Knauss, Southern Boating Magazine May 2016

Haulover Marine Center, North Miami Beach, Florida

Improvements are coming to a South Florida marina

Westrec Marinas Haulover Marine Center in North Miami Beach, Florida, has been getting a major makeover that is set for completion by spring 2016. Haulover Marine Center on the ICW at Bakers-Haulover Inlet is nestled between Sunny Isles and Bal Harbor, directly across from South Florida’s popular inland sandbar and one of Miami-Dade County’s nicest beaches.

Split into two sites—Haulover Marine Center on the northern end and Haulover Point at the southern end—the center, which provides dry storage for boats and personal watercraft, is getting a bevy of enhancements to its already long list of amenities.

To enhance and modernize Haulover Marine Center, Westrec is adding nearly double the dry storage with a new building slated to withstand a category 5 hurricane and offers 500 racks. The new five-rack-high dry storage building is designed to hold larger multi-outboard engine boats in the 30 to 50-foot range that are popular today and too cumbersome to trailer. The center will also have a new office, retail store and bathhouse.

Amenities:

  • Bait and tackle shop
  • Boat launching ramps
  • Boat rentals
  • Boat wash-down facilities
  • Charter fishing
  • Commercial slips
  • Electric maximum 50 amps
  • Fish cleaning area
  • Freshwater hookups
  • Gas and Diesel Fuel
  • Marine store
  • Pump out
  • In/out dry storage
  • Restrooms
  • Showers

Westrec Marinas
Southern Regional Office
801 N. E. Third Street
Dania Beach, Florida 33004
(954) 926-0300 ext 4
Fax: (954) 922-5485
Westrec.com

By Nathalie Gouillou, Southern Exposure, April 2016

Florida governor recommends GPS emergency beacons.

Boating tragedies in Florida’s waters prompted Governor Rick Scott to write a letter to the state constituents supporting proposed boating safety legislation. The legislation encourages emergency position indicating radio beacons (EPIRBs) and personal locator beacons (PLB) to be part of all boaters’ onboard safety equipment, reducing registration fees for all classes of boats with the equipment.

 

Proposed law for FWC pullovers

Some say that overzealous Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers ruin great days on the water with their random checks. Others say they are necessary to deter illegal fishing, hunting and safety violations. Under a law proposed by Florida State Representative Ritch Workman, officers would need probable cause before stopping boaters. Workman said he wants to see more reasonable stops with FWC officers checking boats only if suspicious activity is observed. Workman said he envisions a safe boating sticker placed next to the boat’s registration after it passes inspection to limit boaters being hassled. If the proposed law (House Bill 703) passes, it would take effect July 1, 2016.

Improved Cuba charts

With increased cruising to Cuba from the U.S., the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Cuba are working together to improve nautical charts especially in the Straits of Florida. Following up on a Spring 2015 meeting with U.S. and Cuban chartmakers in Havana to work on a new international paper chart—INT Chart 4149 covering south Florida, The Bahamas, and north Cuba—the group then met in Maryland to discuss future collaboration and improving nautical charts.

Shipwreck artifacts returned

Updating the discovery of items from the Confederate CSS Georgia shipwreck, 30,000 articles were raised. Unique items kept for archiving by the U.S. government include small buttons, hilts of knives and swords, an intact glass bottle, leather boots, and an earring. Texas A&M is studying 13,000 articles at their lab, and 16,697 non-unique articles were returned to the mud of the Savannah River in plastic boxes, which, according to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers archaeologist Julie Morgan, will help preserve them. The Confederate gunship was sunk in 1864 in the Savannah River by its own crew to prevent the ship’s capture by Union troops during the Civil War.

Shoaling at Lockwoods Folly Inlet

North Carolina’s Lockwoods Folly Inlet Intersection near Cape Fear River, Little River Buoy 47, has a 250-yard shoal extending into the federal channel with depths from less than one foot to five feet at mean low water.

Handicapped sailor sails solo

Be on the lookout for Cliff Kyle aboard his 26′ Pearson Abby Normal traveling south on the ICW. Sailing solo can be challenging and for a man with one leg it could be more so, but Kyle throttles full steam ahead with a cheery disposition. “One thing sailing teaches you is how to handle what’s thrown at you and navigate through it,” says Kyle. When his house in Kentucky was foreclosed a couple of years ago, 40-something Kyle headed back to the sea and lived off the coast of Florida in the 1990s. He personally made several modifications on his vessel while sailing to Block Island, Mystic and the Chesapeake Bay. His final destination this season is St. Augustine or possibly The Bahamas.

 

By Nancy E. Spraker, Southern Boating Magazine April 2016

Urban wetland planned for National Aquarium campus

Cruisers to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor will see more green and more wildlife by the end of this decade.The National Aquarium has unveiled a plan to create an urban wetland to demonstrate how natural ecosystems can improve the health of the harbor and the Chesapeake Bay.

The urban wetland will be in the water between Piers 3 and 4 and consist of habitats such as floating wetlands and underwater shelves with bay grasses and terraced edges. The project’s goal is to showcase natural ecosystems as an aesthetic and practical method to improve water quality.

The 2.5-acre area would be free and open to the public. Work is expected to begin by the end of this year, with completion set for 2019. The project includes interactive exhibits, kayaking, picnic spaces, and educational activities in the middle of the aquarium’s campus off Pratt Street. “We see this as an opportunity for a second renaissance for Baltimore’s harbor by creating not only a commercially thriving place, but also one that is thriving in terms of its health and green space, and as a habitat for animals and humans to enjoy themselves,” said John Racanelli, the aquarium’s CEO.

Laurie Schwartz, president of the Waterfront Partnership, said her group fully supports the aquarium’s plans. “We’re excited about bringing the National Aquarium’s conservation and educational components outside,” she said. “It really helps advance the Inner Harbor 2.0 objective of creating a more dynamic harborfront area.”

Judge the soup

Crab soup lovers will get their fill at the East Coast She Crab Soup Classic at the 24th Street Park in Virginia Beach on April 9th. The rain or shine event showcases an open competition among local restaurants who serve their individual recipes and compete for People’s Choice Awards, the winners of which are determined by the ballots of those attending and a panel of four regional cuisine experts. Tickets are sold in advance and offered at the gate if available. (The event is limited to 1,500 paying guests.) Children 12 and younger who are not sampling and are accompanied by an adult are free. Dogs and beach chairs are not permitted in the tasting area.

Smoked duck tacos

The Duck & Wine Festival is slated for April 30th in the town of Duck on North Carolina’s Northern Outer Banks. Festival attendees are invited to sample each restaurant’s special dish paired with a selected wine. Ticket sales are all online this year and the event has sold out in the past. The price of a ticket includes a reusable wine tote bag, an event wine glass, a wine lanyard, and cork screw. A good place to park your yacht for the rain or shine festival is Coinjock Marina & Restaurant located on the ICW at Mile Marker 50, an ideal stop for mariners traveling north and south along the waterway.

 

By Christopher Knauss, Southern Boating Magazine April 2016

Cherry blossom time along the Potomac

Predicting the exact dates the cherry trees will blossom in Washington is a challenge for even professional prognosticators, but an early bloom seems likely this year. The last time we saw an El Niño with this much influence on temperatures was in 1997 and 1998 when the blooms peaked the last week of March. According to the National Park Service, on average the peak occurs on April 4th. A few things are certain: many, many pink blossoms will appear sometime, thousands of visitors will converge on the Tidal Basin to take in the magnificent sights, and the best way to see the show will be by boat.

In addition to the flowering showcase, the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival features giant balloons, an energy-packed parade, music, a fashion show, sake tasting, kite flying, and much more.

The festival runs March 20th to April 17th this year, and if you’re lucky enough to stay for a while, bring layers of clothing, pants, and shorts as there’s no telling what to expect weather-wise.

As for docking preferences, the channel hosts three marinas: Gangplank Marina (202-554-5000, gangplank.com), Capital Yacht Club (202-488-8110, capitalyachtclub.com), and Washington Marina (202-554-0222, washingtonmarina.com). Call ahead or fill out their online reservation forms. While they don’t have fuel, these marinas all offer fine services. Another option is to anchor just off East Potomac Park.

Boats, gear, and experts

Before the cherry trees bloom, boats of all shapes and sizes appear in the Dulles Expo Center for the annual National Capital Boat Show, in Chantilly, Virginia. Dealers throughout Virginia and Maryland display their runabouts, saltwater fishing boats, ski boats, pontoons, deck boats, jet boats, jon boats, and PWCs during the show, which runs from March 11-13. Exhibits include marinas, boatlifts, floating docks, outboard and inboard motors, marine electronics, and more. Some experts will be there to answer questions and provide information on maintenance, repair, financing, insurance, and safety for the upcoming season on the Mid-Atlantic.

Market tested

A good place to pick up some bargains this month is the Boating & Fishing Flea Market hosted by the Poquoson Kiwanis Club in Virginia with help from the Bull Island Anglers club. This year’s market is Saturday, March 12th from 8AM to 1PM, rain or shine. New and used boats, boating and fishing gear, nautical arts and crafts, and refreshments will be offered both inside and outside at the Poquoson High School. If you’re looking to find a fishing partner, the anglers club meets the fourth Monday each month at 7PM at Trinity United Methodist Church.

March fishing

Croaker and flounder typically begin biting this time of the year in Virginia’s salty waters. Croaker like to feast on peeler crab baits, bloodworms, squid, and shrimp and can be found in tributary rivers of the Chesapeake as well as the coastal ocean waters and inlets. Flounder will go after live bait (minnows and small fish), fresh strip baits (bluefish, flounder, shark belly, squid), and minnow/strip combinations as well as artificials such as bucktails and paddletail lures with spinners. Both species can be caught by drift fishing with natural baits fished on the bottom or by slow trolling baits on the bottom.

 

By Christopher Knauss, Southern Boating Magazine March 2016

Buccaneers return to St. Augustine.

St. Augustine, Florida, is about to get plundered just like it did four centuries ago! Join the annual historic reenactment of the sacking and burning of the town on Saturday, March 5th. The event is a recreation of Captain Robert Searle’s and his privateers’ raid in 1668 and begins at 4:30PM in the old city starting at the Plaza de la Constitución and ending at the Old City Gates, where the English brigade will battle the pirates. (Searle and crew sailed from Jamaica to loot the silver ingots held in the royal coffers.) During the day from 10AM to 4PM, the Fountain of Youth Park will host drills, demonstrations and living history interpretations. The event is free and new recruits are welcome. hfm.club

Cocoa water tower gets recognition

The Cocoa water tower, a famous ICW landmark that guides mariners into Cocoa, Florida, was named 2015 Tank of the Year. The 156-foot tower is the cover photo on the 2016 Water Tank Calendar. Its freshly painted 25-foot-high American Flag must have wowed judges.

Free dockage & services

•  Oriental, North Carolina: A free, town-maintained pump-out station is available. New restrooms for maritime guests were opened early December at Town Dock #2.

•  Thunderbolt, Georgia: Just outside of Savannah on Country Club Creek, make way to The Wyld Dock Bar, where patrons can dock for free. Gypsy Jazz Music and a $20 all-you-can-eat oyster roast beckon for a stop over.

•  Little Sisters Creek, Florida: At the junction of the St. John’s River and the ICW, Jim King Park offers free dockage. The park boasts a new ramp and is a prime spot for offshore and inshore fishing.

Changes to anchorage area

Two separate anchorages have been proposed to protect coral and its habitat in the Port of Miami area by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Southeast Florida Coral Reef Initiative (SEFCRI). After eight years of study, SEFCRI, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Anchorage Working Group propose a western anchorage and a larger eastern anchorage. Damage to coral from anchoring not only affects coral survival but also the marine ecosystem as a whole. The Coast Guard oversees anchoring for both recreational and commercial vessels and has in the past established anchorages in the Atlantic Ocean east of Miami Beach. All agencies involved are reviewing comments.

Single-leaf operations

Repairs are underway on the Dania Beach Boulevard Bridge in Broward County, Florida, located across the ICW at mile 1069.4. The bascule bridge is on one-leaf operation with a four-hour notice for a double-leaf opening through March 30th. For double-leaf opening call Quinn Construction at (941) 722-7722.

Caffeinated beaches 

In December, coffee lovers’ dreams came true when hundreds of Cuban coffee cans and vacuum-sealed bricks washed ashore on Indialantic Beach, Florida. Delighted beachcombers scooped them into trash bags. The inadvertent presents were cargo from about 25 containers that fell off a large Puerto Rico-bound barge somewhere between Cape Canaveral and Palm Beach. Other lost cargo included cell batteries, ramen noodles, dog food, bird seed, and bags of wine. After the spill, mariners dodged wayward containers in the Gulf Stream.

By Nancy E. Spraker, Southern Boating Magazine March 2015

Coastal town turns into a movie set.

You never know whom you might run into in downtown Brunswick, Georgia. This past fall, a downtown street became Prohibition-era Ybor City, Florida, for the film Live by Night, which is to be released in 2017. The organized crime-theme story is based on the novel by Dennis Lehane and directed by Ben Affleck who also wrote and stars in the film. During production, vintage cars drove through town, Spanish signage appeared on buildings and extras strolled the streets in 1920s attire. Brunswick Landings Marina is just steps away.

Stone crab season continues.

Stone crabs are in season until early May. Photo: Dave C. of Destin, FL

Stone crab harvesting is on in Florida through May 15th. The law permits taking one claw per crab measuring at least 2.75 inches in length from the elbow to immovable tip. No claws are permitted from egg-bearing stone crabs. Noncommercial harvesters may take up to five stone crab traps per person, and devices used must leave the crab’s body intact and uninjured. Collier, Monroe and Miami-Dade counties do not allow round entrances on traps in state or federal waters off their counties. A bag limit of one gallon of claws per person or two gallons per vessel, whichever is less, is allowed for recreational harvesters. For more stone crab harvesting information visit: myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/regulations/stone-crabs.

Ground transportation for boaters
Mariners visiting St. Marys, Georgia, can run errands and visit the historic town with free ground transportation provided by the wonderful volunteers of the St. Mary’s Yacht Club. They may grant permission to board their 46-foot houseboat The Clubhouse as well, a unique and fun experience. Phone numbers of volunteer drivers are listed in a flyer within the documents and flyers section of stmaryswelcome.com.

Dredging in Breach Inlet
There’s no need to bypass Isle of Palm (IOP) Marina or Charleston City Marina in South Carolina now that the Breach Inlet is dredged. The ICW at the inlet between Sullivan’s Island and IOP was dangerously shallow—almost dry at low tide—due to shoaling, and the low water led to several boating injuries. Charleston County and the federal government fund the project that also includes dredging Jeremy Creek in McClellanville. Dredging of the creek started in January.

Grounded boat creates oil spill.
In November 2015, a 60-foot relief boat loaded with supplies headed to Haiti grounded and sank in the St. Lucie River in Florida. No injury to passengers or crew was reported, but it did, however, create a large oil spill and debris field of barrels, boxes of food and produce in the St. Lucie River and the ICW. Locals suspect that the boat’s shaft strut punched a hole in the hull during its grounding. Martin County paid for its $1,800 salvage cost.

 

By Nancy E. Spraker – Southern Boating Magazine, Ferbruary 2016

A good month for education, boat shows and flea markets

Winter is a great time to gain more knowledge about how your boat works. A good place to learn about your boat’s systems is the Annapolis School of Seamanship. The school’s list of available courses includes “Marine Electrical Systems Basics” February 20-21. The two-day course for mariners offers a better understanding of marine electrical systems as well as practical skills such as troubleshooting and installing simple circuitry. The course format includes both lecture and hands-on instruction using multimeters and electrical circuitry developed for the course. annapolisschoolofseamanship.com

Boat shows
Show-goers will find some 350 boats at this year’s 33rd Annual OC Seaside Boat Show in Ocean City, Maryland, February 12-14. Each year, the show benefits the charitable work of the Ocean City/Berlin Optimist Club. All proceeds go to area youth, and all the Optimists are volunteers. Cruisers, center consoles, sportfishing, performance boats, and others are featured along with vendors displaying electronics, boat lifts, canvas, fishing tackle, paddle boards, and much more at the Ocean City Convention Center. The show will also give away an 18-foot Sweetwater pontoon boat with a 40-hp motor donated by North Bay Marina.

North Carolina mariners and anglers have a pair of boat shows to choose from this month: the Mid-Atlantic Boat Show February 11-14 at the Charlotte Convention Center and the Central Carolina Boat & Fishing Expo February 26-28 at the Greensboro Coliseum. Folks in Virginia can find plenty of boats and gear at the Richmond Boat Show, February 19-21.

Tackle on the cheap
February is a fine time to fish for low-priced gear. Two events in the mid-Chesapeake area are just a couple of the many opportunities around the region. The Pasadena Sportfishing Group’s annual Fishing Expo and flea market always draws a big crowd. This year’s show at the Earleigh Heights Maryland Fire Station is February 13-14 from 8AM-2PM. They’ll have new and quality used rods, tackle and boats. You can also gear up for the spring season at the Fisherman’s Flea Market hosted by Tri-State Marine in Deale, Maryland, on February 20th from 7:30AM-2PM.

Annapolis Yacht Club fire
People gathering to watch the annual December boat parade in Annapolis instead witnessed the Annapolis Yacht Club burning. Two firefighters suffered minor injuries, but no civilians were hurt. The fire severely damaged the second and third floors of the main clubhouse and smoke damaged the rest of the building. Extensive repairs or a complete rebuilding will be necessary. Many trophies and artwork were destroyed, although some were recovered.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, Mayor Mike Pantelides, and County Executive Steve Schuh joined club leaders for a tour of the damaged building on Compromise Street and started work on finding employment for the club’s 150 employees who were suddenly out of work.

Leaders of the club issued a statement thanking staff members and first-responders for their efforts in preventing serious injuries and which stated their intentions to rebuild: “AYC is more than a bricks and mortar clubhouse; it is a community. The Board of Governors is committed to rebuilding the clubhouse in the current location.” The former Fawcett Boat Supplies property and several other sites were offered as temporary locations for the club, which has 1,600 members

By Christopher Knauss – Southern Boating Magazine February 2016

Lowcountry Oyster Festival

If you love oysters and a good time, The Lowcountry Oyster Festival at Boone Hall Plantation near Charleston, South Carolina is the place to be on January 31st from 10AM until 5PM. Oyster shucking and oyster eating contests, live music, wine, domestic and imported beers, a children’s area, and a food court showcasing favorite local restaurants await. It claims to be the world’s largest oyster festival. boonehallplantation.com/annual_oyster_roast.php 

Bluewater Yacht Sales moves to new location

Bluewater Yacht Sales of Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, moved from a Marina Pierhouse office space to a new multi-story structure with a perfect view of ICW boat traffic and close proximity to Wrightsville Marina, Bluewater Grill restaurant and Highway 74’s eastbound traffic across the drawbridge. It is located at ICW MM 283.2.

 

Archeologists Parker Brooks, Jim Jobling and James Duff, examine a piece of casemate, made of railroad ties and timber, which served as the outer layer of armor for CSS Georgia.

Raising the CSS Georgia

The Confederate ironclad CSS Georgia that was scuttled by its crew to prevent capture in 1864 has been raised from the depth of the Savannah River one five-ton chunk at a time. The U.S. Navy and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recovered cannons, 132 unexploded shells and 250,000 pounds of casemates (iron sidings) from the vessel. Recovery will help understand how ironclads were built in the South. “A lot of these ironclads are built by house carpenters—they’re not built by shipwrights,” said Jeff Seymour, historian and curator for the National Civil War Naval Museum in Columbus, Georgia. The ship sank without ever firing a single shot in combat.

 

 

John Weller of Freedom Waters Foundation took a group of children with life-threatening illnesses on boat rides off Palm Beach.

 “Weller Days”

Freedom Waters Foundation co-founder and Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based yacht broker John Weller recently took a group of children with life-threatening illnesses and their families on boat rides off Palm Beach, Florida. Manatee-watching, dancing and taking the helm of the renovated antique motor yacht Mariner III was a welcome relief from doctors, nurses and medications. Weller, a six-time cancer survivor, co-founded the charity 10 years ago to provide boating opportunities for children with disabilities and life-threatening illnesses, at-risk youth, veterans, and those with special needs. “Weller Days” was started in 2004 and has been a tradition ever since. “This is a getaway from reality,” says Weller. “And to be on a boat like this is something very, very special.”

 

North Carolina bridges in progress

Two new bridges are in the works in North Carolina. A high level fixed bridge to be completed in May 2017 is being constructed between Radio Island and Michael J. Field in Carteret County with waterway closures planned. It will have a vertical clearance of 65 feet above mean high water (MHW) with a horizontal clearance of 100 feet. Tugboats and barges are being used for in-water work. Construction vessels monitor VHF channel 13 for mariner communication. The Wilmington Bypass Bridge in Brunswick and New Hanover Counties is set for a vertical clearance of 64 feet above MHW and horizontal clearance of 160 feet upon completion in December. The channel remains open to navigation with work barges and structures along the shore.

 

By Nancy E. Spraker, Southern Boating Magazine January 2016

Mallows Bay to be a National Marine Sanctuary

With support from the state of Maryland, NOAA has declared its intent to designate Mallows Bay as a National Marine Sanctuary. The bay is located on the Maryland side of the Potomac River in Charles County. The bay is the site of what is regarded as the largest shipwreck fleet in the Western Hemisphere and contains the remnants of more than 230 U.S. Shipping Board ships sunk in the river. Almost 90 were poorly constructed steamships built in haste during World War I. In 1925, the boats were burned and scuttled in Mallows Bay. Over the years, the ships have formed a unique ecosystem that hosts a large variety of aquatic species and birds.

The bay was listed as an archaeological and historic district on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015. Currently, Mallows Bay has passed the nomination process to become a National Marine Sanctuary and is in the public review process. Feedback will be used to help create a draft plan for the site.

The national sanctuary system was established in 1972 and comprises of 14 sites totaling more than 170,000 square miles. They serve as natural classrooms and laboratories for school children and for researchers to promote stewardship of marine resources. sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-bay

Visit Fred and crack a crab.

Every year I make the trip to the Baltimore Convention Center for the annual boat show for good reason; it’s a lot of fun, and the food and drinks are delicious. This year will be no exception. I always see people that I know who love to boat on the bay such as Jim High at the Baltimore Boating Center display.

This year’s show January 28-31 will feature hundreds of boats for virtually every lifestyle and budget. There’s plenty of gear to look over too, and lots of seminars are included with the price of admission. I’m a big fan of Fred’s Shed, a DIY garage with experts teaching the art of boat maintenance and repair. There’s also a crab picking contest, crafts for kids, remote control docking, and plenty of interesting and fun stuff to do. baltimoreboatshow.com

Southern hospitality

Lower your taxes by docking your boat at a new place this year. Ken and Karen Knull at Yankee Point Marina in Lancaster County, Virginia, already have 14 more slip holders than they did last June when the county eliminated the personal property boat tax for boats of 5 tons or more.

Lancaster County is following the lead of other Virginia counties by using a loophole in the state code. According to the Virginia tax code, you can’t eliminate the tax, but you can make the rate so low that it fails to show in the computerized accounting system. Lancaster County’s tax is $0.000000000000001 per $100 of assessed value for boats weighing 5 tons or more. That’s one kind of Southern hospitality boaters appreciate.

 

By Christopher Knauss, Southern Boating Magazine January 2016

Rockfish Shootout

 

Hearty anglers in search of a good striped bass bite should find that and more at this year’s 13th Annual Mid-Atlantic Rockfish Shootout December 10-12 off the waters of Virginia Beach. You can leave from any inlet in Virginia and weigh-ins are at Rudee Inlet at the Virginia Beach Fishing Center or King’s Creek Marina in Cape Charles. If you’d rather try a charter, the folks at the fishing center (757-491-8000) will be glad to help.

The tournament began in 2004 sprouting from the fishing enthusiasm of tournament director Mike Standing. With Atlantic Coast rockfish congregating in the area during the winter, his efforts have developed into the richest striped bass tourney in the country. Last year’s winners aboard LeGrande Slam weighed in more than 125 pounds of fish and took home a check for $23,000 from a $111,000 total payout.

The tournament also gives back to the community with donated filets serving area food banks and monetary donations helping local causes. Striped bass movements change and with the tournament moving from late December to early December, I predict plenty of trophy-sized fish will be brought to the scales this month. midatlanticrockfishshootout.com

Island View now a Clean Marina

Island View Marina serving mariners and anglers of the middle Chesapeake Bay area has been certified as the latest Maryland Clean Marina.

Already recycling and providing a pump-out station, Island View owner George Ritter has also reached Clean Marina standards through his pollution prevention efforts by capturing all boat bottom wash water and improving storm water management.

The marina is a family owned-and-operated full-service facility founded in 1984. Located at the mouth of Crab Alley Creek leading into Eastern Bay, Island View offers services like bottom painting and mechanical troubleshooting and repairs. The site provides do-it-yourself and full-service options, with Ritter offering more than 35 years of mechanical and repair experience in both sail and powerboats.

The Island View Marina marks the 156th Maryland Clean Marina certified facility. islandviewmarinaoncraballeycreek.com

Anglers should find some trophy-sized striped bass this month while fishing in the Mid-Atlantic Rockfish Shootout. Photo: Mid-Atlantic Rockfish Shootout

Bring a dish

Members of the Cape Hatteras Anglers Club meet the second Saturday of each month September through June in Buxton. Doors open at 6PM followed by a covered dish dinner at 6:30PM prior to the 7:30PM meeting. The club provides coffee, iced tea and soft drinks. There is a 50/50 drawing at each meeting along with door prizes usually consisting of a rod, a reel and gift certificates redeemable at Hatteras Island tackle shops. The club’s primary mission is to serve as a “Watch Dog” organization to help keep Cape Hatteras National Seashore beaches free and open to the public. Of course, there’s plenty of piscatorial talk going on at the meetings, and it’s a great way to pick up pointers and new fishing friends. capehatterasanglersclub.org

By Christopher Knauss, Southern Boating, November 2015

Bone Up On Your Boating Skills

Bone Up on Your Boating Skills and then enjoy the Tides.

With cooler temperatures prevailing in the Mid-Atlantic region, it’s a good time to take in a boating course or two on such topics as safety precautions, navigating and diesel basics to name a few. Fortunately, our region offers plenty of educational opportunities, many of which are nearby and relatively inexpensive.

Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, and North Carolina all offer state-sponsored safe boating classes with schedules and registration available on their state government boating websites. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF), for example, offers free instructor-led courses to the public. Pre-registration is required and classes typically fill fast. VDGIF recommends its basic course for anyone 12 years and older with good reading and comprehension skills who want to learn more about safe and responsible boating. By 2016 in Virginia, all operators of PWCs and motorboats with a motor of 10 horsepower or greater will be required to have a boating safety education course completion card on board. The schedule for a variety of courses are on the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and U.S. Power Squadrons websites—just punch in your zip code. cgaux.org; usps.org

The other option is simply propping yourself in front of a computer. Courses approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators are accepted for certification by all the states. Some courses have a fee. nasbla.org

Scenic wine tasting
Once you’re of legal age or if you already are, a fantastic place to dock is the Tides Inn in Irvington, Virginia, for its annual “Taste by the Bay: Wine, Food, Arts and Ale” event on November 21st from 11AM to 5PM. Activities include samplings from local wineries and craft breweries, tastings from local restaurants, live music by Mercy Creek, and shopping—well-timed for the holiday season—for local creations by artisan vendors.

The Tides Inn overlooks Chesapeake Bay and is an 11-minute walk from the Steamboat Era Museum and 5.5 miles from the boutiques and galleries of Kilmarnock. The Inn’s marina on Carters Creek offers new floating docks that accommodate up to 24 vessels ranging from small weekend cruisers to 150-foot charters. The resort also offers tennis, golf and a spa. Lodge Marina, a water taxi ride away from the Tides, provides 36 slips and also accommodates boats up to 150 feet. tidesinn.com

Big fish are back
It’s that time of the year when large migrant striped bass make their way back through Chesapeake Bay from more northern environs. Anglers fishing in the 23rd Fall Classic November 20-22 hosted by the Maryland Saltwater Sportfishing Association hope to hook up with the traveling fish for prize money, bragging rights and, perhaps, seafood to add to this year’s Thanksgiving feast. Some 800 anglers on more than 200 boats are expected to participate in this year’s tournament, which is the last in the club’s tournament series. During the two-day competition, anglers can fish their favorite hot spots throughout the Bay and its tributaries as the MSSA and its volunteers have weigh stations set up from Sandy Point to Point Lookout. mssa.org

By Christopher Knauss, Southern Boating, November 2015

South Jersey Marina, New Jersey

Tucked in New Jersey’s Cape May Harbor, South Jersey Marina has easy access to the Atlantic Ocean, Delaware Bay and ICW, while providing ample protection from Mother Nature’s outbursts. Among the closest marinas to the historic areas of Cape May, its quaint restaurants, beaches and parks, this full service marina—which earned marinalife Best Small Marina 2015—has been serving boaters for more than two decades. Its state of the art floating piers can accommodate vessels up to 150-foot LOA. Dockside services include local weather and fishing reports and the coordination of boat repairs through their sister facility, Canyon Club Resort Marina, also located on Cape May Harbor.

Let the marina’s trained, uniformed dock attendants assist you in tying up and get situated while the operations staff gets you squared away with dinner arrangements, rental cars, historic tours, and more. The marina also offers a shuttle into town to stretch your sea legs in the streets visiting local breweries, playing a round of golf, or relaxing at a spa.

The South Jersey Marina can handle large yachts up to 150 feet.

Serious about fishing, and located within some of the best deep fishing locations on the East Coast, the marina counts among New Jersey’s largest charter and party boat fleet and some exciting tournaments such as the Mid-Atlantic $500,000 and the Viking/Ocean Showdown.

Amenities
• 75 slips
• Docking for boats UP to 150′ in length
• 800′ of side-to dockage in a sheltered basin
• Deep vessel access
• Experienced dock attendants
• High-speed in-slip fueling
• 100 amp electric service
• Laundry facility
• In-house concierge
• Taxi service
• Restaurant (breakfast/lunch)

Contact:
South Jersey Marina
1231 Route 109
Cape May, NJ 08204
southjerseymarina.com

By Nathalie Gouillou

Movie star cruises Key Largo canals

Movie star cruises Key Largo canals.

An old steam engine sputters along the canals of Key Largo, Florida these days. Lance and Suzanne Holmquist restored the original 30-foot, steel hulled 1912 steamship African Queen used in the film of the same name starring Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn. They give 80-minute cruises on the vessel for up to six passengers. Captain Wayne toots a steam whistle as it passes homes along Port Largo canals to the Atlantic Ocean. Cruises depart from the Marina Del Mar and cost $49. africanqueenflkeys.com

Bring on the lobster!
Spiny lobster season in Florida, both recreational and commercial, started in late July and continues through March 31st. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) allows up to six lobsters per person per day. Carapace length must be larger than three inches and harvesting of egg-bearing females is not allowed. Lobsters must remain whole until brought ashore—whole lobsters must be kept in a cooler and no tools should alter shells. During the two-day sport season this year (July 29-30) the FWC permitted one extra lobster for every 10 lionfish caught. Divers-down buoys are required when diving.

New marina in historic Wilmington
Port City Marina on the Cape Fear River, North Carolina, 14 miles north of the ICW (Mile 300) opened for business in July. Port City management says, “Due to hard work and dedication we are more than thrilled and proud to be the gateway to historic downtown Wilmington.” The marina handles boats up to 250 feet in their 200 state-of-the-art floating wet slips with a controlled depth of 10 feet in its basin, accommodating deeper drafts in slips along the Cape Fear River. First class amenities—30, 50 and 100-amp electric service, free Wi-Fi, full service fuel dock, and more—as well as concierge services complete the marina. Downtown Wilmington offers restaurants, art galleries and boutiques, and Wilmington International Airport is just 10 minutes away. portcitymarina.com

A spaceport in coastal Georgia?
If Camden County, Georgia, officials have their way, Titusville, Florida, won’t be the only place within the Southeast Seaboard region to be a vantage point for cruisers to view rocket launches. The county has been working to bring a spaceport to a site located on the I-95 corridor next to the Atlantic Ocean for two years. Launches could affect navigable waterways—required to close as per most spaceports’ procedures around the country—and impose timed closures of the ICW. Fallen debris from launch failures might also disturb the birthing of right whales off Georgia’s coast and pose a threat to nearby Kings Bay Naval Base, home to nuclear powered submarines.

Reduced vertical clearance
Work on the main channel at Buckman Bridge on the St. Johns River near Jacksonville, Florida, continues through November. Although horizontal clearance in the channel is unchanged, vertical clearance is 60 feet 6 inches on one half of the channel. The original 64 feet 2 inches remains on the other half. Original vertical clearance will be restored throughout at construction’s completion.

By Nancy E. Spraker, Southern Boating, November 2015

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