Great Bridge Lock, Va Closure

[CRUZ'N]

FYI, For " snow birds ", the Lock closed Tues 11/05/13 due to valve failure on North entry gates. While repairs are being made, there are limited openings, conditions permitting......low tide, wind direction and speeds. The interim openings, using the South gates only, are set up for two weeks....Tim

 

[mistercomputerman]

Correct. They are going to have to set up a cofferdam around the valve, pump out the water, repair the concrete, then let the water back in before the repair is complete. If you are headed South on the AICW and draw less than 6', you can use the Dismal Swamp Canal. Other than that, head to the Atlantic Ocean and come back inside at Oregon Inlet (which is kind of hazardous-the locals call it "dynamic").

Also:
Right whales are active off NC. Speed restrictions of 10 knots apply to vessels 65 feet or greater in specific areas and times along the mid-Atlantic coast. To learn more about right whales and rules protecting them, go to: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/shipstrike/

 

[mistercomputerman]

November 07, 2013

Great Bridge Lock still broken, but partly open

by RSS feed


By Mike Connors
The Virginian-Pilot
© November 7, 2013
CHESAPEAKE

A failed underwater valve has largely closed the Great Bridge Lock, bottling up boat traffic for a week or more just as the seasonal southbound migration gets under way.

The Army Corps of Engineers shut down the 81-year-old lock early Tuesday because of the valve; it said divers found that concrete anchoring it had deteriorated.

That means boats can’t pass through the lock – which links the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River with the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal, all part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway – except in favorable winds at low tide, when water levels of the river and canal are even.

Wind conditions can’t be known in advance, though. And fixing the valve likely will take more than a week.

The valve is 10 to 12 feet across. It’s also about 16 feet underwater, said Joel Scussel, project manager for the Intracoastal Waterway.

Corps officials are finishing a repair plan. They then must find a contractor, who first must build a cofferdam – a temporary watertight enclosure – and remove the water so the valve can be inspected before repairs begin.

A corps news release said the lock could start operating on a normal schedule once the dam is in place. That’s estimated to take six working days once a contract is signed. Scussel said complete repairs could take weeks.

In the meantime, the corps said, recreational boats that draft less than 6 feet can go west, instead, and use the Deep Creek and South Mills locks on the Dismal Swamp Canal into North Carolina to reach the Albemarle Sound.

Ray Maness’s My Boat was one of more than two dozen waiting in the river west of the lock and hoping it would open Wednesday afternoon. He had arrived from Annapolis, Md., about 4 a.m., headed for South Florida.

Wearing sandals and a baseball cap, Maness killed time fishing. He hadn’t caught anything, but he was taking the delay in stride.

“It’s just part of boating,” he said.

Brian McKown, manager of Top Rack Marina on Bainbridge Boulevard, was offering free slips for those stuck. He said he was full Tuesday night, with about 14 boats.

Steve Sipe wasn’t sure whether he’d be one of those boaters Wednesday. He’d brought his Celebration from Baltimore in the morning, with the goal of reaching Brunswick, Ga.

As corps officials prepared to briefly open the lock late in the afternoon, Sipe was behind about a dozen boats.

It can take about 15 minutes to get one boat through the lock.

Sipe hadn’t encountered this problem before. He was prepared, though, having brought a James Patterson novel.

“Just another day in the cruising life,” he said.

 

[Boat Guy]

I went through at around 4am this morning....

They have it open during low tide.

Today was a wild ride....

 

[CRUZ'N]

I went through at around 4am this morning....

They have it open during low tide.

Today was a wild ride....

BG , good to see you're on your way. I'm sure you've done your due diligence, but just in case.... Isle of Palm MM 470, ICW # 117A- 119 is 3-3.5' at low tide. South of Isle of Hope " Hell Gate " ~ MM 575.......North side of Jekyll Island, ICW.... None of these are passable w/o going thru at least Medium rising tides.... Hell Gate is silt, however Isle of Palm is all sand......Danger Will Robinson...hope this helps, Tim

 

[Boat Guy]

Thanks for the heads up Tim....

I'm sitting at Belhaven looking at the route to Morehead. I had no idea we MVs would have issues down the icw. So thanks... I'll keep a lookout when I get down that way. This whole journey so far seems more like wagon trains than 2013....

 

[CSR_Admin]

Belhaven is one of my favorite stops. Make sure you go to Farm Boys!

 

[Turtlesboat]

New place in Belhaven "Spoon River" excellent food. Some Shoaling south of Morehead, follow the temp cans. Gets down to 3' under the keel in places.

 

[Alex F]

The shallow spot Mike was referring to is by G7 Latitude: 34°43.283'N, Longitude: 076°46.977'W.

 

[Capt. Rusty Higgins]

Did you know the two story house at Bellhaven where you fueled up, is a Sears catalog home from back in the day. Pretty cool place.


Capt. R

 

[Turtlesboat]

The whole town of Belhaven is a cool place. But driving around in the golf carts, looks like half the town is trying to move.

 

[Dancin Dave]

Did you know the two story house at Bellhaven where you fueled up, is a Sears catalog home from back in the day. Pretty cool place.

Very cool place Rusty, I'm told it is under contract and is being sold seperate from the marina.

We didn't buy our fuel here just stayed the night. Got our fuel in Coinjock.