Moving South Adventures - and the value of AIS

FootballFan

Well-Known Member
Jun 20, 2012
3,567
Florida
Boat Info
Marquis 59
Engines
MTU Series 60
Fog%20Pic_1.jpg
Rainy, crappy weather. Cant sync with a window to go outside. 3 days of nice Atlantic Ocean I can be in Miami.

Bit the bullet, just going to go inside on the ICW till the weather breaks - maybe Monday.

Rain is miserable, but not that worried about it. Just the leaving and tying up. Rest of the day is dry and warm at the helm.

Coming down Cooper River, past the big bridge where the channels gets narrow and all the Cargo Ships transit.

In 3 minutes, fog forms around us. The picture is initially, about the time we had a choice to pull into a nearby fuel dock. Kept going, then it got much worse than the picture. (sorry didn't really take the time to take any pictures at that point, was kind of busy).

As the fog closed in around us, my number one thought was the commercial traffic - and it was still running.

AIS was huge - and I was really GLAD I was broadcasting AIS. Kept watch closely, sounded the horn. Felt much better with both AIS and Radar.

Stayed relatively slow - wound our way down the Cooper river, crossed through 2 commercial vehicles on the Cooper River route, felt our way over the Ashley river route.

Went up to the Megadock and tied up. Enough for the day.

From the megadock you can see the ICW channel taking off from the Ashley river. Fog hung over the ICW all afternoon.

Will try again tomorrow...
 
Get post. I am adding AIS for the exact same reason. With the rebirth of the coal industry (Thank God!!) the barge traffic on the Kanawha River has really picked up and I want to know where they are at all times.
 
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Good luck. Would love to make a bigger trip in a bigger boat someday. I enjoy reading others adventures.
 
Even with AIS I’m sure you where a little on edge in those conditions.
My buddy keeps asking should he get AIS? my answer repeatedly is YES! another tool in the tool box .
Keep posting on the trip please I’ll be doing my first one next fall our first winter migration.
 
Even with AIS I’m sure you where a little on edge in those conditions.
My buddy keeps asking should he get AIS? my answer repeatedly is YES! another tool in the tool box .
Keep posting on the trip please I’ll be doing my first one next fall our first winter migration.


On edge is a nice way of saying it. Let's just very high level of alert, especially when the tug I saw on AIS, popped out finally for a visual.

You are right on with your advice about AIS especially if a person is in an area with commercial traffic. My advice, spend the extra money and make sure they can see you.

Today was interesting. Waited for fog to lift. Then had some rain off and on. All of a sudden hit fog again for a few miles, heavy.

By after lunch sunny blue skies the rest of the way.

Made it to Port Royal on the icw.

Have been north and south to Charleston 4-5 times now. Only outside cause of the skinny water on the icw thru SC and GA.

Weather window has been sucking, but the tidal window was spot on. High tide at midday meant we were running on higher water all day. 4-6 ft of tide through this area, even higher further south into Ga. High tide fixes a lot of challenges. Our draft is 6ft, so have to watch closely.

No issues at all on depth.

If nothing gets worse over night, headed outside in the morning.
 
I'm sure Mark has a great AIS setup.

But, It does not cost that much to at least have AIS putting traffic on your chart plotter.

A $300 Standard Horizon VHF is all you need to connect to a backbone to your plotter

MM
 
On edge is a nice way of saying it. Let's just very high level of alert, especially when the tug I saw on AIS, popped out finally for a visual.

You are right on with your advice about AIS especially if a person is in an area with commercial traffic. My advice, spend the extra money and make sure they can see you.

Today was interesting. Waited for fog to lift. Then had some rain off and on. All of a sudden hit fog again for a few miles, heavy.

By after lunch sunny blue skies the rest of the way.

Made it to Port Royal on the icw.

Have been north and south to Charleston 4-5 times now. Only outside cause of the skinny water on the icw thru SC and GA.

Weather window has been sucking, but the tidal window was spot on. High tide at midday meant we were running on higher water all day. 4-6 ft of tide through this area, even higher further south into Ga. High tide fixes a lot of challenges. Our draft is 6ft, so have to watch closely.

No issues at all on depth.

If nothing gets worse over night, headed outside in the morning.
Are you at Port Royal Landing Marina? If so that's my boat with all the lights glowing at the end of B dock.
 
Are you at Port Royal Landing Marina? If so that's my boat with all the lights glowing at the end of B dock.

Yes.

Are you on the boat?

South end of the outer dock.


Love this marina. Ate at Agave tonight, great food.
 
No. We are up in DC having early Christmas with our kids. Be back Tuesday. Have a safe ride south.

Was about to walk down to meet you. Will catch you another trip, this definitely a marina I would stop in again.

Going north it is more difficult to go into harbor town. Leaving there it is easy to go south. This is really a good location.

Enjoy DC.
 

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