Cooper River Run to Locks Fall edition

[piney1]

Hi Andy,
Whats the Docking details for small crafts at Fort Sumter? or is it anchorage ?

If you pull up to the south side of Fort Sumter there is shallow water, very shallow. You can pull within 25 feet of the rocks and throw two anchors and walk up to the land. The rocks area not cushioned so be careful but it is fine to do that. I have done it several times and know that area quite well that is where we boat a lot.

 

[piney1]

I learned this the hard way - I live off of the Goose Creek, a feeder to the Cooper River. Left the house with just under 3/4 and went to the lock figuring that I would go up to the top, fuel up and then go home. Got there, was lower than I would like. Went down the finger canal next to Gilligan's in Moncks Corner (the place with the GAS sign) only to learn that they have no fuel... Went to the lock and waited - beautiful day too. After a bit, I called them as I saw no movement. They were not opening it due to winds. 'For the love of Christmas, you gotta be kidding me' I said aloud. I wound up having to get someone to bring me 10 gallons at Gilligan's. I said all that to say, have Plan B if you are not leaving with a full tank.

Will see if we can make it, our place is just north of the 526 bridge over the Cooper River.

Took this the other day just before our house.

 

[Andy S]

I learned this the hard way - I live off of the Goose Creek, a feeder to the Cooper River. Left the house with just under 3/4 and went to the lock figuring that I would go up to the top, fuel up and then go home. Got there, was lower than I would like. Went down the finger canal next to Gilligan's in Moncks Corner (the place with the GAS sign) only to learn that they have no fuel... Went to the lock and waited - beautiful day too. After a bit, I called them as I saw no movement. They were not opening it due to winds. 'For the love of Christmas, you gotta be kidding me' I said aloud. I wound up having to get someone to bring me 10 gallons at Gilligan's. I said all that to say, have Plan B if you are not leaving with a full tank.

Will see if we can make it, our place is just north of the 526 bridge over the Cooper River.
View attachment 45220
Took this the other day just before our house.

Hope it works out that you can join us, the more the merrier!

We had a similar experience on the spring run. We left from Lake Marion and when we got to the locks they weren't opening them due to the wind. So we all headed back to Lake Marion, put the boats back on the trailer and head just east of the lock, where you went to get gas but was none, and launched the boats. For those that went the rest of the ride was very enjoyable. Hoping this time there is no issue preventing the locks from operating. This is why we are leaving from Mount Pleasant this time, if the locks aren't working we can just turn around and head back down the river.

 

[Stacey in SC]

Oh the irony!!! We just did this trip this past weekend! Daggone it! It was WONDERFUL, though.

I doubt we are going to jump back in for another trip of that magnitude at the moment due to school and sport commitments....but I'll keep working on Mark and call us tentative.

FYI on our experience:

It was a lovely trip, with very little no wake to deal with - as I had read on here. We go from our ramp (up on the Wando about 10 minutes' ride from the intersection with the Cooper), down the Wando and into the Cooper. The ride was 2 to 2.5 hours. It took us 2.5 up (leisurely) and 2 back. We were able to go through the locks, which was AWESOME. Then we went to the right after exiting the lock, and only put a few gallons in for a safety cushion at the marina that is right there across from the locks to the right. It turned out to be a good cushion. When we gassed up on return, the tanks took 43 gallons - most ever! By the numbers, we would have made it with about 1.5 gallons to spare. Close! We also drove around the lake for about a half hour to an hour in that time.

In the afternoon it was really gorgeous - it was about 5pm when we left Moultrie and clear boating and water like glass on the way back. I just wish my camera had been in my hands a couple of times - we saw a Bald Eagle on top of a tree, and TWO different large alligators in the north section of the Cooper within 2-5 miles of the lock! Just the head, and then they went under quietly....totally creepy, even for someone who has several of them in my neighborhood. Somehow, they didn't look real scared of us. Funny, as I was considering having the kids tube a bunch on they way back - makes you think a bit. LOL

I hope we can join you, but I'd call it 25% likelihood.

Stacey in SC

 

[bronze_10]

Oh the irony!!! We just did this trip this past weekend! Daggone it! It was WONDERFUL, though.

I doubt we are going to jump back in for another trip of that magnitude at the moment due to school and sport commitments....but I'll keep working on Mark and call us tentative.

FYI on our experience:

It was a lovely trip, with very little no wake to deal with - as I had read on here. We go from our ramp (up on the Wando about 10 minutes' ride from the intersection with the Cooper), down the Wando and into the Cooper. The ride was 2 to 2.5 hours. It took us 2.5 up (leisurely) and 2 back. We were able to go through the locks, which was AWESOME. Then we went to the right after exiting the lock, and only put a few gallons in for a safety cushion at the marina that is right there across from the locks to the right. It turned out to be a good cushion. When we gassed up on return, the tanks took 43 gallons - most ever! By the numbers, we would have made it with about 1.5 gallons to spare. Close! We also drove around the lake for about a half hour to an hour in that time.

In the afternoon it was really gorgeous - it was about 5pm when we left Moultrie and clear boating and water like glass on the way back. I just wish my camera had been in my hands a couple of times - we saw a Bald Eagle on top of a tree, and TWO different large alligators in the north section of the Cooper within 2-5 miles of the lock! Just the head, and then they went under quietly....totally creepy, even for someone who has several of them in my neighborhood. Somehow, they didn't look real scared of us. Funny, as I was considering having the kids tube a bunch on they way back - makes you think a bit. LOL

I hope we can join you, but I'd call it 25% likelihood.

Stacey in SC

There is a large group that does the spring run to open the season.. ! @robert843 and a few others normally host it and put it together..

 

[piney1]

The thing that I found cool about the locks is the birds. The birds are SMART. They know that fish get caught in the doors and they wait for them to get caught & then come in for a quick snack at the expense of the fish.

 

[robert843]

Just so everyone knows that weekend is Charleston restaurant week so there are a bunch of high end places running specials

http://www.charlestonrestaurantassociation.com/charleston-restaurant-week/

 

[Andy S]

Not liking what I see in the forecast for the weekend. Hoping the forecast gets better as the week progress.

 

[justason]

who's thinking what on the forecast ? I still haven't made reservations anyplace...or checked on availabilities

 

[Andy S]

I'm not confident in the weather getting better.

 

[DieselCamel]

Yeah definitely not looking great...

 

[Eric Ballard]

Damn! I was getting close to pulling the trigger and going. The weather definitely looks bad and I would imagine would affect the locks. I'm way more comfortable doing the run if I know I can gas up in the lake for the ride home. That said if it end up being a go I may still come. I am especially interested if this get rescheduled in the near future!

 

[Eric Ballard]

There is a large group that does the spring run to open the season.. ! @robert843 and a few others normally host it and put it together..

"open the season"..... I don't accept that the season ever ends. #yearroundboating! I'm tuning my boat into a fishing boat this winter and hope to go south as needed to use it.

 

[Ramblin Wreck]

Hidden Cove Marina no longer has fuel. The only way to get fuel on the water would be to make it through the lock and fill up on on Lake Moultrie. That's my understanding unless one of the South Carolina locals says otherwise.

Saturday Forecast for Moncks Corner is 60% chance of rain with light wind. Rain will not shut the lock down but wind will if the lake gets choppy. I would think we all would need to be prepared to travel 100 or so miles with the fuel we have on board.

 

[justason]

Hidden Cove Marina no longer has fuel. The only way to get fuel on the water would be to make it through the lock and fill up on on Lake Moultrie. That's my understanding unless one of the South Carolina locals says otherwise.

Saturday Forecast for Moncks Corner is 60% chance of rain with light wind. Rain will not shut the lock down but wind will if the lake gets choppy. I would think we all would need to be prepared to travel 100 or so miles with the fuel we have on board.

I saw a forecast on weather.com that was targeting 11mph winds. what was the the spring trip for winds that DID shut down the locks?.
I have a spare 10 gallons on board......
but...60% chance of rain against a $700$800 weekend is not tickling my fancy too well.....

 

[ACrews]

I believe southeast Ga is about to have a mess.

 

[piney1]

I saw a forecast on weather.com that was targeting 11mph winds. what was the the spring trip for winds that DID shut down the locks?.
I have a spare 10 gallons on board......
but...60% chance of rain against a $700$800 weekend is not tickling my fancy too well.....

It is not looking promising. I work in Moncks Corner and we get wicked thunder storms in the afternoons right now.

The 'lake effect' is what they call it here. Late afternoon and the skies open up.

The only spot for fuel is up on the lake as the one down by Gilligans has no fuel due the flooding last October. Pic attached. Their parking lot is not actually a river...

 

[bronze_10]

@robert843 with all the interest in this run the spring run and over night stay in charleston may be much much bigger in 2017!!

 

[Andy S]

Everyone, I'm pulling the plug on my plans for this weekends Charleston trip. All my reservations are now cancelled, thankfully without any fees, and now maybe the weather will clear so others can enjoy.

The Moncks Corner, SC weather forecast still looks pretty crappy.

 

[piney1]

If you plan another, I'd be in for it. The spring tends to have less of the wild afternoon showers.