May 16, 2015 boat run to Charleston, SC

[Andy S]

@robert843 and I are planning on making a boat run from Lake Marion/Lake Moultrie through the Pinopolis locks, down the Cooper River to Charleston.

Dates
Run up and back down the river on Saturday, May 16th. Boating around Charleston on Sunday, May 17th.

Launch location
Remley's Point public ramp, https://www.dnr.sc.gov/mlands/boatramp_details?p_id=340 , https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?oe=UTF8&ie=UTF8&msa=0&mid=zUQRkkGkrTTQ.koYDznSE4TuY

Place to stay in Charleston
We are staying at the Holiday Inn in Mount Pleasant at 250 Johnnie Dodds Blvd., http://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/us/en/mt-pleasant/chsmp/hoteldetail?qRef=sr&qDest=Mount+Pleasant,+SC,+United+States&qRpn=1&qChld=0&qSrt=sBR&qSHp=1&qSmP=3&qGRM=0&qLng=-79.8628&qRdU=1&qRms=1&srb_u=1&qAdlt=1&qPSt=0&qFRA=1&qLat=32.7939&qRRSrt=rt&qRad=30&qRpp=12&qBrs=6c.hi.ex.rs.ic.cp.in.sb.cw.cv.ul.vn&qWch=0&icdv=99504425

Participants
@robert843
@andy07sx230ho

Others that have expressed interest
@tim h
@veedubtek - understand you have a conflict
@DieselCamel - understand you have a conflict
@Paulie

Maps
https://www.santeecooper.com/pdfs/committed-to-south-carolina/lakemap_chartocolachannel.jpg

The train trestle about half way between the lock and Charleston is called the Strawberry bridge and if going under it at high tide boats that need 10' of clearance will not make it. If you need the bridge to open the numbers and timing requirements are posted on this page, http://www.santeecoopercountry.org/lakeinformation/lockstrawberrybridge.html . I called and talked with the bridge master, the best number to call 843-761-1572 and on the weekend they can typically get there within 3 hours not 6 hours as posted.

Pinopolis Lock video

 

[justason]

Excellent work @andy07sx230ho . so rough math says this is a 68mile run form canal to Charleston! dang !I'll have to bring BOTH my ABBA cassettes!

68 miles ..maybe ..3 hours without sightseeing...that makes for some good boating around Charleston, water threats (depth?) in the rivers?

Any idea on projected launch time? @andy07sx230ho @robert843 you both have a 2+ hour drive.

 

[Andy S]

Excellent work @andy07sx230ho . so rough math says this is a 68 mile run form canal to Charleston! dang !I'll have to bring BOTH my ABBA cassettes!

68 miles ..maybe ..3 hours without sightseeing...that makes for some good boating around Charleston, water threats (depth?) in the rivers?

Any idea on projected launch time? @andy07sx230ho @robert843 you both have a 2+ hour drive.

I thought your ABBA collection was on 8-track, I guess you are making advances in technology since you've upgraded to cassettes.

No projected launch time as of yet but I am not opposed to launching around noon so you and others that are about 4 hours away can make it without having to spend the night on Friday night. For me personally, anytime at or after 10 am will work me and my crew.

Lake Marion sucks for boating, great for fishing that is why I am launching at Rocks Pond and not Santee State Park which is just west of I-95. In Lake Moultrie as long as you stay close to the channel you will be fine, venture to far away from the channel and you will have to pay very close attention to your depth finder. Once in the river it is typically fine, especially if you stay in the middle of the river.

 

[robert843]

The river is marked by markers as well as long as we stay in the markers The depths are good. There are a couple spots on the river where the markers are hard to read and follow so you can get into some trouble if you make a wrong turn last year we had this incident happen my friend was driving the boat and he turned into what turned out to be a very shallow lagoon that he thought was the river. Coming from Charleston up to the locks is pretty easy to stay in the channel and read the markets but coming from the lake there some placed in blind spots coming from that direction. Last years round trip I think was 117 miles but that was only to the far end of lake Moultrie so a little further with the the canal and a bit of Marion. Starting from where we are and the lock being involved it's probably 3.5 hour trip each way taking it easy which you will probably want to do as it is a nice run with plenty of wildlife and other things to see. It really is a neat trip is all low country marsh the whole way. There is one small fuel stop On the river a few miles from the locks and then there is nothing till Charleston. i'll have to go back and look at my GPS but I want to say to get into Charleston Harbor it is 52 miles from the locks Lake Moultrie is 12 miles long plus what ever is added by the canal. The only reason I say all this is you want to be able to run that without having to stop for fuel till Charleston. There's only one small no wake zone on the whole trip so we can basically get at what ever pace we wish

 

[veedubtek]

I believe @Julian also expressed interest, but had a conflict that weekend. Hoping we can plan another trip post-bimini, after we follow your thread and learn what to do/not to do!

 

[Andy S]

I believe @Julian also expressed interest, but had a conflict that weekend. Hoping we can plan another trip post-bimini, after we follow your thread and learn what to do/not to do!

I would be in for another trip later this year, like you said after the Bimini trip.

 

[waterboy]

I have been travelling a bunch the past few weeks and watching this one closely. Would love to go but the family schedule is soo darn full the next few weeks... There is about a 10% chance we could make this so who knows.

I'll probably have to just hear the stories from @justason when he gets back...

 

[justason]

I have been travelling a bunch the past few weeks and watching this one closely. Would love to go but the family schedule is soo darn full the next few weeks... There is about a 10% chance we could make this so who knows.

I'll probably have to just hear the stories from @justason when he gets back...

Park your boat. Join my crew. I'll pack the cooler with your choice of beer and your wifes choice of wine......and i'll leave my ABBA 8track at home.......you can even drive..a little....maybe...sorta

What else you got?

 

[sstegh]

That looks like a lot of fun! Would be easier for me to pull off in June or July.

 

[robert843]

I have interest from 3 other boats that I know so we shall see how many we have. If my boat is out of the shop from getting spring service by then we will bring it and 1 ski ourselves. I have to see how that all plays out. Right now my boat and 1 other ski are still both in the shop getting service but I should have the second ski back next week the boat will be close they told me 3-4 weeks as they are backed up.

 

[robert843]

@andy07sx230ho well the wife finally came up to the lake house this weekend instead of me having to go back to the beach. She was even cool enough to tow a jet ski up so even with the crap weather today I couldnt help but get out on Lake Murray for the first time.

 

[Andy S]

@andy07sx230ho well the wife finally came up to the lake house this weekend instead of me having to go back to the beach. She was even cool enough to tow a jet ski up so even with the crap weather today I couldnt help but get out on Lake Murray for the first time.

I hope you had a wet suit on, the weather is just crappy today, hoping for better weather tomorrow. This coming weekend I will be getting my boat out of hibernation and if the weather is decent I might make it out to the lake.

 

[justason]

Problemo handed me tonight.. Alec and I play on 2 hockey teams together.....both in first place......and finals were just scheduled for the weekend of this trip........normally I'd ditch the games......BUT.... This is Alec's last season in the league as he heads off to college......I have a hard time with the thought of not carrying home 2 championships (4 ina row) with him....

 

[Andy S]

@justason I understand your dilemma and would do the same thing. Sorry you won't make this trip hopefully the next time you can make it.

 

[CharlestonJet]

Pinopolis yesterday

 

[Andy S]

I just made my reservation at the Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Charleston Arpt-Conv Ctr, http://www.hotels.com/hotel/details.html?roomInfoList[0].numberOfAdults=2&previousDateful=false&reviewOrder=date_newest_first&dd=05/17/15&roomInfoList[0].numberOfChildren=0&rl=CITY:1485499:UNKNOWN:UNKNOWN&did=1485499&numberOfRooms=1&tab=description&dn=North+Charleston,+South+Carolina,+United+States+of+America&hotelId=390839&cd=05/16/15

 

[Andy S]

I just talked with Annie at Dolphin Cove Marina, http://www.dolphincovemarina.net/ and their rate for transiet boat slips is $1.25 per foot with no minimum.

Now I just have to figure out transport from the Marina to hotel.

 

[robert843]

I'm waiting on one of my friends to figure out his plan before I book a room . He has a 32 ft camper and may bring it down to the rv park the night before but his wife's birthday is that weekend and he may bail out all together so if they have not decided by Friday in booking at the holiday inn as well.

 

[ACrews]

Guys, my girlfriend and I would love to join you all if everything works out & y'all don't mind. A lot of things have to come together being that I'm out of state a few weeks working & trying to have patience since we will picking up our new SX 240 when I get home. Brand new to the site, so please pardon me jumping in on your conversation. We live down in Southeast Ga so please feel free to let me know if something is going on around the south. We currently have a Bayliner but have quickly outgrown it. Fell in love with the Yamaha & came across this site from a YouTube video documenting last yrs Bimini Fling. This has been a great site so far & look forward to getting out there soon.

 

[Andy S]

Guys, my girlfriend and I would love to join you all if everything works out & y'all don't mind. A lot of things have to come together being that I'm out of state a few weeks working & trying to have patience since we will picking up our new SX 240 when I get home. Brand new to the site, so please pardon me jumping in on your conversation. We live down in Southeast Ga so please feel free to let me know if something is going on around the south. We currently have a Bayliner but have quickly outgrown it. Fell in love with the Yamaha & came across this site from a YouTube video documenting last yrs Bimini Fling. This has been a great site so far & look forward to getting out there soon.

Welcome aboard!!!

Yes you are more than welcome to join us on this trip and hope things workout that you can. Also maybe you can join us on this years Bimini Fling trip, https://jetboaters.net/threads/bimini-2015-july-6th-to-11th.2647/