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SC Inlet Caution: Winyah Bay Entrance
- Date Reported: Jun 2, 2022
- Reporter: Jani Parker
- Source: Waterway Guide Staff
- Description:
Approach: Winyah Bay Lighted Bbuoy "WB" is at N 33° 11.617'/W 079° 05.172'.
Overview: Well marked and deep. Presents a challenge for underpowered vessels with its strong currents. It pays to watch the tide here and enter or leave with the current. Night entry is feasible due to well-marked ranges.
Navigation: Georgetown Light, 85 feet above the water, shines from a white cylindrical tower on the north side of Winyah Bay entrance. Smoke from one or another of the stacks in Georgetown can often be seen from well offshore. The sea buoy is well out; recreational vessels can safely approach waypoint N 33° 11.570'/W 79° 07.040', which is just east of red buoy "4." From the waypoint, entry is straightforward on a heading of due west, turning to northwest at red buoy "8" and north-northwest after that.
Cautions & Hazards: Conditions can be particularly bad at the ends of the jetties when tide opposes wind. Also, much of the south jetty is visible only at low water. Northbound vessels need to be aware of the shoals to the south and west of the channel and not stray west of the waypoint. Anything under 20 feet MLW indicates you are too far west on your approach.
ICW Connection: Connects to the ICW at Mile 406 (9 nm). Southbound traffic coming from offshore will want to leave the main shipping channel sooner, veering to port at flashing green buoy "17" to enter the ICW via the Western Channel.
- Lat / Lon: N 33° 11.857' / W 079° 10.497'
1 Boater Comment
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Comment by: Paul Castaldi on May 1, 2018
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 45'
Draft: 4.0'Entering or leaving with easterly winds (particularly northeasterly) is very tricky on a falling tide. I buried the bow into several waves and would have turned around if alternate entrance was nearby. The run to the nearest marina is about 15 nm which is not ideal if stopping for the night and running outside.
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