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Below, you will discover our COMPLETE listing of South Carolina anchorages, arranged in a rough, north to south, geographic format. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO NARROW YOUR SELECTION of SC Anchorages to those in a specific geographic sub-region, locate the RED, vertically stacked menu, on the right side of this, and all Cruisers’ Net pages. Click on “South Carolina.” A drop down menu will appear, with a blue background, Now, click on “SC Anchorages.” A sub-drop-down menu will now appear. The first selection is “All South Carolina Anchorages,” which is where you are now. Below this selection, however, you will find listed 11 South Carolina geographic sub-regions. Select your waters of interest, and after clicking on your choice, a list of SC anchorages will appear, confined to the sub-region you have picked!
Calabash Creek Anchorage
Statute Mile: 342
Lat/Lon: near 33 52.353 North/078 34.176 West
Location: on the waters off Calabash Creek’s eastern shores between unlighted daybeacons #2 and #3
Minimum Depth: 4 1/2 feet MLW at entrance to Calabash Creek
Special Comment: southern entrance to Calabash Creek from the AICW is shoaling
Swing Room: sufficient room for boats as large as 40 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: Very Good
Rating: 
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Ditto to what Bill said. On 11-23-11 found the same depths took the same route. ICW #2 to port Calabash #2 to Starboard and hooked in just off the line between R2 and the Green 3 off notrh shore. three other boats drawing 5.6′
JiM Lady Lady
11-23-2011
Fit three boats in here on north shore between red #2 and the green #3 other side of dolphins. Moon tide carried 12-14′ during high. Expect 6 tonight I hope
Jim & Dede McGuire
I anchored at Calabash Creek on July 5, 2011, without any problem. I arrived at exactly low tide, and watched a large sportfisher and two large drift fishing boats go through and decided to give it a try. They were coming from New River inlet and crossing the ICW. They hugged the ICW R2, leaving it to port, then stayed well of the Calabash Creek R2, leaving it to starboard. I draw 5.5 feet, and saw 6.5 feet passing ICW R2. I anchored in 9.5 feet between R2 and G3 just off the north shore. It was a nice anchorage once the stream of fishing boats and shrimpers finished the day. I would never have tried this on falling tide.
Bill Raynor
Statute Mile: 375.5
Lat/Lon: near 33 39.953 North/079 04.236 West
Location: lies off the rear of the loop stream, north and northeast of flashing daybeacon #29
Minimum Depth: 9-feet
Swing Room: sufficient room for boats as large as 34 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: Excellent
Rating:
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We turned in northbound off marker 27A and rounded #1. We first motored north to investigate the entire reach of the oxbow but ran aground in what chart and plotter showed as deep water just as the channel turns back toward the ICW on the north side of the oxbow.
We reversed direction and anchored in the Oxbow near the 8 foot depth shown on the chart. We dropped our Bruce in 10 ft of water at near-low tide and the anchor dug in quickly. We first motored a circle to assure swing room and found the charted depths to be accurate.
Thinking back on our last time anchoring here, I regretted not rigging a trip line as I dropped our anchor because we grabbed some bottom debris on our last visit making anchor recovery difficult. On this visit, we luckily recovered our anchor easily the next morning.
It’s a beautiful anchorage and the bird life here is terrific. The only caveat, until sunset, is the waterborne cowboys who zip though the area like mentally challenged houseflies .
Stayed here two nights September 2009. Anchored closer to the river on the northern leg of the loop. Nice anchorage except for the local boat which anchored in the afternoon on the far side of the island and shot off what sounded like a semi-automatic weapon repeatedly. They went away and then came back after dark and anchored for the night. We tried to do things right and use a buoyed trip line but ended up with the line wound around the anchor chain as we switched back and forth with the current.
Statute Mile: 378
Lat/Lon: near 33 39.524 North/079 04.706 West
Location: on the charted loop cutting into the Waccamaw’s southeasterly banks, northeast of unlighted daybeacon #31
Minimum Depth: 10-18 feet
Special Comment: entry into this anchorage is surrounded by numerous shoals. Use of a GPS chart plotter is recommended to facilitate safe passage
Swing Room: sufficient room for boats as large as 38 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: Excellent
Rating:
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Statute Mile: 377
Lat/Lon: near 33 39.227 North/079 05.748 West
Location: anchorage will be found, northwest of flashing daybeacon #36, just behind the charted island’s northwesterly point
Minimum Depth: 20+ feet in anchorage ‘“ 8 foot minimum approach depths
Swing Room: sufficient room for boats as large as 30 feet
Special Note: swing room has been reduced in this anchorage by the recent construction of several private docks
Foul Weather Shelter: Very good except in very strong northeasterly winds
Rating:
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Statute Mile: 380.5
Lat/Lon:
33 36.424 North/079 05.333 West (outer, westernmost anchorage)
33 36.402 North/079 05.271 West (inner anchorage)
Location: found on the centerline of the Creek’s northern mouth, southeast of the ICW’s flashing daybeacon #43
Minimum Depth: 18-feet
Swing Room: sufficient room for boats as large as 34 feet
Foul Weather Shelter:
Rating:
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Statute Mile: 381
Lat/Lon:
33 36.247 North/079 05.899 West (anchorage nearest ICW/Waccamaw River)
33 36.638 North/079 06.279 West (anchorage just upstream of hairpin turn to the south)
33 36.106 North/079 06.385 West (anchorage just north of sharp turn to the west)
33 36.003 North/079 06.605 West (anchorage abeam of high ground on southern banks)
Location: Bull Creek runs west from the Waccamaw River/ICW at flashing daybeacon #48
Minimum Depth: 14-feet
Special Comment: many excellent anchorages are available along the length of Bull Creek between its intersection with Waccamaw River, and its juncture with Little Bull Creek
Swing Room: sufficient room for boats as large as 40 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: Excellent, particularly on the two most upstream anchorages
Rating:
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September 2009 – We anchored in Bull Creek just off the sand hill near the charted 14′ depth. This anchorage is similar in appearance and ambience to Throughfare Creek at it’s sand hill. One signficant difference: Bull Creek is widen and allows for more swing room/larger boats/more boats. Word of caution. We dropped the hook abeam of the sand hill and about 1/3 of the width of the creek from the sand hill. I noticed in setting and raising the anchor that I could feel some little tugs on the anchor and chain that were most likely caused by small soft rotten logs or tree trunks on the bottom. It took almost no effort to free the anchor and chain as I raised it, but the bottom is not debris free in that spot.
Just to add to my pasted-in comment above, our boat is 61 ft LOA and we have used those lower two anchorages in the chart picture (or further upstream, if you will) quite happily. You have to patient in getting a good set, as there are a couple of rocky patches in there.
George and Ann
“Incentive” Hatteras 56MY.
Statute Mile: 382.5
Lat/Lon: near 33 34.800 North/079 06.041 West
Location: drop anchor barely within the southern mouth of Prince Creek, hard by flashing daybeacon #53
Minimum Depth: 25-feet
Swing Room: sufficient room for boats as large as 38 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: Fair to good, but open to strong southern and southwestern winds
Rating:
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Statute Mile: 386.5
Lat/Lon: near 33 31.637 North/079 06.870 West
Location: found on the waters a short hop upstream from the creek’s intersection with the Waccamaw, west, northwest of flashing daybeacon #66
Minimum Depth: 7-feet
Swing Room: sufficient room for boats as large as 34 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: Excellent in all but southeasterly winds
Rating:
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Statute Mile: 389
Lat/Lon:
33 30.443 North/079 08.771 West (anchorage just upstream of creek’s first sharp turn to the north
33 30.892 North/079 08.643 West (anchorage abeam of charted high ground at Belin
Location: Thoroughfare creek lies west of the Waccamaw River/ICW flashing daybeacon #73
Minimum Depth: 10-feet
Special Comment: Upstream anchorage on Thoroughfare Creek is one of the best overnight havens on the Waccamaw River
Swing Room: sufficient room for boats as large as 40 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: Excellent
Rating:
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We anchored here a couple years ago. We stopped here again a couple weeks ago but now we have a dinghy. We cruised the canals, then over to the beach for some swimming. We had some conversations with the locals who come there often for swiming. We hiked a little on the trails and then spent a quiet night on the hook. It’s a great anchorage.
There was a mention above about developers. The was a PBS special on this island, but the short story is, the state of SC bought it and recently turned it over to an environmental group. While there may be some more homes on the canals and in the traditionally black town on the other side of the island, there will be no bridge or “developement”.
There are so many places to choose on the Wacamaw River, but this one is great. We were here for the first time on 6/12/2010, a Saturday. Found several locals using the area for swimming and water skiing but had a very pleasant night and early morning there anchored by the sandy bank. Would recommend it highly.
We decided to stop short of our goal and anchor in Thouroghfare Creek to take advantage of the trees that provided some wind protection.
We shared the anchorage with one other sailboat. We dropped the hook and immediately found out why its called “Thoroughfare”. There was lots of local traffic evidently running between the Waccamaw River and the Great Pee Dee River plus the usual local fishermen, skiers and jet skis.
Thankfully, the wind and traffic died a little after sundown and we had a quiet evening.
It’s a beautiful anchorage especially in when you are fogged in at daybreak.
Spent the day under power in a drizzling rain. This was my last chance to find an anchorage before nightfall. It was beautiful to me then, in the rain, and remains so in my memory. One sailing catamaran was there when I arrived, and a trawler arrived just after I set the hook. My Bruce anchor dragged, so I changed to a CQR. No problem. It was probably due to fluky conditions, though, as wind and current were at odds when I arrived. Didn’t get a good set to start with.
Statute Mile: 392.5
Lat/Lon: near 33 27.618 North/079 10.329 West
Location: west, southwest of the Waccamaw River/ICW’s flashing daybeacon #79
Minimum Depth: 6-feet
Swing Room: sufficient room for boasts as large as 34 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: Excellent
Rating:
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Statute Mile: 395
Lat/Lon:
33 27.009 North/079 11.048 West (anchorage abeam of first northeasterly running offshoot)
33 26.976 North/079 11.252 West (anchorage just upstream of anchorage listed above)
Location: Jericho Creek makes into the northwestern shores of the Waccamaw River, north of flashing daybeacon #83
Minimum Depth: 8-feet
Swing Room: only sufficient room for boats as large as 32 feet; elbow room is tight in this anchorage
Foul Weather Shelter: Excellent
Rating:
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We anchored here on the south side of the oxbow. The south side gave us better protection from northerly winds. As noted, not much swing room and two anchors might be advisable, but we passed the night on one. You need to watch the tide, shoaling and bar at the mouth. We had to bugout early AM to get across the bar safely. We noted 6.2′ as we crossed the bar.
Statute Mile: 403
Lat/Lon: near 33 21.915 North/079 17.041 West
Location: located along the northeastern loop of Sampit River, abeam of the downtown Georgetown waterfront
Minimum Depth: 9-feet
Swing Room: sufficient room for boats as large as 45 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: Very Good
Rating:
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Run your anchor light or you will get a ticket. It’s getting crazy here reminds me of old days in florida
Statute Mile: 403
Lat/Lon: 33 21.428 North/079 18.674 West
Location: anchorage is located on the upper reaches of the Sampit River, west of the charted 65-foot high-rise bridge, and between the actual and charted location of the 61 foot power lines.
Special Note: Sailors, TAKE CAREFUL NOTE of the potentially deadly powerline obstructions on the Sampit River
Minimum Depth: 20 feet
Swing Room: sufficient room for boats as large as 48 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: Good
Rating:
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Pee Dee River – Black River Intersection Anchorage
Lat/Lon: 33 23.811 North/079 14.933 West
Location: lies on the broad swath of the Pee Dee River, southwest of the intersection between this stream and Black River
Minimum Depth: 20 feet
Swing Room: sufficient room for almost any pleasurecraft
Foul Weather Shelter: Fair, particularly open to southwestern winds
Special Note: to access this anchorage, your vessel must either be able to clear the fixed, 20 foot Highway 17 Bridge which crosses the southern foot of Pee Dee River, of undertake a lengthy cruise to the Pee Dee River by way of Jericho Creek, which departs the AICW’s passage on Waccamaw River, north of marker #83
Rating:
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Black River Anchorage
Lat/Lon: 33 24.957 North/079 14.878 West
Location: located just north of the “dump” symbol on chart 11534, some 1.2 nautical miles generally north of the Black River’s southern mouth
Minimum Depth: 15 to 23 feet
Swing Room: sufficient room for vessels as large as 65 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: Fair, open to northeastern winds
Special Note: to access this anchorage, your vessel must either be able to clear the fixed, 20 foot Highway 17 Bridge which crosses the southern foot of Pee Dee River, of undertake a lengthy cruise to the Pee Dee River by way of Jericho Creek, which departs the AICW’s passage on Waccamaw River, north of marker #83.
Also note that this anchorage lies within sight of historic Windsor Plantation house
Rating:
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Southern Jericho Creek Anchorage
Lat/Lon: 33 25.948 North/079 12.747 West
Location: lies a short hop northeast of the Jericho Creek’s intersection with the Pee Dee River
Minimum Depth: 7 feet
Swing Room: sufficient room for vessels as large as 40 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: Good, except during unusually strong southwestern and northeastern winds
Special Note: to access this anchorage, your vessel must either be able to clear the fixed, 20 foot Highway 17 Bridge which crosses the southern foot of Pee Dee River, of undertake a lengthy cruise to the Pee Dee River by way of Jericho Creek, which departs the AICW’s passage on Waccamaw River, north of marker #83.
Also, be SURE to avoid the charted `Cable’ area northeast of the Jericho Creek – Pee Dee River intersection, and do NOT anchor on this portion of the creek
Rating:
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