GL: Magenta Line was Alligator Shoals

[Capt. Charles Richter]

The stop and figure it out works most of the time, but in the case of
the shoal in the Alligator, just stay closer to the green side because
usually the current will put you right on the shoal if you come to a
stop.  It seems the green side now has the water I went through on
10-29-06 and spoke to others who did the same.

Captain Charles Richter

-----Original Message-----
From: Charles & Pat Culotta [mailto:charlesculotta@gmail.com] 
Sent: Saturday, October 28, 2006 6:18 AM
To: great-loop@lists.samurai.com
Subject: GL: Magenta Line was Alligator Shoals

: Alligator River Shoals - New Chart 11553
>

> To all heading thru Alligator River. I grounded last June, while
heading
> north,  at Long shoal Point area approx 2.5 miles north of Alligator
> River Bridge. I was dead on the ICW magenta line on my Nobeltec Vector
> chart 11553, using DGPS,  just slightly southwest of Red mark "8"
where
> the current chart at that time showed 8 feet and I draw 5.5. I checked
> in July and I had the latest chart at that time with me which I think
was
2001
> last issue.


Take notice of the warning that charts are an AID to navigation. Note
the
warning that we see all the time to NOT rely on any one aid in
navigating
our boats.
 One cannot blindly follow the magenta line and to not expect to find
the
bottom. Changes occur in shoal areas overnight and a new chart may not
be
printed  FOR YEARS. ( See above!)

The Coast Guard does a bang up job of maintaining the ATONS but gettting
the
changes on the chart is a long process.

My motto has always been to " stay between the sticks", EXCEPT when
conditions dictate a change. Then one  STOPS , reconoiters and then
proceeds
very cautiously.

There is a spot on the Atlantic ICW where the "magenta line" is on the
WRONG
side of the buoy and has been this way for years. We watched a number of
boats find the bottom as they were following the magenta line. We were
anchored nearby. Caliborne Young  even warns of this spot in his
seminars.!!!!!

Fore warned is fore armed.

CCC
Charles C., Jr. & Pat Culotta
M/V CCRIDER
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS
PATTERSON, LA.
http://www.geocities.com/charlesculotta/