T&T: Alligator River Shoals - New Chart 11553

[Duffy]

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 which I think was 2001
last issue. A NEW CHART HAS NOW BEEN ISSUED BY NOAA  AND IS AVAILABLE
FREE ON THE WEB IN BSB RASTER FORMAT.  The new chart 11553 corrects the
area and now shows shoaling right up to and below Red mark "8"  and they
have removed part of the small shoal ( 5 ft) directly below the center
of Red "8" and Green "7", which is where I crept thru after getting off
and part of that 5ft shoal is truely gone. They have now moved the jog
of the magenta away from LongPoint Shoal so that it goes over part of
what was the tip of that small shoal under Green "7".  Be careful thru
here, you probably still are using the old chart , I read of others
hitting here also after me last summer. GET THE NEW CHART,edition Aug
2006 issued 10-14-2006. Good luck all.  Duffy aboard Thai Suites III
currently Great bridge area