I have made that trip a bunch of times in the last 3 years. I would say its 50-60 ft wide in spots. The first time we traveled on a low tide so we could see the rocks out of the water. Unbelievable !! When others see the rocks, they dont even think about passing someone on a plane. I followed a catamaran all the way through at 4 kts. Oh how I wanted to pass him, believe me it was a grueling hot day with no wind. However, I just stayed directly behind him and took my medicine. So in short, its so narrow you cant even pass a Cat. Now that's narrow.
I came through the Rock Pile last week. It is narrow, there are rocks, and you can't see them. In addition, my Garmin showed me traveling on land, so it was useless for this section (there is a VOR right on the waterway that reports say effects some instruments). I made a security call on 16 and 13 and proceeded at my usual 8 MPH. No problems but it certainly had my full attention.
Active Captain has hazards marked at both ends with good commentary.
Doing this section at 18 knots would be a white knuckle ride. Passing at that speed would be beyond irresponsible. Not only would the sport fisher be at risk, their wake while passing that close would put the passé at risk.
Arch
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Marine Trader 36. Completed the Great Loop (single handed). Now cruising the east coast and Bahamas.
I had my boat pulled today for a bottom job and I met a lady at the boatyard that grounded last Friday on the RockPile. She was in a 38' Silverton traveling 18 knots on plane at low tide. Ended up destroying the shaft, prop, and rudder, along with cracking the hull on the port side on her way from Florida to Rhode Island. Her draft was 3.5' but on plane I imagine it is more than that and she said she was in the middle.
People please slow down in this area and stay in the middle, otherwise it will ruin your day. AS stated earlier, your GPS will show your boat on land. Do not go by that, stay in the middle of the channel.
Good video, that second is quite cute. It's funny when you look at the waterline whilst it was going through it looked as if it was doing 10 knots because of the current.
__________________ Thanks, Oliver M/V Oliver
Nordhavn 47 Hull #12
Slight hijack. Sydney Harbour, a big secure harbor with 100,000 ton cruise ships visiting, has the "Sow and Pigs" reef mid harbor. Breaks at low tide and has 4 cardinal marks all around it. Occasionally the inevitable occurs, normally a pleasure boat not looking or racing sailboat pushing the margin, I know a very embarrassed ex Navy sailboat owner who has done it. Were I Harbour Master I`d consider dynamite, but the fish, environmentalists, and fisherpersons might have other ideas, and who knows what losing it might change.
Could dynamite fix the Rockpile?
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BruceK
2005 Integrity 386 "Sojourn"
Sydney Australia
Slight hijack. Sydney Harbour, a big secure harbor with 100,000 ton cruise ships visiting, has the "Sow and Pigs" reef mid harbor. Breaks at low tide and has 4 cardinal marks all around it. Occasionally the inevitable occurs, normally a pleasure boat not looking or racing sailboat pushing the margin, I know a very embarrassed ex Navy sailboat owner who has done it. Were I Harbour Master I`d consider dynamite, but the fish, environmentalists, and fisherpersons might have other ideas, and who knows what losing it might change.
Could dynamite fix the Rockpile?
I think a suitable size backhoe with an ugly bucket would do the job. From the looks of it the area is too small to blast, even if they could it would take years for the permits and butt ton of other environmental related things for the city and county.
__________________ Thanks, Oliver M/V Oliver
Nordhavn 47 Hull #12
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