NOTAM - Onancock, Eastern Shore, Summer 2017

[CapnK]

Copied from the A-30 list, passing along just in case someone here is in/travels to the area:

Mary Anne and I sailed from home here in Deltaville (the Piankatank
side) to Onancock, on the lower Eastern Shore last  weekend The
seven-mile channel up Onancock Creek to the town is pretty well marked
and the chart (12228) has a note stating that the channel has 9 1/2 feet
of depth and a width of 100 feet.


     Despite that, at about half tide,/Brigadoon II/ ran hard aground in
less than three feet of water about 75 feet off green marker # 11. (We
were on the correct side of the marker.)  It was difficult to tell where
deep water was. Turned out it was not close to the marker, but about 300
yards away. We had to be towed off by a towboat from Boat US, which we
had fortunately bought towing insurance from.


     We later investigated the channel by dinghy. The channel  upstream
from # 11 seems at least deep enough for an Alberg. On the way out we
gave # 11 a wide berth and found 25 feet of water a long way from the
marker. Proceeding west toward the Bay we again touched mid-channel
between markers # 4 and # 5, where there should have been 9 1/2 feet of
water.  Deeper water there is near green # 5.


     So if you are going to Onancock, be cautious.


Jay Davenport, who keeps his Alberg on Onancock Creek, was very helpful
to us.



  - Gordon White