News for this week includes groundings at Isle of Palms, a drifting buoy at Mason Inlet, extension of construction at Onslow Bridge, completion of construction at Ft Pierce A1A bridge, and the reopening of the Dismal Swamp. Although I'll cover the topics just mentioned, you're reminded that this Bulletin is not a complete guide to all shoaling or problems. Additional resources are available in the Waterway Guide digital publication 2024 ICW Cruising Guide and at Bob423 Guides. See Bulletins from previous weeks for additional spring migration problem areas. Now to this week's details.

1 – MM 964.8 Fort Pierce A1A Bridge was scheduled to be back to normal opening hours by 5/7/2023. The last beam was onsite last week, ready for installation to be completed by 5/6/2025. There will still be barge activity in the channel, but not a full-width channel blockage. However, schedules change, and be sure to call ahead for confirmation at 772-468-3993. The photo (courtesy of Thomas Dean) is before the high bridge beams were installed. 

2 - MM 460 Isle of Palms. There is still dredging activity in the area. Last week, several captains were directed to take the Bob423 detour (red dotted line) since a barge blocked access to the straight-through track (blue dotted line).  There are multiple buoys in the area that are not on the charts. G117C may still be in a shoal area, and there are reports of G113 near the southern entrance to the Bob423 detour that's been moved around. Various dredging buoys are in the area, which can be confusing since they are red. The correct path is to follow either the Bob423 blue dotted path if it's not blocked or the red dotted path, regardless of dredging buoys. 

3 – MM 240.6 Onslow Bridge Construction Continues. Construction was due to be completed by 5/2 but was extended to 5/30/2025. However, the construction schedule is in a state of flux and may change so call ahead at 910-440-7376 to be sure. The normal schedule applies on the weekend and Federal holidays. The construction schedule is::

• 8:00 to Noon: Height restricted to 12 feet
• Noon to 1:00 pm: No height restriction
• 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm: Height restricted to 12 feet
• 5:00 to 7:00 pm: Opens on top of the hour
• 7:00 pm to 7:50 am the next day: Opens on request

The photo was taken 4/25/2025, courtesy of Roxanne Martin, approaching Onslow Bridge from the south. Notice the reduced width channel to 30 feet due to the work barge. 

4 – 280.2 Mason Inlet. ATON G121A is off station and adrift. As of last week, it was in shoal water as shown in the photo by the green checkered icon. If you had honored it then, you would have gone aground at low tide. Stay on the Bob423 track. 

5 - MM 7.5 (north end) Dismal Swamp. The canal was due to open on Monday, 5/5 but they need an extra day to verify the depths and clear debris so the new opening is for 5/6 but call ahead to be sure. 

Use Waterway Guide Alerts to plan your trip and adjust your schedule through shallow spots for the tide you need. Follow the Bob423 tracks in Aqua Map to ensure you get the maximum depth possible. The color-coded depth charts are from USACE surveys in Aqua Map. General information on the attractions of America's waterways can be found at WaterwayGuide.com. Additional publications on all regions can be found at the Ship Store. Many helpful articles are available in the Knowledge Center.