THE PORT OF CHARLESTON, S. C.

PORT AND HARBOR CONDITIONS

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Charleston Harbor is on the coast of South Carolina, about 174 statute miles southwest of Wilmington, N. C., 114 miles northeast of Savannah, Ga., and 228 miles northeast of Jacksonville, Fla. It is formed by a bay at the mouths of Cooper and Ashley Rivers and is nearly landlocked by outlying seacoast islands and portions of the mainland. The city of Charleston is located at the confluence of the Cooper and Ashley Rivers, at the head of the bay, and is 71⁄2 miles from the ocean bar. The entrance from the sea is through a channel protected by two stone jetties. The north jetty is 15,443 feet long, the south jetty 19,104 feet, and the distance between their axes at the outer end is 2,900 feet. From the inner end of this channel in deep water of the lower bay the main channel extends in a westerly direction to the southern end of the peninsula formed by the junction of the Cooper and Ashley Rivers, thence for a distance of 8 miles in a northerly direction up the Cooper River, passing to the east of the wharves of Charleston and to the east of Drum Island, to the United States navy yard. There is also a navigable channel through Town Creek on the west side of Drum Island. The channel has been dredged also from the navy yard to the port terminal (formerly the Army supply base) a distance of 21⁄2 miles and thence to the ordnance depot, one-half mile farther. The controlling depth from the sea to the ordnance depot through both Cooper River and Town Creek in June 1939 was 30 feet at mean low water. Vessels of 15-foot draft may go up the Cooper River channel a distance of 22 miles above the navy yard, while vessels of 5-foot draft may go as far as Wadboo Bridge, a distance of 49 miles above the navy yard.

From the southern end of the peninsula there is also a dredged channel 30 feet deep extending for 74 miles in a northwesterly direction up the Ashley River to the site of the former Standard fertilizer wharf.

The bar channel outside the jetties is exposed to heavy seas, while the channels in the bay and in the two rivers are well protected. Wando River, which empties into Cooper River eastward of Drum Island, affords a natural channel 14 feet deep to the river's intersec

tion with Guerin Creek, a distance of 13 miles from the mouth; thence a channel with a controlling depth of 3 feet to Woodville, 16 miles above the mouth, and thence to Wards bridge, 20 miles above the mouth.

Shipyard River is a small tidal tributary of Charleston Harbor, having its source about one-half mile below the United States navy yard, from whence it flows in a southeasterly direction for approximately 3 miles, emptying into Cooper River about three-eighths of a mile above Drum Island. There is a dredged channel in this river having a controlling depth of 30 feet to the head of the Gulf Oil Corporation wharf, where a turning basin is provided; thence from the Gulf Oil Corporation wharf to a point 50 feet above the Tuxbury Lumber Co. wharf, a distance of seven-tenths of a mile, the channel has a controlling depth of 12 feet, and project depth of 20 feet. It is probable that the 20-foot project depth will be restored during the fiscal year 1940.

The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway provides an artery for water transportation connecting the port of Charleston with other coastal ports to the north as far as Norfolk, Va., and thence through Chesapeake Bay and the Delaware and Chesapeake Canal to Philadelphia, Pa., and other Delaware River ports. To the south the waterway extends to Miami, Fla.

The available depths at mean low water in the waterway are from 8 to 9 feet between Charleston and Winyah Bay to the north and 7 feet between Charleston and Beaufort, S. C., to the south. This latter stretch is now being deepened to 12 feet, which is the project depth for most of the section of the waterway.

The waterway enters Charleston Harbor from the north at Sullivans Island, and from the south it enters Ashley River through Wappoo Creek.

TIDES

The mean range of tides at Charleston is 5.2 feet, which is increased to 7 or 8 feet by northeast winds or storms of long duration. The mean tidal variation in the Ashley River is 5.2 feet.

TIDAL CURRENTS

The tidal currents off the entrance are revolving and those between the jetties and in the harbor generally set fair with the channel near its axis. Outside Fort Sumter, branches from the main ebb current set through the openings between the jetties and the shore with a velocity of about 2 knots at strength. The velocity of the flood current is less than the ebb, depending on the freshet flow from the rivers. Slack water occurs between the jetties at about the time of high and low water at Charleston.

ANCHORAGES

The usual anchorage is known as "Lower anchorage." It lies immediately inside the bay north of the South Channel and southeastward from Charleston. It affords good holding ground but is somewhat exposed to southeast gales. The depth ranges from 27 to 50 feet at mean low water. The best anchorage is in the mouth of the Wando River, eastward of Drum Island, about 1 mile north of the city. This anchorage affords good holding ground and is protected from storms. The quarantine anchorage is on the south side of South Channel, 2 miles southeast of Charleston, abreast of Fort Johnson; it is marked by two yellow buoys.

Vessels are forbidden to anchor northeastward of Fort Sumter and between Fort Sumter and Sullivans Island on account of the submarine cables crossing at that point. Vessels are also forbidden to anchor in the stream opposite the eastern part of the city, except northeastward of Union pier and southeastward of the southernmost wharves, and they must then anchor so as to give the wharves a clearance of not less than 200 yards when swinging toward them.

The following is an extract from the rules and regulations of the War Department, revised January 1, 1939, relating to the anchorage grounds for the port of Charleston, S. C.:

THE ANCHORAGE GROUNDS

GENERAL ANCHORAGE

The anchorage grounds shall include all the navigable portions of that harbor and the portions of Cooper, Ashley, and Wando Rivers adjacent thereto, except the following:

AREAS OF PROHIBITED ANCHORAGE

(1) That portion of Cooper River which is bounded on the north by a true east and west line through the north customhouse wharf, on the east by Shutes Folly Island, on the south by a true east and west line through the south shore of Shutes Folly Island, and on the west by the water front of Charleston.

(2) A ship channel between the jetties and the navy yard 600 feet wide (or as much wider as an improved channel may hereafter be dredged), following the established ranges and usual courses and passing east of Drum Island. Between the north customhouse wharf and the Charleston Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.'s dock this shall include all the area between the eastern limit of said channel and the eastern water front of Charleston.

(3) A ship channel 500 feet wide from the vicinity of the Charleston Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.'s dock north through Town Creek Channel, following the established ranges and usual courses and connecting at both ends with the main channel.

(4) A ship channel in Ashley River from its mouth to Standard wharf 240 feet wide, following the established ranges and usual courses, and widened at the eastern end to connect with the main channel in Cooper River.

(5) The commonly used channel in Wando River, with width of 200 feet.