What is the shortest, quickest, safest, most efficient, etc way to go to the SC river from Harley and Metrobeach? I've always just launched in the river, and never made that run.
i myself-from metro i'll go up the middle channel to north channel to where it meets w/south, hang a left & up you go. from harley's, maybe cut right over to north channel to south. but that has a couple of "no wake" zones i believe in there somewhere. shortest, safest, maybe...
From Harley, the quickest way (time efficient) way is to head to the Middle Channel and follow that up to the river. When you get to the North Channel, just keep going to the right. There are no "no wake" zones on this route. Taking the North Channel will take you through a LONG no wake zone and add a good 20 minutes to the trip.
If you want the shortest route, it's actually the Sni (Chenal Bout Rond, I think on the map). That's the shortest distance across the lake to the channels. But there are a few no wake zones in the sni. And if you've never entered at the Sni before, I would be VERY careful. There's lots of shallow water and bullrushes there and you don't want to come off plane and ground your prop. You should come out the Sni for the first time and mark a route before you try entering there for the first time. It's not well marked.
If you need coords to the Middle Channel, let me know and I'll get them for ya.
Can you run from Harley & Metro straight to the entrance of the middle channel, or are there some worries you have to go around? If there are obstructions, I would be real interested in knowing where those are so I don't find them the hard way. Thanks.
As long as you head straight to the first set of bouys, you're good to go. Or go the MC Marker, and head thru the bouys from there. I've never run into any problems. Check your GPS as you go and you should be fine.
Stay away from the Sni. Its no wake, so you wouldnt be saving any time there. Hit the Middle a little from the south. Just aim your boat for the first buoys on your GPS and swing into them.
If its flat, you can cut in between them and not go so far down, but i wouldnt chance it til you know the area a little better.
Its pretty clean around the Middle, but it does get shallow. Just stick to the bouys and you will be fine.
McCarter himself :-\'