The channels of Charleston Harbor are the maritime highways for large ships carrying thousands of tons of cargo in and out of the Port of Charleston daily. The ships traveling in these waterways MUST stay within their channel boundaries. Smaller craft, far outnumbering ships on the harbor, enjoy much greater freedom in their choice of routes.
Sometimes, a ship and a small boat meet each other inside the channel boundaries. Obviously, the ship is a terrible danger to the boat because of the size difference. But the risk of collision with a small craft also endangers the ship. If the ship takes evasive action it may go aground, or it may loose control of its steering and movement altogether.
Even in a "near miss" situation, this poses a substantial danger to the ship. Most importantly, they also risk lives and property, not only on the vessels involved, but on nearby bridges and other structures. Collisions endanger the environment, the continued use of the channel, and the economic well-being of the port.
Understanding the constraints under which big ships operate provides the best protection against confrontations. This brochure focuses on encounters with big ships, though it is no substitute for good seamanship and a firm understanding of navigational rules.
Ships have the right-of-way - Both the number of large ships and the number of recreational craft have increased, multiplying the chances for collision. Unlike small boats, big ships must operate in a narrow channel. Rule 9 of the "Navigational Rules of the Road" states that small craft "shall not impede the passage of a vessel which can safely navigate only within a narrow channel..."
Pilot on board - The merchant ships you encounter will have on board a licensed pilot, a U.S. citizen, regardless of the vessel’s nationality. So will most of the U.S. Naval ships. The pilot will be monitoring VHF radio channel 13 for ship-to-ship messages.
"Maneuvering speed" for ships is about 6 to 10 knots when inshore of Ft. Sumter. In the open waters seaward of Ft. Sumter, they may be going faster.
Ships travel faster than you might expect, even in poor visibility or congested areas. In low visibility, ships navigate by radar and small craft MAY NOT be detected.
Ships can’t slow for you. Lightly loaded ships must keep a fair speed to stay under control when in channels. The same is true of vessels that are unevenly trimmed. If they slow down too much or stop, they risk being driven aground by wind and tide.
It may take less than 10 MINUTES for a fast ship to reach you once you spot it in clear weather, and in hazy weather it takes a lot less. At 10 knots, a ship goes one nautical mile in 6 minutes; at 15 knots, it can be on you in 4 minutes.
It is up to you to STAY CLEAR. Large, difficult to maneuver ships cannot avoid smaller craft in narrow channels. Containerships, with containers stacked upon their decks, have limited visibility forward. The pilot of a typically loaded 885-foot-long container-ship cannot see anything on the surface of the water that is closer than a quarter mile. Sometimes, the distance is even further.
The pilot may not slow down. A ship that is slowing down does not steer very well. It needs the propeller’s action on the rudder to respond. If the pilot feels that a turn will save the situation, he may not slow down.
Once the ship’s engines are put "full astern," THERE IS NOTHING MORE THE PILOT CAN DO. He may lose control of the ship, but the reversing action will, in most cases, swing the ship’s bow to starboard. Therefore, if you have a choice, try to escape on his port side. Keeping these things in mind will give you a better chance. Remember it takes 4 to 6 minutes, and up to a mile, for a ship to stop AFTER its engines are reversed.
Watch out for tugs towing barges, especially at night when poorly lit barges may remain invisible. Remember that a partially submerged towing cable can cut a boat in two.
Beware large wake. Certain areas in Charleston Harbor can be dangerous, even when they are out of the main ship channel. One such area is the shoal area west of Crab Bank. Wake from large vessels passing at normal maneuvering speeds may generate large waves as their wake passes from deep water to suddenly shallow water. Another area is around the harbor entrance jetties where wakes from passing ships can toss boats, which are too near the jetties, upon the rocks. Boats also endanger themselves by mooring to the pilings and structures around the Cooper River Bridges. This is illegal, as well as dangerous. Wakes and surge from large ships passing under the bridges can slam a boat against the solid bridge structures.
Beware winding channels - Vessels following a winding ship channel, such as the "North Channel" between the Cooper Bridges and Rebellion Roads Anchorage, may appear to be heading away from you one minute and coming toward you the next, simply because they must follow a channel having many turns and bends.
Stay clear when two ships meet. Large ships occasionally meet each other in the harbor. The pilots on both ships have discussed the meeting by radio. There is no remaining room in the channel for small craft near the meeting place of two large ships.
Sailboats DO NOT HAVE the right-of-way over a vessel that can safely navigate only within a narrow channel (Rule 9).
KEEP A CONSTANT LOOKOUT, especially astern. The safe sailor has a roving eye (when he is on the water). USE BINOCULARS. At night especially, they can help you determine ships’ lights and direction with greater accuracy.
STAY OUT OF THE WAY. This doesn’t mean that the harbor "belongs" to the large ships and you have no rights. It means that the large ships have to stay in the deep channels and you don’t. Therefore, avoid sailing or traveling in the ship channels when possible, especially when visibility is poor because of fog, rain, or darkness. If you sail into a channel, make sure you have enough wind or auxiliary power standing by to get you out of the way in time if a ship approaches.
DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE SPEED OF A LARGE VESSEL. If your boat is slow, a sailboat for example, you might not be able to take effective evasive action. If you find yourself on a collision course with a ship with visibility of a quarter-mile or less ... the speed differential is simply too great.
BE VISIBLE. At night, make sure that your navigation lights are bright and are not obscured by sails, flags, or dinghies. If you see the running lights of a vessel and you don’t think you have been seen, begin to get out of the way, using flashlights on sails, a spotlight, flash bulbs, or a white flare to indicate your position (a strobe light should be reserved as a distress signal only). Remember, your lights may be blending in with the background of city lights or another shoreline. Carry a radar reflector as high on the boat as you can. This is a must in restricted visibility.
KEEP WATCH AT NIGHT. Even on a clear night you will have difficulty seeing a ship approach. You may see it first as a black shadow against a background of shore lights, or as a shadow moving rapidly across still water...at that point, you are not far apart. Remember that your lights will not be easily spotted from the ship.
WATCH THE SHIP’S LIGHTS. If you want to determine whether or not you are in the path of a ship, pay attention to the sidelights as well as to the mast headlights. If you see only one sidelight, or if one is much brighter than the other, you can be fairly sure you are not in the direct path of the ship. This also gives an indication of which way to move in order to get clear altogether. If you see both sidelights, you’re dead ahead...MOVE OUT FAST. Remember the situation where ships are following a winding channel, their lights will seem to change repeatedly. Also learn to recognize the masthead lights of a tug towing one or more barges and of a commercial fishing vessel towing a net.
KNOW WHISTLE SIGNALS. These are used only when vessels are in sight of one another. The pilot of a ship will frequently NOT use the "port" or "starboard" whistle signals when passing small boats because he is afraid the signals will not be understood and might lead to erratic changes in course. If you hear five or more short blasts on the whistle, it is the "danger" signal. Check and see if it is for you...and if it is, make way fast.
USE YOUR RADIO. If you have a VHF radio aboard, remember Channel 16 is the calling and distress frequency, Channel 13 is the working frequency used to arrange meetings and passings between ships and other watercraft.
CHOOSE SAFE ANCHORAGES. Boats must not anchor in navigational channels or tie to marker buoys. Coast Guard buoys tell ships "where to pass" and it is illegal, as well as unsafe, to tie up to them. A special anchorage is designated in the Ashley River for small craft.
KNOW WHERE YOU ARE. You can’t know where the channels are unless you know where you are. Learn to read the navigational charts of the area. Carry up-to-date charts on board. They aren’t expensive and local dealers sell them. For the harbor inside of Ft. Sumter, use NOAA Chart 15524, from Ft. Sumter to Buoy "C," use NOAA Chart 15523.
OPERATE SOBERLY. A large number of boating deaths occur each year because the boat operator was "under the influence." When confronting any problem at sea, the last thing you need is impaired judgment.
Navigational lights can tell you a lot about a ship’s size and type. As well as red port and green starboard running lights, freighters also display white range lights fore and aft.
The two white lights forming a central range on a vessel are excellent indicators of her relative heading as seen from another vessel. These lights will normally be seen well before the colored side lights.
Ships are required to stay within the channels marked in red. Tugs with barges in tow or pushing barges may share the channels with ships or use the intracoastal water way.
