Anchorage

Patriots Point Anchorage

Shelter: NW, NE, W, E, SW, SE
Seabed: sand, mud
Anchoring: Allowed

Anchorage off Patriots Point at the mouth of the Cooper River, in Charleston Harbour, South Carolina, on a sand and mud bottom.

Pontoon

Guide

Approach and anchoring

The anchorage lies on the Mount Pleasant side of the harbour, near the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown moored at Patriots Point. Charleston Harbour carries strong tidal streams and busy commercial traffic; hold to the recreational areas clear of the ship channel and watch for the Fort Sumter ferries.

Practical

Holding is on sand and mud. Charleston Harbour Marina sits 0.2 mile to the south-east with fuel and full services, and Charleston Maritime Center 0.7 mile to the west takes vessels up to 120 feet with no overhead restrictions.

Ashore

USS Yorktown, an Essex-class aircraft carrier of 1943, serves as the museum ship of the Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum, a National Historic Landmark. Fort Sumter ferries leave from the same point, and central Charleston lies a short run across the harbour.

History

Charleston Harbour is formed by the Ashley and Cooper rivers. The Cooper was the main route for the colonial rice plantations and remains a working commercial waterway today.

Key facts

Type: Anchorage
Coordinates: 32.79019, -79.91131 (32°47.41'N 79°54.68'W)
Country: United States
Shelter: Sheltered from north-west, north-east, west, east, south-west, south-east winds
Seabed: sand, mud
Anchoring: Allowed
Services: Pontoon
Boaters' rating: 3.6/5
Updated: July 7, 2026