Harbour

Shem Creek

Name: Shem Creek
Address: US

United StatesCarolinas and Georgia

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Type: Harbour

Tidal creek at Mount Pleasant on Charleston Harbour, lined with the local shrimp fleet and waterfront restaurants.

Guide

Approach and anchoring

Shem Creek opens off Charleston Harbour near the Cooper River and the Intracoastal Waterway. The channel is narrow and tidal, with shrimp boats, fishing boats and pleasure craft moving up and down. Watch the current on the ebb and keep clear of the working fleet alongside the docks.

Practical

Berths and dry storage at Shem Creek Marina, off Coleman Boulevard. A day dock by the boardwalk on Shrimp Boat Lane and a public landing near Mill Street give shore access. Restaurants and shops line the creek within walking distance.

Ashore

Shem Creek Park, with its boardwalk over the marsh, sits at the head of the creek. Downtown Charleston is a short drive across the harbour. Bottlenose dolphins are regularly seen feeding in the creek.

History

The town of Mount Pleasant bought a one-acre property with 350 feet of dock on the creek in 2019 for around 4.4 million dollars, keeping the shrimp dock in working order. The hanging shrimp nets remain part of the creek's daily scene.