Smith Point

 Below is the route that s/v Silhouette uses to get to Spoonbill RV Park at Smith Point. I am reasonably sure that the GPS coordinates shown below are correct, but the usual TMCA caveat of course applies: "...to be used with your own judgment as a captain, and at your own risk." 

 The route is described and some notes are provided for several of the waypoints. By utilizing the "Larry's Cut" route, I avoid the shoaling in the marked channel south of Bird Island. The portion of the route between waypoints SP-L1 and SP-L3 is still shallow, and I always traverse this area at idle speed! Between SP-L3 and SMPT there is usually somewhat more water, but it is still an unforgiving channel, with a hard shell bottom on the green side. Don’t go there!!! There is shoaling on the red side also, but the bottom there is typically more muddy. I slightly favor the reds, but still proceed at a slow speed. Wind, and especially cross-currents, can quickly push you out of the channel on this leg, so do keep looking at the markers behind you as back-ranges. Once past SMPT the channel deepens and should cause no trouble.

 So here is the route: 

CLC02       N 29d  33.166'    W 94d  59.508'    Marker #2 start point
SBC-8        N 29d  32.409'    W 94d  55.092'    South Boater Cut #8
SBC-1        N 29d  32.615'    W 94d  53.233'    South Boater Cut #1
VIETVIL    N 29d  32.880'    W 94d  51.125'    a point north and clear of all the wellhead junk, etc.
SP-L1         N 29d  32.625'    W 94d  48.820'    a point NW of Bird Island along the 1 fathom line
SP-L2         N 29d  32.750'    W 94d  48.065'    north end of "Larry's Cut"
SP-L3         N 29d  32.565'    W 94d  47.830'    south end of "Larry's Cut" (inside the Trinity channel)
SMPT         N 29d  32.825'    W 94d  47.440'    green marker (see below)
SMPT-BL   N 29d  32.845'    W 94d  47.265'    in the Trinity channel opposite the boat launch
SMPT-SB   N 29d  32.790’    W 94d  46.815'    Spoonbill RV Park

 SP-L1 is an arbitrary point at the 1 fathom line on the chart, where it changes from white to blue. I use this point to aim for as it seems to be the closest to the start of "Larry's Cut".

 SP-L2 thru SP-L3 is the route thru the cut. You are actually only in the "cut" for a brief period as you cross thru the (mostly shell) "spoil bank" on the north side of the channel. I just made it a nice long leg so that you can make sure you are lined up, etc.

 SP-L3 should put you more-or-less in the center of the Trinity Channel, and you should be able to see some red & green channel markers to that effect. But beware of poles that may have their dayboards knocked off so that you do not know what color they are. It can get real confusing real fast in that situation! So at SP-L3 you will make a +/- 90 degree turn to port, putting you on an approximately NE heading up the Trinity channel.

 SMPT is near the green marker (not sure of the marker number) that you should see up ahead of you as the channel enters the land area. It is near also near the man-made Geotube island that has been created on the north side of the channel. Again, be especially careful of possible strong cross-currents that may tend to drift you out of the channel.\