Anchored off the City Marine in June 2018. Good holding, even in the tidal stream. marina charge $5 per day for use of the dinghy dock. Good laundry facilities above the Marina Restaurant. Used the Holy Spoke bicycle hire company and found them very good. What a great city!

We anchored in the Ashley River across from the marina for two weeks. In and out four or five times for day sails around harbor. Never had a problem. Remember though the ground is pluff mud so give the anchor a few minutes to settle in before testing it. We also anchored down river past the Coast Guard station on the James Island side of the channel with an awesome view of the Charleston Battery. Nice spot but far away from dinghy dock.

Slight update to information above on Charleston City Marina – we made landfall here in June 2014 and they were very welcoming to transient yachts, with excellent facilities and a free shuttle into town and the grocery store (although Charleston is very walkable). They placed us on the inside of the long mega-dock pontoon, and we were only disturbed rarely by the wash from passing power-boats. Although we usually anchor, personally I wouldn’t choose to use the ‘anchorage’ on the opposite shore to the marina as a sailboat sank there whilst we were there, and apparently another the week before i.e. it sounds like there is much to foul your anchor – be warned