Captain Archie Neil "Poo" McLauchlin (Little River) Swing Bridge

Comment by: Gregory James on May 7, 2025
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 37'
Draft: 3.5'

Little River Bridge now following Coast Guard schedule, MM 347.3 I confirmed this afternoon with a call to the bridge operator that they are now following the Coast Guard published schedule AICW Effective from 12:01 a.m. on May 5, 2025, through 11:59 p.m. on October 31, 2025: For weekdays: 7:00 - 9:00:am and 4:00 - 6:00 pm the bridge opens on the hour and half hour. At all other times, the bridge opens on signal. If a Federal Holiday falls on a weekday, then the bridge will open on signal that day. To repeat, this means that the bridge opens on signal: - on weekends - from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm during the week - from 6:00 pm til 7:00 am the next day. - on signal if a Federal Holiday happens to fall on a weekday I would suggest you arrive 10 minutes before the start of restricted hours at 7:00 am and 4:00 pm just to be sure of getting an opening.

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Comment by: Naomi Delzell on May 29, 2023
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 46'
Draft: 0.0'

Swarming with chaos- jet skis and small motorboats everywhere, possibly rentals with inexperienced captains, perhaps unaware that a large sailboat cannot maneuver the same way as a jet ski. (Note that it is Memorial Day so maybe busier than usual.) One motor boat passed us as we went through the narrow opening.

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Comment by: Rich Inman on Jan 28, 2023
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 50'
Draft: 4.0'

Arrived an hour before low tide (5am) for the Nixon Crossroads bridge (no problem) but the swing bridge wouldn't open as we approached. Had to back down and hold position 100yds north for an hour (very narrow there) while maintenance was called out (fortunately mostly slack tide).

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Comment by: Wally & Coco on Nov 2, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 55'
Draft: 5.0'

Hail as Little River Swing Bridge on 9. Very nice bridgetender.

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Comment by: Ed Hamilton on Mar 10, 2020
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 21'
Draft: 3.0'

What is the vertical clearance at high tide and low tide?

• WG Editor Comment:
  

  The posted vertical clearance is at MHW. You will have to reference a tide chart to determine clearance at various tide states. That said, this is an opening bridge.

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Comment by: Bud Lloyd on May 1, 2018
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 4.0'

The Little River Swing Bridge is officially the Captain Archie Neil "Poo" McLauchlin Swing Bridge. On Saturday April 14, 2018 the name was officially changed. The locals will probably call it Capt. Poo's swing bridge.

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Comment by: Graham Jones, Pro-Line, on Aug 3, 2016
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 23'
Draft: 2.5'

Will open on command (channel 9). Tide change affects clearance drastically. As of 8.3.16 the red / green light prompting boats to go through was not working - bridge operator expects you to just go after the bridge has fully swung open.

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