St. Johns River Anchorages – Ortega River to Palatka
PLEASE CAREFULLY READ OUR DISCLAIMER!
Please Note That Anchorages Are Listed Below In A Rough Geographic Format, Moving North to South
PLEASE CAREFULLY READ OUR DISCLAIMER!
Please Note That Anchorages Are Listed Below In A Rough Geographic Format, Moving North to South
Maybe it is all the “gunk-holing” we used to do in the Chesapeake or the river-running we did in coastal Georgia, but this is the kind of boating adventure my family loves. And as Skipper Gorham attests, unmarked waterways like Dunns Creek are often very beautiful and just require slow travel and a sharp lookout. Good for you Skipper Gorham! Dunns Creek exits the St. Johns southward between Murphy and Rat Islands, south of Palatka.
A St. Johns side trip down Dunns Creek to Crescent Lake
Crescent Lake is the third largest Lake in Florida, and is connected to the St. Johns River by Dunns Creek. It doesn’t get many visits from cruising size craft, probably because Dunns Creek is a bit intimidating, but we recently took an overnight trip to the charming town of Crescent City, and it was worth the trip.
Dunns Creek joins the St. Johns near marker 16 upstream of Palatka and winds for about 5 miles through beautiful hardwood swamp to the north end of Crescent Lake. Most of the creek is quite deep at 20 to 40 feet, but there are no navaids, and in places the depth rises very sharply to shallow sandbars that you cannot see due to the tannin stained water, which can cause a little anxiety. By favoring the outside of the creek bends and paying attention to the very accurate bathymetry on our Navionics chart chip, we never saw less than 6 feet. There is a broad shallow area at the north end of the lake, but we also never saw less than 6 feet crossing that.
Once in Crescent Lake, there is a uniform depth of 10-12 feet all the way to Crescent City. At 29 degrees 25.822’N by 081 degrees 30.338′ W, there is a public ramp and landing with about 6 feet of water and a 50 foot face dock. Also here is the restaurant 3 Bananas, which has docking for dinghies and small craft. We had a fine dinner there and were allowed to overnight on their dock. Just offshore within dinghy distance to the docks is Bear Island, which has 7-10 feet of water 360 degrees around the island and good holding in sandy mud for an overnight anchorage.
The town of Crescent City is very pleasant to walk around, with huge live oaks and a lot of antique stores. Also don’t miss the 600 year old white cypress right behind 3 Bananas – it is one of the largest and oldest trees of its kind in Florida.
Jonathan Gorham
10. Pirates Cove Anchorage
Lat/Lon: near 30 15.243 North/081 41.595 West
Location: will be discovered on the waters of Pirates Cove, west and north of the Florida Yacht Club
Minimum Depth: 4 feet ONLY!!!!
Swing Room: sufficient room for vessels as large as 40 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: excellent
Rating:
Special Comment: can be used only by vessels drawing 3 ½ feet or PREFERABLY LESS
Click on Chartlet Below to Open a Chart View Window,
Centered on the Location of This Anchorage:
11. Plummers Cove Anchorage
Lat/Lon: near 30 11.565 North/081 38.221 West
Location: lies southeast of unlighted daybeacon #9 and just north of the Interstate 295 bridge
Minimum Depth: 6-feet
Swing Room: unlimited
Foul Weather Shelter: fair, open to western and southwestern winds
Rating:
Click on Chartlet Below to Open a Chart View Window,
Centered on the Location of This Anchorage:
We have used this anchorage for YEARS as wonderful weekend spot. The holding is great- sand under mud. Wind protection is good. No current. Few wakes. Scenery is nice- bridge is pretty at night. Can be noisy from the bridge traffic if the wind is from the south. Take the dinghy north around the point into Goodbys’ Creek to dock at Hooters and access local stores.
12. Doctors Lake Mill Cove Anchorage
Lat/Lon: 30 07.449 North/081 43.184 West
Location: found on the eastern 1/3 of Mill Cove; this cove makes into the eastern banks of Doctors Lake, south of Geigers Point
Minimum Depth: minimum 4 ½ feet, but many soundings in the 5 ½ to 6 foot range
Swing Room: sufficient room for vessels as large as 34 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: fair, open to eastern and northeastern winds
Rating:
Special Comment: this anchorage should only be used by vessels drawing LESS THAN 4 feet; watch out for the charted pilings
Click on Chartlet Below to Open a Chart View Window,
Centered on the Location of This Anchorage:
13. Doctors Lake, Sugarhouse Cove Anchorage
Lat/Lon: 30 07.533 North/081 45.532 West
Location: found near the western limits of Sugarhouse Cove, north of Peoria Point
Minimum Depth: 6 feet
Swing Room: unlimited
Foul Weather Shelter: fair, open to eastern and northeastern winds
Rating:
Click on Chartlet Below to Open a Chart View Window,
Centered on the Location of This Anchorage:
14. Doctors Lake, Swimming Pin Creek Anchorage
Lat/Lon: 30 06.039 North/081 44.811 West
Location: found on the waters of Swimming Pen Creek, which makes off from the southeastern tip of Doctors Lake; anchorage lies just north, northwest of the charted 9-foot fixed bridge
Minimum Depth: 5 feet
Swing Room: sufficient room for vessels as large as 36 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: excellent
Rating:
Special Comment: Whitney’s Fish Camp Restaurant lies within easy dinghy distance of this anchorage
Click on Chartlet Below to Open a Chart View Window,
Centered on the Location of This Anchorage:
We anchored a 50ft. boat just outside the creek entrance and went in to Whitie’s for lunch. A storm came through and the anchor dragged (a lot). Got back to the boat just before it hit a boat dock. Bottom is soft muck which doesn’t hold well.
The dockmaster at Whiteys said the water up to the bridge is 6-8 feet deep and he has had 60 ft. boats at his dock. Call him and he’ll make space for you if you want to use the restaurant. It sounds as if you can spend the night there – no hookups.
15. Julington Creek Anchorage Lat.Lon: near 30 07.755 North/081 38.068 West
Location: will be found on the centerline of Julington Creek, west of the charted 15-foot fixed bridge
Minimum Depth: 5 feet
Swing Room: sufficient room for vessels as large as 55 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: fair, wide open to western and eastern winds
Rating:
Click on Chartlet Below to Open a Chart View Window,
Centered on the Location of This Anchorage:
16. Cunningham Creek Cove Anchorage
Lat/Lon: near 30 05.664 North/081 38.446 West
Location: lies west of the entrance to Cunningham Creek, and well east of the St. John’s flashing daybeacon #15
Minimum Depth: 6-feet
Swing Room: unlimited
Foul Weather Shelter: poor, wide open to western, northwestern and southwestern winds
Rating:
Click on Chartlet Below to Open a Chart View Window,
Centered on the Location of This Anchorage:
17. Black Creek Anchorage
Lat/Lon: near 30 03.219 North/081 43.305 West
Location: Black Creek lies well west of the St. John’s flashing daybeacon #17A
Minimum Depth: 8 feet
Swing Room: sufficient room for vessels as large as 38 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: excellent, great foul weather hidey hole
Rating:
Special Comment: your vessel must be able to clear a 30 foot fixed bridge to access this anchorage
Click on Chartlet Below to Open a Chart View Window,
Centered on the Location of This Anchorage:
18. Florence Cove Anchorage
Lat/Lon: near 29 59.139 North/081 35.076 West
Location: found southeast of the Shands – Green Cove Springs bridge and well east of flashing daybeacon #22
Minimum Depth: 5-feet
Swing Room: unlimited
Foul Weather Shelter: fair to good, but open to western and southwestern winds
Rating:
Click on Chartlet Below to Open a Chart View Window,
Centered on the Location of This Anchorage:
19. Colee Cove – Pacetti PointAnchorage
Lat/Lon: 29 56.772 North/081 34.902 West
Location: lies well east of flashing daybeacon #24, and south of charted Pacetti Point
Minimum Depth: 8 feet
Swing Room: unlimited
Foul Weather Shelter: fair, but open to western, southern and southwestern winds
Rating:
Click on Chartlet Below to Open a Chart View Window,
Centered on the Location of This Anchorage:
The submerged piling shown on chart is still there and SOLID.
N29 56.569 W81 35.079
ALSO—- The row of pilings shown in bottom of cove (east) many are still there and solid!!
20. Colee Cove Anchorage
Lat/Lon: 29 56.248 North/081 34.433 West Loction: lies well east of flashing daybeacon #24
Minimum Depth: 6-feet
Swing Room: unlimited
Foul Weather Shelter: poor, sheltered only from eastern, northeastern and southeastern winds
Rating:
Click on Chartlet Below to Open a Chart View Window,
Centered on the Location of This Anchorage:
WARNING – Many of the piling shown it the bottom (EAST) of Collee cove are still there and SOLID!!!
N29 56.392 W81 34.463
21. Rice Creek Anchorage
Lat/Lon: near 29 41.991 North/081 39.938 West
Location: found on the waters of Rice Creek, west of the charted 45-foot fixed bridge, and north of the small, charted island which bisects the stream
Minimum Depth: 6-feet
Swing Room: sufficient room for vessels as large as 34 feet
Foul Weather Shelter: excellent
Rating: Special Comment: your vessel must be able to clear a 45-foot fixed bridge to access this anchorage, be SURE to anchor NORTH of the small island
Click on Chartlet Below to Open a Chart View Window,
Centered on the Location of This Anchorage:
22. Cow Creek Anchorage
Lat/Lon: near 29 40.458 North/081 37.540 West
Location: lies off the easterly banks of the St. Johns River, north of unlighted daybeacon #43
Minimum Depth: 8-feet
Swing Room: unlimited
Foul Weather Shelter: poor, fair weather and light air anchorage only
Rating:
Click on Chartlet Below to Open a Chart View Window,
Centered on the Location of This Anchorage:
23. Carman Cove Anchorage
Lat/Lon: near 29 39.185 North/081 36.702 West
Location: will be discovered on the centerline of Carman Cove, east-northeast of flashing daybeacon #48
Minimum Depth: 5-feet
Swing Room: unlimited
Foul Weather Shelter: fair, but strong western and southwestern winds would be a problem
Rating:
Click on Chartlet Below to Open a Chart View Window,
Centered on the Location of This Anchorage:
Be the first to comment!