guards the northern shores of Savannah River, between the two charted northward running offshoots, west of marker #6, and almost directly opposite River Street Market
Claiborne, This is in response to your request for NE/FL wish list items and our response for Savannah Westin Resort/Marina: We spent two nights across from historic Savannah at the Westin Resort/Marina starting on April 7, 2013. It was our first visit to this city as we decided to get off the waterway and broaden our view a bit as we make our way north on our 37′ sailing vessel. Be cautious as you enter the river up to Savannah from northbound on the waterway as it is not easy to pick up even large commercial traffic until you are almost into the channel. We used the Shipfinder app on the iPhone here since we do not have onboard AIS and it allowed us to slow for an inbound container ship. Did the same thing on departure allowing us to follow a departing large commercial vessel we would not have seen until we had pulled away from the dock. There is room here on the sides for us little folks, but not a lot in some places. The Westin is a floating face dock about 250′ long, it is not a marina in that it has no fuel or pump out, and showers if you need them are a bit of a walk over to the golf club house. To reserve a spot you must call the hotel concierge who at least for us was hard to reach. You as well must leave a credit card to hold a spot. Upon arrival there are no dock staff or anyone on the VHF so you must again call the concierge. She dispatched the hotel “engineers”, but they arrived after we had already gotten ourselves tied up. We had timed our arrival and later departure to be near slack tide because there is significant current here and we expected no help here from reading other postings. The engineers did have keys to unlock the power pedestals and provided a 50A to 30A adapter since no direct 30A service was available. The price is currently $3.00 per foot which is high for what is provided. There is currently really only room for about 2-3 transient vessels in the 40′ range because a beautiful historic sailing ship the Roseway(120′) is docked there for 6 weeks with daily river cruises. They need a lot more than their length to depart and return. Deploy all your largest bumpers when you tie up here or at the public docks across the way because you get some serious rocking from very large commercial ships going by 24/7. The escorting tugs run closer to the sides with even bigger wakes. The public rooms at the Westin are very nice, they have free bikes that you can use and the heated pool is great. Food was a bit pricey but very good for our one dinner. With that said we are very glad we stopped. A free ferry runs from the Westin across the river every 30 minutes with two convenient stops. The town is well worth visiting with good food, great historic sites and homes, and just fun to walk about. We are happy we picked the Westin over the town docks since all the waterfront tourists are walking right along side your vessel which is really not for us. If we visit Savannah again we would plan to stop at Thunderbolt or Isle of Palms and take the regular bus up to Savannah, but it would not be the same experience. Harry Burns S/V Two for the Roads
Courtesy van available for trips to many good restaurants in nearby Savannah downtown district
Restaurant Recommendations:
Elizabeth On Thirty Seventh (912-2365547), Olde Pink House Restaurant (912-232-4286)
Provisioning Possibilities:
Kroger Supermarket 1/2 mile away, marina will provide transport to Kroger, but you must return via a taxi ride
Wi-Fi Internet Access:
Free WiFi Available
Fuel Availability:
Diesel Available
Fuel Notes:
minimum of 1,000 gallons
Share:
Reviews from Cruisers (6)
Greg S. Hart- February 1, 2020 - 9:14 am
I tried by phone and email to get a reservation here. The fellow “Chaz” who answered the phone seemed like he had no interest in helping. Thinking I had caught an employee having a bad day I tried another call and got him again. Turns out he is the manager. Again he was short and rude. I have not stayed in the marina and after 3 tries of dealing with this guy, I likely never will.
Living in Charleston I travel to Savannah often. I have stayed at Thunderbolt, Kilkenny and Isle of Hope. They are excellent
If you want to be downtown, the River Street waterfront is best. Just fender up, put away, lockup and enjoy. You will not lack for activity both on the water and in town. Don on “Moonstruck”
My better half and I have stayed both at the Hyatt dock and at the Market Street dock. Both are accommodating but neither is what I would call a first class facility. Wifi and cable were “iffy” at best. And yes, to answer your question more specifically, the large boat traffic did keep us bouncing around some, and the clunk of tree limbs and other flotsam on its way to the ocean also created some anx. However, it is all worth it to visit and tour River Street and to take a horse and buggy ride through that beautiful city. Our favorite restaurants are “Vics on the River”, and just off the river, but within walking distance is the “Blue Safire” Restaurant. We would recommend the visit and these restaurants enthusiastically. Tom Wilson
The River Street docks are the place to be and Chaz is ultra helpful. There is a lot of shipping traffic (it’s the second busiest port on the east coast) and we enjoyed watching the big ships go by. You can go to the marinetraffic.com website and see the ships moving up and down the Savannah River and get terrific information about each ship. You can also turn the radio to channels 16 and 13 and listen to the ships and tugs. Savannah is a great city to visit. Captain Ted Williams
I agree with Pascal. If you want to be in downtown Savannah, this is a good place to be. We walked by the city dock and the power pedestals were covered with trash bags. Somehow, you’re supposed to pay at the parking garage. Also, they don’t take reservations, The River Street Market Place Dock does. It should be noted that this is a “dock”, little more. There are no showers and the restrooms are shared with customers of the River Street Market Place and are locked at night. You do have power and water at no extra charge. No ice either although Chaz volunteered to go get us some. The wakes from ships are not bad, but an occasional private boat or the ferry may produce a wake bigger than you might like. If we return to Savannah, this is where we’ll stay. Captain Ron
Fall09: stopped there once again… best location in town! Chaz the dockmaster is always helpful and friendly. being able to walk from the boat to the historical district is a big plus. Pascal
We stayed at the City Marina when we went to Savannah. The dock master was very helpful. Easy walk to the shops and all the restaurants. Ate at Paula Deans. Don’t let the line fool you. We only waited about twenty minutes. They have dining on multiple levels of the building. The two nights we were there we only remember a few ships coming by. They were in the middle of the night. The wake was not that bad. Rho-Jo
We walked by the city dock and the power pedestals were covered with trash bags. Somehow, you’re supposed to pay at the parking garage. Also, they don’t take reservations. Captain Ron
The City of Savannah is preparing to once again charge for docking at the Riverfront Plaza facilities. Per a phone conversation with Shawn Emerson of the Mobility and Parking Services Department, the policy will be in place by the end of May. Bottom line is the fee will be $1.50/ft for 24 hours. Tieing up for less than 3 hours is free. Complete information may be found on the Waterway Guide or City of Savannah websites. Ted Stehle Waterway Guide/Skipper Bob Publications
It will be interesting to see how the boating market responds to this. Even though the location is excellent my experience is that the free nature is the main draw of the site. The hotels docks nearby charge around double the 1.50/ft but you have some services especially water and real electricity not the 15amp service (on GFI sockets that do not work with my boat) and that sometimes work and sometimes not. Water bibs are in bad repair and only a few for the whole dock. I have made this a regular stop but will now have to re-evaluate stopping at Thunderbolt instead. This will free up space for the locals who come to enjoy and afternoon and do not stay overnight and who were probably complaining about all the freeloaders who stayed for days and took all the space. Aw I will probably stop there again in the fall and pay the freight and remember the good ol days. Greg and Susan Han Key Biscayne, FL Allegria — Krogen Whaleback #16
Just talked to the City of Savannah about staying over night on their docks. There is a new telephone number 912-651-6470 ext.1 and it is now handled by the Park Service. We were told it is first come first served and presently not charging any fee where in the past it was $1 per foot. You must call in advance for they have a cruise ship that may be in port and take up the whole dock. It is a great stop but be aware you become one of the attractions on the waterfront. Going there this coming weekend and will report any more onformation if necessary. Regards, Dick and Elle Lassman M/V Summer Wind
I did stay in Savannath last spring.It was at a dockage for a parking lot, south of a Hotel, which was taken by a huge powerboat, and no dockage available left. Terrible dockage due to river traffic, and their speed. Thought the boat was swamped from the container traffic.A lot of crime in the surrouinding area. If you are not white-Don’t walk around after the shops close That came from the the parking lot attendant. They left at 9 P.M. along with a locking gate, that would not open, until the next morning. Loaded my .357, and under my pillow. Stay out of GA——————————- Greg T ST42
Downtown Savannah currently has 4 docks: The public dock, the Westin, the Hyatt, and there is a private dock in front of “Spankies” restaurant. Dockage at the public dock is generally first come, first serve, with little chance for reservations. City hall is just a couple of blocks away and those intending to spend the night are expected to walk there and pay for their dockage. None of the docks monitor a VHF radio. Contact the Hyatt or Westin by their local phone (Westin – 912-201-2228). You can usually work a deal to eat at their restaurants, in exchange for a couple hours of free dockage (Westin’s dockage was $4.00/foot a couple of years ago, I don’t know what it is now). The private dock is managed by the parking lot attendant directly above the dock. Ships are not a problem, tugs are. You can get slammed and they could care less. Name Withheld By Request
The last 2 times we went to Savannah we overnighted on the waterfront (Savannah side, Hyatt I think). It was expensive, minimum is about $100.00 night, but was really a nice way to spend the evening and many of the local restaurants were really quite good. A short walk away, Planters was exceptional. David
Yes, I’ve docked downtown, last month, one night and found it to be a great stop, it’s worth the detour off the ICW. I can’t remember the name of the dock, shame on me…, the dock master was extremely friendly and helpful. Current, traffic, security etc… was not an issue. There are 2 or 3 floating docks there, different management i think. we stayed at the one in the middle. Plenty of restaurants right across the street… being able to step off the boat and stroll the empty streets in the morning was real nice too… Pascal
Earlier this summer we spent a week at the City Docks (about 750′) from the river street docks. Only $1/ft/night. Awesome location to visit the city. You are right in the heart of the tourist district. During the day there are a few wakes, but not bad. Towards the end of the week we did start to feel like a tourist attraction. Currently at the Charleston Maritime Center. Great location again. Downside, there is a current in the marina which makes docking interesting and the seawall leaves it a little rolly from the occasional boat wake (quiets down at night). Otherwise well maintained with a helpful staff. Less expensive than the city marina and free Laundry. Side benefit is the water taxi’s to Patriots point and to Fort Sumter are right there. Mike & Tammy Valhalla II (Gemini 3400)
Subject: Savannah City Docks Message: We do have some news to report on the Savannah City Docks. These are the docks just east of the river boats and the Hyatt. We love the sublime atmosphere of the Savannah historic downtown and the numerous squares, so we normally make the detour off the ICW to the river front. These docks are not free, but at $1.00/foot, they are cheap; electricy is available (20 amp) but you may need to share a water spigot. It is my understanding these docks were donated to the city for the exclusive use of pleasure craft. There will be some changes since many people feel they are free and the city had the terrible idea of letting the American Spirit Line of cruise ships tie up there whenever they wanted – literally tossing off any pleasure craft that were there (this happened to me during a gale watch this spring). Currently there is a 150′ barq tied up, taking half the available space. Too bad, the docks weren’t made for thse large ships and the damage from them is becomong apparent. According to Judy at the Municpal building, the dockage administration is being transferred to the parking authority and an office will be erected close to the docks for fee collection (that would make the other three pleasure craft here right now upset). According to other sources, the cruise lines will be docked at another location and maybe the barq will move as well. Unfortunately, the maximum length will be limited to 35 feet. Only one of the boats currently docked meet that size limit. So, please check with Judy on your way in or you may make the hour trip in vane. If teh size limit becomes a reality, this will be our last trip to the city docks and probably Savannah. Too bad. Dave and Brenda Johnson TBBG
Subject: Savannah Cruising News: Just spent 2 good nights at the Savannah City Docks. Great place, and the price is right at $1/ft. The floats are the same as those at the pricey ($2.50) River St. Market and a self-sufficient pasagemaker shouldn’t need services. Ran up Savannah River in a blue dungeon of fog — the pilots had closed the river to shipping so we had a very impressive parade of ships after it was opened. Michael Porter
Has anyone stayed overnight at river street market place dock? Southbound we stayed at a wilmington island marina and we’re looking to be closer, the price is a wash after you figure in taxi service. Thanks for any information, Scott and Caroline McGonigle 1982 mainship trawler, SEASCAPE
Scott and Caroline, We have gone up the Savannah last year and stayed at the River Walk docks. You can call the City and get info but it is first come, first serve there. they will not hold any space for you. The weekends are very full with many small boats. Our recommendation would be to try to go before the weekend and stay through the weekend. You have to walk into own and we believe ,if our memory is right go to the Chamber of commerce to ceheck in and pay. Good luck and enjoy. By the way there is water and 15 amp electric. Dick and Elle Lassman
We spent a few days at the river street docks. We enjoyed it, but beware of a bouncy stay. It’s not the big ships that cause the problem but the small boats that think no wake is what they produce just before going fast enough to plane. Peter & Vickie Kidd
I have not stayed at River Street dock myself, but have been there many times. I’ve been told that wakes from the container ships can roll you out of your bunk and may damage your boat. If you go there I suggest you have plenty of big fenders. Peter Colket
There are some wakes from the ships, its no different then tying up on the Riverwalk in Ft. Lauderdale. In Savanah the dock is floating so there is some give and wake protection. Your not banging against a cement wall. Dick and Elle Lassman
We stayed there for 5 days and had a fantastic time. We didn’t notice much wave action from the container ships. I guess some people just like to complain about everything. If we do the loop again, we would spend more time there. Plus, the price is right for being right downtown. James Taylor
We stayed there last November. Couple of add’l points on Savannah’s dock: * You should call the City Tax office — 912.651.6451 — they manage the dock and collect the fee. * CTO is two and half blocks away. They will tell you how to find them. * Bring a check — no credit cards. The fee is $1/ft/day. * Unofficially, this one time payment for a day is all they will ask for. We were told, if we stay longer, not to come back for additional payment. This friendly approach may not be the rule. * Not all (in best case only half) of the 15A outlets are hot. Be prepared to either move the boat closer to a working outlet, or have a long extension cord ready. * We were told that in 2009 the docks will be given to the parking authority, meaning that a dollar a foot (or a free day) will become a thing of the past. Raoul, Adria, Symbol
It is now 2.50 per foot, which includes water, electric, and wifi. No showers or laundry facilities, but there is a security gate with key code. Previously, we stayed in Thunderbolt. We think the River Street dockage is worth the price, to be right on River Street, not having to deal with the travel back and forth (calling, waiting, paying for cab or bus). We’ll let you all know how we make out! Caroline & Scott McGonigle M/V Seascape
I don’t want to confuse anyone……but…..when we were there last year….. there are two city docks and they are next to each other. The one behind the gate with water & electric for $2.50 ft. the other city dock (about 100 ft. away) cost me $37.50 for the first night (water and 15 amp plug at street level) and was told I didn’t need to come back and pay any more unless I wanted to stay a week. We stayed there 5 days for $37.50 compared to $525.00 at the gated dock. It may have changed this year so check around. James Taylor
Subject: Savannah River Street Docks Cruising News: You can disregard all other Postings before this date 3-20-09. Here is the up to date poop on the Savannah River Street Docks. Control of the docks has been moved from the City of Savannah Revenue Department and placed under full control of the City of Savannah Parking Services. The “Go To Man” is Jim Tilliamsen. Jim has taken over the operation, though he has only been in this position for four day as of 3-20-09. You can call Jim on his direct line 912-651-2834. To make a reservation you should call at least one day in advance. The docking rate will remain at $1.00US per foot per day. If you are only going to stay for lunch or under three hours there is no charge, but it is still advisable to call ahead. There is water and 30amp service available. Jim said he will be checking on the services that were reported not to be working. Jim works for the City so if you call, call early and call between 9:00Am and 4:00PM. Kevin R. Quinn SeaQuinns Tybee Light Power Squadron Administrtive Officer
Cruising News: Anyone interested in heading up the Savannah River to Savannah and tying up for the night at a very reasonable rate of $1/ft. had better think again. There is a new sheriff in town (on the job for 1 month as of this writing) and his name is Jim Gilliamsen. I arrived Sunday afternoon after sailing outside overnight single handed from St. Augustine. There were two other boats tied up at the dock. At 7:00 am Monday (today), I heard a rap on the hull, and there was Mr.Gilliamsen with two policemen telling me I wasn’t welcome and I must leave. He did the same to the others, who had paid for numeroous days in advance. I tried to reason with him, saying my experience in January during the trip south was you go to the parking garage and pay for the space on the dock, and he said they should not have done that, and that it wasn’t going to happen anymore. I then told him that if that is the case, the cruising guides and websites would need to be updated as such. I also explained to him that I had just spent nearly $1000 in provisions and boat parts, and had dinner at Huey’s, and if that isn’t important to the city of Savannah, then I would gladly take my business elsewhere. To make a longer story short, he reconsidered his position and allowed me to stay one more night, but I expect that this great spot for an overnight visit will not be available to future cruisers. That is, until Mr. Gilliamsen chooses to leave, or is asked to leave by his employer. It is my impression he is making this stuff up as he goes and it may be that the powers that be may not approve. Particularly in this economic environement, when every merchant can use every dollar of revenue they can get. Randy Kruml s/v Kristinly
TEMPORARILY CLOSED Due to Hurricane Damage. Expect to re-open by mid-March 2017. Call (912) 721-4654 for current status. Flanks the southern banks of Savannah River, just west of the Savannah City Docks.
Here’s the up to date situation (Nov 2015) of visiting Savannah, some 6 miles or so up river from the ICW. Firstly the downtown public dock is now closed to boats of any size – I have no idea why. The Market Landing marina [River Street Market Place Dock] is $3 per ft per night but the best deal is at the Hyatt Marina. $2.75 per ft transient but you get all the hotel’s excellent facilities – solid floating dock, 30/50amp power, impeccably clean restrooms, showers, exercise room, indoor swimming pool (with free towels), coffee shop and excellent (though pricey) restaurant. Next door on Rivers Street, try the roof top bar and grill of the Bohemian Hotel for a great sunset view of the Savannah River. Well worth a visit – Five Star Rating Cap’n Parky
My better half and I have stayed both at the Hyatt dock and at the Market Street dock. Both are accommodating but neither is what I would call a first class facility. Wifi and cable were “iffy” at best. And yes, to answer your question more specifically, the large boat traffic did keep us bouncing around some, and the clunk of tree limbs and other flotsam on its way to the ocean also created some anx. However, it is all worth it to visit and tour River Street and to take a horse and buggy ride through that beautiful city. Our favorite restaurants are “Vics on the River”, and just off the river, but within walking distance is the “Blue Safire” Restaurant. We would recommend the visit and these restaurants enthusiastically. Tom Wilson
Instead, I called the Hyatt, which is located next to City Hall and has 414 feet of dock on the river. I expected the dock to be full of 100 foot megayachts, but Jennifer, the dockmaster, said there was plenty of room and even a 30 amp outlet she could put us near (they advertise 50 and 100 amp service only). We went for that even at the price of $3/foot. The advertised ammenities seemed worth it at only 50-cents more than the other dock. The third facility is at an even more splendiferous hotel than the Hyatt, but it is on the South Carolina side of the river. Even though they offered free ferry service to the Savannah waterfront, we decided not to go there. We would rather have the old port a step off O.G’s deck. Captain Ted Jones
Reviews from Cruisers (1)
Claiborne,
This is in response to your request for NE/FL wish list items and our response for Savannah Westin Resort/Marina:
We spent two nights across from historic Savannah at the Westin Resort/Marina starting on April 7, 2013. It was our first visit to this city as we decided to get off the waterway and broaden our view a bit as we make our way north on our 37′ sailing vessel. Be cautious as you enter the river up to Savannah from northbound on the waterway as it is not easy to pick up even large commercial traffic until you are almost into the channel. We used the Shipfinder app on the iPhone here since we do not have onboard AIS and it allowed us to slow for an inbound container ship. Did the same thing on departure allowing us to follow a departing large commercial vessel we would not have seen until we had pulled away from the dock. There is room here on the sides for us little folks, but not a lot in some places.
The Westin is a floating face dock about 250′ long, it is not a marina in that it has no fuel or pump out, and showers if you need them are a bit of a walk over to the golf club house. To reserve a spot you must call the hotel concierge who at least for us was hard to reach. You as well must leave a credit card to hold a spot. Upon arrival there are no dock staff or anyone on the VHF so you must again call the concierge. She dispatched the hotel “engineers”, but they arrived after we had already gotten ourselves tied up. We had timed our arrival and later departure to be near slack tide because there is significant current here and we expected no help here from reading other postings. The engineers did have keys to unlock the power pedestals and provided a 50A to 30A adapter since no direct 30A service was available. The price is currently $3.00 per foot which is high for what is provided. There is currently really only room for about 2-3
transient vessels in the 40′ range because a beautiful historic sailing ship the Roseway(120′) is docked there for 6 weeks with daily river cruises. They need a lot more than their length to depart and return. Deploy all your largest bumpers when you tie up here or at the public docks across the way because you get some serious rocking from very large commercial ships going by 24/7. The escorting
tugs run closer to the sides with even bigger wakes. The public rooms at the Westin are very nice, they have free bikes that you can use and the heated pool is great. Food was a bit pricey but very good for our one dinner.
With that said we are very glad we stopped. A free ferry runs from the Westin across the river every 30 minutes with two convenient stops. The town is well worth visiting with good food, great historic sites and homes, and just fun to walk about. We are happy we picked the Westin over the town docks since all the waterfront tourists are walking right along side your vessel which is really not for us. If we visit Savannah again we would plan to stop at Thunderbolt or Isle of Palms and take the regular bus up to Savannah, but it would not be the same experience.
Harry Burns
S/V Two for the Roads