As Richard Ross warned in early May, Caution Still Needed, Sean Foley reminds us that, despite ongoing dredging in the creek, a sharp eye on your depth finder is a wise choice until the dredging project has been completed. And like TowBoatUS, mid to high tide is Cruisers Net’s recommendation for safe passage.

If you draw five feet or more, enter Jekyll Creek from the north only at or very close to peak high tide. Our depth finder showed less than 6 feet of water at Marker 17 an hour before the afternoon peak high tide. We draw 5 feet so we had less than a foot of clearance. The ongoing dredging operations will greatly improve this situation, but until the project is completed use caution and time your entry properly. The dockmaster told me it will take another few weeks to complete the project. I had called TowBoat US for local knowledge before entering the Creek and he suggested a mid-tide or higher entry would be ok. He was correct, but I’d say make it closer to peak high tide.
By the way, after I submitted my comment I spotted a couple of skeptical responses to the early May advisory from two other skippers. The answer here is that the dredging equipment is by necessity occupying the Jekyll Creek channel around markers 17 and 19, forcing boat traffic into the western shallows. The dredging crew has advised Tow Boat US to tell deep draft vessels to pass as close as safely possible to the west side of the dredging barge/equipment.
Cheers,
Sean Foley

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