The report below concerning the anchorage on Fort George River, is far more positive than one which still appears earlier on this page. Fort George River intersects the AICW, a short hop north of the St. Johns River, and has long been a favorite anchorages in northeastern Florida. Then, just two weeks ago, a report surfaced here on the Net’s “Eastern Florida” section about shallow water near the river’s western entrance. As you will read below, looks like Captain Fred successfully avoided these shallows.

Subject: Fort George River Anchorage (Statute Mile 735)
Cruising News: Subject:Fort George River Depths
AMARSE was anchored in the Ft. George River Anchorage the night of 04/15/09. Departing early in the morning of 04/16, we saw nothing less than 8.8 feet total depth even across the river mouth. The GPS tide chart indicated that we were 1.8 feet above MLW so that should have yielded at least 7 feet of water at MLW. We followed Skipper Bob’s advice to use the a range line using the
R72 on the ICW and the R2 on the George River as range markers to intersect the waterway. We also followed his advice to favor the the southern shore on the George River to G5. I believe that this is a very good anchorage spot and don’t forget to use your window screens to avoid feeding the voracious “No-See-Ums”. (YMMV)
Fred Reed
M/V AMARSE
Marine Trader Sundeck Draft 4 1/2

Click Here To View the Eastern Florida Cruisers’ Net Anchorage Directory Listing For Fort George River

This is the FIRST report we have had here on the Cruisers’ Net about a shoal buiding into the channel leading to the popular anchorage on Fort George River. This body of water intersects the AICW, north of the Waterway’s intersection with the St. Johns River, south of Nassau Sound and north of Sisters Creek.
IF ANYONE ELSE HAS VISITED FORT GEORGE RIVER LATELY, PLEASE E-MAIL US WITH THE SOUNDINGS YOU DISCOVERED. We currently rate this anchorage very highly in our “Eastern Florida Anchorage Directory (/eastern_florida_anchorages/anchorages_-__eastern_florida/), and if Captain Chris’ reported depths are confirmed, we will need to change our account of this anchorage ASAP. So, please e-mail me at CruisingWriter@CruisersNet.net, with any recent Fort George River observations!

Subject: Fort George Depths
Cruising News: Today, two hours before high tide we entered the Fort George River. In less than an eighth of a mile we were aground in the center of the channel. Exploratory moves north and south did not reveal water that would float our boat at low tide (we draw 5.5 ft). It looks to us as if there is a three foot +/- bar across the river mouth now.
Chris Wain

I e-mailed Captain Chris and asked for more details, and whether he could have mistakenly left the channel. He was kind enough to immediately reply:

Claiborne,
Anything is possible, but we stuck at 30:26.876 -81:26.720 . It may be that the channel was south of that but we didn’t find it. We have a policy of not ancoring upstream of anything we can’t cross at low tide, so we moved on to the open spot off Harrison Creek. Given the slick calm last night and E’ly this morning it was fine. The only traffic was dolphins.
Chris

Comments on Fort George River from other fellow cruisers:

We spent the night at Kingsley Plantation February 15 this year on our way to the Bahamas. We went in with the tide under us with no problems anchoring in front of the plantation house near where the chart says ‘ruins’. Then next day (quoting from my February 16 log) “Got up both anchors and left the river at dead low tide with no problems.” Our boat is a Crealock 34 and draws 5 ft.
Bill Murdoch
Irish Eyes

Click Here To View the Eastern Florida Cruisers’ Net Anchorage Directory Listing For Fort George River