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Comments from Cruisers (5) Add Comment

1. Mark and Diana Doyle -  December 27, 2012 - 10:51 am

   Payment in Person
   Some sources mistakenly report that you need to dinghy ashore to pay the mooring fee. In our experience (two visits), this is not the case. If you don’t have a dinghy, or don’t feel like launching your dink, simply phone Fernandina Harbor Marina at 904-491-2090. You can provide your credit card information over the phone.
   The rates have increased slightly, posted on their website as: $20/day for a mooring, $3/day for dinghy dockage, and $7/day for dinghy dockage with shower access. Weekly rates are available. More rate details — including the marina’s tiered pricing for inside versus outside slips — are here: http://www.fbfl.us/index.aspx?NID=102

   Farmer’s Market
   And while you’re in the area, don’t forget the Fernandina Beach Market Place. It’s a popular farmers’ market a short walk from the dinghy dock, gathering every Saturday from 0900-1300 hrs.
   Mark and Diana Doyle

   Reply to Mark
2. Way Happy -  November 19, 2011 - 4:57 pm

   We stayed at this anchorage on 11-18-11, and there was a fairly strong northerly wind, and it was quite challenging anchoring because the strong current made it difficult to get the nose of the boat to point into the wind. Our boat sat at a funny angle to the wind all night and it was somewhat uncomfortable. The wind also blew very foul smelling fumes from the two factories nearby all over the anchorage. Not pleasant. The town of Fernandina is very nice, however, and there is a fabulous farmers market on main street on Saturday mornings. You can also take showers at the Fernandina City marina for just a few dollars.
   Way Happy

   Reply to Way
3. Capt. Sterling -  April 28, 2010 - 1:13 pm

   Ditto on a good stop here. Same for the quaint town

   Reply to Capt.
4. Knot Tide Down -  November 12, 2009 - 2:52 pm

   We are a 41′ trawler and used them in May 09 and loved it….just call them and they pass you a mooring number and you have full use of all the facilities. Nice town too…..we will go back. Plus it is a great place to get fuel…..
   Knot Tide Down
   Heading to Knoxville on the TN Rvr

   We just used them when we went by last week. Joe guesses when you call, they assign you a mooring ball for your vessel size. We saw some 47-45 footers on them. They are in the open. They have an area inside the marina that is $1 a foot that’s a little tight to get into so they mostly put boats on the seawall’s inside and outside ($1.75 a foot). Get there before too much wind, and if we got into an inside slip I know you can.
   Mik and Joe,
   Asian Lady

   Reply to Knot
5. Pascal -  September 24, 2009 - 12:22 pm

   anchored there spring 09, but a little further north, at the end of the group of anchored boats SW of R10. good holding.. came in around 1am and i wasnt’ going to be picky about the views! just a safe stop to catch some zzzz
   pascal
   MY Charmer, 70′ Johnson

   Reply to Pascal

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Comments from Cruisers (3) Add Comment

1. George -  November 18, 2012 - 9:30 am

   We have anchored our 60′ LOA Hatteras with plenty of room in the north/south stretch of Bells River three times, twice below the charted shallow spot and once above. This is one of our favorite stops and we coincidentally rode out some bad weather in the fall of 2008 there. As noted there are some soft places, so take the time to get a good set.

   Great dinghy dock facility, but be courteous and check in with the marina. We had a very good experience with the marina when our generator had an issue, they quickly made a spot for us and got us a local tech pronto.

   Reply to George
2. John Stevenson -  February 6, 2011 - 5:55 pm

   Rode out a 4-day storm in May, 2008 in the branch of the Bells that turns south between the two upstream anchor marks. Anchor did drag a couple of boat lengths when the winds went over 40 kts, then reset (44 Bruce on a 21000 lb ketch). Otherwise secure and at worst moderate seas. This storm dumped so much water in N. Fl that at high tide the Bells River became the Bells Lake. All of the marsh land that forms the banks were under several feet of water. The tops of the marsh grass was under water. With no channel marks in this portion of the river I would have had to blindly trust my chart plotter to re-anchor if the Bruce had not reset. Bottom line: A good anchorage, but if a really bad storm is coming I would now try to get into one of the marinas on Amelia Is. See also: http://www.svsarah.com/Sailing/ewBahamasNorth.html for more details on my adventure.

   John – SV Sarah

   Reply to John
3. Joanne S. Woodward -  November 7, 2009 - 11:07 am

   We stayed in the “downstream” anchorage and it was fine with a good anchor and plenty of rode. A bit spalshy ride to town but that is what the dink is for. Great lunch intown. Another ruiser said the marina facilites (available to us on anchor, too) were really nice.

   J. S. Woodward – MV-Avalon

   Reply to Joanne

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Comments from Cruisers (4) Add Comment

1. Chris and Janet -  June 1, 2013 - 10:35 am

   Anchored here last week to await next day high tide at Amelia River “1″
   Entered at half tide (range was 7.1 ft) with 5.5 ft draft strongly favoring R”36″ and going mid-creek after that to the southern spot. Lowest reading was 12 feet (~8.5 ft at low water). Water ebb/flood out/in western leg did not come beyond center line of lower creek so we favored eastern side when anchoring. Otherwise it would be a bit swirly.
   Speedboat traffic short cutting the oxbow makes it rolly here. Definitely need a low level anchor light that illuminates the boat — background lights in the trees on Amelia City side confuse the picture.
   Chris and Janet

   Reply to Chris
2. Has Royer s/v/Skye -  May 30, 2013 - 9:29 pm

   Anchored here on 4/13/13. Entered and exited by the south end. Came in near low tide and bounced twice. Have anchored here last year also and find holding is good. Current is not too bad and protection is good. Waited in morning for rising tide, no problem leaving. Would rate it a 3 because of the problems entering at a lower tide. s/v Skye

   Reply to Has
3. max miller -  April 7, 2012 - 9:59 am

   We anchored here recently and found the water deep and holding good. Our spade dug in instantly.

   Our 2009 copy of Skipper Bob’s Guide to Anchorages warns not to enter or leave through the northern end of the anchorage but we found good water in the center when we left northbound.

   Reply to max
4. Ron and Audrey -  May 5, 2010 - 8:48 am

   Stayed here the night of 5-3-10
   We entered from the southern end at low tide lowest we saw was 5.5 ft Holding was good and had plenty of swing room for our 55′ fdmy
   The dolphins kept us company in the evening and in the morning there was a bald eagle standing on the shoreline.
   We would anchor here again.
   Ron & Audrey
   Lucky Girl

   Reply to Ron

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Comments from Cruisers (10) Add Comment

1. Larry Sherman -  November 30, 2013 - 4:33 am

   We rode out a tropical storm about 6 1\2 years ago anchored off the plantation house and the sandbar. The storm was an early season storm that caught us off guard, forming and coming across Florida in 24 hours!! We weathered the storm fine; one boat drug anchor and re-anchored, another shredded their roller furled jib. Not a hurricane hole for sure!
   Larry Sherman

   Reply to Larry
2. Jean Thomason -  November 27, 2013 - 10:26 am

   On another subject, I would like to recommend that folks don’t anchor east of Kingsley Plantation House near the Kayak landing. We had successfully anchored there before, but on this trip, we anchored mid-channel in 16+ ft of water at high tide. During the night a NE wind came up and blew is up onto the beach which slopes more gradually than the shore in front of the house. Suffice it to say, we spent an uncomfortable couple of hours sitting in the dark on the high side of our trawler watching the starboard side of the boat go down with the tide. We have been blown to the south side of the river in front of the house and still had enough depth.
   From now on we will anchor in front of the house!
   Jean Thomason

   Reply to Jean
3. Greg and Donna -  April 25, 2013 - 9:17 am

   Stayed here 4 16 13, easy in and out, good depths, not great wind protection , but
   we held fine.
   Greg and Donna
   on Lady in Red

   Reply to Greg
4. Will & Cheryl -  December 5, 2011 - 7:40 am

   Had no trouble exiting ICW to Ft George River. Anchored overnight 11/30/2011 opposite plantation main buildings by mark “5”. Depths 10’+, good holding. Dinghied to park dock just before ranger closed the gate to it at 1630. At dawn, slack tide left it to the wind to push us close to the southern shore. Started engine to keep us off. Tidal current took over again and gave us time to walk the plantation, before leaving mid morning. Recommend this anchorage.

   Reply to Will
5. Chris -  November 26, 2011 - 10:44 pm

   We anchored here winter of 2011. Came in at low tide. Sticking close to the southerly shore. Anchored initially just to the east of the plantation. We experienced a great deal of boat traffic. Center cockpit fishing boats racing through. Felt like we were taking up the whole river. I was not comfortable with it. Picked up and moved just to the south east of green #18 Chart showed a little 5 ft deep area .We draw 3’10” did a lot of sounding around to pick a spot as close to the north shore as possible. Felt better about it then being in the center of the channel. That night the “Flounder Barge” spent about 3 hours around the plantation. For those not familiar with the “Flounder Barge” from what I could tell it looked like a giant air-boat, with a huge generator on it. This was to power the billion candle spotlights used to search for the flounder. Being not only the loudest machine man has ever made. It appears to be one of the deadliest. It skims the shallow areas looking for prey. On the deck stand what seem to be drunken college kids with spears which they stab at whatever looks like something that might be alive on the bottom. The only thing louder then the generator and giant fan are the hoots of a successful kill. It was a tough night to sleep.

   Reply to Chris
6. Allen Ames -  April 13, 2010 - 7:46 pm

   On 4/9/2010 we entered Fort George River from the ICW, passing closely to the ICW (R”72″) marker at the mouth and favoring the southern shore all the way past Kingsley Plantation. At dead low tide, we never saw less than 7 feet. We anchored just beyond the plantation and went ashore witht he dinghy for a very informative visit of a unique piece of American history. Lots of no-see-ums and it is a main thoroughfare for a bunch of center-cockpits in a hurry, but they are gone after dark. Lots of current too, but a nice anchorage and lovely spot.

   Reply to Allen
7. Rick Emerson -  November 19, 2009 - 7:23 pm

   We’re presently in this anchorage, with two boats near G “3” and three closer to G “5”. We arrived at about half tide and found the bottom coming up uncomfortable quickly (6′ draft) as we approached the dock (shown as two pilings in the chart) for Kingsley Plantation (marked “ruins”), a National Park Service site. We opted for the bight on the north shore near the G “3”. There’s more swing room and holding is good. One source suggests following a line between Fl R “72” and R “2” to enter the river – don’t. It leads through a charted shoal. Instead, favor the north shore and follow current charts. Otherwise, this is a standard issue SE GA, NE FL anchorage with lots of marsh, no-see-ums, and tidal currents – but it sure is pretty.
   About the plantation – this is a good trip ashore. The park closes at 5PM but the dock closes at 4:30PM; “closes” means a ranger comes to the dock and chains the gate shut. Curiously, the same sign announcing the 4:30PM closing time also states that docking is limited to 59 minutes (one wonders what bureaucrat dreamed that up…). Plan your visit accordingly.

   Reply to Rick
8. Capt Bill, s/v Kittiwake -  November 6, 2009 - 5:16 pm

   After leaving St Mary’s, Kittiwake stopped here for the 3rd time in 5 years. No trouble getting in , with tide rising (about mid-tide, almost full spring Nov 1), but had vibes. Sure enough, aobut 4 AM, front came through with some NW and N wind, and Kittiwake was heading for the plantation docks. Up the hook, ride around in the dark and settled in a little further West until enough light to start traveling. Can’t figure out anything I could have done different, but next time will try to Talbot River anchorage (oxbow on W side of ICW, just N of Ft George River anchorage) – not as much water or room – but talked to the folks anchored there overnight, it had better protection from NW and N in the south end.

   Reply to Capt
9. Chris -  July 23, 2009 - 1:47 pm

   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

   Reply to Chris
10. Fred Reed -  July 23, 2009 - 1:40 pm

    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

    Reply to Fred