This really useful article on a previously undiscovered (at least by us) southern Georgia anchorage comes to us from Captains Mike and Mary Dicken’s, owners of SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, Paradise Yachts (http://www.paradiseyachtsales.net/). The cruising blogs recorded by this well-oiled nautical team usually result from helping new boat owners deliver their recently purchased craft to home port. Wow, talk about service AFTER the sale – it doesn’t get any better than this. You will be seeing LOTS of excerpts from Captains Mike and Mary’s web blogs here on the SSECN. This is superb info, and we are glad to have it available to our readers. This particular blog entry deals with a little used anchorage, hard by one of our very favorite places to visit throughout the Southeastern USA, Cumberland Island. This little piece of paradise features a colorful history, rich maritime forests, and a beach second to none! Truly, fellow cruisers, it doesn’t get any better than this! While we usually anchor in the “Dungeness Greyfield Channel Anchorage,” that is referred to as “Anchorage A” in Mike and Mary’s account below, their “new” anchor down spot looks to be well worth a try! Has anyone else anchored here? If so, we would like to hear from you. Please share your experiences by e-mailing us at EditorialDirector@CruisersNet.net.
The State of Georgia offers some excellent cruising if you will take the time to explore. One of the finest places is Cumberland Island, which is Georgia’s southeast most barrier island. The purpose of this blog post is to make you aware of a rarely used anchorage at the island. The anchorage that is commonly used, [noted as] “A” on the photo, is on the western side of the island itself not far from the shore. This anchorage is often crowded with motor yachts, trawlers and sailboats, especially on holiday weekends. The anchorage offers a good holding mud bottom in about 12 feet at low tide. The anchorage offers good protection from NE winds. The other anchorage that is rarely used is located [labelled as] “B” on the photo. It offers protection from westerly winds in about 17 feet at low tide. In the past 10 years I have never seen a boat in there besides myself. This anchorage also offers you protection from the frequent run abouts that love to throw wakes while you are at anchor in anchorage “A.” To navigate to anchorage B, cruise until you are just off of the Dungeness docks then turn N-NW. You will see a marker about 100 meters ahead with a sign reading “wreck”. Proceed forward keeping the marker on the starboard side about 50 feet. You will have from 12-15 feet of depth. Once clear of the marker, remain about 150 feet off the shore where you will have plenty of water. Mary and Mike Dickens
Hidden Harbor Yacht Club, which gladly accepts transients, is located on Troup Creek. This body of water intersects the AICW, immediately north of St. Simons Sound, near markers #237 and #238.
Do yourself a favour and stop at Hidden Harbour Marina. Lovely folk and a Mini Cooper S courtesy car. Phil Johnston
We also stopped at Hidden Harbour Marina in Brunswick. Close to the ICW and very nice folks who run it. Nice docks. We liked it so much we stopped back on the way back south in June. R.
Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge is on the south side of Sapelo Sound and is accessible only by boat. Capt. Reeves offers good advice for visiting this untouched island.
Turning into Blackbeard Creek that separates Blackbeard Island from Sapelo Island at green 11 off the ICW in Sapelo Sound, we anchor and go to the almost deserted beach of this protected wildlife refuge. Watch your pets and children as we always see alligators and sharks. http://www.fws.gov/blackbeardisland/ To visit Blackbeard we recommend you contact http://www.privateislandexcursions.com/ to tour any of the Georgia coast with an experienced and reliable Captain. Limit your visit to the tide line of the beach and take all trash out with you. Sonny Reeves
According to a spokesperson at the marina, the MLW in the entrance to Delegal Creek is 3 ft with a tidal range of 8-9 ft, so mid to high tide would be the best time to enter Delegal Creek. Once in the creek, there is plenty of depth, however the entrance channel is an issue if you draw more than 3 ft. The entrance channel begins northeast of waterway flashing daybeacon #86. just north of Hell Gate.
Call ahead to Delegal Creek for a really nice stay. They do have room for a boat like yours, but you must ride the tide. The island is really neat. They have a free golf cart that you can take to the village. Really nice. John Winter
If you can enter and leave at half tide or more you would enjoy Delegal Creek Marina just North of Hell’s Gate. This is about two hours South of Thunderbolt as there are no-wake zones in the area AND they are looking for speeders ($300). Bruce Elder Inevitable Too
Thanks to our good friend, Captain Jim Healy, for this summary of cruising tips and recommendations covering the long trek north or south on the AICW between Brunswick and Thunderbolt, Georgia. Captain Jim’s excellent article below is reprinted from the AGCLA Forum (http://www.greatloop.org).
Brunswick (Morningstar’s Golden Isles Marina) to Thunderbolt (Thunderbolt Marina) is 93.9 StM miles, which we do, nominally, in 10-11 hrs, depending on tides. Not too bad in July, with longer hours of daylight. Requires planning in November, with shorter hours of daylight. It would be around 100 StM miles from Brunswick Landing Marina in downtown Brunswick to Thunderbolt. This stretch has some of the shallowest water on the entire US East Coast at low tide. The tidal range in the region is 6 – 7 feet. At 4-1/2 ft, you won’t have a problem, but it would be most desirable for you to make the transit with high tide at mid-day. That way, you depart on a rising tide, travel with good water, and arrive before low tide. Said another way, avoid the Little Mud River +/- 2 hours of “neap,” low tide, and +/- 3 hours of “spring” low tide; in English, that’d be +/- 3 hrs around new moon/full moon. There are many, many exquisite anchorage options along that route, including the Duplin River, Crescent River and Walburg Island. There are just a few marina choices. Marina reviews are all fair-to-good, but navigation for a larger boat, particularly near low tide, *may* be tricky, so call ahead to whichever on you select if marinas are your thing. Just north of Brunswick is Hidden Harbor on Troup Creek. Across the Ogeechee R. as you come through Hell Gate, northbound, is Delegal Creek with Delegal Marina (pronounced: deli-gal). There is a sandbar at the entrance of Delegal Creek, and Delegal Marina will send a boat out to meet you and guide you in. At approx MM613 is Kilkenny Creek with Kilkenny Creek Marina. Kilkenny has a reputation for being a particularly “quaint” stop in rural outback Georgia. And just 45 min-to-an-hour south of Thunderbolt is Isle of Hope Marina. There are several Marinas in Thunderbolt; we use Thunderbolt Marina for easy access, good facilities and daily Crispy Creme donuts delivered to the boat in the morning by 07h00. Both Isle of Hope and Thunderbolt Marina are good places to stop longer for a visit to the City of Savannah. THERE IS A LOT TO SEE AND DO IN SAVANNAH. DO NOT SKIP SAVANNAH! My admiral prefers the Thunderbolt locale to the Savannah City docks, which she feels are too public, although I prefer the City Dock for excellent convenience to downtown. (As I said, we stay at Thunderbolt Marina. Admirals outrank Captains except when the ship is under way on the water.) Hope this is useful. Peg and Jim Healy aboard Sanctuary
Walburg Creek shapes the east side of Walburg Island and the Waterway lies on the west side. Good depths and great beach combing. While the creek has both a northern and southern entrance from the AICW, we prefer the northern passage, though there is still an unmarked shoal in St. Catherine’s Sound which must be bypassed.
Walburg Creek is a nice place to anchor between Brunswick and Thunderbolt. We found good holding and plenty of swing room. The only caveat is that it can be a rough ride in heavy wind when the tide and wind are at odds with each other. Sharon and Ken Vogel M/V Docker’s Inn
Brickhill River Southern Entrance - Click for Chartview
Brickhill River Northern Entrance - Click for Chartview
The Brickhill makes a pleasant, parallel detour east of the Waterway, with a north departure at Waterway marker #40 and rejoining the Waterway at Cumberland Dividings, markers #62 and #63. There are two anchorage recommended in the Brickhill – see links below. As Capt. Winters relates, Plum Orchard Mansion provides a good day-time stop, and you anchor within sight of this historic homplace – see link for the “Southern Brickhill River Anchorage” below.
We just came thru here and took the Brickhill all the way thru after docking at the Plum Orchard pier for a couple of hours, and agree with this posting. Go slow and your depth finder will tell you which way to go. The Brickhill was easy all the way using normal navigation techniques (chart watching and outside of curves) John Winter
As I’ve said before here on the SSECN, Jim and Peg Healy are some of the most trustworthy contributors on not only our web site, but many other nautical mailing lists and sites as well. And, that’s why I’ve decided to include the note below, even though, as Jim says, the passage in question occurred in 2008. Nevertheless, the included screen short is useful, and, according to my own experience, the “tight” spot at Dover Cut is still very much an issue.
Here’s [a] screen shot of a wider view of the area that shows our transit of the Alternate ICW Route behind St. Andrews Sound. That one, dated November 19, 2008, we did at high tide, and I would not recommend it except – at a minimum – within +/- two hours of high. There is one spot, at Dover Cut on the chart, that is very tight and shallow. Ralph Yost has been through that area recently. He’d have more current info on Dover Cut. I’ve taken the liberty of copying him on this note (see /?p=119014). Hope this is useful. Jim and Peg Healy
One of the most discussed topics here on the SSECN concerning the Georgia portion of the AICW for the past two years, has been the passage through St. Andrew Sound, south of Brunswick, GA and Jekyll Island. First of all, to follow the Waterway, you must journey rather far out into the Atlantic Ocean, and, if that weren’t cause enough for concern, there are marker numbering issues and shoaling near marker #32 to worry with. We have had an SSECN Navigational Alert in place for this portion of the Waterway since 8/10/12 (see /?p=104973). Of course, there is a “way around” this difficult passage. Cruisers can opt for the so-called, “Umbrella Cut” alternate route, BUT this passage adds length to your cruise, and most importantly, it is narrow and SHALLOW in places at low water. In regards to the posting below from Captains Jim and Peg Healy, their message conveys an intriguing alternative. On the one hand, it avoids the shallow depths, of the Umbrella Cut Alternate AICW route, and it also bypasses the long cruise seaward to marker #32. And, Captains Jim and Peg are highly experienced cruisers who have a knack and a reputation for delivering accurate information. HOWEVER, there is NO guarantee that the eastern tip of Horseshoe Shoal will not have built farther to the east by the time of your transit, and it is certainly possible that you might encounter shallower depths than what Jim and Peg, or the NOAA charts, report. Therefore, we advise that ONLY adventurous mariners, and those whose vessel is equipped with a well functioning GPS chart plotter, undertake this shortcut, and, even then, be sure to proceed with the greatest caution!
Attached is a screen shot of what we do in transiting St. Andrews Sound. Sanctuary draws 4-1/4′ and we find this route carries 7′ or more at low tide. The red lines on the screen shot are various transits of St. Andrews Sound before we established the black “route” in 2009. There are several more tracks buried under the route line. You can see that we went all the way out to R32 one time, early on. Too rough. We don’t do that any more. Peg and Jim Healy aboard Sanctuary
And some additional data just received from Jim and Peg:
So, anyway, here’s some additional info for our previous message. The date of the red GPS track line for our trip out past R “32” on the .jpg I sent you yesterday is April 9, 2007. For the other red track lines – those that “short-cut” across Horseshoe Shoal – dates were: April 23, 2008, May 16, 2009, November 9, 2011, April 24, 2012, November 27, 2012 and April 24, 2013. This gives you some season-to-season and year-to-year history on that track across the tail of Horseshoe Shoal. Peg and Jim Healy aboard Sanctuary
Hi Capt.’s, We have taken your route in our sail boat and now our trawler, both draw 4 ft. since we first saw it recorded. Don’t recall when? Last time was four crossings in May and two in June 2013. The Floyd Creek, Umbarella Cut will work. We have never used it in our trawler but have taken the dingy, an 11 ft Boston Whaler to survey the creek. The cuts are hard to follow at high tide and do have skinny water in several places. The path you advise still is not for the faint of heart if the wind is out of the East and over 15 KTS. Watch the tide and stay safe. Sonny Reeves
Unless seriously constrained by draft or schedule, a 6 kt boat passing through Jekyll Creek at high tide can cross the outer end of Horseshoe Shoal well to the west of both #31 and #32. We made our first transit of this area 30 minutes after high tide at the Jekyll Marina Station and never saw less than 12 feet on the shoal with wave conditions moderated. Heading south, when the magenta line crossed Latitude 31 on the chart, we turned for the old tower on Little Cumberland Island. When the water depth plummeted (west of #32 by 0.6 nm) we turned to intercept the magenta line off #33. This became our standard route. Caveat, we are unhurried cruisers with 5.5 foot draft. We arrange our days to pass Jekyll, Crooked River, Amelia River # 1, and Sawmill Creek #49, each, an hour before high tide. Chris & Janet
Captain Yost’s comments were prompted by a discussion of markers in St. Andrew Sound on the AGLCA Forum [ /?p=118925 ]. The alternate route he mentions is the Umbrella Cut Route which takes you northbound from Mile 696 in Cumberland River through Floyd Creek, across the Satilla River and into the Little Satilla to rejoin the AICW at Mile 686 in Jekyll Sound. This is often considered the route of choice when the primary Waterway route through St. Andrew Sound is kicking up. If southbound, do NOT confuse Umbrella Cut with Umbrella Creek where severe shoaling has occurred.
We just came southbound through this area and took the inside route through Floyd Creek. It was a falling tide, about half way down. We draw 4ft. Made this decision because the tide was outgoing and the wind was strong S and SE which meant wind against the current in the sound and we would have been broadside to the waves for about an hour. Made it through the inside Floyd Creek route without incident. The worst part was at red “A8” at the turn off of Umbrella Creek. Ralph Yost
The Brickhill makes a pleasant, parallel detour east of the Waterway, with a north departure at Waterway marker #40 and rejoining the Waterway at Cumberland Dividings, markers #62 and #63. Captain Conrad’s advice on entering the Brickhill refers to the southern entrance. Cumberland Dividings has been a Problem Stretch for several years due to constantly shifting shoals and an erroneous magenta line on many chartplotters.
Claiborne, After watching a sailboat go hard aground yesterday and laying on its side most of the afternoon, I would like to offer an alert for the AICW mile marker 703 near Cumberland Island and its intersection with Brickhill River. When northbound, stay well to the eastern, outside edge of the marked channel including going between a charted marshland and G59A. That is well off the magenta line but it is deep water, a minimum of 11 feet. It is also a major safety issue to go through these waters at a mid to rising high tide. If going into Brickhill River, stay on the northern edge of the junction as yesterday’s sailboat found bottom only a few feet from where we found 10+ water depth. Stay safe, Tom Conrad Nordic Tug 42 True North Currently in Brunswick, Georgia
Very good advice Capt Tom. You can also call Boat US and they will give you local knowledge as you travel about a specific location problem or best practice for the current conditions. We cruise that area and shoaling can be a problem. Seeya, Sonny Reeves
We just came thru here and took the Brickhill all the way thru after docking at the Plum Orchard pier for a couple of hours, and agree with this posting. Go slow and your depth finder will tell you which way to go. The Brickhill was easy all the way using normal navigation techniques (chart watching and outside of curves) John Winter
I have been going through this stretch for ten years at all tide stages in a coastal passenger ship 240′ long drawing 9 feet…coming South staying to the left (GPS will show you actually going through the marsh) will carry 20+ feet all the way. Forget that the red markers exist!
As long as I can remember, the Waterway’s infamous R32, between Cumberland and Jekyll Islands, has been one of those “hold your breath” portions of the day’s run. Captain Conrad offers suggestions and also requests information about a possible alternate route.
Claiborne, After reading your navigational alert [ /?p=104973 ] last night, I took good notes today as we crossed northbound St Andrews Sound near Jekyll Island and mile marker 690. You are correct, R32 is getting a shoal running near its eastern side and taking it on your port side when northbound will be dangerous. This route is also way out into the Atlantic where any wind and waves make a smooth passage a rare event. What I have done in my dozen or so crossing is make certain to arrive at a mid tide or higher. This is a good strategy with much of the Georgia ICW. With that advantage, I will line up next to G35 and run a line to the eastern most of three water towers on Jekyll Island (it is a small water tower). Until it is moved again, that is the same as lining up on R30. Today, with a slight rising tide, we saw nothing less than 10 feet of water depth while cutting across the eastern end of Horseshoe Shoal. Another interesting alternative that I have never tried is leaving the ICW just north of R34 and heading west toward the Satilla River using a junction point just south of G7 and R8. If any of your readers have tried this route, I would be interested in learning about their success. It would certainly be an easier route into Jekyll Island channel. Stay safe, Tom Conrad Nordic Tug 42 True North Currently in Brunswick, Georgia
Do you mean the `tank’ more or less at the same latitude as #19 in Jekyll Creek? Chris and Janet
I suppose but it is hard to tell since chart updates don’t do a good job of land based nav aides like water towers. If visibility is good, the eastern most of the 3 water towers on Jekyll Island will be apparent. If visibility is bad, use R30 or wait for a better day. Stay safe, Tom
Image Courtesy of Jim and Peg Healy
In regards to the posting below from Captains Jim and Peg Healy, their message conveys an intriguing alternative. On the one hand, it avoids the additional length and, at places, shallow depths, of the Umbrulla Cut Alternate AICW route, and it avoids going all the way out to #32 in the briny blue. And, Captains Jim and Peg are highly experienced cruisers who have a knack and a reputation for delivering accurate information. HOWEVER, there is NO guarantee that the eastern tip of Horseshoe Shoal will not have built farther to the east by the time of your transit, and it is certainly possible that you might encounter shallower depths that what Jim and Peg, or the NOAA charts, report. Therefore, we advise that ONLY adventurous mariners, and those whose vessel is equipped with a well functioning GPS chart plotter, undertake this shortcut, and, even then, be sure to proceed with the greatest caution!
Attached is a screen shot of what we do in transiting St. Andrews Sound. Sanctuary draws 4-1/4′ and we find this route carries 7′ or more at low tide. The red lines on the screen shot are various transits of St. Andrews Sound before we established the black “route” in 2009. There are several more tracks buried under the route line. You can see that we went all the way out to R32 one time, early on. Too rough. We don’t do that any more. Peg and Jim Healy aboard Sanctuary
After reading the interesting listing of pros and cons below, we think you will agree that the positives of SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, Jekyll Harbor Marina, far outweigh the negatives! This first-class facility flanks the AICW passage through Jekyll Creek, immediately south of the Jekyll Island high-rise bridge.
Cruising News: What we like about being on our boat at Jekyll Harbor Marina:
The Hot tub is Hot! Thanks Terry! The pool is always shaded by beautiful Live Oaks adorned with Spanish moss and is always Cold! The showers are clean! Thanks V! The new renovations are nice. Thanks Randy! The docks float and are concrete, the potable water is clean and each slip has a connection with a dock box. The WiFi is strong enough for NetFlix! Thanks Doc! The facedock is always full of interesting transients. The Parking is close by and shaded by the beautiful Live Oaks! The new bike trail is safe and goes over to the old mansions and “The Club” or the beach connecting to 25+ miles of bike trails. The market, post office and other stores are a short bike ride away. The fishing is great! Especially aboard the “FatBoy” Thanks Alex and Brian! The dock hands are experienced and helpful. Thanks Wes! The staff are respectful, professional and helpful. Thanks Megan! Our neighbors are wonderful friends. The Marina host potlucks and cookouts! Thanks Scott! Angie makes the best BBQ Ribs ever! The Jekyll Bubble actually exists! We have watched storms go around us. Last major storm was 1898. Riding bikes through the Historic District early in the AM. Nice because there are almost no people. Riding on the beach early, nice because you see turtle tracks and the Sea Turtle Center marks the nests. The marina is scheduled for dredging soon! Thanks Scott! We have a onsite surveyor and delivery Captains! Thanks Frank and Lynn! We have Boat US onsite! Thanks Rich! Music and drinks on the dock for Sundowners. Our boat insurance rates are lower here than 60 miles south in Florida. We don’t smell the paper mills in Brunswick. Shark tooth hunting. Shelling. Watching the Bald Eagles and seeing Deer, Alligators and Raccoons on the bike rides. We have the most awesome sunsets over the marsh. The State park is a gated, state trooper patrolled community. The beautiful beaches are mostly deserted during the week days. Drift Wood Beach is remarkable in it’s beauty. Cumberland Island and other great anchorages are a short boat trip away. We are safe and secure at our homeport.
What we don’t like about being at Jekyll Harbor Marina: The no see ums that swarm when the wind dies down. The good side is they keep the “Disneyland” type tourists from visiting! The water in the ICW is dark brown from the silt and tannin. The good side is If the water was clear and there were no bugs then the place would be developed worse than any tourist trap in Florida. One of the Live Oaks fell and crushed a car we were fond of, but the insurance paid off so we could buy another. Thanks State Farm! Idiots that speed on the island! Idiots that speed on the water! Idiots that don’t stop or slow down for people on bikes even in the crosswalks. Fishing and catching stingrays. We fear that developers will some how get control and their greed will destroy this Jewell of the Golden Isles. It is 30 miles to downtown Woodbine Georgia the home of Capt. Stan’s Smokehouse. This restaurant needs to be onsite. We all have to die from something and I choose BBQ and fresh oysters! The onsite restaurant just does not get the message. The new traffic gate seems to slow the trip back on to the island instead of making things more efficient. Tourists that walk the dock looking into the boats and generally being annoying. Tourists that throw their trash out on the roads, beach and the water. There is no music on the docks since Andy and Diana have gone to the Chesapeake for the summer. Captain Sonny
In regards to the note below from Jim Smiley, PLEASE BE SURE TO READ THE REPLY from Jekyll Harbor Marina dockmaster, Scott Todd! We think this clarifies the entire situation, and, may we add as an editorial comment, that the entire Salty Southeast Cruisers’ Net team is very impressed with Captain Todd’s management of this fine facility!
I agree with most of the positives, but need to add a couple of negatives . . . several years ago we were at the dock when a tropical storm was approaching. At that time (and maybe now) the marina had a contract with a large river cruise liner. On the morning of the storm the cruise ship decided to return to the marina to ride out the storm. Three boats (included ours) were . . . told to leave. The result was that we were kicked off the dock in 30 kts of wind. No fun crossing GA sounds in that kind of wind. After a very trying day we anchored safely in Cattle Pen Creek. Since that incident we have not stayed at the marina unless the tides were unfavorable for doing Jeckyl Creek. Jim Smiley
To All Boaters: My name is Scott Todd, the new manager of Jekyll Harbor Marina. I want to thank Sonny Reeves for the very kind words about Jekyll Harbor. Jim, I would also like to comment on your concern however, I can’t speak for what happened prior to my arrival. Let me start off by saying we do NOT nor will we ever have a standing contract with any boat or company that would supersede any other vessel or owner. However, we do protect vessels that have reservations at our Marina. The cruising company that you are referring to makes their reservations in November each year for dockage during the Spring. When those ships arrive for their reservations we honor that reservation. Likewise, if we gave any transient boater their reservation, we view that as a contract. Unfortunately some times boaters decide to stay longer at our marina due to weather, when that happens I still have to honor reservations made prior to the bad weather. It really puts us in a delicate situation but rarely are we put into that position. Furthermore, we won’t ask boats that had reservations to leave, we would be forced to ask the vessels that stopped in due to weather first. Having said that, it is also our policy now to warn vessels when they check in during inclement weather if it appears there may be a potential issue similar to the above. Jim, I would love to talk to you further regarding this matter so if you would please call me at your convenience at (912) 635-3137 so that I could make this right in your eyes. Once again Thank You all for your positive feedback but thank you even further for the opportunity to answer your negative ones. Scott Todd Jekyll Harbor Marina
Hi Jim, Sorry to hear that story. Please do come by and meet the new dock master Scott Todd. I will know you and others will be impressed with this young man. He is vast improvement over both of the other DMs we had here. I have been here off and on for the past six years and I would not stay if I had to put up the other dock master. Thank you, Sonny
The AICW follows the narrow, man-made canal known as Hell Gate between the Vernon and Ogeechee Rivers. These waters have been an “AICW Problem Stretch” for years. Cruising News: I transited Hell gate on 6/22/13 enroute from Thunderbolt Marine to my home at Ft McAllister on the Ogeechee River. I have made this passage many times in the past as I’m a “local” and it is part of my cruising area. I have a Bristol 29.9 CB which only draws 3.5 feet, so I was not concerned at transiting at low tide. However, this time I was mistaken. I made the passage at 1500 hours which by my estimate was low slack water. Tide tables indicated a very low -0.9 tide. I always follow the same “established route” on my GPS, so I know that I am always on a route that has been successful in past. As I traveled south between G89 and temp R90 my depth sounder went from 5 feet to 3 feet and I slowed from 6 knots to 3 knots. I estimate that I was plowing a furrow for 200 feet or so, before I started to get more water under my keel. Fortunately, I didn’t go hard aground as the bottom was obviously silt and loose sand. Everywhere else on that trip through Hell Gate the minimum depth that I saw was about 5 feet. Hope this post helps some cruisers. Richard Brown
Brunswick Landing Marina, a very popular facility with long term resident cruisers, actually sits well off the direct path of the AICW, flanking the eastern banks of Academy Creek, just off Brunswick River, near the heart of downtown Brunswick, Georgia. I personally visited here in April of 2012, and, as usual, found a bunch of contented cruisers, some of whom who had happily spent the preceding winter at this facility.
Yard manager referenced in earlier comments is no longer employed by BLM. Chris and Janet
Two Way Fish Camp is on the South Altamaha River, off the Waterway departing north of marker #218A. Old South charm, well worth the trip!
My boyfriend and I were there recently in the kingfish tournament and we had a wonderful time. Great people, great food and we will definitely be back. Kim
Morningstar Marina at Golden Isles - Click for Chartview
Morning Star Golden Isles Marina is located on the Frederica River, between Lanier and St. Simons Islands, south of the charted 9 foot bridge. Depart north from the Waterway south of ICW marker # 247 and Frederica River marker #1. While the Frederica River has good depths north of the marina, access from the Waterway north is not possible because of the fixed 9ft clearance bridge.
I love Morningstar Marinas. and Golden Isles is no exception. We stayed three nights in late May, as we have done many times before. The staff are great, as is the free delivery of the paper and muffins in the morning. The showers are clean and maintained, and my favorite Catalina Dealer, Dunbar Sales, is on the premises. We used the pool and the local restaurant, as well as Jekyll Club and a restaurant in St Simon’s and had a uniformly good experience. St Simon’s and Jekyll Islands are great tourist areas, so rent a car, and have some fun off the boat as well. We are Morningstar Gold Members, and as such receive discounts at all their marinas. This program is worth looking at if you like their quality. Golden Isles, St. Simon’s is just a great example of their marinas. William Lawrenson
Brickhill Northern Anchorage - Click for Chartview
Our good friend, Sonny Reeves who lives aboard his boat at nearby Jekyll Harbor Marina, shares details below of a recent trip to magnificently undeveloped Cumberland Island. This isle is found south of St. Andrews Sound, and hard by the eastern flank of the AICW. For the full report, go to http://ontheofficewautoteacher.blogspot.com/2013/05/brickhill-river-ancorage-cumberland.html
Anchored in the Brickhill river around the bend from the primitive campsites. No cell service, no internet. Lots of green flies. Ran off the solar panels and inverter with no problems. Towed the dink. Caught bait and fished but only caught small sharks, Walked to beach saw alligators and an armadillo. Very nice would like to spend a few weeks at the different anchorages in cooler weather. Had a strong south breeze all week. Saw more horses than people. Sonny Reeves
The Sunbury Crab Company Marina lies off the AICW along the western shores of the Medway River, on the charted Sunbury Channel, north of Dickinson Creek. And they are A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR!
Stayed at Sunbury May 23, 2013. The dock is great and the restaurant is fantastic (see web site for days open). They are very friendly, kind people. I printed the map on their web site and followed it ‘“ be careful not to cut the corner on the entrance to the Sunbury Channel ‘“ otherwise navigation is a cake walk, and never less than 14 ft. or water. There are few alternatives in this area, and although it’s a way off the ICW, it is a great place to visit. This is our second visit, and I am sure we will stop there again as we pass through Georgia. William Lawrenson
The poorly marked entrance to Delegal Creek Marina leaves the combined paths of the AICW and Vernon River, immediately north of the infamous Hell Gate section of the Waterway. Captains Chuck and Claria give GOOD advice below for successfully navigating the tricky entrance passage. The article below is copied from the American Great Loop Cruisers’ Association Forum!(http://www.greatloop.org/)
I’ll second the vote for Delegal Creek Marina, at MM 600 on Skidaway Island. Yes, it can be a little tricky getting in there the first time, their channel markers don’t line up with what’s on your chart plotter. Go to http://www.landings.org/delegal-creek-marina-3284 and then click on Delegal Creek Map under Marinas tab for directions on getting in. If you’re coming in with less than + 3′ of water on the tide table, call the marina office for instructions, and if your still a little concerned as to where the deepest water is they will come out and guide you in. Then if you want a special treat for dinner, call Renee at 912-598-7929 and order Chicken Pot Pies delivered to your boat. Call her a few hours before you get there and she will deliver them hot, if you wait to call her until you get in late in the afternoon, they will be frozen. Of course, a delightful dinner at one of the club houses is always a special treat as well. An inexpensive stop you will enjoy, $.94 per foot with Boat US discount. We now stop every time we go by. It’s a nice 61 mile run from our home in Beaufort, SC. Chuck and Claria Gorgen ODYSSEE
We echo Chuck’s comments. The only thing to add is that the current can be tough for docking, especially a single screw. With that said, it is a definite stop and try to time for slack tide, especially when leaving. Dock master is excellent for giving advice on how to dock. John Winter
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