Image Courtesy of 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

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of the AICW/St. Andrew Sound Channel

Marker #32 - Click for Chartview

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

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of R32

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

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

Click Here To View the Georgia Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Northern Brickhill River Anchorage

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Brickhill River Anchorage

On 4/22/13, as part of a NE Florida – Georgia Wish List, we posed the following question:

Statute Mile 695.5 to 685.5 ‘“ anyone cruise the alternate `Umbrella Cut’ AICW passage to bypass St. Andrew Sound this spring? If so, what depths did you discover? Is this passage still a viable alternative for cruising size craft?

Responses follow: (UPDATED on 5/16/13, with the detailed report from Captain Kevin Quinn below)

Cruising News:
I would like to report to you about my horrific day cruising back to Savannah GA from St. Augustine FL on Wednesday the 1st of May 2013 in my Catalina C36 MKII draft 4’3’. The main point of my report is the `Alternate ICW back route around the infamous St. Andrews Sound. Well the weather was as bad as I have seen in years, the wind never dropped below 30 knots all day. I have crossed St. Andrews Sound in rough weather before and the crossing is never good not even in low winds. We were getting bad reports all day from boats that crossed St. A. Sound, none were good. Two things convinced me to go the back way; one the ICW in the Cumberland River was worse than my previous crossings of St. A., two it was one hour before high tide. I fought the Cumberland River above and below the waves to get to the Red `40’ Dayboard and was glad to make the port turn into Floyd Creek and the Red `A34’ Dayboard. Once in Floyd Creek the water calmed and was flat. There was plenty of water but never having gone that way I kept a close eye on the depth gauge. When I turned into the wind at the Green ` A31’ Dayboard the waves were only one foot high but the wind was ripping the tops of the little buggers and throwing them at me horizontally. I could see another sailboat about a mile in front of me. So I felt if he did not stop I would be OK. At the Green `A27’ There is a wreck marked and it is visible at high tide. When I was between the wreck and the `G A27’ I marked 9 feet of depth. Now if you subtract 8 feet of tide from that, at low tide there will not be much water there. At the `G A21’ I also showed 9 feet at high tide. Crossing the Bulkhead there is open water again 4 foot waves and good depth. There was good water and depth all the way to Dover Cut. I entered Dover Cut at the Red `A14’ Dayboard. It looks small and intimidating on the Chartplotter and when you are in it, it is as small and curvy as it looks. But it is deep. That is till you get to the end and it does shallow up. The `R A8’ and `G A9’ are side by side at the entrance to Umbrella Creek and there I marked 9 feet and that is at high tide. Now all the charts I looked at have some warning about the low water in the Umbrella Cut but there I marked 18 feet all the way. From there it is a straight shot across Jekyll Sound to the back side of Jekyll Island but still it was a rough crossing on that day. St. Simon Sound was rougher than any of my St. Andrews Sound crossings and St Simon is completely closed in and protected.
So I made it and it took two hours from the Red `A34’ to the Green `A3’. My recommendation is that you can go the Alternate ICW route around St. Andrews Sound as long as it is two hours before or right at high tide. Even the locals like long time sailor Barney Riley at Golden Isle Marina say they never go that way. There is no local knowledge, I asked Barney, BoatUS and `Down’ the Army Corps of Engineers Hydrostatic boat that happened to be in the area sounding and they all said they had no knowledge and had never been that way. The `Down’ did say they had a boat assigned to that area and hoped to have some data soon.
Kevin Quinn

Came thru here on 4 17 13. Dead low tide. We draw 3 and one half. Saw several spots of 1 or two feet under keel. Also saw a bear cub along the way.
Greg and Donna
on The Lady in Red

Would use St. Andrew Sound in place of Umbrella Cut even if I had to wait out weather for the Sound. 40 foot boat with a 4.5 foot draft.
Raymond W. Smith
“Fire Dog”

My wife and I utilized this alternate route northbound while bringing our GB42 home in June,2012.
We were at near- low tide. We took it slow. We experienced a “light” grounding in a spot that just looked like it was going to be trouble. We were going slow enough to back off and “nose” our way thru by searching for deeper water. At higher tides, for those who want to avoid the “sloppy sound”, this is a great alternative. We would always use this route– unless we have our vessel stabilized.
We still have a hole in our after cabin panelling from a table lamp we forgot to secure, when we came thru the sound and experienced the chaos that the wind, tide and waves can cause.
Clyde Lee
Diane Willis
1987 GB42 CL
“Friendship”

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of the Umbrella Cut Alternate AICW Passage