Kathy and Jim’s Frederica River anchoring experience below was very different from that of Captain Arnold, as related in an earlier posting here on the Net (/shoal-at-northern-mouth-of-frederica-river-near-st-m-665-5). I’m glad to hear that there seems to still be a good way into and out of this stream to and from the AICW. It is a beautiful cruise as the river cuts into the western shores of St. Simons Island, and anchoring off the historic fort is a wonderful historic experience, which will be even better when the landing dock is completed (see below).

We anchored in Frederica River across from the Fort last night. We are a sailing vessel with 5′ draft and entered from the southern end at mid-tide and maintained a minimum depth of 9ft. We left the northern end of the river at close to high tide and saw no less than 10ft. this was very similar to the conditions we saw in the fall when we were going south. As always, there is shoaling at each end and you have to pick your way between the two shores and pay close attention to the tide. The park is working on the dock, but it is still not complete.
Kathy & Jim Bearden
s/v Charm

We went up the Frederica River from the south on 4/11/2010 and anchored just south of the fort. Although we only draw 3 1/2 feet, we set the depth alarm at 6′ and it never went off. The fort is a great place to visit, but if you go in at high tide in your dinghy and tarry too long, you will have a very long slog back to the river through very deep mud. A visit to the site is well worth it if you can figure out how to do it. We continued through the next morning, again never seeing less than 6′ all the way to back to the ICW.
Allen Ames

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Georgia Anchroage Directory Listing For The Frederica River Anchorages

There is one thing I can say for certain about Kilkenny Marina. There is no middle ground with this place. Some cruiser love it, others hate it. Clearly, our fearless roving reporter, Captain Jane, is among this former group!

Sometimes you just don’t want to set that anchor and wonder several times a night whether or not that swift Georgia tidal current has you dragging into the marsh grass.
Kilkenny Marina offers just that respite between Georgia’s infamous Florida Passage and equally infamous Little Mud River to the select several boats it can take at its rickety yet floating face dock.
Kilkenny Marina is its own genuine Georgia coastal thing. Family run, with at least two generations visible, friendly and bereft of amenities but oozing authenticity, it’s a place we have enjoyed visiting twice in our decade of cruising the ICW and we’d happily do it again.
Special features of staying here include watching the power boats launching and unlaunching on the power lift by the transient face dock, in slip DIY fueling, hearing the waterfall like sounds of the
bait tanks while you sleep, a weathered and well-trodden ramp which at low tide makes you feel like a mountaineer, plenty of Spanish moss draped trees and gnats galore. Rachel Carson would be applauding in her grave at the news of this healthy ecosystem of gnats and swallows!
We love it here. And great news, the restaurant literally one dock over and a short land stroll away is open and thriving. Marker 107 is a seafood and steak restaurant that looks upscale yet homey. You can
spend a moderate or more than moderate amount for a meal depending on whether you go for the grouper sandwich, the Grey Ghost special seafood platter or a 12-ounce steak. The Grey Ghost is the shrimp boat docked outside the restaurant.
As you may have guessed from the restaurant’s name, just turn at Marker 107 and follow the marina signs down Kilkenny Creek. People at the marina say the food is excellent.
Marker 107 opens at 5 for dinner Wednesday through Saturday. It closes at 9 on Wednesday and Thursday and stays open until 10 on Friday and Saturday.

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Georgia Marina Directory Listing For Kilkenny Marina

The posting below from Captain John Haluska (copied from the AGLCA list) is very interesting, and contains a lot of useful cruising tips if you decide to go offshore along the Georgia coastline. However, let me make it crystal clear that neither I, nor anyone here at the Cruisers’ Net, is recommending the use of Wassaw Sound Inlet (see below). The one time I even had the nerve to take a look at this passage, we turned around and got out of there as quickly as possible!

Last year we were traveling though that area and were very worried about passing all of the low spots just before high tide and still being able to make a marina for the night. The tide cycle was not in our favor. We had good weather and decide to go outside. (Four looper boats)
The channel out of St Simon is great, no problem. Now it was where to duck back in. We were all trawlers and no one was anxious to do an overnighter. To make a long story short we called Thunderbolt Marine and they told us to come back in at Wassaw Sound Inlet. The chart does not show adequate buoys at that inlet, but the marina assured us that there were four more buoys to lead you from the sea-buoy to the charted buoys on the river. Just to be careful I called the Coast Guard and they confirmed the same.
The entrance turned out to be a piece of cake with one caveat. We navigated to the sea-buoy and then could not see any buoys. Talk about a bad feeling. Then I noticed on our radar one extra blip and
it turns out the the first buoy is very small and is located back to the southwest of the sea-buoy. We were far enough out that we went right by it on our way to the sea-buoy. We backtracked to that buoy
and then could see the next buoy to the North, and then from there the next buoy turned us West and into the mouth of the river. The river runs right up to the ICW and intersects just to the south of
Thunderbolt Marina. The run will let you pass most of the low spots in GA.
Safe Travels
John Haluska
M/V Emery El
DeFever 49 RPH

Two-Way Fish Camp should change its name to “Two Way Full Service Marina.” This facility offers just about every service cruisers would ever want, except for a Laundromat and Wi-Fi internet access.

Stopped at 2 Way Fish Camp yesterday for fuel, $2.60/gal for diesel. There are big currents getting in out of the fuel dock so you need to have your ship handling hat on or go in at slack. I was by myself and Jerry the dockmaster let me linger so I had dinner at their restaurant – was good. When I left I went down river a mile or so and anchored in the straight part of the river in 12′. Good holding strong currents. MM619.
Charles

Good Job Martha Ann,
Two Way Fish Camp and Mud Cat Charlie’s (restaurant)is an old stomping ground of mine. Hat’s off to ya for getting Martha Ann in and out of thefuel dock in any current. The fuel dock narrow fairway approach is 90 degrees to the current (which can reach 5+knts on the ebb) and the fuel dock area very tight and depending on the tide may be very skinny. We use to teach docking there because of it’s difficulty in certain conditions. You obviously passed!
Joe

Click Here For The Cruisers’ Net’s Georgia Marina Directory Listing For Two Way Fish Camp

I love dropping our hook on the waters of Wahoo River. It is amony my very favorite of the less obvious coastal Georgia anchorages.
You do have to be careful to stay east of a point abeam of charted Wahoo Island’s easterly tip. Just a bit farther to the west, uncharted shallows will be encountered.

Spent a very quiet night here yesterday. We anchored in 17 feet at MLW with only a slight current and almost no wind. The anchor grabbed at once and set great. Very peaceful as has been the previous 3 times we’ve stayed here. This is a great protected spot for anything coming from the North or East.
Larry Morrow

Click Here For The Cruisers’ Net’s Georgia Anchorage Directory Listing For Wahoo River Anchorage