Cruisers' Net | Cruisers Helping Cruisers

Aug 15, 2008by: Curtis Hoff 1 Comment

Outback Crab Shack – Six Mile Creek – St. Johns River

Outback Crab Shack – Six Mile Creek – St. Johns River

Does anyone know where the "Outback Crab Shack," referred to in Catian Dave's note below, is located? I'm not familiar with it, but it sounds as if it would be well worth finding!!!!

Subject: Outback Crab Shack
Cruising News: Please include the "outback crab shack" in your places to eat off the St. Johns. Really good food at a great price, and the longest dock i have ever seen. A good side trip in with decent depths.
I visited several years ago, but forget the exact location. Somewhere near Green Cove Springs, by land it has a St. Augustine adress.
Dave Chili

And, as usual the cruising community has responded in a big way!

From a little research Outback Crab Shack is on Six Mile Creek, bear approx. 100 degrees from red flashing #22. 1,500 ft dock, 15' depth at dock, some shoaling at entry to creek from Parmo bay, entry to creek is way back in bay.
Dave Chili

Subject: outback crab shack
Cruising News: For Outback Crab Shack; by car take Rte 16 (N. St. Aug) from I 95 West; road T's off at the end and make left on Rte 13 DO NOT cross bridge to Green Cove Springs. Make right into their lot just before first bridge.Go slow as you approach this bridge and go in regardless of what you might think!
Les Glaser

Subject: Outback Crab Shack
Cruising News: Outback Crab Shack is located on 6 Mile Creek which is inside Palmo Cove about 8 miles South of Green Cove Springs on the East side of the St. John River. Unfortunately for sailors the location is also South of the Shands Bridge which has about a 42' clearance.
Jim Schofield
S/V Almost Heaven
Solomons, MD

Claiborne:

It is located on Sixmile Creek, which feeds into Palmo Cove on the eastern shore of the river just South of the Shands Bridge at Green Cove Springs (across the river from Red #22). The restaurant is on the Northeastern shore of the creek, just before the charted fixed bridge (vert cl 12 ft.) and has a 1500 foot floating face dock.

Although we frequently anchor in Palmo Cove ( 6-8 ft., mud bottom with fair holding with a CQR, use the chart to avoid the 3 foot shoal extending south of Jack Wright Island), we have only taken the dinghy up Sixmile Creek. However, we have seen fairly large boats at the restaurant dock and 36-40 foot trawlers (4 foot draft?) exiting the creek — the chart indicates a 5 foot shoal at the entrance, then quickly deepening as you get into the creek. We had lunch at the Crabshack 5-6 years ago — my memory is of a large place with extensive outdoor deck seating at umbrella-covered tables with good hamburgers and cold beer. The creek itself is a pretty piece of Floridiana — running through uninhabited cypress swamp full of birds and gators.

Hope this helps — let me know if you need anything further.

Randall

Claiborne;
Is your poster referring to the Outback Crab shack on Six-mile creek off of Palmo Cove? (St. Johns River). Sterling Kennedy's probably there now as it's a free dock with a good bar. That's why I always stop there!
Donovan Vezin, MVEOS

Comments from Cruisers (1)

David Burnham - November 1, 2015 - 5:44 am

The Shands Bridge at GCS limits access to the Outback Crab Shack’s 1500 foot floating dock to southbound sailboats with mast heights lower than 45 feet, although at very low tides I have been able to clear the span with the 45′ 9″ mast on the Camper Nicholson 33′. However, I have to “power thru” the muddy shoal at the entrance to Six Mile Creek on the eastern shore with my 6′ 6″ draft fin keel so there are a few 6″ wide “channels” at the entrance of Six Mile Creek leading to the floating dock at the Outback Crab Shack.
I have read a review that pans the seafood and service at this converted bait shop/biker bar, but they probably didn’t arrive by motorcycle or boat, and forgot to order the bucket of beer before ordering their food. I’m not a big fan of crawdads or chicken wings or overpriced seafood but I’ve never left the Shack hungry or sober and the service is better than the average biker bar.
Reply to David