Favorite, legal, anchorages in GA?

[ranger58sb]

Can folks please list a few of their favorite -- and still legal -- anchorages in Georgia?

I just plowed through this thread:

https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s3/anchor-wars-come-georgia-44842.html

That's probably the best place to continue discussions about pros/cons/etc of the new laws, but...

But for here and now, I'm just interested in learning about a few places we might like to try on our way back north next month.

-Chris

 

[psneeld]

Shellbine Creek just down the ICW before you get to Cumberland Dividings behind Little Cumberland Island.


South River next to Wolf Island just east of Darien.


Whalburg Creek behind St Catherines.

 

[boathealer]

Fridaycap Creek.

Haven't checked to see if it's "legal" or not, but it should be - there's not much around....

 

[caltexflanc]

To name a few faves: Vernon River before you get to the housing area. Walburg Creek (one of our very favorites anywhere; used to stay there multiple days)). Wahoo River near the little Island, South Altahama River downstream from the fish camp/ Highway 17 bridge. Duplin River. Brickhill River off Table Point. Cumberland Island. St. Mary's; there is nice deep water where the chart drops off, by the way.

 

[O C Diver]

Can folks please list a few of their favorite -- and still legal -- anchorages in Georgia?

But for here and now, I'm just interested in learning about a few places we might like to try on our way back north next month.

-Chris

Ok, from North to South:

614 MM kill Kenny creek. Anchor North side just after little creek, maybe 75' off shore. The current will hold you parallel to the creek. Shore line drops off quickly. No real wind block but good wave protection except for East or West wind.

673 MM Frederica river. Come off the AICW and turn North up the river. Anchor shortly up the river when the shoreline protects you from the AICW. Significant tidal currents and a little boat traffic till dark.

707 MM Cumberland Sound South anchorage. There is some anchoring area outside the 1,000 exclusion zones off the Federal Park. Really doubt they will enforce the exclusion zone if you're anchored out of the channel away from shore. Federal government wants boaters to visit Dungeness, so don't expect any complaints from the park service.

Ted

 

[ranger58sb]

Thanks, folks! I'll give all those to the Fleet Admiral for her planning purposes!

On the way down we were coping with a non-alternating (brand new) alternator on one engine and a non-starting generator -- both issues discovered after we'd already set out -- so we didn't really want to anchor out. That in turn made us run some of the Georgia sections at faster speeds than we prefer, just to be at the right tide in a few places. The plan this time is to get back to "chill" speeds and stop to smell the coffee.


-Chris

 

[cardude01]

Thanks, folks! I'll give all those to the Fleet Admiral for her planning purposes!

On the way down we were coping with a non-alternating (brand new) alternator on one engine and a non-starting generator -- both issues discovered after we'd already set out -- so we didn't really want to anchor out. That in turn made us run some of the Georgia sections at faster speeds than we prefer, just to be at the right tide in a few places. The plan this time is to get back to "chill" speeds and stop to smell the coffee.


-Chris

We are planning to head up the east coast in April I think, but don’t know what we are getting into.

I’ve never had to deal with big tides, so your comment about tides got my attention. My boat is not very fast at all in slack water, and if I have to go against any current it’s really slow. So is planning around tides crucial above Florida?

 

[caltexflanc]

We are planning to head up the east coast in April I think, but don’t know what we are getting into.

I’ve never had to deal with big tides, so your comment about tides got my attention. My boat is not very fast at all in slack water, and if I have to go against any current it’s really slow. So is planning around tides crucial above Florida?

More for depth than current if you are staying inside.

 

[High Wire]

We are planning to head up the east coast in April I think, but don’t know what we are getting into.

I’ve never had to deal with big tides, so your comment about tides got my attention. My boat is not very fast at all in slack water, and if I have to go against any current it’s really slow. So is planning around tides crucial above Florida?

If you are running against the current, hang in there. About an hour later you will cross into the effects of a different sound and have a good favorable current for another hour. Just enjoy the scenery.

 

[Blissboat]

We are planning to head up the east coast in April I think, but don’t know what we are getting into.

I’ve never had to deal with big tides, so your comment about tides got my attention. My boat is not very fast at all in slack water, and if I have to go against any current it’s really slow. So is planning around tides crucial above Florida?

Agree that currents won't affect you much, or at least not for very long. When anchoring at or near high tide, be sure to allow enough water under your keel to account for the low end of the tidal range. In other words, if your fatho shows 9' beneath your keel at high tide, that might very well be 1' (or less) at low tide. Then consider that if you swing around out of your happy place, the bottom may come up pretty fast.

Don't ask how I learned this on my first trip up the ICW . . .

 

[cardude01]

8’ tides sound pretty crazy. Thanks for the info.

 

[psneeld]

In general, the tidal currents aren't bad....I am a 6.3 knot boat and make it every year.

8 foot vertical, but lots of big water to get it in and out in Georgia...you will find just as bad currents in other places.

There are a few spots though that current planning might make the trip more pleasurable.

Catch me this coming weekend at the get together and I can point th them out...then you can chat it up with others for their ideas too.

 

[cardude01]

In general, the tidal currents aren't bad....I am a 6.3 knot boat and make it every year.

8 foot vertical, but lots of big water to get it in and out in Georgia...you will find just as bad currents in other places.

There are a few spots though that current planning might make the trip more pleasurable.

Catch me this coming weekend at the get together and I can point th them out...then you can chat it up with others for their ideas too.

Excellent. Thanks. I have so many questions.

 

[ranger58sb]

We are planning to head up the east coast in April I think, but don’t know what we are getting into.

I’ve never had to deal with big tides, so your comment about tides got my attention. My boat is not very fast at all in slack water, and if I have to go against any current it’s really slow. So is planning around tides crucial above Florida?

Yep, in a few places. I see Scott will brief you...

In our case, we're mostly concerned with depths... and that'll likely affect you too. Currents (and reversing directions at various inlets) tend to average out... but then we've got horsepower... so that might affect you more than it does us.

-Chris