Rivers in the Big Bend of Florida

[Jon]

We're heading in to the Big Bend area in a couple of weeks and would like to get up some of the fresh water rivers.
Are there any highlights* that
1*Shouldn't be missed
2 SHould be avoided
Tentative plans are ST. Marks, Steinhatchee,Suwanee, and Crystal.
I have Skipper Bob's "Cruising the Gulf" and that's proving very helpful.

 

[Steve]

I have been to Steinhatchee we did not find a whole lot to see there, we did not go past the bridge so I can't say what might be further upstream. A friend told me he had the best steak he ever ate at a restaurant near the bridge, the restaurant with a "moat" around it I don't remember the name, it was closed when we stopped there. If you enjoy fishing there are lots of charter trips for grouper and snapper out of there.
We enjoyed Crystal River, we stayed at Pete's pier there are lots of manatee watching tours and you can anchor or dinghy around Kings Bay which is very nice. There is a West marine hardware stores laundry and restaurants nearby. We did bump bottom leaving (I owned in a 3.5' draft Camano at the time) after we cleared the last channel marker out to the gulf I turned South we backed off and went a couple of hundred yards west and had no problem.
The Twin Rivers Marina is closer to the gulf but there is not much nearby there.
We did not go into the Suwanee, I have read conflicting reports as to the depth on the way in tides can be low this time of year.
Taron Springs is one of my favorite stops, great Greek food inexpensive city docks call ahead for a slip.
Have a great trip
Steve Willett
Monk 36, Gumbo
Thibodaux, Louisiana

 

[Steve]

Jon if you do go to St Marks and Swanee please post your thoughts on them I might give them a try in the future.
Apalachicola is a good stop, don't miss the old cemetery!
Steve

 

[Jon]

Got into Steinhatchee - went to the restaurant with the moat. Expensive for a poor steak and crap wine.
Suwannee was great - anchored off the town and we (Candy, grandson and I) were invited to a house party across the river, with mullet (fantastic) swamp cabbage,beans, cheese grits and ,for dessert lemon lime pie and the biggest strawberries I've ever seen. Went up the Suwannee as far as the first bridge and was told there's a 10 feet fixed just above it.
Really skinny water at Yellow Jacket and I tried both side and the middle and just squeezed thru at what appeared to be mid tide. Could not find out the delay between the mouth and the various points up river but I was told Yellow Jacket sees 3 ft. of tide (same as entrance)
Upriver of Manatee Springs I took bottom (4 ft draught)3 times at what I suspect was +1ft above MLW.
Anchored just off the Manatee Springs Park and dinghied ashore - very nice park with beautiful spring (and 5 miles of cave diving if that's your bag!).
Anchored off two opposing creeks below the big sandbar and really enjoyed the wildlife in the creeks.
Crystal River/Kings Bay was very enjoyable with lots of manatees and good beer at Crackers restaurant.
Now in Tarpon Springs and just returned from the best Greek feed ever at Costas.
Jon

 

[Steve]

"Got into Steinhatchee - went to the restaurant with the moat. Expensive for a poor steak and crap wine."

Damn, Sorry about that, I guess I was lucky it was closed when we were there.

Good info on Suwanee I'll try it next time.
Steve