Hilton Head to Ft. Lauderdale

[jff]

I am looking at shipping out boat to Hilton Head this summer and working out way down to Ft. Lauderdale (from there we will join a MM Bahamas trip). Curious if anyone has specific marinas, stops, destinations they recommend from Hilton Head to Ft. Lauderdale. I've been to Ft. Lauderdale with the boat before so I'm primarily interested in Hilton Head and all the possible stops/locations between the two cities. Thanks for any/all suggestions!

Regards,
Jason

 

[srt8mag]

I'd start in Charleston! Then you'd hit Beaufort, SC as well as Hilton Head. Don't miss St. Augustine. Have fun. That's a great trip! Don't forget to check your insurance because many exclude Florida during the hurricane season.

 

[jff]

Thanks, definitely in St. Augstine. Do you have a Marina there (or in Hilton Head) you recommend? I don't see a lot of stops in between Hilton Head and St. Augustine, any particularly nice places to stop and eat/fuel/stay in between? Tentatively my plan was to stop and stay at night or two at Jekyl Island unless anyone has other recommendations. Also, it doesn't at a glance really look like you can run on 'the inside' going down until you get into Florida, is that the case? (Sorry for all the dumb questions, I'm just now beginning to research this trip and have never been in these waters so I have a lot to learn).

Regards,
Jason

 

[Dancin Dave]

Correct, you will leave Hilton Head and head to the ocean passing Savannah Ga, then off to Florida. GA does not maintain the their"inside"

 

[Asureyez]

Jff check out a site www.activecaptain.com. It is a great place to get real skipper first hand reports on marinas and surrounding places.

Lay out your float plan and the do the marina and anchorage searches.

 

[unklbuck]

the icw exits in Georgia, is navagable, but tight in some locations. go to edboater.com but put the boat in front of ed and you will see the best travel notes of someone who just did the icw southbound and fyi, here are the charleston - GA -Mantanzas inlet notes. when we travel, we wait for the good wx and stay outside in GA. but if you have too, it is doable, just be cautious and also try cruisersnet.net

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

White Point (Dahwo/Edisto) MM497
Some spots at 6 1/2 MLW between R110 and the two green cans G 111 and G113. Since I had plenty of tide, i tried looking on either side of centerline but didn't find anything better than that. same between G115 and R116, following the ICW line towards G115.

Watts Cut, MM503
some spots at 7' MLW

Fenwick Cut MM511
8' MLW in some areas, on ICW line

No issues at Ramshorn, it's deep and well marked

Fields Cut MM 575
there is still the well known very short hump across the channel at the northern entrance, about 6'MLW, 100' south of the point on the west side. On the south side, there is a 100' long section around 7' MLW just south of pilings on the east side, before R50


Hell Gate MM602
even though it's been dredged, there is still some skinny water (7 to 8' MLW), about 120' off, and slightly south of G89.

Florida Passage MM607
about 12' MLW, the dredge Cherokee was working there.

Johnson Creek at Cattle Pen MM 625
short hump at 9' MLW abeam the creek, no issues whatsoever elsewhere

Creighton Narrows MM640
some 7' MLW spots along the way

Little Mud River MM655
Most of the the straight section between R192 and G193 had about 8' to 9' MLW on ICW line, except for a slight hump to 6 to 7' off Crooked creek. Approaching the bend, southbound, it shoals up a little to aroudn 6' MLW then back to 7' MLW in the bend, slightly on the green side (outside), then 8' off R194 (100' away).

On the south end of LMR, I aimed at a point exactly in the middle between G195 and the range marker., then made a sharp turn on the range. this gave me 7.5 to 8' MLW off G195 then increasing to 12' on the range. On previous trips, I looked for better depth on the R or G side at the south end, always finding less water. splitting in the middle of the G and range markers, then getting on the range without cutting or overshooting the corner seems tobe the best option.


Jekyll Creek MM685
G13 to R16, 11' MLW, on the red side of the ICW line.
G17, 10' MLW on the range, then 9' 1/2 way to G19 decreasing to 8' before G19
G19, 7', stay mid channle, do not over shoot the kink to port. depth increase quickly to 9' MLW and hold to 9' past Jekyll Wharf and 12' by the bridge.

Cumberland Dividings, MM703
Following the markers (not the chart as 62A is shown in the wrong spot, about 1/4 mile too far north) I found a 4' MLW spot about 100' north of R60A following a line passing about 50' from 60A. Not sure if there is more water further away from R60A, there might be.

Amelia River, MM719
Passed thru with 3#8242; of tides left and the shallowest spot is 8#8242; MLW north of G1, just before the bend when southbound (some charts show an 11' spot there). Everything else is at least 10#8242; MLW, on the ICW line, or just outside the line in the bend at G9. No issue there… the key as in every narrow creek and river is to stay on centerline. the charts show a clear shallow spot on the red side off G3 and G5 stray off at your own risk

Matanzas Inlet, MM 794
i timed this one with the tides and the shallowest spot was about 8' MLW between R80A and G81A. i stayed closde to G81B and G81C, about 50' away and found 9' MLW
his GA notes.

 

[Hellman Huddle]

When are you going? We would love to tag along

 

[ngsamet]

I have done this trim many times. From Hilton Head it is not far to Savannah. If you stop, there is Bahia Blue or Thunderbotl Marina.

St. Simons is great, but the marina in not walking distance to the village. If you do get there, eat at Barbara Jeans.

Jekle Island is neat, but not a lot to do but site see the old homes.

Fernandina Beach is good. The fernandina Beach Marina is at the end of the business district. Fun shops and restruants. Joe's 2nd Street Cafe is great. A few miles further is the Amelia Island Yacth Harbor. Nothing close, but they have a courtest car. The Beach Street Grill is great.

St. Augastine is a must stop. Lots to do. Marina in town.

Daytona Beach is also great. Just a couple of blocks to town.

Titusville is a good stop.

Ther is a great resort on Hutchinson Island. It is just north of the St. Lucie inlet.

Palm Beach has lots of marinas, but we stayed at Soverel Marina in Palm Beach Gardens. Grocery, shops, bank, restruants within one block.

HAve fun!

 

[Diversion]

Does anyone know how many days this trip takes on the inside (except Palm Beach to FT Lauderdale which would be on outside)? Guestimate?