Small boat cruising SE U.S.

[Jbo_c]

I have a small houseboat(well, soon will) and am looking for sources of information on places for short/mid length cruising grounds within a few hours of driving distance of Atlanta. This is a boat for protected or semi-protected water. Flat bottom, 23’ long, 6” draft with the engine up, 8knots top speed, 5 cruising. I won’t belong on the Mississippi.

I understand that much of the eastern ICW would work, but not sure how to determine which places I should avoid. St John’s River I think would be good pretty much the whole length except where it meets the coast and probably the same for the Suwannee.. I’ve been on the Tenn-Tom in another boat and those stretches would be OK, but no idea about the rest of it or any way to find out.

Would be looking for places to cruise 1-3 weeks at a time mostly.

I’m sure there must be lots of other options(not to mention many lakes would keep me busy for a week or more at my size and speed).

Is there a good source of information for small cruising grounds? Recommendations on places to look? The only places I know are the places I know. Surely somebody(ies) has put together at least some information.

If this belongs in another subsection, feel free to move. I couldn’t decide which made more sense.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Jbo

 

[Jeff F]

Cool. What did you end up with?

Close to home the Chatahoochie River might be interesting. It used to be navigable from the Gulf up to Columbus and Bainbridge, but I don't know if the locks are still maintained.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. J. Perhaps state parks or conservation areas. Boat ramp locations? Reservoirs?

 

[Jbo_c]

Jeff - I’m building. If all goes well, will be water ready(though not necessarily finished) in time to use late summer/fall of next year. Lower ‘hooch is a good idea.

Firefly - Yes, plenty of lakes and reservoirs to keep me busy for a while. Those are easier to find. I’m specifically looking for rivers and coastal opportunities.

I’m about 5 minutes from Lake Lanier, with 600 miles of shore and a couple of decent feeder creeks(and the upper ‘hooch). That will be my proving ground - for me, the boat, and (mostly) my wife. Once she’s comfortable, I’d like to go further afield and for longer periods, all in an effort to see if we want to get a larger, more capable boat for some retirement travel.

Thanks for the responses so far.

Jbo

 

[Blissboat]

The Suwanee would be good, right down to the Gulf. You would likely enjoy the St. Johns from its headwaters, or at least from Sanford (on Lake Monroe) as far as downtown Jacksonville. At that point the St. Johns River becomes more dynamic than your boat might feel comfortable with, but if you choose your weather and the state of the wind vs. the tidal current, you could run the rest of the way downstream to the ICW and from there go south as far as you please, or north.

Should you choose to go north from the intersection of the SJR with the ICW, note that the wider sections of the rivers that you cross can develop a steep chop when the wind and tide are in opposition to each other. (That's true all up and down the east coast). Under those conditions, I have been memorably beaten up while crossing Port Royal Sound, for one example. When you leave Savannah headed north toward Beaufort and Charleston, you'll cross that sound on a heading of nearly due east, until you come abeam of the point of Parris Island, and make your turn north into the Beaufort River. It's a short crossing, only about 3.5 miles, or so, but it can get lively. When traveling north in the ICW, and making that transit of Port Royal Sound, the most favorable of all combinations is to cross while the tide is running out and the wind is somewhere generally behind you, like out of the west or SW. If you must cross when the the tide is flooding, look for very light wind (probably early morning), or a light easterly, which would be with the tide and thus leave the waves at a minimum.

In any case, there are so many cool places to explore with the boat you describe. Just be patient and pick your weather. Quick story to make that point: some years ago I sailed to Marsh Harbour in the Abacos, and happened to meet an elderly couple living aboard their 30' flat-bottomed plywood houseboat with a single outboard. Turned out that one fine day several years previously, they had motored that thing, on its own bottom, across the Gulf Stream from Ft. Lauderdale, and hopped their way to Marsh Harbour. I gathered that their lifetime plan was to stay there until either their health failed or the boat lost its battle to stay afloat. I am absolutely not recommending that plan, but it just goes to show ya . . .

 

[O C Diver]

I would suggest a copy of Aquamaps which is an app for phones or tablets. Combined with Waterway Guide and Active Captain (free crowd source data providers) will show you the smaller waterways and importantly, the boat ramps near by. The app is moving map which can be used on your trips for navigation, water depths, and anchorages. My recollection is the basic app is now about $30 with a lifetime of free updates.

Ted

 

[Jbo_c]

Blissboat - thanks for the encouragement and the detailed info. Sounds like you “get me”.

OC - thanks for the suggestions. Sounds like just the kind of info I’m looking for.

Jbo

 

[psneeld]

Have spent a bit of time on the St John's river above and below Deland, Fl.

Yes a great area to loaf along as a great many houseboats (private and rental) do. Visiting the springs is always fun and the fishing supposedly great.

It intersects the ICW quite a bit from the ocean so turning right or left when that far down shouldn't be a problem.

Your biggest problem I see is your statement about cruising for 1-3 weeks at a time and finding places to leave your boat. Every place south of the frost zone in the winter gets pretty crowded.... but with your size and super shallow draft and flat bottom.... you could probably tie up in areas a lot of dinghies cant/don't want to. Just make sure your bottom is strong and resistant to scrapes...

At this point in my life, I have thought about a pocket trawler/houseboat for the St John as I have a good friend in Deland who takes me out most every time I visit....so I am a bit jealous...

 

[Pete Meisinger]

With a boat such as yours, the entire waterway can be your playground. However, stay away from the blue water and avoid locks if you have a choice. No runs to the Bahamas or across the gulf.

pete

 

[mvweebles]

...... No runs to the Bahamas or across the gulf....../QUOTE]

I spent a couple days having beer and Mac & Cheese at the Chat N' Chill in the Exumas. Fairly popular cruiser anchorages nearby. Pete, your warning was not heeded by quite a few vessels of questionable seaworthiness. Ignorance is bliss I suppose.

An old Irishman I knew and sorely miss used to tell that "God protects drunks and fools."

Peter