So School me on the ICW around St Augustine

[JRacer]

Been doing some research on some land my mom has in FL. It's in St Augustine, approx 1/2 to a mile inland from the beach. Looking at Google Earth, I see what looks like the ICW running between her ground and the coast. So, tell me about that area and tell me about how/where someone would slip a sailboat around there and where you get access to the Atlantic from there. Any other comments/observations and opinions about the area will be appreciated.

S/V Slainte

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

Been quite a few years since I've been in St Augustine, other than just passing through on a cruise, but in and out is easy- you use St Augustine inlet. Used to use that all the time when I was crewing on offshore racers out of Jacksonville.

Note that they now have a city run mooring field at St Augustine in front of town. Don't know about Salt Run. Probably have them there also. Anchoring could be a problem now.

Last time I was through, it was blowing stink, and I stayed at Camachee Cove Marina

ICW is pretty much a canal north and south as far as Matanzas Inlet (un useable for sail- bridge too low) and up to Jax Beach.

 

[gettinthere]

The mooring field is quite exposed and gets pretty lumpy at times.

There are many marinas in the area to choose from.

The inlet is not Class A but it does get regular attention from the CG in dredging and moving markers around. Make sure you get good local knowledge before running the inlet. There is a good tidal current that runs in and out of the inlet which can make it very dangerous in some conditions.

St Augustine is a very nice town but we always get slammed by poor weather in late fall when we pass thru.

 

[Kermit]

Your mother called. She wants you to come for a visit.

 

[CarlN]

The challenge with the entrance is that it shoals quickly so the buoys are frequently moved. This is really only a problem for people coming in - especially at night - who don't know the area.

At the upscale end I'd take a look at Comachee Cove Marina just to the north of the city. Completely protected and no current while docking. Very nice people and no parking challenge (the center of town has a lot of tourist traffic). The current can be a real challenge at many St. Augustine marinas as there is over 4' of tide. Since Comachee cove is north of the inlet you don't have to wait for the swing bridge in town that opens on the hour and half hour.

While it can get a bit choppy at the moorings, this is a very economical option especially if you can figure out how to qualify for the "resident rate" since you own land.

 

[ggrizzard]

Make sure you have local knowledge of the current ICW channel from Vilano Bridge to past the Bridge of Lions. When I passed through in May and June, the ICW channel passed almost to the breakwater just inside the mouth of the inlet.

 

[Barnacle Bill]

I have sailed in and out of there during deliveries and it seems pretty strait forward, but I have friends who lived and sailed out of there and they used to complain about the tide running and how it was futile to try to buck it, but best to wait it out and then go when it was slack.

 

[Ron20324]

http://www.sheetmusic323.blogspot.com/ This is a blog of an ICW trip. Scroll down to the bottom on the first page to Nov 3, then see the previous "older links" of Nov 2nd.