Many sea kayakers enjoy exploring unfamiliar islands and coastal areas by boat. Always remember
that a safe and enjoyable trip into unknown territory requires a lot of careful planning.
In the past I have led the Kayak Adventure Group on several trips to Cumberland Island, Georgia. The
tides and currents in south Georgia are different in both range and current speed from those in our
home area of Tampa, Florida. This article will examine the navigational planning, as taught in the Advanced Navigation courses of America’s Boating Club | United States Power Squadrons, required to
execute two different paddling trips. We will look at the weather, tides, and currents, and examine the
risk assessment and mitigation techniques to successfully complete these trips.
When planning these trips, I used charts from NOAA OCS. I copied them onto regular 8.5-by-11-inch paper and laminated them to be waterproof. I used a black felt tip marker to plot courses and make notes about the tides, currents, weather forecasts and other important information. I also used maps of Cumberland Island produced by the National Park Service and information from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and Google Earth.
I planned these trips around the tides and current, which I obtained from NOAA Tides and Currents. Prior to departure I obtained the latest weather forecasts from NOAA NWS, Weather Underground and marine VHF.
General safety considerations
We always plan long-distance trips during a season that will most likely provide the best weather and avoid adverse conditions. All our members are experienced paddlers, trained in rescue, who wear their PFDs while on the water. Most carry various safety equipment including spare paddles, towlines, bilge pumps, first aid kits and cell phones. Some carry handheld marine VHF and GPS units.
Prior to departure we have a group trip briefing when we perform a risk assessment, discuss the planned route, and designate lead and sweep paddlers for larger groups. We designate a working channel for those carrying marine VHF, and I always engage “dual watch” on my radio to monitor Channel 16 during the trip.
Crooked River State Park: Plum Orchard
This trip navigates over inland waters from Crooked River State Park in Georgia to Plum Orchard on
Cumberland Island. The tide range in this area can be up to 9 feet, which is three times what we are used to in the Tampa Bay area. Initially I had thought that the current speeds would be increased; however, the current tables indicated that the currents in this area are usually less than 2 knots, similar to our home area.
The lesson here is to always consult the tide and current tables to obtain all the facts while planning a trip. We planned our trip on a day when our morning departure would put us at the beginning of ebb so our outbound leg would be with the current. The route through the tidal estuary to Plum Orchard covered 5.7 nautical miles, and it took about two hours to reach our destination.
Upon reaching Plum Orchard, we stowed our boats on the grass near a large oak tree with a small picnic area. After a little sightseeing that included the Plum Orchard Mansion, our group headed east on the Duck House Trail for a 2.5-mile hike to the beach on the Atlantic coast. We explored the area and even got photos of the wild horses that inhabit Cumberland Island. Afterward we hiked back to our launch. We timed this excursion to put us back on the water after the start of flood current so our return trip would be with the current. After eating lunch at Plum Orchard, we launched our kayaks for our return voyage, maintaining communication on a marine VHF working channel.
Our route took us just north of Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, and during a portion of this leg we experienced a lot of radio traffic from the naval base. I put out a call to our group and had everyone change to a different working channel so as not to interfere with base communications. We completed our 11.4-nautical-mile round trip in the late afternoon. Paddling out with the ebb and returning on the flood made the trip, which also included a 5-mile hike, easier and less tiring for the group.
St. Marys River crossing
Our goal this trip was to cross the St. Marys River entrance from Amelia Island, Florida, to Cumberland Island, and return. Like many major inlets from the sea, this pass can become rough depending on the weather and conditions. To make the crossing as safe as possible, we timed it when the tidal currents and wind were most favorable. In the end, only three of us decided to make this advanced sea kayaking trip.
To coincide with the tides and currents, we visited Fort Clinch on the northern point of Amelia Island in the morning. Early that afternoon, we launched from Dee Dee Bartels Boat Ramp on the Amelia River. The wind was from the west at 5 to 10 knots, and we launched at the tail end of ebb while the wind and current were flowing in the same direction.
This made the crossing smoother as the current speed decreased to slack. It also provided a margin of safety; in the event of a capsize or problem requiring a stop, we would not be swept far out to sea. We stopped on the southern end of Cumberland Island and walked around while waiting for a naval supply ship to pass. St. Marys entrance is the entry point for the submarine base, which sits just north on the west side of Cumberland Sound. After a brief break, we paddled north and into Beach Creek, which flows through the marsh on the southwest side of Cumberland Island.
After exploring this area during slack water, we timed our turnaround so that we would be crossing the St. Marys entrance during the beginning of flood. Currents in the entrance can exceed 3 knots, and the wind on our return would oppose the current, making seas rougher. We knew the seas would become increasingly rough in the pass as the tide cycle progressed, so we planned to return near the beginning of flood when the current speed would be lowest. Also, the inland flow of the current meant that we’d be swept inland and not out to sea in the event of a problem.
The seas were rougher on the return; however, we had a safe, uneventful crossing.
Closing thoughts
As I was penning this article, a kayaking fatality occurred here in the Tampa Bay area. Three kayakers were paddling off Dunedin Beach, Florida, after a frontal passage where a small craft advisory was posted with predicted winds gusting to 35 knots. The current was in ebb, the strong northwest wind opposed the current, and the water temperature was in the high 50s. One of the paddlers capsized in rough water off Hurricane Pass, and the group was swept out to sea while attempting a rescue. One
paddler made it back to the beach on their own.
The capsized swimmer survived but ended up in the hospital, and the person attempting the rescue lost their life. While details were not reported, hypothermia due to extended cold-water immersion was likely a major factor in both the injury and fatality. This is an unfortunate example of why it is important to properly plan a paddle trip. Always review the tides, currents and weather, and consider all factors prior to departure.
