Hilton Head Sailing

[ChesapeakeGem]

Looking to relocate to Hilton Head Island SC, from the Chesapeake Bay.
We love sailing 6 to 8 hours anchoring out, finding resturants and shops along the bay to visit.
What is it like sailing the HH area?

[tropicalescape]

Check out Hiltonhead Sailing Charters,I think they have some info on there website

[ChesapeakeGem]

Thank you

[Capt.Alex]

HH has good sailing in the sound around the islands. Lots of small coves, creeks, and rivers to anchor in. The ocean is close for some offshore stuff. You are an hour or 2 from Savannah and a 1 day sail to Charleston. Pretty nice place to be.

[ChesapeakeGem]

Sounds very nice

[Hudson Force]

I like Calibogue Sound and it's entry off the ship channel to Savannah; however, this area has two big negatives for me. I don't care for the strong currents or the biting gnats.

[ChesapeakeGem]

We call gnats No seeums

Do you have sea nettles?

[ChesapeakeGem]

What about boat slips

We have one in a County own marina for waterman
No water but we have electricity
We pay $500 a year

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by ChesapeakeGem

We call gnats No seeums

Do you have sea nettles?

Brittle Stars?

[ChesapeakeGem]

Don't know what brittle stars are

Sea nettles are disc shaped jelly looking creatures that sting with tentacles

[Kettlewell]

What about boat slips

We have one in a County own marina for waterman
No water but we have electricity
We pay $500 a year

Probably close to that per month in Hilton Head. I find the sailing in SC limiting. There's a bit of it in Calibogue Sound, but no real places to go under sail unless the wind is just right. Beaufort, SC, and Savannah, GA are both wonderful places to visit, but usually require a bit of motoring--often quite a bit--in the ICW. Charleston is reachable by sailing out into the ocean and than going offshore. I lived in Beaufort, SC for several years, and it is a very nice area in many ways, but better for motor boats and fishermen.

[Hudson Force]

The obnoxious sea nettles (stinging jellyfish) common in the Chesapeake, are not common in the waters around Hilton Head, but you rarely see people swimming in the turbid waters and strong currents that are in the areas where boaters have access. Hilton Head has some fine ocean side beach swimming, but these are not good boating locations except for something to run in the surf like a Hobie cat.
When we cruise south of the Chesapeake and find the best simming and protected inland sailing areas they are the NC Pamlico Sound/Neuse River; The Waccamaw; Northeast Florida's St. Johns River; Indian River; Stuart; Biscayne Bay and the Keys.

[Greggegner]

We spent 5 years in Charleston and liked the area. I agree you may need to motor some but the North Edisto river has good anchorage and towards Beaufort lots of places to hide. We don't mind the intercostal so having the option of coming home that way if the weather goes bad is nice. It is hot in the summer, so be prepared. We never got that far, but the Georgia islands would also be fun. We swam and never had any issues...

[djmarchand]

I kept my boat at Skull Creek Marina on Hilton Head about ten years ago. Hilton Head itself was a wonderful place, but sailing and sailing destinations are limited. Beaufort, SC was without a doubt the best.

Day sailing in Port Royal Sound or Calibogue Sound was ok. But all anchorages in the creeks were subject to significant tidal currents.

And the gnats or noseeums. Hilton Head was the worst place I have ever been to for them. They are only prevalent near the water, at about dusk. Once it gets dark, they are gone.

David

[ChesapeakeGem]

Some of the info I've gotten about Beagott