Best town for sailors between Savannah, GA, and Georgia, FL

[a64pilot]

Ralph, you work there?
We will show up around July, Maybe August and will be there for several months.
I have made a reservation, 38' IP named Stargazer

[skipgundlach]

Originally Posted by Moody46CC

Cast your net wider. IF restaurants are important, try Charleston and the surrounding region. Many superb restaurants. Within a 30 minute drive is kinda limiting, but try the marina on the Stono River (Buzzard's Roost) or the marina at the old navy yard on the Cooper. Georgetown, 45 minutes north, is much cheaper. Heading south are Beaufort (that's the one pronounced "Bufort") and Savannah.

The question was about further south than SC, but...

We rode out Matthew in Beaufort. If you've not visited, and it's anywhere near a route you're taking, absolutely make time for many days there if history, architecture, and engaging the locals is of any interest at all to you.

They're about to expand the waterfront with a dock for - I think I heard - 40 or so boats, and another dinghy dock (there's already one there which can accommodate 40' boats, with smaller boats inside), and have recently added mega-stout moorings (where we and two sister ships, along with several others, rode out Matthew's 115MPH breeze).

We will definitely be back.

L8R

Skip

[redhead]

St. Mary is a magical place. The people are nice, the food is better than average, the town is a beauty and there's base right there so more "going on" than usual.

We stop every time. We are New Yorkers - maybe they sneered at us behind our backs, but we never felt it or saw it.

[RTB]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Ralph, you work there?
We will show up around July, Maybe August and will be there for several months.
I have made a reservation, 38' IP named Stargazer

I look forward to finally meeting you. We've had some other forum members here, and it's always nice to put a face with the username. Welcome in advance.

Ralph

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I don't mean for it to be negative, but if night life, nice places to eat and maybe visiting museums etc is your thing and being around fellow New Yorkers, you will not enjoy the Low Country.
Now if you wanna go Gator or Hog hunting, it might be paradise

Oh I totally agree with you on the lack of night life, fancy restaurants and museums. Anyone expecting anything at all like that will be sorely disappointed. The negativity I was thinking about was more along the surly native type comments.

[Capt n Ron]

[QUOTE=jswensen;2324605]Thank you for your thoughtful replies! The snakes and reptiles give us pause, and the sparseness of communities within driving distance, South of Savannah. The other area we're considering is outside Jacksonville, maybe Fernandina Beach area. Are there other areas you suggest?

The more research we do, the more living within a 30-minute drive of good restaurants is a priority. (New York city has spoiled us. While I love to cook, don't want to have to do it every night.)

So any other info we welcome! [/QUOTE

On your way to Savannah and Jax'ville., stop by and spend a couple of days in New Bern, NC, better yet, stop on your return to NY. google it before you go and if you can spend 2/3 days here I believe you will be pleasantly surprised and impressed.

[timbenner]

Originally Posted by jswensen

Thank you for your thoughtful replies! The snakes and reptiles give us pause, and the sparseness of communities within driving distance, South of Savannah. The other area we're considering is outside Jacksonville, maybe Fernandina Beach area. Are there other areas you suggest?

The more research we do, the more living within a 30-minute drive of good restaurants is a priority. (New York city has spoiled us. While I love to cook, don't want to have to do it every night.)

So any other info we welcome!

We live in Ponte Vedra Beach, north of St. Augustine, South of Jacksonville Beach. Lots of New Yorkers here. Our boat is currently docked in Jacksonville Beach, which is not the greatest for day sails, because the IntraCoastal Waterway has a narrow channel and it's a 1/2 day to get to the ocean.

Day sailing is the best up the St. Johns River, past downtown Jacksonville. Miles wide, deep from shore to shore, 65' bridge heights, plenty of Marinas, regattas, waterfront restaurants, semi-fresh water (less maintenance), fishing, etc. Remember the River flows from south to north, emptying into the Atlantic at Mayport.

St. Augustine is good for day sailing as well, with an inlet. Very nice downtown, restaurants, etc.

From Ponte Vedra Beach it takes me 30 to 40 minutes to drive to my boat on the St. Johns River OR St. Augustine.

In Fernandina Beach you're either a second home northerner, seasonally visiting, living on the Island or a red neck that works at the paper mill, drive a pick-up truck, chews tobacco and deer hunts. You would pretty much have to come to Jacksonville for everything.

Jacksonville and it's Beaches (Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach and Ponte Vedra Beach) afford you everything you require. The Beaches are populated by educated white collars, New Englanders, New Yorkers, Atlanta types, etc. This sums up Ponte Vedra Beach: Ponte Vedra Inn & Club oceanfront resort | Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

I drove up and down the East coast of Florida to pick where I wanted to retire after I graduated College and studied economic base, social base, local economy and real estate values. Ponte Vedra Beach is #1.

Most Beach towns (Fernandina Beach included) on the east coast of the USA have NO jobs!! So the residents are cooks, bartenders and hotel maids. Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and Jacksonville are the 3 exceptions to this East Coast rule.

[mchlsutton]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Have never run into surly natives myself, even when driving through with a Florida tag. I think in general the reception someone gets corresponds to the attitude he or she puts out.

Couldn't have said it better myself. It shows an amazing lack of insight when a newcomer (no matter where they hail from) describes the local population as backward or rude, when many times the source of any misunderstanding starts with them.

Having grown up in a small Appalachian town, I know firsthand that small populations can, of course, be insular. History shows that experiences with 'outsiders' hasn't always been kind to rural populations, and who among us isn't a little more cautious when meeting a stranger?

But my experience has also shown me that small town folk, perhaps especially in the South, only need to be given the smallest opportunity in order to be welcoming, warm, and inviting. There's a reason for the phrase 'Southern hospitality'.

I think sometimes that those of us who have grown up in large, urban areas don't realize that what passes for normal greeting and conversation in NYC can come across as distant, brusque, and even rude to people who are accustomed to warmer and more intimate method of communicating.

[boatman61]

[QUOTE=Capt n Ron;2324776]

Originally Posted by jswensen

Thank you for your thoughtful replies! The snakes and reptiles give us pause, and the sparseness of communities within driving distance, South of Savannah. The other area we're considering is outside Jacksonville, maybe Fernandina Beach area. Are there other areas you suggest?

The more research we do, the more living within a 30-minute drive of good restaurants is a priority. (New York city has spoiled us. While I love to cook, don't want to have to do it every night.)

So any other info we welcome! [/QUOTE

On your way to Savannah and Jax'ville., stop by and spend a couple of days in New Bern, NC, better yet, stop on your return to NY. google it before you go and if you can spend 2/3 days here I believe you will be pleasantly surprised and impressed.

Yeah.. New Berns nice..

[Madison]

Well said, and I couldn't agree more. I've lived in nyc since 1987 and make it a point when I see someone with a map, to always ask if they need help with directions. Across the board, they are usually a bit surprised that a New Yorker is nice (we do get a bad wrap), but are very appreciative of the help. Even if they don't speak English, I'm usually able to guide them.

I am touched by the generosity of this forum. From the negative to the positive, this gives us valuable info.

We'll be taking a number of trips, the first being this one. We do plan to rent for at least a few months before making a decision. (And I will still be working, at least for this year.)

Our list of towns is probably too long for 11 days, but we view this as an intro for us to see the areas to know if they warrant a closer look.

That's my thinking for today, anyway.

[tuffr2]

I see more small power cruisers and many more fishing boats than mono sailboats in my area just south of St. Augustine. I think that will hold true for futher north.

If you do not have a boat yet you might want to rethink the boat type that would be most useful. No pun, but I am kinda in the same boat. I started with sailboats but that was short lived since I would like to spend time in shallow water. When you visit you need to see the Matanzas Inlet area. During high tide there is 3' to 5' of water which makes a great swim area inside and just north of the A1A bridge. Lots of boats anchored with people swimming...no sailboats.

During low tide this area transforms to a giant sandbar and is a great place for sea shells. Now the ocean side has the sandbars with boats beached and people using these sandbars to relax. Again, no sailboats.

Heck, you guys might decide to buy a jet boat to be able to use the boat in shallow water. You will see wave runners (jet skis) in this area beached in various areas.

I have been at Ponce Inlet in Daytona a few times. Again, pleasure crusiers and fishing boats going in and out of that inlet. No sailboats there either.

Not saying there are no sailboats but they are in a minority.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by jswensen

The more research we do, the more living within a 30-minute drive of good restaurants is a priority. (New York city has spoiled us. While I love to cook, don't want to have to do it every night.)

So any other info we welcome!

If occasional meals out and a reasonable variety of restaurants is on your wish list this will limit the options significantly. I haven't been too impressed with the cuisine in Jacksonville, Savannah is not bad, Charleston SC much better. Not real familiar with the options around Ponte Vedra but driving through it is a very nice area. Otherwise you'll not see much until you get to south Florida.

Have you thought about the west coast of FL? Tampa/St Pete area is pretty good and good day sailing and weekend cruising. If the Bahamas are in your cruising plans however that's a longer trip.

By the way, don't worry about the alligators, they find New Yorkers kind of tough and stringy and usually go for more tender fare. Seriously, it is rare they attack adults but pets and small children should be careful around the edge of the water, especially at dusk.

[Peter1949]

As mentioned above Beaufort S.C. Area
Nearby Lady's island and fripp island are nice spots also

[Lynn Odendahl]

OK, while sitting as I write this in the only yard in St Marys it dawns on me that this place feels alot like home. St Marys is a place that you come to with an income in place as there is no employment to speak of other than Kings Bay. The local economy went away with the paper mill. Tough on the locals but the place smells good.

Housing, rented or purchased and utility costs and property taxes reasonable. After NYC, shocking low. I left the Hudson Valley after being there for most of my long life and find folks here very similar to folks in Orange County, NY. We resented new housing developments demanding all the services the city provided which drove the taxes up and, know what natives here feel the same thing, it seems. One of the jokes here is, "Last ones into town, slam the door"

Only negative I have is there is virtually no organic produce. I grow some on the boat but a trip to Publix in Kingsland is necessary but at least you will have a car. It's true that JAX is the place you will find nitelife and the big stores, malls, sail makers, riggers etc but I find part of St Marys charm is the lack of those things. Well, not the boat guys, of course. I'd rather have someone know my first name (which always has "Miss" in front) when I show up in town.

As far as gators go, I know they are here but the only one I have seen was a newspaper picture of about an eleven footer being removed from one of the two main streets that St Marys has.

And last but not least, when big ol St Marys gets too big, head to Cumberland Island, anchor out and enjoy the walking, the miles long ocean beach or just watching the horses roam the beach.

[a64pilot]

See,
You have gone native

But I have never heard of inorganic produce, would that be plastic or something?