Visiting Cumberland Island can be an out-of-the-ordinary experience regardless of how you get there; but kayaking to Cumberland Island is the most exciting and spectacular way to savor this jewel of a barrier island. Though kayaking to Cumberland Island is not really a trip for novices, experienced kayakers with self-rescue skills should have no issue crossing the Cumberland Sound or Intracoastal Waterway and making their long ago from a day on the island. Here really are a few day-trips for experienced kayakers who wish to spend a day on Cumberland Island, but don't want to take the ferry. the8cumberland.ca
From Crooked River State park to Plum Orchard on Cumberland Island: Put-in at the Crooked River State Park boat ramp at high-tide, or at the least before the center of the out-going tide - about 3-hours after high tide. You will be heading East with a quite strong out-flowing current taking one to Cumberland Island. A little greater than a mile from the put-in, the Crooked River makes an almost 90-degree turn to the Southeast and then back once again to the East after about another mile. Following the turn to the Southeast, stay over the left side and look for the big left turn. As you continue out the Crooked River, you will end up heading East toward the tree line on Cumberland Island and will be in a position to see the white-structures at Plum Orchard.
The trip from Crooked River State Park over to Plum Orchard is approximately 6-miles and should take less than 2-hours. Ideally, you need to look for an earlier enough high tide to have one to the island and offer you sufficient time for sightseeing before being forced to head back. You actually wish to be back at Crooked River by high tide - or by dark if high tide is after dark. Bear in mind that even strong, experienced paddlers will see it impossible to make the trip against the strong tidal currents in the Crooked River. navigate here
From St. Mary's to the entrance of Beach Creek: Put-in at the boat ramp at the St. Marys waterfront at or after high tide to make this 4-mile trip out the St. Marys River and across the Cumberland Sound to the region nearby the entrance to Beach Creek. The outgoing tidal currents in the Cumberland Sound will be pushing you toward Amelia Island and the Atlantic Ocean, so you'll want to monitor your ferry angle as you cross the Sound. Beachcombing with this part of Cumberland Island usually produces pocketfuls of shark teeth and frequent wild horse sightings. There's no navigation to the trip; you need to take the falling tide from the St. Marys River and cross the Cumberland Sound to attain Cumberland Island. Enjoy Cumberland until after low-tide and then take the incoming tide, or flood tide, back once again to St. Marys. This trip should take about an hour or so to an hour or so and a half each way based on winds and paddling speed.
From Amelia Island to the South end of Cumberland Island: The shortest, but many treacherous trip to Cumberland Island is from the boat ramp at the north end of Amelia Island straight across to the south tip of Cumberland. This route crosses the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) and the Cumberland Sound in a location with abundant, heavy boat traffic, so safety and focus on details is important. The crossing itself is less than the usual mile; but this can be a mile of potentially BIG, scary water. Go to Cumberland Island on an incoming tide and go back to Amelia Island on an outgoing tide. Two important factors to keep in mind are: First, that there are extremely swift currents in this the main Cumberland Sound and ICW; and, second, the wind and weather will change while you're on the island - making surface conditions for the return trip unpredictable. This really is not at all a vacation for novices and self-rescue skills really are a must.
Prior to going, call an area outfitter and check tide times and wind and weather forecasts. Also, make sure you have lots of drinking water and something to eat in addition to having appropriate gear and clothing for the trip. The majority of the year, sunscreen and insect repellant top the set of items to remember for the trip. There's a $4.00 fee for landing on Cumberland Island which can be paid at the Cumberland Island National Seashore Headquarters in St. Marys, or at one of many honor boxes located on the island. With a little preparation, a day-trip to Cumberland Island will be a lot of adventure and fun for a very reasonable price!
From Crooked River State park to Plum Orchard on Cumberland Island: Put-in at the Crooked River State Park boat ramp at high-tide, or at the least before the center of the out-going tide - about 3-hours after high tide. You will be heading East with a quite strong out-flowing current taking one to Cumberland Island. A little greater than a mile from the put-in, the Crooked River makes an almost 90-degree turn to the Southeast and then back once again to the East after about another mile. Following the turn to the Southeast, stay over the left side and look for the big left turn. As you continue out the Crooked River, you will end up heading East toward the tree line on Cumberland Island and will be in a position to see the white-structures at Plum Orchard.
The trip from Crooked River State Park over to Plum Orchard is approximately 6-miles and should take less than 2-hours. Ideally, you need to look for an earlier enough high tide to have one to the island and offer you sufficient time for sightseeing before being forced to head back. You actually wish to be back at Crooked River by high tide - or by dark if high tide is after dark. Bear in mind that even strong, experienced paddlers will see it impossible to make the trip against the strong tidal currents in the Crooked River. navigate here
From St. Mary's to the entrance of Beach Creek: Put-in at the boat ramp at the St. Marys waterfront at or after high tide to make this 4-mile trip out the St. Marys River and across the Cumberland Sound to the region nearby the entrance to Beach Creek. The outgoing tidal currents in the Cumberland Sound will be pushing you toward Amelia Island and the Atlantic Ocean, so you'll want to monitor your ferry angle as you cross the Sound. Beachcombing with this part of Cumberland Island usually produces pocketfuls of shark teeth and frequent wild horse sightings. There's no navigation to the trip; you need to take the falling tide from the St. Marys River and cross the Cumberland Sound to attain Cumberland Island. Enjoy Cumberland until after low-tide and then take the incoming tide, or flood tide, back once again to St. Marys. This trip should take about an hour or so to an hour or so and a half each way based on winds and paddling speed.
From Amelia Island to the South end of Cumberland Island: The shortest, but many treacherous trip to Cumberland Island is from the boat ramp at the north end of Amelia Island straight across to the south tip of Cumberland. This route crosses the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) and the Cumberland Sound in a location with abundant, heavy boat traffic, so safety and focus on details is important. The crossing itself is less than the usual mile; but this can be a mile of potentially BIG, scary water. Go to Cumberland Island on an incoming tide and go back to Amelia Island on an outgoing tide. Two important factors to keep in mind are: First, that there are extremely swift currents in this the main Cumberland Sound and ICW; and, second, the wind and weather will change while you're on the island - making surface conditions for the return trip unpredictable. This really is not at all a vacation for novices and self-rescue skills really are a must.
Prior to going, call an area outfitter and check tide times and wind and weather forecasts. Also, make sure you have lots of drinking water and something to eat in addition to having appropriate gear and clothing for the trip. The majority of the year, sunscreen and insect repellant top the set of items to remember for the trip. There's a $4.00 fee for landing on Cumberland Island which can be paid at the Cumberland Island National Seashore Headquarters in St. Marys, or at one of many honor boxes located on the island. With a little preparation, a day-trip to Cumberland Island will be a lot of adventure and fun for a very reasonable price!