Exploring Augustine Creek

By Dave Mewborn

Savannah Riverkeeper

Photos by Jordan Scholl

Just upstream from the Houlihan boat landing and across the Savannah River from the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge flows a small creek teeming with wildlife. Augustine Creek is its official name but if you look on Google maps you’ll see it marked Saint Augustine Creek. You might ask yourself, “How many St. Augustine Creeks are there in Chatham County?” Good question. While Google Maps may be reliable for navigation on land, the same can't be said for navigation on the water. In Liberty Count nearly every waterway is listed as Blackbeard Creek. 

This Augustine Creek is located in Port Wentworth, Ga., just north of the city of Savannah. It was named after one of the first to settle the area in 1734, Walter Augustine. The creek was the southern border of his 500-acre property that later became known as Drakies Land or Drakies Plantation, named after a later owner’s homeland in Scotland. 

Walter Augustine built a sawmill on the property and hoped to make his fortune through lumber; the creek emptied into the Savannah River making it the perfect highway to float lumber down into the city. Hardships of working the land eventually sent Walter to Charles Town to seek his fortune and lead his son to sell the land to the Cuthbert family who created great rice plantations with the property. 

Rice was the first agricultural commodity in Coastal Georgia and was produced from the mid-1700s to early 1900s. The wetlands and natural tidal flow of the Savannah River suited the cultivation of rice perfectly. Canals, levees and ditches were constructed to help irrigate the rice, some of which still exist to this day – these are neat little channels to paddle. Many times you’ll find there’s no exit but it’s a good way to experience the marsh: paddle into one of these canals and just … listen. 

Nowadays, this little creek is surrounded by activity. Georgia Ports Authority is only a few miles to the south. Paper and other wood industries lie just south of the creek in Port Wentworth along with Imperial Sugar Refinery. The expansion of the port has brought a considerable number of logistical and distribution centers – staging areas for large commercial industry in the area. While paddling on the creek you can hear the faint sounds of industry and civilization, planes, and North Coastal Highway just barely audible over the gentle sounds of the marsh grass rustling in the wind and birds singing. 

An ideal leisurely paddle would consist of a clear weather forecast (check the weather and the wind, also the tides if your water body is tidal influenced as Augustine Creek is), light wind to keep you cool, having a paddle buddy, and beginning the outing an hour before high tide. Proper dress for what the weather could become, not what it is currently, plenty of water, sun protection, and your trusty PFD (worn properly) with whistle are highly recommended. Although, using the tidal flow to assist in the ease of the trip has its downfalls. Most of the wading birds and alligators are better viewed on the banks of the creek during the outgoing tides (low tide), but the rub of that is literally fighting the tide and the flow of the creek for half of your trip. Getting to see some cool critters makes it worth the extra workout it for me, but for others not so much. 

Speaking of seeing the American alligators, it is important to note that this area can be extremely popular for gators. During their nesting season, which can run from as early as July to as late as September and is when female alligators are building nests and laying eggs, the females can be super protective and territorial of their nest areas. It is not common for alligators to attack humans, but a majority of the times they do attack or are aggressive toward us is when they feel threatened or if their young are involved. So, be mindful and courteous of their space (a good 60 feet is encouraged by UGA’s Savannah River Ecology Lab). It is also important to note that feeding, molesting, injuring, or killing an alligator is punishable by law with possible fines or jail time.

Generally during those months it’s too hot to paddle over there anyway, but in the cooler months of the year it’s a wonderful oasis in the middle of all the nearby hustle and bustle to view red winged black birds, kingfishers, wood storks, egrets and other wading birds, watch shad jump out of the water, and of course see gators sunning themselves on the creek banks. If you start your paddle trip an hour before high tide in Port Wentworth, after about an hour to 90-minute paddle up the creek (or if you paddled super hard and reached Hwy 21 Augusta Road) you can turn around and allow the water to do the work as you wind back towards the Savannah River and Houlihan landing. 

Savannah Riverkeeper would like to encourage families, friends, and other household groups to get outside during these strange times and enjoy the healing powers of water, if not on the Savannah River, somewhere near you!

Safe paddling, Safe adventures!