Kayaking Coastal Georgia

By Marsha Henson

Certified Instructor: Kayak, Canoe, SUP & Yoga

Sea Kayak Georgia

What an ecosystem we have! The coast of Georgia has 110 miles of shoreline, backed up by literally thousands of miles of twisty, winding, estuaries and tidal creeks. The lure of paddling the coast, whether by ocean, or behind the islands and through the marshes, is the subject of many a romanticized conversation.

Romanticized you ask? Why don’t we just drop everything and go? Oh, the considerations! Your paddle could be just for the afternoon. Much solace can be absorbed from just a few hours out in the wilds of the estuary where, after only a few turns in the river, civilization feels a million miles away.

There is no way I can tell you how to paddle the coast of Georgia in a short article. One must put together an itinerary that suits their individual abilities and time frames. What I can tell you is that no matter if your journey begins with a brief few hour visit or a paddle of several days, the coastal Georgia waterways will get into your thoughts. It’ll pull you back to continue building on your skills and challenge you to visualize its depth and complexity.

I teach a class called “Local Waters” focusing on tides, currents, and the effects of wind on paddling. So many times people in the class will ask me, “When is the best time to go paddling?” The answer? When your schedule allows! You need to check wind and tides – the sum of those two, applied to a local chart, will tell you where to go. The coast of Georgia is one of the most majestic paddles, with so many layers in what it offers. 

To prepare, you can study charts and learn tidal planning. You can figure how to get your tent, personal gear, food and prep gear, and safety gear all put together and packed.

Should we go north to south? What time of year should we go? Neap tides or spring tides? Long range weather predictions say what? Do I know how to use a VHF radio? Will there be fresh water? What should I take? How much weight can I carry? Are there charts for my adventure? Where will I stay? 

So many questions! And of course, with questions comes researching, education, answers and finally delving into the art of kayaking! We don’t have to do the whole thing at once on the first go around. Maybe have a look at charts and plan for a two- to three-day adventure to get into the groove.

Some of the best memories I have include my first paddle through Rifle Cut - its beauty will be imprinted on my mind forever. That one curve that swoops in so close to the hammock on one side, with its hairpin curves through the marsh. Or the time I took a wrong cut trying to get into Newell Creek. Oops, did I add five miles to an almost twenty-mile day? Was it so beautiful it was worth the pain? Yes, absolutely. 

You don’t count on moving from the ocean to the marshes without adding a lot of mileage. Take time to paddle in a way that you absorb the visual treats of Coastal Georgia with its live oaks, palms, endless vistas of salt marsh, hammocks, and all the fauna, like birds and dolphin babies. Have you seen the horseshoe crabs spawning, or how about the polychaete worms? Bald eagles nesting? Or looked around in the middle of a two-mile crossing where it feels like you are a tiny dot in a big salty world?

There are a number of access issues to take into account as you plan to go down the coast. One of the things that has kept our islands in such pristine condition is that you can only drive to four of the barrier islands. All the others can only be reached by boat, or kayak, if you please.

Also, come up with a plan for powering your kayak so you won’t run out of steam before the end of the journey. Knowing your limitations and basing that on environmental factors is all part of the process of building efficiency in paddling. 

We are connected to nature and one of her most challenging and beautiful faces is right in our back yard. I hope you find the time to enjoy it as I have.