Feature
By Bryan Simpkins, 6-2-24
After circumnavigating Cumberland, Amelia and, Big & Little Talbot islands I wasn’t sure anyone would be interested in another Barrier island being added to my list. That’s when I remembered I am doing this for myself and I hope to inspire someone else to experience the things I have. These are my thoughts and views and if someone will challenge themself to try this, I want to help.
Now I have to drive further and further to get to launching points and this trip was my furthest yet. I drove 47 miles (round trip) to kayak 16.01.
I had checked the tides, wind, waves, weather and current. I knew I would have cell service…..this time. (See my Cumberland Island trip for what happens when you have none…and what to do about it). As always I loaded up my sugar free Red Bulls, water, Gatorade, uncrustables and fruit. My 13 foot plastic Prowler Ocean kayak still had most of the left over supplies from the 53 mile Cumberland trip so all I had to do was load, drive and launch.
Download Brief Video: https://www.citizensjournal.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Video-Simpkins-St-George-Paddle.mov
I got to the south end of Little Talbot Island before anyone else was there. This was great because there is no boat ramp and I had to unload in the parking lot and drag the loaded kayak through the calf deep soft sand, about 200 feet.
The coolness of the water sent that familiar surge of excitement through my body. I pushed off as the sun cracked the horizon and passed under the Alimacani bridge.
I’m now familiar with the channel from the Talbot circumnavigation so I avoided the sandbars and chose to go out past the waves, instead of paddling the slough that runs along the beach to the jetties. I figured the jetties would have waves even though it was only predicted to be a foot. I chose correctly.
Open water paddling plays mind games with you. You can’t judge how much distance you’re covering because there is nothing to gauge against. Once I made it to the tip of the jetties, which added a mile plus to the trip, I was greeted by a US Navy ship being escorted in. I knew to keep back. I just sat in place watching the sea life at the end of the man made jetty.
There is a lot of boat traffic in and out of this entrance to the ocean. I decided to stay as close to the rocks as possible. Now what “gauging distance” I lost in the ocean I had regained as I blew past fish, turtles and pelicans with the incoming tide. At one point I was traveling at 12 mph. I had to watch the waves coming from behind and the surge pushing through the jetties, where the rocks were not as condensed.
I’m in new territory now. This is part of the excitement of paddling for me. As the sandbars from the campground area rushed out to meet me I kept making course corrections to avoid being beached. I passed the Navy base, the Coast guard base and the Jacksonville rescue base. In front of me is the Mayport Ferry. It had just crossed from the Jacksonville side to the Mayport side. Light wind and a plethora of privately owned docks, mingled with businesses, kept me aware of my speed.
I approached the Ferry just as it was releasing from the dock. Bro! That is intimidating!! Boiling water and jet engines pushed me out as I tracked past it.
Further around the corner I was looking for Sisters creek. I ran into a large floating dry dock that stuck so far out into Saint John’s river that I was half way out and tried to hug the other side to avoid boat traffic. Upon passing it I was greeted by a security boat. The captain told me I was too close to a naval ship that was being worked on. They asked me to go further out in the channel. Did I mention the boat traffic? Everyone running hard toward and under the Heckscher Drive bridge…. But you don’t say no to the Navy.
The current and tide were right on. I was making good time and stoked! When I was on Cumberland Island the marsh side had nothing but mud and oysters to land on. Fanning Island and Fort George have nothing but crushed shell islands. You need some type of water shoe if you want to land. I did and gently lifted the kayak up out of the rising tide. I needed pictures and a sandwich.
Surprisingly I saw no sea life the whole time I was on the marsh side. I also caught the tide change at the perfect spot and I rode it out, back to the launching point. Only one obstacle was between me and the Jeep. The Fort George sand bars.
On my circumnavigation of the Talbots I came through the area at low tide. What a mess. If you pick the wrong channel it will lead to a dead end. Small creeks wind and go no where. Hugging the Timacuan side is important, but that is where the jet skis and boats roam. Fortunately it wasn’t quite low tide and I paddled directly over the bars. Occasionally my paddle hit the sand, even though I was paddling shallow. I stopped and got out to take a 360 degree video in the middle of the river. Really cool.
16.01 miles in 4 hours and 10 minutes. Average speed of 3.8 and 1300 calories gone.
I’ve now claimed 6 barrier islands totaling 117 miles. I’ve seen some really cool things and grown in experience and satisfaction. Let me encourage you to try it. Do your due diligence and plan ahead. Safety first. Leave a copy of your plan with someone. Check-in with friends if you can. Read to see if anyone’s done it before and what they experienced and then go do it for yourself. I spend a lot of time asking God what He wants and has for me, I sing out loud (when I know no one is around…haha) and I challenge my mind and body.
I hope this helps you. See you on the water.
-Bryan Simpkins
