Reviews from James Newsome (16)

  • Marina Review for Lyford Cay Club Yacht Harbour -PRIVATE

    Reviewed by: James Newsome on Mar 18, 2024
    Vessel Type: Sail
    LOA: 50'
    Draft: 6.0'

    Rating: 5

    I recently flew to Bahamas to bring a 50' Beneteau back to the US. The boat was in Lyford Cay which is in a very nice area of Nassau/New Providence Island. The marina and staff appear to be top-knot. There is a small grocery store, and a restaurant/bar. We topped off the fuel tank at the easy to access fuel dock before leaving. The channel into the marina is very well marked which is an exception for the Bahamas. I assume they are private markings from the marina.

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  • Anchorage Review for Doboy Island - Back River

    Reviewed by: James Newsome, Southern Comfort, on Nov 27, 2022
    Vessel Type: Sail
    LOA: 36'
    Draft: 5.5'

    Overall Rating:
    5
    Holding:
    5
    Wind Protection:
    4
    Current Flow:
    4
    Wake Protection:
    4
    Scenic Beauty:
    4
    Ease of Shopping:
    1
    Shore Access:
    1
    Pet Friendly:
    1
    Cell Service:
    2
    WiFi:
    1

    Very good anchoring location just north of Little Mud River. Plenty of room for multiple boats. Enter the river favoring the shore of Doboy Island as there is a large shallow area in the center of the river mouth.

    Cell signal is weak at 2 bars for Verizon. Protection from north winds are good. Other directions are exposed.

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  • Bridge comment on Jekyll Island (SR 520) Bridge

    Comment by: James Newsome, CaiLeigh Anna, on Oct 30, 2022
    Vessel Type: Sail
    LOA: 34'

    In addition to the published tides it's possible to also have wind blown tide effect if they are from a southerly direction.

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  • Bridge comment on US 17 Hwy. Bridge

    Comment by: James Newsome, Cooler By A Mile, on Sep 23, 2022
    Vessel Type: Sail
    LOA: 41'

    No clearance boards observed. Air clearance of vessel is 63-1/2'. We cleared with room to spare as antenna did not touch. We believe water depth was at datum based on information obtained from lock/bridge tender.

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  • Free Dock Review for Mid-Atlantic Christian University

    Reviewed by: James Newsome, Cooler By A Mile, on Sep 22, 2022
    Vessel Type: Sail
    LOA: 41'
    Draft: 5.0'

    Rating: 5

    No trip up the ICW would be complete without a stop-over in the Friendliest Town on the ICW, and the most accommodating Free Dock host on the entire ICW. Dan will meet you and help with lines if he's available. He's always a good source for local advice on weather and restaurants. Thanks much Dan!!

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  • Bridge comment on NC 210 Hwy. Bridge

    Comment by: James Newsome, CaiLeigh Anna, on Sep 18, 2022
    Vessel Type: Sail
    LOA: 34'

    Our air height to top of the antenna is 64'. We have cleared many bridge showing 64' without touching or just barely touching.

    This bridge showed almost 65' and almost 6 full boards. Our antenna was bent over half way down. We estimate this bridge markings may be off at least at 1'.

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  • Bridge comment on McKinley Washington Jr. (SR 174) Bridge

    Comment by: James Newsome, CaiLeigh Anna, on Sep 14, 2022
    Vessel Type: Sail
    LOA: 34'

    Passed through on 09/14/2022 an hour past high tide. Traveling on boat with 63-1/2' air height. Boards showed 63-1/2'.

    If the boards were correct we should have seen 65'-66'.

    Waited 30 minutes until board showed 64'. We passed under without the antenna touching. We passed under a bridge on the previous day with 64' on the board and the antenna touched.

    Our conclusion is that the boards are not correct.

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  • Anchorage Review for Redbird Creek

    Reviewed by: James Newsome, CaiLeigh Anna, on Sep 13, 2022
    Vessel Type: Sail
    LOA: 34'
    Draft: 5.5'

    Overall Rating:
    5
    Holding:
    5
    Wind Protection:
    3
    Current Flow:
    5
    Wake Protection:
    5
    Scenic Beauty:
    5
    Ease of Shopping:
    1
    Shore Access:
    1
    Pet Friendly:
    1
    Cell Service:
    2
    WiFi:
    1

    Anchored here 06/12/22. Anchored in 14' of water at low tide. Plenty of water at entrance to creek. Went around 2nd bend about 1/2 mile off ICW right on top of WG anchor icon.

    Holding was great. No bugs. Light wind. Put out 140' of chain. Sufficient room to swing. Was expecting thunderstorms. Two bars cell signal with Verizon. Sufficient signal to stream data. Surrounded by marsh. Beautiful setting.

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  • Bridge comment on SR 105 Bridge

    Comment by: James Newsome, Sabrina, on Feb 4, 2022
    Vessel Type: Sail
    LOA: 40'

    Passed under bridge an hour before high tide and saw 63-1/2'. Suggest verifying the height of this bridge at high tide.

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  • Anchorage Review for Jackson Creek 2

    Reviewed by: James Newsome, Sabrina, on Oct 26, 2021
    Vessel Type: Sail
    LOA: 40'
    Draft: 4.3'

    Overall Rating:
    5
    Holding:
    5
    Wind Protection:
    4
    Current Flow:
    5
    Wake Protection:
    4
    Scenic Beauty:
    5
    Ease of Shopping:
    3
    Shore Access:
    3
    Pet Friendly:
    5
    Cell Service:
    5
    WiFi:
    1

    Protection from wind/waves is excellent. Some wind exposure from 120 to 140 degrees (SE) but waves/fetch will be limited by shoal across the inlet to this creek.

    Holding is good with soft dark mud. Nearby Deltaville Marina offers dinghy access for $5 per day. Full marina amenities (included loaner car) are available for anchored vessels for additional fee of $11 per person per day. Weekly and monthly rates are also available.

    West Marine, grocery store, hardware store, and post office are within bike riding distance. LP refill is approximately 6.4 miles away.

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  • Anchorage Review for Jackson Creek North Branch

    Reviewed by: James Newsome, Sabrina, on Oct 22, 2021
    Vessel Type: Sail
    LOA: 40'
    Draft: 4.3'

    Overall Rating:
    5
    Holding:
    5
    Wind Protection:
    4
    Current Flow:
    5
    Wake Protection:
    5
    Scenic Beauty:
    5
    Ease of Shopping:
    3
    Shore Access:
    5
    Pet Friendly:
    5
    Cell Service:
    5
    WiFi:
    4

    Great location to anchor. Well protected from all but SE, but shoaled area at the inlet provides break in the waves.

    One of the prettiest places you can possibly anchor. Nearby Deltaville Marina only charges $5 per day for landing a dinghy. If you want full access to marina services such as showers, washer/dryer, pool, & loaner car the additional cost is $11 per person. There are weekly and monthly rates also.

    Grocery, Post Office, hardware, & West Marine is within biking distance, but I would not call this a bike friendly area.

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  • Free Dock Review for Deltaville Public Dock

    Reviewed by: James Newsome, Sabrina, on Oct 20, 2021
    Vessel Type: Sail
    LOA: 40'
    Draft: 4.3'

    Rating: 3

    Checked out dock by dinghy. Great looking dock but way to high to get off, no ladder anywhere.

    Not sure of depth but dock is substantially built and would support large boats .

    • WG Editor Comment:

      Watermen use this dock to offload their catch.

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  • Free Dock Review for Mid-Atlantic Christian University

    Reviewed by: James Newsome on Sep 1, 2020
    Vessel Type: Power
    LOA: 50'
    Draft: 3.0'

    Rating: 5

    Review submitted on behalf of Capt Joe Brasfield. Traveling south on June 12, 2020 through Dismal Swamp on a 50 foot Pontoon delivery. High winds were forecast the next day, so we felt that a crossing of the Albemarle Sound was not advisable and decided to lay over in Elizabeth City. With 20-25 knot winds out of the south, there was much better protection north of the Highway 158 drawbridge rather than at the Mariners Wharf in the downtown area.
    We contacted Mid-Atlantic Christian University, who offer a Free Dock facility as part of their ministry. It is a beautiful place and the protection was an 8 out of 10. The hospitality of the Dockmaster Daniel was over and above what was expected. Daniel providing extra fenders and a fender board, and also provided great recommendations on where to eat and purchase supplies. We will stop again. 5 plus star rating! Thanks Daniel!

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  • Anchorage Review for Crescent River R156

    Reviewed by: James Newsome, CaiLeigh Anna, on Sep 16, 2019
    Vessel Type: Sail
    LOA: 5'
    Draft: 0.7'

    Overall Rating:
    5
    Holding:
    5
    Wind Protection:
    4
    Current Flow:
    4
    Wake Protection:
    4
    Scenic Beauty:
    5
    Ease of Shopping:
    1
    Shore Access:
    1
    Pet Friendly:
    1
    Cell Service:
    5
    WiFi:
    1

    This is a very nice spacious anchorage with excellent holding and room to swing. Least depth observed at low tide was 15'. Several small fishing boats as well as a shrimp boat came by, but they slowed down and gave us plenty of room. The sunrise over Sapelo Island was to die for.

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  • Nav Alert comment on GA: St Andrew Sound-Caution

    Comment by: James Newsome, CaiLeigh Anna, on May 10, 2019
    Vessel Type: Sail
    LOA: 34'
    Draft: 5.7'

    St Andrews Inlet was closed to navigation over a year ago. All ATONs have been removed. The channel was not maintained and it had shoaled in to the point that it was no longer considered safe. If someone recently entered it they were extremely lucky.

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  • Marina Review for Darien River Waterfront Park & Docks

    Reviewed by: James Newsome on Sep 11, 2018
    Vessel Type: Sail
    LOA: 34'
    Draft: 5.8'

    Rating: 5

    You will not find friendlier or more accommodating folks anywhere on the ICW than Darien. For clarification there are two independently operated sets of docks in Darien. Below or east of the bridge the docks are operated by the McIntosh County Industrial Development Authority. Above or west of the bridge the dock is owned by the City of Darien.

    The first docks approached as arriving in Darien will be the McInstosh County Industrial Development Authority Docks. Although these docks were free with complementary water and electricity for a number of years, they now cost $1.00 per foot per night and that includes water and electricity. There is now a dockmaster available for most times of the day. Just contact Teresa at the Authority office M-F at 912-437-6659 or Capt Wynn Gale at 912-223-6821 after hours or weekends. Capt Gale is a local shrimper and can answer any question about local services as well as navigational advice.
    31°22'03.9"N 81°26'08.2"W
    https://goo.gl/maps/e14AqDUWkx42
    https://mcintoshga.com

    The Highway 17 fixed bridge (31' vertical clearance) adjacent to and west of the McIntosh County Industrial Authority Docks. On the other side of the bridge is the City of Darien Dock that is still a free dock with a 6 hour limit of use. This dock is unattended and does not offer water or electricity. Contact The City of Darien at (912) 437-6686 for additional information.
    31°22'04.8"N 81°26'14.5"W
    https://goo.gl/maps/zjkLL6nUvXq
    www.cityofdarienga.com

    A park, restaurants, marine hardware store, bank, post office, fuel and convenience store are located within an easy walk of both docks. A grocery store is located 1.26 miles from the docks. Since Darien is the shrimping capitol of Georgia Capt Wynn can advise you where to purchase fresh shrimp if they are in season.

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