The northern portion is mainly marshy and is traversed by Hampton River, a stream of some size, which, flowing in an easterly and southeasterly direction, separates St. Simon and Little St. Šimon Islands and comes out on the coast 5 miles below Altamaha Sound. There were 6 feet (1.8 m) of water on the bar at the entrance in 1924, but there are dangerous shoals on both sides and the channel is unmarked. Inside the bar 8 feet (2.4 m) can be carried through to Buttermilk Sound at low water. Village Creek empties into Hampton River from the southward, about 11⁄2 miles above its mouth. It flows through a stretch of marsh separating Isle of Palms from St. Simon Island. At low water the channel of Village Creek is practically dry. After a crooked course of several miles it connects with Blackbank River, a narrow and tortuous stream flowing to the southward between the two islands named and entering the sea about 4 miles south of Hampton River. There is a highway bridge with fixed span (15 feet (4.5 m) vertical clearance) across the Blackbank River. The southern part of St. Simon Island is heavily wooded. The buildings of a summer resort and the white tower of St. Simon Lighthouse are conspicuous objects from seaward. All along the coast. dangerous shoals make off from 3 to 5 miles. ST. SIMON SOUND AND BRUNSWICK HARBOR (Chart 447) St. Simon Sound lies 17 miles southward of Sapelo Lighthouse and 27 miles northward of Amelia Island Lighthouse. On the northern side of its entrance, which is 7% mile wide, is St. Simon Lighthouse. This sound is one of the most important harbors on the coast of Georgia, being the approach to the city of Brunswick, which is the second seaport in commercial importance in the State. The entrance is obstructed by dangerous shifting shoals, which make offshore to a distance of 52 miles, forming a bar through which there is a dredged channel, 300 feet wide with a controlling depth of 272 feet (8.4 m) in June 1934, marked by range lights and buoys. Draft of 28 feet (8.5 m) are taken over the bar at high water. Inside the bar and in the channel of the sound there is a good depth of water and excellent anchorage. There is a depth of 23 feet (7.0 m) 3 mile northward of the northern point of Jekyll Island. The shoals to the westward have extended eastward to this position. A shoal of 26 feet (7.9 m) was reported to exist about 1 mile southward of St. Simon Lighted Whistle Buoy St. S. Prominent features. In clear weather St. Simon Lighthouse shows well at a distance of 8 miles, and from the lighted whistle buoy Little Cumberland Island unused lighthouse can be seen southwestward. Near the beach eastward and northeastward of St. Simon Lighthouse are a number of cottages and several large houses. Tides.—The mean rise and fall of the tides on the bar is about 611⁄2 feet (1.9 m), and at Brunswick about 712 feet (2.3 m). The tidal currents follow the general direction of the dredged channel across the bar and have an estimated velocity of 1 to 2 knots. They set diagonally across the Plantation creek range with an average velocity at strength of about 2 knots. Currents turn about one-half hour after high and lower water. Brunswick Lighted Whistle Buoy 2 B, lat. 31°00' N., long. 81°10′ W., is moored in 49 feet (14.9 m) off the entrance to St. Simon Sound and Brunswick Harbor, approximately on the St. Simon Range line. The light is flashing white, every 3 seconds, 16 feet above the water, visible 9 miles. St. Simon Lighthouse, lat. 31°08′02′′ N., long. 81°23'38" W., is a white conical tower attached to a brick dwelling. The light is fixed white varied by a white flash of 5 seconds duration every 60 seconds, 104 feet (31 m) above the water, and visible 16 miles. It is the rear beacon of St. Simon range. St. Simon is a summer resort and landing at the south end of the island of St. Simon. Frederica River enters St. Simon Sound from the northward about 1 mile inside the entrance. The Intracoastal Waterway passes through Frederica River and Buttermilk Sound to Altamaha Sound. Back River, with Mackay River, is an alternate route of the Intracoastal Waterway to Buttermilk Sound and Altamaha Sound. There is a controlling depth of 9 feet (2.7 m) at low water through Back River to Mackay River. Mackay River is closed by a fixed-span highway bridge with a vertical clearance of 6 feet (1.8 m). Plantation Creek and Clubbs Creek have been improved to a depth of 7 feet (2.1 m). There was a controlling depth of 512 feet (1.7 m) in June 1935. The entrance from Brunswick River is 1/2 mile above the quarantine station, and the channel then leads through a cut across the marsh in a northeast direction, cutting off the westerly loop of Plantation Creek. The channel is in the middle of Plantation Creek, except in the reach trending southward of east, where it favors well the north bank; then, after favoring the outside of the sharp head, the channel favors the east bank until halfway up the northward trending reach. The channel then leads through a cut to Clubbs Creek and so in mid-creek to Back River. Brunswick River enters the sound from southward and just inside the entrance. The river for a distance of 234 miles above its mouth has an average width of 114 miles, but the deep-water channel averages only a little over 1/4 mile in width, and in one place is only 200 yards wide. Above Brunswick Point, the river for a distance of about 212 miles has an average width of 3/4 mile, and above this it is divided into two branches by Buzzard Island. The southern branch is known as Turtle River, and the northern branch, on which the city of Brunswick is situated, is known as the East River, or Brunswick Harbor. South Brunswick River enters Turtle River from westward opposite Buzzard Island. Fancy Bluff Creek enters South Brunswick River from the southwestward 114 miles above its mouth. This creek affords a narrow channel, good for a depth of about 3.8 feet (1.6 m) at low water, to Little Satilla River. A highway bridge, horizontal clearance 39.7 feet (12.1 m), vertical clearance 21.6 feet (6.6 m) at mean low water, crosses the South Brunswick River about 112 miles above the entrance to Fancy Bluff Creek. Jekyll Creek enters Brunswick River from southward about 22 miles above its mouth; with Jekyll and St. Andrews Sounds it forms part of the Intracoastal Waterway to Fernandina. A depth of 9 feet (2.7 m) (surveys of 1934) at low water can be taken from Brunswick River through the creek. The dredged entrance from Brunswick River is marked by Jekyll Creek Jetty range and a jetty. There is a settlement on the east side of the creek. Directions for entering Jekyll Creek.-The end of the jetty on the west side of the entrance into the creek is marked at its end by Jekyll Creek Jetty Light 2. Jekyll Island Front Range light stands about 25 yards to the westward of the beacon. The jetty covers at half tide. To enter, stand through the dredged channel on the Jekyll Creek Jetty Range ahead, passing eastward of beacons no. 4 and no. 6. Follow the jetty at a distance of about 30 yards, veer eastward 65 yards northeastward of Jekyll Creek Jetty Front light, and stand through the narrow part of the creek in mid-stream until Jekyll Creek Range Beacons No. 3 are in line astern. Hold this range until abeam of Jekyll Creek Beacon No. 1, then close Jekyll Creek Range Beacons No. 2 ahead. There is a shell breakwater, awash at high water, extending southeastward from the end of the marsh on the west side of the channel. Continue on range no. 2 until abeam of Jekyll Creek Range No. 1 front beacon, then haul southward and close Jekyl Creek Range Beacons No. 1 astern. Hold range no. 1 to the middle of Jekyll Creek, leaving Jekyll Creek Light No. 8, which marks a shoal, 110 yards to westward. The dredged channels, marked by these range beacons, had a controlling depth of 6.9 feet (2.1 m) in February 1935, and lead between flats that are partly bare at low water. Then keep near mid-stream for 11⁄2 mile until abreast the wharves and settlement on the east side, and then follow the east bank at a distance of about 150 yards to Jekyll Sound. DIRECTIONS, ST. SIMON SOUND There is a project depth of 27 feet (8.2 m) for a width of 500 feet across the bar; 24 feet (7.3 m) and 400 feet width to Brunswick Point; 24 feet (7.3 m) and 350 feet width in Brunswick Harbor and Turtle River; and 24 feet (7.3 m) and 150 feet width in Academy Creek. In June 1935 the controlling depths were as follows: All of the dredged channels are marked by range lights and buoys. The tidal currents set with the channel on the bar, but with northerly or southerly winds a current, which should be kept in mind, sets with the wind across the channel. Approaching St. Simon Sound from any direction, shape the course for the vicinity of Brunswick Lighted Whistle Buoy 2 B, from which a 303 true (NW. by W. / W. mag.) course for 7 DIRECTIONS, ST. SIMON SOUND 201 miles will lead to St. Simon Lighted Whistle Buoy St. S. In clear weather, when Brunswick Lighted Whistle Buoy 2 B is sighted, a course can be shaped to pass as much as 5 miles inside of it; then bring it astern on a 303° true (NW. by W. % W. mag.) course until up with St. Simon Lighted Whistle Buoy St. S. Soundings of 42 to 52 fathoms (8.2 to 10 m) have been found on what appears to be a bank or broken ground, lying 41/2 miles east and east-southeastward of St. Simon Lighted Whistle Buoy St. S. This area should be avoided in heavy weather. There is also a spot with 412 fathoms (8.2 m) over it lying about 3 mile north-northeastward of St. Simon Lighted Whistle Buoy St. S. See "Caution on page 153. Courses and distances, St. Simon lighted whistle buoy St. S. to Brunswick [Abbreviations: Lt., light; Bn., beacon; F., fixed; Fl., flashing; Occ., occulting; W., white; R., red; G. green; Alt., alternating; t., true; dist., distant] Courses and distances, St. Simon lighted whistle buoy St. S. to Brunswick-Con. [Abbreviations: Lt., light; Bn., beacon; F., fixed; Fl., flashing; Occ., occulting; W., white; R., red; G. green; Alt., alternating; t., true; dist., distant] (For reverse direction read upward and interchange ahead and astern) 7. A. B. & A. R. R. Tank, bearing N., dist. 8. Brunswick Harbor docks. Follow closely Direct Reverse_ 9. Academy Creek docks. TURTLE RIVER 7a. A. B. & A. R.R. Tank, bearing N., dist. 1,100 yards. Steer Turtle River Lower Range (front light Fl. W., rear light Occ. W.) ahead; pass 75 yds. north of buoys 1 and 3: Direct 8a. Turtle River Buoy 2, bearing N. by E., 9a. Turtle River Buoy 4, bearing E., dist. 100 Direct Reverse 10a. Southern Rwy. docks: Direct Reverse_ 11a. Atlantic Refining Co. wharf. BRUNSWICK Brunswick, which had a population of 14,022 in 1930, is on the eastern bank of East River opposite Buzzards Island, 71⁄2 miles above St. Simon Lighthouse and 42 miles off the track of the Intracoastal Waterway southward. It is a shipping port for crude oil, piling, creosoted ties, and naval stores. Its principal industries are crude-oil refining, wood creosoting, sea-food packing, and the manufacture of rosin and turpentine, wood containers, fertilizers, and lumber products. A considerable amount of sugar is imported. Good hotel accommodations are available in the city. |