St. George Island public boat ramp approach depths

Gunn317

Member
I have a 28' Sea Ray 280 Sundancer with a triple axle trailer. For the last 10 years, I have used a boat ramp at Cedar Cove marina in Tall Timbers, at the head of Herring Creek off the Potomac. But from my location near St. Mary's College, that's quite the boat ride. I could shave that time in half with a trip to the public boat ramp at St. George Island.

But I'm worried about the depths there. From the main channel in St. George Creek as you approach the bridge and then have to veer off the ramp, what are the depths there? Can larger boats like mine make it in there? I have a 38" draft with drives down, 24" with drives full up. Probably a little more than that with people, fuel, etc.

I also wonder if the ramp goes deep enough to submerge the trailer and get the boat on. But I can test that easily enough with the trailer. But I'd rather not attempt to bring the boat in there, unless I'm pretty confident it will work. I guess I could go at low tide and if I bottom out, at least I know I can get out with the tide. Rather not risk it though!

If anyone has been there and knows the depths around there, I'd love to hear from you!

Thanks,
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
The PP ramp is deeper than the one at Cedar Cove. We launch 35 foot boats there...

The channel to the river and under the bridge is no longer marked...but is still a good 4 foot depth at average high tide. The approach from the main St. Georges Creek channel is also about 5'+ at high tide but...the approach is a little tricky; there is a shoal/oyster bar that has to be avoided, approaching, to your port side and shoal/mud on starboad.
142522
 
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Gunn317

Member
Perfect! Thanks for the explanation and the map! Good to know you launch 35' boats there so I should have no trouble as long as I stay where you indicated. My onboard GPS doesn't have satellite imagery, so I'll pull up my phone for the approach and make sure I'm where your overlay shows.

About 8-9 years ago, at 10pm I was creeping home from the VA shore with one engine out. I followed the (then) marked channel from the Potomac to go under the bridge and into the creek. I hit bottom and it really freaked me out. Made it through, but haven't been back near the bridge since! We'd always take the long way around the island. I'd only be in the creek to visit the Ruddy Duck.

Thanks again, I'll update once we get the boat pulled for the winter, sometime this month.

Tom

PS> Where is Buzzy's? :)
 

Bonehead

Well-Known Member
That used to be such a good spot to dive for oysters, in the 70s, no more....it is pretty barren now.
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
Perfect! Thanks for the explanation and the map! Good to know you launch 35' boats there so I should have no trouble as long as I stay where you indicated. My onboard GPS doesn't have satellite imagery, so I'll pull up my phone for the approach and make sure I'm where your overlay shows.

About 8-9 years ago, at 10pm I was creeping home from the VA shore with one engine out. I followed the (then) marked channel from the Potomac to go under the bridge and into the creek. I hit bottom and it really freaked me out. Made it through, but haven't been back near the bridge since! We'd always take the long way around the island. I'd only be in the creek to visit the Ruddy Duck.

Thanks again, I'll update once we get the boat pulled for the winter, sometime this month.

Tom

PS> Where is Buzzy's? :)

The channel..or more correctly, lack thereof, on the river side of our bridge has always been a bit sketchy..but we still run 40+ foot boats through there, even though it is no longer a marked channel. Local knowledge and the right side of the tide.... ;-)

By Buzzy's..you are referring to Scott Ridgell's store in Scotland? Or Buzz's Marina in Ridge?
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
Scott Ridgell owns Buzzy's? Isn't Buzz's Marina closed? Last time I drove by there it just looked spooky - unless that's another marina. I thought I knew that area really well.
I haven't been near Buzz's Marina in a very long time....but it shows as open on the internets.
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
I must be thinking of something else named Buzz's. Maybe I'm crazy but I could have sworn that right across from the Point Lookout Confederate Memorial that there was something called Buzz's Marina and they did boat repair and sold bait and ice cream. I don't remember the exact story but I think the family died out or there was a disagreement over the property and it just got left.
I wonder about Southside down there sometimes too. I can't remember who originally owned it but I do remember some odd stories about it. Unless I'm thinking of Buzzy's - that's still there. Went in exactly once - not many people in there but those that were looked at me like I was from Vulcan.
Buzz's Marina is several miles north of the Confederate Memorial....

Buzzy's General Store is a great local hangout..although I typically only go down there for their car show get together..
 
Huh. Wonder what I'm talking about then. Buzzy's Store I'm familiar with - been there forever. Seen the car shows in passing too - seems pretty tight knit - I know they do a lot as a group.

Thanks - I'll have to do a field trip that way.
Ricks Marina. Closed and vacant.
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
Huh. Wonder what I'm talking about then. Buzzy's Store I'm familiar with - been there forever. Seen the car shows in passing too - seems pretty tight knit - I know they do a lot as a group.

Thanks - I'll have to do a field trip that way.

My ex step-daughter is married to one of Scott's sons. His other son and my brother work house construction and renovation jobs together every now and again....have for over 20 years. Good folks.
 

Gunn317

Member
The channel..or more correctly, lack thereof, on the river side of our bridge has always been a bit sketchy..but we still run 40+ foot boats through there, even though it is no longer a marked channel. Local knowledge and the right side of the tide.... ;-)

So what happened to the day markers for that channel?! Were they pulled, or removed by weather/storm/ice, or?
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
So what happened to the day markers for that channel?! Were they pulled, or removed by weather/storm/ice, or?

USCG removed them because the channel was not maintained and no longer properly marked or considered navigable. They've done that with quite a number of channels around the area. There has not been maintenance dredging done around here since the early 80s.
 
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