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05-Southern-Charm-at-Kilkenny-Marina-In-Richmond-Hill-Georgia
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We were making a pretty good day of it with probably 7 to 8 hours on the water. You never know how the tides will effect the speed of the boat. Sometimes we get down to 6 mph if we are against the tide and we have had as much as 12 mph with the tides.
Doug and Judy (Moonstruck2) left at 6:20 today so they could make it all the way to Isle of Hope Marina about 90 miles north in the Savannah area. We were headed to Kilkenny Marina which was about 67 miles north. The day was sunny but the winds were a little gusty which made a couple of the inlets we passed choppy.
There was a lot of traffic on the ICW today and all sizes and type of craft. It is Saturday and a lot of the locals are out enjoying the weather. 90% of the cruising boats are moving north, no real surprise this time of the year. Most of the Loopers are going to the Spring Rendezvous in Norfolk, May 5th to May 8th and they are already thru this section and well north. We are still about 750 mile south of Norfolk.
No real problems with water depths today. I think the worst is behind us. The biggest item is when passing a slower boat and picking the right spot to do the pass. Not all areas of the ICW have a wide channel so sometimes you just wait. One of the larger boats came up behind today and they ended up waiting for a couple of miles before they passed.
The Kilkenny Marina is a couple of miles off the ICW which helps on the boat wakes. It is like a small fishing camp.. They have wood floater docks that rock a little side to side as you walk on them. The trees are real old oaks with lots of Spanish moss hanging from the trees. The Marina is located in Richmond Hill Georgia.
Richmond Hill has a historical connection to Henry Ford. Ford used the town, formerly known as Ways Station, as a winter home and philanthropic social experiment, building the complex known as the Ford Farms along the Ogeechee River in the 1930s. After just one visit he chose this area as his winter home. Ford’s dwelling was built on the site of Richmond Plantation, which was burned by General Sherman’s army at the conclusion of the “March to the Sea“. Ford’s holdings eventually totaled 85,000 acres of agricultural and timber lands, most of which is now owned by the State of Georgia or ITT Rayonier, a timber company. Ford was also responsible for the construction of 250 buildings, including a kindergarten, which now houses the museum of the Richmond Hill Historical Society, and a chapel which now houses St. Anne’s Catholic Church. Both are located on Georgia S.R. 144, also known as Ford Avenue within the Richmond Hill city limits. When it was suggested that the town be renamed “Ford”, Mr. Ford declined, and instead Ways Station was renamed “Richmond Hill” after the site of Ford’s home on the banks of the Ogeechee River.
This little bit of history was in one of the cruising guides I was reading. We are only spending 1 night here and John and Deni are leaving early tomorrow so they can make it to Beaufort, SC. That is about 80 miles from Kilkenny.