Tides, tidal currents and wind … These three ingredients make for a wicked nights sleep, and that is what we had two nights ago in the Fort George River.

If there is no wind, the tide and its current are generally not a problem. Anchoring during a low tide is ideal because you can see where the shallows will be. Whether high or low, we prefer it not to be slack when picking our spot to anchor because you can better sight the turbulent water, and stay clear of it.

Generally, when at anchor, and using a sentinel with the anchor rode, we have found the issues around tide changes to be minimal … Except when the wind is blowing 15+ knots, and is opposite the current, and you have very little wind protection (and in most areas of the Southern AICW, wind protection is sketchy to non-existent).

The boat pictured below is in an anchorage off the ICW, but looks as if it is washed up in the marsh.  You can see a boat across the marsh at high tide.  At low tide, you see only the mast in most cases.

Some geese on a sandbar across from anchorage.

Which brings us back to our night in the Fort George River anchorage. We had good wind protection from the southern points but not from anything north. After anchoring in 15 feet of water at high tide (not ideal), our next tide change was at 8:01 p.m. So, we watched with trepidation as the water slowly, then quickly, went out. It was dark by the time it hit dead low tide, but it was still bright enough that we could see the shoreline around us. We had also sounded the anchorage around us by dinghy using our handheld depth sounder.

Now, it was time for the swing with the tide change, which we have found generally happens about an hour and a half after the high or low tide. You can actually feel and see the boat start a slow turn, but within minutes it quickly swings with the tide. We have dubbed these events as “swing time”, and if at the right hour of the day, will enjoy a cocktail while watching the “swing”.

This all happens within a 5-10 minute timeframe. It is not a wide arc-like swing. Rather, the boat turns on its axis 180 degrees and then drifts back in the reversed current direction. The sentinel keeps the anchor rode free of the keel.

We swung fine. No problem. Not a stitch of wind. We started planning our trek for the following day. When we looked at the weather, the marine report indicated 20 knots the following day, and low and behold, it also said 15-20 with gusts of 25 that night! Hmmm … It was dead calm. But, suddenly, the wind cranked up, and it was 20 out of the north, north-west. The tide was coming in, running to the north-west. So, we had tidal current with a strong opposing wind.

This results in the boat riding abeam to the wind from one direction, and the tidal current from the other direction. We had started with a short scope (5:1) due to the narrow anchorage, but added more after the wind came into the picture.

And, it would be this way until next tide change at 2:00 a.m., which meant 3:15 a.m. before the boat would be riding smooth again.

Needless to say, it was a long, sleepless night. We caught some shut-eye after 3:15 a.m., but we had to be up before sunrise to make it out of the shoaled river entrance on an acceptable tide, and back onto the ICW. We also had an 8 hour trek that day to our next stop, so needed to be underway early.

Made it to St. Augustine late afternoon.

Lots of traffic on the ICW now, with all the snowbirds heading south.

We are in the mooring field with 168 other boats!