Hilton Head (South Carolina) - Docking

Dockage in and around Hilton Head is mostly geared toward long-term stays, yachts owned by residents of the area, and vacationers' fishing charters. (The charter businesses in the area are usually crewed – not bareboat.)

Facilities are high-quality.

Anchoring

It is possible to anchor as elsewhere along the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (ICW). There are numerous small sunset cruise and chartered fishing boats that will run at all hours from Hilton Head Island.

Some of the best anchorages will be found in the Harbor River and along the ICW. In the Harbor River, there are usually boats anchored just to the west of the bridge (65ft clearance). There are a few places to land, but be careful of Palmetto Bay Marina: it was destroyed by Hurricane Matthew and the remnants of it were a hazard to navigation for many months after.

Along the ICW to the south, there are plenty of quiet anchorages, but few places to land due to the marshes and floodplains.

To the north, the ICW runs along the Pinckney Wildlife Refuge. This is a favorite anchorage by local cruisers, which has some easy access to land.

When anchoring, take care to set the hook appropriately for shifts in the tide. The tides in this area can run hard. If staying for multiple days, it may be advisable to use two anchors; however, holding is typically good for plow-type anchors.

Last updated December 2017