Geokayaching along the Savannah River
Griffin Island is a long island along the main channel of the Savannah River. A small inlet of the Savannah River forms the upper end of the island. A canoe or kayak can travel down the small water trail that eventually opens to a larger open water area. There is a broad access area at the lower end of the island. The island is officially in the Savannah River, and the water around the island is all considered part of the "mighty" Savannah. The aquatic vegetation on the South Carolina side of the island is thick, especially when the water is low in the Savannah River. In the summer, the aquatic vegetation can be thicker, so when added to the low water that can occur at times, the small water trail can be a challenge. However, the water trail is very nice and worth the trip.
There are a large number of stumps on the South Carolina side of Griffin Island. These stumps have varying heights. Some are above the water and visible at all times. Others might or might not be visible, depending on the water level. When I hid this geocache, I paddled on top of a submerged stumped. I had to get out of my kayak in order to get off the stump. I swam to the bank of the island in order to get back in my kayak and continue the journey.
The best launch point is the Furys Ferry Boat Ramp on the South Carolina side of the river. The coordinates are listed as the parking waypoint so that you will have the location on your phone app or GPS.
Loop Around Griffin Island
The trip down the main part of the Savannah River to the lower end of Griffin Island is about 2.6 miles. It is about 2.8 miles to go back up the South Carolina side of Griffin Island, through the water trail and back to the boat ramp. The total paddle is about 5.4 miles if you go around the island. It is nice to be able to paddle down the main channel with the current and then back up the SC side of the island where there is very little current. Finding the water trail from the southeast can be a challenge. There are a few other places that appear to be the water trail that are very shallow.
Water Trail to Geocache
There is a waypoint for the beginning of the water trail. If you go here and directly to the cache, it is about 2.25 miles. You could then go straight back to the boat landing for a paddle that is about 4.5 miles round trip.