by Holle Abee

Created on: June 25, 2008   Last Updated: April 18, 2011

St. Simon's Island is surrounded by the Atlantic, rivers, the St. Simon's Sound, and expansive saltwater marshes. All this water provides numerous aquatic playgrounds, perfect for all kinds of water sports and activities!

Swimming is popular on the beaches of St. Simon's and on neighboring Jekyll Island. Some of the best swim beaches are at Neptune Park and Lighthouse Beach on St. Simon's, and at Jekyll's Main Beach.

Boating and sailing are also popular, and vessels can be rented at marinas on the island - with or without a captain. If you go it on your own, stay in the clearly marked channels. There are lots of shallows and sandbars!

For a real adventure, explore the creeks, marshes, and rivers in a kayak or canoe. It's like losing yourself in a prairie of sawgrass, and you'll have the opportunity to see dolphins, sea turtles, deer, and many species of birds up close!

The surf around the Golden Isles is generally pretty calm, but you'll usually find enough waves for surfing near high tide. The best surf beaches are Main Beach and the eastern section of Driftwood Beach, both on Jekyll. For some awesome body surfing, try Neptune Park Beach.

Windsurfing boards can be rented at several outfits on St. Simon's, and the gentle surf offers a smooth ride. There's usually a good breeze near the St. Simon's pier.

Great diving trips, as well as lessons, can be found at St. Simon's. Gray's Reef, just 17 miles offshore, is one of only 12 National Marine Sanctuaries. Here you'll see loggerhead turtles, angelfish, coral, and the occasional right whale. The Liberty shipwreck is another amazing site. Visibility here exceeds 100 feet and offers close encounters with barracudas, turtles, jacks, and schools of angelfish.

The fertile waters around the island provide excellent saltwater fishing. Some of the best spots are at the covered pier on St. Simon's, in any of the tidal creeks, and under the Sidney Lanier Bridge. Redfish and sea trout are available most of the year in inland waters, and flounder begin biting as the water warms. Huge tripletail begin biting in late spring, and one of the best spots to hook one of these lunkers is at the north end of Jekyll. For grouper, king mackerel, snapper, amberjack, cobia, dolphin fish, sailfish, and big sharks, book an offshore or deep sea fishing charter.

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