BRUNSWICK -- The Jekyll Island Authority and Georgia DNR have temporarily closed the Jekyll Island public boat ramp beginning Monday. Barring unforeseen delays, the boat ramp will reopen late September.
"In 2007, the Georgia legislature and Gov. Perdue authorized a Coastal Resources Division budget enhancement of $1.35 million to improve coastal boating access," Spud Woodward, CRD assistant director, said.
"Four sites were identified for renovation and improvement including the public boat ramp on Jekyll Island State Park. We recommended this site because it's the only boat ramp on the island, and it provides quick access to St. Simons and St. Andrew estuaries,"
Planned improvements include adding two acres of pervious surface parking for boat ramp users and anglers who fish in the nearby Ski Rixen Pond, replacing the existing 20-foot wide boat ramp with a 50-foot wide concrete ramp and adding another 100 feet of floating dock to the existing boating service dock.
According to project coordinator Shawn Jordan of CRD, "Extending the service dock will give boaters more space to secure their vessels while moving trailers to and from the parking area. The public is welcome to fish or crab from the boating service dock as long as they don't interfere with boaters."
After construction activities are completed, the CRD Habitat Program will place oyster cultch material in the vicinity of the boat ramp. Once barnacles and oysters colonize this material it will help protect the shoreline from boat wakes while also creating habitat for fish and other marine life.
"We regret having to close the ramp during the middle of the summer boating season, but we're confident the boating and fishing public will be pleased with the improvements when the ramp is reopened," Woodward said.
While the Jekyll ramp is closed, boaters should consider using the MacKay River ramp or the Blythe Island ramp as alternatives. The parking area and Ski Rixen Pond fishing piers will remain open to the public during construction.
"In 2007, the Georgia legislature and Gov. Perdue authorized a Coastal Resources Division budget enhancement of $1.35 million to improve coastal boating access," Spud Woodward, CRD assistant director, said.
"Four sites were identified for renovation and improvement including the public boat ramp on Jekyll Island State Park. We recommended this site because it's the only boat ramp on the island, and it provides quick access to St. Simons and St. Andrew estuaries,"
Planned improvements include adding two acres of pervious surface parking for boat ramp users and anglers who fish in the nearby Ski Rixen Pond, replacing the existing 20-foot wide boat ramp with a 50-foot wide concrete ramp and adding another 100 feet of floating dock to the existing boating service dock.
According to project coordinator Shawn Jordan of CRD, "Extending the service dock will give boaters more space to secure their vessels while moving trailers to and from the parking area. The public is welcome to fish or crab from the boating service dock as long as they don't interfere with boaters."
After construction activities are completed, the CRD Habitat Program will place oyster cultch material in the vicinity of the boat ramp. Once barnacles and oysters colonize this material it will help protect the shoreline from boat wakes while also creating habitat for fish and other marine life.
"We regret having to close the ramp during the middle of the summer boating season, but we're confident the boating and fishing public will be pleased with the improvements when the ramp is reopened," Woodward said.
While the Jekyll ramp is closed, boaters should consider using the MacKay River ramp or the Blythe Island ramp as alternatives. The parking area and Ski Rixen Pond fishing piers will remain open to the public during construction.