Northeast · St. Augustine
Sailboat rentals on Salt Run, the tidal lagoon inside Anastasia State Park, run by the park's concessionaire. Three fourteen-foot Hobie Waves and three single-sail Aqua Finns, reserved by phone. Previous sailing experience is required and renters must be over 21.
Salt Run is a tidal lagoon behind the dunes of Anastasia Island, which makes it unusually forgiving water to rent a small boat on: protected on every side, no powerboat traffic to speak of, and the Atlantic surf a dune line away. The sailing is tide-gated as a result. Boats go out in a window running two hours either side of high tide, and the concession does not launch when the wind is over 15 miles an hour, so check the park’s tide and wind readings before driving out.
Two classes are on the beach, three boats of each: the 14-foot Hobie Wave, a boomless beach catamaran, and the Aqua Finn, a single-sail monohull of the Sunfish type. Renters must be over 21 and the operator asks for previous sailing experience, so this is a place to use a skill you already have. Kayaks, canoes and paddleboards rent from the same stand. Reservations are by phone, and park admission applies on the way in.
Featured Daysail Northeast · St. Augustine
76-foot replica blockade-runner schooner sailing out of the City Marina in St. Augustine. Day sails, sunset sails, and moonlight sails. The city's longest-running tall-ship daysail.
Crewed Northeast · Fernandina Beach
Private cruises on a Lagoon 410 catamaran from Amelia Island Marina, past Fort Clinch and the wild horses of Cumberland Island. Three-hour sunset sails and longer sightseeing runs, plus overnights to St. Marys and Jekyll, and to St. Simons and St. Augustine on request.
Daysail Northeast · St. Augustine
Atlantic Fury, a 65-foot sailing catamaran, sails from Beaches Marina on Vilano Beach into St. Augustine's harbor past the Castillo de San Marcos. Live-music sunset sails and dolphin-watch harbor sails by the seat, plus private charters. Their Island Cat is a power catamaran.