Entry No. 33 — the Savannah file — filed under: night-kayak
Savannah Canoe and Kayak — Full Moon Paddle
A 3-hour moonlight kayak trip timed to a maximum spring tide — the operator's pitch is blunt: "with the second largest tides on the east coast, it seems only right to experience the salt marsh by the light of the silvery moon" — paddled through the Skidaway Narrows with no other light source.
The story
Georgia holds a dirty little geographical secret: its coast experiences the second-largest tidal swings on the entire U.S. East Coast. When a full moon pulls the ocean inland, the salt marsh around Skidaway Narrows floods completely, raising the water level several feet and swallowing the mudflats whole. That’s when Savannah Canoe and Kayak launches its most secretive three-hour run.
You slip into a kayak in near-total darkness, trading headlamps and artificial light for whatever the moon dishes out over the winding tidal creeks. In the warmer months, you might get an extra jolt from below: Georgia’s coastal water harbors microscopic dinoflagellates that ignite into a green-blue phosphorescent glow every time your paddle blade carves through the dark water.
What it's like
You’ll meet up, get fitted with gear, and launch into the Skidaway Narrows as high tide reaches its crest. Because the guides time the run to slack high tide, you aren’t battling brutal currents, making it accessible even if you aren't an expert paddler. The real trick is booking: trips only happen on specific full-moon lunar cycles, meaning spots disappear almost as soon as they hit the calendar.
The move: Book the Full Moon Paddle (about $65-79/person, limited availability, tide- and moon-dependent) and paddle the marsh at slack high tide under a full moon, watching for the phosphorescent flicker that Georgia's coastal dinoflagellates sometimes throw off the paddle blades in warm months.
- 📍 Skidaway Narrows, Savannah
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 414 Bonaventure Rd, Savannah, GA 31404
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Little Gracie Watson Monument (Bonaventure Cemetery) — The outfitter's base address on Bonaventure Road places you minutes from Bonaventure Cemetery, making a late-afternoon stroll to see Little Gracie's marble monument an easy warm-up.
- The Pirates' House — Grab an early dinner at Georgia's oldest standing tavern structure before leaving city lights behind for the pitch-black marsh.
- Cosmic Corner — Stop by Starland's interfaith spiritual shop earlier in the day to pick up a moon-phase journal or ritual candle before paddling under the actual full moon.
- Blown Studios — Contrast the cold, dark nighttime water with a daytime session inside an air-conditioned glassblowing hot shop.
Good to know
How much does the Full Moon Paddle cost?
Tickets run roughly $65 to $79 per person, which covers your kayak, paddle, PFD, and guided navigation through the marsh.
Where does the paddle actually go?
The tour glides through the Skidaway Narrows, a protected tidal waterway flanked by salt marshes between the mainland and Skidaway Island State Park.
Are you guaranteed to see glowing bioluminescence?
No guarantees—the phosphorescent flicker thrown off by local dinoflagellates depends heavily on warm water temperatures, sea conditions, and dark skies.
Do I need prior kayaking experience?
Not necessarily. The trip stays in protected tidal marsh waters and is timed around slack tide to keep paddling manageable for first-timers.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · wsav.com
last checked: 2026-07-20