We had looked at destinations and determined that Southport was our next stop. The section of the ICW beyond Southport is tricky and it is recommended to do the trip mid tide to mid tide due to our friend shoaling. There is no way to get through there today and high tide at 4 pm Wednesday, makes it difficult due to daylight fading in the trip window. Thursday, it is the weather that interferes as well as the tide not being ideal. We were able to convince the kind marina in Southport to take us through Thursday even though they were technically not taking people. They have been so helpful. Also, there may be a weather window to travel outside Friday so it is nice to stay by the inlet in case.
We did a morning walk to Robert’s grocery, a nice independent grocery in Wrightsvile with lovely pastries and a nice deli. Looked again at the anchorage. Dolphins off the causeway bridge. This is a place I would definitely love to return to.
We headed out of Wrightsville around 10 am,ever worried about depth, trying to wait a bit into the incoming tide to leave. Beautiful dunes and beaches to port with amazing homes to starboard. Not much boat traffic on the early stretches except for small local fishing boats. Around marker 155, across from Carolina Beach inlet, we briefly touched bottom but did not stop. Carolina Beach inlet has shoaled to 2 feet and is no longer much of a useable inlet except perhaps to small shallow draft boats with local knowledge. Michael’s kind of place.
Past that is Carolina beach which has a nice anchorage and would be an interesting place to visit. I would have liked a stop here but will return sometime. I am intrigued by the Venus flytrap trail where these plants are native, growing amongst the pines. You in John?
After Carolina Beach, we lost our beautiful emerald clear water as the Cape Fear River began to exert its influence. We traveled through Snows cut and then into a narrow channel in the river that was full of hazards and bars and large boat traffic and ferries. David says he much prefers container ships to narrow shallow channels. We were lucky to make it to the larger channel in the Cape Fear river before a large container ship came in from the inlet. Two other sailboats behind us had to move out of the way for him. we did not hit bottom in this channel.
We then passed the town of Southport and on to our marina a bit farther down. They gave us a list of taxi services so we will plan to take a car to Southport tomorrow. Another place I would like to go is Bald Head island. I think Austin and Sara went there for a vacation. Only golf carts, walking and bikes. You can get there by ferry or boat. They are currently dredging at their marina, but it looks great. Lovely beaches and a lighthouse. May take a ferry there tomorrow if it is possible.
Upriver to Wilmington is another area we missed. Island Mike is there and says he likes it so much, he just might stay there. I dream of a future Bald Head Island, Wilmington, Carolina Beach excursion. And then there is Oak Island with another lighthouse. I am looking forward to a tree in southport that is in Keziah Memorial Park. More tomorrow if we see it.
Cloudy and dreary but warm, dark water but a beautiful marina with nice staff and facilities. Shower felt good. We ate on the boat but several restaurants here. Cranky and sleepy last night, early to bed.