Southport to Beaufort

Tuesday, April 25, 2017 - Southport to Wrightsville Beach NC

We finally have a nice day to head north again.  We depart Southport with a little morning fog, but otherwise have cool, dry conditions.  We proceed up the Cape Fear River and enter Snow's Cut, our first navigational challenge of the day.

Northbound in Snow's Cut

Here we encounter bad shoaling that requires us to swerve back and forth across the channel to stay in deep water.  In addition, we are battling a swift current that abruptly reverses direction - visible here by the color change.  South of this spot, water ebbs south out the Cape Fear Inlet.  North, water ebbs north to Carolina Beach Inlet.  It is rare to see the reversal this clearly.

Current reversal in Snow's Cut

Recent heavy rains have washed lots of debris, like this large log, into the waterways - an additional hazard to navigation.

Debris in water - Snow's Cut

Finally we leave Snow's Cut and the town of Carolina Beach behind.

Carolina Beach NC

Lots of boats are underway today, the first nice weather in several days.

Myrtle Grove Sound

We stop for the night in Wrightsville Beach, a suburb of Wilmington NC.  This is a high-end resort area with lots of big sport fishing and cruising boats.  Wish we had more time to explore as we understand downtown Wilmington has a very nice waterfront with cute shops and great restaurants.  Hmmm ... maybe another time.  We had originally planned an overnight in Wilmington but decided to skip it to make up for one of our days lost to bad weather.  I know, I know, no schedule and all that, but the Chesapeake beckons ...

Bridge Tender Marina, Wrightsville Beach NC

Wednesday, April 26, 2017 - Wrightsville Beach to Sneads Ferry NC

We get a very early start to catch the nearby drawbridge when it opens at 7 and are soon cruising past some magnificent homes in north Wilmington.

Howe Point

We have more shoaling to deal with today, beginning with this spot.  We were initially instructed to go between the red buoy and the docks - yikes!  Then we learned the red buoy was moved to better mark the shoaling and to get as close as we can, leaving it on our port (left).  Is 6 ft close enough?  Well, we have almost 4 feet of tide and we see 7.5 ft water depth - 18" to spare, whew!

MM 280, Mason Inlet shoaling

These are the first shrimp boats we have seen underway.  Shrimp season must finally be open!

Shrimp boats on the move

 Lots of open water today.  We're seeing glimpses of whitecaps and spray offshore as we pass numerous inlets.  We are thankful to be in the ICW, in spite of all the shoaling.

Near Rich Inlet

Looks like a nice marina development.  We're near Hampstead NC, opposite Topsail Beach on the barrier island.

Harbour Village Marina

Today we must pass through several bridges that open only on a schedule.  We were early for this one so had to wait almost 40 minutes, idling up and down and up the ICW, rather than trying to stay in one place for so long.  At last it is open and we can proceed.

Surf City Swing Bridge

As we move north, we are losing the large expanses of marsh grass.  Vegetation is dense with mixed pine, live oak and hardwoods.

Stump Sound

We stop for the night at Swan Point Marina in Sneads Ferry NC.  Robert says this area is known as a destination for offshore fishing.  We have seen lots of whitecaps offshore today as we passed several inlets so offshore fishing is NOT in our plans!

Swan Point Marina, Sneads Ferry NC

Local shrimp boats work out of this area and we are rewarded with some very nice, very fresh shrimp - heads on for $5 per pound.  Shrimp for dinner tonight!

Fresh shrimp at last!

This marina is a bit scruffy with a working boatyard full of boats that need to be put out of their misery.  Someone here has a sense of humor and a very eclectic artists eye. 

Swan Point Marina

These items are part of a hodge podge of "stuff" outside the marina office and along the main dock.

Swan Point Marina

Swan Point Marina

Not sure how the pot of blooming iris fits in, but it is lovely.

Swan Point Marina

We spend a restless night at the dock in anticipation of an uncertain schedule tomorrow.  All afternoon we have been listening to broadcasts on the VHF radio:  "This is warship 56 in the vicinity of (location).  Request all vessels remain clear of this area", followed by "boom, boom, boom".  Tomorrow we must immediately transit some bad shoaling in the New River, then catch a scheduled opening of a swing bridge that opens every 30 minutes.  Once past the swing bridge, we will pass through 5 miles of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, and their live fire area.  Yes, the announcements on the VHF mean there has been a warship offshore, firing across the ICW all day.  Yikes!  And we have just been informed, as of 4 pm today, that the ICW will be closed tomorrow between 8 am - noon and 1 - 4 pm for more live fire exercises.  Bummer!  We decide we must wait for high tide tomorrow at 8:15 am to get past the New River shoaling, then anchor near the swing bridge and wait for the noon opening, using the 12 - 1 pm lull in the live fire to get past Camp Lejeune.  That will put us passing additional shoaling at low tide and getting into Beaufort by late afternoon for a very long day.  Are we having fun yet?  NOT!

Swan Point Marina, Sneads Ferry NC

Thursday, April 27, 2017 - Sneads Ferry to Beaufort NC

After a restless night we are both up early.  Robert looks out to check the lines, expecting to see a rising tide.  Instead it appears the tide is falling!  What??? We hurriedly toss off lines and head for New River, hoping we have not misjudged the tide too much and can get past the shoaling before the tide falls too far.  The ICW route has actually been moved here due to the shoaling, changing from a 90 degree turn to a zig-zag course, completely outside the normal channel.  We are unsure what kind of depths we will find, but we pass the shoaling with no mishaps.  Meanwhile, we realize the tide really is coming in.  Are we just tired?  Regardless, we are heading for the swing bridge early enough that we may get through before it is shut down for the live fire morning closing. But we realize we do not know if we get through the bridge at the 7:30 opening, will we be allowed to cross Camp Lejeune, arriving at the north side after 8?

Suddenly we discover that Serendipity is on board as we rush to catch a shrimp boat that appears headed for the bridge.  Since he is a commercial vessel, the bridge will open for him whenever he gets there - he doesn't have to wait for the scheduled opening.  We talk to the bridge operator and, sure enough, he will let us pass through, too.  So we cruise past the bridge at 7:20 with ample time to get to the north side of Camp Lejeune by 8.

Onslow Beach Bridge

We pass a marine patrol boat at the north end of Camp Lejeune and we are on our way!

Marines on patrol

More shoaling today crossing Bogue Sound, but nothing too bad.  We are thankful the winds are calm as we cruise this large, shallow body of water.  It is somewhat reminiscent of the Texas bays.

Bogue Sound

Morehead City lies on the mainland, across from Beaufort.

Morehead City NC

Atlantic City is also on a barrier island across from Morehead City.

Atlantic City NC

We pass a huge dredge working in Beaufort Channel.  This area has a major inlet and port facilities.

Dredge working in Beaufort Inlet

We wait for one last bridge to open, enjoying the scenery in Gallant's Channel - commercial boats on one side and historic homes on the other.  We are cleared through the noon bridge opening and tied up at our dock by 12:15.  Serendipity has been with us all day!

Boats near Beaufort NC

Friday, April 28, 2017 - Beaufort NC

Beaufort is another delightful waterfront town on a barrier island.  Full of historic homes dating from the early 1700s, it is a tourist mecca with plenty of shops and restaurants to explore.  Our marina is an easy walk to the main drag.  This town name is pronounced "Bow-fort", as opposed to "Bue-fort" SC.  While here, we toured their excellent Maritime Museum, which also has an active wooden boat-building program.  Lots of maritime history in this area, including the sinking of the pirate Blackbeard's ship (Queen Anne's Revenge) off the North Carolina coast in 1718.  The ship's artifacts are a featured exhibit at the Maritime Museum.

Front St, Beaufort NC

Another marina fronts on the main drag.  Here we saw Blueberry, the sailboat that led our caravan through the Rock Pile a week ago.  Unfortunately we did not get to meet the owner.

Boardwalk near Beaufort Docks marina

Beaufort is the Carteret County seat.

County courthouse

Lots of restored homes, dating from early 1700's - early 1900s, in the historic district.  Some are being used as B&Bs and other businesses but many are private homes.

Historic home - 1856

Historic home - 1730

Historic homes on the waterfront - Beaufort NC

Historic home on the waterfront - Beaufort NC

Couldn't quite read the date on the historic plaque but this one looks really old - guessing early 1700s.

Historic home on the Beaufort waterfront

We returned to our marina, Homer Smith Docks, by mid afternoon to buy more fresh shrimp from the shrimp boats docked there.  Unfortunately we discovered Sauvy B hard aground in the slip at low tide.  Oops - we will be leaving tomorrow near high tide.  Fortunately, it will be a short day.