Anchorage north of Mrytle BeachNorth Carolina is a fishing mecca as small fishing boats are out all over the waterways this long weekend. Most homes along the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) have docks and boat lifts. Now I know where the powerboat companies make their profits.
Our trip continues Sunday (9 Nov) through Camp Lejeune's artillery firing range, complete with armored mobile launcher targets right on the east bank of the ICW. I would not want to pass through here with a marine needing lots of practice lobbing artillery rounds at targets!
The bridges along the route down to Wrightsville Beach (near Wilmington) open on the hour, or hour and half hour. There is no conversation with the bridge tender, your boat better be on time or it will not open or will close after the boats slightly ahead of you are through. We are being patient with other boaters, even though some slower boats move ahead of the pack awaiting a bridge opening, instead of staying in line as they arrive, then proceed through the bridge opening slowly, holding everyone else up and making everyone spend additional time getting around them (some even remain mid-channel so you can not get around). The result is a continual passing of the same boats at every bridge with a long wait for an opening.
While crossing and heading downriver on the Cape Fear River on the flood (meaning the tidal current if going the same direction you are), the "Star" got up to 9.6 knots. The fastest speed she has been at since we have owned her. Our usual speed is about 6 knots (7 mph), with a range of 35-60 miles/day depending on if we are anchoring out or staying at a marina. We try to do a early (35 miles) day when staying overnight at a marina, so we have time to refuel, scrub the deck, do laundry, shop for groceries, and any other chores required. Otherwise we continue until the late afternoon to an anchorage (definitely before sundown).
We anchored past Wrightsville Beach Sunday night with that city lights to the north and Carolina Beach's lights to the south with a three quarters moon. Monday, was a day strangely without being caught up in a boat gaggle. We had the waterway to ourselves and relished in the peace. Dolphins sightings are becoming more frequent.
The ICW in the Myrtle Beach area requires a day of patience. A few bridges to pass through, with quite a few boats all together. Some slower vessels keep moving up to the bridge as everyone else stays in line as they arrive waiting for the opening. Then the slow boats fearfully creep through the bridge opening, so everyone behind them can barely move forward, increasing the length of time the bridge stops vehicular traffic. Now the line of boats spends time (if there is room) passing the slow boats, if slow boat bothers to look behind them and stay out of the middle of the channel. You can try contacting them on the VHF radio, but usually will get no answer as the slow boat is being single-handed and their VHF is not in the cockpit (where the captain is steering). In addition, many new fixed bridges (65' height) have gone up in this area that are not on the chart or in cruising guides. So lead boat of the pack freaks out and slows down to creep up to the new bridge (all new bridges are built at 65') not sure if their mast will pass under. Time to practice yoga meditation - ohmmmm.
In this section is an overhead cable tramway. The tram cars carry golfers from the clubhouse over the ICW to the golf course and back!
Our reward after all this on Tuesday (11 Nov), is a stay at the friendly and lovely Osprey Marina for the night. Time to do laundry, scrub down the "Star's" deck, and enjoy the full moon with our bag of goodies the marina provides to all transient boaters. Ah, life is good after all.
Our trip continues Sunday (9 Nov) through Camp Lejeune's artillery firing range, complete with armored mobile launcher targets right on the east bank of the ICW. I would not want to pass through here with a marine needing lots of practice lobbing artillery rounds at targets!
The bridges along the route down to Wrightsville Beach (near Wilmington) open on the hour, or hour and half hour. There is no conversation with the bridge tender, your boat better be on time or it will not open or will close after the boats slightly ahead of you are through. We are being patient with other boaters, even though some slower boats move ahead of the pack awaiting a bridge opening, instead of staying in line as they arrive, then proceed through the bridge opening slowly, holding everyone else up and making everyone spend additional time getting around them (some even remain mid-channel so you can not get around). The result is a continual passing of the same boats at every bridge with a long wait for an opening.
While crossing and heading downriver on the Cape Fear River on the flood (meaning the tidal current if going the same direction you are), the "Star" got up to 9.6 knots. The fastest speed she has been at since we have owned her. Our usual speed is about 6 knots (7 mph), with a range of 35-60 miles/day depending on if we are anchoring out or staying at a marina. We try to do a early (35 miles) day when staying overnight at a marina, so we have time to refuel, scrub the deck, do laundry, shop for groceries, and any other chores required. Otherwise we continue until the late afternoon to an anchorage (definitely before sundown).
We anchored past Wrightsville Beach Sunday night with that city lights to the north and Carolina Beach's lights to the south with a three quarters moon. Monday, was a day strangely without being caught up in a boat gaggle. We had the waterway to ourselves and relished in the peace. Dolphins sightings are becoming more frequent.
The ICW in the Myrtle Beach area requires a day of patience. A few bridges to pass through, with quite a few boats all together. Some slower vessels keep moving up to the bridge as everyone else stays in line as they arrive waiting for the opening. Then the slow boats fearfully creep through the bridge opening, so everyone behind them can barely move forward, increasing the length of time the bridge stops vehicular traffic. Now the line of boats spends time (if there is room) passing the slow boats, if slow boat bothers to look behind them and stay out of the middle of the channel. You can try contacting them on the VHF radio, but usually will get no answer as the slow boat is being single-handed and their VHF is not in the cockpit (where the captain is steering). In addition, many new fixed bridges (65' height) have gone up in this area that are not on the chart or in cruising guides. So lead boat of the pack freaks out and slows down to creep up to the new bridge (all new bridges are built at 65') not sure if their mast will pass under. Time to practice yoga meditation - ohmmmm.
In this section is an overhead cable tramway. The tram cars carry golfers from the clubhouse over the ICW to the golf course and back!
Our reward after all this on Tuesday (11 Nov), is a stay at the friendly and lovely Osprey Marina for the night. Time to do laundry, scrub down the "Star's" deck, and enjoy the full moon with our bag of goodies the marina provides to all transient boaters. Ah, life is good after all.
Osprey Marina off the ICW
