out here on the water....and some are just great! Woke up
to a sunny bright day, with temperatures heading for 70°. For a
Canadian in December, that’s pretty much heaven. Had coffee with two boating friends from Montreal with whom I had dinner last night, Tony and Dominique, who live on their boat in Wrightsville Beach. With three dogs. And a cat. It’s a busy boat, let me tell you. Dominique sewed the zippers on my bimini, which had been coming apart for the last while - nice to have them fitting perfectly again.
So, an easy morning, and then headed out at 1 pm, the plan was to overnight at Carolina Beach and get the outgoing tide on the Cape Fear River tomorrow morning. The prospect of strong winds tomorrow made me decide to run a bit longer today and do the Cape Fear this afternoon, even though the tide wasn’t favourable.
I’d reach Southport about a half hour after sunset, which is no biggie - but the bonus I got for this decision! The most amazing sunset, just take a look at the video of the sunset and the lighthouse here at Cape Fear....
Followed that with a fabulous pizza and a couple of cold beers at the new Yacht Basin Eatery in Southport - free dockage for dining customers and they have a deli with meats, cheeses and other goodies as well if you need to stock up. No need to trek a mile and a half to the grocery store. I met Jill just prior to her opening last spring on my way north and I’m pleased to see that she’d doing very well. Although it’s a Tuesday in the off season, she was busy with about three quarters of the tables full.
If you have never been to Southport, you need to check it out. It’s a small town, but the houses are lovely old southern homes and the locals are very friendly.
Even though it’s just a few days before Christmas, the temperature this evening is in the 50s, making a walk in just a light coat to look at the Christmas lights an enjoyable prospect. So, if you’ll excuse me, Aduana and I are out of here to go enjoy the sights.
Tomorrow will be a long day ending up at Little River and the anchorage there. It’s miles from anywhere, but very quiet and relaxing - a nice break before hitting the Myrtle Beach region, the Grand Strand which is about as DULL DULL DULL as it gets.
Your reward for this section of the waterway is the Waccamaw River, which is just so beautiful, just a river winding through the forest and swamps. But if you should hear banjoes? Sail faster....
