Cruising Coastal Carolinas - Southwinds, October 2001

- Local News for Southern Sailors - September 2001 Next Story

Coastal cruising in the Carolinas —
Wilmington, North Carolina
By Karen Dodd

We have traveled up and down the North Carolina and South Carolina waterways dozens of times but never turned up the Cape Fear River any farther than Snow's Cut at Statute Mile 296.

Quite the water taxi...on the left.
Karen Dodd photo

This year we decided to take a trip to Wilmington, the port city located about 120 miles southeast of Raleigh. We stopped for the night at the Carolina Beach State Park Marina, (SM 296) just at the southern tip of Snow's Cut entering the Cape Fear River. It appears that some boaters are not aware of the meaning of "red-right-returning" day marks as arrows are mounted on each pole, pointing towards the center of the channel.

Weekend boaters and fishermen studied our entrance. Anglers cast out into the river as we surfed into the park entrance with the tide coming up the river. The diesel and gasoline fuel pumps were dead ahead above the floating docks just to the left of the boat ramps. A friendly attendant lowered the hose so we could top off our fuel tank and pointed us up to the ships store to make payment and inquire about dockage.

The slips are rented on a 24-hour basis, starting each day at 3 p.m. We got there at 2:30, and there were two slips available on the long floating docks, provided the previous day's renters did not phone in or reappear in 30 minutes. We cooled off in the air-conditioned registration office, sucking on ice-cream bars and waited.

The ships store contained ice, a few sundries, and gadgets for the fishermen. There was a pay phone, laundry, heads, and great rates! We paid a total of $16 for our 27-foot Albin for the night, including power and water. A campground is also located on the property, but we didn't notice any additional noise or traffic. We enjoyed a pleasant night with a cooling breeze to curb the bugs and left early the next morning before too many weekend powerboaters emerged.

The problem with traveling Friday through Sunday on these waters is the deep water anglers in a rush to get to the inlet, the skiers, the kid-laden doughnut dragging speedboats, and bored fiberglass day-boaters—all of whom spend the day zipping up and down the waterway while creating bone-jerking wakes. Ah, the peace and quiet of the Cape Fear River in early morning is reassuring.

We caught the tide going up river. The shoreline, lined with pines, sweetgums and oaks, likely looks much the same as it did centuries ago if you ignore the few radio beacons, power lines, and water towers. We took a side channel, starting at Snow's Cut, to avoid any port traffic, and the route was well marked and deep—up to 14 feet in places. The main channel is deep enough for ocean-going tankers, and the elevator lift bridge is always high enough for cruisers to clear.

Claiborne Young's Cruising Guide to Coastal North Carolina and the complimentary North Carolina Cruiser's Chart list the nearby marinas at Wilmington. We opted for the Hilton facility just beyond the Coast Guard cutter on the starboard side of the river, and there's room enough for six or more boats on their new floating docks.

At the front desk of the hotel, they call the dockmaster, who collects the money and unlocks the power receptacle. If you plan on visiting, reservations are recommended. Call (910) 520-6875. The current transient slip rate is a dollar per foot and includes water, power, and all hotel amenities including the pool and exercise facility.

We immediately liked the location—right in the center of old downtown. A river taxi, the Captain J. N. Maffitt, carries you over to see the battleship USS North Carolina or on sight-seeing cruises. The Maffitt is docked at the base of Market Street. The round trip water taxi cost $2, and the tour of the battleship was $10.

There are horse-drawn carriages, trolley cars, the Henrietta III paddlewheeler, rickshaw bicycles, town buses, and taxis to take you wherever you want to go. An open-air information center with knowledgeable assistants provided us with brochures and information about the city landmarks and interests. Antiques stores, galleries, and museums are all within walking distance. The Cotton Exchange and Chandler's Wharf Shops are renovated warehouses and stores remodeled to meet the tourist and student population needs.

Both the University of North Carolina-Wilmington and Cape Fear Community College are nearby. The open college town feeling filters through the oak-lined streets and waterfront atmosphere.

The town has a walking tour in the morning and ghost tour in the evening with colorful docents, who know their way about the historical district. Beautiful old homes provide hints of Revolutionary and Civil War history. One house on the historic tour was occupied by Lord Cornwallis in 1781, shortly before his defeat at Yorktown. Several bed and breakfasts are available nearby.

Wilmington has an airport if you need to fly out, and car rentals are available. The Riverfest is the first week of October if you are heading south. If you come back in April, you might hit the Azalea Festival complete with home tours.

Downtown developers have built several different styled condominiums to entice you to stay longer with prices ranging from $85,000 to $250,000.

The bars, restaurants, and nightclubs entice you with smells of garlic and Cajun foods. If you are after an international menu, the town has almost everything. We ate a great lunch in the German Cafe in the back side of the Cotton Exchange. Coffee and bagel shops and early morning cafes cater to the college students and downtown workers. We enjoyed bagels, coffee, and a fresh fruit slurry at Main Street's Port City Java.

The Sunday morning brunch at Ray's Riverboat Landing Restaurant was unforgettable. I ordered poached eggs served over crabmeat. My husband ordered poached eggs over salmon. The potatoes were cooked with an interesting mix of red and yellow peppers with Hollandaise sauce dribbled over the perfectly cooked eggs. It was a memorable breakfast!

Much to our delight, the downtown businesses sponsor a Sundown Shindig during the summer Sunday evenings June through August. Starting in the afternoon, street vendors set up tents and tables on Water Street, which is closed off during the event. Young cloggers entertained us that evening, but local musicians were sprinkled among the jewelers, artists, and craft venders. The old-fashioned Henrietta III crossed my line of sight as I looked over at the USS North Carolina, creating a time warp in my mind. We sat for a while in the shade of the waterfront park trees to watch people and boats.

Wilmington is home to a television and movie industry, which provides additional opportunities for the boat traveler who wants to glimpse a few stars other than those found in the sky. Across the street from the waterfront are the very steps which Andy Griffith came down during his Matlock television series. EUE/Screen Gems Studio is touted to be the largest working motion picture facility east of California. Tours are provided on weekends for those interested.

We spent several days walking the streets of the town, riding tour vehicles, and sitting onboard watching the river flow by. Some waterside storefronts had boats tied to their docks. According to local guidebooks, you can tie up where the Captain J. N. Maffitt docks in the winter months. The city boat ramp just under the bridge has space for dinghies. I didn't see a place I would feel comfortable anchoring overnight. We heard they are planning on towing the USS North Carolina away for a rework, which might open up room to anchor in its large docking area just east of the Hilton.

We did the Wilmington scene, leaving a few things still unseen for future return trips. A small pharmacy and grocery store are within a couple of blocks of the waterfront. I'd recommend Wilmington if you want to visit an old waterfront town that has rehabilitated itself into a comfortable attraction. The movie industry beckons the curious, the polite streets hold a few secrets, and the waterfront refreshes you.