Roughing out plans for ICW trip south. Suggestions welcome!

[Wayfarer]

I just posted this thread looking for recommendations for the Norfolk area yesterday. After several helpful posts, I thought maybe I should expand the scope of the thread, and open up my larger plan to your thoughts, recommendations, and suggestions.

So, based largely on previous posts in other threads by folks like Ranger42c, OCDiver, and countless others, these are the pins I have tacked into the chart for my first trip south:

Annapolis - Start point. Departing sometime in the first week of January (Theoretically)
Solomons - Anchor
Deltaville - Anchor
Norfolk - Waterside Marina, may take a day or two off here, depending on weather and how I feel.
Coinjock - Unknown marina, suggestions welcome
Alligator River - Anchor at Deep Point
Bellhaven - Not sure if I'll anchor or dock. Suggestions welcome.
Oriental - Unknown marina, suggestions welcome. No idea what's here yet, but I've heard good things about the town.
Beaufort - Most likely Homer Smith Docks if available. (Is this the one that's pronounced Beaufort, or is it Beaufort that's pronounced Beaufort? )
Mile Hammock Bay - I'd like to anchor here and hang out with the Ospreys, but based on mixed reviews about the holding, it may be weather dependent.)
Wrightsville Beach - Unknown Marina, suggestions welcome.
Southport - Unknown Marina, suggestions welcome. Southport marina looks like an option.
North Myrtle Beach - Unknown Marina, suggestions welcome. Thinking maybe Lightkeepers or Harborgate.
Georgetown - Not sure about this one. Worth a stop?
Charleston - Likely City Marina. Probably going to stick around here for several days. I've never been, but I'm looking forward to spending a little time here. I have friends in the area as well.
Beaufort - Not to be confused with Beaufort, which is pronounced Beaufort. I think I'll tie up at the free wall during the day if there's room, and anchor out overnight. Lady's Island marina is also a possibility if I decide to stay longer.
Savannah - Unknown Marina, suggestions welcome. It's likely I'll stick around here for a few days, maybe a week. I have good friends in the area here too, and It's another place I've never been and have always wanted to check out. Thunderbolt looks like a top contender here.

Beyond this point gets pretty hazy. I'll have to reevaluate when I get farther south. It all depends on how long I dilly dally along the way. I have a reservation for the Ft. Pierce rendezvous, but it looks like my company meeting will be happening around that time. I'd like to get down to St. Augustine, but who knows if I'll get that far this year.

I've never been to ANY of these places. I have little to no idea what I'll find there. If any of them are swirling toilet bowls of disappointment, feel free to say so! If there's somewhere in between these places that I really couldn't possibly miss, I'd like to hear it. Is there a sweet BBQ joint, or world's greatest ice cream in one of these places? Maybe the world's largest ball of twine? Let me know!

Also, as I mentioned in the other thread, I do have a couple of guide books, but I left them on the boat, lol. I've been scouring Active captain, TripAdvisor, and various other sources as well, and will continue to do so along the way.

Thanks gang!

 

[Mark P]

Look at Shelter Cove Marina. Located about 1/2 way from Beaufort to Savannah Our boat is docked there. Great shopping very close by excellent floating docks and full service.

 

[ssobol]

...
Coinjock - Unknown marina, suggestions welcome
....

Only really one choice here, Coinjock Marina. There is another marina on the otherside of the canal, but last time I was there it didn't look too appealing.

Coinjock Marina has a nice restaurant and a bar. The amenities are decent. Not really anything else around. Place gets very busy in the spring and fall with repositioning cruises. January may be quiet, but I'd call and check if they are even open.

 

[DavidM]

I lived in Oriental for several years so I can offer info on that town as well as others down the coast:

Oriental has 5-6 free docks right inside the harbor, protected and in the middle of the action. The town regulations are confusing: one set of docks has different regs than another but commensurate with the town's vibes, forget about them. You will be fine for two days at least.

The town has a half dozen or so restaurants and bars, ranging from the Tiki Bar within spitting distance of the free docks, the local coffee hang out The Bean to Silos up the road.

Beaufort, NC has nice City Marina (but for money), right in the middle of town with easy access to another half dozen bars and restaurants.

Wrightsville Beach has a nice anchorage that you get to by motoring a mile or so off of the ICW. One or two funky restaurants withing walking distance and a nice dinghy dock at a park a few hundred yards from the anchorage.

In Myrtle Beach I have stayed at the side tie slips at Barefoot Landing which has lots of shops and a few decent restaurants.

Georgetown is an interesting but crowded anchorage surrounded by marinas and a defunct steel mill and a paper mill across the inlet. Sounds horrible but there is a nice hang out bar restaurant just before the steel mill. Ask the locals if there is an empty mooring you can snag.


Consider anchoring in near wilderness conditions a few miles up the river.


Beaufort, SC- Tieing up for the day and anchoring out is exactly what I would do. Make sure you have DEET spray for the noseeums even in January.

Post your thoughts south of Savannah and we can comment on those as you get closer.

David

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. W. You'll find what you find. The ONLY recommendation I can make is do NOT eat the, so called, "Prime Rib" at the Coinjock Marina. It's SO tough you can still see the whip marks on the flank and they want you to actually pay for this! The other food may be good but avoid the PR.

 

[Woodland Hills]

Only really one choice here, Coinjock Marina. There is another marina on the otherside of the canal, but last time I was there it didn't look too appealing.

Coinjock Marina has a nice restaurant and a bar. The amenities are decent. Not really anything else around. Place gets very busy in the spring and fall with repositioning cruises. January may be quiet, but I'd call and check if they are even open.

Coinjock Marina bought the marina on the other side this summer. They intend to bring it up to modern standards and to open a small store and coffee bar. The plan is to have a shuttle boat to give access to the original and excellent restaurant at Coinjock Marina. The food there is very good, but the bakery is absolutely amazing! The desserts at the restaurant are the best we have tasted in years and are surprisingly not too sweet. Usually dessert makes my teeth hurt with all the sugar, but this place was not like that at all. We have dined at fine restaurants in LA and around the world and have never had such desserts. This is truly the work of a pastry chef, not just a baker.

 

[boomerang]

When cruising we always have our projected anchorages (or marina) and a backup anchorage (or marina) in case weather or mechanical issues arise. It's nice to have an alternative spot already picked out instead of trying to navigate and look for a suitable spot at the same time. It looks like you've got a fun but maybe a little chilly trip ahead!

 

[catalinajack]

When cruising we always have our projected anchorages (or marina) and a backup anchorage (or marina) in case weather or mechanical issues arise. It's nice to have an alternative spot already picked out instead of trying to navigate and look for a suitable spot at the same time. It looks like you've got a fun but maybe a little chilly trip ahead!

When you get down to Jacksonville, consider the free dock on Sister's Creek just before the St. John's River. Do not be frightened off by the warnings of swift current there. Just pull into a side tie into the current. Plenty of room to turn around coming or leaving. No power or water. Great stopping point if you are headed up the river to Ortega Landing.

 

[O C Diver]

Between weather and temperature, I would make this a delivery run till you get to South Carolina. You may miss some days because of weather, so push hard when the weather is with you. Don't know how many miles per day you feel comfortable with, but this is what I would do. I travel at 7 knots which is about 8 MPH. The distances are in land miles because I'm using AICW marker miles.

Starting in Norfolk
Stop at Top Rack or Atlantic Yacht Basin and fuel up (best prices)
Go to Coinjock marina about 50 miles. You have a lock with bridge and 2 other bridges to time as none of these are on demand.

Next day go to Pungo River anchorag about 76 miles. Anchorage is just after you finish the Alligator river Pungo river canal. Only one bridge which is on demand.

Next day go to Oriental, NC about 54 miles. No bridges. Eat at M&M. Short walk from city dock.

Next day go to Mile Hammock about 65 miles. One bridge (Onslow Beach) on the half hour I believe.

Next day go to Southport, NC about 66 miles. No bridges if you can clear 16' ( I can). Most have to wait for the Wrightsville beach bridge, on the hour I think. Stay at South Harbor Village Marina. Eat at Joseph's Italian Bistro and Chop House.

Next day go to South Myrtle beach, SC about 62 miles. One bridge (Socastee) on demand. Stay at Osprey Marina and fuel up here.

You're now in SC, so you can slow down a little and enjoy more moderate temperatures. Are these daily distances doable, or do you pansy Great Lakes boat captains need shorter days?

Ted

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. OC. "...or do you pansy Great Lakes boat captains..." Oh my!

 

[Olebird]

"...or do you pansy Great Lakes boat captains..." Oh my!


This from "slow hand" Luke?

 

[High Wire]

Greetings,
Mr. W. You'll find what you find. The ONLY recommendation I can make is do NOT eat the, so called, "Prime Rib" at the Coinjock Marina. It's SO tough you can still see the whip marks on the flank and they want you to actually pay for this! The other food may be good but avoid the PR.

The normal Ribeye steak was pretty good.


Heading south in January you won't have much competition for free docks and anchorages. Bad news is the frequent cold fronts can bring freezing weather and high winds.
Waterside Marina =
Beaufort NC -we stayed at a Beaufort Docks marina. One heck of a cross current if you are assigned an inside slip.


Miles Hammock has really soft bottom. No wind, no problems. When we got there after sunset, 16 other boats already anchored. Fortunately the landing craft were out somewhere else. Two boats came in after us and anchored in the marked channel.


Charleston - Stayed in Charleston Harbor Marina and resort. Pricey but they have grocery and downtown Charleston shuttles. Patriots Point is a short walk down the dock.


We anchored out more than 50% of the time.

 

[O C Diver]

"...or do you pansy Great Lakes boat captains..." Oh my!


This from "slow hand" Luke?

You will find that placing your computer pointer over this Emoticon in the "Smilies" directory will produce the definition "Sarcasm". I am confident Wayfarer knows I'm being Sarcastic, and knows I hold ore boat captains in the highest regard.

Certainly RTF knows I'm jesting.

Ted

 

[O C Diver]

"...or do you pansy Great Lakes boat captains..." Oh my!


This from "slow hand" Luke?

BTW, the movie was "Cool Hand Luke".

Ted

 

[Wayfarer]

Between weather and temperature, I would make this a delivery run till you get to South Carolina. You may miss some days because of weather, so push hard when the weather is with you. Don't know how many miles per day you feel comfortable with, but this is what I would do. I travel at 7 knots which is about 8 MPH. The distances are in land miles because I'm using AICW marker miles.

Starting in Norfolk
Stop at Top Rack or Atlantic Yacht Basin and fuel up (best prices)
Go to Coinjock marina about 50 miles. You have a lock with bridge and 2 other bridges to time as none of these are on demand.

Next day go to Pungo River anchorag about 76 miles. Anchorage is just after you finish the Alligator river Pungo river canal. Only one bridge which is on demand.

Next day go to Oriental, NC about 54 miles. No bridges. Eat at M&M. Short walk from city dock.

Next day go to Mile Hammock about 65 miles. One bridge (Onslow Beach) on the half hour I believe.

Next day go to Southport, NC about 66 miles. No bridges if you can clear 16' ( I can). Most have to wait for the Wrightsville beach bridge, on the hour I think. Stay at South Harbor Village Marina. Eat at Joseph's Italian Bistro and Chop House.

Next day go to South Myrtle beach, SC about 62 miles. One bridge (Socastee) on demand. Stay at Osprey Marina and fuel up here.

You're now in SC, so you can slow down a little and enjoy more moderate temperatures. Are these daily distances doable, or do you pansy Great Lakes boat captains need shorter days?

Ted

HahahhahahahHhhahAhah... I mean, you’re not wrong... I am a delicate flower! Lol. I was using 50 miles as a rough daily target, but there’s every chance in the world that I’ll go mad with cold and shoot for more.

I s’pose the other benefit of stoking up ol’ Perkins and putting in longer days would be that I’d have some of these destinations to look forward to on the return trip.

Thanks for the intel Tedley! If any of these recommendations prove to be any less than completely satisfactory, I will graffiti them with your name. GOOD DAY SIR!

 

[O C Diver]

Do you have a bus heater connected to the engine cooling Loop to heat the boat while underway?

Ted

 

[Wayfarer]

Only really one choice here, Coinjock Marina. There is another marina on the otherside of the canal, but last time I was there it didn't look too appealing.

Coinjock Marina has a nice restaurant and a bar. The amenities are decent. Not really anything else around. Place gets very busy in the spring and fall with repositioning cruises. January may be quiet, but I'd call and check if they are even open.

Well that narrows things down quite nicely! Lol.

Greetings,
Mr. W. You'll find what you find. The ONLY recommendation I can make is do NOT eat the, so called, "Prime Rib" at the Coinjock Marina. It's SO tough you can still see the whip marks on the flank and they want you to actually pay for this! The other food may be good but avoid the PR.

Haha, roger that. Should be no hardship at all. Never been a big prime rib guy anyway.

Coinjock Marina bought the marina on the other side this summer. They intend to bring it up to modern standards and to open a small store and coffee bar. The plan is to have a shuttle boat to give access to the original and excellent restaurant at Coinjock Marina. The food there is very good, but the bakery is absolutely amazing! The desserts at the restaurant are the best we have tasted in years and are surprisingly not too sweet. Usually dessert makes my teeth hurt with all the sugar, but this place was not like that at all. We have dined at fine restaurants in LA and around the world and have never had such desserts. This is truly the work of a pastry chef, not just a baker.

It’ll be easy to avoid the prime rib, but the bakery will be tough. I do love a pastry... lol.

 

[jefndeb]

When you get in the Savannah area, I recommend Thunderbolt Marina on the ICW just south of the Savannah River, (you'll need to stop and catch your breath after dodging all those huge tankers going in and out..) a nice day trip from Beaufort area

 

[Wayfarer]

When cruising we always have our projected anchorages (or marina) and a backup anchorage (or marina) in case weather or mechanical issues arise. It's nice to have an alternative spot already picked out instead of trying to navigate and look for a suitable spot at the same time. It looks like you've got a fun but maybe a little chilly trip ahead!

I’m definitely looking forward to it! Some nice folks already very generously offered me an alternate place to park. Propane and sweaters will definitely be required, haha.

When you get down to Jacksonville, consider the free dock on Sister's Creek just before the St. John's River. Do not be frightened off by the warnings of swift current there. Just pull into a side tie into the current. Plenty of room to turn around coming or leaving. No power or water. Great stopping point if you are headed up the river to Ortega Landing.

I’ll definitely keep that in mind for the next round of planning, thanks!

I lived in Oriental for several years so I can offer info on that town as well as others down the coast:

Oriental has 5-6 free docks right inside the harbor, protected and in the middle of the action. The town regulations are confusing: one set of docks has different regs than another but commensurate with the town's vibes, forget about them. You will be fine for two days at least.

The town has a half dozen or so restaurants and bars, ranging from the Tiki Bar within spitting distance of the free docks, the local coffee hang out The Bean to Silos up the road.

Beaufort, NC has nice City Marina (but for money), right in the middle of town with easy access to another half dozen bars and restaurants.

Wrightsville Beach has a nice anchorage that you get to by motoring a mile or so off of the ICW. One or two funky restaurants withing walking distance and a nice dinghy dock at a park a few hundred yards from the anchorage.

In Myrtle Beach I have stayed at the side tie slips at Barefoot Landing which has lots of shops and a few decent restaurants.

Georgetown is an interesting but crowded anchorage surrounded by marinas and a defunct steel mill and a paper mill across the inlet. Sounds horrible but there is a nice hang out bar restaurant just before the steel mill. Ask the locals if there is an empty mooring you can snag.


Consider anchoring in near wilderness conditions a few miles up the river.


Beaufort, SC- Tieing up for the day and anchoring out is exactly what I would do. Make sure you have DEET spray for the noseeums even in January.

Post your thoughts south of Savannah and we can comment on those as you get closer.

David

Lots of good stuff here, thank you David. I didn’t realize that the Oriental town docks were free. Sounds like a good stop.
I’d forgotten about Barefoot Landing. I’ve heard that name come up many times, and that looks like a pretty ideal stop.
I think I may skip Georgetown and shoot for an anchorage farther along. Duck Creek anchorage maybe.
Thanks for the Deet tip. I don’t believe I’ve ever had the pleasure of dealing with noseeums. I sure am looking forward to that! Lol.

Look at Shelter Cove Marina. Located about 1/2 way from Beaufort to Savannah Our boat is docked there. Great shopping very close by excellent floating docks and full service.

Good to know!

The normal Ribeye steak was pretty good.


Heading south in January you won't have much competition for free docks and anchorages. Bad news is the frequent cold fronts can bring freezing weather and high winds.
Waterside Marina =
Beaufort NC -we stayed at a Beaufort Docks marina. One heck of a cross current if you are assigned an inside slip.


Miles Hammock has really soft bottom. No wind, no problems. When we got there after sunset, 16 other boats already anchored. Fortunately the landing craft were out somewhere else. Two boats came in after us and anchored in the marked channel.


Charleston - Stayed in Charleston Harbor Marina and resort. Pricey but they have grocery and downtown Charleston shuttles. Patriots Point is a short walk down the dock.


We anchored out more than 50% of the time.

Hey, I forgot about Patriots Point. I think I remember going there once when I was a wee lad. Wasn’t the NS Savannah tied up there once upon a time?

 

[timb]

Lots of good stuff here, thank you David. I didn’t realize that the Oriental town docks were free. Sounds like a good stop.
?

if you need power for heat stay at the oriental inn and marina . the free docks have no power . there is a no running generator rule , but i have seen it done .

at Beaufort docks i only come in and leave at slack tide.


also in Coinjock try the egg-roll appetizer. i like the redneck egg-roll .

if you don't want to anchor around Bellhaven try river forest marina or bellhaven marina .

 

[boathealer]

We have cruised in and around North Carolina for 25 years. I have commented below where I have first hand knowledge.

We also moved from New Bern, NC to Jacksonville during the spring and some comments about where we stayed on this trip also.

Alligator River - Anchor at Deep Point
Good anchorage. Was buggy in last spring - stay out from shore to help. Cold temps should limit them this time of year.

Bellhaven - Not sure if I'll anchor or dock. Suggestions welcome.
Town docks with power and water are available at waterfront. Inexpensive. Easy in/out. Go over to adjacent Belhaven Marina to register/sign in. Be sure to sample the pizza at the Tavern at Jack's Neck. Spoon River has fantastic food, but high $$$.

Oriental - Unknown marina, suggestions welcome. No idea what's here yet, but I've heard good things about the town.
Town docks are OK. First come first serve. Use web camera at towndock.net on the way down to check if there is space. There are two long docks, one on the other side of the basin (called dock #1 and #2). A bit of a walk/ride, but the pizza at "The Silos" is great.

Beaufort - Most likely Homer Smith Docks if available. (Is this the one that's pronounced Beaufort, or is it Beaufort that's pronounced Beaufort? )
"Beaufort Docks" is a good stop. Right near everything. If you can time it, arrive at slack current - Taylor's creek can get a bit sporty. Plenty of bars and eats. Can also anchor right there in Taylor's Creek. Less crowded way up (plenty of depth) on the northern end. An alternative is Morehead City. Lots of eats and stuff there, too. Portside Marina there is a "lower" cost stop and very nice, with repairs available.

Mile Hammock Bay - I'd like to anchor here and hang out with the Ospreys, but based on mixed reviews about the holding, it may be weather dependent.)
We haven't had any holding problems. If not crowded, stay towards the center of the bay, not over towards the shallows east. If chopper drills going on, can be noisy well into the night.

Wrightsville Beach - Unknown Marina, suggestions welcome.
Banks Channel anchorages good. Current can be strong and is reversing. Busy with jetskiers, etc. on weekends when warm weather, but you shouldn't have that problems.


Southport - Unknown Marina, suggestions welcome. Southport marina looks like an option.
All marinas pretty good here. If you end up close to town, don't miss Loco Joe's eatery. Fantastic. An alternative is Bald Head Island on the other side of the Cape Fear inlet - beautiful place for biking, hiking, no cars, turtle conservancy, etc. if you like that sort of thing.


North Myrtle Beach - Unknown Marina, suggestions welcome. Thinking maybe Lightkeepers or Harborgate.
Osprey Marina a little further down is VERY nice, well protected, inexpensive. No access to "Myrtle Beach"-ey stuff, tho, if you want that.

Georgetown - Not sure about this one. Worth a stop?
YES! IHMO. A miniature equivalent to Charleston. Georgetown Landing Marina downtown good.

Charleston - Likely City Marina. Probably going to stick around here for several days. I've never been, but I'm looking forward to spending a little time here. I have friends in the area as well.
I grew up in N. Charleston. No end to the stuff to do here.
Good stop for a long stay. Read the comments about which parts of the docks are preferred to others. We didn't stop here on the way down.

Beaufort - Not to be confused with Beaufort, which is pronounced Beaufort. I think I'll tie up at the free wall during the day if there's room, and anchor out overnight. Lady's Island marina is also a possibility if I decide to stay longer.
Lady's Island was good. Buggy during late spring when we were there. Easy walk across the bridge into town.

Savannah - Unknown Marina, suggestions welcome. It's likely I'll stick around here for a few days, maybe a week. I have good friends in the area here too, and It's another place I've never been and have always wanted to check out. Thunderbolt looks like a top contender here.
Didn't stop here on the way down. Only have read comments about (non) availability of good docks right downtown, distance to Thunderbolt, etc.

Here were our stops on a VERY leisurely cruise from New Bern to Jacksonville:

Beaufort (NC)
Mile Hammock Bay - good protected anchorage
Surf City - nice little marina, beach access, 4ft entrance at low tide.
Southport - South Harbour Village marina. Good spot, LONG walk to town. One restaurant (good) on site.
Bird Island Anchorage - FANTASTIC anchorage if weather is right (see chart). Drone View
Myrtle Beach - Osprey Marina well protected, inexpensive.
Georgetown - Georgetown Landing Marina good.
Isle of Palms - Too busy, noisy, current. Would not stop again.
West of Watts Anchorage - Good, quiet anchorage. Good holding. Drone View
Beaufort (SC) - Lady's Island good marina. Follow Navionics on the way in by the bridge. Was buggy in May.
Breakfast Creek Anchorage - Good anchorage. Good holding.
Friday Cap Creek Anchorage - Good anchorage. No issues.
St. Simons Island - Good Morningstar marina ($$$). Lots of current. Free bikes to ride around island. Good "touristy" stop.
Cumberland Island - DO NOT MISS!!!!! Anchor in creek. Dinghy over to ranger dock and some fantastic walking trails!!
Jacksonville - Ortega River Marina is the best in the business. Spent 5 months here.

Hope this helps some!!
Ray

 

[psneeld]

True about the no genset running at Oriental free docks which in winter is silly on several levels and people do run enough to charge batteries.


Barefoot Landing is day docks only now for smaller vessels. Across the ICW is Barefoot marina...good but limited space yet still walking distance of er to Barefoot Landing. Up at Lightkeepers is also Myrtle Beach Yacht Club which might be more inexpensive and you get a free ticket to get in (not free dinner) the private restaurant on site...otherwise Clarks next door is OK.


I love Georgetown and has free day docks. Anchoring at the far west end is OK if not strong winds as the bottom is pretty soupy mud. But I never had a problem as it is fairly well protected from winds. Great place to walk around, boardwalk with restaurant/bars. Piggly Wiggly can be walked to and the manager used to give rides back to the docks.


Isle of Hope south of Thunderbolt is a pretty stop to walk around...especially if holiday lighting is still up. loaner cars are a good deal,ask for the last slot of the day and you get the car for the night (well, did till a year or so ago).


Beaufort, SC has a nice new day dock (large floating docks). Anchoring OK with what can be a good current, if you like $25 mooring balls instead. Another great walk around town.


Portsmouth instead of Norfolk...2 free town docks well protected. Sign says only to 40 feet but never have seen any enforcement there for any of the rules. Ferry right there takes you to Norfolk for a few bucks. Great dinner movie theater right downtown Portsmouth (hopefully still there).


Alligator River...several places near deep Pt are good, just see which way the wind is going to blow.... just before the canal opening is pretty good and the break point for F-15s making their bombing runs to the east. Quite the airshow some days.


Wrightsville Beach.... good anchorage as mentioned as marinas are all pricey... bridgetenders is OK...so is the Dockside restaurant. Walking distance to Grocery store.


Holding at Mile Hammock bay not bad if you stay west nearer to the ICW and behind the island (a wind block anyhow). This time of year should have a pretty good pick of spots.


New River marina often the lowest price for diesel on the whole trip. Though a poor spot to spend the night due to being on the ICW with no protection. If not using the online Waterway Guide fuel list....it's very good.


Bellhaven - totally free docks past town, almost to bridge. Only around 6 feet of water at inside slips and right around dock so go slow. Nice spot as it is more equidistant to town one way, stores the other way. Nice medical clinic replaced regional hospital...in case the flu catches up.


Sisters Creek (north side ICW/St Johns River) has had water (no power) ...can't say it will be there tomorrow though like most of these notes. When heading south form here...if great weather...St Augustine is an easy ocean run. If south on ICW, the shoaling at the mouth of Pablo Creek has screwed a few people up as some charts are still showing the wrong channel marking. The actual in the water ATON though is fine. There is a good explanation online on the Waterway Guide and the indicated waypoints have never failed me in my last 4-5 transits.

 

[Tom.B]

I think it is precious you are trying to plan so specifically all your stops and days.

Ray covered it pretty well. I will add that if you are in a hurry (and it looks as if you kinda are), a lot of where you stay in the towns along the way will be inconsequential. With 50-60 mile days and such short amounts of daylight this time of year, you will be up early and into your next stop just before dark. Still... here are a few opinions:

Belhaven is a quiet town with very little to do that you can't do in a few hours walking around. We stayed at River Forest. Nice place. Free laundry and golf cart... nice touch. But if you are making a quick stop, look at Albemarle Plantation. Just outside of town, but a nice community of people there.

Oriental is a nice stop and we go there a LOT. Town docks are free and will be empty this time of the year. Even so, there is a nice little anchorage behind the breakwater if you feel the urge. However, for an easy single night stay without going into town, River Dunes is a nice place. We haven't been there in years, but still hear good things about it. You may also choose to anchor in Cedar Creek at the north end of Adam's Creek.

Beaufort is quiet this time of the year. The Beaufort Town Docks are very expensive and you get almost nothing for it except proximity to the town. Nice for sure, but for what they charge, I would expect more than bathrooms from the 1970s. I would send you to Morehead City instead. The Yacht Basin is an option, but it is a tad pricey too. Still, if you need fuel, Mike is your guy. There are town docks around the Sugarloaf Island side. They are not free and are run by Dennard from Portside Marina, but are an option. Both options are just a short walk to everything in downtown.

So again, if you are in a hurry, skip Wrightsville Beach unless you are going to anchor. Otherwise, Hampstead Crossing is a nice 1-night stop option.

Southport has no real anchorage, so expect to stay in a marina. We stayed in Southport Marina over the summer and it was great. If you want to go into town, it is your best option, but if you are there for just a night, there are plenty of other options.


Have a nice trip.

 

[Tom.B]

New River marina often the lowest price for diesel on the whole trip. Though a poor spot to spend the night due to being on the ICW with no protection. If not using the online Waterway Guide fuel list....it's very good.

Cheaper than Osprey?

 

[psneeld]

Cheaper than Osprey?

On many of my trips it has been, cant say it always is or is now.

Especially if state fuel tax laws change.

Just slight tweaks...but agree that short days kill visits unless you vary your schedule. I would rough out my whole trip to Fl iui ride every year, in the beginning due to short days, I stuck to it closely. As I travelled in better weather, I shortened up and lengthened stays and enjoyed the stops more.

Southport has a great Anchorage in a canal a few miles south...too far from town unless you uber/ lyft/taxi. It is maybe 6 feet deep on average and a b pi at ramp for dingy dock.

Oriental has a harbor cam to see if the free docks are open, if not, Adam's Creek just a few miles further south has some anchoring spots.

South if Wrightville Beach is Carolina Beach, with a decent anchorage and mooring field...but is probably a bit dead this time of year.

 

[caltexflanc]

Haven't read all the replies and will try to keep this short, since there are a ton of threads on this subject on this and the sister forum, and a great guide book in the Waterway Guide ICW edition, and online resources like Waterway Guide and Cruiser's Net (in particular).

I should note we just made a chunk of this trip in helping friends bring their new-to-them Gulfstream 44 down from Solomons, and have made the entire trip several times in our old Hatteras 56MY which drew 5 feet and could get down to 24' air draft.

Not having a dinghy is a real handicap for this trip, and an expensive one at that. So be it.

As mentioned, your air draft affects how far you can go in a day. The guide books have handy bridge schedules and mileage info.

This time of year the days are short, but the free docks and anchorages are wide open.

Our preferred route from Norfolk (non- Dismal Swamp in our case): if you leave late or don't optimize your bridge and lock schedule, stop at Atlantic Yacht Basin, either the Marina itself for fuel and water and power, or the free dock with no service across the way. Easy walk into the village for groceries, restaurants etc.

Thence to anchor out in or right off Broad Creek right before you reach Albemarle Sound. There are other places a little north of there depending on wind direction. Skip Coinjock.

Weather permitting (important) leave early, cross sound, and anchor at Bridgehaven. Go well into the harbor near the bridge by the old turning basin for best protection. There is a free town dock there now too, nice little town.

Thence, in your case, Oriental. Free town dock or marina. Mind the weather coming and going the Pamlico Sound and Neuse can get darn nasty with steep fast 2-3 foot chop or more. To Morehead City/ Beaufort. We prefer Morehead City Yacht Basin as a marina, great facility and staff, short walk (as well as an available courtesy car) to great restaurants and the local Ace marine store. Good fuel at good prices, pumpout and so on. If you don't need anything, then the town docks on past the ship port are available with similar walk-to conveniences. If you insist on docking in Beaufort, either the new Beaufort Yacht basin or the town docks. I'd rather go to MHCYB and take the courtesy van over.

[Side note: After a couple trips on the ICW, we preferred going outside at Beaufort then back in at Masonboro Inlet. Would be weather dependent. But I recommend doing the ICW at least once. ]

Then to Swansboro. Casper's marina right in town or anchor off there. There is a free dock that might be open between Caspers and the bridge.

Next, Wrightsville Beach. To get to the anchorage, left at Banks Channel and then left again. If you can get down to Carolina Beach, there is a mooring field in there now.

If for some reason you need to stop at Southport, recommend the Southport Marina right by the charming town, excellent facility.


Otherwise on to Myrtle Beach. Nothing to add there. Try to get as far through it as possible and dock at Osprey Marina or Bucksport if that's your thing. We prefer the former, good fuel prices. We took to going outside from Southport and back in at Little River, but that would be weather dependent this time of year.

Our goal was always to get into the Waccamaw River and it's tributaries and anchor out for a few days (Bull Creek our favorite). Very beautiful any time of year. But with no dinghy...

Georgetown is a nice and pretty town. We liked the Georgetown Landing Marina, very nice people and tenants. It is a pretty walk into town or hail a car. You can usually find someone to give you a ride.

We'd typically go to the Dewey's Creek collection of anchorages north of Charleston. We found the low country surroundings beautiful. A place to anchor for any conditions. We also liked stopping at Leland Oil in McClellanville for fuel if needed, and walk into the pretty little village and eat at TW Graham's , excellent Low Country cooking at a reasonable price.

We only docked at Charleston once, as we preferred visiting there by car. We'd typically carry on to the pretty anchorage at Church Creek.

That's all for now. More later, maybe.

 

[BandB]

I just posted this thread looking for recommendations for the Norfolk area yesterday. After several helpful posts, I thought maybe I should expand the scope of the thread, and open up my larger plan to your thoughts, recommendations, and suggestions.

So, based largely on previous posts in other threads by folks like Ranger42c, OCDiver, and countless others, these are the pins I have tacked into the chart for my first trip south:

Annapolis - Start point. Departing sometime in the first week of January (Theoretically)
Solomons - Anchor
Deltaville - Anchor
Norfolk - Waterside Marina, may take a day or two off here, depending on weather and how I feel.
Coinjock - Unknown marina, suggestions welcome
Alligator River - Anchor at Deep Point
Bellhaven - Not sure if I'll anchor or dock. Suggestions welcome.
Oriental - Unknown marina, suggestions welcome. No idea what's here yet, but I've heard good things about the town.
Beaufort - Most likely Homer Smith Docks if available. (Is this the one that's pronounced Beaufort, or is it Beaufort that's pronounced Beaufort? )
Mile Hammock Bay - I'd like to anchor here and hang out with the Ospreys, but based on mixed reviews about the holding, it may be weather dependent.)
Wrightsville Beach - Unknown Marina, suggestions welcome.
Southport - Unknown Marina, suggestions welcome. Southport marina looks like an option.
North Myrtle Beach - Unknown Marina, suggestions welcome. Thinking maybe Lightkeepers or Harborgate.
Georgetown - Not sure about this one. Worth a stop?
Charleston - Likely City Marina. Probably going to stick around here for several days. I've never been, but I'm looking forward to spending a little time here. I have friends in the area as well.
Beaufort - Not to be confused with Beaufort, which is pronounced Beaufort. I think I'll tie up at the free wall during the day if there's room, and anchor out overnight. Lady's Island marina is also a possibility if I decide to stay longer.
Savannah - Unknown Marina, suggestions welcome. It's likely I'll stick around here for a few days, maybe a week. I have good friends in the area here too, and It's another place I've never been and have always wanted to check out. Thunderbolt looks like a top contender here.

Beyond this point gets pretty hazy. I'll have to reevaluate when I get farther south. It all depends on how long I dilly dally along the way. I have a reservation for the Ft. Pierce rendezvous, but it looks like my company meeting will be happening around that time. I'd like to get down to St. Augustine, but who knows if I'll get that far this year.

I've never been to ANY of these places. I have little to no idea what I'll find there. If any of them are swirling toilet bowls of disappointment, feel free to say so! If there's somewhere in between these places that I really couldn't possibly miss, I'd like to hear it. Is there a sweet BBQ joint, or world's greatest ice cream in one of these places? Maybe the world's largest ball of twine? Let me know!

Also, as I mentioned in the other thread, I do have a couple of guide books, but I left them on the boat, lol. I've been scouring Active captain, TripAdvisor, and various other sources as well, and will continue to do so along the way.

Thanks gang!

Coinjock, only the one marina and potentially the second one owned by same man. I didn't think there was such a thing as bad prime rib until eating at Coinjock. We both took about three bites and that was it. Tough and tasteless.

For Beaufort, I'd suggest Morehead City instead, although might get one down and one up. Morehead City Yacht Basin is our favorite in the area.

You mentioned some stops just on the way down or up and that's what we do. We "leap frog" so a day may take us beyond a place we want to see but we'll get it on the way back. That way the two trips are equally enjoyable.

One marina in Myrtle Beach that is so often overlooked is Grande Dunes. Grande Dunes is a resort type housing development too but the marina has several great points. First, a Ruth's Chris adjacent. Second a pharmacy and Lowe's Supermarket across the street and the supermarket will deliver.

Georgetown is worth a stop only to break the trip up.

One trip or another you need to toss in Bald Head Island and need to toss in Hilton Head.

I think you've found the two best resources in Active Captain and Trip Advisor. Check every town on Trip Advisor and find one or two things you want to see or do. There is no stop on your way that doesn't have some history attached, some beauty attached and some fun available. Some here say it's not about the destination, but I say when you spend hours on the water then a nice destination is a good treat. You then look forward to getting off the boat and seeing the town and look forward to getting back on the boat and cruising further.

You're definitely going to face some cold weather. Don't let it ruin the fun. You have a good heating system on the boat and I'm sure you have some great cold weather jackets. Still get out and explore. Most places don't shut down and sometimes to be in a popular area outside of tourist season carries some added benefits.

Make your trip a relaxed one. Cruise as much or as little in a day as the mood strikes you. Stay longer or shorter based on your mood of the day. If you're thinking "I'd really like to sleep in tomorrow" then do so and spend another day there. The beauty of your situation is there are no rules. You don't have to be anywhere at any given time or do anything specific. You make the rules along the way. Find things that really peak your interests. For instance, I'm a lighthouse fanatic so have to see as many as possible and hear their stories. There are so many maritime museums along the way. It also seems even the smallest town has a town museum and it's interesting to see the history of the area. One of the girls who cruises with us said, "I hated History in school, but I love it now when we travel. It's so much more alive in local museums. You can feel it rather than just reading about it."

And, don't worry that you miss things, don't see it all. That's best. That way you need the next trip and the next and the one after the next after the next.

 

[Ski in NC]

I'll just add the ones I know well:

Beaufort NC: Worth it to spend one night at Beaufort docks. Probably about $100. Lot of cool places to walk to from there, and in Jan it won't be busy. My girl and I run the boat up there for the weekend just for fun a couple of times a year. Cost be damned.

New River Marina: Great fuel stop for diesel. Plan on stopping there with tanks low. Last I was there (two months ago) it was like $2.18 plus 7% tax if you are not commercial. Not a great place to stay the night.

Wrightsville Beach (my stomping grounds): Marinas (WB Marina, Bridgetender, Dockside, Sea Path) all pretty nice, but pricey. Also not an easy walk to stores. Good anchorage in Banks Channel, but yes the current runs strong and swaps with the tide.

One nice thing you can do at WB is there is a free municipal dock at the corner of the southern bridge and the beach strand on Banks Channel. In Jan there should only be a couple of boats there, mostly dinks. The docks are plenty long enough for you to tie a 44 footer. I tie up my 38 there all the time. No power or water and you are (supposed to) vacate by 10pm, but as my experience has shown, they don't fuss too much over that in the winter. So you can tie up at the muni dock, and lots of cool bars, restaurants and Robert's Grocery are super close walking distance. Go do your thing, then peel off the dock and anchor for the night just off and south of the bridge. Mostly good holding. Tide slides sideways at the muni dock so coming in with a single takes a little doing, but I think you know how to handle that. Between the floaters are some guide piles that I lean on a bit. Some might be too narrow for you, but not all spacing is the same. Worth a look.

Way better suited for dinks, but I think I read you are travelling without.

Georgetown, SC: Also has a free muni dock right at the foot of downtown. I think also restricted against overnight stays, but like WB we have stayed overnight there and no body fussed. Can easily peel off the dock and anchor, but that basin definitely is snotty bottom. G-town is a fun walkable town and one of my fave stops.

I don't know how far south you are going, but other fave stops are Fernandina Beach Fla, St. Augustine and Ft Pierce.

I have stopped in Charleston, SC on the Ashley River, found it quite a distance to fun parts of downtown and instead of Ubering it we just layed around the boat and had some drinks. We could have just anchored and saved the coin.

Savannah is pretty far up the river from the ICW, so we have never gone there.

In fact, we try to avoid GA and run offshore from south SC to Fernandina. If you have never seen the GA ICW, probably worth seeing it once. One and done for me, lots of miles wasted on switchbacks.

 

[caltexflanc]

I disagree on a few minor points, but good stuff there Ski.

One over-arching thing I haven't mentioned is to read the weekly LNMs! Important info there. Also learn how to pull up the USACE surveys as others have mentioned. Especially if you have older charts.

Moving on from Church Creek, next stop Beaufort NC. They put a mooring field in since our last stay and it is managed by the downtown marina which in turn has new management. Not sure what's left for anchoring, which is what we always did. Lovely town we always enjoyed. Might as well stay there rather than other choices like Lady's Island or Port Royal unless you just don't want to see town. In that case the marina over on Dataw island is lovely..

There are a variety of places to anchor between there and Savannah, we did just once west of the north end of Fields Cut when the cut was quite shoal and poor planning got us there at low tide.

We always stayed at Thunderbolt Marina if we were docking in the Savannah area or needed work on the boat at the fantastic boatyard there, which offers great yacht (and I mean YACHT porn on display. I think they still supply fresh Krispy Creme donuts and a newspaper to your boat every morning. Thunderbolt is very cool with a great marine store and excellent seafood restaurant, Tubby's tank house. Lot's to see and eat in Savannah proper, ask here before you get there for details and how-tos.

When not docking the Herb River just south of Thunderbolt is good; we just took the dinghy to the marina. Further along, we also anchored happily in the Vernon/Burnside river. However we preferred going in and out the Wilmington River through Wassaw Sound, then back in at St Catherine's to anchor in lovely Walburg Creek, one of our favorite stops for a variety of reasons. Also anchored in Wahoo River once and enjoyed it. It can get very foggy in these parts this time of year, by the way, sometimes at a moments notice. Georgia is a gunkholer's paradise in our opinion; the Whaler put a lot of miles in exploring. Very beautiful. Got a whole bunch of other anchor spots and side trips, on request. We considered Georgia a cruising destination more than a place merely to pass through. Great, beautiful "wilderness" anchoring and exploring.

 

[ranger58sb]

Coinjock - Unknown marina, suggestions welcome

Only really one choice here, Coinjock Marina. There is another marina on the otherside of the canal, but last time I was there it didn't look too appealing.

Coinjock Marina has a nice restaurant and a bar. The amenities are decent. Not really anything else around. Place gets very busy in the spring and fall with repositioning cruises. January may be quiet, but I'd call and check if they are even open.

Greetings,
Mr. W. You'll find what you find. The ONLY recommendation I can make is do NOT eat the, so called, "Prime Rib" at the Coinjock Marina. It's SO tough you can still see the whip marks on the flank and they want you to actually pay for this! The other food may be good but avoid the PR.

Coinjock Marina bought the marina on the other side this summer. They intend to bring it up to modern standards and to open a small store and coffee bar. The plan is to have a shuttle boat to give access to the original and excellent restaurant at Coinjock Marina. The food there is very good, but the bakery is absolutely amazing! The desserts at the restaurant are the best we have tasted in years and are surprisingly not too sweet.

Stop at Top Rack or Atlantic Yacht Basin and fuel up (best prices)
Go to Coinjock marina about 50 miles. You have a lock with bridge and 2 other bridges to time as none of these are on demand.

Coinjock, only the one marina and potentially the second one owned by same man. I didn't think there was such a thing as bad prime rib until eating at Coinjock. We both took about three bites and that was it. Tough and tasteless.

Atlantic diesel price was MUCH higher than Top Rack as we came down. I think $.75/gal more, something like that.

Coinjock = loooooonng face dock on the east side, and they'll tell you which way to face into the current as you land... and assuming they're in full operation in January, their dock staff is usually very good and they'll take lines from you and snug you up to the next boat in line, painless docking. If you might need a pump-out, call ahead to see if there's is enabled (and that's actually kind of a global suggestion), but Top Rack can solve that for you while fueling anyway.

Decent dockage rates. Not a lot else there, restaurant and ship's store. Haven't ever had a bad prime rib there, usually tasty, well-prepared, decent cut, tender... but then again that doesn't make it the best in the whole free world. And it's not like we go through there once/week... so four prime rib meals over many years maybe isn't a complete sample. (Been good, the last two trips, three stops.) We can only share a 16oz version, otherwise it's just too much for us to eat in one sitting. (OK, so I'm older now, used to be I could polish off a whole cow and then look for desert... but no more.) DO ask for the house made potato chips while you're waiting for real food.

Coinjock is otherwise mostly about staging for crossing the Albemarle Sound... which can be very pleasant... or very snotty.

Sometime after we'd already passed south this year, we heard folks behind us were stacked up there and rafted, because the Alligator River Bridge couldn't open due to high winds. We haven't seen that, but we have seen the whole face dock as well as their adjunct face dock slightly further south (also east side) all completely full. Anyway, that whole staging thing can be a serious deal... once past the Albemarle, there are slightly fewer "beat you up" areas... or at least there are ways to mitigate some of the other areas.

-Chris