As You Wish - Our Adventures: Nov. 7, 2026 Crossing State Lines

Sat. Nov. 7, 2026 Carolina Beach, NC to Lightkeepers Marina NMB, SC 53 miles and 6.0 hours

Winds swapped 180 degrees overnight bringing in some brisk north winds running 10-15mph. Temperatures only getting into the 60's but will feel cooler with that breeze. At least it's sunny. Running from the flybridge, so we'll layer up our clothes. Better visibility up there for keeping an eye on any traffic that's coming up behind us. No big hurry this morning. Relatively short day so we finally untie and get going around 8:30. High tide in Carolina Beach. Oddly that means we'll be fighting an incoming tidal current as we go through Snows Cut down to the Cape Fear River. But then we'll enjoy an outgoing tidal current going down the river to the ICW. The benefit of wind at our back along with outgoing current is that we make good time on the open water with little wave or spray action.

Heading towards Hiway 421 bridge on Snows Cut to the Cape Fear River

By the time we turn onto the ICW and pass Southport at 10 AM it's obvious the sunny weather has got all the weekend fishermen in their small boats out on the water. We can give off a sizeable wake so if people in boats are stopped and fishing, I tend to drop to no wake speed and not rock them too badly. Have never had one offer me the same courtesy. They just buzz around me full throttle. Of course, their wakes are not as big as mine, but they can still jostle us. More unnerving then anything. About the time we hear them, they're passing us without warning.

Not a small fishing boat at anchor, but still need to reduce to No Wake speed

No more swing bridges to the outer islands here - all been replaced by high rise ones. Makes for easy vehicle and boat travel but I miss seeing that old unique pontoon style bridge move out of the way at Sunset Beach. Lots of good memories at Sunset Beach on family vacations while growing up. Several inlets feed into the ICW and they all seem to be working against us. Just a constant negative flow all day. Apparently, the Army Corp of Engineer has been doing dredging projects. Saw a couple of dredges and pipes laid out and all the inlet crossing were direct and shoal free. Even the notorious shoaled Lockwoods Folly Inlet.

This seafood market on the water in Holden Beach always gives me a chuckle

Once we cross the Little River Inlet and Calabash Creek we know we are in SC. Very familiar waters as we pass The Big M Casino boat and Mariners Pointe (home for a previous boat). Then into the narrow channel for Coquina Harbor. Made more interesting as we hit it at dead low tide. Depth sounder going off, Martha talking to me in the headset as she's setting fenders and lines and I'm trying to talk to the dockmaster on the radio - all simultaneously. We're just a one night stay at Lightkeepers Marina so they have us in a slip for a 65' boat. Full length finger pier. Easy docking even with some wind. Always feels like we're coming home when we stop here as we had the boat stored here for an extended period several years ago. Just missed catching old friends on Galopante as they took off for Florida 2 weeks ago. Spent the evening watching a recording of the Clemson vs Syracuse football game. Not pretty. But as they say - a win is a win. Go Tigers!!