Good sailing locations

[Bruce Woods]

Kerr Lake--near Henderson, NC, 1hr15min from my house. Nice for daysailing and overnighting, if you bring everything you need.

New Bern--2hr30min drive, great sailing

Oriental--3hr drive, great sailing, nice town for dinner if you are there overnight.

Cape Lookout--4hr drive, great little town, can go via inlet (ocean) or back way via Harker's Island. Excellent location at the bight for anchoring

Wrightsville Beach--2hr drive, ramp is busy as h e double toothpicks. Can sail out Masonboro inlet.

Carolina Beach--2hr30 min drive, nice marina and ramp at state park, can sail through Snow's Cut and out to ocean, up and around from Masonboro (I haven't done the circuit yet) or down to Southport (I have done this).

Southport--you can launch at a wildlife ramp, but I have not driven there, just gone via Carolina Beach.

Washington, NC--2hr drive, put in at Dinah's Landing, sail to Bath and back. The town dock ramp is behind a low bridge, so I never have used it. Whichard's Beach is a privately owned dock and ramp which I haven't used either.

Two places I want to try:

Edenton--2hr drive, on Albemarle Sound. Pretty town, but I haven't sailed there. Not sure all the ramps either, but I think there are some.

SC--I see Kurt is at Winyah Bay now; our family camps south of Murrell's Inlet at Huntington Beach State Park every year, but I haven't brought the boat. If Hurricane Charley didn't screw up the park, we will be back again next Memorial Weekend. I know Hugo messed up the park, and I think landfall for Charley was same place...Anyway, counting on Kurt for some good G-2 on Georgetown, etc for launching; about a 4 hr drive, but for a weekend, maybe a few folks would caravan down.

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[MRA346]

Hi Bruce,

I know this area very well.  I kept my Hunter 26 there for the last 4 seasons.  

I have also done the loop you mentioned, offshore to Wrightsville Beach, and back up the waterway.  My marina was right at Carolina Beach Inlet, which we used regularly.  It has a (deservedly) bad reputation, although they have done some improvements over the last year.  Last year it ate a 65' commercial fishing boat, shutting down the inlet for a couple of weeks.  Shortly thereafter they started working on improving it.  There is also some shoaling in the waterway between Carolina Beach and Wrightsville Beach, but generally the depths are OK for our boats.  The current there and especially at Snow's Cut can be very strong.

Another sail from Carolina Beach that I really like is to go through Snow's cut, and head up-river to the Wilmington waterfront.  I have been able to sail most of the way, but you usually have to motor a bit at the upper end to get all of the way to the waterfront.  Last time we went we were making close to 6 knots (sailing) for most of the way back down river.  I haven't tried anchoring out up there yet, but there are a few places that I want to explore for that purpose.  The best part of the trip is the destination.  Wilmington has lots to see and do right on the waterfront.  The city docks are at the Hilton, right across from the battleship, and you also go under the large bridge along the way.  When you stay at the docks, they give you a pass for the restrooms in the Hilton, but unfortunately, there are no showers available.

I would like to do a trip from Carolina Beach, upriver to the waterfront, then down to Southport and Bald Head Island, finally back to Carolina Beach.  Should be a fun 3 or 4 day trip.  Maybe this fall...

Michael C.
"Slip-Knot" CP-19

[Bruce Woods]

Michael, I would like to do some of these trips, maybe even the loop or up to Wilmington as you suggest. Depends on selling the boat, other stuff, but eventually I will go back. A friend has a Mac 25 located near Wilmington; could be we travel in that boat next time.

[CaptK]

Wilmington/Southport based trip - head south to Little River 1 day, overnight behind Bird Island, head back the following day. With perfect conditions, you could sail offsore both ways, but more likely you'd have to use the Ditch one way or the other.

Anytime ya'll want to come to Winyah Bay, give me some advance notice and we'll get together!

[Bruce Woods]

But I just haven't gone; now I know we can get a guided tour, I will try putting it on the sched.

[Craig Weis]

On record, "never more than four hours without some wind". Somebody read that to me about Lake Michigan/and Green Bay.
I like a choice of two great bodies of water to pick from check out my pics for a visual.
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