SOUTHPORT, NC TO SNEADS FERRY, NC

Sunday, May 3rd to Monday, May 4th, 2015

Day 272-273
Miles Traveled on Monday: 62
Total Miles Traveled: 3542


  Sunday morning we walked around the waterfront area and stopped in for a "porch visit" with Robert (a frequent speaker at the AGLCA Rendezvous).  Robert's hometown and home port is Southport.  In the early 1700's, Southport was a harbor for pirates.  Stede Bonnet, the "Gentleman Pirate" was a frequent visitor.  More recent visitors to Southport have been the film industry.  Many movies and TV shows have filmed segments and episodes in South Port.  Most recently, the movie "Safe Haven" and the TV series "Under The Dome" have used Southport as a backdrop.

  Along the waterfront are several eateries and shops.

Restaurant we ate at for dinner

  Throughout the town are historic homes built in the 1800's.  The house below was built in 1868 for a river captain named Thomas Mann Thompson.  He was one of the most successful licensed pilots who guided blockade running steamboats during the Civil War. 

T.M. Thompson home

  At 6:00 pm we went to the clubhouse for a weather and navigational briefing led by Hank.  The information obtained during the next hour was extremely helpful in guiding us safely through the rest of the Atlantic ICW.  For those Loopers who stay at Southport, this is a "must do" event. 


  Monday we were underway again.  Our morning started with a swift run (thanks to the flooding current) up the Cape Fear River.  This river can get rough if the winds are right, but we had a smooth ride. 

cruising up the Cape Fear River

  We were not on Cape Fear very long before we entered Snow's Cut - back to narrow channels and shallower water.  Some areas had such significant shoaling that palm trees had begun to grow.  The rest of the days travels involved mostly sounds and bays - Myrtle Grove Sound, Mansboro Sound and Inlet, Middle Sound, Topsail Sound, Stump Sound, Everett Bay, Alligator Bay, and Chadwick Bay.  We traveled with Foster and Susan aboard "Quo Vadimus" most of the day.

traveling on Snows Cut

palm tree growing on a shoal

  We had planned on anchoring for the evening, but, in order to get the the anchorage, we would have to cross New River Inlet.  The inlet has severe shoaling problems and when we arrived it was just shortly after low tide.  We decided to stay at a marina just before this inlet and tackle the shallow area at high tide the next day.  Our stopping place for the day was Swan Point Marina at Sneads Ferry, NC.  It is a family owned marina.  It is small and rustic, but, Tina, the owner is extremely helpful, welcoming, and friendly.  She even brought us a container of fresh strawberries.  A local restaurant, The Riverview Restaurant, came and picked us up at the marina and brought us back.  We dined with Foster and Susan of "Quo Vadimus" and had a wonderful time.

getting ready to dock at Swan Point Marina