Report from Mark West

The Southern Cruisers left Grand Dunes Marina in Myrtle Beach this morning to continue the return trip to Fairfield Harbour.

Four of the boats—Bernan, Tara, Up the Crick and Water Music—made the 45 nautical mile run to Southport Marina. Southport Marina has undergone a major renovation since the FHYC Southern Cruise last visited here. The new floating docks are state-of-the-art, as are the other marina facilities. While the marina has every modern amenity, the town of Southport retains is historical charm.

While the Dowlings visited with relatives,  the Teuberts, Terrills and Wests started the evening with a captains' meeting and a splash. The Meyers left the group today, but Karen had previously distributed a visual identification game for each crew to work on during the day's cruise. After reviewing the answers, it was decided that all three boats had tied for first place! Then it was off to the Provision Company restaurant for dinner. Dining at the Provision Company is a Southern Cruise tradition as well as an unusual dining experience. Drinks, including beer and wine, are self-service and billed on the honor system. Seafood dinners are served on paper plates with plastic forks. Whatever the place lacks in ambiance, though, is more than made up for by the delicious food. The three couples were ready to tour the town following dinner, but first encountered a movie company filming a scene for an upcoming film. We'll see if “Good Old Fashioned” ever makes it to the silver screen. Once past the filming, the tour proceeded along the waterfront where a succession of stately old homes are located. Then the tour veered into the downtown area—and a local ice cream shop—before looping back to the Marina.

Bernan, Up the Crick and Water Music will head up the Cape Fear River tomorrow for the short hop to Wilmington. There they will catch up with the Davidsons on Maturity Rules, who made the trip from Grand Dunes to Wilmington in a single day. Tara, with the Dowlings on board, will linger in Southport to spend a few days with their relatives before starting back to Fairfield Harbour. The Meyers are spending the night at Seapath Marina, after having some planned maintenance on Aqua Base performed there. They, too will expedite their return home. The Martins report that Cameo is securely anchored for the night as they make their way back to Fairfield Harbour.

Report from Bernie and Nancy -

Walt & I had an early start in order to make Wrightsville Beach by our 3PM deadline with Pam to redo the lettering on Aqua Base.  The morning was extremely peaceful as we passed for many miles as the sole boat on the ICW.  By 8 o’clock the crowd had begun to gather and the pace slower for needed courtesy passes by fishermen and other boaters.  The wind also picked up and we began to wonder what the Cape Fear River had in store for us.  The wind and currant were at odds – the wind being much worse than the currant.  We experienced only slight waves of 1-2 feet.  Snow’s Cut was against us at a pace of 2-2 ½ knots.  The time came close but as we tied up at Seapath – Pam was there ready to work.  An hour later we had new letters guaranteed to last this time.  Bob Roetgers stopped by on his way home with a spare part for us from Yacht One just as planned.  The evening was beautiful except for all the weekend boaters drinking on their boats.