Loop Dreams

Loop Dreams

Saturday, April 28, 2012

April 27, Anchoring beyond Belhaven

April 27

Left Oriental late morning while the tide was up because of the shallow channel at this marina.
Winds died down and it was smooth sailing until we hit Pamlico River. At 65 miles long and 25 miles wide at its maximum, Pamlico Sound is the largest lagoon on the East Coast. The sound tested our boat with seas up to 4 feet and it was a rough ride for several hours.  We found a quiet anchorage at Scranton Creek off the Pungo River and watch a beautiful sunset after a hair raising day of traveling.


Sunset at Scranton Creek



April 26-27, 2012, Oriental & New Bern, NC

April 26 - 27

Left Morehead, part of the Crystal Coast, and encountered some rough seas before we docked at Whittaker Pointe Marina in Oriental, NC.  The fairly new marina rested among tall pines.  The dock master kindly let us take the car into New Bern for the day to explore.  New Bern, which nestles on a spit of land between the Trent and Neuse rivers, is filled with excellent examples of old colonial and Federal-style structures.  The 1710 town seems little changed from a century or more ago with over a hundred historic houses and other buildings.  Swiss and German immigrants seeking religious freedom settled here and named the town after Switzerland's capital and before long, New Bern also became the state's capital, a status it retained until the 1790s.  Centerpiece of the old architecture in New Bern is the Tryon Palace, a splendid remnant of colonial times completed in 1770 as the colony's capitol and Governor William Tryon's official residence, and later North Carolina's capitol.  We fell in love with this town, it reminded us of a little Charleston.
Bears, representing Switzerland, are scattered throughout the city and dressed to represent the business
                                                                                             
Federal-style John Wright Stanly House (1780's), owned  by a privateer whose personal navy
numbered some fourteen ships.  Host to George Washington in 1791 who pronounced the place "exceedingly good lodgings".

Confederate Soldier grave site in New Bern.

New Bern cemetery included picnic tables throughout where families will come and picnic
with their deceased love ones.

New Bern Academy, first school chartered in NC. Assembly levied a tax for its support
in 1766.  Present building was completed in 1810.

Completed in 1770 as the colony's capitol and Governor William Tryon's residence, and later
North Carolina's capitol.

 New Bern  City Hall

First Presbyterian,  completed in 1822, a truly beautiful New England type sanctuary
sporting  a graceful five-tiered tower.
                                                                                 

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

April 23-24, Morehead & Beaufort, NC

April 23 - 24

Left Swansboro with winds up to 25 mph and Ken fought the current and wind getting out of the slip.
To add to the challenge we were told that there was a shoal  behind the boat so he did not have much room to maneuver.  Rather tense, but Captain Ken saved the day and we headed to Morehead.
Shared a rental car with Rita and John and the next morning we were off to Beaufort to explore the 1709 town.  Beaufort has a very interesting historical center with over 100 homes preserved in their original state, many built in the early 1800's.  The small harbor is lined with interesting stores, a huge boat building workshop and a fascinating maritime museum. The North Carolina Maritime museum displayed artifacts from Blackbeard's sunken ship the Queen Ann's Revenge.  In 1718 the pirate Blackbeard terrorized shipping along the North Carolina coast, taking up to nine vessels.
The climax of his terrorist activities occurred in Charleston, with a week-long blockade of the harbor.  A month after that action, in June 1718 it is believed he ran Queen Ann's Revenge aground in Beaufort Inlet.  In 1996 the remains were discovered and to this day they are still bringing up artifacts from the ship ruins in 20 feet of water.

Ken drooling over the boat workshop, which is known to restore historical boats.

Replica of Queen Anne's Revenge

Whale skeleton that washed ashore in Beaufort, yes he could have swallowed Jonah!!

 

The graveyard we toured  had tombstones dating in the 1700s.  This site is where a little girl
died at sea after visiting London and her body was stored in a rum barrel for burial.

Wild horses off the shore on Shackleford Island just across Taylor Creek.

No brave souls on Atlantic Beach today because of the windy cold weather.

Fort Macon is well preserved and worth the trip.

 

We dined at the Sanitary Restaurant and the food was OK but the 5 layer chocolate cake
was the best.  John displayed a surrender flag because the cake won.  We could not finish the dessert
                                                                 

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

April 21-22, Swansboro, NC

April 21 - 22

Traveled 53 miles to Dudley Marina at Swansboro.  We topped off at a rickety old dock with cheap diesel fuel and 75 cents a foot to dock.  Rainy day and we used the courtesy car to go to church. The preacher, who was a small man, delivered a mighty sermon.  Walked through the historic district and ate at Yana's, an old diner with reasonable prices.  We rented a movie, Mission Impossible and had Rita and John over to show off our boat theater!  Night out on Loop Dreams was complete with an action movie, popcorn and good company.  


Homes along the ICW
                                                                     
Swing bridge opens to let us pass

Monday, April 23, 2012

April 20, Wrightsville Beach, NC

On our way to Wrightsville Beach and we were treated with dolphins swimming off our stern.
We were told they like women's voices so I hoot and holler and sing to them...I watch them swim on their side to listen to me and they like to show off by jumping out of the water. They amaze me.
We met Amie for dinner, my daughter's friend, who moved to NC.  It was fun catching up.
Stayed at Seapath Marina, very nice but pricy. They had a courtesy car and we needed provisions.
The clean laundry was a joke with only one washer and dryer.  It took forever to dry clothes.

Dolphins swimming off our stern.
                                                         Eating out with Amie and Pat
                                                                               
                                    

April 19, Wilmington, NC

April 19

Took a side trip to Wilmington and stayed at George's restaurant which was a free dock and dine.  I could get use to this. The security of being tied up to a dock and eating out at night is a treat!
We caught the trolley and enjoyed seeing the historic town and drove by the beautiful Bellamy Mansion Museum.  This stunning antebellum Greek revival and Italianate estate was largely built by black freedmen and slaves, some of whom were subsequently granted their freedom on the home's front stairs.  We ate at George's and enjoyed the great service and fantastic food.  Fun day!
Bellamy Mansion Museum

USS North Carolina, a WW II 728 foot battleship in the background.
Credited with 15 battle stars, this ship honors more than 10,000 North Carolina men and women
who died defending America's freedom.

Old Cotton Exchange Building is now a trendy market place.

Wilmington Historic district with brick streets.

Note the rooster on the steeple.

Wilmington river walk on Cape Fear River with tons of restaurants and shops.

The currents were swift in Cape Fear River.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

April 17-18th, Southport, North Carolina

April 17 - 18

Traveled 44 miles today to Southport, NC and stayed at Provision Company Restaurant's courtesy dock. This was a dine and dock free and the owners could not have been nicer.  Great food and the town was sprinkled with antique shops.  John and Rita took us on their dingy to the remote Bald Head Island which is accessible only by boat.  We rented a golf cart to tour the island which does not allow any automobiles.  We climbed "Old Baldy" which is an out-of-service lighthouse.  It was built in 1817 and is the oldest still standing lighthouse in North Carolina.   We walked to the point of Cape Fear which is a prominent headland jutting into the Atlantic Ocean.  Cape Fear is formed by the intersection of two sweeping arcs of shifting low-lying beach the result of long shore currents.  The currents form the treacherous, shifting Frying Pan Shoals, known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic for shipwrecks. 
Swing Bridge opening for Loop Dreams to travel on!
 
Traveling on the ICW, smooth waters compared to the Atlantic Ocean on the other side of the island.

Ken inside "Old Baldy" the lighthouse.  We climbed to the top and enjoyed the view.

"Old Baldy" the oldest standing lighthouse in North Carolina.

1903 Boathouse on Bald Island.

 

Standing at the point of Cape Fear an underwater labyrinth of sandbars stretches for 20 miles into the
Atlantic Ocean, varying in depths of 3 to 15 feet, causing frequent shipwrecks.

Loop Dreams docked at the Provisions Company restaurant.
One of many Southport homes dated in the 1800s .

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

April 14-16th, Myrtle Beach

April 14 - 16

Traveling 55 miles to North Myrtle Beach and we fought the river current part of the way.
The run reminded us of the Tom Bigbee River with towering trees and an abundance of wilderness.  John and Rita spotted a bobcat swimming the river! Our highlight was the Grand Dunes Bridge with a river boat turning around to take its passengers back home. We are now temporarily in fresh water and it is refreshing to listen to the frogs croaking.

We docked at Barefoot Landing with a 120 shops and 20 restaurants and we shopped and ate at every one...(just kidding)!  First night there we were walking by the Alabama Theater and the manager came out and gave us free tickets to Oakridge Boy's concert.  We had a foot stomping good time. 
Next morning we went to House of Blues and had a luscious brunch and listened to some good ol'
gospel singing. Rita and I had a great afternoon shopping until we dropped. That evening John hustled Ken at the pool table.

Monday was a day of cleaning the boat and then off to the beach which was a little over a mile away. We had John and Rita over for spaghetti dinner.  

North Myrtle Beach is part of The Grand Strand which is a 60 mile swath of white sand beaches along the northern coast of South Carolina.  This area is one of the premier vacation destinations, attracting 13.8 million visitors annually. We had a wonderful time!

Headed out to the Alabama Theater
                                                                                    
Grand Dunes Bridge
                                                                                      
Enjoying Myrtle Beach

April 13, Georgetown, SC

April 13

After traveling 75 miles today and fighting the current most of the way we arrived at a narrow channel and anchored our boat along the Georgetown waterfront.  The channel was sprinkled with shrimp boats and a paper mill just beyond our boat was working away. We took the dinghy to the public dock and walked the sleepy town which was adorned with antique shops and restaurants. 
Georgetown, founded in 1729, is the third oldest city in South Carolina, but it's history is much older.  Many historians believe that this area was likely the setting of the first European settlement in the New World.   Some believe that American history began in Georgetown in 1526 when Spanish explorer Lucas Vasquez de Ayllon established a colony on Waccamaw Neck. The colony was short lived but Georgetown natives hang onto this historical fragment as a badge of honor.

During the mid 19th century Georgetown led the world in rice exports.  After the halt of the
"Carolina Gold rush" because of the Civil War and hurricanes, a new industry arrived---lumber.  By 1914 the Atlantic Coast Lumber Company was the largest lumber producing plant on the East Coast.
The company went bankrupt in 1932 and the town suffered until 1936 when International Paper built a plant here.


Georgetown town clock.  Ooops, where's the clock?
                                               
Georgetown mansion
                                                                                              

The Rice Museum
                                        
Entrance to the Harbor Walk.  Look what's aimed at Loop Dreams!!