What are some of your favorite stops Jekyl Island to Norfolk

H

helm

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We are just getting ready to head back to Chack Chack for another leg or our Great Loop trip. This time from Jekyl Island Florida up to Norfolk. We would love to hear about some of your favorite stops along the way.
Thanks
Eric
 
Without a doubt Boathouse Marina in Surf City NC. It's a few miles North of Wrightsville Beach which is also nice. The Marina itself offers floating docks, power and water. What I like about it is it's only a two block walk to the Ocean and a fishing pier. There's a grocery store about two blocks away plus about 1/2 dozen resturants, About a block away is a huge two story store with about any kind of boating supplies you could need. Here's a link to their site http://www.beachhouseyachtclub.com/ I'd call ahead because they only have a limited amount of transiet sites.

An easy days travel South is Southport City Marina http://www.southport-marina.com/ This is a first class place with a nice resturant right across the street. It's a good stop in that it's right before you begin the cross the mouth of the Cape Fear River which can be pretty rough ride. I like to cross it early in the morning when the wind is down.

If you wish to visit Wilmington you can go about 10 miles down the Cape Fear to the downtown docks which are in the historic district and they offer docking but I don't remeber if they have any hookups. This can be a pretty noisey place at night lots of bars on the water. They have carriage tours of the old restored homes and lots of Civil War history with beautiful statues throughout the city.
 
When you get to the top of Albemarle Sound, pick the Great Dismal Swamp Canal, it's a very leisurly (6 knot) trip through some beautiful scenery with a bunch of nice wildlife.

And take a close look at the only swing bridge left on the ICW at Sunset Beach, don't remember the mile marker.

Charlie
 
You can find my journal for that part of the great loop here:

http://smittypaddler.com/cds/cd4/greatl ... /index.htm

My favorite places were -

St Augustine
Isle of Hope Marina and Savannah, though the sand flies were Baaaaad!
Georgetown, South Carolina
Bald Head Island (very, very nice!)
Elizabeth City (beautiful in spring, with lots of flowers)
Great Dismal Swamp (nice, but long, repetitive and boring with a 10 mph speed limit)
Norfolk (MacArthur's tomb, battleship Wisconsin a must)
 
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