I was up early this morning to ride with the assistant dockmaster to the airport to pick up my brother Gary so he can get a taste of the ICW. We've been traveling for over 2200 miles down and this far back. We've got about 450 to go and he will be with us for about 180 of that. After Gary arrived at the boat we sat about an hour until the light rain quit and the weather radar showed the rain had moved out of our path. Today we traveled north from Myrtle Beach across the border into North Carolina. Today was a very interesting day with a variety of waterfront houses and docks along the way. We also passed by three ocean inlets, which involve tricky currents but beautiful views out into the ocean. We also encountered an Army Corp of Engineers dredge where the ICW crossed the Shallotte Inlet channel. They turned out the inlet and started setting up to dredge the inlet while we continued north on the ICW. We also passed a Casino boat getting ready to head out the Little River Inlet to the 3 mile line so the passengers could do a little gambling. As we motored north the sun eventually came out and we began shedding our rain gear and even our sweatshirts as the air warmed up. We got to Southport with enough afternoon left to walk into town, past a large number of houses with historical signs on them dating the houses back to the late 1800's, through quaint downtown and down Main Street to the waterfront where the above seagull was enjoying the view. Main Street ends at the ICW where the Cape Fear River goes off to the north towards Wilmington, NC and to the east out past Bald Head Island and into the Atlantic Ocean. Tomorrow we have a short day up the ICW to Dockside Marina in Wrightsville Beach. The Captain