We left Wrightsville Beach Thursday, the 22nd, in the morning at low tide. In the past leaving with low water would be a guarantee of running aground. But, with recent dredging we saw nothing less than 4' under Calypso's keel. 

As the tide started coming in it also gave us the gentle push we needed to pass through Snow's Cut. Unfortunately, once out of this narrow and potentially hazardous cut, we would have 4 knots of current against us in the Cape Fear River.

So, we pulled in at the Carolina Beach State Park Marina. What a wonderful, quiet, and secure marina. Their reasonable slip fee of $30/night included power, water, trash, and head/shower facilities. We took a wonderful 2 mile hike on one of the parks trails looking for the elusive Venus Fly Trap Plants. We had heard this was one of the few spots in North America they grow naturally. No luck, but it was a good hike anyway.

The next morning we got underway and rode the outgoing current down the Cape Fear River. Humming along at 6.3 knots we planned to sail offshore to Little River, at the NC/SC boarder. Our plans changed when the forecast NE wind was really coming from the West, the way we planned to sail. So, we took a right at Southport and headed south on the ICW. With few choices of anchorages in the Little River area, we tied up at Cricket Cove Marina.

On Saturday, with the threat of bad weather coming early next week we stayed on the ICW and anchored at a favorite Oxbow in the Waccamaw. This morning we travelled another 11 miles to Thoroughfare Creek. This creek, well off the ICW, has great holding for our anchor and  trees that offer good wind protection from the forecasted 40 knot wind gusts.

We plan to stay here until we can continue heading south, in calmer weather.

Fair Winds and Quiet Anchorages