Grand Dunes Marina is a great stopping point on the ICW, we pulled out of here around 7am on Sunday. What a great morning, 66 degrees outside and a nice NW wind. This run is great because you can see the Atlantic from the Intracoastal in spots, and the water clarity gets better. There are at least a dozen spots to stop and eat or spend the night along this route. The Little River takes you through Myrtle Beach, then you hit the North Carolina border. From here the ICW takes you just west of Sunset Beach and Ocean Isle Beach, continuing past Monks Island and Holden Beach. Lots of the ICW in this area is just referred to as the Intracoastal where in other places they name them after rivers. You pass Oak Island then enter Cape Fear River, Cape Fear has some of the longest shoals in the country. They extend over 20 miles offshore, referred to as Frying Pan Shoals. Going north on Cape Fear River the channel was huge and over 40′ deep. We took Carolina Beach Inlet to the New River, then took a heading of 000N which took us straight to Wrightsville Beach using Motts Channel. We anchored in a spot only the locals can get you in at, you can hear the waves on the beach at night from this spot.
sunken shrimp boats, one you can see one on the bank of the ICW
Carolina Beach is the one with all the cars parked on it, the tug pictured was at least 50 years old. and they have a crane truck in a barge that they are removong pilings with which is a sight. The big blue research boat is “OCEARCH” which is a Great White Shark Tagging and Research Vessel. It is featured on Discovery Channel.
My great friends the Blacks welcomed us as we came up Motts channel in their boat, and lead us to the special anchorage. I met Chris and Candice over 4 years ago in Pensacola, and we have stayed in touch ever since. They showed us a great time after we arrived in Wrightsville around 5PM. We took Chris’s boat all over, they showed me the lay of the land and all the great spots to go and see. And we had some awesome Mexican food. We will be spending lots of time with them while we are in the area. We took Chris’s Boat out Masonboro inlet sunday night, they have a super long jetty and on the Leeward side it stays calm. The full moon was beautiful and the waves from the atlantic breaking against the windward side of the rocks was pure bliss. We could feel the spray from the waves.
Pura at anchor
Masonboro Inlet and a picture from the “OCEARCH” shark pin. The Masonboro Inlet has an open area on the northern jetty called a Wear. This allows for the longshore current to keep sand from building up in the inlet.
Docked at bridge tinder marina. Two Carolina boats to my stern
Pura Vida Loop 