Causeway Cafe | Cruising The ICW

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Atlantic ICW, Beaufort Docks Marina, Beaufort NC, Belhaven, Boat, Bridge Tender Marina, Bridge Tender Restaurant, Causeway Cafe, Chesapeake Bay, Coastal destinations, Cruising, CruisingTheICW, Dog, Georgetown SC, Harborwalk Marina, Mainship 34T, Marinas, Myrtle Beach Yacht Club, NC, Slow Dance, Southport Marina, The Big Tuna, Waterfront dining, Wilmington NC, Wrightsville Beach, Wrightsville Beach Marina

Calm and cloudy

The decision’s been made. This summer “Slow Dance” will be cruising the Chesapeake Bay! Plans are for:

First night: Harborwalk Marina, Georgetown, SC
Second night: Myrtle Beach Yacht Club, North Myrtle Beach, SC
Third and Fourth nights: Joyner Marina, Carolina Beach, NC
Fifth night: Top Sail Island Marina, Surf City, NC
Sixth thru eighth night: Beaufort, NC
Ninth night: Belhaven, NC
Tenth night and beyond: Open to suggestions, but know that barring the unforeseen, we’ll be heading to Elizabeth City, NC and then up the historic Dismal Swamp Canal to Chesapeake, VA before continuing a far north on the Bay as Annapolis and/or Saint Michaels.

UPDATE: “Slow Dance” now has “her” AWESOME new Garmin electronics package, the Cummins valves are adjusted, and as “precautionary” maintenance the Cummins and Kohler have new impellers. Last, but not least, the hull gets a thorough inspection, cleaning, and zincs replaced as needed. Now just counting down the days!

This summer’s cruise will be “Slow Dance” longest cruise since traveling from Fort Lauderdale to Ross Marine, where we dropped her off to correct issues discovered during her pre-purchase survey. On this cruise, she will be proudly flying her American flag, her and America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association burgee.

Follow along as this summer’s adventure unfolds!

Oh Captain, My Captain

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Atlantic ICW, Boat, Bridge Tender Marina, Bridge Tender Restaurant, Causeway Cafe, Coastal destinations, Cruising, CruisingTheICW, Featured, ICW, ICW ports, Lanes Ferry Dock & Grill, Mainship, Marinas, Waterfront dining, Wilmington and Beaches CVB, Wilmington NC, Wrightsville Beach, Wrightsville Beach Marina

Wrightsville Beach, NC. “Voted North Carolina’s Best Beach.” Considering the myriad of beautiful beaches along North Carolina’s three hundred mile coastline, being voted Variety Vacationland’s best beach is a pretty strong statement. For cruisers docking at one of Wrightsville Beach’s marinas, the beach is just about a mile walk or four minute Uber ride away.

The beauty of Wrightsville Beach marinas is their convenience to restaurants, the beach, and shopping. It’s a little unusual to find a West Marine so close to marinas, but their 1930 Eastwood Road, Wilmington location is within a half mile of Bridge Tender and Dockside marinas, (technically located in Wilmington, but directly across the ICW from Wrightsville Beach Marina) and Wrightsville Beach Marina, and just over a mile from Seapath Yacht Club. I know, several years ago – before Uber – I had to find it to buy a new VHF while staying at the Wrightsville Beach Marina. With only a bike for transportation, the convenience of the store was a blessing.

This past July, between our trip north on the ICW and then cruising back south, we spent about five days at Bridge Tender Marina.

Blue Heron and Slow Dance from the WB Bridge The marina staff was as great as the location, I only wish they had shower and laundry facilities. The adjacent Bridge Tender restaurant is a local favorite, and having tried a couple of their dinner specials, I can understand its popularity!

Though we haven’t used the Dockside Marina, on the ICW just south of Bridge Tender, we have eaten at Dockside Restaurant numerous times over the years. It’s another favorite among locals.

Before leaving on our cruise north, a neighbor told me that if we overnighted in Wrightsville Beach, we HAD to have at least one breakfast at at the lengendary causeway-cafe-from-the Causeway Cafe. We did, and it was a great, totally Southern experience next door to Wrightsville Beach Marina and within easy walking distance of Bridge Tender.

One thing is for sure, Wilmington and the Cape Fear Coast has no shortage of great restaurants! Another “Southern experience” one that became an instant favorite is one that an old friend, now living in Wilmington introduced us to, Lanes Ferry Dock and Grill. Located at 1101 NC Highway 210, Rocky Point, NC, it’s on the North Cape Fear River, about a 45-minute drive from Bridge Tender Marina. Their hot dogs with butter-grilled buns are definitely worth the ride if you’re a connoisseur of hot dogs. The homefried potato chips, R.C. and Cheerwine sodas – or their homemade sweet tea – are simply bonuses! Kenny “Big Mac” and Marie McManus try to make sure that every customer leaves full and satisfied! A parking lot filled with cars in the middle of nowhere is always a sign of great food!

Wilmington, like Charleston on the South Carolina coast, is blessed with being a historic seaport city complimented by beautiful beaches. Wilmington is approximately 18 miles up the Cape Fear River from the ICW at Southport, NC. In that 18 mile distance are three marinas with transient dockage along the River. Two, Port City and Cape Fear marinas are located adjacent to downtown and the historic district. Wilmington Marine Center is on the Cape Fear, approximately three miles south of downtown. All three are popular among cruisers.

While the ICW and beaches of the Cape Fear Coast may be “attractors” to the area, Wilmington offers an abundance of excellent attractions for the entire family. The WWII battleship, North Carolina, moored on the Cape Fear River, across from the historic district, is one of North Carolina’s premier attractions, and has been named one of the “Best Ship Museums in America.” Antebellum homes, historic gardens, Fort Fisher, site of the largest amphibious battle of the Civil War, and the award winning North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher are just a few of the attractions of the Cape Fear Coast. The Wilmington and Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau website gives cruisers an in-depth, easy to navigate overview of all this beautiful, historic seaport has to offer. Don’t take my word for it, check it out!