The Carolinas
April 15, 2024
We’re beginning to check off states at a rapid pace. Georgia, South Carolina, and now North Carolina are flying by. We have been living aboard Novella now for nearly 5 months. We’ve traveled across 7 states and have completed more than 2,100 miles. This means our Loop is about 1/3 complete, which is hard to come to terms with.
We are currently anchored outside Oriental, a classic stop for sailors and it is getting us excited for much more sailing ahead. As we begin to transition from the narrow channels of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway to the Chesapeake Bay we are ready to give our sails a workout and reduce our fuel bill.
We have loved stopping at the numerous charming southern towns along the sea, hunting for yummy yet affordable restaurants, and trying to get in our 10,000 steps (which can be difficult).
Beaufort, SC with its stately mansions and Spanish moss was a definite highlight on Easter Sunday. We tied to their free town dock for the day under a ferocious current and then left to go anchor before sunset.
Charleston is one of our favorite cities, so we spent an extra day there and paid to stay at the “Megadock” surrounded by multi-million dollar yachts that eclipsed humble little Novella. We entered under very high winds that made us nervous around such expensive boats, but we are getting quite good at docking in all sorts of conditions so our worry was for naught. It happens when you spend day after day living on and operating a boat. Charleston is a true food city and it once again did not disappoint. From barbecue to chicken biscuits to cheese grits, we just went for it as if calories were a hoax. And don’t get us started on the breweries!
Georgetown was a great waterfront town that Meriah deemed among the most beautiful so far, but we couldn’t find a spot we felt comfortable anchoring overnight. After seeing the sights, we headed north to a peaceful anchorage where Looper friends were waiting among tall trees and starry skies. We dropped anchor and almost immediately rowed Puff over (sometimes the motor is unnecessary) for a couple of hours of stories and laughter.
The next day we navigated the potentially treacherous “rock pile” behind Myrtle Beach and then arrived at NC and the gorgeous uninhabited Bird Island, again with our friends. After experiencing the very muted solar eclipse, beach walks and sunset drinks were in order. It was nice to see and feel the Atlantic again after many miles on the ICW.
Next, we anchored outside Southport, NC. This is the home of some Looper friends in the “25-foot club” and is well known for a particularly hospitable front porch at the house of a former Looper. A number of Loopers are said to end up living here after finishing the route and we can see why. The town is small, and endearing and has a number of delicious and affordable places to grab a bite.
Timing our exit with the incoming tide on the appropriately named Cape Fear River, we ducked into Carolina Beach State Park Marina to avoid some dangerous winds. Hiking is one of our favorite hobbies, and the trails here took us through beaches, forests, and swamps all within a couple miles. The park is within the only area where you can see Venus flytraps in the wild, and Meriah found them!
After the weather passed we pushed ahead through the live-firing range of Camp Lejeune (thankfully closed that day) and on to another Beaufort - this time North Carolina. We enjoyed Neapolitan-style pizza on the waterfront and anchoring so close to town we could row again.
We are fully settling into our life on the boat and we recognize this section as a turning point in our adventure. From this point on is much open water and many never-visited destinations all the way through Canada.
