Monday 5/25 - N. Myrtle Beach, SC to Bald Island, NC (Bald Island Marina & Yacht Club)

Leaving the slip this morning, the Captain asked if we were all clear.  I said yes.  But i should have said no!  When he turned, the stern swung in and the dinghy took a major  hit from the stone piling.  ooops.  i thought, ‘hmmm…maybe it’s okay.’  

Cruising was more of the same as far as the crazy boaters, jet skis, etc…  As soon as we got well out of the Myrtle Beach vicinity it calmed down considerably and we entered a smaller channel bringing us into North Carolina!  I think i first fell in love with NC when i learned that James Taylor was from there and/or listening to  ‘Carolina In My Mind’….and traveling through it just felt homey, much like Kentucky.  When i grew older I learned to love it even more through Jim and Fonda.  They introduced me to Bob and Carolyn Sinclair and to the experience of Merelefest, meeting some of the best damn people on the face of the earth.  We’re far from Wilkesboro and Hickory but a big shout out to Bob and Carolyn - 'bless their little hearts'...(Jimmy Mac did Harry tell you he lived & worked in Wilkesboro many years ago and he even knows about Merelefest - now that’s bizarre).

Any who…on about NC today.…the marina at Bald Head Island is special.  You can only get there by boat.  A huge ferry, every hour, brings guests and residents living there.  A golf cart, bicycle island.  We arrived early and immediately noticed that the dinghy had fallen flat and was severely sagging in the bow like a lifeless creature.  OMG - i guess it’s NOT okay.  damn, i felt so bad, i hate messing up.  We found the hole and asked all we knew how best to repair it.  We ate some lunch and then headed off on our bikes to the island’s hardware store (H needed cement glue/patch) and to the Market (E needed a bottle of wine).  On the way we visited the ancient light house and town chapel.


Houses were tucked into the trees throughout the island.  A town on one side the beach on the other.  it was charming.  But Harry made a comment that i grew to agree with, while i love golf cart islands, this one was of cookie cutter type.  all the homes (while darling) in the marina looked alike and the ones in the woods did too.  it was over developed…to the point of boring (architecture wise).  Just a couple of places to eat (unless you’re a member of the two ‘clubs’) but it was a good place to spend the evening and it was lots of fun riding our bikes through the canopy of trees to the town village.  We then went back to the boat to repair the hurt dinghy.  Harry pumped it up, we went to dinner and came back and it was still full. ('It', being the dinghy, not Harry).  Thank goodness, all i could think about was how much money a new dinghy costs.

Harry calling Abner in LBK to inquire on how to fix the dinghy!