Day 14 - Southport, NC to Top Sail Beach, NC

Southport, NC is at the mouth of the Cape Fear River.  It empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Cape Fear guarded by Frying Pan Shoals.   While the river itself is nothing to be afraid of, Cape Fear has done plenty to earn the name.  Along with its brother to the North, Cape Hatteras, this area is known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic.  They both jut out into the sea and are littered with shipwrecks caused by hurricanes, storms, currents and navigational mistakes.  As if this wasn't enough, this area was once a favorite hunting grounds of pirates like Blackbeard and Calico Jack Rackham.  Even more fun was the way some of the locals augmented their income.  Most famously north of Hatteras at Nag's Head Beach, the locals would display lights to trick the mariners into thinking they were near safe harbor, only to fetch up on the beach and the locals could 'salvage' the wreck.

The only thing fearsome about the Cape Fear River today was an ebbing tide, which slowed our progress by a knot or so as we went the 12 miles north to Snow's Cut, a channel to the continuation of the ICW.

Yep, its a nuclear power plant.  Where are the cooling towers? Not here.  Two 24 foot diameter pipes take the river water through the plant and discharge all the way out to sea.

This is a car carrier/ferry getting people to work.

These ships are loading ammunition at the US Army munitions terminal.

Everybody tries to get pictures of the dolphins.  It's hard.  My preference is to just take a picture of the water and say "Look!  See? Its dolphins!"  Cheryl actually caught a couple.

..Yep, those birds are walking.

This is the ten foot pole we've all heard about.

More dredging pipes.

The machine doing the dredging.

These boat lifts were nearly full. I guess these folks had to be at work.

Unexpected yard art!

The water is looking better.

This person obviously feels the need for speed. 1600 horse power!

Embarrassing. Five, count 'em five, Navy patrol boats passing mere feet away at 34 knots.  That was it for the souffle.

I only took photos of 3 of them. We were still recovering from the wake the first 3 created when number 4 and 5 flew by us.

This was a typical site on this day's journey.

The birds love the signs to make their nests in or on.

Thought the marina lights and the last of the sunset made for a beautiful overview picture.

Snow Goose all tied up for the day.

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