BALD HEAD ISLAND

June 21, 2012  Dateline:  Bald Head Island, NC USA

The dock at Georgetown Landing Marina was located some distance from the shore and you had to walk on a long boardwalk that spanned a marsh.  While walking along the boardwalk Carol noticed and was able to get a picture of this intruder.  The sign on the dock indicates that people on the walkway either have to be a boat owner or a guest.  I doubt that this guy was either.

After 5 days of waiting for our battery charger to be replaced, we were finally able to leave Georgetown. The trip to Bald Head Island was an easy one.  The seas were flat and the course took me some 20 miles offshore.  In the entire 70 mile offshore trip, I saw only 3 other boats.

Bald Head Island is located at the entrance to the Cape Fear Inlet. The residents of the island have banned motor vehicles from the island.  Everyone either rides a bicycle or drives a golf cart.  The only way to get to the island is by ferry from Southport, NC and as the people arrive there are carts pulled off the ferry that contain luggage for those spending some time here. Of course, there are some who only come to spend the day.

Rich and Carol rented a golf cart and drove around the island. Some of the houses on the island are very large to say the least.  This house overlooks the waves of the Atlantic Ocean as they break on Frying Pan Shoal. 

This photo shows the waves breaking over the Shoal.

Bald Head Island has been occupied since the early 1700’s.  The British had a fort near old Baldy Lighthouse.  The American Revolutionary soldiers attacked the fort from the water, thus the first American amphibious assault occurred right here in North Carolina.

The dock master at the Bald Head Island Marina is a sponsor of the Americas Great Loop Cruisers Association and gave me a discount on my dockage without even being asked.  It is always nice to get a discount. The marina here is large and is surrounded by homes, some rental and some private. There is a very good restaurant at the marina which has Karaoke on Thursday nights. There were many golf carts parked nearby as the restaurant was very busy.