Lake Murray Lake Boaters Enjoy
Coastal Cruising in North Carolina
by P/C Mike Kirk, AP
The coastal cruising season kicked off with a dandy one, as Lake Murray Power
Squadron headed to North Carolina for Memorial Day. Thirteen boats left Columbia
Friday morning arriving in Southport with no problems at all on the road. We
were met there the next day by Lt Charlie Bruce, AP, and Diane Bruce, as well as
Lewis Mitchell, P, and Dolly Mitchell, P, who came up from Holden Beach aboard
Mutual Fun to join the group. Fifteen boats in all.
I am very pleased
to report that Dolly is recovering and feeling much better at this time. I know
we were all very concerned for her dental and related health problems because
they were interfering with boating and we just can't have that now can we! Lewis
said he was glad to see the quality of food at the dock parties had not changed.
The fare at the dock parties was outstanding and we had just about anything you
might like to have in a liquid or solid form. Very good!
Believe it or not the weather was excellent for the entire cruise both day
and night. We saw where it was raining back here at home but we had perfect
cruising weather for the whole trip. Even the Cape Fear River cooperated with us
and we had a good run both ways.
There was the usual shopping and sightseeing
in Southport and Wilmington. There were also impromptu side trips and adventures
on the water for those who preferred boating to the land lubber activities. The
bridge tenders were as agreeable as the weather so we were able to go way up the
river and dodge all the logs and floating hazards in good shape.
The group was berthed in Wilmington at the Bennett Brothers Yacht Builders
facility and they provided the squadron a breakfast spread on Saturday of
coffee, juices and all manner of pastries, bagels and muffins. Very nice of them
and very tasty too! They also gave the group a full tour inside their repair
facilities including the paint shop, carpenters shop and mechanical repair shop.
It was interesting to see where their 35 employees do the work on the bigger
boats. They repair and rebuild or restore as needed and can actually do anything
to a boat there that may need to be done.
Their docks were tailor made for a dock party so we obliged them with a good
one the night before departure. We were down at the far end under a highway
bridge so the noise didn't matter so much. There was dancing of all kinds from a
Conga line on the dock led by Janice Ayers to bow dancing displayed by my little
rose petal Angelina. Nobody fell in the water which kind of surprised me. If
they had, the current would have just taken them away so it's a good thing they
kept their footing.
There was a great side trip out of Southport led by Lee
Ayers to Ocean Isle for a visit to the Sugar Shack restaurant and rib joint. 21
people went for bread that tasted like spice cake, coconut shrimp to die for and
ribs that were out of this world. All in all there was lots of eating out and
great food of all kinds was enjoyed by the group.
Congratulations to virgin
cruise planners J Strohecker, S and Retta Strohecker who were ably assisted by
P/C Tony Dodson, SN and Lt Donna Dodson, AP. All the plans were well made and
everything went as planned. It is really worth your time to get signed up on one
of these coastal cruises; so maybe we will see you on one soon!
Click the
first thumbnail to catch a slide show of what you missed.
