Wednesday 

April 19th, 2017

Last day at Carolina Beach State Park!

This is a Looper app which shows where your are if you check in regularly... quite a few boats along the Atlantic coast heading North...

We are the little man icon just above center...

This big SeaRay looks fine but it's not.... so many operators think they can go anywhere but not the case here....this boat is stuck on a sandbar which is out of the marked channel...If it had been low tide, he would have seen it.

Britt's Donuts a Carolina Beach tradition since 1939
We had a couple hot donuts that went down in a couple bites...

Better and hotter than Krispy Creme

The Lazy Pirate Restaurant and Bar
Mike tried conversing with these two gals and they just wouldn't  talk...

This says Plunder Ye Booty...

Mike had a great meal, one of his favorites is Jumbalia.

Here is the Lazy Pirate
This fella wouldn't talk either...not the friendliest place...

At least he had a nice smile...

Our great new friends, Rodney and Barbara drove us to Kure Beach for dinner.

We ate at Jack Mackerel's Island Grill.  We were surprised by a 40% off of all meals.

Barbara grew up on Carolina Beach and gave us a run down of its' history.  Sounds like many of the newest homes are on land that can flood with the slightest storm.  There are gates that will be shut down and all cars are then banned from going to their homes.  Barbara's family home is on higher ground, by very little, but enough to avoid minor floods. Barbara and Rodney were superb host and hostess.  They drove us around the island and even came immediately when Joell needed to be taken to Urgent Care.  Rest assured she is all right, but must have drank some nasty water somewhere.

A little scan of the beach and pier...

Barbara, Joell and Mikee

Barbara, Rodney and Mikee

They've got some long beaches here...

Just a little history that took place on Carolina Beach, N.C.

Thursday

April 20th, 2017

This is getting a little carried away..
They must really like Pink...

The boat too!

We spent the day cruising up Marine/Navy protected waters, Camp Lejeune.

This appears to be some sort of tank...

Another tank?

No boat may anchor and no individuals may go ashore

No flashing, so were going through...

Hope we don't get one fired over the bow..

Want to sneak ashore?  They are watching.

The Saltwater Grill in Swansboro, N.C. for Joell's Birthday!

Joell knocked back a Straight Up Martini and wanted a glass of wine...

She was frozen like this for like 3 minutes...didn't move a stitch!

doesn't remember a darn thing...

I ate all the appetizers..

Mike had crab and scallops covered in bacon
mmmmmm bacon....

Joell had a wonderful Bourbon Chicken with a piece of Christmas tree branch sticking out of it...

After dinner we went to the Swansboro Yacht Club.
Swanky...we almost didn't get in....but Mikes good looks and charm got us through the door...

The Swansboro Yacht Club is just a really fun, local restaurant and bar.

Very "Classy" bartenders here at the Swansboro North Carolina Yacht Club...

Ed from SSYC could take some lessons from this fella...

I miss ya Ed!!!

This local gal tried to pickup Joell...    they do make a lovely couple...

Out on the deck of the Yacht Club...

Friday

April 21, 2017

The smaller homes to the right have all the trees.  Large homes are being built right next to them all throughout the ICW.

When there is no shore to swim off of people find any little sandbar.  Problem is they disappear  after  a few hours, as the high tide comes in.

Coast Guard station at Moorehead, N.C. Inlet

We're staying here for a week at the Homer Smith's Docks and Marina.  

It has been owned by three generations.  Originally they started as a fishing family.  Regulations got tighter and tighter causing them to expand into the commercial fishing business and finally, this year they are building beautiful docks for marina slips and us transients. 

Now those are some nice lookin docks....

Elwood and Joell like them too...

Here's Miss Darlene

Atop of those black poles are "Birds"... the black poles fold out, one port and one starboard...they are then lowed via cables into the water and are dragged along... they stabilize the boat keeping it from rolling right to left...

A sticker on there door says it all...

do you think Trump put that there?

That's lots of fishing line.....

Mike wonders if his sister Suzanne might own this boat.