For every tropical storm, there is safe port and a new
set of friends with whom we can weather watch. For Andrea, we holed up at Barefoot
Landing Marina (Myrtle Beach, SC) for three uneventful days. Winds were modest,
though the swing bridges did not open because winds surpassed twenty five miles
per hour. The storm headed inland more than expected so we were spared strong
conditions, and while we do not favor Barefoot
Landing as a destination, the buildings blocked much of the winds.
Today we cast off at 6:30 am to run two swing and seven
fixed bridges, the “rocks” and “ledges,” and New River, Shallotte, Lockwood’s
Folly Inlets. Mission accomplished,
winds calm at 6-8 knots, and the sun after the storm was welcome. However, five
minutes from our stop in Southport, NC, the winds kicked up to 15-18 knots
because the marina sits across from an inlet and river entrance. The marina
said they had 45 mile an hour sustained winds all day yesterday and today was
nothing. They made docking a breeze though we are a tad exposed on the face
dock.
Southport is an absolutely perfect-for-movie-making kind
of town, and that’s why we wanted to stop here. There are several restaurants,
a cute viable town, a waterfront and tourist stops where movies have been shot,
all on a picturesque walk from the marina. Every house is cuter than the last, with live
oaks and hydrangeas, gingerbread and picket fences. The most recent movie filmed here was Safe Haven in 2012. We played tourist
and loved it, starting with lunch at Fishy,
Fishy, a fish dive recommended by Coastal
Living. This is one stop I would highly recommend. A super marina
experience made the day complete.
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| View of the harbor |
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The movie company built this Ryan's Port Market at
the harbor, then burned it in the film. |
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| The roads all lead down to the water. |
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| Alex's cottage in Safe Haven. |
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This bar served as Katie's place of employment in Safe Haven.
The mural was painted for the movie. |
