the ditch and the mall
Upriver from the Wacca Wache Marina, in Murrells Inlet, where we had spent the night, we passed a sign nailed to a tree. bucksport marina restaurant groc block ice sausage fuel disc abc pmts. The marina's restaurant, painted barn-red and overlooking the dock, was tremendously appealing. But then we followed the waterway into what I later heard a boatman refer to as the Ditch--a 30-mile-long gully excavated behind Myrtle Beach and vicinity by the army before World War II. To travel this route, with the overflowing Dumpsters of discount outlets and fast-food joints gliding by above eye level, is dreadful, but to do it at 10 miles per hour is excruciating. It didn't help that our destination was a mall. The girls didn't share my objection to staying at Barefoot Landing. We shopped, fed carp, and--okay, I'll admit it--all had fun at Joe's Crab Shack, where the food was fine, the Christmas lights gaudy, and the dancing waiters very funny.
We pulled out of Barefoot Landing mid-morning, destined for Southport, North Carolina. Arriving by evening, we anchored in a cove and took a dinghy to the first dock in the harbor. It belongs to the Yacht Basin Provision Co., which was a find--great food (grilled tuna and crab cakes), an honor system on beer and soda, and a terrific staff. We sat in the awning-enclosed area that night, and returned for lunch.
cape fear and other slight exaggerations
Just above Southport the waterway enters Cape Fear River, which, relative to the narrow, protected waters we'd grown accustomed to, feels like the
Atlantic in a hurricane. Mike and Teresa planned our 27-mile run to Wrightsville Beach, our final stop, to coincide with the rising tide, and thanks to the wind, we made good time. Jane and Sarah attracted so many gulls with their fistfuls of bread that I thought--given some spiderweb--we might be carried off like James and his giant peach. About 10 miles up the Cape Fear River we turned eastward and emerged in Myrtle Grove Sound, a region of tiny islandstucked behind a long, low stretch of barrier island. The inland side of the waterway here has minimal development; the Atlantic side has the town of Carolina Beach, and then, for the remaining 10 miles up to Wrightsville Beach, nothing. I would have liked to spend the day here, playing in the sand and investigating in the dinghy. But we continued on to Wrightsville Beach, which seems to cater to the young and hip. Parts of Dawson's Creek are filmed in town, and the cast, judging by the pictures on the wall, hang out at the Middle of the Island restaurant.
all ashore
Teresa appeared shortly after 9 a.m. with instructions for our final morning: sheets in this bag, towels in that; windows, floors, bathrooms--all needed to be spotless.The Fantessy's next customers appeared. Brad got the mop and tackled the deck. We washed salt spray off windows; the wind quickly reapplied it. Teresa observed us stonily. We packed and evacuated. Whew.
Would I do the trip again?Yes, but differently. I longed to explore the pretty towns we docked at. And there we were, traveling past the famous barrier islands--we should have spent a few afternoons at the beach. Also, it would have been nice to stay at some inns along the way. Really, we needed more time. The entire journey had a sense of urgency that left me feeling rushed and disoriented. Often the Wheelers seemed brusque, and though they had not promised it, I would have liked more help finding places to eat, and notice of when to stock up on supplies. But it also needs to be said that the barges were exceptionally well equipped, with great touches like shelves full of games, books (local travel guides and birders' field guides), binoculars, and videos. And I do stand by my feeling that being on the water is essential. My favorite image from the trip is of our arrival at Hampton Plantation. To approach it by highway, past billboards and strip malls, is probably fine. But to make the trip in a boat, with those spacious skies overhead and maybe a dolphin as an escort, is so much better.*
Melanie Fleischmann lives on a small farm in North Salem, New York.
Barging is a big vacation trend in Europe, but it's just catching on in this country. A weeklong charter with Michael and Teresa Wheeler, the general managers of Canalling in America (800/962-1771; www.canal cruises.com) begins at $1,800. Another American company that offers self-drive barges: Mid-Lakes Navigation Co. (800/545-4318). Both run boats on the Erie Canal in summer and in Florida in winter, but the Wheelers also run spring and fall trips along the Intracoastal Waterway. For trips in England, Ireland, France, and Belgium, try the Crown Blue Line (888/355-9491 or 201/242-4401) or Connoisseur Cruisers (44-1603/782-472), or use a brokerage with contacts throughout Europe, such as Jody Lexow Yacht Charters(800/662-2628).
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