Tuesday November 5: Southport, NC

Today started out with a rainbow - how can any day start out any better? And it wasn't really even raining. Just a light drizzle.

The current down the Cape Fear River wasn't going our way until noon so we took advantage of the ever clearing day to get the bikes off and headed off to Carolina Beach.

The ride out of the park at which we are staying winds through mostly treed areas. Sadly we aren't permitted to ride the bikes on the trails through the woods. So we stick to the road. Not a far ride to Carolina Beach.

I noticed my bike seemed to be shifting quite well and marveled at that since we hadn't ridden them for several months (except the time Fozzi made his escape and who could notice anything then because of the worry about where he was). Apparently Matt did a service call on the bikes when they were sitting in their garage for 4 months! Thanks, Matt!! It's like a new bike!

Waves were rolling into the beach - we remarked that we were glad we weren't on the ocean side today - just wouldn't be any fun at all.

Steve was happy to see his little birds were around. He loves these little guys! It's fun to watch them when there is a flock of them as they all turn in unison and run to and from the water.

Not much else going on in Carolina Beach. The season is mostly over for them at this point. It's in the 40's at night and the low 60's during the day. Those north winds just won't stop!! Need to keep moving south ...

 And so we did. Leaving at noon to travel the short 13 miles to Southport, NC. The currents hurled us (well, relatively :-) ) downstream at a record 13 mph at one point!

We were fortunate to be able to snag a dock at the Provision Company - which is a restaurant that provides free docks if you have a meal with them. Fine by us as their seafood is great! Sadly though they had shut down early for the season. But we did get to the post office to send off our battery charger. It should arrive to the company on Thursday and hopefully we'll be able to have the new one to us sometime mid next week.

A ride around Southport showed the evidence of both Halloween and Thanksgiving!

This is a great port with much Civil War history. The forts in the area allowed Wilmington (at the north end of the Cape Fear River) to be one of the last remaining southern cities providing supplies for the Confederate states. The blockade runner captains (many of whom lived here in Southport) made around $3000 in gold for each ship they managed to get past the Union barricades without running around the numerous shoals at the river inlet entrance. Once the war was over, it was back to $200 to navigate a ship through the same waters!

Steve took a walk over to the salt marshes that run alongside the ICW here in Southport.

This also starts the places where the live oaks begin to be plentiful in the towns visit.

It's again just a wonderful area.

So ends another great day. I think I smell dinner cooking .....