ICW - Wilmington to Myrtle Beach - bike week

7Husker · 02-07-2008, 05:26 PM

Folks - I am thinking of taking the boat to Mytle Beach during bike week. The bride will have a car and hotel room in Myrtle. I am thinking of boating down from Wilmington. Where is the best chart for this trip? West Marine has a book but that might be overkill. Any recommendations for a place to keep the boat for 3 days? Bars, restraunsts fuel recommendations would be helpful

Carolina Custom · 02-07-2008, 07:52 PM

The ICW chartbooks are good. Several years ago my crew and I "lived" at the dock behind Doc Holiday's for about 3 days while we worked on the engine on a gofast we were delivering north. We became quite friendly with the waitresses there. Probably could have fixed the motor in a couple of hours if they had not started feeding us margaritas about 10 minutes after we limped in.

riffraff2 · 02-08-2008, 04:39 AM

There is a strip club and a hooters right in front of Doc Holidays...not that I have ever been there. Not sure what to tell you on the charts, but the run is not difficult. the ICW gets pretty narrow and shallow around Little River, so be careful.

surfncnow · 02-08-2008, 06:37 AM

That's a easy trip. Do you have a chart plotter? Be sure to get to the Sunset Beach bridge before 6:30 pm. The only tricky part is around the Little River inlet. Oh yeah, don't forget to take Snow's cut out of Carolina beach!

7Husker · 02-08-2008, 05:17 PM

Thanks gents. No chart plotter (working on it). I have a 23 ft cc. I hope to make the run. I will update with resurlts and maybe picts!

Jonafare · 02-10-2008, 08:31 AM

Get the cart book, you won't regret it.

Overcurrent · 02-10-2008, 08:48 AM

I made the trip in August 05 with just the NOAA chart (Myrtle Grove Sound to Casino Creek) and the Garmin Blue Chart in my GPS, no problem.
Just watch for shoaling at Lockwoods Folly plus the rock ledges west (south) of the Little River swing bridge that continue for several miles.

We went as far "south" as Barefoot Landing but went back and spent the night at Myrtle Beach Yacht Club in Little River (had dinner at Umbertos). Barefoot Landing is no longer free but now has power and water....but no showers.

Weather (and Admiral) permitting, I think I'd make the run outside from Cape Fear to Little River Inlet.....you'll miss many no wake zones and the notorious Sunset Beach Pontoon Bridge....

lumberman · 02-11-2008, 10:07 AM

also remember the sunset bridge only opens every hour... on the hour. If you arrive at 10 minutes past the hour, you will wait until the next hour..

fishingfun · 02-11-2008, 01:52 PM

Suck, Bang, & Blow is a fun bar on that week. Its an old HQ Hardware store turned into a large bar. Very large bar.

creekman · 02-13-2008, 12:21 PM

You need to decide if you want to be in Myrtle for Bike week or the South End (surfside/Garden City/Murrells Inlet). Myrtle will have more regular bars, but the South End will have Suck Bang Blow, Broken Spoke, and other temp venues. SSB and BS are crazy during bike week. They are less than 20 miles apart, it can turn into a 1.5 hour trip during bike week. I live accross the street from Broken Spoke and we have a live concert everday of bike week starting at 2:00-????