Water Activities

Water, water, everywhere - well not quite, but Wilmington and its surrounding communities are situated on what’s known as the Cape Fear Peninsula, and there’s a whole lot of water around here.

In a way, the Greater Wilmington area enjoys four shorelines. First, there is the Cape Fear River shoreline extending from the southern tip of the peninsula on Pleasure Island north to above the city, a distance of more than 20 miles.

Water, Water Everywhere     back to top

To the east are miles and miles of shoreline overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway and the sounds - Myrtle Grove, Masonboro, Greenville, Middle and Topsail - located between the mainland and the barrier islands on the ocean. Further east are the western shorelines of the barrier islands overlooking the same Intracoastal Waterway and sounds.

The fourth, and usually the most expensive shoreline faces the Atlantic Ocean along the barrier islands, Topsail Island, Figure Eight Island, Wrightsville Beach and Pleasure Island, comprised of Carolina and Kure Beaches and Fort Fisher.

The Biggest Draw    back to top

With so much water in our area, opportunities to enjoy it abound. Foremost are the 31 miles of beautiful, uncrowded beaches, the very thing that attracts most of the tourists visiting our charming locale. And unlike many other coastal areas, our beaches are accessible with loads of parking and a multitude of beach access points and dune crossovers. Lifeguards, during the tourist season, are on duty only at Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach and Kure Beach.

Blessed by the warming effect of the Gulf Stream, ocean water temperatures at the beaches stay fairly moderate over the winter, are warm enough for swimming in May, and are in the eighties by mid to late summer. It’s not unusual to see surfers in the water all year long, although they’ll be in wet suits during our brief winter. In recent years, the East Coast Wahine (ladies) Surfing Championships have been held at Wrightsville Beach and Kure Beach.

Surfing USA    back to top

To be sure, surfing is a major water activity in the Wilmington area, including conventional surfboarding, kite boarding and kite surfing. In fact, there are about 18 shops and businesses providing equipment and, in some cases, lessons. And don’t worry if you don’t feel like lugging your surfboard through airports and on planes or stuffing it into your VW, boards can be rented locally. We also have surfing camps for learning the basics or taking your skills to a higher level.

Of course, many people aren’t keen about the water lapping much above their ankles, if at all, and for those folks our miles of sandy beaches are perfect for strolling, power walking, collecting shells or watching the pelicans dive and the dolphins frolic.

A Word Of Caution    back to top

However, be sure to caution the kids (and yourselves) not to pick up one of the interesting, shiny, bag-like critters washed up on the sand. It could be a Portugese Man o’ War, which along with other jellyfish, can still sting long after they’re dead, and the pain can be excruciating - even the detached tentacles can still sting.

We even have a magnificent daily event for those who tend to over imbibe a bit and doze the night away on the beach or just plain like to get up early - it’s sunrise over the Atlantic and it’s awesome. And for the photographer or painter, the opportunities for artistic expression are endless.

Excellent Adventures    back to top

With quite a few submerged wrecks offshore in our part of the “Graveyard of the Atlantic,” some dating back to the Civil War days of blockade runners and pirates, plus a number of artificial reefs, diving and snorkeling is a popular activity for the more adventurous. Diving charter boats and equipment are available, and for scuba divers, there are a number of great locations to view colorful and exotic underwater life.

For those of us who want to conserve fossil fuels but still be on the water and not in it, the Wilmington area offers superb opportunities for canoeing and kayaking. Rentals as well as guided tours are readily available at a number of locations. Our river, our marshes and our sounds provide incredibly diverse ecosystems and wildlife to explore and appreciate.

The Top Activity    back to top

And then there’s that activity so many families come to the Wilmington area for - FISHING. No matter what kind of fishing you like, we’ve got it for you - 60 miles offshore in the deep water angling for that blue marlin you’ve always dreamed about, near-shore fishing for flounder, cobia, shark, bonito, sea bass and mackerel, or in-shore fishing in the marshes, sounds and river for flounder, drum, bass, bluefish and trout.

Whatever you want to fish for, several fleets and dozens of charter boats are waiting for you to wet your line - or theirs. If you feel up to it and have the ante, some rather impressive fishing tournaments take place during the season. Entry fees can range from nominal to in the thousands of dollars, but prizes can range to well over $100,000.

If you’re not quite ready to spend the money for a charter, head over to Carolina Beach for a fishing excursion on one of the Winner cruise boats featuring Gulf Stream fishing for grouper and snapper. But if you don’t have your sea legs under you, try one of the fishing piers on the various barrier islands - for just a few dollars you can fish to your heart’s content, and some of the piers even rent tackle. Love to surf fish from the shore? We have 31 miles of shoreline. No matter what your fishing druthers are, Wilmington will make you a happy angler.

Many Options    back to top

Sightseeing and water were made for each other, and in the Wilmington area we have a wealth of both. A number of the charter fishing boats also can be chartered for scenic cruises or wildlife viewing. With an abundance of marshes and sounds plus the Cape Fear River and lots of smaller streams, there’s a wide variety of wildlife and interesting flora for nature lovers to appreciate. If you seek a really inexpensive water journey, pile your family in the car and drive on down to Pleasure Island and take the ferry from Fort Fisher across the mouth of the Cape Fear River to Southport - a 25-minute ride and probably the best $5 you’ll ever spend.

Cruising Along    back to top

Feeling romantic or just plain love the beauty of the open sea and the river? We’re ready for you. Sailing cruises for just a few hours or even overnight are available; sunrise and sunset cruises on sail or power boats offer beautiful vistas on both the river and the ocean; if you feel like partying on the water, large three-deck boats offer nighttime dinner and dancing cruises complete with bars and music.

Have your own boat? Well, come on down - or up, as the case may be. The Wilmington area has facilities for everything from a rowboat to large yachts. There are more than two dozen marinas in the greater Wilmington area now, and more are being added all the time. Boat dealers with service facilities abound, so if you want to get your old tub fixed or serviced, or you just want to buy a new one, they’re ready to satisfy your every nautical need.

At Your Doorstep    back to top

You say you’ve got a boat or want to buy one and you have a raging case of I-wanna-move-to-Wilmington-and-live-the-good-life? Well, the Wilmington area has the solution to your conundrum. A number of communities are organized around or cater to the boating life. Some are strictly individual homes in a community with piers and slips, some are condo communities with slips and some are a combination of both. And as developers exercise their imaginations, new concepts in boat-friendly living are being developed all the time.

At any rate, if you’re into boating in anything from a canoe or paddleboat to a 70-foot yacht, Wilmington has what you need. And life is good on the water, whether it be living aboard your boat docked in a plush marina, cruising up and down the Intracoastal Waterway and rivers seeing the sights and visiting the quaint villages, or just paddling your own canoe or kayak through the undisturbed sounds and marshes, we’ve got the right water for you.