Bald Head Island Marina offers slips, high-speed diesel pumps, free pump out at the fuel dock, restaurants and a gracious welcome to this lovely island. The marina is not reachable by road, the only way you're going to get there is by boat. Odds are you're not going to take the ferry if the marina is your destination for boating; you'll just boat right in and be delighted you did. This marina primarily serves a private, residential community where many of the homes are also vacation rentals, but it has the welcome mat out for visitors. Stop by for a rest in a beautiful setting. You'll find the opportunity for a walking adventure on this historic island or a drive in a rented golf cart to the Maritime Market for provisions.

At 1,000 feet in length, this is the longest transient dock in North Carolina. It's a floating dock in 15 feet of water at low tide and sits at a perfect parallel to the channel, making it an easy-in, easy-out dock. Amenities include 30, 50 and 100 amp power, cable TV, water, gas, diesel, a pump-out station, a courtesy phone, Internet access, laundry, showers, a hair salon, two full-service restaurants, a deli, an 18-hole golf course, as well as the Cape Fear Sailing Academy, which offers fractional club use, on site. Tennis courts are available as well as taxi service. As of this writing, in addition to the transient dock, there are 150 slips. The facility is located at Mile Marker 311, Green Channel Marker 9, one mile south of the Cape Fear River inlet. Call to inquire about the Fractional Sailing Program.

Conveniently located on the Intracoastal Waterway at mile 309, marker 2A at the entrance to the Cape Fear River, Southport Marina is roughly halfway between Wrightsville Beach and Myrtle Beach. A multi-million-dollar renovation of the marina began in 2006 and includes more than 200 wet slips with Brazilian hardwood docks and new dock boxes, wireless Internet, cable TV, water and metered electricity, more than 700 feet of transient dockage with high-speed gas and diesel pumps, a new pump-out system, a new recreational dock, two new public boat ramps and a new dock office/ship's store. The basin has been dredged to allow a minimum 6-foot depth at low tide. Waterfront renovations include a two-story office building with rental space available and a renovated live oak park with benches and picnic tables for all to enjoy. At this writing, plans are in the works for the new dry-stack building and completion of parking areas.

Blue Water Point offers slip rentals, gas and diesel fuel, bait, tackle and ice. Deep-sea fishing is available on two charter boats: a 60-foot head boat that carries up to 59 passengers and a 34-foot sport-fisher six-pack. Both boats have the latest electronics and equipment to fulfill your fishing needs, and no fishing license is required. The marina is at Intracoastal Waterway marker 33. The owners are pleased to see to boating visitors and are very accommodating. See our Hotels and Motels chapter for more about the resort.