Located on Harbour Island at Motts Channel and open seven days a week, this marina offers repair services and is oriented to serving locals with its dry-docked, small-craft facilities. Gasoline is the only service for transients.

Just south of the Bradley Creek bridge on Oleander Drive and on the western shore of the ICW, this private membership marine facility serves the local community, but no transients. Wet slips can accommodate watercraft up to 65 feet, and dry storage is available for up to 28 feet. Slips are leased by the year, or they may be purchased. Fuel is available nearby. Bradley Creek Marina is close to Masonboro Inlet, which allows access to the Atlantic Ocean.

On Airlie Road at the Wrightsville Beach drawbridge is a marina with a bonus: a great local seafood and steak restaurant. The marina offers all amenities, including gas and diesel fuel. All docks were rebuilt in 2005. One word of caution, however: The current is very swift here, so mind your slippage on entering and be ready with a boathook to fend off any craft docked nearby.

Dockside Restaurant & Marina is located just south of the Wrightsville Beach drawbridge at about mile marker 283 on the ICW. You'll find more than 170 feet of transient dockage, fuel, 30 and 50 amp power, as well as an excellent, casual seafood restaurant. This marina is a great location for an overnight stay. Amenities include a full-service bar and sport-fishing charters, and large motor yachts are available for private charter. Call ahead for dockage reservations.

On Motts Channel, just off the ICW, this well-appointed facility has some transient dockage with power, water, fuel, waste pump-out, wireless Internet and cable TV connections. A store provides many essential supplies. Seapath is very close to Banks Channel and is the nearest approach to the Atlantic Ocean. You can't miss Seapath because it adjoins a high-rise condominium building that clearly marks the spot for miles.

On the eastern shore of the ICW, just south of the Wrightsville Beach drawbridge, lies a luxurious place to dock for the night. Wrightsville Beach Marina offers power, water, cable TV, WiFi Internet connection, a swimming pool and fuel. Mechanical repairs can be arranged. For dining, the Bluewater Grill overlooks the docks, welcoming famished boaters to enjoy prime rib and seafood.

This city marina, located off the ICW at the southern end of the channel in Carolina Beach, is dedicated to fishing charter and party boats. Transient slips are not available, and mooring is tight. Contact the Harbor Master at this number for information.

At the west end of Snow's Cut, which connects the Cape Fear River with the ICW, is Carolina Beach State Park. On land, just go over the Snow's Cut Bridge on U.S. 421 S., take the first right at the second traffic light, which is Dow Road, then after about 0.2 mile, take another right onto State Park Road. The park marina offers a ramp, fuel, a modified ship's store and ample overnight dockage. If you're weary of being on a boat, you can pitch a tent and roast marshmallows over a campfire in the park, or you can take advantage of some of the park's five great trails. The Fly Trap Trail is one of the favorites. Along the trail you can look at the hungry plants known as Venus Flytraps, but don't touch! The Sugarloaf Trail follows along the Cape Fear River, providing beautiful water views as you explore nature.

Just beyond the Isabel Holmes Bridge on the Northeast Cape Fear River is Bennett Brothers Yachts and the Cape Fear Marina. It serves as a great place to tie up for the night or the season in one of the most protected marinas along the East Coast. Bennett Brothers Yachts is celebrating 22 years as a family-owned business offering a full-service boatyard, custom builds and yacht brokerage. With a 70-ton Marine Travel Lift, they can haul out just about anything. Twenty-five skilled craftsmen in all disciplines are on board to serve you. Their location at the Cape Fear Marina offers 77 slips, each with power, water, telephone and pump-out. The dock house has immaculate bathrooms, showers, laundry facilities and free ice. WiFi is available at no charge throughout the marina. You can buy or lease a slip, which can accommodate yachts up to 176 feet with very deep draft. The marina is built on a site discovered in 1663 by William Hilton, who chose the spot for its superb natural protection from hurricanes. It remains a safe haven today for boats from all over the world.

Located on the Cape Fear River, about 7 miles north of Snow's Cut and 5 miles south of downtown Wilmington, Watermark Marina offers 24-hour access, a ship's store, gas and diesel fuels, a deli and two pump-out stations. Dry storage is available for lease only, and overnight transient dockage is not available. However, boaters may tie up for fuel or to use the ship's store or deli. Yacht club members have access to a club house, wet bar, showers, guest suites, kitchen and swimming pool and an active ongoing event schedule. The facility also offers meeting and banquet space. Boat rentals are available to the general public, including sail boats, kayaks and motor craft of different lengths.

Wilmington Marine Center, located at marker 59 on the Cape Fear River between Snows Cut and Historic Downtown Wilmington, offers a 102-slip, enclosed-basin marina with floating docks and 110/220V electricity for yachts ranging from 20 to 120 feet. They sell diesel and unleaded gasoline seven days a week and have on-site bath facilities. Here, too, you'll find a yacht service company with mobile and railway haul-out capacity to 400 tons, a chart and ship supply company, fabricators and welders, boat builders, dock manufacturers, diesel mechanics, and two yacht sales and brokerage companies that handle power boats from 20 to 80 feet.

Approximately 15 miles from the ICW on the scenic Cape Fear River, you'll find transient, short-term and long-term docking facilities in Historic Downtown Wilmington. The city offers a total of 880 feet of floating dock space and 11 floating slips and can accommodate vessels up to 200 feet. Power (30 and 50 amp) and water are available, and boaters can take advantage of amenities offered through the Hilton Riverside Hotel and the Best Western Coastline Inn. The fee for docking is $1 per foot/per day or $1.25/per foot per day with power and water hookups. Day dockage at $5 for up to six hours is also available. The docks are within walking distance of area attractions, hotels, shopping, dining, theater, nightlife, laundry facilities, the post office, a bank, a pharmacy and supplies. Dockage is available by reservation only. The dockmaster monitors channel 16 on VHF.

Canaday’s Yacht Basin includes supplies, restrooms, 72 wet slips and gas.

Just north of Snow's Cut is an exceptionally clean, well-maintained marina that offers a ship's store, parts and a full assortment of repair services. Inlet Watch is a private yacht club with 123 wet slips up to 45 feet and 420 dry storage units up to 30 feet. Slips can be rented on a six-month or yearly basis, or can be purchased as an investment. Direct ocean access and first-rate service coupled with a picturesque setting and quiet, relaxing environment make Inlet Watch Yacht Club one of the area's best marine facilities. Enjoy the club's pool and tennis court, have a picnic on the point, then watch the moon rise over the sea while sipping a cool drink in your deck chair. To get there by land from Wilmington, take College Road south. Inlet Watch Yacht Club is on the left just before crossing the bridge over Snow's Cut into Carolina Beach.

Drive through the neighborhood to where the land meets the ICW to find this private facility offering slips to rent or purchase. A three-story clubhouse includes four private showers, laundry facilities, a club room and a glorious unobstructed view of the water and unspoiled Masonboro Island. You're guaranteed to find some interesting conversation among the residents. To get there by land, take Piner Road from Monkey Junction (junction of U.S. 421 and N.C. 132) for about a mile east to where the road forks. Veer left onto Masonboro Loop Road and go about two miles to Trails End Road on your right just south of the bridge over Whiskey Creek. Turn right at the blue sign to Masonboro Yacht Club & Marina. By water, the marina is located near mile marker 288 on the Intracoastal Waterway at Whiskey Creek between Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach.

Located near mile marker 280 on the Intracoastal Waterway at Pages Creek, you will find two marine facilities offering a variety of services. Both facilities can be reached by land by going north out of Wilmington on Market Street (U.S. Highway 17) and turning right onto Middle Sound Loop Road at the traffic light in Ogden.

Wilmington Marine Center, located at marker 59 on the Cape Fear River between Snows Cut and Historic Downtown Wilmington, offers a 102-slip, enclosed-basin marina with floating docks and 110/220V electricity for yachts ranging from 20 to 120 feet. They sell diesel and unleaded gasoline seven days a week and have on-site bath facilities. Here, too, you'll find a yacht service company with mobile and railway haul-out capacity to 400 tons, a chart and ship supply company, fabricators and welders, boat builders, dock manufacturers, diesel mechanics, and two yacht sales and brokerage companies that handle power boats from 20 to 80 feet.