We got a call from boater friends that had just left a place they thought we would love. Well, Bald Head Island was not on our radar and they were 100 percent correct. We loved it!
Our first plan was to stay at the marina on Bald Head Island, however the need to visit a walk in center for an infection lead us to dock at their sister marina across the river. Deep Point Marina was perfect for our needs setting us up for a short (but teterous) bike ride to a walk in center. The marina also housed the ferry to Bald Head Island. So, yes, we paid money for a boat ride. It was much easier to take the ferry over instead of moving Three Sons.
An added bonus to this stop was the surprise when docking. We looked up to see Charlie and Heather standing on the dock handing us beers. Once we were settled, we enjoyed a Cinco De Mayo aboard Camelot.
Bald Head Island
Bald Head Island is a unique barrier island in North Carolina, accessible only by ferry or private vessel, known for its pristine beaches, maritime forests, and abundant wildlife. The island, located at the mouth of the Cape Fear River, is home to Old Baldy, the oldest lighthouse in North Carolina, and boasts a car-free environment where residents and visitors primarily use bikes, golf carts, and walking. It was quite the place to visit and we will be back!
We climbed 108 stairs and 5 landings to reach the top of Old Baldy Lighthouse and its breathtaking view of the Cape Fear River estuary.
One issue of the nomad lifestyle is packages! Since we thought we were going to stay on the island, we had a package delivered to the marina. When we popped into the marina to pick up the package, we learned there is no mail service on the island. All mail/packages are delivered to the post office and folks need to go to their to retrieve their deliveries/mail.
We stopped to see if we could see any wildlife and sure enough a gator was waiting!
After some shopping, we stopped for a beer and laughed how the only transportation on the island is carts and bikes.
A hike through Bald Head Island Conservancy was cute short due to all the flying bugs. The trail offered a beautiful walk under a canopy of trees to explore but eventually the bugs won.
An absolutely beautiful area to explore via bikes. A narrow sandy road separates beautiful houses from miles and miles of gorgeous beach. We stopped on a boardwalk to enjoy our picnic lunch.
Since the only restaurants open to the public on Bald Head Island did not have great reviews, we choose to go back to Southport for dinner. After riding bikes all day another four mile bike ride brought us into town and a local pizza joint.
