Florida Vacay - Flight Home Part III - April 2019
A couple of sailboats heading up the inland waterway.
Passing by the Cape Romain lighthouses. The smaller red one was first constructed in 1827, the taller white one in 1857. The white one was deactivated in 1947. The lighthouses are seven miles from the mainland; very isolated.
If you look at Cape Romain on a map, you understand why they had a lighthouse here. The Cape really justs out into the Atlantic Ocean.
Flying up deserted Cape Island.
Passing by Georgetown County Airport in South Carolina. I had to spend a night here back in 2011 due to bad weather when I was trying to get down to Sun 'N Fun. Read the story here. It turns out it was a good thing I could not make it to Sun 'N Fun because 70+ planes were turned into junk by a tornado there. I remember Georgetown as being a very nice, friendly airport; great for a cross-country stop.
They had gas all right, but the price was higher than Foreflight said -- in fact, the same price as Georgetown. I wish I had just stopped at Georgetown because this place was deserted. There was nothing here except for the self-service gas. The little building was locked up. Oh, well, live and learn. At least the self-service pump worked.
A commercial jet probably heading in to Myrtle Beach International. I have a good transponder so they know I'm out here. I right at the South Carolina/North Carolina border.
Some nice beach-front houses at the south end of Holden Beach.
Approaching Bald Head Island and Cape Fear.
Nice beach houses on the southern coast of Bald Head Island.
North of Cape Fear, Bald Island is uninhabited.
I crossed the narrow peninsula at Carolina Beach to fly up the Cape Fear River to Wilmington. On the way I passed this airport community "Pilot's Ridge".
Pilots Ridge Aero Plantation (03NC) is a residential airpark community with a 3000' paved runway, 18 existing homes and about 6 lots w/o homes. Pilots Ridge is located near the beaches of Wilmington NC; Wrightsville Beach & Carolina Beach in particular. It is just minutes to Carolina Beach State Park. Existing homes are in the $400k to $900K range valuation. A gated community located on Hwy 421 south of Wilmington, Pilots Ridge is near shopping & other amenities that come with being near the coast. Pilot residents enjoy the camaraderie and community with other pilots.
But this is as close as I could get without entering Wilmington International Airport's airspace. I was too lazy to call them up and get clearance. If you look closely, you can see the camouflaged battleship in the center of the photo.
Passing over Masonboro Island to the coast.
Very nice!
Coast to coast trailer homes.
Another fort! This is Fort Macon, guarding the entrace to Beaufort Inlet. As you might expect, it was fought over during the American Civil War. Local North Carolina militia captures the fort from the Union forces two days after the start of the war. In April, 1862, Union forces using new rifled canons took it back.
I didn't really notice it in the air, but apparently the wind was blowing pretty well, as this heeled-over sailboat in the vicinity of Cape Lookout can attest.
Cape Lookout really sticks out into the ocean.
Passing by the Cape Lookout Lighthouse. Not exactly on the tip of Cape Lookout, but still, there it is. It was initially lit in 1859, automated in 1950 and is still operational. During the open season, visitors are allowed to climb the 207 steps to the top of the lighthouse and experience the breath-taking view of Core Banks.
