Avalon, Avalon Oaks & Avalon West in Wilmington, NC, have a complicated history collectively. I may get some of it wrong, but this is how it appears to me. It began as a 20-acre rectangle of land between Myrtle Grove Road and Myrtle Grove Sound, or the ICW. The land was divided into two parcels of about 10 acres each, one on the sound side, and one on the road side. A road, Avalon Avenue, ran down the north side of the western parcel, then turned 90 degrees south and ran between the two parcels. Then the parcel on the sound side was divided into 5 rectangular lots running from Avalon Ave to the sound. Four of the lots were 100 feet wide, with the southernmost lot being 92 feet. This map was recorded in March of 1935. And that was Avalon.
Intracoastal Watch, like many developments along Wilmington's intracoastal waterway, is a single road with 16 parcels that terminate at the waterway. It has a dock with 10 slips for those 16 lots. If you are purchasing, be sure your lot includes a slip or the right to lease one. All slips have power lifts, which are necessary because the docks are exposed to wakes from traffic on the intracoastal waterway. The docks are reasonably equipped with utility pedestals and water, and a very nice pavilion on the pier offers great views. The docks are approximately 6 miles from Wrightsville Beach and the Masonboro Inlet and 2.6 miles from the Carolina Beach Inlet. They also sit directly behind Masonboro Island, with over 7 miles of undeveloped oceanfront beaches.
Intracoastal waterway across from Masonboro Island
Maximum Boat Length:
25
Middle Oaks has bragging rights for the longest community pier in New Hanover County. It comes in at 1268 feet, or the length of 4.2 football fields, or just under a quarter mile. There are 9 slips for 16 parcels. If you purchase, please ensure a slip is included. The properties are very substantial and are priced accordingly. The location will place you 1.5 miles from Carolina Beach Inlet and about 6 miles from Masonboro Inlet and Wrightsville Beach. You will be directly behind Masonboro Island, and it’s over 7 miles of undeveloped oceanfront beaches.
There are 9 slips in a fixed frame and it appears that all of the slips have a power lift. Power lifts are a very good idea because the docks are exposed to wakes from the intracoastal waterway.
Intracoastal waterway across from Masonboro Island
Maximum Boat Length:
30
The Tides community docks have notably high resident participation, which is very valuable. If upkeep of the docks requires an outlay of cash from the homeowners, it’s much better if everyone has a stake in the results. Otherwise, you are asking everyone in the neighborhood to pony up for something that might only benefit a few residents. Residents of The Tides have a lot to be proud of in their marina. Firstly, it is well protected against the buffeting of wakes from the intracoastal waterway. The Tides has 68 lots, and everyone is assigned a 30-foot slip. The facility is well equipped for small craft (up to 30 feet) and well maintained.
Southeast Harbor is a 46-parcel subdivision off Myrtle Grove Road about 1.6 miles north of the Carolina Beach Inlet on the intracoastal waterway. The community dock has about 24 slips arranged in a horseshoe shape. The pier to the docks is about 375 feet. A covered pavilion provides a place to relax and view the waterway. An aluminum gangway provides access to the floating docks. No breakwater exists, and the slips are exposed to wakes from the intracoastal waterway. With the two ends of the horseshoe-shaped dock pointing toward the intracoastal, the docks should break up some of the buffeting wakes. There are no power lifts visible. Slips are listed at 20 feet. Houses appear to range from 1900 to 4500 square feet on lots of about 0.4 to 1.0 acres.
It's a long hike to the slips at John's Creek, over 1000 feet, more than the length of three football fields. It will be a sad day when you forget something vital and start the long march back, leaving your crestfallen crew on the docks to wait for your return. Also noteworthy, I saw a good number of floating lifts, but not power lifts. The dock may not have the power necessary to accommodate power lifts. That may be an issue, as the docks are exposed to wakes from the intracoastal waterway; there is no breakwater to mitigate them. Boats docked there will likely take a serious buffeting.
A gate prevented me from getting to the slip area. From what I could see there is water and occasional dock boxes suggesting that the owner supplies their own. The docks appeared to be in good shape. That said, there will come a day when replacing the lumber on that long dock will be a full time job for someone and a monumental expense.
Intracoasstal waterway close to the Carolina Beach Inlet.
Maximum Boat Length:
30
Old Chimney is an exceptionally wooded neighborhood with a single street running from Carolina Beach Road (421) eastward, terminating at its docks on the intracoastal waterway. Directly across the waterway is Masonboro Island, a 15-mile-long undeveloped barrier island with its oceanfront beaches. Old Chimney’s docks are well equipped and maintained, with a breakwater to shield the docks from wakes created by boats passing on the intracoastal waterway. Every property in the neighborhood has an assigned slip. The slips are doubles with fingers for every other slip, and utility pedestals with 15-amp service. The surface is synthetic slats like Hardiplank, with small corner gussets.
Intracoastal waterway across from Carolina Beach Inlet
Maximum Boat Length:
45
Unfortunately, Inlet Watch is a bit of an allusion. The neighborhood was built around the Inlet Watch Yacht Club, but the two are not connected. No deeded or assigned slip. That said, if you can buy or rent a slip in the yacht club and own something in the neighborhood, it would be a great setup. The yacht club has a clubhouse, a pool, and a tennis court, plus dry storage and wet slips up to 45 feet in a well-protected harbor directly across the intracoastal waterway from the Carolina Beach Inlet.
Intracoastal Waterway near the Carolina Beach Inlet
Maximum Boat Length:
30
Inlet Point Harbor is a gated community with a man-made harbor dug into the middle of the neighborhood. Most homes around the harbor have docking spaces immediately behind their property, where boats dock parallel to the shore. Each dock has its own gangway and floating dock with a wood-plank surface. Over time, some docks have been resurfaced, power lifts have been added, and other modifications have taken place to suit individual owners.
Intracoastal waterway near the Carolina Beach Inlet
Maximum Boat Length:
25
Dolphin Bay has 98 twenty-five-foot slips for its 93 homesites. Eight of those homesites are waterfront. No power lifts were observed, but there are many floating lifts. That is an important issue because the docks are next to the intracoastal waterway, and nothing separates the docks from the waterway to mitigate wakes. It should be noted that the pier is about 450 feet from the shore to the docks.
Masons Bluff is a 10-parcel subdivision around a single street and cul-de-sac running from Middle Sound Loop Road to the intracoastal waterway in northeastern New Hanover County. Three of the 10 parcels are waterfront, with the remaining 7 landlocked. None of the three waterfront properties have private docks, so the common dock has 10 slips. It's a bit of a hike to the slips, which are 200 yards from the shore. There is a pavilion at the docks. The slips are 30 feet long, with double slips, full fingers, and piles in between. All slips accept one boat; one appeared to have a power lift. The docks are right off the intracoastal waterway, with no breakwater, and are subject to wake buffeting.
All of the slips, except one, are equipped with power lifts. The docks are floating with wood framing and wood decking. They have utility pedestals.
Bradley Oaks Condominiums is a 16-unit development perched on a rounded peninsula on Bradley Creek, taking full advantage of the views for every unit. The development offers 3- and 4-bedroom models, all with 3 & 1/2 baths and ranging from 2200 to 2500 sq ft. There appear to be 16 slips, one for each unit. They accommodate up to 35 footers. Slips are doubles with piles and partial fingers. Every slip appears to have a dock box. They are floating and appear to have a synthetic plank surface. Approach is from a wooden pier with an aluminum gangway.
Poplar Grove Point is a small, 9-parcel subdivision off Scotts Hill Loop Road. Although just northeast of Wilmington, it is in Pender County. The subdivision's houses are large and stately, with lots ranging from a little over 0.5 to 1.0 acre. Poplar Grove Point has exceptionally nice docks with wide synthetic flow-through deck surface and a floating dock for convenient loading and unloading. All of the slips are equipped with power lifts. The docks also include a covered pavilion and a fish sink. The wide fingers make it easy to move along the full length of your boat. The docks are just off the intracoastal waterway, so wakes in the area are an issue, making the fixed height and lifts a practical necessity. It would appear that every parcel gets a cock and there is a high level of participation from the neighborhood.
Figure Eight Harbour is a 23-unit condominium complex on the intracoastal waterway behind Figure Eight Island. Most units are 3-bedroom, 3-bath, around 1,660 square feet, with a few variations. There are 24 slips in the marina. Approximately half of the slips have power lifts. The docks are right off the intracoastal waterway, and there is no breakwater, so wakes are an issue. The slips are 30-foot doubles with piles
Everett's Creek leading to Page's Creek then to the intracoastal waterway
Maximum Boat Length:
20
Oyster Point is a 52-parcel subdivision in the Porter’s Neck area of Northeast New Hanover County. It occupies two separate tracts of land. One tract is a peninsula on the eastern side of Everett’s Creek, a tributary to Pages Creek. Most of the assigned spaces were about 20 feet, with a few 24-foot spaces. That didn't work out; today, no boats are berthed on the east side of the platform. It is clearly too narrow and too shallow to dock on that side.
