Fall Is the Best Time to Get Out on the Water in Wilmington

Fall is when locals finally get the water back. The beach traffic thins out after Labor Day, the sound and the river stay warm well into October, and sunset arrives early enough that an evening cruise doesn't keep you out late. If you have been meaning to get on a boat this year, this is the window.

Wrightsville Beach Scenic Tours is the easiest place to start. Their Shamrock catamaran leaves from the Causeway Drive boat ramp and lands right on the sand, so a Masonboro Island trip doesn't need a dock or your own boat. The 1-hour nature cruise is a good first outing, the sunset cruise adds complimentary wine on Wednesdays through November, and the birding tours, led by an avian biologist, run during low tides when the marsh is busiest. Kids get their own trips, including a pirate treasure hunt.

For something smaller and more personal, Masonboro Water Taxi takes up to six people at a time with Captain James Thornton, who has worked these waters for 27 years. Book the island run and spend the day shelling or walking a stretch of beach most visitors never reach, or charter the boat to explore Howe Creek, Harbor Island and Bradley Creek.

Downtown, Wilmington Water Tours runs Cape Fear River cruises from the riverwalk at 212 South Water Street. Their themed trips cover birding, local history and Cape Fear folklore. It is a different side of Wilmington than the beach, with the city skyline on one bank and wild marsh on the other.

If you would rather paddle, Wrightsville SUP on Salisbury Street rents paddleboards and kayaks and runs lessons, guided tours, outrigger canoe trips and SUP yoga. Calm fall mornings on the sound are about as good as paddling gets here.

Every one of these depends on tides and weather, so check each company's schedule before you go and book ahead, especially on weekends. And keep an eye on the clock: daylight saving time ends November 1, and sunset cruises shift earlier with it.