Boat Camping in NC or SC

RJLynn67

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2008
Location
Fort Mill, SC
Anyone else on here like to boat camp? If so where have you done it. Information on boat access only camping locations can be somewhat scarce sometimes.

I am looking at Badin, where I think you can actually camp on one of the islands, Tillery, or maybe even Wateree down in SC.

Lets here it
 
I go every weekend and have since I was a kid. I'm located near Columbia sc and boat camp normally along the river systems. Catawba, Santee, congaree, wateree, lynches, edisto, saluda, broad, etc... I've got a 16' flat bottom Jon boat with a 25 horse Johnson and usually have a copilot. Pm me a # and let's link up one weekend.
 
There's several hundred miles of river systems and lakes in sc alone that are legal to primitive camp along the banks and on islands. I know them very well. Lake wateree doesn't allow island camping anymore BTW.
 
I'd love to do this! But, the sound of a flushing toilet is nice. Let us know what you found.

I've tried to talk my wife into getting a pontoon and out fitting in like a small camper and parking it in a cove and chilling out. But, I haven't go to far on that yet.
 
XJ, Thanks for the info. I had done some digging on Wateree and found the same thing.

At this point we are pretty decided on finding an island on Murray. From what I understand all of these are fair game? Our bout is a 21' deck boat so some of the smaller rivers are a bad idea.

I am thinking of heading down either Thursday evening or first thing Friday morning just myself to find a site and get the bulk of the junk out there. Then pickup the rest of the crew once they arrive after school lets out. We will have 4 adults and 4 children from 3-8 years old.

I can't wait. Hopefully the weather will warm up a little during the day while we are there and it won't rain the entire time.
 
Murray in general is a vacationers lake. Its loud, over populated and busy. Only time I go there is during the dead of winter when nobody is out in it. I prefer the more rural areas where I can camp with no signs of civilization at all. You'll have a good time though. Plenty of open water to blast across full throttle. I'll be on the wateree river this weekend somewhere along the 45 mile stretch between hwy 378 and 1 doing some sandbar camping. Have fun
 
If you like lakes, Monticello is quite nice. Almost no houses are built on it and there's 9 islands there you can legally camp on with dismal firewood to be found.
 
Monticello looks nice as well. Still leaning towards Murray for this one as it looks to offer more to keep the kids, and the other family, occupied. Might have to try them all! Thanks for the great info!

Where you are heading looks like it would be a blast on the kayaks.
 
This cooler weather is perfect. Nice relaxing camp in a dried creek bed and sand beach on the congaree.
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Yeah I haven't had s good swim since September. This is the time of year to stand around a fire and cook some food and drink hot cocoa.
 
Growing up ('70's) we camped a bunch on Masonboro Island, just south of Wrightsville Beach. Used to be, nobody else hardly went there. except a few folks during the day. Not a soul around at night. It's much more popular now, but might be worth checking into.
 
kaiser715 said:
Growing up ('70's) we camped a bunch on Masonboro Island, just south of Wrightsville Beach. Used to be, nobody else hardly went there. except a few folks during the day. Not a soul around at night. It's much more popular now, but might be worth checking into.
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The way its going, and much like legal wheeling places, areas where you can legally boat camp is fastly disappearing. Lakes get bought out by power companies and become wildlife refuges which means using islands and shorelines is becoming less and less permitable. Growing up in the 80s and being out on the water regurally since then I've seen several places I used to camp as a kid become posted. All it takes is a few disrespectful campers to ruin it for the whole bunch. I go as much as I possibly can while I can and always keep a good name amongst the DNR who patrol these areas.
 
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