Have you seen the movie Safe Haven? It is based on the book of the same name by Nicholas Sparks. The setting is Southport, NC which is also where the movie was filmed. Talk about getting the right feel. We’ve stopped at two different marinas over the past few years but haven’t seen much of the area as the walk is longer than our feet can manage. We watched the movie over the summer and were pretty sure we could pick out a few spots we knew and recognized the names of creeks and such. At the movie’s end you see beautiful footage of the Cape Fear River at the corner where Southport sits nestled with the ICW to the south and the Cape Fear River to the west.   so watch the movie to make up for my lack of Southport photos)

Our marina stop lately in Southport is South Harbor Village Marina at the end of Fish Factory Rd- you can make up your own story for that name. Josephs Italian Bistro sits in a small set of shops just on shore past the docks. More fabulous food and wine at reasonable prices; all in a semi-casual tableclothed setting complete with friendly and attentive service- consistently. Mama Rosie’s lasagna is outstanding and plentiful; we bring back enough for another dinner. The focaccia bread smothered with melted cheese- do I taste some garlic? Is served cut into small squares with a plate of oil and grated (closer to shredded) asiago cheese. Our waiter gained our gratitude by bringing a second basket.

A mile walk in on Fish Factory Rd takes you to a main thoroughfare and at that corner sits The Confectionery with Clems Seafood Market kitty-corner. We stocked up at both. Walking back, a man stopped his truck to talk with us and he shared a few tidbits about Safe Haven. We’d apparently just walked by a small eatery where a lunch scene was shot. If you looked carefully you could see out the window to the house across the street with a large painted metal crab on the outside. We’d noticed the house with the colorful crab and tasteful fall decorations. Me thinks we’ll be watching the movie again; with an even keener eye.