I've been up and down the Intracoastal a few times and have stayed in Wrightsville Beach. The marina has been wiped out twice since 1987. It's a nice area to "tuck in" if the weather gets bad on the ocean. Nice beaches, good surfing and fishing.

The geology is typical Atlantic Coastal. Very shallow top soil, lots of sand and "Scrub" trees (short because of the ocean wind).