Think about leaving your cat
on the hard at Wilmington, NC, about 20 miles up the Cape Fear River in a natural "hurricane hole." It is an easy three day
passage from the
Bahamas.
Two boatyards/marinas there can haul you: Gregory Poole, and Bennett Brothers.
South Carolina has a punitively high use tax if you stay too long.
North Carolina and Virginia have much lower
boat taxes. The
taxes may not even come due while you are there. I think, for example, that taxes are only assessed on your boat in Virginia if you are there on January first, but not 100% sure about that. Do your own
research to be sure.