"ICW Trip 2001 Leg 10, Oriental to Swansboro" Swansboro Travelogue by grandmaR

YANKEE COWBOY got underway at 5:30 am (waking everyone up), but we waited until 6.

We were going to Beaufort NC, but decided to skip that (several people said it was overpriced, and indeed all the marinas were very expensive), and so we went on to Swansboro and stayed at Dudleys. We got fuel here too. Just as we went under the bridge before Swansboro, we saw a boat named ROSALIE anchored and fishing.

Early morning reflections near Swansboro

Suddenly Linda and Rob from the CSY 33 BEAU turned up on the dock. They were anchored, and saw us come in. Max and Lucette walked back to town with them and shopped. We got a ride in (provided by the marina) and met them all for a meal at Captain Charlie's.

Sun comes up over barrier islands

We had a sports fisher behind us on E dock and a dredge in front of us and some white pipes just downriver from where we were so we couldn't just head out. But the sports fishermen left as soon as they could see the marks, and Bob insisted on getting away right afterward -- at 6 just at sunrise.

Swansboro anchorage at dawn

BEAU was still anchored when we pulled out.

Surf City Bridge

But they caught up to us by the time we were going through the Surf City Swing Bridge.

Surf City bridge swinging shut

BEAU was the last boat through the bridge as it was swinging shut. The bridge tender’s house is on the shore side instead of in the middle of this bridge as some of them are.

Shrimp fisherman

There are fishermen with little skiffs like this shrimping (casting nets) in the sounds and rivers. We can hear the shrimp clicking through the hull at night.

The Pink House

We went to Harbor Village Marina, after playing leapfrog with BEAU and ROSALIE all day.

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Hampstead