It's About Time To Get Rocked

North Carolina Senator Harry Brown (we're not related) reports in today's Jacksonville Daily News (http://www.jdnews.com/) that 2011 might, finally, be the year when our state legislature sees the light. It's been a long time since the state allowed the construction of rock jetties to stablize inlets in the state. And, it's about time.

Boaters will tell you that navigating most of the inlets is the most dangerous part of a day on the high seas. Coast Guard Station Emerald Isle, almost daily, broadcasts warnings to mariners to avoid Bogue Inlet at Swansboro. Shifting sands create hazardous conditions, and that's putting it pretty mildly. In 2010, alone,  I heard numerous calls for help from boaters who had found a sand bar in what was suppose to be a channel deep enough to permit safe passage. Bogue inlet, and others in North Carolina, is anything but safe.

Having lived in the Wilmington area for many years, and having fished out of Carolina and Wrightsville Beaches hundreds of times, it was nice to know that we could use Masonboro Inlet, at the south end of Wrightsville Beach, should the weather break bad and make Carolina Beach Inlet too treacherous to run. And, treacherous are Bogue and New River Inlets, all too often. What makes Masoboro Inlet better? Simple. A rock jetty extending from the shore on each side of the inlet.

Masonboro Inlet

The inlet is stable, and can be easily navgated when other inlets, such as Bogue and Carolina Beach Inlets, cannot.

Carolina Beach Inlet

The Army Corps of Engineers regularly dredges inlets. Regularly, as in time after time after time. The channels they dig last for a little while. Then, Mother Nature takes over and, when she chooses,  refills them with sand. And, it can happen overnight. The route you took yesterday may be a sandbar today. Or, tomorrow. Buoys marking the channels are nice, but only when Mother Nature is being kind.

And, of course, those dredging projects are expensive. Very expensive.

                                                          Dredging at New River Inlet

If your legislator (state senate and state hosue)  is someone other than Senator Brown, give them a call. Tell them that boaters and fishermen are important to our economy. Tell them that it's time to make it safe for them to use the inlets, instead of risking life and limb to enjoy a day on the ocean.

You don't fish or have a boat? And, you could care less about the inlets or the safety of boaters? Ok, I see your point. But, you might want to give some thought as to the amount of MONEY we spend each year, money that supports boat dealers, tackle shops, marinas, roads (through gas taxes), hotels, car dealers...boating is an important part of eastern North Carolina's industry. And, it's not only those of us living on the coast that support all of these industries, it's the fine folks from Charlotte and Raleigh. If you don't think so, then hang out along Highway 70 or I-40 any Friday afternoon. You will be amazed at the number of cars and trucks pulling fine boats making their way to the beaches. And, those folks are spending money. It would be a shame to see them taking those interstates to areas with more stable inlets. The Cape Fear region has a good inlet. It could use more. But, at least, it has ONE.