Bellatrix

Wilmington, NC

7 October 2014

We had a quiet night anchored in Wrightsville Beach. We left early to take a side trip to Wilmington, we motored downhill from Wrightsville then uphill the 12 miles to Wilmington. The tide in this area runs at about 2-3 knots, it was running out when we entered the Cape River at 1000 and is still running out hard at 1700. It makes tying to a lay along floating dock interesting as the bow is currently pointed into the current and the boat wants to wander back and forth.

Wilmington is a pretty town, there must be a college near by as there are many bars, restaurants and clubs. We walked the town this afternoon, there are numerous shops, (thank goodness we are on a sailboat with little space), and beautiful architecture and old homes.

The Battleship North Carolina is berthed here and we hope to visit it tomorrow, it requires a taxi ride, as it is on the other side of the river.

I need to mention again, if I didn’t before, our mast is 62.5 feet from the water, most bridges are at least 65 feet high at mean high tide. If not they are lift, swing, or bascule bridges. A bascule bridge lifts from one side, a lift bridge lifts straight up from both sides and a swing bridge pivots in the middle. Most of the fixed 65’ bridges have a marker on a bridge pile that will tell you the height from the water. We did pass under one bridge in Morehead City where the marker said the bridge height at that particular tide was 63 feet. As we passed under a fisherman held his hands apart about 6 inches indicating our clearance. A Pucker Moment.

I thought a strange marker with out enough information

OK thank goodness for Google…

Apparently William Houston was appointed Stamp Master by Great Britain in 1765 to collect taxes from the colonies to defray Britain’s National debt. It wasn’t taken very kindly by the colonists and good old William was forced to write a resignation letter by the townspeople.  Safety Committees were formed and became a shadow government taking control away from the royal officials at the start of the American Revolution. Who would have known by this marker?

Spanish Moss

Lift Bridge approaching Wilmington