The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1956-11-16
INLET :
Continued from Page Onel


dertakeH on the North Carolina
coast except, of course, the devel-
opment of the deep water ports
at Wilmington and Morehead City.
"a deeper channel at Oregon In
let has been needed many years
and it should have been done a
long time ago." decalerd Col.
George w. Gillette, retired Army
Engineer who spearheaded a 20
year drive to have the inlet opened
for both commercial defense pur-
poses.
Observing that the Corps of En-
gineers already has over half a
million dollars for a IA by 4OO-foot
channel through the inlet with the
job to be completed before next
June 80, Colonel Gillette sees a
vast increase in scale and shellfish
in Pamlico and adjoining sounds as
result of added volumes of salt
water coming in and going out.
The Corps former two-times
district engineer here pointed to an
uphill fight for inlets going back
to the tight 1905:
Aside from deep-rooted backing
of improved ports for Wilmington
and Morehead City, his interest as
a soldier and civilian have conferred
about Oregon, Drum, Hatteras,
Ocracoke and Masonboro inlets, but
not to the sacrifice of equally i'm
portant water routes elsewhere in
the state. He has preached for
years about his "Plan of Inlets''
and feels gratified that the second
of his scheme is about to be devel-
oped. -
His efforts for protected. har-
Dor at Ocracoke village struck deaf
ears in the sos but the onset of
World War II brought Navy clam
ors for sub-chaser harbor inside
Ocracoke Inlet. Even while a
dredge pumped round-the-clock in
Silver Lake at Ocracoke, German
U-boats were knocking off tankers
right and left at the tip of Dia-
mond Shoals.
The same basic designs were in
his mind fer Oregon Inlet. Over
this route on the north, as at
Ocracoke to the south, fast-gun and
bomb bearing. craft could launch
coordinated attacks on subs at the
critical point east of Hatteras.
But this is another day. Colonel
Gillette is thinking about what ex-
ira millions of cubic feet of water
will mean to fish life in the sounds
and the people who take their live
lihood from both the sounds and
ocean.
He cited Drum Inlet which a
storm cut in 1888. Within three
to four years later shellfish in the
immediate Core Sound area in
creased an estimated 100 fold.
Whether the same will be true
inside Oregon Inlet is beyond the
estimating point at this time. The
former and original executive d.
rector of the North Carolina State
Ports Authority is convinced, how
ever, that the IA by 400 foot trough
of water is going to stir up Pam
leo, Roanoke and Croatan Sounds
on flood tide, and take out a lot
of dead water" on the ebb tide.
His views, though, are basically
on what a deeper, wider route to
"the finest fishing grounds on the
Atlantic Coast" will mean to sea-
faring folk who use the inlet year.
round. For one thing, they'll have
plenty of water on the bar to get
to and from fishing grounds off
shore. Too many times in the past,
Colonel Gillette recalls, boats have
experienced recurring difficulties
getting home through treacherous
shoals on the bar and inside of the
gorge. Some have run aground
with the loss of both the catch
and boat. Perhaps the most impos-
ing aspect, however, is that the
big opening will provide a ready
escape avenue for craft beset by
sudden storms and high winds.
The $64 question is whether or
not the deeper inlet will stay open
without stabilizing jetties. The Col
onel, born and reared on the water
at Sneads Ferry, feels that 1--WE
n only wait and see." Ocean
currents are mysterious and it may
'e that the tides ebb and flow with
it's accompanying "scour" will
have a favorable, effect.
Il have always contended," Col
onel Gillette emnhasizee "Ih i.