The coastland times with which is combined the pilot and herald of Belhaven and Swan Quarter. [volume] (Manteo, N.C.) 1959-1973, 1961-02-17
INLET
Continued from Page One)

ing the ocean with the Atlantic In
tracoastal Waterway north of
Shows Cut. Prior to the dredging
of the inlet, sand from the Mason
boro Inlet vicinity drifted south
ward to be deposited along Caro-
lima Beach's water front. The new
outlet to the sea, however, catches
this sand in the form of shoals at
the mouth of the inlet. Thus, the
short-route advantage for boats is
proving to be a disadvantage to the
shore line.
Continued recession at Fort Fish
er is indicated. From 1926 to 1881,
the high-water line moved land
the high-water line moved land
The average was 16 feet year for
the 1931-40 period. Gone now are
the huge sand mounds which con-
stituted the historic bastion and
signs point to more losses unless
remedial steps are taken.
Shore line losses accredited to
erosion in the 30-mile link between
Cape Fear and Mad Inlet on the
South Carolina line range from 100
feet near Fort Caswell and 60 feet
at Lockwoods Folly to 500 feet at
the southerly end.
Inlets
While inlets, notably Oregon, Oc-
racoke, Masonboro, and Lockwoods
Folly bear utmost importance to
the fishing industry, they present
two conflicting characteristics
where navigation is concerned. The
littoral drift tends to feed sand into
the mouths of inlets and close
them. On the contrary, inlet cur
rents appear to scour the sand
oceanward to aid in building up
shoals in what is called the bar
channel. The closure of all but
three inlets that connected Abe
marie and Pamlico Sounds with the
ocean at one time or another at
tests to the large volume of sand
moving along these shores.
Movements of sand and in such
large volumes shed more light on
the characteristics of unstabilized
inlets. That inlets shift positions,
subjected as they are to the whims
of nature, has long been establish
ed. In instances where the littoral
drifts builds up one shoulder, the
same drift tends to remove mater
ial from the opposite shoulder with
resulting migration of the inlet.
Oregon Inlet, for example, migrat-
ed southeastward 1000 feet in &C
years and widened from 1,400 feet
to 1900 feet. Ocracoke Inlet moved
only 1900 feet. southwestward, and
it width from 10,400 feet
to 10,100 fet; Masonboro Inlet mi
grated southwestward only 1000
feet and increased in width from
l 300 feet to 2,100 feet, and Lock-
woods Folly Inlet has moved 2,2O0l
feet northwestward and reduced it's
width from 1000 feet to 1900 feet.
Contrary to popular belief, heavy
yeas propelled by cyclonic winds do
not as rule breach the barrier to |
,reate new inlets. Such a prepon-
lerance of water tends to fill up
he sounds. The resulting high wat
RS inside the barrier overtop low
places on the rush back to the sea
md leave new inlets in their wake.
The history of Pamlico and Able
narle Sounds indicates this to be
rue, old timers on the Outer Banks
lave long contended that their
greatest damage by water comes
rom the sound side where there
ire no dunes to thwart its flow
Jack to the ocean.
With respect to the shore line, /
he report concludes that the high
water mark will continue to retreat
lnder the attack of winds, waves
nd currents, but that protective
measures on such a necessary vast
Gale are unwarranted at this time.
Considering inlets, it maintains
hat inlets will be unstable in the
uture as they have been in the
'ast, that the stabilizing of these
NETS cannot be effected at reason
bic cost and, finally, that the pre-
endon of new inlets by building
unes is the most practicable met