The coastland times with which is combined the pilot and herald of Belhaven and Swan Quarter., 1961-04-14

We passed through the narrow
entrance to the river with a fair
wind that had increased to about
5 mph. After clearing the spoil
area we brought the boat around
on a reach and sailed her along the
backside of the shoal. Ahead, the
white, sandy beach that was to be
our camping site stood out brightly
against the otherwise swampy
shoreline. A fisherman friend of
mine had told me about this place
and had marked it on the chart.
The beach was about two hundred
feet long and 80 feet deep. 1t was
bordered on the back and both ends
by an impenetrable swamp with an
underground of vines and briers.
The beach dropped of quickly, al
lowing the bow of "Safari" to be
beached without having to remove
the rudder or pull the centerboard
through the top of the we'll.
We were unloading the boat
while standing in waist-deep water
amidship. Then for a few minutes
things got messy. Ritz ran out
of the water and shouted, "What
the hell is all that green water?"
His swim trunks were splotched
with green color and beads of
greenish water hung to his legs.
'There isn't some kind of odd
ball fish in this river is there %
Ritz further inquired.
1t had me beat. Cliff and I eau
tiously backed out of the water as
an ever expanding circle of fluor-
scent green enveloped the boat.
Then it dawned on us what il
was. Cliff had brought along a
Coz inflatable, navy surplus, life
jacket, and unknown to him it had
contained dye marker for air res
cue. 1t must have fallen out during
the unloading of the boat. Langh-
ingly we moved the "Safari" up
beach and let the dye dissapate.
The tent was set up and equip
ment that we wanted to keep dry
in case of rain was put inside. A
pot of dry navy beans, with bacon
and onions, was slung over the
driftwood fire. The anchor from
"Safari" was made fast in the sand
and the boat showed off shore to
ride at the end of her eighty foot
anchor line.
1t was now about five in the
afternoon and would be severa
hours before the beans were ready
so we played chess with plastic
set for which l had found room
Just after dark Ritz informed us he
had the coffee on and we woulC
soon eat. The chess set was put
away, minus one pawn that is still
somewhere in the sand on thai
beach, and l swan out to the boa
and ran a kerosene anchor lighf
half way up the jib stay.
Supper was a far more relaxing
meal than the noon one had been
Conversation varied from the cos
mic to Pogo. Far across the river
about two miles away, were the
lights of a farmhouse. That, ant
the blinking red, white and greer
lights of the channel markers street
ching up the river were all th'
lights to be seen. In short, it wa
black; Knowing that there was NJ
way away from this beach excep
by that boat laying at anchor ou
there, and being totally dependen
on your own resources was good fo
the ego. Especially in this perio'
of giant shopping centers, control
and more controls, and organiza
tion men. Tonight we were centur
les in the past. We were at an.
stage in history we preferred. To
night we slept while the goth cen
: tury was a something else.
We awoke to the sound of
strong wind blowing through tn
tree tops and the pounding of
heavy surf on the windward sid
of the point. The sun was we'll ur
It was about 6:00.Cliff and | brok
camp while Ritz made another po
lof coffee. We were in too big
hurry to have full breakfast. Rit
opened some cans of fruit and
package of cookies. After we ha
eaten we slowed all the equipmen
back on board in the same manne
as it was when we left Elizabet
City. The canned food, that was t
be used for dinner while underway
was packed on top of the duff
bag.
Again we tied in a single rec