The coastland times with which is combined the pilot and herald of Belhaven and Swan Quarter., 1962-04-06
lDEs OF MARCH
By ERsKINR B. HOOPER

by ENShlNE d. nOOK En-
| Wednesday morning, March 2, /
watched the birth of an inlet :. I.
la fabulous and eerie sight to be-
hold 50. an experience that one
seldom has the chance to observe.
Tuesday night here at Avon, the
wind blew hard and constant
throughout the night. Here and
there could be heard the soft and
persistent murmur of the waves
against the bank of the beach.
j Later the murmur changed to a
steady and angry roar -. a sound
that made one stop, listen and
wonder. Conversations were quiet
and oddly polite. Residents were
looking here and there, eyes con-
stantly searching for some sign.
Perhaps a nod that all would be
well by morn. This night, unlike
other nights, everyone seemed to
have a reason to go home early.
Lights burned throughout the
night. Shadows could be seen, dart
ing here and there. So the night
wore on.
At 4 Am. the sand seemed to
stand straight up, defying nature.
A great hand seemed to hurl it
ever southwark to some unknown
destination. Now the wind steadily
increased with the coming of the
first light.
Daylight brought high winds,
higher sound water and the omi-
nous roar of the ocean. A sound
that had but one meaning: storm
loft shore. This coupled with the
spring tide could mean but one
thing: flood. The minutes passed
like so many hours. Still we watch
ed and waited.
Realizing that very shortly the
school bus would start its method
ical journey of picking up its hu-
man cargo for its daily trip to
Buxton, it was determined that
should investigate the route. This
to ensure that the school bus would
encounter no unforeseen difficulties
on its journey.
Approaching the south club site,
beheld water and debris on the
highway This seemed strange at
the time, as we did not have too
much water around the shore side
driving, slowing, in two or
three inches of water. reached
the center of the club site. Not be-
ling able to proceed further / left
the car and started walking south
on the dixie. Upon reaching the
southside l could see that all of
the southwest portion of the beach
was under water. The sea was
then breaking extremely high on
the bank and running over to the
highway a very strange and
determined sea.
AS I watched in utter fascina-
ton, / saw a wave, wave much
larger than the rest, race to shore,
lover the bank, to the highway,
across it and disappear into the
flooding sound water. 1t seemed tc
Ilinger for just a little while, as il
lin conversation with a long-lost
friend, then start back from whence
lit came. A hasty and scared re.
4 treat. But this was not to be. Be.
hind it in quick succession came
several more. Onward they raced
like a human wave of soldiers they
charged; screaming like SO nan,
banshee. Now the first wave haG
started an undertow action. On its
retreat it cut very small stream
or outlet. The sand had begun t.
go seaward. Now the approaching
waves made contact with the re.
ceding wave and seemed to form {
fifty-foot crest and then break neal
4 the surface road. Like some gian1
monster it struck, struck and STRUCK
again. The water boiled every
where, hesitated and then rushed