While I lived near Raleigh & Durham from about 2003 to 2008, my history with North Carolina goes back to vacations with my family in the 1950's. Our focus was Cape Hatteras and the Graveyard of the Atlantic, which actually encompasses most of the Outer Banks. The following doesn't explain the details of Sandy's great photo, but it sheds some light on what happened to other ships there, and probably happened to her ship:
Early History: A Spanish explorer named Giovanni da Verrazano discovered the Cape Fear River in 1524. Sailors named the river the "Cape of Feare" because so many ships wrecked there. Shallow sand bars stretch from the mouth of the river into the Atlantic Ocean. These sand bars are called the Frying Pan Shoals. Deadly shipwrecks happened when passing ships ran into these shoals. Other shoals are found along the capes of the Outer Banks. North Carolina was a very dangerous place for ships to travel. This is why the North Carolina coast is nicknamed the "Graveyard of the Atlantic."
Safe Travel: The first lighthouse was built at the mouth of the Cape Fear river in 1795. The lighthouse was built to safely guide ships past the shoals and up the river. It was located on Bald Head Island. This first lighthouse was threatened by erosion. It was replaced by the current Bald Head Island lighthouse, known as "Old Baldy." Built in 1817, Old Baldy is the oldest lighthouse in North Carolina. Old Baldy is no longer used to guide ships. It is still standing and is open for visitors to climb. The Oak Island lighthouse now directs ships away from the deadly Frying Pan Shoals. It is located on the other side of the river, on Oak Island. Lighthouses made it safe to travel into and out of the Cape Fear River. During the 1800's, the mouth of the Cape Fear River became a major port for trade in North Carolina. Three sets of locks and dams were built to allow ships to travel far up the river. These locks and dams raise the water level of the river, making it deep enough for ships to pass.
Trade and Industry: The port city of Wilmington was founded at the mouth of the Cape Fear River in 1739. It was home to a thriving shipbuilding industry. Wilmington also exported products such as rice, peanuts, flax, cotton, and naval stores. Naval stores are the materials that were used to build ships. They included lumber, tar, pitch, rosin, and turpentine. Wilmington prospered with all of this trade. For much of the 1800's, it was the largest city in the state.
For more please click: http://dcm2.enr.state.nc.us/wetlands/Coastal_Explorers/cpfmodule/cpf_start1.htm
19 Comments
Waylaid long ago
ReplyDeleteImagine resurrection
Fantasies unfold
Really interesting ruins - they have become part of both the land and aquatic landscapes.
ReplyDelete(I also like Annie's haiku comment.)
Oh it is just so beautiful! Love the structure!
ReplyDeleteHugs
SueAnn
Wouldn't you like to know this story?
ReplyDeletevery nice, lots of atmosphere..
ReplyDeleteI bet if it could speak it would have a very interesting story to tell.
ReplyDeleteMaggie X
Nuts in May
I always wonder what the story is.
ReplyDeletewhat an interesting photo, calls for a story or a poem...lol!
ReplyDeleteThere has to be a story there! Neat find!
ReplyDeleteDelapidated Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteVery dramatic and almost mysterious shot.;) I always enjoy every picture you share...
ReplyDeletexoxo
Beautiful photo. It has an eerie feel to it, like it holds some mysterious secrets.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to know the story too...
ReplyDeletelove the texture.
What a great photo and what a neat title for the post. Now if we only knew the story of what happened.
ReplyDeletenice capture...bet that was quite a jolt when it landed...smiles.
ReplyDeleteWhile I lived near Raleigh & Durham from about 2003 to 2008, my history with North Carolina goes back to vacations with my family in the 1950's. Our focus was Cape Hatteras and the Graveyard of the Atlantic, which actually encompasses most of the Outer Banks. The following doesn't explain the details of Sandy's great photo, but it sheds some light on what happened to other ships there, and probably happened to her ship:
ReplyDeleteEarly History: A Spanish explorer named Giovanni da Verrazano discovered the Cape Fear River in 1524. Sailors named the river the "Cape of Feare" because so many ships wrecked there. Shallow sand bars stretch from the mouth of the river into the Atlantic Ocean. These sand bars are called the Frying Pan Shoals. Deadly shipwrecks happened when passing ships ran into these shoals. Other shoals are found along the capes of the Outer Banks. North Carolina was a very dangerous place for ships to travel. This is why the North Carolina coast is nicknamed the "Graveyard of the Atlantic."
Safe Travel: The first lighthouse was built at the mouth of the Cape Fear river in 1795. The lighthouse was built to safely guide ships past the shoals and up the river. It was located on Bald Head Island. This first lighthouse was threatened by erosion. It was replaced by the current Bald Head Island lighthouse, known as "Old Baldy." Built in 1817, Old Baldy is the oldest lighthouse in North Carolina. Old Baldy is no longer used to guide ships. It is still standing and is open for visitors to climb. The Oak Island lighthouse now directs ships away from the deadly Frying Pan Shoals. It is located on the other side of the river, on Oak Island.
Lighthouses made it safe to travel into and out of the Cape Fear River. During the 1800's, the mouth of the Cape Fear River became a major port for trade in North Carolina. Three sets of locks and dams were built to allow ships to travel far up the river. These locks and dams raise the water level of the river, making it deep enough for ships to pass.
Trade and Industry: The port city of Wilmington was founded at the mouth of the Cape Fear River in 1739. It was home to a thriving shipbuilding industry. Wilmington also exported products such as rice, peanuts, flax, cotton, and naval stores. Naval stores are the materials that were used to build ships. They included lumber, tar, pitch, rosin, and turpentine. Wilmington prospered with all of this trade. For much of the 1800's, it was the largest city in the state.
For more please click: http://dcm2.enr.state.nc.us/wetlands/Coastal_Explorers/cpfmodule/cpf_start1.htm
Very beautiful, great atmosphere.
ReplyDeleteWow - that shot is superb! Vulnerable, faded yet lovely.
ReplyDeleteOh No! I've seen that movie (The old one with Robert Mitchum and, is it Gregory Peck?). Yikes! Great shot though.
ReplyDeleteThanks for being here.