Swansboro is another North Carolina coastal community that has preserved the atmosphere of an earlier time. The town waterfront channel cuts sharply east-northeast from unlighted daybeacon #47. The marina facilities are adequate, and the colorful downtown business district is peppered with interesting gift and antique shops and more than a few memorable restaurants.

Hurricane Fran was not a welcome visitor to this quaint town. Damage along the town waterfront was severe. Casper's Marine Service lost all its docks, and the city pier was heavily damaged. Fortunately, repairs are now complete on this structure and it's once again quite useful for dinghy dockage.

Fran destroyed or heavily damaged a number of other buildings along the waterfront. I was shocked to see that there was nothing left of the building which once housed the old Snap Dragon Restaurant. The Crabhouse Restaurant, located a bit farther northeast, was also heavily damaged, but repairs were in progress.

Three marinas, two of which cater to transient boaters, serve Swansboro mariners. These fine facilities make a visit practical as well as pleasant.

Flying Bridge Marina, the northernmost of Swansboro's facilities, is tucked in its own dredged basin along the Waterway's northern shore east of flashing daybeacon #46. This marina is now composed mostly of "boataminiums," but a few transients are sometimes accepted for overnight dockage at the fixed wooden piers. Entrance and dockside depths run around 5 feet. All berths offer water and 30- and 50-amp ll power and water connections. Gasoline and diesel fuel are already in the offing, as are a portable waste pump-out system and new showers. Casper's also offers a large, state-of-the-art dry-stack storage building which can service power craft as large as 30 feet.

Be on guard against the incredibly strong tidal currents that sweep out of the White Oak River to the east-northeast as they approach Casper's docks. I suggest you employ your largest fenders.

Limited mechanical repairs are available for gasoline engines. The marina has a 20-ton travel-lift; according to the owners, however, haul-outs are becoming a less and less important part of their business.

Casper's Marine Service is in the heart of Swansboro's historic district. All the town's restaurants and antique shops are within a quick step of the docks. A 1-mile walk through town to N.C. 24 will bring you to the nearest supermarket. Ask the marina staff for directions.

Many boaters, particularly those with sailcraft, choose to anchor in the Swansboro channel rather than berth at the marinas. Depths run 8 feet or better, and there is good cover from northern and southern winds. Strong blows from the east or west are another matter. Very strong tidal currents in and out of the White Oak River run through this anchorage. Be sure your anchor is holding before you head below for a well-earned toddy.

The small Swansboro city pier overlooks the village waterfront northwest of unlighted daybeacon #4. When repairs on this fixed wooden structure are complete (see above), it will once again serve as a ready dinghy stop. Cruisers anchored in the Swansboro channel will then have easy access to the downtown business district.

The broad, beautiful waters of the White Oak River border Swansboro to the east and northeast. This stream was once deep and much-used but is today shallow and quickly filling with silt. Some blame the construction of the causeway joining Cedar Point and Swansboro. Whatever the reason, the river is almost never entered today except by fishermen in small craft.

Downtown Swansboro

Swansboro's main street, Front Street, runs through the enchanting historic district; it is lined with shops, some housed in historic buildings which speak of a simpler era. Take time to stroll the town's quiet lanes and sample the offerings of the various stores. Some deal strictly in antiques, while others have modern gifts, a wine selection, and fresh flowers.

Swansboro is blessed with a surprising collection of excellent restaurants. One, Captain Charlie's Seafood Paradise (106 Front Street, 910-326-4303), is my choice as the finest fried-seafood eatery in North Carolina and possibly the world. Open for the evening meal only, Charlie's begins serving at 5 p.m. every day of the week from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The restaurant is generally closed the entire month of January and remains closed on Mondays from February through Memorial Day. Charlie's serves a bowl of its down-east chowder with every meal. The restaurant also features clam fritters and deviled crab. Charlie's fried seafood is its greatest attraction. Prepared in some secret way, it has a rich taste that is unique.

If you happen to visit Swansboro during the breakfast or luncheon hour, consider the 1950s-style Yana's Ye Olde Drug Store (119 Front Street, 919-326-5501). The breakfast menu here features a full range of omelets and some gut-busting pancakes. The midday fare consists of excellent sandwiches and cold drinks, including a great milk shake. Boaters who have been lucky enough to grow up in a small Southern town will be reminded of the drugstore lunch counters which once graced almost every village south of the Mason-Dixon line.

If you seek the best cappuccino, espresso, or ice cream in town, find your way to the Church Street Coffee Company (105 Church Street, 910-326-6771). This quaint firm, housed in the 1888 James Moore House, is simply filled with Americana. During fair weather, patrons can sip their brew in an outside seating area with a good view of the waterfront and the ICW. Whole-bean coffee, coffee flavorings, and fine chocolates can also be purchased here. Don't miss this one!

Among a host of their compatriots, two downtown Swansboro gift shops are worth every visitor's attention.

Russell's Old Tyme Shoppe (116 Front Street, 910-326-3790) is a mammoth gift and home-furnishings store. The owner is an artist herself, and more than a few of her wares are on display. Russell's is housed in three renovated buildings which have been joined together. This shop has recently outgrown its already prodigious floor space and expanded into several satellite locations. Ask the staff of the Front Street shop for directions.

And be sure to visit the gift shop called Through the Looking Glass (101 Church Street, 910-326-3128), which offers eclectic gifts and a good selection of wines.

Swansboro History

The Swansboro region has long been inhabited. Archaeological evidence indicates that Algonquin Indians occupied the surrounding countryside from about 500 a.d. to colonial times. Settlement of the surrounding lands by English colonists began around 1730, when Jonathan Green built a house at the mouth of the White Oak River. Green soon died, and his widow married Theophilus Weeks, who is credited with being the founder of Swansboro. Weeks was appointed inspector of Bogue Inlet and later operated a boardinghouse in the area. About 1770, he began to sell portions of his large property holdings, at which time the town's development began.

Swansboro was incorporated in 1783 and named in honor of Samuel Swann, former Speaker of the North Carolina legislature. Thanks to its proximity to Bogue Inlet and the White Oak River, which were quite navigable in those days, the town soon became an important port. During the Revolutionary War, a number of patriot privateers operated from the harbor, and several saltworks were built nearby. By 1786, Swansboro had assumed such importance that it was declared a separate customs district.

Captain Otway Burns, naval hero of the War of 1812, was born and grew up in Swansboro. In 1818, Burns brought national attention to the port town by constructing the first steamship to float in North Carolina waters. Today, a small park overlooking the water just northeast of Captain Charlie's commemorates this historical figure. The park's star attraction is a bronze statue of Burns.