ALONG THE INTRACOASTAL

Flyways, Byways & Highways

Not only is the Intracoastal Waterway a wonderful place to watch the world go by, it is also a great perch for sunsets. Here the long thin clouds mark a byway of a different sort - these are jet contrails of all the air traffic that runs north and south along the Atlantic coast.

We made one passage along the Pamlico Sound where there appeared to be lots of obstructions along one side of the ship channel.

They turned out to be duck blinds. Since the iCW also parallels the East Coast's biggest migratory bird flyway, it makes sense that you want to be out from shore for the waterfowl. Bet it can get cold out here in the early morning hours awaiting the start of the hunting day.

At times you seem to be surrounded by water in some of the larger sounds. It seems like there is no other way to get around than by boat. Emerging from an empty horizon is a bridge. You can't hardly see where it begins and you sure can't see where it ends but it provides a way for those wanting to get to the Outer Banks Islands in North Carolina from interior lands.

A bridge also provides a social hub for the gulls. In many places they would put on an aerial show as we passed over the shallow waters. Our prop would stir up goodies for their next meal and, not unlike the output from the kitchen here onboard, there was always enough for everyone. No one goes away hungry if you get close to this boat.

Not everything on the ICW was a sleek pleasure craft. This was just one of the many odd ducks we saw as we bobbed our way south.