This is a photo of the old pontoon bridge that was used for access to Topsail back in the 1940s. I wish I could have been around then to experience that. My brother remembers it but I was too young. It was not until early 1956 that the swing bridge (still in use and which locals are trying desperately to save) came in to use. The berm had been built up and in 1954 the section there at Sear's Landing was almost completed and ready for the bridge but Hurricane Hazel came along and destroyed everything so the new bridge did not get installed until 1956. We love our bridge. Please do not take it away. New and modern are BORING. And isn't the island supposed to be a place you come to relax?  Take a breath, relax and watch the boats go by when our wonderful swing bridge opens for their passing. RELAX you can wait another 10 or 15 minutes to get here.

I never did very well in science when I was in high school or in college. But I know there is a reason why the ocean looks differently in Summer and Winter, in Spring and Fall. But those of us that grew up living by the ocean can probably look at a photo of the ocean and tell what season it was taken. Yep - the photo above was taken just a few days ago. Ain't it pretty. I guess the reason I'm posting this is that it reminds me of the nuances, the subtleties that occur in life - not just nature, but OUR nature as well. I read a couple of lovely poems by my friend Dee Dee Lloyd - one about a mermaid and another about a childhood friend we share - I think Dee Dee has touched on the subtleties of life when she writes these. So goes, my own fiction writing - I am now about 3/4 through with THE TRILL OF THE RED WING BLACKBIRD - the second book in the trilogy I'm writing - and I'm going over some very "tender" material and am striving - and I mean STRIVING - to capture those nuances and subtleties. It's tough work! I ask God to help me portray life here on this island for my friends and others. A good walk on the beach - catching the rays just right - tinkling of laughter, that low tide smell - these things help.

Went down to the south end of Topsail this past weekend - absolutely beautiful - looking much as the island did before so much development. T'was good for the soul and since I'm writing about a time when the island looked like this picture, it was very helpful. A friend of mine and her two grandchildren came along - they forgot the coolness of the water and ventured on to low tide islands and rolled down sand dunes. I watched as the boy let his feet sink into the sand before taking a step forward - a game I had forgotten about but was at once reminded of. Up and down the dunes they went, racing one another - we all had a good time. I urge anyone who has not been to the most southern tip of Topsail to do so - to walk all the way from the sound side, past the inlet and to the ocean side - it is fantastic.

Geez - this was so long ago - late 50s perhaps. My sister is helping me take a photo - doesn't look like I'm too interested. 

 I'm adding this picture because it was taken near to the time I am writing about, the late 1950s. I pull myself into a place I barely remember and try to conjure up the feel and smell of that time. Surrounding myself with the music and photos of that time helps. Ah, life is sweet.

 

I've spent most of the day working on the second book in my trilogy THE TRILL OF THE RED WING BLACKBIRD - and don't mean to sound maudlin, but writing history, the history I know, is such a fine place to be. I like the journey and I suppose that since I have my own cadre of characters, I can expand the truth as I like. By truth I don't mean so much actual events, but the feel of the time, the mores of the time. 

I remember when I was about 8 or 9, picking up a piece of butterscotch candy from the candy dish and unwrapping it. "Wow," I said as I held the cellophane to my eyes, "the world sure does look sunny through this." I remember my father making some kind of philosophical comment. And yes even at that age I understood the analogy.

  Geez, this is so much fun!! God is so good to me.

The first fishing pier on Topsail Island was Surf City Fishing Pier - as far as I can determine, Barnacle Bill's was the second - it came about in either '56 or '57 -  It was owned by a group of investors, but Lewis Williamson ran the pier for several years. The place offered all kinds of things for everyone to do - fishing, games, food, beach access - every summer there was a lifeguard on duty at the pier. It was definitely the place for families to go,

 This picture was taken during the early 1960s  - during fishing season the pier was always packed.

Topsail in the 1930s

This is what the island looked like in the 1930s. WOW! I wasn't around then, but I do remember when the northern part of Topsail resembled this. There were practically no houses. One of the favorite past times for many of the people (especially wives) was to drive the length of the island. I remember riding with my mom and going mile after mile and passing nothing but sand and an occasional house. In the 60s McKee's Fishing Pier was built at the north end. That was a big deal. Wish I had a picture of that!

Hurricane Donna

As a child I carried around a little Brownie camera  and took pictures of various things. The above picture is of Barnacle Bill's after Hurricane Donna. The bottom picture is a picture of the flooding caused by Donna. The date at the top of the pictures is the date they were printed. Often I kept one roll of film in my camera for months.

Another bit of history about Topsail Island. Many I know are all ready aware that the military installed the pontoon bridge in 1940. But did you know that the status of one's tail pipe was contingent on the tide? When crossing the bridge extremely high or low tide could cause one's rear end to slam against the pavement.  No wonder the islanders were happy to see the new swing bridge installed in 1956.

      Just a little history -
     October 15, 1954 Hurricane Hazel hit the southeast coast of North Carolina. She hit at high tide and during a full moon. A category 4 hurricane, she wrecked more havoc than most cat 4s because of the aforementioned facts. Hazel was one of the most dangerous hurricanes in recorded history cutting a swath of destruction reaching the northeast coastal areas of the United States.
     Before 1953 hurricanes were not named but were numbered. During that year, there were none of any magnitude. However, the following year, on August 31, 1953, Hurricane Carol hit the northeast coast, doing great damage to Connecticut and other nearby coastal areas.
    Carol and Hazel were so horrific that their names have been retired from the pool of names used in naming hurricanes.

Posted the mini commercial for THE DAYS OF HAIRAWN MUHLY - just click on   copy of The Days of Hairawn Muhly  and the ad will run. Please let me know what you think - I need all the feedback I can get.
For those of you who are authors - this is such a great way to get the word out - and it's free. So many thanks to my friend DSM - she is the brains behind my madness.

Copy of The Days of Hairawn Muhly

Copy of The Days of Hairawn Muhly

click on  Copy of The Days of Hairawn Muhly to see commercial

In 1953 hurricane Hazel hit Topsail Island. One of the reasons the hurricane was so devastating was that it hit during a high tide and a full moon. Talking to various old timers that remember Hazel and the havoc she wrecked, is so very interesting. It is amazing how varied the stories are - how many different points of view there are. Talking to several people about one incident reminds me of the old children's story - the one where 7 men are blind folded and then told to describe the part of an elephant they are touching. You can imagine the 7 different explanations.
Keeping this in mind as a writer, I get to choose bits and pieces of each person's story. The best thing though, is you get to see the heart of each one of those people. Hallelujah!

THE DAYS OF HAIRAWN MUHLY is now on Kindle!

Hi!  I'm so excited!  My new book, THE DAYS OF HAIRAWN MUHLY, is finally out.  It is a coming of age romance set during the time of greatest generation, World War II.  Before Surf City ever had a name or a house on its sandy soil, families came there to fish & picnic - but with Camp Davis & the instillation of 110,000 troops - things changed there forever.