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fter Hurricane Irene whipped up the waters of Oriental, the upheaval she caused could still be seen in the creeks nearby.

Green’s Creek, Kershaw, Smith, Camp , Whittaker and Pierce Creeks, it should be said, can offer a safe refuge. All have hurricane holes and sailors who anchor down well and tie off smartly, find that their boats can ride out the blows. That strategy worked for many boat owners in Irene.

But there was also evidence at the creeksides, of boats and docks that didn’t fare as well. TownDock.net went up the creeks on several mornings and, among other things, found many examples of Boats Where They Aren’t Supposed To Be.

Following are scenes from Green’s and Kershaw Creeks as well as Camp Creek, mostly from about a week after Irene.

Perfect landing. While Hurricane Irene sank some vessels, this Chris-Craft suffered the opposite fate. Initially lifted by the storm surge, the vessel came to rest atop these pilings when the waters receded. It appeared to suffer minimal damage. (On the bright side, this might be a good opportunity to paint the bottom.)

Not going anywhere. Another view of the Chris-Craft. A few of the vessel’s dock lines are visible running from the boat to the pilings that secured it during the storm.

The pilings on this Greens Creek pier were pulled from the creek bottom during Hurricane Irene, raising the planked deck high into the air. Irene’s surge was so powerful, it lifted many docks – from short sections to entire lengths – leaving them with a roller coaster appearance.

Other piers didn’t go high but low. This pier at the Green Bay Marina collapsed.

This Egg Harbor sports fisherman was swept onto a finger of land. Its anchor rode was still payed over the bow, while its anchor remained on the bottom of Camp Creek. The Oriental Bridge is visible just off the vessel’s bow. No word on how the boat was to be re-floated, though a sign in the window hinted ….

…. that the Egg Harbor’s owner might be open to ideas on removal.

At a glance, it might appear this sailboat is ghosting down Kershaw Creek under jib alone. Instead, the docked vessel’s furling jib was torn by Hurricane Irene.

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Most boats rode out Hurricane Irene tied in slips or parked on the hard at local marinas. Some boat owners resorted to another strategy. They anchored their vessels up one of the creeks around Oriental. Pictured is a stretch of Greens Creek, a favored hurricane shelter. Here, a few boats that remain anchored one week after the storm.

Many vessels survived Hurricane Irene with little or damage. Here, one of the sailboats that weathered the event on Green’s Creek shows off a storm souvenir – a collection of debris trapped in its anchor rode.

This fiberglass sloop with Maryland registration numbers was driven into a marshy area on Greens Creek. The mast and rigging appeared to have escaped major damage. Not so the jib. Like many furling jibs — foresails that are rolled up when not in use — it was torn open and shredded in the storm.

The vessel “My Folly”, which had been anchored in Greens Creek for months prior to Hurricane Irene, was driven ashore and dismasted. Though the bow was resting ashore – just – the stern was afloat.

Looking into My Folly’s cabin through one of her missing port-side ports. When the vessel was swept onshore, it struck a pine tree. This, or another impact, stove in the port and cracked the deckhouse.

Clancy’s Marina as seen from the mouth of Camp Creek. The marina fared well during Hurricane Irene.

Some people will fish in any kind of weather. These cement fishermen at the Green Bay Marina tried their luck right through Hurricane Irene.

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Up Smith Creek.

Usually an enthusiastic sailor and willing companion on boats, Jack was not willing to walk the plank at Grace Evans’ dock Sunday morning. Grace’s dock had lost planking in Hurricane Irene.

Grace Evans’ dock

The sloop “Amulet II”, a Helms 27, was driven ashore on Smith Creek. Normally, she is berthed at Ray’s Creekside Marina, about a half a mile away. Even though the vessel’s mast head was surrounded by pine branches, the mast and rigging survived the impact.

Another view of Amulet II. Here, her stern and rudder among the pine trees.

Hurricane Irene lifted many piers on Smith Creek – the storm force wind and wave action pulling up decking and pilings. In addition to structural damage, it can lead to electrical trouble. Here, wires running underneath the docks are visible.

A worn dock line on Smith Creek. Hurricane Irene exposed some seemingly-sound cordage as otherwise.

The calm one week after the storm. Here, the sailboat “Full Tilt” floating among some early morning Smith Creek fog.

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Chuck Forrest lives at the end of Smith Creek with his wife Wanda. He waved from near the stables for their horses. Water during Irene was chest high there. It stayed out of their home. The horses were okay, but wet during the hurricane.

Chuck Forrest says the horses’ bedding got wet and the flood waters rose to their withers (above the shoulder) but they weathered the hurricane. A veteran of many hurricanes, Chuck had moved his hay and grain to higher ground before Irene’s arrival, along with moving a lot of other things. But as he gets older, Chuck says, it’s getting harder to move all of his stuff around, which may be a suggestion that maybe we don’t need as much of it.

Not in a good position after Irene. The water-ski jump in the upper-reaches of Smith Creek got loose from its usual position mid-creek.

A piece of driftwood, salvaged. Chuck Forrest says a piece of driftwood had for years been a perch for birds in Smith Creek. Irene pushed it to shore where it was put in a neighbor’s yard for temporary safekeeping

In need of a friendly nudge. This pavilion at the mouth of Whitaker Creek was pushed askew when struck by Hurricane Irene’s surge. During peak flooding, the dock would have been covered in several feet of water. Multiplying the damage, would have been waves rolling in from the Neuse River.

At the Oriental Yacht Club, a finger pier damaged in the hurricane.

Posted Tuesday September 20, 2011 by Bernie Harberts