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ailboats and cruising trawlers haven’t been the only vessels heading south through Oriental this week.

On Tuesday morning, the American Cruise Lines ship, “Independence” and its 60 passengers visited Oriental for a few hours. With heavy lines deployed at the outside dock of the Oriental Harbor Marina, the ship shared the waters with the flocks of snowbird cruisers who’d dropped anchor nearby in the harbor and, more creatively, in the waters in front of the marina and near the bridge.

The American Cruise Lines ship, “Independence” tied up for three hours Tuesday morning along the river side of “A” Dock at Oriental Harbor Marina. The ship is 223 feet long, and can cruise at up to 13 knots with two 1500 hp Caterpillar diesel engines.

The cruise line’s ships have been stopping in Oriental a few times in the fall and in the spring these past few years. The ships and their crews typically spend the summers in the Northeast, offering tours there. Come fall, they need to bring the boats south to Florida for the winter, in what’s called a “repositioning.” Along for the ride on this “repositioning” tour are the passengers, who can get on board in Baltimore and travel through the Carolinas and on to Charleston.

Oriental’s harbor at sunrise, as seen in the starboard windows of the American Cruise Lines ship, Independence.

When the cruise ships come to town, the passengers have the option of getting off the boat and either walking on their own around Oriental or taking a short tour of town with Grace Evans who organizes the walk on behalf of Oriental’s History Museum.

Dining room of the Independence. Over breakfast, Oriental resident Grace Evans gave a condensed 10-minute version of Oriental’s history – from settlers like Farnifold Green getting 55 acres for every person they brought to the area in the 1600s to the town taking its name from a shipwreck.

On Tuesday, a dozen passengers took the tour — walking past the harbor and Town Dock, Lou Mac Park, Freemason Street, the Duck Pond and a stop at Blue Bottle Gardens before returning to the ship, which had a full day of travel ahead, to Beaufort and Wilmington.

Crew from “Independence” before the lines are slipped. In order to rejoin the Neuse River, the wide ship would have to pass through the channel between marker and the catamaran, at right. Not seen in this photo, the limited backing up space, room needed in order to point the bow forward.

First though, the ship had to back away from the outside dock at Oriental Harbor Marina. As had been the case on coming in to the berth earlier that morning, the big ship had a bit more of a maneuvering challenge than usual because of the sailboats near the harbor channel. There was a bit of to-ing and fro-ing and some gutsy engine gunning in order to the ship out and pointed toward the red channel marker and the Neuse River. It was, as one admiring sailboat owner nearby put it, “great boat driving.”

Oriental’s outer harbor Tuesday morning: cruising sailboats at anchor in both the inner and outer harbor, a cluster of dinghies at the dinghy dock and and on top of that, the American Cruise Lines ship, “Independence”. The scene is expected to be repeated next Tuesday when another ship in the cruise line pays a similar visit.

Another American Cruise Lines ship — American Star — is due in Oriental next Tuesday on its way south. Both ships are expected to be seen again in Oriental in the spring when they work their way north.

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Backing up and then moving forward, under a watchful eye from the upper deck near the front of the ‘Independence’.

Keeping a close watch.

Close quarters as the Independence backs up. A crew member on board the sailboat, “Slip Away”, says the cruise ship got within about 10 feet.

Meanwhile, a good amount of prop wash as the boat went from reverse to forward. div>

The catamaran, “Peace” was closest to the channel and for those watching from behind, “Peace” seemed to disappear as the cruise ship moved out toward the river….

…with, as it turns out, room to spare.

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A perspective of what Oriental looks like from the windows of the cruise ship….

Oriental’s harbor as seen from the aft windows of the Independence’s dining room.

Peace and Independence. Through the dining room window of the cruise ship, Independence, several boats could be seen in the waters away from the breakwater. the Wharram schooner, Peace. The sailboat was one of more than a dozen anchored off of Oriental Harbor Marina where the cruise ship docked for three hours Tuesday.

…. and the cruise ship reflected in windows on shore.

The harbor scene – full anchorage, cruise ship, throng of dinghies — as reflected in the window of OYC Tuesday morning.

A string of lights atop the “Independence.”

Posted Wednesday November 3, 2010 by Melinda Penkava