Marina Artifacts
If you don’t know what to look for, you will miss it. The tall glass display case hides in the back corner of the marina lounge, next to the office.
John Maiola and other Yacht Club members have spent a good deal of effort publicizing the Civil War Era Shipwreck and Brick Kiln. Through their efforts the display case contains artifacts from an East Carolina Research dig and other sources. Bottles, brick, pottery, and even a “human bone complete with teeth marks” are all there.
The brick kiln was located on the point of land at the shore end of Dock E. Over the years bricks have been uncovered and removed for various purposes. Apparently a dock existed there along with a Carolina Scow Schooner (73’ x14’), sometimes called a sail flat. Maybe the flat bottom barge-like sail craft was used to transport the brick produced here or maybe it was used for other purposes.
The shipwreck, discovered accidentally in 1994 during an early building phase of the marina, was examined in an East Carolina University dig in June 1995. The dig was recorded in Research Report #9, The Cypress Landing Shipwreck of Chocowinity Bay: A North Carolina Sail Flat, by Ann M. Merriman. This document indicates the scow sunk next to a dock, accidentally or on purpose (to make a breakwater). Our site is the only known resting place in North Carolina of this type of ship.
In shallow water near shore remnants of the craft’s ribs remain where researchers found that a layer of brick lined the scow’s hold, either as ballast or cargo. In the April 2007 blowout, the site was uncovered and recorded in 2007 Low Water photos preserved on this site. The remains are all there, hidden under shallow water, marked by buoys and posts.
Next time you’re in the marina lounge, look for the artifacts. And while you’re at it just click on the research report link here or on the STORIES page. It makes interesting reading.
The brick kiln was located on the point of land at the shore end of Dock E. Over the years bricks have been uncovered and removed for various purposes. Apparently a dock existed there along with a Carolina Scow Schooner (73’ x14’), sometimes called a sail flat. Maybe the flat bottom barge-like sail craft was used to transport the brick produced here or maybe it was used for other purposes.
The shipwreck, discovered accidentally in 1994 during an early building phase of the marina, was examined in an East Carolina University dig in June 1995. The dig was recorded in Research Report #9, The Cypress Landing Shipwreck of Chocowinity Bay: A North Carolina Sail Flat, by Ann M. Merriman. This document indicates the scow sunk next to a dock, accidentally or on purpose (to make a breakwater). Our site is the only known resting place in North Carolina of this type of ship.
In shallow water near shore remnants of the craft’s ribs remain where researchers found that a layer of brick lined the scow’s hold, either as ballast or cargo. In the April 2007 blowout, the site was uncovered and recorded in 2007 Low Water photos preserved on this site. The remains are all there, hidden under shallow water, marked by buoys and posts.
Next time you’re in the marina lounge, look for the artifacts. And while you’re at it just click on the research report link here or on the STORIES page. It makes interesting reading.