Belhaven, NC

It is a ritual as predictable as the changing seasons. Every spring, summer, and fall, a slow procession of boats passes through Belhaven, N.C., a town existing largely because of these caravans that ply the Intracoastal Waterway—a ribbon of water threading in and out of the Atlantic coastline from Maine to the Florida Keys.

Those aboard these boats share a singular passion—an abiding love of the sea. They sail or cruise south and north, gliding past landmarks with such colorful names as Gum Neck, Frying Pan Landing, and Stumpy Point, but one spot where they’re sure to make landfall is the oasis known as Belhaven. To a mainlander, Belhaven is just a tiny knob of land jutting into the Pungo River along the coastline of North Carolina. But to a boater, it’s a refreshing breath of civilization after long stretches of unspoiled coastal forests and wetlands.

One of those struck by Belhaven’s charm is Skip Carter, captain of a sailboat on its maiden voyage from Annapolis. “The first thing you notice is how friendly everyone is—Southern hospitality isn’t overrated at all,” Carter says.

“Until I was 40, I was never east of Chicago. I had the perception that once you crossed the Appalachians, the East Coast was solid pavement from New York on down. When you come through here on a boat, you see how truly unspoiled this part of the country really is.”

Belhaven is seemingly suspended in time, with picturesque houses nestled behind white picket fences. Originally called Jack’s Neck, the town began to grow around 1900, when railroad magnate John Wilkinson founded a lumber business, and crabbing became an important local enterprise. Today, it is a quaint fishing village with fewer than 2,500 residents, and the railroad and the river still provide the transportation necessary to nourish life in this picturesque port.

Boaters are frequently seen driving through the quiet little streets in golf carts or bicycles provided at the landing. Belhaven has only one stoplight, and all roads lead to the Pungo River—source of nearly every activity in town, including the duck marathon, which occurs each afternoon as boaters toss leftover bread to eager quackers.

While many charming cottages line Water Street, the most prominent building in town is the elegant River Forest Manor, built in 1899 by town founder John Wilkinson. Axson Smith Sr. bought the mansion in 1933 and opened its doors to the public in 1947. His son, Axson Smith Jr., runs the inn today with his mother.

“This inn is a real family tradition. Some of the cooks in our kitchen have been here over 40 years,” Smith says, perhaps explaining why the restaurant is among the most famous on the waterway. “My father grew up in Belhaven, and his father had an inn here at the turn of the century. Today, people from all over the world visit with us and many come back year after year, but it’s still a very close-knit town. I can tell you who lives in every house.”

Indeed, much of Belhaven’s charm lies in its citizens, for many of them are outsiders who’ve made their way to its shores because of the allure of small-town life.

Take Karen Brown. Brown is a familiar sight to boaters and residents who stroll by her waterfront home, where most days she can be found in one of the comfortable rockers lining her front porch.

“I sailed through here a few years ago and just fell in love with the town. The local people have been very welcoming—even to someone from New York City, like me,” Brown says. “It’s a charming little town that’s well-known to boaters but almost unknown to drivers—and we hope it stays that way.

“The boaters come from all over the world—I have a map and I put a pin in each place I meet someone from,” she continues. “So far, I’ve met people from 48 states and six countries, and I hope to go visit each one of them.”

Chances are good that Belhaven will remain undiscovered by most travelers for a long time to come—a secret shared only by boaters who sail the Intracoastal Waterway and hardy drivers who leave the beaten path in search of a nearly forgotten way of life.

Deborah Thomas is a freelance writer who lives in the North Carolina mountains.

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