By Island Free Press on January 27, 2023
Dare Countyās own dredge, theĀ Miss Katie, arrived in Hatteras village on Thursday, January 26, in order to conduct a maintenance dredging event in Hatteras Inletās Connector Channel over the next few days.
āThe dredge is there, and itās supposed to start working this morning,ā said Dare County Waterways Commission Chairman Steve āCreatureā Coulter. āWe asked for 7 to 10 days, but weāre not sure how long it will dredge ā it looks like they will have good wind and weather for 5 to 6 days, though.ā
The Connector Channel is currently navigable for mariners, with depths in the 7-8 ft. range, and itās hopeful that this dredging event will keep it that way in the months to come.
āWeāre not having any problem with the Connector Channel, we just need to widen it, deepen, it, and get it ready for the summer so we donāt have a problem,ā said Coulter. āHopefully, weāll see really good results, and will move some material out of the area instead of just moving it around, which can happen with the [US Army Corps of Engineersā] sidecaster dredge.ā
āTheĀ Miss Katie is a hopper dredge,ā added Coulter. āShe has the capability to do sidecasting, but thatās not what sheāll be doing this time. Sheāll be picking up the sand and dumping it in the ocean.ā
The construction and acquisition of theĀ Miss KatieĀ dredge was a county-launched project that took years to come to fruition.
In the mid-2010s, an idea started to float that the county should buy its own dredge to target areas as needed, without relying on the Corpsā schedule and availability.
In 2019, the Dare County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a contract for the construction and operation of a new shallow-draft hopper dredge for use in the various channels and inlets throughout the county.
The 156-foot dredge, christened onĀ October 13 at a ceremony in Wanchese, is the result of a public-private partnership with Greenville, N.C.-based EJE Dredging Service, and theĀ Miss KatieĀ was built with a $15 million allocation from the state Shallow Draft Navigation fund.
EJE owns and operates theĀ Miss Katie, and the Oregon Inlet Task Force has been charged by Dare County to manage the dredge, including its operation schedule and project monitoring. The vessel is able to operate in both Oregon and Hatteras Inlets for up to 12 hours a day, and will be a county-managed resource to continually keep both inlets open in the years to come.
TheĀ Miss KatieĀ has already been at work in Oregon Inlet since the fall of 2022, and this is the first time that she will tackle the channels of Hatteras Inlet.
āHopefully, weāre going to use her for maintenance issues, [not emergencies],ā said Coulter. āWe mentioned that may want to do one more dredging event at the end of March, too, right before the season starts.ā
Dare County Commissioner and Waterways Commissioner Danny Counch said that the arrival of theĀ Miss KatieĀ in Hatteras was a good sign for the spring and summer fishing seasons to come.
āItās a gift,ā he said. āThis is important, because we have four tournaments in Hatteras Inlet [in the summer], and these boats need to know now if they can get in and out. They want to make their plans, and do so confidently, and now they can.ā
āWeāve had a lame-duck status for the last couple of years due to the channel and COVID, but this is a new beginning,ā added Couch. āItās time we start making a name for ourselves as a destination, and as a player for these big [East Coast] tournaments, and thatās what this dredge is going to do for us. Weāre seeing some of these dreams finally come true.ā
For more from Island Free Press visit islandfreepress.org
Notice of Public Auction
The public will take notice that the Dare County Tourism Board, at its meeting of October 20, 2022, adopted Resolution 2022-5 authorizing the sale of surplus personal property by public auction.
Saturday, April 1, 2023.
6708 S. Croatan Highway
Nags Head, NC 27959
10am: Back of the House Auction – Complete Commercial Kitchen
Partial List: True refrigerators and coolers, Hatco drawer warmers, Hobart mixer, Vulcan, 6 & 10 burner gas ovens/stoves, Vulcan 2 basket gas fryer, Vulcan 2-door oven, stainless prep tables, DCS 6 burner LPAS range & oven, Hobart dishwasher, pots & pans & more.
2pm: Front of the House Auction ā Selling Everything in the Building + Architectural Salvage by room
Partial List: Antique ships wheel chandelier, Nautical & pirate decor, sword & pistol displays, polyword tables & chairs, ship models, nautical lanterns, art, commercial bar equipment, tables and chairs, NC decoys, fish mounts, signal cannon, architectural salvage, Several bars, pirate bar & more.
Preview 3/31: 11 AM – 5 PM & Auction Day starting @ 9am
Online Absentee Bidding Catalog Closes: 3/31 @ 8pm
Catalog + Thousands of photos @ SSAOBX.HIBID.COM
Island Auction Co. (252)489-5513 – Jason P. Humphries, Auctioneer NCAL #8423
Visa / MC / Cash / Good Check – NC Sales Tax, 15% Buyers Premium
Comments
Roy
Why was the dredge built without the ability to be used for beach replenishment? Now that Rhodanthe is in great need of beach replenishment and Dare County does not have the funds to pay for it, a duel use dredge would be an asset.
Steven S.
Tourism board has plenty of money to pay for nourishment, just do away with that organization and use those funds. Win win for everyone.