Close To The Edge
by Geri Glavis
Title
Close To The Edge
Artist
Geri Glavis
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
Photography by Geri Glavis.
Wrightsville Beach is a town in New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. Wrightsville Beach is just east of Wilmington and is part of the Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,593 at the 2000 census. The town consists of a four-mile-long beach island, an interior island called Harbor Island, and pockets of commercial property on the mainland.
In addition to its sandy beaches, Wrightsville Beach is known for centrally located Johnny Mercer's Pier, considered an excellent place for fishing. The original wooden pier there was destroyed by Hurricane Fran in 1996, but was rebuilt with heavy concrete and opened in the early 2000s. Surfing is also very popular. The four primary hotels on the beach are The Surf Suites, Shell Island Resort, Blockade Runner and Holiday Inn Sunspree. There are several restaurants, stores, a gourmet grocery store and several marinas on Wrightsville Beach, and Harbor Island.
Since the 1970s, development has increased at a rapid rate. A desalination plant was constructed in the middle of Harbor Island in 1960 by the Carrier Corporation. The method used to desalinize the water was freezing. The plant proved to be costly, inefficient and difficult to maintain. Residents also complained about the barely potable taste of the water. It was closed and is now used only as a water pumping station.
Shell Island Resort, constructed on the northernmost end of the island in 1984, was considered controversial due to its large parking deck and its proximity to Mason Inlet. The construction of luxury condominiums at Duneridge, Sterling Edition at Wrightsville Dunes, and Cordgrass Bay occurred soon afterward.
During the 1990s, Wrightsville Beach suffered from several hurricanes including Bertha, Fran, Irene, Bonnie, Dennis and Floyd. Although these hurricanes caused great destruction on the beach, the growth of the island has continued to flourish. In the late 1990s, it became increasingly apparent that Mason's Inlet at the northernmost part of the island was drifting southward. Residents became alarmed that Shell Island Resort and other high value residences would succumb to the Inlet. For some time, the northern side of the resort had to be strengthened by sandbags. The Army Corps of Engineers undertook a $6.5 million contract to move the inlet 3,000 feet north. On April 15, 2002, the project was completed and Wrightsville Beach gained a sizeable amount of virgin beach on its northern side.
In the 2000s, Hurricanes Isabel, Charley and Ophelia affected Wrightsville Beach. These hurricanes were not as severe as those of the previous decade and many residents did not lose power.
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January 11th, 2014
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