TOPSAIL BEACH, NC (WECT) - Town leaders say the dredging of the New Topsail Inlet should start soon, and for one business that depends on being able to get out to sea, that's good news.
Buddy Mizelle's job depends on being able to get the Queen Jean deep sea fishing tour boat out to the ocean.
"If you can't get out you just cant go," said Mizelle. Friday afternoon, when he tried taking a much smaller boat through the inlet, an alarm sounded signaling the water was too shallow. Birds were even landing and walking in the area the boats were supposed to be able to go.
"It's worse than I thought it was," said Mizelle.
That's why he says he is glad the inlet will be dredged. "I'm hoping it's going to be dredged, and stay open to let us have our season last," said Mizelle. Last year, the path to the inlet and the inlet started filling in September.
"There were days I had to cancel," said Mizelle. He even shut down for the season more than a month early, costing the company, Topsail Island Tours (http://www.fishtopsail.com/queenjean.htm), $500 to $5,000 every day he couldn't drive a tour.
"You have a lot of bills you have to pay so if you can't get out it hinders you a lot," said Mizelle. While he is glad dredging will start, he's also worried it could be happening too soon.
"If they dredge now, it could still fill up before our season gets here," said Mizelle. "They could have storms between now and the first of May". Mizelle says building a Jetty could prevent the town from having to dredge year after year. Still he says, it's better than not dredging at all.
This year the federal government did not supply money to help pay for the dredging project, funding had to come from the town, the Town of Surf City and the County.
Copyright 2013 WECT. All rights reserved.
Topsail business says dredging is necessary to stay afloat
