Photos by Karl Aldrin

Inbound @ 11 knots and near full displacement in the Cape Fear River Ship Channel, proceeding to the State Port Terminal @ Wilmington, NC.

A brand new ship! Negotiating the sharp 95 deg. turn to starboard around Battery Island, in the Cape Fear River Ship Channel.

A view from the fishing pier at the river front park @ Southport NC.

A view from the river front park @ Southport NC (note the Dolphin surfing the bow wave). Outbound @ 10 knots, Destination: Beirut, Lebanon.

inbound @ 8 knots, up the Cape Fear River to the State Port Terminal @ Wilmington, NC.

inbound, negotiating the sharp 95 deg. turn to starboard around Battery Island, in the Cape Fear River Ship Channel.

inbound @ 10 knots, up the Cape Fear River to the State Port Terminal @ Wilmington, NC.

Inbound. A view from the river front park @ Southport NC.

Inbound @ 12 knots in the Cape Fear River Ship Channel, proceeding to the State Port Terminal @ Wilmington, NC. Thats part of the river front park @ Southport NC. In the foreground.

Outbound after sunset in the twilight @ 12 knots, negotiating the sharp 95 deg. turn to port around Battery Island, in the Cape Fear River Ship Channel.

Inbound @ 8 knots and full displacement in the Cape Fear River Ship Channel, proceeding to the State Port Terminal @ Wilmington, NC.

Inbound, proceding to the ADM Terminal in Southport, NC. @ 12 Knots.

Outbound. A view from the river front park @ Southport NC. Destination: Savannah, GA.

Returning to Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point Base after operations in the Cape Fear River Inlet.

Outbound at sunset, with the ever present Pilot Boat in the foreground. Destination: Antwerp, Belgium

Outbound. A view from the river front park @ Southport NC. Destination: Savannah, GA.

Outbound on a stormy day. Destination: not available @ time of departure.

Proceding up the Cape Fear River @ 8 Knots, then thru Snows Cut Channel and back onto the ICW. Destination: Portsmouth, VA.

A view from the fishing pier at the river front park @ Southport NC.

Inbound. A closeup view of Island Express, exiting the ICW.

The Cape Fear River Pilot Boat 2 escorting Caroni Plain out to the Atlantic Ocean where they will retrive the pilot that was aboard for the passage down the river from Wilmington, NC. The Cape Fear Pilots Assn. is on duty 24/7/365, fair weather or foul, a difficult and hazardous profession! Without the river & harbor pilots of the world, modern maritime traffic would not be possible. I am grateful that they have chosen this work.

Outbound, with the ever present Pilot Boat close behind. Note the crewman on the starboard bridge extension taking in the activity. Destination: Antwerp, Belgium

Outbound, down the Cape Fear River @ 12 Knots with the piers of some of Southports waterfront homes in the foreground.

Outbound. Negotiating the sharp 95 deg. turn to port around Battery Island, in the Cape Fear River Ship Channel with the ever present Pilot Boat close behind. Destination: Savannah, GA.

Outbound. A view from the river front park @ Southport NC.

Outbound, down the Cape Fear River @ 12 Knots.

Outbound, at sunset. Approaching the last and much broader 75 deg. turn to starboard in the ship channel. Ahead, on the port side, lie the infamous Frying Pan Shoals before finally reaching deep waters and the Atlantic Ocean. (Bald Head Island passenger ferry in the foreground)

Outbound, at sunset. A view from the river front park @ Southport NC.

inbound, negotiating the sharp 95 deg. turn to starboard around Battery Island, in the Cape Fear River Ship Channel.

inbound, up the Cape Fear River, to the port of Wilmington, NC. @ 9.5 Knots.

inbound, negotiating the sharp 95 deg. turn to starboard around Battery Island, in the Cape Fear River Ship Channel.

Look out!! They are going to ram us!!.

See! I told you we would be OK. Now just calm down, bait the hooks and start fishing.

Starting the turn to starboard around Southport, NC. to enter the I.C.W. for a dredging operation in the Lockwood Folly Inlet.

A view from the fishing pier at the river front park @ Southport NC.

Down the Cape Fear River, @ 3.5 Knots.

Inbound @ 8 knots, after negotiating the sharp 95 deg. turn to starboard around Battery Island, in the Cape Fear River Ship Channel.

Outbound @ 12 knots just before sunset. A view from the river front park @ Southport NC.

Outbound after sunset in the twilight @ 8 knots, negotiating the sharp 95 deg. turn to port around Battery Island, in the Cape Fear River Ship Channel.

Inbound @ 12 knots, after negotiating the sharp 95 deg. turn to starboard around Battery Island, in the Cape Fear River Ship Channel.

Inbound. A closeup view of Wawasan Topaz. Waterline markings would indicate that she can't have much cargo to deliver. Perhaps taking on cargo instead?

Outbound, with the armed US Coast Guard escort crossing her wake to take up station on the port side. Destination: Gibraltar. (special thanks to Mr. Chas Chrispino for holding an umbrella over me while I was photographing all this.)

Outbound, with the armed US Coast Guard escort stationed on the starboard side as she negotiates the sharp 95 deg. turn to port around Battery Island, in the Cape Fear River Ship Channel.

Outbound, with an armed US Coast Guard escort trailing in her wake.

Outbound, on an dark and rainy day. A view from the river front park @ Southport NC.

Outbound, after leaving the Military Ocean Terminal @ Sunny Point. Down the Cape Fear River @ 10 Knots.

Inbound, proceding to the port of Wilmington, NC. @ 10 Knots.

Inbound, after negotiating the sharp 95 deg. turn to starboard around Battery Island, in the Cape Fear River Ship Channel.

Inbound. A closeup view of Ascension.

Inbound, proceding to the port of Wilmington, NC. @ 12 Knots.