By Judy Hills, NCC&P Chapter
In the July 2024 North Carolina & Coastal Piedmont Newsletter, Messing About in Boats, the chapter featured an article on the ACBS Port Captain program. Port Captains offer ACBS member who wants to visit a new place where other ACBS members live to connect. The hosts might provide a tour of the area, a boat ride, or just meet for a meal.
NCC&P Chapter President, Alan Hills, was contacted by Bob Hamilton of the Chesapeake Bay Chapter. Bob and his wife Cristina took Alan and Judy Hills on a ride in his boat when they attended the Chesapeake Bay show in 2025 and Alan and Judy talked up their hometown of New Bern, North Carolina, so much that the Hamilton’s felt compelled to visit. Unfortunately, Alan was still recuperating from a recent surgery, so the Hamiltons were referred to NCC&P Chapter members Eileen and Larry Lettick in Washington, NC (since they wanted to see that area as well) and to Chapter member Jim Hartman for a tour of New Bern.
The following is an account of the Washington visit chronicled by Eileen Lettick.
Showing off the Washington, NC Area by Eileen Lettick
Under a beautiful autumn sky on October 24th, Larry and Eileen Lettick welcomed Cristina and Bob Hamilton to the Inner Banks. The Hamiltons were visiting from Maryland, anxious to take advantage of the newly formed Port Captain Program initiated by ACBS. The Hamiltons indicated that they were exploring Eastern North Carolina as a potential relocation site.
The Letticks picked up the Hamiltons at their hotel at 10 am, eager to chauffeur them and show off the town the Letticks have grown to love. They meandered down West Main Street past historic homes and old inns, restaurants, and shops, then turned into the beautiful harbor district and walked the boardwalk, admiring the variety of vessels moored at the town harbor. After a stroll down the boardwalk, the group hopped back into the car and continued past Moss Landing and up Market Street to view more of the varied architecture the town has to offer.
Then it was time to check out boat ramps and the local boatyard, McCotter’s Marina, which is adjacent to the gorgeous Washington Yacht and Country Club. From there, the foursome headed back into the town proper and crossed the bridge. After a brief drive through Whichard’s Beach, birthplace of Fountain Boats and home to Iconic, Pro-Line and Baja boats, it was on to the little town of Chocowinity for a tour of picturesque Cypress Landing where the Letticks reside.
Stomachs started to growl, so the group turned back into Washington for a delicious lunch at the Mulberry House, where the Hamilton’s generously picked up the tab. Conversation about boating, former careers, children, and grandchildren provided easy topics of conversation. A quick visit to the Historic Turnage Theatre and the Harbor District Marketplace brought the tour to an end. Pictures were taken, and emails and hugs were exchanged with the promise of future get-togethers and invitations to continue the friendship.
Showing off the New Bern, NC Area by Judy Hills
On Saturday, October 25th, the Hamiltons met Jim Hartman at his home in New Bern. Jim took them for a boat ride on the Trent River, one of two in the area. They met Alan and Judy Hills at a waterfront restaurant in River Bend. It was a beautiful fall day to eat on the deck and enjoy the view. Alan was recuperating from surgery, so he was happy to be out in the sun and enjoying friends from the ACBS boating community. They exchanged the history of how they ended up living where they did. Of course, they talked about ACBS, their chapters, and boats.
The Hamiltons may or may not end up moving or having a second home in eastern North Carolina, but they did enjoy the visit and made some new ACBS friends.
This is but one successful example of how the Port Captain Program benefits both the local Chapter and the visiting ACBS members.