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Pop-up camper survives Nor'easter Outer Banks, pop-up camper, Nor'easter. These are memorable words. In October 1990 my family and my husband's parents took a weekend camping trip to the Outer Banks. We stayed at a campground in Rodanthe. As we returned from the grocery store, we heard the weather forecast. I asked what "gale warnings" meant, and my mother-in-law said it would be rough on the water. Shortly after bedtime, we were awakened by a terrible storm. We were in total darkness. The wind was rocking the camper, and rainwater was pouring in. I remembered the weather forecast and was afraid that we had been blown out to sea! At daylight we learned that we were cut off from the mainland--no bridge, phones or electricity! A dredge had broken loose of its moorings and crashed into the Bonner Bridge over Oregon Inlet, stranding us all on the island. We used a cabin for the remainder of our stay because our camper was soaked. A one-burner propane unit enabled us to cook and heat bath water. We used pool water to flush toilets. Restaurants donated food to the Chicamacomico Fire Department for everyone stranded on the island. Ham radio operators took messages for our families. I found out later that shirts were printed with "I survived Bonner Bridge." But I wanted one that added "in a pop-up camper!" Ginger
F. Shores
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