BELHAVEN — When Gail Fowler and husband Alan Rogers of New Jersey were looking for a coastal property in North Carolina to start a bed and breakfast, they started in Southport and worked their way up the coast. They were looking for a place where there were four seasons with winters less harsh than what they were accustomed to. But when they reached the small town of Belhaven on the Inner Coastal Waterway, they knew they had found a home for Fowler’s dream of owning and operating a B&B.

That was 10 years ago when they purchased the property, and now, with an improving economy, the two decided it was time to open the new business, Fowler said. The property had once been the Duck Blind Inn, also a B&B, according to Fowler. About six weeks ago, the property opened as Between Water and Main B&B.

“Belhaven had a great feel about it,” Fowler said. “I guess I could say it felt right. The small town, the harbor is beautiful, it attracts boaters from all over. We’re right across from the marina and town docks. We bought the house driving home. It was serendipitous, I guess. We waited for the economy to improve. The last two years, we really started top-to-bottom renovations.”

What was once a five-bedroom B&B has, through renovations, transformed into a four-room establishment now, with each bedroom having a full, private bathroom, Fowler said. Each bedroom has a theme: one, an homage to the area, full of nautical items; another has an antique feel to it and looks out over the water; another, flower garden-themed; and the last, a special occasions suite.

The B&B, full of community space, also incorporates amenities and features, a nod to the couple’s interests and what they like when traveling, Fowler said. The YoGail Yoga studio is a place for guests to do yoga, one of Fowler’s passions. The couple also hosts wine tastings at the B&B, something Rogers specializes in as a more than 30-year veteran of the wine and spirits industry. An upstairs coffee bar is also something incorporated from something Fowler enjoys — guests can wake up in the morning, put on a bathrobe and immediately make a cup of coffee, she said.

Fowler and Rogers’ new place also is stocked with North Carolina-made products — soaps, shampoos and body oils made in Lincoln, and sound machines throughout the establishment add a bit of ambient sound for guests to relax and take in all the B&B and Belhaven have to offer. With Fowler’s love of cooking, guests receive a sweet and savory breakfast every day, Fowler said.

“They are little extras that we think travelers care about,” Fowler said. “We try to implement things that we like. We wanted to have an inn that felt like more of a destination than just a room to rent — that when people walk in the door, they say, ‘Ah, I feel really at home here; I can rest; I can really enjoy the property.’”

The B&B has welcomed several guests in its first six weeks — pirate actors from Belhaven’s annual celebration of Pirates on the Pungo, guests visiting family members, guests in town for class reunions and others, some of which have come in from traveling the ICW, according to Fowler.

And with the weekend promising a full lineup of Independence Day celebrations and observances, the couple is well prepared to show their full house of guests a great time. The couple owns a second house on Main Street, at which it will host guests to enjoy a front-porch, front-row experience to Belhaven’s annual Fourth of July parade. That night, however, the couple and their guests will return to the B&B’s front porch and enjoy the town’s fireworks display, Fowler said.

Between Water and Main Bed and Breakfast is located at 367 E. Water St. in Belhaven. For more information, visit www.betweenwaterandmain.com or call the B&B at 252-943-0367.