International Guild of Knot Tyers expressed a wish to be involved from the outset but due to distance were unable to attend the opening meeting. In 2001, archaeological historian Mike Loades attempted a reconstruction of a British Iron Age chariot. He called upon IGKT member Richard Hopkins for his knowledge and experience of how to use the binding and lashing materials available at that time - rawhide, hemp, and flax - and described his contribution to the project as "invaluable". This involves tying six basic knots - reef knot, sheet bend, sheepshank, clove hitch, round turn and two half-hitches and bowline - against the clock.
Figure Eight Island is located just north of Wrightsville Beach and Wilmington. The island has an area of , most of which is marshland. Between the northernmost part of Figure Eight and Lea-Hutaff Island lies Rich Inlet, one of the few natural inlets in North Carolina. To the south, between the island and Wrightsville Beach, lies Mason Inlet. The former is a stable inlet, while the latter is migratory. Due to the island's proximity to the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, the ocean temperatures off of Figure Eight are comparable to destinations much further south and considerably warmer than the ocean off