Prior to the Portland Gale of 1898, the North River flowed south between Scituate's Humarock section and Marshfield, Massachusetts, joining the South River and entering the ocean several miles to the south of the current opening. The storm breached a thin strip of beach, which connected Scituate's Third and Fourth Cliffs, leaving Humarock an island. Eventually the old inlet has silted in, forcing the South River to flow north between Marshfield and Humarock, where it now joins the North River to enter the ocean between Third and Fourth Cliffs. Although Humarock is now connected by land to Marshfield, North of Rexhame Beach, there are no roads across the old inlet. As a result, Humarock is only accessible via the Marshfield Avenue and Julian Street bridges from Marshfield. The change to the course of the North River also increased the salinity of the large marsh area surrounding the current outlet, resulting in the loss of the valuable salt haying business. On the river itself, there were multiple landings throughout the towns for packet boats. Whites Ferry in Marshfield and Barry's Landing in Scituate were the first stops for the ships, then they would go down the North River to Hobart's Landing in Pembroke and the Wanton/Fox Hill Shipyards in Norwell, then eventually to the last stop on the river at Barstow's Bridge/Shipyard in Hanover.