SMA FLYING LOW OVER WATER HITS WING AND DAMAGES NOSE GEAR.

Narrative

I TOOK OFF FROM ILM FOR A PLEASURE AND FISH SPOTTING FLT. OVER OPEN WATER APPROX 1/2 SM OFFSHORE FROM AN UNINHABITED BEACH BTWN WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH; NC; AND CAROLINA BEACH; NC; I WAS MAINTAINING AN ALT OF APPROX 700 FT (ALTIMETER MSL). I THEN DSNDED TO APPROX 50 FT (AGL-ESTIMATED) AND THEN MADE A L TURN. DURING THE TURN I ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT WHICH RESULTED IN THE L WINGTIP GRAZING THE WATER. THIS PITCHED THE NOSE GEAR INTO A WAVE. I CLBED TO 1300 FT (MSL) AND LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW TO INSPECT THE NOSE GEAR. IT APPEARED TO BE DAMAGED. I REQUESTED THAT ILM TWR INSPECT THE NOSE GEAR WHILE I DID A FLYBY. THE TWR INFORMED ME THAT THE NOSE GEAR WAS STILL ATTACHED BUT WAS BENT BACKWARDS. I WAS CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 35. I MADE A GOOD LNDG ON THE MAIN WHEELS AND HELD THE NOSE GEAR OFF THE GND UNTIL THE AIRPLANE HAD SLOWED TO A MINIMUM SPD. A DAMAGED NOSE GEAR RESULTED IN PROP DAMAGE. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE WING EXCEPT THAT THE RUNNING LIGHT ON THE WINGTIP WAS CRACKED. THE INCIDENT WAS DUE TO SUDDEN DOWNDRAFT OVER OPEN WATER.