Singer/Songwriter Competition

Our State: Down Home in North Carolina is a monthly publication that "celebrates the people and places that make [North Carolina] great. From the mountains to the coast, [Our State features] North Carolina travel, history, folklore and beautiful scenic photography."

Yesterday Lou Ann reported on her blog about Our State magazine's first ever "Carolina Songs: Singer/Songwriter Competition." As their web site puts it, "Our Southern roots, our sense of home, the people we know, and the land beneath our feet all inspire music in North Carolina. Our State is looking for the quintessential North Carolina song by inviting singer/songwriters to submit their entries...."

Ocracoke's celebrated band, Molasses Creek, and Marcy Brenner, who is accompanied by her husband Lou Castro, have submitted songs.

Molasses Creek's songs ("Mother Earth," "The Waterman," and "Howard Street") are some of their most popular. Many of our readers have listened to these beautiful songs at the Deepwater Theater. They capture our sense of belonging to this special island.

Marcy has submitted two songs, "Hurricane, Flood, Tornado," and "Joe Bell Flower." The latter celebrates the beautiful red and yellow gaillardias that grow in abundance on Ocracoke and elsewhere on the Outer Banks. (You can read my Newsletter about Joe Bell flowers here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news012112.htm.) Marcy's song also celebrates the women of Ocracoke...beautiful, strong, resilient, and independent.

You can listen to all of the submissions here: http://www.ourstate.com/carolina-songs-playlist/. Molasses Creek's songs are in Weeks 2 & 3. Marcy's songs are in Week 1.

Enjoy!

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of midwifery on Ocracoke. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news082112.htm.

Weather

The Ocracoke weather forecast: 10% - 0% of rain through Saturday! Hooray! Finally, the island is drying out after two weeks of wet weather. For two days now I haven't even seen anyone walking around in rubber boots. 

As we know, Hurricane Isaac has battered New Orleans and other Gulf Coast communities. We islanders, of course, understand the impact of storms on property and lives. Our thoughts are with those dealing with flooding and wind damage from Isaac, not only in Louisiana, but in other states in the hurricane's path.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of midwifery on Ocracoke. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news082112.htm.

A "Pome"

Dear readers, today I post portions of a comment that I received recently. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Many thanks Robb!

"Firstly, I LOVE your blog! I've been catching up on your blog as well as Lou Ann's today....I absolutely love Ocracoke as it's peacefulness reminds me of the beach we would go to when I was younger....

"Yesterday, I put my mind to writing a little something that I prefer to call a 'pome' and not an actual poem... Here it is:


"Ocracoke - Robb Foster

"To sit on Ocracoke my friend
And watch the sun go down again
The sails unfurled to catch the wind
Our souls will start to knit and mend

The calming sound of ferry horns
And laughing gulls that never mourn
That evening breeze to kiss my face
It tells us "Here's your healing place."

I'll travel on to points unknown
With mem'ries sure to wax upon
But nowhere heals me when I'm broke
Quite like the isle of Ocracoke..."

Thanks again Robb!

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of midwifery on Ocracoke. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news082112.htm.

Ocracoke School

As with so many schools across our nation, Ocracoke School re-opened yesterday. We welcome our new principal, Laura C. Kelly, to our island. You can read the Principal's message here: http://ocracoke.hyde.k12.nc.us/.

And, if you are on the island today, be sure to stop by the school for an Open House at 6 p.m. Everyone is welcome to tour the facility, and to meet Ms. Kelly and our other fine teachers.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of midwifery on Ocracoke. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news082112.htm.

In 1942

Many of our readers know that the US Navy established a base on Ocracoke in 1942. 500-600 personnel were stationed here to help stop German U-Boat attacks on allied merchant ships. Although a popular tourist destination today, Ocracoke had little to offer young sailors seventy years ago. At Christmas of 1942 the commanding officer described his men's "deep distaste for Ocracoke," adding that "this sentiment seems to be universal and is due to the isolated position of the base, the poverty of entertainment of any kind, no liquor, and a lack of supply of the ladies of negotiable affections sought by sailors."

In spite of the officer's observations, a few of the sailors grew to love not only Ocracoke, but several of the local ladies. Today several island families trace their roots, not only to Ocracoke's earliest settlers, but, through Navy and Coast Guard personnel, to ancestors in the mid-west and the northeast.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of midwifery on Ocracoke. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news082112.htm.

Wild Surf

Yesterday afternoon David, Lachlan, and I went to the beach. Even though I knew our recent unsettled weather (thunderstorms and nearby tornadoes) had probably churned up the ocean, I was still surprised to see such powerful waves and so much white water. Also, the tide was washing high up on the beach, reaching nearly to the dunes. David and Lachlan stayed close to shore, but almost every wave towered above Lachlan. When they broke he ducked under, was lost in the froth and foam, and came barreling up towards me, tossed end over end...only to run back for more. He was so happy...and I was certain he would sleep well last night!

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of midwifery on Ocracoke. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news082112.htm.

The Gods Must Have Been Angry

Although it is bright and sunny as I write this morning, it has rained nearly every day for the last two weeks. Last night around 10 o'clock the sky was ablaze as lightning flashed every few seconds from every quarter of the compass. Then the news came over the telephone and on the Internet. The National Weather Service reported a tornado moving from near Cedar Island towards the northeast. Portsmouth Village and Ocracoke were in its path. A tornado warning was issued until 10:45. Rain fell in torrents.

There is little we can do to prepare for a tornado on Ocracoke since there are no cellars to use for shelter. We can only wait, and be ready to hunker down in a closet or small room.

I suppose the tornado dissipated or passed by out to sea since I haven't heard of any impact, but Lawton Lane looks more like Lawton Lake this morning.

We are longing for an end to this wet and soggy weather, and looking forward to coming days of delightful clear skies and mild temperatures. It has to get better!

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of midwifery on Ocracoke. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news082112.htm.

Book Recommendation

Every once in a while I read a book that just calls for a recommendation on this blog. I just finished reading Christopher White's excellent book, Skipjack, The Story of America's Last Sailing Oystermen.

As one of the jacket testimonials puts it, "...Skipjack is a compelling story about how the wisdom of the past can help us protect the future of our fisheries." I was particularly taken with the book because only this past March I had the good fortune to spend an entire day dredging for Chesapeake Bay oysters on a 57 year old skipjack. If you missed that blog, you can read it here: http://villagecraftsmen.blogspot.com/2012/03/oyster-dredging.html.

To read a more thorough account of our adventure you can read Capt. Rob Temple's story here:
http://www.ocracokecurrent.com/25068.

And if you want a refresher about the skipjack that has been donated to one of the island's non-profits, Ocracoke Alive, click here: http://villagecraftsmen.blogspot.com/2012/03/restored-skipjack-donated-to-ocracoke.html.

And finally, if you really want to learn about oyster dredging, the boats, the captains and crews, and the culture of the oystermen, go to your library or your local bookstore and pick up a copy of Skipjack, The Story of America's Last Sailing Oystermen. It is a fascinating read!

 Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of midwifery on Ocracoke. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news082112.htm.

Another Turtle Release

Lachlan and I went out to the lifeguard beach last night about 7:30. We had heard that the National Park Service was releasing another 27 loggerhead turtles at 8 o'clock. They had excavated a nest a few days ago, and were ready to let the youngsters go. The Park Rangers did a great job of explaining what was happening...and arranging the crowd behind a rope so everyone could see. It is great fun to watch these tiny critters waddle off toward the surf. Flashlights and camera flashes were forbidden since the turtles naturally head for the brightest and lightest areas. In the absence of artificial light the white water of the crashing waves serves as their beacon. There were a few confused young-uns who had to be turned around now and then, but most of them made a bee-line toward the surf and disappeared from view to the cheers and encouragement of the folks in the crowd.

If I get any decent photos I will share them in another post.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of midwifery on Ocracoke Island. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news082112.htm.

Midwifery

It is that time again...time for another Village Craftsmen Ocracoke Newsletter. This month I chronicle the history of midwifery on Ocracoke. For many years folks have asked me about island midwives. Finally, I've gathered the information and stories together. You can read the latest Newsletter here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news082112.htm.

Dickens and Horses

Back in May I commented on the traditional island phrase, "they don't set horses," which refers to people who don't get along. It seems this saying is also used elsewhere in eastern North Carolina. Just a few days ago, as I was reading the novel Hard Times by Charles Dickens, I came across this sentence: "I am Josiah Bounderby, and I had my bringing-up; she's the daughter of Tom Gradgrind, and she had her bringing-up; and the two horses wouldn't pull together."

Dickens (1812-1870), of course, didn't use the expression "they don't set horses," but his comment that "the two horses wouldn't pull together" means essentially the same thing. Just one more indicator that Ocracoke's first settlers hailed from the British Isles.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Hurricane House and the Hurricane Boards. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news072112.htm.

OcraFolk School

Many of our readers are familiar with the annual OcraFolk School. For the benefit of those not acquainted with this endeavor, the School, which began in 2007, is held yearly in October right here on Ocracoke Island and includes workshops for adults exploring island history, culture, food, art, music and crafts through hands-on activities. This year the OcraFolk School will be held October 14-19.

In addition to classes, students participate in group meals, music and other events throughout the course of the week. 

Classes offered this year are "Island Cooking" (with chef Debbie Wells), "Woodcarving" (with master carver, Frank Boyd), "Exploring Ocracoke Music" (with Gary Mitchell, of the band Molasses Creek), "Wellness Week" (with Ann Ehringhaus), and "The Ocracoke Sampler" (with  Capt. Rob Temple, Ranger Dave Frum, and yours truly, Philip Howard). 

The Ocrafolk School is sponsored by the private non-profit "Ocracoke Alive."

Spaces are still available for most of the classes. This is a great opportunity to visit Ocracoke in the off-season, participate in group events with island locals and enthusiastic visitors, and learn a new skill or hone an existing one. 

For more information, email gary@ocracfolkschool.org,  call 252-928-4280 or visit www.ocrafolkschool.org. 

We'd love to have you join us for the 2012 OcraFolk School!

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Hurricane House and the Hurricane Boards. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news072112.htm.

To New Bern...and Beyond

Lou Ann and I caught the first ferry Thursday morning to Cedar Island. Our destination was the airport at New Bern, North Carolina. Lou Ann had commitments back in Indiana -- stories to tell, college students to enlighten, family to see. The drive from Cedar Island to New Bern took us close to Harker's Island. We had plenty of extra time, so we decided to make a side trip. Harker's Island is a delightful small town -- neatly kept yards, white picket fences, modest homes with gables and lace curtains at the windows.

Of course, there were also boats -- traditional wooden skiffs, newer fiberglass skimmers, and trawlers. We stopped at the harbor to make some photos. Lou Ann struck up a conversation with several fishermen, and with Oliver Lewis, the skipper of the Capt. O.C., an old wooden trawler. The Capt. O.C. had recently returned to port with a load of fresh shrimp.

Lou Ann's video tells the story best. Click here, http://louannhoman.blogspot.com/2012/08/out-and-about-at-harkers-island.html, to see a photo of the skipper, take a look at the Capt. O.C., and listen as Oliver Lewis chats with Lou Ann.

Sad to say, but Lou Ann will be away from Ocracoke for a while (those mid-western college students need to learn about Charles Dickens and how to speak in public), so when you check her blog in the coming weeks you will discover, not videos of shrimpers, sailboats, and lighthouses, but images of corn fields, farmer's markets, and gardens.

It has been great having Lou Ann on the island (leading ghost walks, opening the lighthouse for visitors, chatting with neighbors on their pizers, performing in the Opry, and being a wonderful friend and companion)...and she will be back. Leave a comment and let Lou Ann know you join me in encouraging her speedy return to Ocracoke.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Hurricane House and the Hurricane Boards. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news072112.htm.

A Story

Many years ago (in the mid-1970s) a woman walked into Captain John's Junque Shop (located where Down Point Decoys is today) and asked, "Is there a beach here?"

Captain John's wife, Myrtle, asked, "How did you get here?"

The woman replied, "We came from Hatteras, across the ferry."

Myrtle explained, "Well, the entire way down on the left hand side, there's 16 miles of beach."

"Oh no," the woman said, "I mean a real beach with boardwalks and hotdog stands!"

I don't suppose she ever returned.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Hurricane House and the Hurricane Boards. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news072112.htm.

Rodanthe

Two days ago I wrote about the village of Waves on Hatteras Island. Waves was originally known as South Chicamacomico. North Chicamacomico is the present-day Rodanthe.

Although I have occasionally wondered how Rodanthe got its name, only recently have I done the research. Like Waves, Rodanthe was named by a post office official (in 1874; Waves was named in 1939). The village (pronounced Roe-DAN-thee) is also a traditional Greek girl's name (pronounced Roe-DAANTH, meaning "rose bud"). No one seems to know which official decided on Rodanthe, or why. This may forever remain a mystery.

Rodanthe is one of a very few US communities that continue to celebrate Old Christmas. Pope Gregory introduced the Gregorian calendar in 1582. England and the American colonies did not adopt the new calendar until 1752. Many residents of the Outer Banks resisted the change. One Ocracoke Island family continued to celebrate Old Christmas (January 5) into the twentieth century. The village of Rodanthe celebrates Old Christmas even now. Perhaps I will write a blog post about the celebration in December.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Hurricane House and the Hurricane Boards. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news072112.htm.

Pennsylvania & New Jersey

Visitors to the island are often surprised to discover a long-time connection between Ocracoke and northern cities, especially Philadelphia. Beginning at the turn of the twentieth century, many island men, realizing that the coastal schooner trade (where they worked as sailors, captains, and owners) was soon coming to an end, found work on dredges and tugboats on the Delaware River. For fifty years there was a steady stream of young men moving to Philadelphia to work.

In an interview in 1989, Elizabeth O'Neal Howard, who traced her ancestry to many of Ocracoke's founding families, commented that "I don't have a first cousin on this island. I had 33 when I was born, but now I've got more cousins in New Jersey and Pennsylvania than I have here."*

The exodus to Philadelphia stopped in the mid-twentieth century after the road was paved to Hatteras Inlet, and the state began regular ferry service across the inlet.

*Ocracoke, Its History and People, by David Shears, 1989.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Hurricane House and the Hurricane Boards. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news072112.htm. 

Waves

Several days ago I wrote about the great waves at the beach. Today I write about a different Waves -- the village on Hatteras Island. I have often wondered about the name, so recently I did a little investigation.

This is what I've learned: apparently, when the post office was established there in 1939, the Post Office Department decided that the original name of the community, Chicamacomico, was too difficult to spell. Not only was it difficult to spell, it was confusing. There was a South Chicamacomico (present-day Waves) and a North Chicamacomico (present-day Rodanthe). It seems the name Waves was chosen simply because of its reference to the environment.

I think it is unfortunate that the name was changed. Not only does Chicamacomico pay homage to the original inhabitants of these islands, it is much more colorful. And think of all the creative ways people would have discovered to misspell the name. That could have been a blog post also!

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Hurricane House and the Hurricane Boards. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news072112.htm.

Clear & Bright

After days of rain and thunderstorms Ocracoke is finally drying out. Sunday night was clear, with not a cloud in the sky. We spent two hours lying on the beach, marveling at the constellations and the Milky Way, watching shooting stars. We saw about three dozen...a beautiful celestial display.

Monday dawned bright and sunny, a near perfect day. Just right for doing some long-neglected yard work and spending time outdoors. At 6:30 we biked down to the Community Square docks to attend the going-away pot-luck party for Emmet (he will be attending the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem). We couldn't have asked for better weather! Wishing you all the best, Emmet.

 Lou Ann and I ended the day looking at the big dipper from our porch swing, as I played a few traditional tunes on my harmonica.

It's a good life.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Hurricane House and the Hurricane Boards. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news072112.htm.

A Gulp of Comorants

Lachlan has a fun book, The Book of Lists, More than 250 amazing lists of fun facts and weird trivia on almost everything you need to know!. I was glancing through the book and came to page 246, "Animal Group Names." That's when I discovered that a group of cormorants is called a "gulp."

I hope I can remember the word this coming winter when huge gulps of these birds raft out in the ocean, then come streaming back in the late afternoon to roost on sandy islands in the sound. And if you are on the island when large numbers of these birds spend time here, you can amaze and impress your friends also by pointing out a gulp of cormorants.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Hurricane House and the Hurricane Boards. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news072112.htm.

Parasailing

Lou Ann and I were out in my skiff last Thursday, and Lou Ann made a short video of Farris O'Neal and his parasailing enterprise. Click on the photo below, or on the following link to read her post and watch the video.

Parasailing with Capt. Farris O'Neal

http://louannhoman.blogspot.com/2012/08/parasailing-with-farris-oneal-from.html

You can learn more about parasailing on Ocracoke on Farris' web site:  http://www.ocracokeparasail.com/

Fishing Camps

Fish camps are part of a long tradition on Ocracoke. Primitive camps were erected "down below" (that's the part of the island north of Ocracoke village) many years ago. More recent camp buildings from the early and mid twentieth century were simple wood frame constructions.

Alton Ballance, in his book Ocracokers, quotes old timers who described the original camps. They were constructed from black needle rushes near the tidal creeks. Alton's source, Sullivan Garrish, says they were A-frame huts, but at least some of them were shaped more like yurts. Cooking was done outside whenever possible. If it rained they would cut a hole in the roof to let the smoke out. 

Mullet fishermen's camp at Shackleford Banks

 This photograph is from "The Fishes of North Carolina," by Hugh McCormick Smith, North Carolina Geological and Economic Survey, plate No. 20, published by E. M. Uzzell & Co., Raleigh, North Carolina, 1907.

Today's fish camps include more modern amenities.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Hurricane House and the Hurricane Boards. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news072112.htm.

1900, Again

Here are a few more tidbits of information gleaned from the 1900 census:

• Only two ship's pilots are listed (as a result of the opening of Hatteras Inlet in 1846 most Ocracoke pilots moved to Hatteras).
• There is one "manufacturer" (Henry Doxsee of the Doxsee Clam Factory -- see http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news112110.htm).
• Eight men served in the United States Life Saving Service.
• Ocracoke had four "dressmakers" and five "carpenters" but only one "boat builder."
• Two merchants were identified.
• One woman is listed as "stenographer." She was the daughter-in-law of one of the merchants.
• Thirty-six men worked on the water as fishermen, oystermen, and such.
• Seventeen men are listed as sailors and seamen. 
• One resident made his living by "tying nets."
• One woman is listed as "WD Boat House Proprietor." Even Blanche couldn't identify the WD Boat House!
• Ocracoke also had two day laborers, two school teachers, one agent for the Norfolk & Southern Railroad (as mentioned in a previous blog), two ministers (also mentioned previously), one lighthouse keeper, and one shoemaker. 

The other adults were generally listed simply as "Head" or "Wife" so we are uncertain of their occupational status.

Just some Ocracoke trivia for our readers today.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Hurricane House and the Hurricane Boards. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news072112.htm.

Ocracoke Youth Center Benefit

A recent press release:

 

Benefit Concert this Friday (August 10) in Community Square:

Hills To Holy Water 2012 Too Heavy for the Levee An Ocracoke Community Park Project & Youth Center Benefit

Proceeds to benefit the Ocracoke Youth Center

Friday, Aug. 10th, 5-10pm @ the Ocracoke Community Square...

rain or shine... but if it really rains then Aug. 11th.

The Event: Hills To Holy Water: A trans-North Carolinian production with the goal to raise awareness and financial support through the arts for local organizations whose focus is to build... strong ties for strong communities.

The Benefit: Sponsored by the Ocracoke Youth Center to help stimulate and support the proposed athletic park plans for Ocracoke Island ....."Let's Give 'Em A Place To Play!"

Event Highlights: A free, all ages show, open to the public featuring..... -Local Fish Fry & Clam Roast... Fresh fish and clams provided by OWWA & affiliated fishermen. Thank you Farris, OWWA, James Barrie and others.

-OBX Beer Garden... Tasty brew provided by our local OBX brew masters.

-Digital Download Pre-Release of "The Better You Do, The Better You Do" from the Dye Wells (aka mr k and the Famous)....plus Hot SKA from European touring band Regatta 69 as well as the Fresh sounds from local favorites ... Jon Lea and Friends. Other artist's to be announced.

-That's right it's free and like the Fair... you buy your little red tickets there. Tickets!!!... All tickets sold inside the gates... no outside alcohol and I.D. required to drink.

-Hills To Holy Water...Friday Aug. 10th, 5pm @ the Square....Bring your chairs or choose the bleachers! Stay tuned for more details and event updates.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Hurricane House and the Hurricane Boards. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news072112.htm.

Katy & The Voice

 Ocracoke's very own Katy Mitchell has submitted an audition video to the NBC Reality Talent Show "The Voice." If you have a long-time connection with Ocracoke you probably know that Katy has been performing on the island for a number of years at the Deepwater Theater and at various other venues. You may also remember that Katy had a prominent role in the movie "Nights in Rodanthe" starring Diane Lane and Richard Gere.

You can listen to Katy's ten minute Voice Audition Video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKIBO2CNgaE.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Hurricane House and the Hurricane Boards. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news072112.htm.

Community Store

A number of people have been asking about the Community Store. Many of our readers know that the store has been closed since spring. According to the Ocracoke Foundation's July, 2012 Newsletter, "since 2008 [the Foundation] has been working with the Trust for Public Land and the Senseney Family on a way to preserve and protect...the Community Square."

In 2010 the Foundation began negotiations with the Hutcherson family to include the Zini and Lola Williams house (across the street) in the project.

The Foundation's goal is to purchase these properties, honor existing leases, locate a tenant for the Community Store, and renovate and improve the properties and the site. Several new possibilities may include adding improved public restrooms, a dedicated boat pump out, and a community kitchen. Other goals include providing long term working waterfront access, open availability for public use, a model for improved environmental practices, and a space for community events.

Money, of course, is an issue. According to the Foundation's Newsletter, "the recent North Carolina legislative cut in funds which historically were available for communities such as ours will make the effort to purchase complex."

There is wide public support for the Foundation's efforts to save this important Ocracoke property from development. You can read about the project at http://www.ocracokefoundation.org/. Click on "Preserving a Piece of our Waterfront" for more information.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Hurricane House and the Hurricane Boards. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news072112.htm. 

Loggerhead Turtles

Yesterday afternoon Lou Ann posted an essay, photos, and four short videos of her experience late Thursday afternoon with a National Park Service ranger excavating a loggerhead turtle nest. If you have ever wondered when and how the rangers unearth the nests, examine the eggs, and release the tardy youngsters, take a look at Lou Ann's post. You can click on the link below.

Photo courtesy of Lou Ann Homan

http://louannhoman.blogspot.com/2012/08/excavating-loggerhead-turtle-nest-with.html

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Hurricane House and the Hurricane Boards. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news072112.htm.

Great Waves

My son Stefen and two of his children, Eakin & Eliza, are here this week (Stefen's wife Snee and their eldest daughter Zoe couldn't make it this year). We took a little scud in my skiff on Friday, and spent Saturday afternoon at the beach with Lachlan. The waves were just about perfect -- big enough and frequent enough for some great boogie boarding and body surfing, and no dangerous rip currents. We had a wonderful time. Saturday evening we had a big family dinner. Afterwards the children filled balloons with water and had a grand time running around outside just being kids. Lou Ann and I sat on the porch as the sun was setting, watching the sky darken and listening to the sounds of children playing.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Hurricane House and the Hurricane Boards. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news072112.htm.

Moonshadows

There are few places more magical than Howard Street under a full moon. These last few days have been simply beautiful. The picket fences, the marble tombstones, the one hundred year old houses...and especially the majestic live oaks...all are bathed in moonlight and cast soft shadows along the sandy lane. There is beauty here even at midnight.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Hurricane House and the Hurricane Boards. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news072112.htm.

Hotel DeAfrique

It is not widely known that 880 troops of the Union Army, Navy, and Coast Guard attacked and defeated Confederate forces at Fort Clark and Fort Hatteras August 28 & 29, 1861, securing for Federal forces their first victory of the American Civil War. 

Immediately afterwards a number of slaves made their way to Hatteras for protection. They quickly erected housing which was dubbed "Hotel DeAfrique." Eventually a much larger "Freedman's Colony" was established on Roanoke Island. (I know very little about the Freedman's Colony...another item to add to my list of topics for research!)

Following is a sketch and paragraph about Hotel DeAfrique, from the February 15, 1862 issue of Harper's Weekly:

Hotel DeAfrique

"[This photo] depicts the Hotel d'Afrique, a building erected near Fort Hatteras for the reception of contrabands [during the American Civil War "contraband" referred to a black slave who escaped to or was brought within the Union lines.]. There are upward of forty there now. The darkey with the pipe is 'boss' of the establishment, and obligingly sat to be sketched by our correspondent."

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Hurricane House and the Hurricane Boards. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news072112.htm.

Happy Birthday Philip!

Hi Folks!

This is Lou Ann letting you know that today is Philip's birthday! (He would never tell you himself!)

He also shares this day with his grandson Lachlan and, to make the day extra special, his son Stefen is bringing two of his children to spend the week. 

It is a great day on the island with the early sun shining in the cedars and the world drenched in fresh rain from yesterday. We are ready for a beautiful day with family and friends and, of course, all of you who can't be here with us.


As always,
Lou Ann

 

Fishermen

I once wrote that after 1846, when Hatteras Inlet opened during a hurricane, that many Ocracoke men either moved to Hatteras to continue operating as pilots, or turned to seafaring. In looking over the 1900 census I discovered that only eighteen men are listed as sailors, but thirty-six men are listed as either fishermen (25), oystermen (10), or watermen (1). I had thought that fishing didn't surpass seafaring until several decades later, when inboard engines replaced sails, and when electricity (and hence, the manufacturing of ice) came to the island. So I see that I was wrong about that. When I have more time I will check the other early twentieth century censuses and give a report of the occupations listed.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Hurricane House and the Hurricane Boards. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news072112.htm.

More from Melville

As I continued to read chapter 25 (The Mast-Head) of Moby Dick, I came across this sentence:

"For the most part, in this tropic whaling life, a sublime uneventfulness invests you; you hear no news; read no gazettes; extras with startling accounts of commonplaces never delude you into unnecessary excitements; you hear of no domestic afflictions; bankrupt securities; [or] fall of stocks...."

Ocracoke is not so isolated from the modern world as it once was, but in some ways island life can be somewhat akin to life on a nineteenth century whaling ship, as described above. It can be psychologically easy to avoid watching the evening news, reading a newspaper or magazine, or checking Internet news sites.

Activity here often revolves around family, friends, community, and nature...walking along the surf at sunrise, sharing dinner with friends, clamming in Pamlico Sound, sipping a late afternoon drink on the front porch, playing or listening to music at an outdoor cafe, taking a scud in your skiff, or watching the red-orange sky melt into a deep indigo at sunset.

Ignorance can be bliss, after all.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of the Hurricane House and the Hurricane Boards. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news072112.htm.