International Week

Almost twenty years ago my daughter, Amy, spent a year as a high school exchange student in Berlin. She had a wonderful experience, and a wonderful host family -- Lisa & Wolfgang, and their three children, Matthias, Tatyanna, & Claudia.

Claudia is here for a visit this week. We all gathered at my home last night for dinner. Amy & David brought shrimp (was it delicious!!).....and homemade apple pie. We also had mashed potatoes, green beans, peas, and homemade bread. It was a mouth-watering island meal, and Claudia savored it as did we. (Claudia spent a year as an exchange student in Virginia, and understands American cuisine. She also speaks English fluently.)

Amy & I have taught Lachlan a bit of German, but Claudia is taking our instructions up a level. Lachlan can already count to five "auf Deutsch," and readily says "Tschuss," "Ich liebe dich," and several other phrases. I'm looking forward to hearing what he can say by the end of the week.

To see new items we've added to our on-line catalog, please click here: "What's New at Village Craftsmen".

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's the story of two old maps (1590 & 1795) and place names on the Outer Banks.
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Geocaching

Former island resident, Warner Passanisi, recently posted this message:

"Hi Pip [Warner calls me Pip] and Friends,

I wonder if any of you have got involved in the new craze that is sweeping the nation, the world, and yes, even Howard Street - geocaching. Well I just found a few caches on the island, with one just down the road from the Village Craftsmen ([to find info on this one] just do a search on geocaching.com for GCQ39V.) Pip, this would seem to be right up your alley - literally. I can see you on your walking tour, GPSs at the ready!

Anyway, I would suggest small shells and other natural finds on the island to be the perfect caches. So to all those who search, and to all who bury new caches I leave you with ... RESPECT THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, and private property, and on Ocracoke, abide by the National Seashore laws.

Happy hunting,

Warner Passanisi"

Katie and John from the Cove B & B (on Loop Road) first introduced me to geocaching. A number of folks have wandered by searching for the small cache Katie & John have hidden on Howard Street. I haven't "gotten into it" but those who do seem to enjoy the challenge. And the Howard Street search includes a brief recounting of the funny story I tell about the island's first automobile accident. Enjoy!

To see new items we've added to our on-line catalog, please click here: "What's New at Village Craftsmen".

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's the story of two old maps (1590 & 1795) and place names on the Outer Banks.

Community Store Update

A number of readers have asked about the Community Store, and wondered when it will reopen. Rob & Sundae have encountered some unexpected problems. They have posted the following message on the Post Office bulletin board. I thought our readers would be interested in being kept up to date.

"So why hasn't the Community Store opened yet?

We share your disappointment that the Community Store is closed, and we're sorry for the inconvenience. We've run into some problems in getting the store up and running, and to dispel rumors we'd like everyone to have the same information:

• Nash-Finch, the grocery wholesaler that delivers to the Variety Store and used to deliver to the Community Store, has told us that they WILL NOT deliver to the Community Store again. It isn't "profitable" for them.
  
• We really hoped we could order from SuperValu/Richfood (they supply Conner's in Buxton and Village Grocery in Avon), but they WILL NOT bring a truck to Ocracoke.
• We've considered lots of other options including buying a truck and getting the groceries ourselves, but none of those ideas are workable.
  

Unfortunately,without a grocery delivery the Community Store can't be a grocery store.We'd like to thank all the people who've helped with the cleaning and fixing up, and all the people who've told us how excited they are about the store re-opening. We've done so much to get ready that we hate to give up on our plans and we hope that something will work out.

We'll keep you posted.

Sundae and Rob
October 31, 2006"

To see new items we've added to our on-line catalog, please click here: "What's New at Village Craftsmen".

You can read our newsletter here. It is a story of Maps, Outer Banks place names, and geology.
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Old Maps

Yesterday I uploaded our latest Ocracoke Newsletter. This month I discuss some of the names of Outer Banks islands and the geology that helped form them. I have reproduced two old maps, one made in 1590, the other made in 1795. It was fun doing the sleuthing.

You can read our newsletter here.

To see new items we've added to our on-line catalog, please click here: "What's New at Village Craftsmen".

Life-Savers

Several days ago we had this comment on our journal:

"Your ongoing references to long-lost ships (18XX) made me wonder whether cutting-edge navigational equipment has rendered sailing off the Outer Banks mere child's play. Are the days of foundering ships and foraging for washed up cargo a thing of the past?"

First, a few words about why I so frequently comment on Ocracoke shipwrecks. It has been many a year since a sailing vessel fetched up on Ocracoke's beach. However, from as early as 1585 through the first part of the twentieth century numerous schooners and other ships, along with their captains, crews, passengers, & cargo, have been cast upon our beaches. Many people lie buried in unmarked graves near where they died.

From 1883, when the first US Life Saving Station was established at Hatteras Inlet, to the present day, untold numbers of native islanders and others assigned to patrol our beaches have risked their lives to save unfortunate mariners. In the most severe weather, with gale force winds raging, tides rising to their thighs, and temperatures frigid and numbing, men of the Life Saving Service trudged miles along our coast, pulling heavily laden "beach carts" loaded down with life saving equipment.

Once they reached a stranded vessel they would frequently work for hours rigging the apparatus, firing lines to the hapless crew, and then hauling them to safety. At other times they would row through raging surf in fragile boats and pluck sailors from precarious perches on sinking ships. Sometimes they would risk their lives to plunge directly into the sea and carry wreck victims to shore one by one. As the regulations stated, surfmen were required to go out and attempt the rescue. Nothing said they had to come back.

But mostly they did. And usually all lives were saved, even if the ships were a total loss. Not infrequently, shipwreck reports note with understatement that the beach cart and apparatus were left at the scene, as the life savers were "worn out."

I believe we do well to remember the many brave and courageous Outer Bankers who put their lives at risk to save untold numbers of people they had never met.

Today, of course, accurate charts, radar, sonar, and GPS complement more traditional means of navigation (dead reckoning, spyglasses, sextants, and lighthouses) to help insure safer passage along North Carolina's treacherous Outer Banks. I wouldn't say that sailing off shore is mere child's play, but it is definitely much safer than in days gone by.

To see new items we've added to our on-line catalog, please click here: "What's New at Village Craftsmen".

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's the story of the Community Store and other general stores on the island.
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Ocracoke Business for Sale

It is Wednesday (well, actually, I am writing this on Tuesday evening -- I will be off island on Wednesday for another dental appointment). So I don't have any up-to-date news. However, an island friend told me that he and his wife have their Ocracoke business for sale. I know that many of our off-island readers fantasize about moving to the island and managing a small business. So, for their benefit, I am including a link to the business for sale: http://www.ocracokerestoration.com/

If you are interested, please contact Tom or Carol directly. Their email address is posted on their web site.

To see new items we've added to our on-line catalog, please click here: "What's New at Village Craftsmen".

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's the story of the Community Store and other general stores on the island.
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A Dory & Nets

David, Lachlan, & I took my Subaru out to the beach yesterday afternoon. I don't ever actually drive it on the beach (I like to keep it away from salt water), but I had just had Matt Tolson spray the underside with burnt motor oil and linseed oil (this is many islanders' preferred method of undercoating). I didn't actually drive it on the beach, just down the path, through the soft sand, at ramp 67 -- enough to coat the oil with a layer of sand so it forms a crust.

But we did walk out to the ocean of course. While we were there three commercial fishermen came by and launched their dory into the surf. A dory is a fishing boat with a narrow, flat bottom, high bow, and high, flared sides. They pushed the dory into the waves and two of them jumped in and lowered the motor. After starting the motor they crashed through the surf and started paying out their net (one end was securely anchored up on the beach). Once beyond the breakers they turned north and circled around. After little more than five minutes they had surfed the boat back onto the beach and almost immediately began hauling the net back.

They netted quite a few fish -- mullet, channel bass, speckled trout, among others -- as well as a couple of skates and even a puffer fish. They had been careful to avoid the several pods of dolphin that we'd seen just beyond the outer breakers.

Lachlan enjoyed the show, and especially touching the many fish brought into shore. Who knows, maybe he'll decide to be a commercial fisherman some day.

I didn't have a camera with me, and have been unable to find a photo of an Outer Banks dory on the web, but I did find a picture of a similar, New England dory. Click here to see the photo.

To see new items we've added to our on-line catalog, please click here: "What's New at Village Craftsmen".

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's the story of the Community Store and other general stores on the island.
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A Precursor to Halloween

Last night a warm wind was rustling the hundred-year-old oaks in the graveyards, a few scattered clouds scudded across the bright half moon, and dark shadows danced on marble tombstones. It was the perfect night for a ghost walk.

Danielle from Raleigh and a handful of her family and friends joined me for a special Sunday night tour. They listened intently to tales of the walking dead, of strange footsteps in empty bedrooms, of dozens of drowned seamen buried in unmarked graves on the beach, of phantom freighters, and wandering ghosts of long-dead sailors and mad old women.

It was the perfect night for a ghost walk. I believe they stayed close together as they made their way down the sandy lane back to their car.

To see new items we've added to our on-line catalog, please click here: "What's New at Village Craftsmen".

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's the story of the Community Store and other general stores on the island.
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Spook Walk & Wind Gusts

Friday night from 7:00 - 8:30 several dozen islanders put together our annual Howard Street Spook Walk, a benefit for our school. This year's event highlighted a number of traditional Ocracoke ghost and creepy stories. The island's most famous former resident was there, of course. And without his head! So, too, were the survivors of the wreck of the steamboat "Home" (that was in 1837), and the woman who turned over in her casket (and scratched out the lining, and pulled out her hair). Don't think about that when you go to bed tonight!

Several folks reenacted the scene of Ocracoke's first murder (also in 1837), and the death of Mrs. Godfrey (whose ghost is reported to still wander the upper floors of the Island Inn). Fannie Pearl was there in her white coffin, as were other assorted ghosts, goblins, and scary clowns.

Fortunately the rain held off until the very last few minutes of the Spook Walk. The forecast had been calling for rain and wind gusts of over 50 mph. When I awoke Saturday morning there were puddles everywhere and there was a mild breeze. If the wind was strong and blustery during the night I knew nothing of it. I slept soundly and blissfully in spite of all the specters and ghouls.

To see new items we've added to our on-line catalog, please click here: "What's New at Village Craftsmen".

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's the story of the Community Store and other general stores on the island.
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Reader Photos

A couple of days ago one of our readers, Wesley Furr, sent me several photos he took on a recent trip to Ocracoke. He graciously agreed to let me add them to our daily journal. If you are an off-island reader of our journal I hope these pictures bring back good memories.

This first photo is looking down Howard Street from the end nearest NC Highway 12.



This one is taken on Lawton Lane, near Howard Street, looking towards NC Highway 12.



To see new items we've added to our on-line catalog, please click here: "What's New at Village Craftsmen".

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's the story of the Community Store and other general stores on the island.
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A Fine Fall Day

Autumn does not grace this island with color. No yellow ochres, or scarlets, or rusty oranges. Just the greens (forest green, blue green, and yellow-green of live oaks, cedars, and yaupons) year 'round. However, we don't have the stark grey barren limbs of winter either. But the days are growing shorter; the air is cooler; and the streets are quieter. Fall has definitely arrived on the Outer Banks.

And one historical note: On this day in 1859 the schooner "Mary" wrecked on Ocracoke's beach.

To see new items we've added to our on-line catalog, please click here: "What's New at Village Craftsmen".

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's the story of the Community Store and other general stores on the island.
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New Items

The press of summer business, family responsibilities, & off-island trips with Lou Ann have left me with a number of revisions to our web site and new items to add to our on-line catalog. In the last several days I have uploaded quite a few new items (framed mini-prints, doorbell surrounds, several kinds of pottery, kitchen items, and jewelry boxes).

We will be adding even more new merchandise in the coming weeks. Be sure to check out our "What's New Page"regularly as the holiday season approaches. As you know, we carry all American-made hand-crafts of the finest quality. We ship year-round and keep most items in stock ready for Christmas, birthdays, weddings, and other special occasions.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's the story of the Community Store and other general stores on the island.
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Lawton's

Several of our long-time readers have rented my mother & father's former home ("Lawton's") on Howard Street the last few summers. Some just learned that this cottage will no longer be a summer rental. One person commented, "I just found out that you will not be renting Lawton's next year. What a shame. It is truly a home away from home."

I really appreciate the positive comments, and am happy so many people enjoyed staying there. We always liked having pleasant and interesting neighbors throughout the summer. I hope it is some consolation to our former renters to know that my daughter and her family will be moving into the house at the end of this year. Soon Amy, David, & Lachlan will be my next door neighbors; and the house will once again echo with the laughter of Lawton & Connie's grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Many thanks to all of our loyal renters.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's the story of the Community Store and other general stores on the island.
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Finally Fall

I awoke this morning to a screen door banging, and rocking chairs thumping against the house. The cedars and oaks were swaying outside my window. After weeks and weeks of near perfect weather a cold wind from the north has moved into the village. Temperatures in the low 40s and a 25 mph wind made for a bracing outdoor shower this morning. (Jude wants you all to know that she enjoyed an outdoor shower this morning too -- and we both want you to know that she was at her house, and I at mine!)

But the sky is clear and blue, and sunlight rests gently on fences and yaupons this morning. It was time for a change of season.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's the story of the Community Store and other general stores on the island.
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A Quiet Sunday Afternoon

It is still warm here -- in the upper 60s -- though a light rain has begun to fall. Hardly anyone is milling about. Amy, Lachlan, and I spent some time at the beach earlier. Mostly just a few fishermen out there....and a couple of folks sitting and reading. We didn't go in the water. It was a bit rougher today than the last several days. But we sat up by the dunes and played and talked for almost two hours.

After lunch I finished a few household chores....and then made deviled eggs. This evening I'll be going to an "October Birthday Party." It will be a potluck dinner, and I know folks will be looking for the deviled eggs. Fowler will be there along with six or eight others who have birthdays in October. If your birthday is in October, we all wish you a "Happy Birthday!" also.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's the story of the Community Store and other general stores on the island.
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Visiting

Lachlan & I went visiting yesterday afternoon. We stopped to see Ann Scarborough. She is 97 years old and a delight to spend time with. I can only hope I am as mentally sharp if I am lucky enough to live so long. Ann's great-grandson, Max, was off-island so we didn't get to visit with him. But Lachlan did manage to find most of his toys.

Then we stopped by to see Fowler and Chloe O'Neal. Fowler will be 85 years old today. Fowler was one of my dad's closest buddies. And Chloe & Fowler's granddaughter, Aurora Dawn, is the same age as Lachlan -- to the day. Aurora Dawn lives in Alaska so they are always happy to see Lachlan. As usual, they gave him a banana, which he gladly took.

I hope Lachlan will remember these visits, a happy connection to our island's heritage.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's the story of the Community Store and other general stores on the island.
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Ocean Swimming

I really hate to break this news to all of you off-islanders....but the weather here has been just stellar! I know, we've heard about cold weather around the country -- even snow in parts of the midwest and New York. Yesterday afternoon I went for a stroll along the beach. Wore my bathing suit. Sky was bright blue, temp in the upper 70s, sand warm and soft. And the water was....how shall I put it?....inviting. Never passed another person the whole time I was out there, so I did what any sensible person would do, and then I jumped in. It was wonderful!!

(Really....it's not always so nice in late October. We've just been super lucky this year. You probably shouldn't even think about driving out here. :-) It's cloudy today with rain likely this weekend. By the time you get here we'll probably have a cold snap.)

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's the story of the Community Store and other general stores on the island.
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Visitors

Yesterday a reader made this comment:

"Your latest post, about renowned visitors, made me wonder if any other big-name folks ever find their way to the island -- and what sort of reception/treatment they might receive from other visitors/residents...."

Some of you may have read that Charles Lindbergh landed on the north end of Ocracoke many years ago. He stayed several hours and visited with the men of the Life Saving Station.

I once found an obscure reference to the author John Dos Passos. Apparently he and some friends hiked along the Outer Banks in the 1920s. They crossed Ocracoke Inlet courtesy of the US Coast Guard, and stayed overnight at Captain Bill Gaskill's Pamlico Inn. According to "John Dos Passos: A Twentieth-Century Odyssey," by Townsend Ludington, "The evening they left Ocracoke they had a lively time square dancing with several pretty girls and drinking Captain Gaskill's concoction of Grape-Ola mixed with orange extract."

I commented to one islander that I wondered if Captain Bill or any of the others realized that a rather well known author was visiting them. His reply, "Probably not, and even if they did know they wouldn't have cared."

In the '30s & '40s many North Carolina politicians (Governors, Senators, & Representatives) came to the island to hunt and fish. They relaxed and spent many a happy hour with their island hosts.

In more recent years I've heard that a number of celebrities have visited Ocracoke. I do not vouch for any of this information! You never know what to believe around here, but the following names have been tossed about: Jimmy Buffet, Robert Plant, Tom Cruise, Nichole Kidman, Michelle Pfeiffer, Johnny Depp, Kevin Costner, and Sean Connery. I've not seen any of them....but then I probably wouldn't recognize most of these folks anyway (they don't let me out much!).

When rumor spreads that a celebrity has been spotted on the island, there is a brief buzz around town, but then it dies down pretty quickly. Like old Bill Gaskill I suspect that most islanders would just yawn.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's the story of the Community Store and other general stores on the island.
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Wooden Hat

We get a lot of interesting folks passing through Ocracoke. One long-time customer went to high school with Fidel Castro. Two young women visited several years ago from the island of Mauritius. (If you have to look on a globe to know exactly where this is you're not alone.) Some years ago an older gentleman sat on the front porch and entertained us with songs he played on the saw. The former Governor of NC, Jim Hunt, stopped by two years ago.

We have a smattering of odd folks too, now and then -- the spider lady, the blanket man, the car lady (don't even ask about these folks).

And then there was the young man who lived here for a few years who could play the William Tell Overture on his teeth.

Several days ago a gentleman walked into the gallery wearing a wooden hat. That's right, a wooden hat. He carved it from a block of laminated wood. It was nicked in a couple of places. We asked him how that happened. "I was on this horse," he said, "and it bucked. I went over the horse's head and got my boots caught in the stirrups. I yelled. That's when the store manager came out and pulled the plug."

Anyway, here's a photo of Henry Barkley from New Castle, PA. Hats off to Henry!























You can read our latest newsletter here. It's the story of the Community Store and other general stores on the island..

Photos

Last month my good friend, Jim Fineman, from Manteo paid me a visit for several days. He took a number of photos which he shared with me. I thought our readers would enjoy seeing a few of them.

The first two are of my outbuilding. The third one is of my front porch. The last, of course, is a view of Silver Lake.


















































You can read our latest newsletter here. It's the story of the Community Store and other general stores on the island.
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Wydge

Dale recently reminded me of another unique island expression that he "just came out with" sometime last week. Talking with his wife, Jaren, he mentioned someone "going on a wydge." Jaren is not originally from Ocracoke and she was completely dumbfounded. She'd never heard of a wydge. I'm guessing you haven't either, unless you're an old-time O'cocker.

Dale had no idea where the word came from, but he, of course, knew that it meant going on a trip. So, just like I've done so many times, he strolled over to cousin Blanche's and ran it by her. Lo and behold, she had the explanation that made perfect sense, if we'd just thought about it.

Years ago it was not uncommon for Outer Bankers to transpose Ws and Vs. For example, they'd say they were going into the willage to buy some potatoes. Or they might be taking some witamins for their health. It's not hard to see how they also might be undertaking a woyage. With a little bit of Ocracoke dialect thrown in, woyage, it would seem, almost effortlessly became wydge.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's the story of the Community Store and other general stores on the island.
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LeConte Photos

Just thought some of our readers would enjoy seeing a photo of me and my companions at the top of Mt. LeConte last week. I'm second from the right in the front. We islanders so often get the question, "What do you all do in the winter?" Most of us enjoy traveling, along with a bit of adventure, when we're not at home.

In the photo we are standing on a rise (this is on a mountain, of course). Behind us is the top of the dining hall, which is ten or so feet lower. The sign on the building reads Elevation 6593 feet. (It's a wonder I manage this climb so easily since I spend most of my time about four feet above sealevel!)

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's the story of the Community Store and other general stores on the island.
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Island Health Care

Yesterday I mentioned driving to Avon on Hatteras Island to see a doctor. It was a five hour round trip for a ten minute appointment. I went to Avon because we have no health care provider on the island right now.

A reader asked, "No health care provider on the island until next week? Would you elaborate on that? I've seen the health care facility just up the road from the library. Is that not staffed year round? Just curious about how O'cockers cope with the health care related slings and arrows of daily life."

Yes, we do have a health clinic, but for a while now we have had no resident physician. We do have a very fine physician's assistant who is here often (I don't know his exact schedule), but, unfortunately for me, he won't be back on the island until next week.

As you might imagine, it is not easy to attract a physician to such a small isolated village. For one thing, we do not have the funds to compete with most other places. Also, although things slow down in the off-season, the summer months can be very stressful for a single health care provider. He or she is "on call" twenty-four hours a day. It is difficult to go fishing, take a boat ride to Portsmouth, drive "up the beach" for groceries, or even to take a couple of hours to lie in the sun on the beach.

Of course, there are other advantages to serving on Ocracoke, but apparently not enough to keep a full time physician here right now.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's the story of the Community Store and other general stores on the island.
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Back Home

Hi! This is Philip back again. I was off-island, as we say, hiking in the Great Smokey Mountains, and then joining thousands of other folks at the National Storytelling Festival in the tiny village of Jonesboro Tennessee.

Every fall I hike to Mt. LeConte in East Tennessee. It was an eight mile hike to over 6500 feet. As you might imagine, the views were fantastic. At sunset we sat on a rocky outcropping watching the sky turn shades of red, orange, and pink...and then deep violets. Finally there was that inky blackness and hundreds of distant, sparkling, fiery diamonds strewn across the heavens. Much like Ocracoke's sky, but enchanting because of the altitude & the rolling mountains as far as the eye could see.

One endearing fact about LeConte is that there is a "lodge" on the top of the mountain. There are no roads leading up there, but years ago they built this lodge (don't ask me how they did it). Every spring they helicopter great quantities of food and supplies in. Then throughout the season (the lodge is closed in the winter -- too much snow) they use llamas to transport linens and trash up and down the trails.

Anyway the benefit to me and my companions is that they feed us and give us lodging when we get to the top. So our packs are lighter, and we eat better than the typical hiker!

Unfortunately, I returned home with a severe case of bronchitis which has kept me at home for days. Finally I drove to Avon yesterday to see a doctor (we have no health care provider on the island until next week). Now, with antibiotics I should be improving steadily. So I expect to be back, posting journal entries on a regular basis. I thank Jude for keeping up with island news while I've been away or out of commission. I hope she'll continue to post some more. I like her style.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's the story of the Community Store and other general stores on the island.
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Back Again

I thought Philip would be back with you today but he's a bit under the weather. Which brings me to this mornings' shower. This morning was one of those kind of mornings that you want to go on all day long - sparkling - slow - the air scented with the good smells of the earth and the water. I stayed 'til I was pruney. Our outdoor shower is on our deck by the kitchen door. When you're in our shower and look up there's the sky and cedar trees and the wisteria vine. When the wisteria is in bloom you're showered not only with water but with hundreds of small lavender petals. I have bowed slightly at the waist a time or two imaging myself as royalty. One is quickly jolted back to reality when upon turning to grab the soap (Franks') you find yourself eye to eye with a frog or fiddler crab. Then there are the cats . Lord , they let you have no dignity as they gaze up at you from the outside. It's not a place for modesty - an outdoor shower. Good thing those critters can't talk.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's the story of the Community Store and other general stores on the island

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It's Only Me

Guess I must have confused some folks and I do apologize. Philip has been gone a lot lately so I've been doing the blogs ( I prefer visits ). I know you can tell the difference between us because when I do them they're erratic in number, the pot lucks stop as do the daily walks on the beach. I apologize for that too. I'm Jude and I've been here forever, but I'm in the back. If you look at the photo on the home page, I'm the blond in the sun glasses and turquoise dress. My son Travis is next to me. Only problem there is that photo is about a million years old and I no more look like that anymore than Bill Clinton does. My offical title around here is "Thorn in Philips' Side" and I carry it proudly. My husband Frank and I have the Hemp Shop next door to Village Craftsmen (little plug there). I'm sure many of you have stopped by there and been insulted by Frank. He's very good at it in a real cute way. Dale Mutro is married to my niece Jaren. My son Matt and daughter-in-law Mary live here with their two daughters Lici, eight and Hannah Rae, two and a half. Mary works for Ocracoke Preservation Society and Matty is a commercial fisherman and is an excellent carpenter. My youngest son Travis lives in Indianapolis with his wife April and their three year old daughter Ava. We have a wonderful Pembroke Welch Corgi named Willy and I know a lot of you know him! He's a celebrity. I'm very involved with Ocracats and have been for years. I kid Philip a lot but it's with affection. He's a good and kind friend. He's back on the island so you'll be hearing from him 'til he goes again. It's been enjoyable visiting with ya'll. Later.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's the story of the Community Store and other general stores on the island

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Still The Same

The weather is just too beautiful for words today and I don't want to be here working at all. I have " Fall Fever " and so does Dale. We've got the wanderlust for some strange reason. Frank and I just got back from out near Murphy. Dale and Jaren just got back from a trip to Maryland. Philips' been gone awhile and Dallie is headed to see her Grandbabies. We work to groanin' in the summer and this is our first letting down. My heart was in Scotland yesterday, in the Highlands. The wildness of the Highlands is so similar to Ocracoke, not the look but the feel of it. I've got to draw myself together to finish out the season. Oh Lord, I'm eight again and twitching in my seat. It's nice to know some things don't change.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's the story of the Community Store and other general stores on the island

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Loaves and Fishes......No..No..Just Fishes

I am not a fisherman or fisherwoman for that matter but I love boats and water and beaches and water and consequently I frequent fishing "places". My husband and some of his friends, our youngest son Travis and Dale are enthusiastic fishermen. Our oldest son Matt is a commercial fisherman for heavens sake! It is a monetarily precarious vocation as I am often reminded by my daughter-in-law and a disappointing avocation much of the time as I can attest to by the male grumblings of my husband. But this week...... this week..... the Fish Gods have smiled on Ocracoke! Customers in the shop are telling tales of incredible surf fishing. Frank and Al went out in Als' boat yesterday morning and caught their quota of speckled trout in less than three hours along with a mess of other fish. You couldn't beat the smile off of Franks face with a stick ( at least I couldn't.... and I tried). Charlie O'Neal from O'Neals Dockside, between puffs, exclaimed that it was like the "old days". Matt and Hardy fished for twelve long hard hours. It was a good day. They all slept well last night.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's the story of the Community Store and other general stores on the island

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A Promise is a Promise

A couple of weeks ago I promised we'd come back with a few more recollections about the hurricane of '44 otherwise known as 'The Great Atlantic Storm". Not first hand recollections mind you, tho' some days I do feel about a hundred and five I assure you I don't come close. These actually are Dales' recollections of what his Granny remembered having lived through it. The evening of Sept. 13th, 1944, Aycock Brown put up postings around the island of the impending storm but for reasons not to be discussed here, he was pretty much ignored. That night was beautiful, Ollie recalled, with hardly a breeze blowing. Before daylight the next morning winds were gusting over 100 MPH. Estimated winds at the height of the storm were 130 MPH. The tide came up over most of the island flooding all but a few homes. Boats were washed up all over. Dales' Grandma Ollie said that her Dad rowed his boat up to the front of their house and loaded up all of the family and carried them over to her grandmas house which was , they thought, safer. The women went upstairs with the children. The men stayed out on the front porch where they kept floating boats from slamming into the house and damaging it. They could feel the house move as the tide rose. It must have been frightening. When the tide finally fell, they opened the doors and the water went rushing out like "Niagara Falls ". By mid-day it was over with no lives lost. On top of all of the debris out in the road sat their outhouse! We thank Dale for sharing his Grannys' recollections. Ollie Mutro passed from this life October 28,2004.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's the story of the Community Store and other general stores on the island

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Did I Ever Start Something!

Well, back from vacation and it seems like we left just yesterday. Back to find out that I really started something in the village with my blog ( I do dislike that word ) about Grant our woo-hoo UPS man. Seems as if everyone is woo-hooing at him as he drives his truck through the village delivering packages to the various places of business. I was out to the counter this afternoon when Grant came in the back door and let out a big woo-hoo himself. I just looked at him. He started laughing. I don't have anything for you, he said, just came in to give you a big woo-hoo! He sure is enjoying his new noteriety. "Brown" in the body of Grant McDonald has done a lot for Ocracoke. A nicer, kinder more cheerful person you could not meet. I have never and I mean never heard him speak an unkind word. I wish I could say as much for myself. Two years ago when Frank and I went to Scotland, on a day pouring down rain, I picked some heather and a pebble from the stream that ran red with the blood of the McDonalds. That was in Glencoe where the Campbells slaughtered that proud clan. I brought the heather and pebble back and gave them to Grant. He accepted them and held them with such reverence. Our tall, red headed,freckled McDonald dressed in brown shorts.......woo-hoo.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's the story of the Community Store and other general stores on the island

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Hungry

Well, a few folks knew the word "peckish." One dictionary I have lists the word; another one doesn't. It means "hungry" and is identified as "chiefly British." I suppose it's one more of those old English words that has survived on Ocracoke for many a generation. Even on the island it is no longer a word commonly heard. Nevertheless most native islanders know the word, even if it is seldom used today.

I am giving the journal entry position back to Jude for a while. She still needs to give you that information she promised you -- about the storm of '44. I am getting ready to spend a couple of days hiking in the mountains of Tennessee so I'd better start getting ready. My friend Jim will be hanging out at my place while I'm gone, ready to report to me how wonderful the weather is on the island while I am away (this afternoon the beach was super -- sunny, blue skies, and warm, warm water....ahhh). It's difficult to think about leaving!

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's the story of the Community Store and other general stores on the island.

Right Peckish

That's what Dale said he was yesterday afternoon. We wonder if any of our readers know what Dale was talking about? Please post a comment if you know what the word means (no fair if you have to look it up). And let us know where you're from and how you know the word.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's the story of the Community Store and other general stores on the island.

The Community Store -- Good News

Many of our readers are aware that the Community Store, a landmark business on Silver Lake Harbor, closed its doors this Spring after eight-eight years of continuous operation. It was a great loss to our close-knit village.

Residents and visitors alike were delighted to learn recently that islanders, Rob Temple & Sundae Horn, will be reopening this traditional general store the middle of next month. We will have more news of the store in the future. We have also published our most recent Ocracoke Newsletter, a tribute to the Community Store and the many other small general stores that served Ocracoke Island since the 1700s.

You can read the entire newsletter by clicking here.

Potato Salad, Baked Beans, Stewed Chicken....

....deviled eggs, salads, macaroni, fresh clams, chocolate cake, and more. These were just a few of the dishes folks brought by this past Saturday night for our potluck dinner on the first day of autumn. Although the day had been warming up, I left the windows and doors open. As soon as the sun set a cool breeze wafted through the house and everyone was comfortable.

After dinner talk turned to feats of physical dexterity. To everyone's amusement, before long folks were grabbing one of their big toes and jumping over their arm with the other leg...or doing "monkey rolls" across the living room carpet...or twisting themselves into pretzel shapes while holding on to a broom. Well, we ancient ones might have tried one of these tricks, but soon decided that a pulled muscle was just not worth it. (Actually, to be fair, Captain Rob did do a couple of monkey rolls with his nephew, Charles.) The younger folks even found some of the tricks a bit challenging, but with practice managed to master them. Lucky for me my liability insurance was paid up!

We passed on standing eggs on their ends.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's a history of Ocracoke's historic Howard Street
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A.P. Richardson

On September 26, 1894 the two masted schooner, A.P. Richardson, was stranded on Ocracoke's beach just one half mile south of Hatteras Inlet. The "sea was very high," and a "strong gale" was blowing, along with heavy rain. According to keeper James W. Howard of the Life Saving Station, the sand was "blowing almost putting our eyes out."

When the station crew arrived, the wreck was reported to be "high on the beach" but still surrounded by a raging surf. One of the surfmen waded out into the turbulence as far as he dared and threw the heaving stick on board the schooner. The heaving stick is a wooden wand about eighteen inches long with a heavy ball of lead on one end. The other end is fastened to a light weight "whip line." On this occasion the whip line was sent on board doubled and the five crewmen were hauled to shore with it, one at a time.

The ship's captain and his crew, all from Long Island, were given dry clothes and made comfortable at the station. The schooner was a total loss.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's a history of Ocracoke's historic Howard Street
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Another Island

Earlier this month Lou Ann & I took a trip to the Upper Penninsula of Michigan. We ventured as far north as Whitefish Point and toured an old Life Saving Station there on Lake Superior. It was fascinating to learn how the lives of the crew members and their families were similar to (and different from) the lives of the surfmen on the Outer Banks.

On the way back we parked our car and boarded the ferry to Mackinac (pronounced "Mackinaw") Island. We stayed several days and enjoyed seeing another island community. Although much like Ocracoke in many ways, there are considerable differences. Mackinac has no ocean beach, of course, and the water there is much colder. They have a larger tourist industry (though a shorter season), and many fine old Victorian homes with beautifully manicured lawns and gardens. Many of these "mansions" are private vacation homes belonging to wealthy business men and women. There is also an impressive old hotel, the Grand Hotel, that dominates the view from the water, and an historic revolutionary era fort full of history.

One of the most striking differences is the absence of motorized vehicles on Mackinac. In 1911, with only a handful of automobiles on the island, a Model T Ford backfired and spooked a horse. The horse bolted and ran over a group of schoolchildren, killing seventeen. Soon afterwards an ordinance was passed banning all motorized vehicles. The island is now dominated by pedestrians, bicycles, and several hundred draft horses pulling wagons, carriages, and drays.

Mackinac is a lovely island, full of history and beauty, but I believe I'll stay put, right here in my little corner of paradise.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's a history of Ocracoke's historic Howard Street
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Old Diver

Ninety-three years ago yesterday Augustus Abner McGuire, an Irish seaman, died from an accident at sea and was buried on Ocracoke Island. His ghost has haunted the village since that time. You can read his story here: Old Diver.

In other news, today is shaping up to be one more beautiful fall day on Ocracoke. In spite of a slight breeze & a few scattered clouds I am looking forward to enjoying a stroll along the beach later on. Apparently distant hurricane Helene is still causing high tides, large swells, and some rip currents so I may forego swimming.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's a history of Ocracoke's historic Howard Street
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Equal Night....

....and equal day. Today is the fall equinox, the official first day of autumn. Equinox literally means "equal night." The night is the same length as the day, twelve hours each.

And what a wonderful day this is already. Like yesterday and the day before we're expecting warm days and cool nights. The ocean temperature is just right. Hurricane Helene (way out in the Atlantic) is causing some higher than normal tides and the risk of rip currents, but with prudence folks have still been enjoying the water.

On the spur of the moment yesterday (as I was on the schooner, Windfall, with Captain Rob) we decided to have an equinox pot luck dinner tonight. Come on by, the food will be delicious, and the good will will be infectious.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's a history of Ocracoke's historic Howard Street
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Recent Questions Answered

Hi. This is Philip back. As many readers have undoubtedly figured out, I was off-island for a week or so. While I was gone Jude kept up with the journal. And she did a great job, didn't she! While I was away I'd check the journal just to see what was going on back home. Jude even continued to write after I returned. I thought maybe I wouldn't get my job back. But now Jude is taking a vacation (this is the time of year we do this, though we often hate leaving Ocracoke during the glorious fall weather!). So I'm back at the computer, posting island news.

I want to share some thoughts about my trip, but I'll do that in a day or so. Right now I want to answer a couple of questions we received while I was away.

A reader asked the following question after my post about the creepy after-dark walk through the "woods" to my office. I mentioned that Euphemia Curtis is buried just outside my back door, and that I pass her gravestone on my walk.

"How did poor Euphemia end up only 10 feet from the back door?" the reader asked.

Well, there are more than 80 cemeteries on the island. They are scattered all over -- along main roads & Howard Street, in back yards, on tussocks here and there, in the woods, and along the sound shore. These are just the graves that are marked and identified. Many of the older wooden markers have rotted away and the graves have been covered over with bushes and trees. Some graves along the shoreline have eroded away. I've even heard tales of at least one person who discovered an old marker lying in the water, under the sand. Then there are the graves that were never marked -- slaves and others without the means to purchase a stone. And don't forget the hundreds of hapless sailors & passengers on wrecked sailboats & steamers who were buried in unmarked graves in the dunes along the ocean (never thought about that when you were lying in the summer sun, did you?).

Anyway, Euphemia was buried on my property in 1882. She lived in the old house that sat where Natural Selections is today. When I purchased the land in the early 1970s (it had been my great-aunt Tressie's garden) it was completely covered with bushes and weeds, and I had no idea there was a grave there. We built the Village Craftsmen in 1973-74 -- we hope with Euphemia's blessing. As I mentioned, she lies just beyond the back door, and is a distant relative, so she's become a neighbor of sorts. Who knows, there might be other graves nearby, but her's has the only marker. So far, they've all been civil to me. I'll let you know if Euphemia or her relatives ever start playing pranks.

Here is one other question we've had in the last several weeks:

"Hey, what happened to the "free" items page? I always enjoyed reading the
stories and hearing who won. When I click on 'free items' it just says 'this
page cannot be found.'"

My apologies to everyone who enjoyed checking on the free items. I decided to eliminate that page for one reason only. This web site is a lot of work. Just writing the daily journal entry can be quite time consuming. And the monthly newsletter is even more work. I often do a lot of research -- in books, notes, and interviews with neighbors. As a result, we are way behind in updating our on-line catalog. We have a lot of new items we want to add to our web site, and we'd like to update many of our photos. We're hoping we can do some of that work now that the season is slowing down a bit. There just wasn't enough time to choose a new free item each month, photograph it, manipulate the photo, add it to our site, monitor the phone, then revise the web page when the item was claimed, etc., etc. We hope you understand.

Well, I suppose it's time for me to end this rambling post. It's good to be back home (though I miss spending time with Lou Ann, of course!). So I'll share more news with you in the days ahead. Thanks for reading our Ocracoke Journal!

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's a history of Ocracoke's historic Howard Street
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Oprah What Have You Done ?

Well, yesterday was another one of those " can't catch a breath " days. The Oprah Show had the Food Channels' Rachael Ray on last week. It was a repeat of a show from the spring and Rachael showed the" Lazy Spoon" by Jonathan Spoons on the show. We carry Jonathan Spoons in the shop and the day after the show aired the proverbial " you know what " hit the fan! This is not a complaint. I've been packing those devils up as fast as I can and shipping them off with Grant our" Woo- hoo" UPS man. (And I do mean woo-hoo girls ). Whew, I need a vacation! That's exactly what I intend to take come Friday when Frank and I will be going to Murphy, NC. We've rented a log cabin and our son Travis, daughter-in-law April and grandaughter Ava will be meeting us there. I don't intend to do a thing but hug my babies, laugh and swim. Tell you about it when I get back.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's a history of Ocracoke's historic Howard Street

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Three Years Ago Today

Dale was mowing the lawn this morning when he called to remind me what happened three years ago today. I didn't need reminding. Not many of us that live on Ocracoke and Hatteras do. Izabelle happened. This past weekend was good enough to be bottled and sold! We all work such long hours duing the season that I believe these glorious end of summer, early autumn days are given to us especially as a gift. They are just for us, to clear our heads, fill our lungs and hearts and ease our weary bones. We went to the beach where Willy our Corgi enjoyed the waves and Lici our eight year old grandaughter built another sand castle and collected more shells for necklaces. Dale, Jaren, Frank and I watched the fishermen and just enjoyed being. Some dear souls tried driving their little sedan onto the beach and it sank like a rock in the sand. I can't imagine what they were thinking. A couple of local fellows stopped ( one of them was my son Matt) and pulled the visitors car off of the beach. I hope they leave with a good memory of Ocracoke and her people.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's a history of Ocracoke's historic Howard Street

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The Hurricane of '44

Yesterday Dale reminded me that it was the 62nd anniversary of the "Hurricane of '44". The evening before ,Aycock Brown warned of the impending storm so it's told. Dale says his Granny remembered that evening as being particularly beautiful. The next morning one of the worst hurricanes ever to hit the east coast struck witha fury! Only five houses on Ocracoke escaped flooding. The Pamlico Inn was almost entirely washed away as were a number of homes. The mailboat was washed up right about where Ride the Wind is now. We've been very lucky this year. No storms so far and none brewing that we know. This summer has provided plentiful rain and the island is lush and green. It's a grand time to visit. Some of the stories Dale told me of the '44 storm were so interesting we'll have to pass them along to you...........next week.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's a history of Ocracoke's historic Howard Street

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Out Front Fun

Yesterday I had fun. Usually I work in the "back" and don't have the opportunity to meet visitors to the shop unless there is a question or a problem and I'm called upon. I have an office behind the scenes where I do the buying, take care of the mailorders and pay the bills etc. If you call Village Craftsmen during the week chances are you'll speak with me. I really enjoy what I do. Besides, I think Philip is a little hesitant to have me out front because I'm not always what one would call" politically correct". MMMM? He's probably right. But yesterday Dallie was off, I had Dale in the back opening merchandise and I was to the counter! Ha! The folks who came in were delightful, we kidded and laughed and I even sold a few things. And just in case Philip reads this....... I don't believe I offended a single person!

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's a history of Ocracoke's historic Howard Street

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No Flo

Florence didn't come anywhere near Ocracoke but as Atlantic storms so often do, she broke the back of summer. The past three days have been cool and windy. Frank and I went to the beach after work last evening. Low clouds were rushing across the sky and the sunset was breathtaking. The ocean was very angry. Huge swells were coming in from the southeast but the northeast wind was strong and was blowing the tops off of them. We felt like we were witnessing an immense struggle with no clear winner. The wildness of the weather here is exhilerating. Perhaps that is one of the reasons we who live here, live here.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's a history of Ocracoke's historic Howard Street

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Terrapins Continued

We've been able to observe terrapin habits for many years now. The turtles appear in late March or early April, many years coming on the first day of spring, as if they knew. They go into hibernation in late October or early November depending on how warm the water stays. I feed them Purina Cat Chow. Mind you, it's just dessert. They've been snacking on Fiddler crabs and other such delicacies all day long. The few times I've given them other brands of cat food they have protested either by not eating it or even worse, by giving me the "stink eye"! Many folks have come to the house to feed the turtles. Family, friends, Closed Today Theater attendees and especially children love to feed them or watch them be fed. When the tide is low I put the food on the mud so the turtles have to come out of the water to get it. That way I can get a better look at their markings. It's then that my cats get curious about who is eating their food. We've had many a laugh as the cats sneak up on the turtles, the turtles scurry quickly back to the water only to stop , regain their composure and come racing ( a relative term) back to charge the cats. The cats then whack them in the head, the head retreats and the turtles wait for the cats to get bored which we all know cats do rather easily. The cats move off to other adventures or misadventures and the turtles have dessert. No one gets hurt and over the years it seems to have turned into a game that both enjoy or at least tolerate .

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's a history of Ocracoke's historic Howard Street

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Busy Day!

It's been such a busy day here at Village Craftsmen that I haven't had the opportunity to finish my tale of the turtle but will on Monday. Unlike Philip...... I WORK here. ( Oh boy, he's going to love that one )! Ya'll have a wonderful weekend.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's a history of Ocracoke's historic Howard Street

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malaclemys terrapin centrata

Carolina Diamondback Terrapin. These terrapins live in salt marsh, brackish creeks and the sound shallows from mid-coastal North Carolina to Florida. They are sexually dimorphic or the females are much larger than the males, to you and me. They hibernate in mud banks in the winter and mate in the spring laying their eggs in clutches of 5-12 May through August. Once the little devils hatch they mature in 2-3 years and live for approximately 20 years with a lot of luck. They are considered a "species of concern" in North Carolina. Loss of habitat is one of the problems. My husband Frank and I live on the Old Slough ( pronounce it slew ) which is a tidal creek that runs off of Ocracoke Inlet. For the past almost fourteen years we have had about four dozen beautiful terrapins come to our home every evening at about 6:30 for dinner. When I get home from work, I go out on my deck and there they are, waiting in the creek below. No matter how tired I am, the sight of them always brings a smile to my face. The patterns on their shells and bodies are beautiful and individual, no two are alike. They have little black beady eyes and I tell them they have faces only a mother would love. ( Yes, yes, I talk to them). Tomorrow I'll tell you what they eat and some of their antics. Till tomorrow then. Jude

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's a history of Ocracoke's historic Howard Street

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Ring Them Bells!

Living here on Ocracoke sometimes we have to look for a little excitment and at times it is indeed "little" or it must seem so to all of you out there in the "big" world. Our Methodist Church sits across Howard St.from the shop
and next to the graveyards ( a shells throw ) . It has electronic chimes which ring out the hours of 9AM, 12 and 3PM and 6PM when it also plays a couple of hymns. Well, we've had right much rain this past week and it must have gotten to the electronics in the chimes because at noon today they let loose! First they played the scales then random notes we first assumed was some hymn or other, then finally ended this concert with noises that resembled a cross between a wild turkey call and a dog killing a duck. This all kept up over and over loudly for about 20 minutes before ending abruptly. We're all wondering who caused the abruptly! Hopefully the rain will stop, the chimes will dry out and we'll find something else to get excited about to
morrow.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's a history of Ocracoke's historic Howard Street

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Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day Weekend is not as busy a time on Ocracoke as one might think. Families are busy getting children ready to begin another year of school or the children have already begun classes and Ocracoke is a "fer piece" to come for a weekend. But the weekend was beautiful, sunny and quiet, temperatures in the low 80's, soft breeze. Sorry ya'll weren't here. We did enjoy it. Today we have a front moving through and we've had lovely rain since midmorning. Seems like a perfect day to read a book or, heaven forbid, take a nap.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's a history of Ocracoke's historic Howard Street.


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Danny

Ocracoke lost a friend and neighbor last week. Danny Gaskill, only 42 years old, died suddenly at home. Everyone agreed that Danny was a wonderful person. He loved to hunt and fish, and was happiest when he was out on the water or in a field on the mainland, often with family and friends.

The church was packed this afternoon as folks came to pay their respects. Afterwards at his home different people remembered Danny's good nature, his winning smile, his witty sense of humor, his love of history, and the especially close bonds he had with his wife, Cindy, and their two children, Katelynn and Crissy, and with his mother & father, Alda Van & Bill.

If you are a visitor to the island you may have known Danny as the face behind the seafood counter at Dolphin Cove on Highway 12.

We will all miss Danny.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's a history of Ocracoke's historic Howard Street.
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25 Paces

That's all it is -- 25 paces, about 75 feet -- along the path from my house to my office. But it's dark and creepy at night, and especially haunting when the moon is "shining like the devil's eye." The path twists and turns, and tree branches loom out of the darkness like gnarled arms of a skinny old woman. Spider webs lace the path and roots reach up to snag my feet.

I'm happy to reach the door, turn the key, and step inside -- only to be met by eerie, silent darkness. Then I remember. Not more than ten feet from the back door lies Euphemia Curtis, dead for more than 100 years. My eyes adjust. I look around and listen, then turn on the lights. I am alone. I settle down to write. Euphemia never bothers me. She is a good neighbor.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's a history of Ocracoke's historic Howard Street.
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Wind & Rain

The wind picked up last night, but I slept soundly as usual. It must have rained a good bit, too. This morning the winds are steady at around 20 - 30 mph, with higher gusts. No tide that I am aware of.

There is something distinctive about a tropical storm. Don't know exactly what it is. Skies are gray and overcast. That's not unusual. The trees are swaying back and forth. We see that a lot here on the Outer Banks. Maybe it's the quiet. After a busy summer we notice any return to tranquility -- even in the midst of stormy weather. Of course no one was evacuated from the island for Ernesto. But it certainly seems that there are fewer people than usual here today. Maybe everyone has just decided to hunker down until the storm completely passes us by.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's a history of Ocracoke's historic Howard Street.
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Official Update on Ernesto

Official Release of Information from Hyde County Emergency Management Office:

Date: 08/31/06 Event: Tropical Storm Ernesto
Time: 1100 For Immediate Release

The National Hurricane Center has adjusted its forecast track for Ernesto slightly eastward. In doing so, they have extended Tropical Storm Warnings up the N. C. Outer Banks. A Hurricane Watch has been established south of Cape Lookout.

The Ocracoke Control Group and Hyde County Emergency Management have decided to recommend sheltering in place at present. However, any person with significant medical conditions should consider leaving the island as public safety services will be suspended should Tropical Storm conditions occur. No other evacuation orders or recommendations will be issued at present.

For Ocracoke and mainland Hyde, all persons should secure personal property and prepare for the possibility of Tropical Storm force conditions.

Everyone should continue to monitor the storm closely as there is the potential for additional forecast adjustments later today and tonight that could impact Ocracoke Island and Hyde County.

The Ferry System has advised that the 6:30PM and the 8PM Cedar Island ferries will be cancelled tonight. The National Park Service has advised that the Ocracoke Campground will be closed at noon today.

Tony Spencer, Emergency Management Coordinator

Ernesto

As you can imagine, we on Ocracoke have been monitoring the progress of Tropical Storm Ernesto. According to Hyde County Emergency Management sources, the storm is expected to make a "second US landfall around Charleston, SC and [come] up through central NC near Durham....All but the very western tip of Hyde County is now outside the margin of average forecast error, and each passing hour on the forecast tract decreases impact to us."

If conditions change, information will be available on Hyde County's official web site: http://www.hydecounty.org/.

In the meanwhile we are going about our business as usual, anticipating a Labor Day weekend that is partly cloudy with a slight chance of rain -- much like today.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's a history of Ocracoke's historic Howard Street.
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Bridge Over the Little Gut

If you have been visiting Ocracoke for a while, or if you've been on one of our ghost & history walks, you may be familiar with the bridges that crossed the "guts" in Ocracoke village prior to WWII.

Extensions of Cockle Creek (now often called Silver Lake), the "Little Gut" cut through the village about where Hwy 12 now runs, and the "Big Gut" was parallel to the first, near the new wing of the Island Inn. They were filled in by the Navy in 1942.

Just the other day I discovered this photo, taken in 1939, that shows one of the bridges built by the CCC. The arrow on the right points to the bridge. The arrow on the left shows the lighthouse which is just barely visible in this photo. The picture was taken from about where the Island Ragpicker is now.















You can read our latest newsletter here. It's a history of Ocracoke's historic Howard Street.
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Spanish Treasure Ship

As most of us are aware, Tropical Storm Ernesto is headed for the Floriday Keys. Of course we are all hoping for the best. At least the winds are not severe.

In mid-August of 1750 another storm, more formidable than Ernesto, assaulted a Spanish Treasure fleet off the Outer Banks. According to Paul Mosher, in Pieces of Eight, in early September of that year the Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, "with a million pieces of eight limped into Ocracoke as the result of storm damage."

A portion of the gold was subsequently spirited away by a shadowy captain and his crew, never to be heard from again. The remainer was transported by a British armed ship across the seas to Spain. Eventually some of Spain's gold came back to Ocracoke in the form of coins. As a child, Paul actually found a 1776 Spanish coin in Ocracoke waters.

Maybe, when we stroll the shorelines here, we should be keeping our eyes open for Spanish gold as much as for pirate treasure!

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's a history of Ocracoke's historic Howard Street.
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Looking Out My Window

I am sitting at my desk, above the Village Craftsmen. This used to be my apartment, but now it is my office. I love living in my grandparents' home, with its old beadboard walls, narrow staircase, antique windows, and pinewood floors (and its modern kitchen, two bathrooms, and central heat & A/C!). But sometimes I do miss the view from this old apartment window. Today is sunny and bright, but the graveyard across the street is nestled among the oaks and cedars, and is dappled with shadows. Several tombstones are in the open, and are gleaming in the sunlight. It is here that my parents are buried, along with four other generations of my family. They rest quietly and serenely. They are a reminder that life is short, and that the daily worries & cares of one generation pass on with them. I believe I'll just enjoy this day.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's a history of Ocracoke's historic Howard Street.
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Seaweed

The beach was strewn with seaweed today. Rows of seaweed, clumps of seaweed, individual strands of seaweed. I wonder why it washes up like this sometimes and not other times. The water was wonderful, though. A little seaweed floating around, but not a nuisance. Otherwise, perfect. No current to speak of. Gentle waves. Warm water. And hardly a soul to be seen. Most schools must be in session, or nearly so. The village is quiet too. A nice respite from the busy days of July and early August.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's a history of Ocracoke's historic Howard Street.
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Dance Tonight

There is a big sign in front of the Community Center. I saw it yesterday afternoon when I went there to pick up fish fry dinners (a fund raiser for Ocracoke Child Care). There is a dance tonight, starting at 8 pm. Oldies, Swing, Jazz. It sounds like fun! Don't know who is sponsoring it. I just wish Lou Ann were here. We'd go and have a great time.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's a history of Ocracoke's historic Howard Street.
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Variety Show, 1979

I've been sorting through some old photos. This one was taken in the school gymnasium during a variety show in 1979. My father, Lawton Howard, is on the left, playing banjo; Jule Garrish is in the middle, on guitar; and Edgar Howard is on the right, with his five string banjo.

Edgar played vaudeville in New York and other cities in the '20s & '30s with celebrities such as Al Jolson, Gene Autry, and Milton Berle. Edgar is buried across the street from the Village Craftsmen. His is the grave with the picture of the banjo on the tombstone, and the epitaph, "You ain't heard nothing yet!"













You can read our latest newsletter here. It's a history of Ocracoke's historic Howard Street.
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Salty

I know, the ocean is always salty, but today it tasted especially so. Maybe it was all in my head. The water was so crisp and clean today. Just so wonderfully the Atlantic Ocean. The waves were gentle and inviting. No one nearby at all. I had my section of the beach all to myself. It was totally refreshing to dive under the waves and come up to the surface with that clean salty taste on my lips. It is good to be alive...and to be here....now.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's a history of Ocracoke's historic Howard Street.
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Mustang Sally & the Victoria S

This is the perfect day to curl up with a good book. Maybe that's why it is so quiet along Howard Street this morning. Only a few people are milling about. The skies are gray and heavy. Trees and bushes are glistening with raindrops. There are puddles in the roads.

Actually I started my latest book last night and picked it up first thing this morning. I have become captivated by it. Kitty Mitchell's mother, Sally Martin, has written her memoir of a recent adventure. It is called "Mustang Sally's Guide to World bicycle Touring." That's right, at the age of 65 Sally bicycled around the world! Quite a remarkable feat! (Sally's daughter, Kitty, is the bass guitarist for Ocracoke's band, "Molasses Creek.")

On page 51, Sally says, "My high school English teacher had said I had a talent for the humorous, personal essay." Her teacher was right. Her book is a thoroughly enjoyable read (though it could use more editing -- the all-too-numerous typos can get distracting).

In other news, today is the anniversary of the wreck of the four-masted schooner, "Victoria S," on Ocracoke's beach in 1925.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's a history of Ocracoke's historic Howard Street.
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A New Newsletter

Finally.....I've published another newsletter. I know I missed a month. Actually I've had the newsletter ready for several weeks, but have had problems with the laptop that the bulk of our web site resides on.

This month I share with you a brief history of Howard Street -- the footpath that preceded the road, the petition of 1835 to widen the footpath, the decision by the state to pave the western end of the road, and Stacy Howard's thought to nail up the "East Howard Street" sign soon afterwards.

You can read the history here.

Today, in 1933, Ocracoke experienced one of the island's most devastating hurricanes (along with those in 1899 & 1944). According to contemporary accounts the water was knee-deep in the village, and winds were estimated to be over 120 mph.

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Post Office

On this date, in 1840, the Outer Banks' first post office was established with William H. Howard as postmaster. For years mail was brought to the island by sailing vessels, and later by motor-powered mailboat. The Aleta and the Dolphin are the two mailboats most fondly rememberd by Ocracokers.

The mailboat generally made one round trip daily between the island and the mainland. It would leave Ocracoke early in the morning and arrive at the dock in Atlantic sometime before noon. After a lay over she would head back across the sound, and arrive at Ocracoke about 4:00 - 4:30 p.m. This was the social event of the day as scores of islanders gathered to greet the mailboat when she glided up to the dock.

The mailboat carried groceries, soft drinks, packages, and passengers, as well as the mail. It was Ocracoke's only reliable link to the mainland until the mid-1950s when a hard surface road was built to Hatteras Inlet, and the state of North Carolina began regular ferry operations there.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's about Ocracoke Islanders and "tokens of death."
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Cherybin & A.J. Marine

On this date in 1887 two schooners, the Cherybin and the A.J. Marine, both wrecked near Hatteras Inlet, four miles from shore. According to reports by the keeper of the Life Saving Station, James W. Howard, it was "very stormy" with "gale" force winds and "driving rain." The sea was "rough" & "full, running over beach fearful." Both vessels had lost their main masts.

The storm was so severe that it had driven the station's rescue boat up on shore and both the rudder and the oars were washed away. The station crew had to make a new rudder.

The stranded schooners were spied about 2 o'clock p.m. on the 20th. Because of the rough seas and lost rudder the life saving crew was unable even to launch their boat until 4 a.m. on the 21st. They arrived at the wrecked schooners more than three hours later, between 7 & 8 a.m.

Neither vessel was in danger of breaking apart and no assistance was needed, except that a steamer was summoned to help refloat the ships when the weather cleared.

You can read our latest newsletter here. It's about Ocracoke Islanders and "tokens of death."
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