Leonid Meteor Shower

Ocracoke Island is one of the best places to watch shooting stars. And tonight (and early Thursday morning) is one of the best nights to look for them. That is because Comet 55p/Tempel-Tuttle will be passing close to the earth. As it does, our planet intersects the path of the comet (and its past iterations). When particles of dust and debris associated with the comet (nearly always extremely tiny) pass through the earth's atmosphere (at more than 200 times the speed of sound) they are incinerated, leaving a visible trail of light as they streak across the sky. During the peak (late tonight and early tomorrow morning) observers may see as many as 60-100 shooting stars per hour. Because of a waxing gibbous moon, however, the number will likely be less.

By the way, this particular event is called the Leonid Meteor Shower because the shooting stars appear to radiate from the constellation Leo.

Maybe I'll see you out on the beach after dark this evening! If so, please give a wave.

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Click on the photo below to view our selection of exquisite marquetry from Village Craftsmen's online catalog.



Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is an article, with a number of photos, documenting the history of water cisterns on Ocracoke Island. Click on the following link to go directly there: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102110.htm.

Autumn Color

Lou Ann and other folks off the island often call or write to tell me about the breathtaking fall colors in woods and forests in their areas. Not to be outdone, I am sharing with our readers today a photo I took of the turning leaves nestled among the branches of several evergreen cedar trees in my side yard. Enjoy!

Poison Ivy Exhibiting Fall Colors:



(Click on photo to view a larger image.)

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Click on the photo below to view our back and body tools from Village Craftsmen's online catalog (the goose neck back scratcher is the best I've ever used!).



Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is an article, with a number of photos, documenting the history of water cisterns on Ocracoke Island. Click on the following link to go directly there: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102110.htm.

Testing Water Quality in Silver Lake

About two months ago several researchers conducted tests of the water quality in Silver Lake Harbor. The results of the tests will not be available until after all of the data has been analysed, sometime in 2011. In the meanwhile you can read more about this project in an article written for the Island Free Press by Pat Garber:

http://islandfreepress.org/2010Archives/11.08.2010-TestingWaterQualityOfOcracokesSilverLakeHarborIsUnderway.html

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Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is an article, with a number of photos, documenting the history of water cisterns on Ocracoke Island. Click on the following link to go directly there: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102110.htm.

Hyde County History

Several days ago my neighbor, Al Scarborough, showed me an interesting entry in "High Tides" Volume XXXII, Number 2, Fall 2010, the official journal of the Hyde County Historical & Genealogical Society.

I quote, " [Thaxton Selby, born 26 September, 1895] related to me a story he remembered hearing about the last man ever hung in Hyde County. His name was Scarborough. His reputation was that of a great hunter but one who believed in witchcraft. One day on the way hunting, he met an old woman who put a curse on him. Scarborough threatened to kill her, and one day she was found dead of a broken neck. The man denied killing her although he admitted drawing her picture and shooting it. Scarborough was hung at Lake Landing, but years later, another man admitted killing the old woman."

Al, thanks for that fascinating insight into the Scarborough family!

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Click on the photo below to view pottery by Martha Hayes in Village Craftsmen's online catalog.



Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is an article, with a number of photos, documenting the history of water cisterns on Ocracoke Island. Click on the following link to go directly there: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102110.htm.

Highway 12

I understand (from unofficial sources) that Highway 12 on the Outer Banks is now open to all traffic.

A Recent Visitor

I recently walked out of Village Craftsmen at 5 p.m. and noticed something peculiar at the corner of Amy & David's house. There, perched on a galvanized tub, was a cormorant. We very occasionally see an egret or a blue heron in the village, but I've never seen a cormorant alone and so far from the ocean or sound.

We thought maybe it was injured or ill, but it didn't seem to be. It stayed for a while, drinking from the tub, then flew away.

Click on photo to view a larger image.

By the way, Ocracoke Child Care is sponsoring a pig pickin' this afternoon at the Center starting at 2 pm. Plates are $10 each, and tea is included.

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Click on the photo below to view Jim Goodwin's award-winning ship's in bottles in Village Craftsmen's online catalog.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is an article, with a number of photos, documenting the history of water cisterns on Ocracoke Island. Click on the following link to go directly there: http://www.villagecraftsmn.com/news102110.htm.

Road Closure

Announcement from Dare County Emergency Management Coordinator, N. H. "Sandy" Sanderson (received at 10:30 this morning): NC 12 is closed south of Oregon Inlet Bridge until further notice due to heavy overwash. Road is open north to Rodanthe.

Tolerance

On Tuesday evening Walt Wolfram, linguist from NC State University, researcher of the distinctive Ocracoke brogue, and long-time friend of of the island, gave a presentation after our annual Ocracoke Preservation Society meeting. In between playing recordings of a number of native speakers (including Roy Parsons, Essie O'Neal, Blanche Howard Jolliff, James Barrie Gaskill, & Chester Lynn) Walt made a very interesting comment.

He had just played a vintage recording of an old-time islander (she was born in 1892) relating the 1919 story of the young island woman who, at age 21, "changed into a man."

Walt said that he's been studying language for more than 40 years, and during that time he's researched four or five other islands. He pointed out, not surprisingly, that residents of islands can often be xenophobic. The Ocracoke recording illustrated something quite different. It was remarkable, he said, that even nearly a century ago, Ocracokers exhibited unusual tolerance, acceptance, and openness towards people who were different.

One of the reasons Walt so enjoys Ocracoke is because of the island's ready embrace of him and other "dingbatters." His comments reminded me of the wreck of the Vera Cruz in Ocracoke Inlet in 1903. The ship was carrying 399 black people from the Cape Verde islands, and they spoke only Portuguese. After being rescued, the Cape Verde islanders were housed and fed by the good people of Portsmouth (just across the inlet) for several days.

Today Ocracoke carries on that tradition of hospitality, openness, and tolerance. It's one of many reasons why I love calling Ocracoke "home."

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Click on the photo below to view a selection of beautiful carved birds in Village Craftsmen's online catalog.



Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is an article, with a number of photos, documenting the history of water cisterns on Ocracoke Island. Click on the following link to go directly there: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102110.htm.

National Veterans Day Ceremony

From the United States Department of Veterans Affairs:

"The Veterans Day National Ceremony is held each year on November 11th at Arlington National Cemetery . The ceremony commences precisely at 11:00 a.m. with a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns and continues inside the Memorial Amphitheater with a parade of colors by veterans’ organizations and remarks from dignitaries. The ceremony is intended to honor and thank all who served in the United States Armed Forces."

Yesterday at the Ocracoke School a small ceremony was held to honor veterans living on or visiting Ocracoke Island.

Today we join with citizens all over the United States to honor and thank all veterans of our country's armed forces. Thank you for your service!

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Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is an article, with a number of photos, documenting the history of water cisterns on Ocracoke Island. Click on the following link to go directly there: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102110.htm.

Matchstick Puzzle

During our OcraFolk School, John Crowe, who, with his wife Joan, lives much of the year on Ocracoke, teased some of us with the following puzzle:

Lay out three rows of matchsticks, three in the top row, five in the middle row, and seven in the bottom row. Two players compete, taking turns. On each player's turn he or she may remove one or more of the matchsticks (including all of them) in any one row. The player who picks up the last matchstick is the loser.

I was showing this trick to Amy & David when Lachlan walked by. He immediately chastised us for "playing with matches," an activity he has been strongly warned against! We substituted toothpicks.

Anyway, if you want to try this trick with a friend, please keep in mind that the person who goes first can always win (if he or she knows how to play the game). OK, John, I'm ready to take you on (if you let me go first).

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Click on the photo below to view pewter kitchen items in Village Craftsmen's online catalog.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is an article, with a number of photos, documenting the history of water cisterns on Ocracoke Island. Click on the following link to go directly there: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102110.htm.

Veteran's Day Ceremony & OPS Meeting

There will be a Veteran's Day Ceremony at the Ocracoke School tomorrow at 8 a.m. All island veterans are encouraged to be present. The entire community is invited to attend. School will be closed on Thursday.

We honor and celebrate all of the men and women who have served in our armed forces. And we remember those who paid the ultimate price. May their sacrifices not be forgotten.

This evening at 6 pm the Ocracoke Preservation Society will be hosting a pot luck dinner. A short annual meeting will be held afterwards, followed by a presentation by Walt Wolfram who will share his latest research on the Ocracoke brogue.

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Click on the photo below to view cast table art by Michael Michaud in Village Craftsmen's online catalog.



Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is an article, with a number of photos, documenting the history of water cisterns on Ocracoke Island. Click on the following link to go directly there: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102110.htm.

A Windy Walk on the Beach

A walk on the Ocracoke beach this time of year always energizes me. Yesterday it was chilly and windy, but we had the beach pretty much to ourselves. There were lots of shells, well actually pieces of shells, scattered along the high tide line, but I never found any complete ones.

The last of the George W. Wells, a six masted schooner that wrecked in 1913, is more visible than it was this summer. A large section of timbers, with iron spikes and trunnels, is poking out of the sand. There were two trawlers working far out on the horizon. Pelicans glided by, sandpipers scampered at the edge of the water, and gulls pecked at a dead fish.

We looked for whales. It is rare to see a whale off shore, but it's almost always in November or December that they are sighted. But no, there were no whales to be seen yesterday. That didn't matter. It was just good to be out by the ocean, listening to the waves crashing on the shore, and feeling the wind on my face.

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Click on the photo below to view pottery by Bill & Holly Stewart in Village Craftsmen's online catalog.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is an article, with a number of photos, documenting the history of water cisterns on Ocracoke Island. Click on the following link to go directly there: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102110.htm.

Sooner or Later...

...we knew it would happen. Last week for several days our Verizon cell phones either didn't work, or they only worked sporadically. At first I thought it was just my phone. But then I heard neighbors saying they were also having trouble getting a signal.

Amy pointed out that one day we had seen a large crane working at the microwave tower. Someone else told me that AT&T was adding a dish to the tower. In the process of installing the new equipment our connections were disrupted. But now, apparently, Ocracoke will have one more cell phone provider.

Just thought our visitors with AT&T would like to know that you can no longer get away from your office when vacationing on Ocracoke (unless you just turn your phones off!).

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is an article, with a number of photos, documenting the history of water cisterns on Ocracoke Island. Click on the following link to go directly there: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102110.htm.

Sea Turtles

Volunteers are being recruited along the Outer Banks to learn how to rescue young sea turtles that are stunned by cold water and become lethargic along our shores before they can make it to the warmer waters of the Gulf Stream.

Anyone interested in contributing time to help these endangered turtles please meet at the lighthouse in Buxton on Tuesday, November 9 at 10 a.m.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is an article, with a number of photos, documenting the history of water cisterns on Ocracoke Island. Click on the following link to go directly there: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102110.htm.

Yard Sales

Tomorrow morning three local organizations will be holding yard sales:

• The Ocracoke United Methodist Church's yard sale and annual bazaar starts at 9 a.m. on the church lawn. Lunch (Ocracoke clam chowder, soup, sandwiches, drinks, and deserts) will be available starting at 10:30.
• The Ocracoke Assembly of God's yard sale begins at 8 a.m. with lunch (BBQ, coleslaw, baked beans, roll, & tea) at 11 a.m.
• Ocracats, our island group dedicated to feeding and caring for Ocracoke feral cats will hold their yard sale on the Pony Island Motel lawn from 8 a.m to 2 p.m.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is an article, with a number of photos, documenting the history of water cisterns on Ocracoke Island. Click on the following link to go directly there: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102110.htm.

Pizza!

Come on out to the Ocracoke Pizza Company on Highway 12 this evening from 5 - 8 p.m. for delicious, freshly baked pizza. 50% of every sale will go to support the Ocracoke Elite Girls Basketball Team. 100% of tips will go to the cause.

You may call 928-0099 to place your order (large pizzas only!). There's even free delivery.

Funds raised will help pay for the team to travel to the Tournament in Bristol, Virginia, November 12-14.

GO DOLPHINS!!!

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is an article, with a number of photos, documenting the history of water cisterns on Ocracoke Island. Click on the following link to go directly there: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102110.htm.

Congratulations!

The Ocracoke High School Boys Cross Country Team just qualified for the NC State Championships. Wow! I talked with co-coach Kitty Mitchell on Tuesday. She reminded me that this is the team's very first year...and that they got a late start practicing...and that four of the five team members are only in ninth grade.

At the East Regionals at Manteo on October 30, every Ocracoke runner, boys and girls, ran their best times by a minute or more. There were 15 schools represented at the regional championships from 4 conferences. The first four teams would advance to the State Championships. The Dolphin girls placed 6th and the boys placed 4th, advancing on to the State championships this Saturday in Kernersville on November 6th. We send them off with encouragement and good wishes from the Ocracoke community.

The Dolphin boys are Joe Chestnut, Carlos DeLao, Wyatt Norris, Adam Carter and Andrew Tillett. The girls are Echo Bennink, Karina Rodriguez, Alin Tellez, Diana Perez and Annie Buchanan. Coaches are Kitty Mitchell and Charles Temple.

Congratulations! Below are a few photos, courtesy of Kitty Mitchell. Click on any photo to view a larger image.

Ocracoke Boy's & Girl's Varsity Cross Country Teams, 2010:



Andrew Tillett Approaches the Finish Line:



Alin Tellez:



Carlos DeLao Approaches the Finish Line:



After the Race Celebration:

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is an article, with a number of photos, documenting the history of water cisterns on Ocracoke Island. Click on the following link to go directly there: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102110.htm.

Halloween Traditions on Ocracoke

Several readers have asked about Halloween traditions on Ocracoke. Please keep in mind that my father left the island when he was just a teenager, and we only came back home in the summer months. So I had never spent an October on Ocracoke until the early 1970s. However, the teenagers and young adults had a long tradition of playing pranks and getting into mischief on Halloween.

By the 1970s the capers and shenanigans had reached a questionable zenith. It was not unusual on the morning after Halloween to discover wooden skiffs and pilings dragged up on the highway. Many signs were pulled down, and outdoor furniture, trashcans, & lawn ornaments were scattered all around the neighborhood. But by far the most popular activity was throwing eggs. Teenagers would purchase cases of eggs and hide them in the woods weeks (or months!) before Halloween. You can imagine the results when rotten eggs hit commercial signs, houses, cars...and, of course, people.

Finally parents, teachers, ministers, and deputies made a concerted effort to stop the destructive behavior. The situation has gotten much better in recent years. Yesterday morning, for example, I only saw a few broken egg shells on Howard Street...and when the teenagers do go "egging" they pretty much know to just throw them at each other and not at neighbors' houses and businesses, or at passing automobiles. I haven't heard of any complaints lately.

It seems that modern day trick-or-treating didn't come to Ocracoke until sometime in the early 1960s or thereabouts. Much earlier, at the turn of the 20th century, young adults would dress up (perhaps in old clothes they found in the attic, with stockings pulled over their heads) and go door to door around the village. No treats of any kind were involved, and the young folks in costumes never spoke. The homeowners would try to guess who the young people were, but often they would simply leave without saying a word.

By the 1920s that tradition had waned, though six or eight young people revived the custom again after World War II, for two or three years. Again, no treats were involved.

Blanche tells me that when she was six or seven years old (about 1927) her mama let her dress up in a fancy dress and walk across the lane to her Aunt Sue's, but she went alone, and only to that one house. Blanche remembers about a half dozen youngsters coming to her house. Again, there were no treats.

Blanche does remember that her first or second grade teacher helped the students make paper pumpkins and black cats to hang in the schoolhouse windows to celebrate Halloween.

Today, Halloween, with a school parade, carnival, trick-or-treating in the village, and, alas, some egging is a popular holiday.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is an article, with a number of photos, documenting the history of water cisterns on Ocracoke Island. Click on the following link to go directly there: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102110.htm.

Trick or Treat

Last night I joined Lachlan (and Amy & David, and neighbors) trick or treating down Lighthouse Road. For many years Lighthouse Road has been the primary trick or treat destination for island children. The street was crowded with witches, gladiators, jellyfish, vampires, gypsies, bananas, and even a ghost or two.

Along the way I invited a couple of people over to my house after the children were back home. About a dozen folks stopped by, and we sat out on my pizer chatting and telling stories. It's still warm here, so most of us were wearing t-shirts or other summer clothing. It was such a pleasant evening...hardly any mosquitoes, no humidity...just a delightful opportunity to spend time with neighbors and enjoy being part of a close knit community.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is an article, with a number of photos, documenting the history of water cisterns on Ocracoke Island. Click on the following link to go directly there: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102110.htm.

Pound Nets

A reader recently asked about pound nets. Some of you may remember the spirited conversation we had some time ago about the Ocracoke term "chicken pound." Off-islanders typically say "chicken yard" or "chicken pen." We use the word "pound" in the sense of an enclosure (cf. "dog pound"). Thus, a pound net is a special type of fish net arranged so as to direct fish into a pound where they become trapped, and later extracted by commercial fishermen.

The best description of pound net fishing I have found is posted on the wall of the Ocracoke Working Watermen's Exhibit:

The first recorded evidence of Pound Net Fishing dates to the late 1500s. English explorers tell of natives using rows of sticks to "impound" fish.

The Pound Net consists of three parts: a lead line, the heart and the pound. As a fish is swimming in the water it will encounter the lead line. The lead line will guide the fish to swim toward the tunnel, a passage into the pound. As the fish swims through the tunnel towards the pound the tunnel gets progressively narrower. Fish that don't enter the tunnel will swim into the heart. The heart takes advantage of the natural schooling tendency of the fish to lead them in a circle and back around to the entrance of the tunnel.

Pound net fishing is a traditional method that many islanders learned from their fathers and grandfathers. It is labor intensive but on Ocracoke many favor tradition over ease. Poles 25 feet or longer are made from gum or tupelo. PVC pipe is also used but the 20 foot lengths restrict the use to shallow areas. They are jetted into the bottom until the poles are secure. Since the nets are usually set in shallow areas the tops of the poles can be seen above the water.

Pound nets are not permanent. They are taken up seasonally, before storms and for maintenance. The nets are expensive and cost in the range of $10,000. Regular maintenance is critical to keep the nylon clean, free from sea growth and sediment build up.

Pound net fishing is environmentally friendly:

Fish are not harmed in the net as they can swim freely until the fishermen release them or they can swim back out along the lead line

Small fish can swim through the net holes of the lead line and the heart

To bring the catch aboard:

Boat slowly approaches the "pound" and unties then lowers the top edge of the net

Holding the top edge of the net, it is slowly pulled into the boat so fish gather into one spot. This is called "bunting the net."

The fish are brought into the boat by hand or a dip net.

The catch is "culled" to keep only the legal fish, the rest are put back in water.

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Below is a photo of a model of a pound net made by Ocracoke native, Edward Carlson O'Neal. Click on the photo to view a larger image.



Click here to read an article about pound net fishing that was published on the North Carolina Sea Grant web site:
http://www.ncseagrant.org/home/coastwatch/coastwatch-articles?task=showArticle&id=580

Click here to watch a YouTube video of pound net fishing on the Scuppernong River in North Carolina:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-QtQaJA0Kw

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is an article, with a number of photos, documenting the history of water cisterns on Ocracoke Island. Click on the following link to go directly there: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102110.htm.

School

The 2010 OcraFolk School's final session was yesterday morning. Each class made a presentation to the entire school. The cooking class treated us all to a gourmet breakfast. There was a huge tray of eggs (adorned with a copious assortment of beans, tomatoes, condiments, and spices), as well as muffins, Italian grits (I can't remember what they're called), potatoes, and other items. (All week we've been treated with the most remarkable and tasty dishes.)

The necklaces, earrings, & bracelets that the jewelry class displayed would have been welcomed in any gallery of fine handcrafts.

The Ships-in-Bottles class put together intricate and detailed models of the old schooner, Windfall (created from actual pieces of the vessel), complete with black hull, red sails, and the Ocracoke lighthouse nearby.

We were treated with a 16 minute computer "slide show" of the photographs captured by Ann Ehringhaus and her students. Many looked at island scenes from different and unusual perspectives. Some were haunting images...others reflective or exuberant. They were all outstanding.

Our Ocracoke Sampler class shared our projects (making fig cake, meal wine, and clams casino), our adventures (sailing, clamming, and kayaking), and other activities (visiting Portsmouth Island, studying island history and nautical traditions, and making Turks head bracelets).

All of our classes, together with optional hikes & meditation exercises, great food, foot-tapping music, and island stories made for a memorable week on this Outer Banks island that celebrates tradition, creativity, community, fun, and fellowship.

Consider joining us next October! Check out the school's web page: http://www.ocrafolkschool.org/

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is an article, with a number of photos, documenting the history of water cisterns on Ocracoke Island. Click on the following link to go directly there: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102110.htm.

Chesapeake Bay Photos

I thought some of our readers might enjoy seeing a photo of the crew of the Windfall II when we were docked in Portsmouth, Virginia after the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race.

Below are (from left to right) Captain Rob Temple, Emmet Temple, Frank Phelps, Me (Philip), and Steve Musil:



(Click on photo to view a largter image.)

And this is a photo of me when we arrived back in port in Ocracoke. I've grown a beard.



(Click on photo to view a larger image.)

I'm still letting the beard grow...but can't decide if I'll keep it indefinitely or shave it off. Only time will tell.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is an article, with a number of photos, documenting the history of water cisterns on Ocracoke Island. Click on the following link to go directly there: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102110.htm.

Portsmouth Island Trip

Our Ocracoke Sampler Class (part of the 2010 OcraFolk School) left Silver Lake harbor yesterday morning at 9 o'clock aboard Donald Austin's boat. There were eleven of us -- Tom, Sandy, Kathie, Gloria, Nick, Pete, Annie, & Spencer (all students)...and Rob, Dave, & I (the instructors).

Donald stopped along the way to explain the pound nets out in Pamlico Sound that are an age-old method used by commercial fishermen to catch flounder and other fish.

We spent more than four hours exploring the village, including the Salter house (now used as a Visitors Center), the Post Office, the Schoolhouse (we didn't stay long there...the mosquitoes ran us off), the Methodist Church, the Gilgo house, and the US Life Saving Station. As many of our readers know, no one has lived permanently on Portsmouth Island since 1971. The buildings are now managed and maintained by the National Park Service.

I only took two photos (click on them to view larger images).

This is a few of our number crossing the lawn to visit the church:



Dave Frum (one of the Cape Lookout Park Rangers) climbed the ladder to ring the church bell (if you're visiting the island please don't ring the bell...leave that to the rangers):




It was a tiring day, but everyone enjoyed our visit to one of the most unique villages in the country.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is an article, with a number of photos, documenting the history of water cisterns on Ocracoke Island. Click on the following link to go directly there: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102110.htm.

Meal Wine

Here is a typical Ocacoke Island meal wine recipe: Get a large crock, jug or clean trash can. Pour four gallons of water into the container. Add five pounds of sugar, four pounds of corn meal, three or four packages of yeast, a box of raisins, and some fruit (we used home-canned peaches, but fresh peaches, blackberries, bananas, etc. work well).

Set the container outside where it can "work" for a week or more (it will work more quickly in the summer). Add a couple of pounds of sugar in a few days, and again a few days later. Eventually the solids will sink to the bottom and you will be left with a clear brew on top.

You might want to strain your meal wine through cheesecloth (or an old lace curtain) to eliminate most of the ants. Fowler O'Neal always told me, with a wry smile, that if you discover a dead rat in the bottom of the container, don't just pick him up by the tail and toss him in the woods. Be sure to wring him out good first, so you don't lose any of your valuable product! Then you can toss him in the woods.

A visiting journalist who was invited to one of the Saturday night square dances at the old Pamlico Inn in the 1930s was offered a drink of Ocracoke meal wine. He described it as equivalent to drinking a lit kerosene lantern!

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is an article, with a number of photos, documenting the history of water cisterns on Ocracoke Island. Click on the following link to go directly there: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102110.htm.

Folk School

The fourth annual OcraFolk School got underway Sunday evening with a dinner at the Pony Island restaurant. It was an opportunity for instructors to meet with their students. This year classes are being offered in photography, ships-in-bottles, jewelry making, cooking, and Ocracoke history & traditions.

This morning the entire school enjoyed an introduction to our island. We spent from nine to noon visiting the Ocracoke Preservation Museum, the Working Watermen's exhibit, and the Ocracoke Fish House.

In the afternoon students had their first chance to delve into their classes. My class, the Ocracoke Sampler students, explored graveyards on Howard Street, and searched for old cisterns and stately live oaks. We baked a delicious Ocracoke fig cake, and began brewing a crock of island "meal wine." In addition, we perused old maps of the Outer Banks, toured my story-and-a-jump house, and learned a bit about the US Life Saving Service.

We're looking forward to several more days of study, music, entertainment, and great food.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is an article, with a number of photos, documenting the history of water cisterns on Ocracoke Island. Click on the following link to go directly there: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102110.htm.

Telephones

The first residential telephone service was established by Carolina Telephone on Ocracoke Island in 1956. The charge was $5.00/month. Nearly everyone in the village subscribed...and the few holdouts soon signed on as well. The telephones operated via ship-to-shore shortwave radio frequency. The tower was erected at the old Wahab Village Hotel (now Blackbeard's Lodge). A room was added to the hotel to house the equipment.

In the early days private telephone transmissions could sometimes be heard by neighbors over their radios or televisions!

Today our telephone service operates via microwaves. The tower and equipment building are on Cedar Road (also known as the Bank Road).

When I was a youngster there was only one telephone on the island -- at the Coast Guard station. According to cousin Blanche the US Coast Guard had a ship-to-shore radio telephone as long as she can remember, probably from the construction of the village station in 1905.

I have a copy of one of the earliest Ocracoke telephone directories. When I locate it I'll let our readers know how many telephones were installed on the island during the early years.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is an article, with a number of photos, documenting the history of water cisterns on Ocracoke Island. Click on the following link to go directly there: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102110.htm.

Ford Times

The text for my post for October 10, 2010 was somehow deleted. I reproduce it below:

I recently came across an article in the vintage magazine "Ford Times" from October, 1950, entitled simply "Ocraocke." I thought our readers would enjoy the following paragraph:

"With all those elements of elegant living [beaches with romantic relics of old shipwrecks, ...eighty varieties of tropical, fresh and salt-water fish...fifteen kinds of brant, duck and geese...a few herds of wild ponies and steers...semi-tropical sunshine and weather as fine as Bermuda’s...500 friendly, geared-down North Carolinians...one phone, no law and no worries], it’s no wonder Ocracokans leave their island only on rare occasions. 'Now take my cousin,' said one old fishing guide. 'One day he went to Rodanthe – that’s fifty miles up the beach – to marry a gal, but she was out. So he married her sister. He waren’t goin’ all that way fer nothin’.'"

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is an article, with a number of photos, documenting the history of water cisterns on Ocracoke Island. Click on the following link to go directly there: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102110.htm

Windfall

Many of our readers will remember Capt. Rob's schooner, Windfall. In the spring of this year the boat was dismantled, and Rob purchased another schooner, the Windfall II (this is the boat we took to the Great Chesapeake Schooner Race last week).

Recently our good friend and craftsman, Jim Goodwin, made a couple of models of the Windfall that are constructed from portions of the original vessel, and mounted them in bottles. Village Craftsmen is now offering them for sale. The models are in very limited supply, and we do not know if we will be getting any more. If you would like more information, or would like to place an order, please click on the link below. Please keep in mind that only those models designated as having "wood from the schooner" were contructed from the Windfall.




http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/goodwin1.htm#windfallwood1

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is an article, with a number of photos, documenting the history of water cisterns on Ocracoke Island. Click on the following link to go directly there: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102110.htm

Changes to Ferry Schedules

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: Oct. 21, 2010
CONTACT: Lucy Wallace, (252) 473-3461

UPDATE: SOME RUNS SUSPENDED AT SWAN QUARTER, CEDAR ISLAND AND OCRACOKE FERRY ROUTES
Repairs to MV Pamlico could take 7-10 days; new schedule will be put in place beginning Friday

MANNS HARBOR — The North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Ferry Division announced this week that several runs on the Swan Quarter-Ocracoke and Cedar Island-Ocracoke routes would be suspended for several days while repairs are made to the Motor Vessel Pamlico. After examining the ferry in the shipyard, it has been determined that extensive repairs are needed in the ship’s bulkhead, stern section, aft of the engine room.

It will take approximately 7-10 days to repair and have it inspected by the U.S. Coast Guard before the vessel will be ready for service. Shipyard employees will be working seven days a week to facilitate the repairs as quickly as possible. In the meantime, the three other Sound Class vessels, MV Carteret, MV Cedar Island and MV Silver Lake are continuing to make daily departures at these routes. The Ferry Division analyzed traffic figures to determine the routes with the highest traffic volume and has developed an alternate schedule for these routes beginning Friday, Oct. 22, 2010, until the winter schedule takes effect Nov. 2.

The following runs will continue as scheduled until Friday:
The 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 3:30, 6 and 8:30 runs from Ocracoke to Cedar Island;
The 7 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 3:30, 6 and 8:30 runs from Cedar Island to Ocracoke;
The 6:30 a.m., 9:30 and 4:30 p.m. runs from Ocracoke to Swan Quarter; and
The 7 a.m., 9:30 and 12:30 p.m. runs from Swan Quarter to Ocracoke.

The following runs have been suspended until Friday:
The 7 a.m. run from Ocracoke to Cedar Island;
The 9:30 a.m. run from Cedar Island to Ocracoke;
The noon run from Ocracoke to Swan Quarter; and
The 5 p.m. run from Swan Quarter to Ocracoke.

Beginning Friday, the schedule will be as follows:
From Cedar Island to Ocracoke departing at 7 a.m., 9:30, 12:30 p.m., 3:30, 6 and 8:30;
From Ocracoke to Cedar Island departing at 7 a.m., 10, 12:30 p.m., 3:30, 6 and 8:30;
From Ocracoke to Swan Quarter departing at 6:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.; and
From Swan Quarter to Ocracoke departing at 9:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Travelers with reservations for any of the suspended runs during this time period should call the reservations center at 1-800-BY-FERRY (293-3779) and press 2 to make alternative arrangements. These routes normally return to a reduced number of departures for the winter months, which will take place beginning Nov. 2. The winter schedule can be found at the ferry website at www.ncferry.org in PDF form.

The MV Pamlico was built in 1965, as was the MV Silver Lake. Both Sound Class ferries have 45 years of service within the Ferry Division’s fleet. Just recently, the N.C. Dept. of Transportation awarded a $14.9 million contract to Orange Shipbuilding Co. in Orange, Texas, to build a second Sound Class ferry with funding provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. A $13 million contract was awarded last year for the first of these two “sister” vessels, which will be completed in the summer of 2011.

***NCDOT***

Cisterns

In 1958 David Stick, in his book The Outer Banks of North Carolina, wrote
"[a]s is the case in many of the Banks communities, the basic source of water supply [on Ocracoke] is rain water, caught in cisterns."

This continued to be the case for nearly two more decades. You can read more about cisterns and water supply on Ocracoke by clicking on the photo below which is a link to our latest Ocracoke Newsletter

Questions

Recently readers asked a couple of questions re. the posts I pre-wrote and scheduled for publication while I was off-island sailing aboard the Windfall II. Please read below for my replies.

• The map you posted [see http://villagecraftsmen.blogspot.com/2010/10/native-american-villages.html] begs questions about coastal NC's Native American population, specifically any original inhabitants of Ocracoke/Portsmouth Island. Any knowledge as to what became of them?

First off, I think I may have intended to include a comentary on the map, but neglected to do so. "Ocracoke" is clearly a native American name (early maps list the island as "Wococon," and over the years the name changed frequently until it eventually became "Ocracoke"). There is evidence that members of the Wocon Indians frequented the island to feast on fish and other seafood, but to date no evidence of a permanent settlement has ever been discovered on Ocracoke. In contrast, a number of Indian villages have been found on Hatteras Island, including one near Buxton in an area that in the 1500s and 1600s was a separate island (Croatoan) between Hatteras and Ocracoke (see http://villagecraftsmen.blogspot.com/2010/10/changing-coastline.html). There is some evidence that native Americans interbred and intermarried with the earliest Europeans on both Hatteras and Ocracoke. According to oral tradition, David O'Neal, the cook aboard the John Evangelist which wrecked on Hatteras Island in 1586, married an Indian woman, Morning Dew, from the village of Kinnakeet (now, Avon). The ship's captain, Caleb Williams, and another sailor, Elijah Scarborough, also married Indian women. O'Neal, Williams, and Scarborough are all long time island surnames.

• I found it [comments on the US Life Saving Service; see http://villagecraftsmen.blogspot.com/2010/10/monkeys-fist.html] interestiing. What was the source? I would like to know more about our brave ancestors.

Two excellent books about the US Life Saving Service are Ship Ashore: The U.S. Lifesavers of Coastal North Carolina by Joe A. Mobley, and U.S. Life-Saving Service: Heroes, Rescues and Architecture of the Early Coast Guard by Ralph Shanks and Wick York.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Ocracoke native Major General Ira Thomas Wyche. You can read the complete story here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news092110.htm

Two Weeks Before the Mast

My two weeks aboard the schooner Windfall II (with Captain Rob, Emmet Temple, Frank Phelps & Steve Musil), were, at times, relaxing, challenging, exciting, great fun, dramatic, and truly awesome. Captain Rob and I pulled into Silver Lake harbor yesterday at noon after more than five hours plowing through 2-3 foot waves in Pamlico Sound. It was a wonderful adventure...and it was good to see the lighthouse from several miles away, and then to walk down Howard Street to my little cottage in the village.

Over the course of the last 14 days we crossed Pamlico Sound twice, motored through the Great Dismal Swamp, marveled at spectacular sunrises & sunsets, watched bald eagles soar overhead, sailed into Baltimore harbor, listened to sea shanties on the docks, raced down the Great Chesapeake Bay, were battered by gale force winds and six foot waves (at times the port side gunnel was under water), feasted on oysters and barbeque, shared stories & jokes, and learned what our vessel and crew were capable of.

I didn't have a camera, but Frank has been gracious enough to send me a few photos. I hope you enjoy a glimpse into our adventure. Click on any photo to view a larger image.

Our Sails Catch the Wind:



The Great Dismal Swamp:



Modern Day Pirates Entertain Sailors on the Dock at Baltimore:



The Sultana in the Parade of Sails:



On the Yardarm:



The Pride of Baltimore:



Two More Schooners in the Parade of Sails:



The Smallest Vessel (30 foot schooner-rigged open, row boat with Outward Bound crew):



The Windfall II Docked in Portsmouth, Va.:



Captains, Crew, & Families at the Celebration in Portsmouth:



Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Ocracoke native Major General Ira Thomas Wyche. You can read the complete story here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news092110.htm

Hyde County Emergency Services Dabate

Even though it sometimes seems as if Ocracoke is a world unto itself, it is not. We are part of Hyde County, NC in which there is not a single incorporated community. We are governed by a 5 member Board of Commissioners one of whom lives on Ocracoke Island.

The Board is meeting today (Mon. Oct. 18) at 3:30 in Swan Quarter to discuss its Review Committee's report on the funding and level of Emergency Services (EMS) in Hyde County. Ocracokers can watch the meeting via video conferencing in the Information Highway Room Area of Ocracoke School. There will be no public input at this meeting, however there is opportunity for public comments on this and any other subject at the regular meeting to follow at 7:00 (in the Commons Room at the school.) And the presence of a crowd listening in here on Ocracoke will make a "silent statement".

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Ocracoke native Major General Ira Thomas Wyche. You can read the complete story here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news092110.htm

An update from the crew of the Windfall ll

It was a dark and stormy night.

The first mate said to the captain, "Cap, the men need to see you."

"Bring them up then," said the Captain.

The men huddled around the Captain.

He began.

"It was a dark and stormy night.

The first mate said to the Captain, 'Cap, the men need to see you.'

'Bring them up then,' said the Captain.

The men huddled around the Captain.

He began.

'It was a dark and stormy night....'

The journey of the Windfall ll in one short blog. The sail was a glorious and brilliant expedition of five men: Philip, Steve, Frank, Captain Rob Temple, and Rob's son Emmet. Each day brought blue skies and different forms of landscapes from small towns to larger cities, from small water crafts to barges. The evening sunsets and night skies were of great beauty and awe-inspiring as they anchored. After dinner and the galley was clean for the night, the crew pulled out their fiddles, penny whistles and harmonicas. Their music and voices also sailed across the sea just as they did a century ago when sailing was an occupation.

Morning coffee and sailing northward before the sun came up was the protocol as Captain Rob was always on the move. A week into the journey they were at the race site and greeted with music on the dock, festivals in the park, and a send off dinner with pirates and oysters.

The day of the sail, dark clouds began to role in and rumors of gale force winds began to swirl about the 45 schooners in the race. It was definitely time to batten down the hatches and prepare for the 82 miles scheduled for the Windfall ll. As the race began, pouring rain slashed these old schooners with a rain every sailor dreaded since the beginning of time. In an interview with Captain Rob this morning at 0900 he said, "The weather was much worse than expected. The gales in the night exceeded 40 knots and the darkness of the Potomac River made it so much worse." When the darkest of the night came, it was decided that for the safety of the crew and to keep the old schooner intact, sails would come down and a safe harbor would be found for a few hours.

The men waited out the storm and then continued on down to the finish line. Cheers went up from the crowd as each schooner came into Portsmouth.

Amazingly, not a crew member nor boat went down during the nor' easter than descended upon the men and women.

After a brief conversation with Philip and Rob this morning, all is well...still drying out clothing and re-arranging the galley after the storm's winds tossed about their belongings.

Sunny skies greeted them this morning as they begin their journey home to Ocracoke. Needless to say, these men, these sailors of ours will have stories to tell for years to come about the Great Schooner Race of 2010.

This is Lou Ann sending in the news from The Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race of 2010. All is well.

October on Ocracoke Island

Like peaches and cream, like love and marriage, like ice cream and hot fudge, people tend to think of the beach and summer as the natural combination. But having lived on Ocracoke Island now for three years, I've got to say I love it here in October.

That October sky is SO BLUE! I guess it's the lack of haze and humidity. It's been in the 60's the last couple of days. The poison ivy leaves have turned red!

And the beach! As Philip often says, it's different every day. Friday, for instance, there was a pleasant chop and light waves. There were a few people, some fishing, some reading, some with kids playing in the tidal pools and sand. There were lots of pelicans gliding along and diving head-first into the sea. And the beach was busy with sanderlings, willets and gulls.

And there were literally piles of shells along the tide line.

Ocracoke is not just about summer!


Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Ocracoke native Major General Ira Thomas Wyche. You can read the complete story here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news092110.htm

Lifetime Acheivement Award

This October at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough Tennessee, Donald Davis received the Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the National Storytelling Network.

Donald and his wife Merle are residents of Ocracoke. Donald conducts Storytelling Workshops here each June. That's how my wife, Lida, I first came to Ocracoke in 2000. We attended Donald's workshops for many years following that first year and eventually moved here in 2007.

Donald is a master at helping us recall the memories of our lives and then shape them into stories that not only mean something to us, but will have interest to others.

One of Donald's 2009 workshops was filmed and edited into a series of programs that will appear on some PBS stations beginning in early 2011. The series is called "What's Your Story?"
Watch for it. It's not just about the art and power of storytelling; it's also about Ocracoke.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Ocracoke native Major General Ira Thomas Wyche. You can read the complete story here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news092110.htm.

Arm Wrestling

If you missed this summer's Ocracoke Women's Arm Wrestling Championship (as I, unfortunately, did), you can watch it on Internet video. Just click on the link below (I just learned about this video).

http://www.tvclip.biz/video/YymLyfDpTpc/ocracoke-women-arm-wrestle-for-wovv-901.html

As many of our readers know, the arm wrestling was a benefit for our new radio station, WOVV, 93.1 on your local Ocracoke radio dial.

A belated congratulations to "Karm the Arm!"

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Ocracoke native Major General Ira Thomas Wyche. You can read the complete story here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news092110.htm.

The Pioneer

One hundred and twenty-one years ago the wooden steamship "Pioneer" ran aground on Ocracoke's beach. It was a memorable wreck because of the large amount of general cargo that washed into the village. As islanders said, it was like "manna from heaven!" You can read more here:

http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news080101.htm

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Ocracoke native Major General Ira Thomas Wyche. You can read the complete story here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news092110.htm.

Changing Coastline

I recently came across this image that documents the changes in the North Carolina barrier islands from White's 1585 map to Lewis' 1795 map. Ocracoke Inlet is the only inlet that has been open continuously since Europeans have been keeping records.


(Click on map to view a slightly larger image [I'm sorry I don't have a better image].)

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Ocracoke native Major General Ira Thomas Wyche. You can read the complete story here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news092110.htm.

Beauty in Simple Things

Amy took this photo a year or so ago. As we walk along the beach we often marvel at the beauty of these fragile but fascinating crab shells that wash up along the surf.



(Click on photo to view larger image.)

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Ocracoke native Major General Ira Thomas Wyche. You can read the complete story here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news092110.htm.

Native American Villages

(Click on map to view larger image.)

Ford Times, 1950

I recently came across an article in the vintage magazine "Ford Times" from October, 1950, entitled simply "Ocraocke." I thought our readers would enjoy the following paragraph:

"With all those elements of elegant living [beaches with romantic relics of old shipwrecks, ...eighty varieties of tropical, fresh and salt-water fish...fifteen kinds of brant, duck and geese...a few herds of wild ponies and steers...semi-tropical sunshine and weather as fine as Bermuda’s...500 friendly, geared-down North Carolinians...one phone, no law and no worries], it’s no wonder Ocracokans leave their island only on rare occasions. 'Now take my cousin,' said one old fishing guide. 'One day he went to Rodanthe – that’s fifty miles up the beach – to marry a gal, but she was out. So he married her sister. He waren’t goin’ all that way fer nothin’.'"

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Ocracoke native Major General Ira Thomas Wyche. You can read the complete story here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news092110.htm.

Steamboat Home

Today is the 173rd anniversary of the wreck of the Steamboat Home. Ninety people (men, women, & children) lost their lives when the grand and elegant "Home" came ashore on Ocracoke Island during a fierce hurricane on October 9, 1837. It was the worst sea disaster ever to occur on the North Carolina coast. To read the full story, as told by Walter Howard in 1952, click on the link below:

http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news100104.htm

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Ocracoke native Major General Ira Thomas Wyche. You can read the complete story here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news092110.htm.

An Image...

...is worth a thousand words!



(Click on this photo, by Amy Howard, to view a larger image.)

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Ocracoke native Major General Ira Thomas Wyche. You can read the complete story here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news092110.htm.

Monkey's Fist

Sailors have for generations spent much of their free time at sea tying knots. There are a handful of basic knots -- the square or reef knot, the overhand knot, the sheet bend, the figure eight knot, the bowline, the half hitch, the clove hitch -- that are essential to know on a sailing ship. Many other knots are decorative.

The monkey's fist is both decorative (small versions make excellent key fobs or lamp chain pulls) and practical.

A Decorative Monkey's Fist Knot:



(Click on photo to view larger image.)

Members of the US Life Saving Service effected many rescues using the Lyle gun and breeches buoy. When shipwrecks occurred far offshore on the Diamond or other shoals the breeches buoy could not be used, and the rowing surfboat was employed. Once at the site of the wreck the life savers were frequently thwarted from approaching close to the ship by floating debris in a "seething mass of breakers." It was then that a "heaving stick" (a wooden stick about 12" long attached to a light weight hemp line, and with a monkey's fist knot on the other end) was used. The monkey's fist gave enough weight to the stick to allow the life saver to toss the device a greater distance.

Once the heaving stick and line were on board the vessel, the sailors, one at a time, would tie the line around their waist and jump into the water and be pulled to the surfboat.

A Life Saver About to Throw the Heaving Stick from Shore:



(Click on picture to view larger image.)

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Ocracoke native Major General Ira Thomas Wyche. You can read the complete story here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news092110.htm.

Schooner Race

I will be aboard the Schooner Windfall II with Capt. Rob Temple as we sail out of Silver Lake harbor later this morning, on our way to Baltimore, Maryland. We will be one of almost four dozen schooners competing in the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race October 12-16.

According to their web site (http://www.schoonerrace.org/) "The Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race (GCBSR) was founded to promote public awareness of the Chesapeake Bay's maritime heritage and to encourage the preservation and improvement of the Chesapeake's natural resources. We accomplish this goal by donating the proceeds of the race to one or more charitable organizations involved in conservation of the natural resources of the Chesapeake Bay. To date, $137,624 has been donated to support children's education programs of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

"The race begins in Fells Point, in Baltimore, Maryland, and ends 127 nautical miles down the Chesapeake Bay in Portsmouth, Virginia. Entry is open to all schooner-rigged vessels."

This will be one of the largest gatherings of schooners anywhere in the world.

While I am gone Jude Brown and Bill Jones will be helping to keep you up to date about daily life on Ocracoke Island.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Ocracoke native Major General Ira Thomas Wyche. You can read the complete story here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news092110.htm.

October Rose

The soil in my front yard is poor, to say the least. During WWII the Navy dredged Silver Lake harbor (Cockle Creek to locals) in order to create a basin deep enough for their vessels. In the process the spoil was pumped into the village. Much of it went into my yard. Although it did elevate my property, the sand has few nutrients. I have introduced a few decorative plants, but they are not really thriving (I'm also not much of a gardener). However, just the other day I noticed that there is one bloom on my Knockout Rose. I thought I'd share it with you!



Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Ocracoke native Major General Ira Thomas Wyche. You can read the complete story here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news092110.htm.

Hatteras Inlet Ferries

Here is the latest news from the NC Ferry Division:

"Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry route is running on the hour today [Monday, Oct. 4, 2010]. There is still dredging going on in the inlet."

From NC Ferry Division

The last word I have heard is that the Hatteras Inlet ferries are still not running because of severe shoaling. Please check here for official information. This morning I received the following announcement from the NC Ferry Division:


SEVERAL RUNS SUSPENDED AT SWAN QUARTER, CEDAR ISLAND AND OCRACOKE FERRY ROUTES
Motor Vessel Cedar Island experiencing structural problems

MANNS HARBOR — The North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Ferry
Division today announced that several runs at the Swan
Quarter-Ocracoke and Cedar Island-Ocracoke routes will be suspended
for several days, while employees work to fix a structural problem on
the Motor Vessel Cedar Island.

The following runs have been suspended:
· The 6:30 a.m. run from Ocracoke to Swan Quarter;
· The 9:30 a.m. run from Swan Quarter to Ocracoke;
· The 12:30 p.m. run from Ocracoke to Cedar Island;
· The 3:30 p.m. run from Cedar Island to Ocracoke;
· The 6 p.m. run from Ocracoke to Cedar Island; and
· The 8:30 p.m. run from Cedar Island to Ocracoke.

The following runs will continue as scheduled:
· The 7 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. runs from Swan Quarter to Ocracoke;
· The 9:30 a.m., 12 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. runs from Ocracoke to
Swan Quarter;
· The 7 a.m., 10, 3:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. runs from Ocracoke to
Cedar Island; and
· The 7 a.m., 9:30, 12:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. runs from Cedar
Island to Ocracoke.

A return to the normal schedule will occur as soon as the MV Cedar
Island is fixed and running safely. Travelers with reservations for
any of these runs during this week should call the reservations
center at 1-800-BY-FERRY to make alternative arrangements.

NCDOT also offers ferry travel information on Twitter, a free
social-networking Web site. Citizens can get brief updates, or
“tweets,” for ferry routes by signing up at
www.twitter.com/ncdot_ferry.
***NCDOT***

A Tribute to Hatteras Island

I was recently alerted to a short video from ABC News, their "Going Home Series" about fishermen from Hatteras Island who help feed the elderly and infirm with donated fresh fish.

Click on the link below to watch the video:

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/home-fishermen-donate-catch-11756054

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Ocracoke native Major General Ira Thomas Wyche. You can read the complete story here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news092110.htm.

Off Island Living

On Friday a reader asked if I have ever lived off the island. Yes, I have, although Ocracoke has been my home for about 40 years. My dad was born on Ocracoke, and this was the only place we ever came for our summer vacations (other than one year to visit Ocracoke relatives in Massachusetts, and another year to visit Ocracoke relatives in Florida).

I grew up near Philadelphia (like most island men of his generation, my dad moved to Philly to work on dredges & tugboats), graduated from Gettysburg College (where I lived for four years), spent the 1968 summer in Las Vegas, New Mexico, and the rest of that year and the following winter on Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation in north central Montana (the temperature one morning was 52 degrees below zero, not counting wind chill!). I taught school in Maryland (Sandy Spring Friends School) for a couple of years, and spent several months living with a family in Quezaltenango (Xela), Guatemala.

Every place has its own charm, interesting history, and unique culture. And Ocracoke is one of the best!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If any of our readers would like a chance to win this beautiful Ocracoke quilt, just click on the photo below to purchase raffle tickets (please keep in mind that the photo and description on the re-direct page is last year's quilt; you will be purchasing tickets for a chance to win the quilt pictured below.)



Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Ocracoke native Major General Ira Thomas Wyche. You can read the complete story here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news092110.htm.

Windfall

Many of our readers have sailed with Capt. Rob Temple aboard his former schooner, Windfall. This past spring the Windfall was dismantled, and Rob purchased a replacement vessel, the Windfall II (this is the boat we took to the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race last week).

Our good friend & craftsman, Jim Goodwin, has made a couple of special Windfall models that are mounted in bottles. They are constructed from portions of the original schooner, and are offered for sale at Village Craftsmen. There is a very limited supply of these models (and we have no idea if we will ever get more). If you would like more information about them, or if you would like to place an order, please click on the photo or the link below. If you are interested, please remember, they may not last long. Only those described as "wood from the schooner" are actually made from the original boat.



http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/goodwin1.htm#windfallwood1

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is an article and photos tracing the history of water cisterns on Ocracoke Island. Click on the following link to go directly there: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news102110.htm

Latest News from NC Ferry Division

UPDATE: HATTERAS FERRY ROUTE REMAINS SUSPENDED; ALL OTHERS RESUME NORMAL SCHEDULE Friday, October 01, 2010

UPDATE: HATTERAS FERRY ROUTE REMAINS SUSPENDED; ALL OTHERS RESUME NORMAL SCHEDULE
Extreme shoaling in Hatteras Inlet prohibits ferries crossing

MANNS HARBOR — The North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Ferry Division announces that extreme shoaling at Hatteras Inlet is prohibiting operations from resuming on the Hatteras-Ocracoke route. The Ferry Division is working with the U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies to find and mark a new channel, which may take as long as two days. Once a clear channel is found and marked, the Hatteras route will return to normal operations.

All other routes are operating normally.

The Ferry Division is waiving tolls for Ocracoke residents and commercial supply vehicles today. Residents must show proof of residency in the form of a driver license and will be given priority re-entering the island, however, they must arrive at Swan Quarter or Cedar Island 30 minutes prior to departure. Tolls will also be waived for Ocracoke residents leaving the island, but no priority status will be given. Residents must get in the stand-by lane and arrive 30 minutes prior to departure going to Swan Quarter or Cedar Island. Reservations are being honored as well.

For up-to-date information, call 1-800-293-3779 (BY-FERRY) and Press 1, or go to www.ncferry.org.

Working Watermen's Quilt

Several weeks ago a reader inquired about the quilt raffle in support of the Ocracoke Working Watermen's Association. This was the quilt made by Joyce Reynolds, our former Methodist preacher, from fishing & water-related Ocracoke t-shirts. The drawing was held on Labor Day, and island fisherman Morty Gaskill drew the winning ticket. The Klein family from Gretna, Louisiana won the quilt. According to Robin Payne, when contacted they said, "Thank you. It is a beautiful quilt and a wonderful cause. We love Ocracoke and we will cherish this symbol of it in our families."

Of course, another quilt is right now being raffled by the Ocracoke Preservation Society. If any of our readers would like a chance to win this beautiful Ocracoke quilt, just click on the photo below to purchase raffle tickets (please keep in mind that the photo and description on the re-direct page is last year's quilt; you will be purchasing tickets for a chance to win the quilt pictured below.)



Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Ocracoke native Major General Ira Thomas Wyche. You can read the complete story here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news092110.htm.

More Scuttlebutt

About an hour ago I heard that there may be a navigable channel for the Hatteras Inlet ferries, but they can't use it until the US Army Corps of Engineers inspects and approves it, and the US Coast Guard moves the buoys. Word is that they expect the channel to be approved and marked sometime later today or tomorrow. Remember, this is simply the word on the streets of Ocracoke...not an official report. This may not be accurate. Please check the NC Ferry Division for official reports.

Morning Scuttlebutt

I thought our readers might like to know the latest talk about ferry service to Ocracoke. Please keep in mind that this is not official news...just what I've been hearing at the bank, stores, and post office.

I understand that the dredge operating in Hatteras Inlet clearing the channel for the ferries has had some problem, and is for the time being unable to open the channel (it was silted up from this recent tropical depression). Consequently, the Hatteras Inlet ferries are not operating (at least that's the talk around the village). Please check with the NC Ferry Division for oficial reports and updated information.

The last word I received is that the Swan Quarter & Cedar Island ferries are operating.

Gale

The wind blew a gale most of the day yesterday. I went down to the dock several times to check on my boat. About 5 o'clock in the afternoon the wind nearly knocked me off the dock. I'm guessing it was gusting to 50-55 mph. There were periods without any rain...and then the heavens just opened up, and rain poured down as from buckets.

The ferries did not run all day yesterday. I am writing this just after midnight, so I don't know the situation at daybreak Friday, but the forecast is calling for winds of about 20 mph, so I'm guessing the ferries will be back in operation.

As far as I know, we didn't have any tide in the village. If you're traveling to or from Ocracoke it would be a good idea to check highway conditions on Hatteras, Swan Quarter and Cedar Island.

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If any of our readers would like a chance to win this beautiful Ocracoke quilt, just click on the photo below to purchase raffle tickets (please keep in mind that the photo and description on the re-direct page is last year's quilt; you will be purchasing tickets for a chance to win the quilt pictured below.)



Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of Ocracoke native Major General Ira Thomas Wyche. You can read the complete story here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news092110.htm.