Hatteras Ferry

Residents and visitors to Ocracoke Island can thank State Representative Tim Spear (D-Washington, NC) for the following news, as reported by the Associated Press:

"FREE FERRY: The state's ferry from Ocracoke Island to Hatteras Island would remain free thanks to an amendment approved by the House Appropriations Committee. The House budget proposal had directed the Board of Transportation to begin tolling the four ferry routes that currently don't charge a fee. Amendment sponsor Rep. Tim Spear, D-Washington, said Ocracoke residents depend on the ferry since they have no other way to get off the island and shouldn't be charged to leave for the mainland."

So far, so good. If anything changes, we'll be sure to let our readers know.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a history of the Ocracoke Preservation Society. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news042111.htm.

Spucing Up

These last couple of weeks have seen islanders powerwashing boats, painting porches and steps, weeding gardens, and generally doing spring cleaning. After a long and cold winter it just plain feels good to be outside making life more beautiful and getting ready to enjoy the warmer weather.

Earlier in the week I removed all of the furniture (including my hammock) from my screened porch, and powerwashed the deck, posts, screen frames, and back wall of the house. Everything had been coated with dust, mildew, and cedar pollen. Now, after lunch or in the late afternoon, I get to kick back in the hammock with a cool drink, feel the breeze, and read a good book or magazine.

Life, as they say, is good on Ocracoke!

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a history of the Ocracoke Preservation Society. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news042111.htm.

Sailing

Have you ever wanted to learn to sail? If so, you can now fulfill that wish while spending time on Ocracoke Island. Capt. Rob Temple, who has been sailing for more than half a century (many of our readers have enjoyed sunset cruises aboard his schooners, Windfall & Windfall II), now has a 24' Rainbow sloop and certification from the American Sailing Association.

The Rainbow, Rob explains, combines simplicity, safety, and comfort to make it one of the most popular teaching vessels worldwide.



(Click on the photo to view a larger image of Capt. Rob's new sailboat.)

To learn more about Ocracoke's new Windfall Sailing School click here.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a history of the Ocracoke Preservation Society. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news042111.htm.

Cell Pones

A couple of days ago I happened to run into the CenturyLink phone guy at Eduardo's Taco stand. I asked him if he knew anything about AT&T cell phone service on Ocracoke. He didn't know for sure, but thought their installation was complete, so as far as he knew AT&T phones ought to work on the island.

Later that same day I spoke with someone else who said he had heard that AT&T cell phone service was still not up and running.

Since no islanders have AT&T contracts, no one I speak with has any up-to-date information. Maybe one of our readers who has been on the island in the last week or so can shed some light on this.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a history of the Ocracoke Preservation Society. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.comnews042111.htm.

Easter Afternoon

You just never know what you're going to find on the beach. Easter Sunday afternoon Lida, Bill, & I took a stroll just south of the campground. Lida was hoping to find some seashells; I was happy just to be outside on such a glorious day.

Down the beach we spotted a large green object at the high tide line. At first I thought it was someone fiddling with a kite or a beach umbrella, but it soon became apparent that it was not moving. As we came closer I realized it was a buoy. We joked that we might roll it back home and use it as a lawn ornament.

"I wish I had my camera with me," I blurted out.

"Don't you have your cell phone?" Bill asked.

I'm not very savvy with my phone, but I was able to get this photo:

(Click on photo to see a larger image.)

I'm guessing this is the Hatteras Inlet buoy that came loose when last Saturday night's severe weather passed by. I suppose the Coast Guard will eventually retrieve it. In the meanwhile, I think it's safe right where it is.

This month's Ocracoke Newsletter is a history of the Ocracoke Preservation Society. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news042111.htm.

Easter Evening

Yesterday I passed by Lydia Frieda's house. I love walking or biking down point in the late afternoon as the weather warms up because there is almost always a porch full of family and friends sitting on Lydia Frieda's pizer. Without even thinking about it, they are keeping a great old southern tradition alive. The gathering is typically multi-generational...grandmother, grown children, grandchildren...plus other family and neighbors. I often stop to chat over the fence, just to enjoy the scene -- children playing in the yard, adults laughing and sharing stories.

Lydia Frieda's is the yellow house on the corner near Albert Styron's store. As you pass by this summer, wave and call out a "howdy."

This month's Ocracoke Newsletter is a history of the Ocracoke Preservation Society. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news042111.htm.

Greetings

Happy Easter to all of our readers, from all of us at Village Craftsmen!

Boat Building Project

(Click on drawing to view a larger image.)

In February a small group of Ocracoke Island residents gathered to explore the possibility of building a traditional wooden sailing vessel, perhaps a schooner or a skipjack. What may have seemed like an overly ambitious project at first, soon took on a life of its own, with an eastern North Carolina boat builder committed to overseeing the endeavor, and volunteers eager to help.

If the funds can be raised, as expected, and other details worked out, the project could be started within the year.

You can read more at the new (and still under construction) web site, http://www.schoonerparagon.org/.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a history of the Ocracoke Preservation Society. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news042111.htm.

Worm Shoe

Last fall, when I pulled my wooden skiff out of the water for the season, I banged up the bow below the water line. It took three of us to position the boat onto the trailer, with constant gusts of wind and waves hammering us relentlessly. A storm was brewing and I didn't want to risk leaving the boat at the dock.

In the process I also tore off the forward section of a 3/4" X 1 1/4" wooden strip that was nailed to the bottom of the skiff. Capt. Rob explained that this is called a worm shoe. According to an on-line source, a worm shoe is "a non-structural piece of wood, fixed to the underside of a wooden boat." It is designed to protect the bottom of the boat from worms and collisions with underwater objects in shallow water. It is also the part of the boat that comes in contact with the rollers on the trailer. The worm shoe is made to be easily removed.

It took a couple of hours to raise the bow of the boat off the trailer, remove the worm shoe, cut a new piece of wood, and fasten it with stainless steel screws. Next I'll repair the bow with epoxy, then scrape and paint the boat. If all goes well I'll have her in the water sometime in May.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a history of the Ocracoke Preservation Society. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news042111.htm.

April Newsletter

Well, we've done it again. We've published our latest Ocracoke Newsletter. This month's article is a history of the Ocracoke Preservation Society.

As I mentioned several posts ago, OPS has struggled financially recently due to rising costs and expenses, and declining revenues. It seems that the economic downturn has affected OPS, like it has so many other non-profit organizations.

In an attempt to generate needed funds, a number of events have been planned (a recent Donald Davis storytelling evening, yesterday's auction on the museum lawn, and a Molasses Creek concert next month).

This month's Newsletter is my contribution to these efforts. It documents the early history of the Society, lists a number of its accomplishments, and highlights some of its present and on-going projects.

Ocracoke Preservation Society is a valuable and important repository of island documents, photographs, artifacts, stories, and information, as well as a public reminder of the value of historic preservation.

You can make a donation to help support OPS by clicking here.

You can read my history of OPS by clicking here.

Spear Point

I think I may have shared this photo with our readers once before, but yesterday's post about the Native American pipe bowl I found on Ocracoke reminded me that a friend found a beautiful spear point on the beach just a few years ago.



(Click on photo to view a larger image.)

As many of you know, William Howard was the first European owner of Ocracoke Island to make his home here. Previous owners used the island only for grazing livestock. I am often asked, "Who did William Howard buy the island from?" And I always answer this way: "He bought it from Richard Sanderson, who inherited it from his father, Richard Sanderson, who bought it from John Lovick, who got Ocracoke as a gift from the Lords Proprietors, who were granted the island by the King of England...who stole it from the Native Americans."

Perhaps one day we will understand and appreciate the native people who lived, hunted, and gathered seafood on our island.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a list of traditional island remedies. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news032111.htm.

Native American Pipe Bowl

When I attended the genealogical society meeting in Avon (on Hatteras Island) last week, I had an opportunity to speak with Andy Powell (see Saturday's post) about his excavations on Hatteras. One of his discoveries was that Native Americans had been living on, or frequenting, the Outer Banks for about 9,000 years.

I told him about a pipe bowl I discovered in the water along the shore at Springer's Point a number of years ago. I sent him this photo a couple of days ago:

(Click on the photo to view a larger image.)

In his reply he said this American Indian pipe bowl is similar to others that were found on Hatteras, and they are believed to have been used for ceremonial or "medicinal" purposes. Andy is interested in doing some archaeological digs on Ocracoke on a future visit to the states.

If you live on the island, or own property here, and would be interested in having an expert conduct small auger tests please let me know and I will pass this information along.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a list of traditional island remedies. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news032111.htm.

Illness

Over the past few weeks I've mentioned several Ocracoke Island words and expressions dealing with illness. You may remember "collamaugus" and "collabogus." Then there was "quamished to the gut."In the past I have commented on "doasted" (as in "I'm doasted right") which comes from the word "dose" (as in "I've got a dose of the flu").

Here are a few more island expressions dealing with being sick: "You've caught that cough what killed Kermit's dog." "She's got the Patsy Lab." "Everyone down point's got the zeezes."

If you ever hear any of these comments you know there's an Ococker nearby!

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a list of traditional island remedies. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news032111.htm.

Auction

Mark your calendar for this Wednesday, April 20. At 5 oclock p.m. the Ocracoke Preservation Society will be conducting a live auction on the museum grounds. There will be furniture, art, and antiques offered to the highest bidder. Many of the 30 or so items were donated to the Society for fundraising purposes. Of course, none of the Society's permanent collection will be auctioned. However, most items have connections to Ocracoke history and heritage. You can preview the items at 4:3o pm.

Come on out. Take home an island treasure and help support OPS.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a list of traditional island remedies. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news032111.htm.

The Lost Colony

Earlier this year I donated a cast iron wood stove to the Hatteras Island Genealogical and Preservation Society. Actually, I was returning the cook stove to Hatteras. It was given to me years ago by Guy Quidley, a Hatteras Island native. When Dawn & Angel came to Ocracoke to pick up the stove they invited me to their April 12 potluck dinner and meeting in Avon. I decided to attend...and am glad I did.

It was a fascinating evening with information about the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island, and attempts to trace the ancestry of Hatteras Islanders to the 1587 colonists and the Croatan Indians.

In case you are not familiar with the story of the Lost Colony, when John White returned to Roanoke Island in 1590 the colonists were gone, but White discoverd the word "Croatoan" carved on a tree. Croatoan is the name of the island that, at that time, included a small section of the north end of Ocracoke, and the southern section of Hatteras Island, including the Buxton village area. (The present day Hatteras Inlet did not open until 1846.) Unfortunately, due to a storm, White was unable to search for the colonists, and his ships returned to England.

The first speaker of the evening was Roberta Estes of the Lost Colony Research Group, who presented information about using DNA to trace Hatteras Islanders' roots to the Lost Colony.

Next, Andy Powell, former Mayor of Bideford, England, the home town of Sir Richard Grenville (Grenville led Sir Walter Raleigh's expeditions to North America), spoke on the Lost Colony. Powell is the author of a new book, Grenville and the Lost Colony of Roanoke, which has been described as "a very fresh perspetive on Sir Walter Raleigh's Virginian enterprises," and as "an important new addition to the library of 'Lost Colony' research."

Many thanks to Dawn and Angel for inviting me to join them on Hatteras Island. The Lost Colony is a fascinating story. To learn more about the Hatteras Island Genealogical Society, click here: http://hatgensoc.wordpress.com/

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a list of traditional island remedies. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news032111.htm.

Calling All Paleontologists

Melinda, one of the owners of Tradewinds Tackle Shop, sent me an email a few days ago with three photos and this message: "A customer found this jaw bone with teeth and brought it in the shop to ask what it could be.The teeth are the size of my thumbs. Any ideas?"

If you are an expect re. such things (or know someone who is) we would love to know what animal this fossil came from. Please leave a comment.

You can click on any image to see a larger version.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a list of traditional island remedies. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news032111.htm.

We Must Kill Toni

We Must Kill Toni, A Family Murder Comedy by Ian Stuart Black -- That's the title of the latest production by the Ocracoke Theater Company under the direction of Charles Temple, our high school English teacher. The show stars Joseph Chestnut, Maddie Payne, Virginia Downes, Emmet Temple, and Andrew Tillett. The opening performance is tonight at 7 o'clock at the Community Center. There will also be performances Friday & Saturday evening at 7, and a Sunday matinee at 1 p.m. If you are on the island be sure to come out for an evening's entertainment. Tickets are $6.

(I think this must be a record -- three posts in one day...and on a day I vowed to refrain for posting!)

Ferries

I know I said I was taking a day off...but I just thought I'd alert folks traveling to or from Ocracoke that there have been a number of ferry schedule changes lately. If you are planning a trip out this way please check the official NCDOT web site for the latest information about ferries:

http://www.ncdot.org/ferry/

A Day Off

I'm taking a day off today! I've been off the island (just to Avon) twice in the last two days (more about that soon), and I've got a lot of personal stuff to catch up on...and I'm tired. Look for a post tomorrow.

Another Question

A recent post elicited yet another comment/question: "You mention the almost-impossible-to-imagine broad tidal flat that extended from the Variety Store to the NPS campground. What caused that geographic feature to disappear from the island?"

First, a photo from 1957. This picture was actually taken at the north end of the island...but it will give you a good idea of what Ocracoke looked like on the Plains, the area between the NPS campground and the Variety Store.

A little history is in order. No one is certain what Ocracoke looked like two hundred years ago, although the area where the village is was different from the "sandy banks." The village, with its live oaks, cedars, and other trees, was probably built on what was at one time a separate "inside island." Whatever vegetation grew on the sandy banks was eventually eliminated by livestock (horses, cows, goats, & sheep) that grazed on the island.

When the Park Service acquired Ocracoke they began construction of man-made dunes on the ocean side. This protected the new paved road from tidal overwash. Today lush vegetation, including myrtles, yaupons, and cedars, covers the Plains, what was at one time a wide tidal flat.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a list of traditional island remedies. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news032111.htm.