By Amy Howard
A common belief is that people who live on Ocracoke are rich.
We aren’t.
We are industrious and work hard to be able to afford to live here.
Some of us have families who go back for generations and struggle to find housing, working three jobs to make it come together.
A common argument against funding the ferries is that if some people in the state never use the ferries, then the ferries are not important.
I could argue that about a myriad of places/roads in North Carolina.
I could ask why my taxpayer dollars should fund dozens of bridges, overpasses, tunnels, stop lights, snow removal, parks, museums, and sanctuaries that I will never use?
The answer is because they are all valued as a part of our state serving people of all walks of life who contribute greatly to this state.
This is the same reason we pay taxes for public schools even if we don’t have a child enrolled: it’s for the overall benefit of our community and society.
We hear: Why do you people live in such a dangerous place? You know the road will get washed out.
Can everyone live in a “safe” place?
The mountains of N.C.? They got flooded by a hurricane last year.
Eastern N.C. mainland? They got flooded by a hurricane. Central N.C.? They got flooded by a hurricane.
How many millions of dollars went into aiding those areas after disasters?
Am I unhappy they got aid after these devastating storms? Absolutely not.
Do I think they should move somewhere “safer?” Absolutely not.
(The ferries) are literally a part of NC12 and should be treated with no less care or interest and with no judgment…the same way we don’t judge the hundreds of other miles of road in N.C. that serve ALL residents.
How much money does NCDOT spend maintaining and fixing roads, putting up signs and guardrails, cleaning medians, etc., in backroad rural areas that aren’t generating any noticeable revenue for the state, that aren’t attracting visitors from other states and countries to spend tourist dollars there?
Ocracoke and the greater Outer Banks host hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world yearly and generate millions of dollars in tax revenue and yet we are constantly having to defend our existence.
On Ocracoke, we have one guy (thank you, Shanon!) scraping sand off the north end of NC12.
Almost none of our roads in the village have been marked with lines for years now.
We have no stoplights and a few dozen street signs and traffic signs that generally last for years or decades without having to be changed out.
The ferries are a literal lifeline for people who live on Ocracoke.
They are literally a part of NC12 and should be treated with no less care or interest and with no judgment on why they need to be fixed–the same way we don’t judge the hundreds of other miles of road in N.C. that need to be built and maintained to serve ALL residents.
Groceries, medicine, pet supplies, vets, doctors/EMS, gas vendors, etc., all use our ferries and roads to serve the people of N.C. and our visitors for the ultimate benefit of the greater state.
The rich history that is here, the novelty of riding a ferry, the lighthouse, the stories of the sea, including those of the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Lifesaving Service, the unspoiled beach, the fishing and hunting–all this and more draw thousands of visitors to Ocracoke.
Is there an issue with the long-term status of our road? Absolutely.
Do we need to come up with a viable plan? Absolutely.
Can we effectively do that while being attacked for living here and while fighting for crumbs because we are deemed not worthy? Absolutely not.
The narrative needs to change.
We are not sitting around eating bonbons while holding our hands out for “stolen” dollars.
We are actively working to enrich the state of North Carolina while living here and generating millions of dollars that go directly into the state coffers.
Ocracoke is one of the many beautiful and remote towns in this state that is home to hard-working passionate residents who love sharing where we live.
We promote not just our town and area, but the rest of the state as well.
We are ambassadors for the state.
Why do we have to always be on the defensive when it comes to having consistent and reliable access to where we live?
I can’t think of any other town/area in the state of NC that has to fight so hard to maintain the road (and our ferry is part of the road system) that allows them to have access to basic necessities.
Amy Howard is a lifelong Ocracoke Island resident, business manager of Village Craftsmen gallery, and active community leader with deep family roots tracing back generations on the island.
This article is so true. Ocracoke is the pearl of the Outer Banks. The place that is untouched by commercialism. For the naturalist, it is heaven on earth
Ocracoke also has the lion’s share of the population of Hyde County. We purchased a second home on the island 8 years ago. We also own a home in Northern Virginia. If our home in Virginia was not a historic home, it would be sold in a minute and my husband and I would be full time on Ocracoke.
The ferry is part of 12. It is part of the magic that is Ocracoke. How many places today can say the only access is by ferry. The trip across the sound makes you slow down. You have no choice. Again, magic.
The island should not have to beg for funds for the ferry. It is part of the island. Maintain it.
Thanks very much for your important work on this issue. Please let me know how I help…
Jack Thigpen
183 Montrose Drive
Durham 27707
I understand your situation and as a mainlander I get tired of my tax dollars repairing Hwy12 numerous times a year with our tax dollars when we have terrible roads in Pamlico County. Im mostly displeased with the state wasting money without coming up with a working plan to fix the situation ya’ll are in.
It breaks my heart that y’all are made to feel that way. I have always thought that they should charge everyone to use the Hatteras Ferry UNLESS you pay taxes in North Carolina. Out-of-staters would continue to flock to Ocracoke without blinking over $10 or even $20 per car because Ocracoke is such a special place and so are her people.
Sad that it even needs to be said, but Amy said it beautifully.
I could not have said this better. Thank you, Amy, for so capably and thoughtfully writing the words for publication in the Observer. Hopefully they will be shared, read, and properly considered by those of “decision making” rank in our state government.
Corky Lindstrom-Widgeon Woods
I believe it was 1962 — and I was 12 — when our parents first brought us to Ocracoke for vacation. My father had done some W.W. II flight training at Cherry Point and at times flew over the Outer Banks. He always wanted to return to experience the islands from ground level. We returned as a family for many years and I have continued to return, as recently as this past November. There are few, if any, years that I missed making a visit to Ocracoke, sometimes more than once. Amy’s comments make so much sense that it’s difficult to believe there could be an opposing point of view. If someone were to start a public campaign to convince North Carolina officials to develop a long-term plan to make sure, as Amy wrote, that there is “consistent and reliable access” to the island, I would enthusiastically participate.
Based on historical and projected data and along with economic cost estimates, State and federal agencies no longer see a need to further support traditional access. If you listen to anything they say, it is obvious. If we want to survive we will have to present a sunstainable and economically viable solution that the State of North Carolina will support and see as a worthwhile investment. The biggest problem I see is the community (and county) must be unified and most importantly, we have to listen to what they have been saying…….
My wife and I visit every end of summer. The only way we can do this is because of the ferry system. We have ridden on the Hatteras ferry, and the Swans Quarter ferry and our purpose for riding these ferry’s is to get to Ocracoke! The ferry ride is the beginning of realizing that, for at least a week, we can relax and enjoy a small town with no street lights, a town where you can walk or ride you bike to wherever you need to go, a town where the people are friendly, the food is amazing and the memories are plentiful. All I can say is Thank You to Ocracoke!!
Thank you Amy! Point on! State legislators please take note! As an”off islander” I heartily agree that a road is a road! Isn’t a ferry a moving bridge?!
“All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.” ~Arthur Schopenhauer (Stage 3, Raleigh. Accept it.)
Very well stated!