MANTEO – The North Carolina Ferry Division will host a job fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, June 9, at the College of the Albemarle’s Dare County Campus, 205 Highway 64 South in Manteo.
Applications will be accepted for all positions at all experience levels, from entry-level parking lot attendants to experienced boat captains. Both immediate, temporary summer employment and full-time permanent positions are available.
Among the benefits of Ferry Division employment are:
Competitive salaries
Year-round, full-time permanent employment
Shift housing available at some locations
Health insurance
Retirement benefits
Paid vacation, holidays and sick leave
People interested in attending the job fair should bring resumes and supporting documents. Representatives from the Ferry Division will be on hand to explain the various positions available and opportunities for advancement.
The Manteo career fair is the seventh to be held across eastern North Carolina in 2022. The previous six were held in Elizabeth City, Morehead City, Greenville, Shallotte, Ocracoke and Hatteras.
To see jobs available with the Ferry Division, visit the state jobs website and search “Ferry.” Please continue to visit the site, as new ferry jobs are added regularly.
Hurricane season starts today (June 1) and storms are right on time as the National Weather Service is reporting a potential for a tropical development off the southeast coast late this weekend and early next week.
Although there is still a lot of uncertainty, the National Hurricane Center is monitoring this closely and currently predicts an 80% probability of formation into a tropical depression.
But until then, the NWS is warning of increased rip currents and rough surf possible for the East Coast.
Of those nests, 126 have been adopted — which means there are more nests available for adoption. Outer Banks Forever has a goal of having 200 nests adopted by the end of August.
Outer Banks Forever, the official nonprofit partner of the Outer Banks national parks, has opened its annual Adopt a Sea Turtle Nest program for the sea-turtle nesting season at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, which occurs from May to October each year.
The program was launched in 2020 to support projects and programs that protect and enhance Cape Hatteras National Seashore now and for future generations.
In 2021, the program raised more than $10,000 to support Cape Hatteras National Seashore, and it was recently recognized by the Public Lands Alliance for Outstanding Public Engagement at its annual awards ceremony.
“The Adopt a Sea Turtle Nest program is a fun way for people to learn more about these popular island visitors and the work our national park staff does every day to help protect them,” said Jessica Barnes, director of Outer Banks Forever. “It’s also fun for us to send updates to each person who adopts a nest, particularly sharing the number of sea-turtle hatchlings that make their way out of each nest.”
You can symbolically adopt an active sea-turtle nest at Cape Hatteras National Seashore with a tax-deductible donation of $100 or more. With your donation, you will receive an official 2022 adoption certificate and updates on your specific nest including sea turtle species, number of eggs, number of hatchlings and more once your nest hatches.
A sea turtle nest. Photo courtesy of Outer Banks Forever.
Here is how the program works:
Give — Make your tax-deductible donation online at obxforever.org/adoptaseaturtlenest, or by mail to Outer Banks Forever at P.O. Box 1635, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948, with “Adopt A Sea Turtle Nest” in the memo.
Get your nest — You will be assigned an active sea-turtle nest and will receive an adoption certificate by mail along with initial information about your unique nest including general location and sea-turtle species. Please note: As sea turtles began to arrive in May, it may take two to four weeks to be assigned a nest.
Wait for your nest to hatch — When your nest hatches, you will receive a personalized update with detailed information about your nest including where it was located and the number of hatchlings that made their way to the ocean.
There are a limited number of nests each year and they are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.
Participants, please note that no individual or group that participates in this program may claim ownership of a sea-turtle nest, eggs or hatchlings. For the safety of the sea turtles, your exact nest location will not be shared until after it has hatched.
Gary Davis usually plays taps outside his home at Lighthouse Road and Bryant Lane, but last November he was captured playing it on the Ocracoke Beach. He will join others around the country today, May 30, playing taps at 3 pm. He also will play at sunset. Photo by Brenda Kremser.
Monday, May 30 Memorial Day NPS talks: Shaping these Barrier Islands, 2:30 p.m. Wars, hurricanes, winds and ocean currents have all had impacts on the shores of Cape Hatteras. Discovery Center.
Gary Davis plays taps, along with those across the country, Lighthouse Road and Bryant Lane, 3 pm. (Correction to originally posted time. Taps Across America is at 3 p.m. locally every year on Memorial Day. The Observer apologizes for any inconvenience.) Davis plays taps every day at sunset at his home at Lighthouse Road and Bryant Lane. See prior story here.
Tuesday, May 31 Ocracoke Lighthouse base open daily: 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Twenty-minute talk at 11 am
Ocracoke Oyster Company: Bryan Mayer 7 pm.
Wednesday, June 1 NPS talk on Banker Ponies, 9:30 a.m. at the pony pen. Meet the ponies who once roamed as a wild herd and learn about their living history on Ocracoke Island.
Ocracoke Lighthouse base open 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Twenty-minute talk at 11 am.
Thursday, June 2 Ocracoke Lighthouse base open 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Twenty-minute talk at 11 am.
Ocracoke Decoy Carvers Guild 7 pm. Ocracoke Community Center.
Ocracoke Oyster Company: Brooke & Nick, 7 pm
The finale of the 2021 Ocrafolk Festival at the Berkley Barn. This year’s festival will also be on the Berkley Manor grounds June 3 to 5. Photo: C. Leinbach
Friday, June 3 NPS talk on Banker Ponies, 9:30 a.m. at the pony pen. Meet the ponies who once roamed as a wild herd and learn about their living history on Ocracoke Island.
John Ivey Wells: 1945-2022. Photo courtesy of the family.
John Ivey Wells, 76, of Ocracoke died at home May 24 after a long fight with cancer.
Born Sept. 9, 1945, on Howard Street to the late Ed and LuDicie Wells, John was delivered by Elsie Garrish, said his son Jason Wells in an interview.
After graduating from Ocracoke School and a brief stint at N.C. Wesleyan College, John started his career in the food service industry, including Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore before moving back to Ocracoke and helping to open numerous restaurants on Ocracoke, including the original Howard’s Pub, Captain Bens, the Pelican, the Back Porch and Jason’s.
John met Debbie Wells in 1978 and have been best friends, or more, since that day. Together they opened the original Pelican restaurant, which is now DAJIO.
Debbie had trained under a French chef in Atlanta, Jason said, and The Pelican was the first place on the island to have wine glasses and linens on the tables
“It was also the first place to have soup or salad as an option as opposed to, back in those days, it was French fries, coleslaw, three-bean salad, applesauce. It was the first upscale dining experience.”
In the early 1980s, the building that is the Back Porch became available. So, they left the Pelican and opened the Back Porch and ran that successfully until they sold it to current owners Daphne and Howard Bennink.
“I grew up in that kitchen,” Jason said.
After that, John helped Jason open Jason’s Restaurant in October of 2000 and was Jason’s business partner for about a year and a half before selling his half the business to Jimmy Bowen.
An avid fisherman, John’s other favorite things to do was “go out in the garden, socialize at Ocracoke Coffee Company, go out on the boat, eat lemon ice cream,” Jason said.
There will be no burial as John has requested his ashes be spread in the Pamlico Sound in one of his favorite fishing holes.
A celebration of John’s life will be from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, June 12, at the Berkley Barn. Well-wishers, if they want, may bring flowers and food to that event for a potluck dinner.
In addition to Jason and Debbie, John is survived by a stepdaughter Eve Ferris, a granddaughter, Mila Ortiz, and a grandson, Griffin Wells, all of Ocracoke.
Chester Lynn with a well-nourished fig tree. Photo by David Mickey
By Chester Lynn
This spring, as I was taking a scud around the island, I was looking over the Ocracoke fig trees that were sprouting. Some had the first crop of figs coming to celebrate spring and warm weather.
I happened to go by a house that I knew had an old pound fig tree in the side yard. It was small, but I remembered in years past it being full of wonderful very large figs. I don’t know how old it was, but l know it was over 65 years old and could be 85 years old.
When I looked, it was gone. It had been cut down all the way to the ground. Another old fig tree gone!
So many of the old Ocracoke figs trees are gone, and others are on the way out. We are losing the old Ocracoke figs — Pound figs, Sugar figs… These varieties have been on Ocracoke some 200 years, and now we are about to lose them.
There are some left, but not many now. When I was a boy, they were in every yard.
Now, the dingbatter (Celeste) fig is taking over.
Don’t let us lose the old figs that are part of our fig heritage! Replant Pound figs, Sugar figs, and other old varieties that have been on Ocracoke so long.
The sea tides have washed these old trees, and they are tough and hardy and strong. They just need a little help and love.
Learn what fig trees you have in your yard here on Ocracoke. Fertilize them and take care of them.
At one time, fig trees were in every yard, and some old houses had several large fig trees in the yard. At fig-picking time you could smell the figs cooking. The fragrance was blowing in the wind.
Everywhere on the island, figs were picked. The ladies cooked and cooked and cooked…and had them ready for the fall and winter.
Homemade biscuits with fig preserves, or fig jelly, or a flaget of fig cake – this is our heritage!
Clear away the weeds, and fertilize your fig trees, or plant some in your yard.
Pound figs, Sugar figs, Brown Turkey figs, Lemon figs, Blue figs – these are the old varieties that have been on Ocracoke for hundreds of years. Don’t let us lose them!
Chester Lynn’s book on figs, “Figments of Ocracoke: An O’cocker Says a Word,” is available at the Ocracoke Preservation Society museum, 49 Water Plant Rd.
The N.C. Department of Transportation’s Ferry Division has returned to a full summer schedule on its Cedar Island-Ocracoke and Swan Quarter-Ocracoke routes this week, after repairing several unexpected mechanical issues on sound-class vessels.
Reservations are highly recommended on those runs:
Cedar Island-Ocracoke From Cedar Island: 8 a.m., 10, 1 p.m. and 4:30. From Ocracoke: 7:30 a.m., 10, 1 p.m. and 5:30.
Swan Quarter-Ocracoke From Swan Quarter: 7 a.m., 10, 2 p.m. and 4:30. From Ocracoke: 7 a.m., 11 and 12:45 p.m. and 3:45.
However, a worker shortage continues to affect the Hatteras-Ocracoke vehicle ferry schedule.
The Ferry Division continues to work on hiring new employees and has scheduled a new job fair from 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. June 9 at the College of the Albemarle’s Dare County campus in Manteo.
Anyone wishing to apply for employment with the Ferry System should go to the state employment website and enter the word ‘ferry’ in the search box.
The Hatteras-Ocracoke route could also be impacted this summer by COVID-19. COVID cases continue to rise locally and have contributed to recent cancellations on the Hatteras vehicle route. While nearly all the recent cases have recovered and returned to work, future cases are impossible to predict and may result in other schedule interruptions. So far in 2022, the Ferry Division has seen 97 positive COVID cases systemwide.
Before departing, travelers should check the Hatteras route’s Twitter feed on the Ferry System’s website, or call the Hatteras terminal at 252-996-6000.
Also, travelers wishing to leave their vehicle behind can make a quick trip over to Ocracoke aboard the ferry for passengers only. To go to Ocracoke from Hatteras without waiting, make a reservation on the Ocracoke Express passenger-only ferry, which makes three round trips daily directly between Hatteras and Ocracoke Village.
The Ferry Division is working to address all issues affecting the Hatteras vehicle ferry route and return to a full summer schedule as soon as possible.
Dr. Stephen Leatherman, aka, Dr. Beach, on Ocracoke May 25 to officially dub it his No. 1 beach in America. Photo: C. Leinbach
By Connie Leinbach
Ocracoke’s beach is Dr. Beach’s getaway beach and that’s one of the reasons why he again honored it with the No. 1 beach in America for 2022.
Dr. Stephen Leatherman, aka, “Dr. Beach,” was on Ocracoke’s lifeguard beach Wednesday (May 25) to bestow the designation and enjoy the pristine sands.
“It’s National Seashore; it’s protected; it’s for sea turtles. There’s on litter, no cigarette smoking,” he said in an interview Wednesday between two dozen media interviews from around the nation and organized by the North Carolina Tourism Bureau.
This is the second time that Ocracoke’s lifeguard beach was named the No. 1 beach as it first received that designation in 2007. Then and up until now, if a beach received No. 1, it was retired from receiving top honors, though it could still be in the top 10.
“I did that,” he said about the former rule. “But after 25 years I decided to start over because I really want to emphasize litter and smoking — for people’s health but also litter.”
Cigarette butts, the No. 1 form of pollution on the beach, have become a particular crusade of Leatherman, a North Carolina native of Charlotte, who visited Ocracoke in his youth and who attended North Carolina State University in Raleigh.
“I’ve sat down on some beaches and I’ve measured as many as 10 cigarette butts per square meter,” he said. “I’ve watched birds and sea turtles and kids eating cigarette butts. You come to beaches to enjoy nature. This is not a giant ashtray.”
Cigarette filters are made of cellulose and can last for decades, he said. So, he decided to start over with his designations and emphasize cigarette butts.
“I said, I’m gonna start giving extra credit to beaches that don’t allow smoking and really emphasize that, and so that’s what I did,” he said.
Dr. Beach holds forth for the media on the glories of the Ocracoke beach. Photo: C. Leinbach
Smoking is not allowed on the Lifeguard Beach, which has professional lifeguards on duty daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
After this year, Ocracoke will again not be eligible for the No. 1 spot, but “it will be on my list,” he said.
Also, this year the Lighthouse Beach at Buxton is No. 6. Leatherman’s list can be found at www.drbeach.org.
Leatherman, an oceanographer who lives in Miami, Florida, is one of the nation’s foremost authorities on beach quality and since 1999 has annually rates America’s Best Beaches.
He rates 650 public beaches on 50 criteria, including beach width at low tide, water quality, sand softness and color, wildlife, cleanliness and public safety every year. Leatherman serves as the director of Florida International University’s Laboratory for Coastal Research and is the author of more than a dozen books.
Witt Tuttle, director of the North Carolina Visitor’s Bureau and who oversaw today’s interviews, said Leatherman called him after Hurricane Dorian flooded the island in 2019 to ask how the island was doing.
“The village of Ocracoke is thrilled to be recognized as the number one beach in America this year,” said Kenny Ballance, Ocracoke Township Tourism Development Authority (OTTDA) chairman. “Anyone that has ever visited Ocracoke knows it’s a special place with 16 miles of pristine beaches and plenty of locally owned small businesses, lodging and restaurants.”
The Lifeguard Beach on Ocracoke, NC. Photo: C. Leinbach
Artwork from the Ocracoke afterschool program adorns the post office wall. Photo: C. Leinbach
By Connie Leinbach
Nancy Leach could give Jef the Mime a run for the money in the juggling department.
But that would have to be juggling in the abstract because Leach, as the Hyde 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) program director, coordinates multiple daily projects for Hyde County schools on the mainland and Ocracoke.
Leach contracted Jef the Mime, a juggler who performs annually at the Ocrafolk Festival, last fall to do a program for elementary students at Mattamuskeet Elementary School. That was a welcome event for students still hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The principal was thrilled to bring some performing arts into the building,” Leach said about the fun week of events. “She said the kids really needed that as they returned to the buildings.”
The 21st Century Program, funded by a $1.2 million, three-year federal grant, offers an afterschool program, Saturday programming for families, adult education, and a six-week summer program, all free for Hyde County families.
The afterschool program serves 200 students county-wide, offering academic support and enrichment in S.T.E.M, arts, social emotional learning, and health and wellness.
Begun in 2010, the program has garnered recent accolades.
Last summer, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s 21st Century Division unanimously chose the Hyde 21st CCLC as an exemplary program and asked Leach to represent North Carolina in an interview with the United States Department of Education.
“One of the reasons why our program is a stand-out is that they have seen how diligently our team has worked to provide continuous programming and support for our students immediately following Hurricane Dorian and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” Leach said. “Many programs across the state and country were not able to do that.”
Tutors, who typically staff the afterschool program, joined Zoom classes with teachers.
“So, it was intensive, high-quality support,” she said.
High quality support is also evidenced by the high degree of parental involvement, attainable partly because of Ocracoke’s small size.
“It makes a big difference that a parent can get here in two minutes, rather than 30,” Leach said. “And because of the quality of our staff and our partnerships, we’re able to offer some robust programming for families.”
She is always looking to improve on the middle and high school offerings.
“We have some projects we would love for a qualified person to spearhead,” she said.
Nancy Leach
Students always ask for ceramics and cooking.
“It’s overwhelming how many students say they would like to do ceramics, but we don’t have a place to have a kiln or a (potter’s) wheel,” she said.
Prior to the pandemic, the adult education component was English as a Second Language (ESL) through a partnership with Beaufort County Community College.
“This was a wonderful program, considering that 46% of the Ocracoke School student body and their families are Hispanic,” she said.
The program is looking for a part-time ESL teacher to work with adults on Ocracoke.
“You don’t necessarily have to speak Spanish, but you have to be able to connect with people really well, to be able to meet them where they are,” she said.
When working on a needs assessment for the current 21st Century grant, Leach found that Hyde County has the highest rate of childhood obesity in the state. She contacted the Alice Aycock Poe Center in Raleigh and the two organizations collaborated on creating a year of health, fitness and nutrition activities along with many cooperative games.
“We need a shed for all this stuff,” Leach laughs.
This year, Leach was selected as an Afterschool Ambassador by the Afterschool Alliance, one of just 16 leaders across the country chosen for the honor this year. This nonprofit promotes the importance of afterschool programs for America’s children, families and communities.
Each Ambassador organizes an event for Lights On Afterschool, the Afterschool Alliance’s annual rally for afterschool, which usually occurs in October.
Retired Superintendent Stephen Basnight called this program “our secret weapon,” according to a school statement when Leach was named an Aftershool Alliance ambassador. “Under the leadership of Ms. Leach, the 21st Century Program is as much a part of our overall educational program as the courses we teach from 8 to 3. This program provides our students another layer of individualized assistance before they leave school each day.”
Most recently, Leach was one of four professionals in the state who received the Emerging Afterschool Champion Award by the North Carolina Center for Afterschool Programs.
While she feels honored, Leach said, “The program would not, and I would not, be getting any of this recognition without the amazing team of people I work with. They give me so much to be proud of, but what they do for the children of Hyde County is just inspirational.”
Particularly, she said that Claire Senseney, who, as head site coordinator based on Ocracoke, has gone above and beyond to collaborate and innovate during her more than five years of service.
In addition to the afterschool program, Leach serves as the director of student services for Hyde County Schools, coordinating a myriad of services relating to the physical and mental health of the students, district scholarships, juvenile crime prevention, Title IX, memorandums of understanding with school/community partners and other grants.
She manages Hyde County Schools Provisional County Partnership with the N.C. Arts Council.
Adults interested in being tutors for the Hyde 21st CCLC summer or afterschool programs will find an application on the Hyde County Schools website.
Bill Cole goes for the highest bids at the 2019 Firemen’s Ball
Wednesday, May 25 Ocracoke Community Library, temporarily in the Deepwater Theater, School Road. Open from 1 to 5 pm Monday through Friday, and 9 am to 1 pm Saturdays. Story time: 10 am
Board of Adjustment, meets at 2 p.m. Ocracoke Community Center. See notice below.
Hyde County gives final presentation of Phase 1 of the Resilient Coastal Communities Program of potential projects to improve resiliency on Ocracoke. These initial ideas are infrastructure projects that will help our island deal with climate change and village issues like managing storm water. This information is the first step in a process that will allow Hyde County to apply for funds to move these projects forward. Send questions to Sara Teaster, Hyde County grant administrator, steaster@hydecountync.gov. Ocracoke Community Center, 6 pm. Viewing online available on Facebook via the Hyde County Public Information page.
Ocracoke Oyster Company: Ray Murray, 7 pm
Thursday, May 26 The Mended Wing Theatre Company will bring Shakespeare’s “The Comedy of Errors” to Ocracoke for a free public performance at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 26, at the Ocracoke Preservation Society Museum, 49 Water Plant Rd.
Friday, May 27 Ocracoke Oyster Company: Kate McNally, 7 pm
The Breeze: Brothers Carolina, 9:30 pm
Saturday, May 28 Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Department’s Firemen’s Ball, Berkley Barn, 4:30 to 11 pm. Schedule: 4-6:30: Silent Auction 5-6:30: Pig Pickin’ (or until the food runs out, which it always does). Plates and drinks are $15. Inside, donations are accepted for cold beer generously donated by 1718 Brewing Ocracoke. 7: Live Auction 8:30: Live music by The Dune Dogs and The Ocracoke Rockers
Ocracoke Oyster Company: Brooke & Nick, 7 pm
The Breeze: Brothers Carolina, 9:30 pm
Sunday, May 29 Ocracoke Oyster Company: Mike Norris, 7 pm
