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Ocracoke events July 19 to 25

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Mural art adorns the outside of the Deepwater Theater where the Ocracoke Community Library has been housed since after Dorian hit in 2019. Artists’ work from left are Pattie Johnson Plyler, Christy Dagliesh, Katy Mitchell and Daisy O’Neal. Photo: C. Leinbach

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This post will be updated as more events become known.

Monday, July 19
Friends of the Library Used Book Sale, Ocracoke Community Library (inside Deepwater Theater), 3 to 7 pm Monday through Friday; 9 am to 1 pm Saturday. Summer program: Family story & craft, 6 pm.

Tuesday, July 20
Ocracoke Preservation Society Porch Talk, 1 pm. NPS nature talk
Ocracoke Waterways Commission, 6 pm in the Ocracoke Community Center.  Open to the public with masks as required by NC State.  The meeting will also be broadcast via Facebook at Hyde County Public Information.
Coyote Music Den, 13 Cabana Dr.: Coyote Backyard Concert, 8 pm. All concerts are sliding scale “pay what you can” at the gate. No reservations. Walk, Bike, Taxi or Tram. NO ON-SITE PARKING but the venue has a lot nearby. Visit www.coyotemusic.net for details.
Ocracoke Oyster Company: Bryan Mayer, 7:30 pm.

Wednesday, July 21
Ocracoke Community Library (inside Deepwater Theater), Baby, Toddler & Preschool story time,
10 am.
Coyote Music Den, 13 Cabana Dr: Coyote + Martin Garrish Backyard Concert, 8 pm. All concerts are sliding scale “pay what you can” at the gate. No reservations. Walk, Bike, Taxi or Tram. NO ON-SITE PARKING but
the venue has a lot nearby. Visit www.coyotemusic.net for details.
DAJIO: Barefoot Wade, 7 pm
Ocracoke Oyster Company: Bryan Mayer, 7:30 pm.

Thursday, July 22
DAJIO: Raygun Ruby, 7 pm

Friday, July 23
Ocracoke Community Library (inside Deepwater Theater), Story and activity, 1 pm
Ocracoke Oyster Company: Barefoot Wade, 7:30 pm.

Saturday, July 24
DAJIO: Kate McNally, 7 pm
Ocracoke Oyster Company: Brooke & Nick, 7:30 pm.

National Park Programs on Ocracoke
The National Park Service Ocracoke Island interpretive programs on Ocracoke have begun with the following scheduled. Unless otherwise stated, these programs are outside the NPS Visitor Center at Pilot Town Road by the south end ferry docks.

Stories of Ocracoke Island
Monday to Friday from 11 to 11:30 a.m. Learn about the location and legacy of Ocracoke Island. From serving as an early port village and primary point of entry to North Carolina to Blackbeard’s final battle, Ocracoke Island possesses a unique heritage resulting from its continued remote setting.

Shaping these barrier islands:
Monday to Friday from 2 to 2:30 p.m.  Wars, hurricanes, winds and ocean currents have all had impacts on the shores of Cape Hatteras.

War Comes to Ocracoke
Every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 4 to 4:30 p.m. Learn about the role Ocracoke Island and the Outer Banks have played in shaping our country’s conflicts.

Ocracoke Island Lighthouse
Tuesday to Friday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit the lighthouse and discuss the details and history of this beautiful beacon. The base of the lighthouse will be staffed and open on dates and times listed above from June 2 through Aug. 13.

Banker Ponies
Every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 10 to 10:45 a.m. at the Pony Pen. Come meet the ponies who once roamed as a wild herd and learn about their living history on Ocracoke Island.

Explore the Shore
Every Wednesday from 9 to 9:45 a.m. Meet outside at the beach access parking area adjacent to the Ocracoke Campground. Take an easy beach walk with a ranger and learn about what calls the beach its home.

Blackbeard’s Pirate Jamboree set for Oct. 29 & 30; scenes from the 2018 event

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Ocracoke Island, like everyone else this year, is climbing out of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the island is also recovering from the flooding devastation wreaked by Hurricane Dorian in 2019.

So, Blackbeard’s Pirate Jamboree will go on Oct. 29 and 30 but will not be at the 2018 level, which was the 300th anniversary of Blackbeard’s demise.

This year, too, the festival will focus on history and colonial life and on family fun and patronizing Ocracoke’s bars and restaurants.

All events are free and will kick off Friday evening with a showing of the 1968 Disney film “Blackbeard’s Ghost,” a film for the whole family, followed by a discussion with historian Kevin Duffus about “Pirates and Fake News in 1718.”

Saturday (Oct. 30) will again feature a colonial village on the grounds of the Berkley Manor along with artisan vendors.

Saturday (Oct. 30) will again feature a colonial village on the grounds of the Berkley Manor along with more than a dozen artisan vendors in Brigands Bazaar from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

All are welcome to join in the Pirate Parade at 10 a.m. from Ride the Wind to Community Square.

Other events will include a pirate ship invading Silver Lake, a three-ship battle, sword-fight demonstrations, sea chanteys and tavern songs, historical displays, a vendor fair and several historical talks.

The event will conclude at 5 p.m. with a memorial service honoring the fallen sailors for both Blackbeard and Lt. Robert Maynard during their fateful battle on Nov. 22, 1718.

See event details here.

The following are scenes from the 2018 event commemorating the 300th anniversary of Blackbeard’s demise.

Lt. Robert Maynard and Blackbeard fight their historic battle on land as high winds canceled the three-ship battle on Silver Lake. Blackbeard kept his head in this battle. Photo by Natasha Jackson
BOOM! ‘El Jefe,’ a historic cannon built by gunfounder Lawrence Campbell, added some big booms to the festival. Photo by Natasha Jackson
Inside the Berkley Barn, where the living history displays were relocated due to inclement weather, Michelle Murillo of ‘Presenting the Past’ explains her artifacts from the infamous pirate town Port Royal. Photo: C. Leinbach
Former Hyde County Commissioner Dick Tunnell, right, meets ‘Jack Sparrow,’ a visitor who declined to reveal his real name. Photo: C. Leinbach
Tom Mason and the Blue Buccaneers sing rowdy pirate songs with the Motley Tones in the Community Center. Photo: C. Leinbach
The memorial service on Springer’s Point on Sunday, led by historian Kevin Duffus, center, honors the fallen sailors for both Blackbeard and Lt. Robert Maynard. Photo: C. Leinbach
Pirate ships fire cannons during the memorial service. Photo: C. Leinbach
decked out Jamboree-goers. Photo: C. Leinbach

The Ocracoke Island Discovery Center opens

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Dave Hallac, superintendent of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore and Mike Barber, public affairs specialist officially open the Ocracoke Island Discovery Center on Ocracoke, NC. Photo: C. Leinbach
Dave Hallac, superintendent of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, and Mike Barber, public affairs specialist officially open the Ocracoke Island Discovery Center. Photo: C. Leinbach

To catch up on Ocracoke news and much more, click here

Ocracoke Observer staff report

The National Park Service Visitor Center, managed by the NPS Cape Hatteras National Seashore (CAHA), has a new look and feel and on Tuesday it was officially renamed the Ocracoke Discovery Center.

Up until Hurricane Dorian, which struck in the island in September 2019, the center, at Irvin Garrish Highway and Pilot Town Road across from the soundside ferry docks, was a hub for those seeking off-road vehicle (ORV) permits, aka beach access permits and information. The center also included an Eastern National park store.

But the hurricane caused severe structural damage shutting the center down for an extended period while it underwent repair work and updated renovations.

Today, the center no longer issues the ORV permits in person because this is done solely online and the store has been closed.

An interactive exhibit. Photo: C. Leinbach

Now, the Discovery Center has a staffed information desk, some exhibits, a slideshow of historic photographs on a large-screen TV, a children’s activity corner and a touch-and-feel table that includes bone replicas of some of the wildlife found on Ocracoke. Some of these are 3-D models that can be handled, and two real items  —  a dolphin skull and a green turtle carapace – cannot be handled.

Permanent interactive exhibits and displays are being created and expected to be installed over the next two years, said David E. Hallac, superintendent of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

“We’re really trying to focus on this idea of barrier island ecology and dynamics,” Hallac said.

Photo: C. Leinbach

Other exhibits are expected to be changed periodically.

Although purchasing beach permits is online only, Hallac said those having trouble getting permits printed can come by and pick up a self-certification dashboard sign.

The Ocracoke Island Discovery Center is open daily from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.

This summer the NPS is providing additional educational activities.

Those taking the passenger ferry to Ocracoke have an opportunity to hear a presentation by a park ranger on the island’s history and an overall introduction, said Matthew Hall, supervisor of interpretation.

Photo by the NPS

Outside of the center, NPS staff presents a series of interpretive programs on Ocracoke. Here is the schedule:

Stories of Ocracoke Island
Monday to Friday from 11 to 11:30 a.m. Learn about the location and legacy of Ocracoke Island. From serving as an early port village and primary point of entry to North Carolina to Blackbeard’s final battle, Ocracoke Island possesses a unique heritage resulting from its continued remote setting.

Shaping these barrier islands:
Monday to Friday from 2 to 2:30 p.m.  Wars, hurricanes, winds and ocean currents have all had impacts on the shores of Cape Hatteras.

War Comes to Ocracoke
Every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 4 to 4:30 p.m. Learn about the role Ocracoke Island and the Outer Banks have played in shaping our country’s conflicts.

Elsewhere on the island:

Ocracoke Island Lighthouse
Tuesday to Friday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit the lighthouse and discuss the details and history of this beautiful beacon. The base of the lighthouse will be staffed and open on dates and times listed above from June 2 through Aug. 13.

Banker Ponies
Every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 10 to 10:45 a.m. at the Pony Pen. Come meet the ponies who once roamed as a wild herd and learn about their living history on Ocracoke Island.

Explore the Shore
Every Wednesday from 9 to 9:45 a.m. Meet outside at the beach access parking area adjacent to the Ocracoke Campground. Take an easy beach walk with a ranger and learn about what calls the beach its home.

Ocracoke to celebrate ‘A Day for Phyllis’–updated

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Phyllis Wall, right, with her best friend the late Vickie Cobb. Photo by Candice Cobb

Update: Due to the rain, this remembrance has been moved to the Community Square dock

Ocracoke will remember former island resident Phyllis Ann Wall, 85, who died on Sunday, July 18, in Winchester, Virginia, in the evening of Wednesday, July 28.

“A Day for Phyllis” will start at 6 p.m. with a gathering on the lawn Books to Be Red where all are invited to share a favorite
story or a song. Bring your own seating.

Immediately following the gathering will be a procession of golf carts/bikes to the second bridge on Oyster Creek where you are invited to throw flower petals into the canal in front of the house that was Phyllis’
home for over 40 years.

Further details are in the flyer below.

Former islander Phyllis Wall: 1936 to 2021

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Phyllis Wall: 1936 to 2021. Photo courtesy of the family.

Former islander Phyllis Ann Wall, 85, died on Sunday, July 18, in Winchester, Virginia.

Born Feb. 11, 1936, in Minnesota, Phyllis was a daughter of the late Allen and Josephine Gow. After marrying John Wall in college, they eventually settled in New Jersey with their two children Craig and Claudia. There, Phyllis thrived in community theater and off-Broadway productions. Tennis and golf rounded out her favorite activities.

When John retired in 1991, they moved to their summer home on Ocracoke Island. Phyllis became involved in many activities and island events, weaving herself into the hearts of the islanders.

A gregarious soul, Phyllis never met a stranger, only new friends.

Her Ocracoke friends recall her riding around the village in the firetruck enthusiastically announcing Bingo nights, always being one of the first in line at any community gathering, and she never forgot to send villagers a card on their birthdays. 

Phyllis also is one of the voice-overs you frequently hear on the island radio station WOVV 90.1 FM.

Her best friend was the late Vickie Cobb, who famously ran the “Cobb House,” a boarding house for young women who came to the island to work in the summers. 

Phyllis and Vickie loved to sit on the porch and giggle at the stories the girls would relay to them about their wild nights. 

A long-time board member of the Ocracoke Friends of the Library, Phyllis was a generous patron to the many nonprofits and art efforts on the island.

She was a faithful attendee of the Ladies-who-Lunch group.

“We will certainly miss so many things about Phyllis,” said Leslie Monticone. “Her smile was contagious. Her laugh, unforgettable and her heart was as big as the ocean!  How lucky we all are to have had her in our lives.”

After becoming widowed in 1997, Phyllis traveled the world with some close friends, visiting Italy, Ireland and snorkeling in Jamaica.

Craig moved in with her in 2012 in poor health, and she devoted her life to caring for him. The island had surrounded her with love when she mourned John and did so again after her son died in 2018.

In February 2021, as her health declined, Phyllis moved to a retirement community near her daughter in Winchester, Virginia. She enjoyed lunches out, trivia with other residents, and seeing her grandchildren. After a brief illness, she passed peacefully.

She is deeply missed by her daughter Claudia and husband Michael Stacey; her grandchildren, Marcel Lachance, Beau Lachance, Aline Dias, and their spouses; and Megan Wall. She is also survived by one great-grandchild, Bella Lachance.

Donations may be made in Phyllis’ name to the National Adrenal Diseases Foundation.

There’s magic in these felt creations

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Carol Bullard with her ‘wee beasties,’ an elephant and a frog lost-tooth holder. Photo: C. Leinbach

Text and photos by Connie Leinbach

Ocracoke is magical to many and now it has fairies to prove it.
These are “Fairy Stitches,” small, hand-sewn felt creations by islander Carol Bullard, who also wears other hats as many do on Ocracoke.
Bullard, who studied art in college, is known for her photography skills. She and her husband, John, are the assistant innkeeper and innkeeper, respectively, of the Castle B&B.
Bullard, one of several island artists, hails from Whitburn, Scotland.
In her still thick but charming Scottish accent, she related how she creates her “wee beasties” out of felt.
An artist who felt insecure about her drawing and painting, Bullard got into photography at college in Manchester, England. She participated in the exchange program the school offered and chose ECU, where, during the first week, she met John.
“It was love at first sight,” she said about the couple, who with their son, Tommy, for seven years lived on a houseboat docked at Community Square.
She did bead jewelry to feed her artistic need prior to living on the boat. A few years after moving to Ocracoke, she dis- covered the Ocracoke Needle & Thread Club and learned quilting from them. That led her to making felt items, which phased out the beading.
One day she saw a bunch of felt on sale in an Avon pharmacy and bought all of it.
“It could be a convenient little hobby on a boat,” she said about the impulse.
Using three stitches -– blanket, back and running stitches — she started first with owls and then “animals that are cute,” such as “teddy cats,” as she calls them.

“Teddy Cat” pins. Photo: C. Leinbach

“I’m obsessed with owls,” she said. “When I was a kid, collecting owls was my mum’s hobby.”
Barn and snowy owls are Bullard’s favorites.
These days, Whitburn, along the River Almond in Scotland, has an owl center, which Bullard visits whenever she goes back to see her family.
She does drawings first of her ideas, many of which she posts on her Instagram account “Fairy Stiches,” but she doesn’t yet do online sales. She has sold her work in island shops and other times at local vendor fairs, such as Ocrafolk and the holiday gift bazaar.
Now, she’s in her tenth year creating felt Christmas ornaments, pins, lost-tooth holders and more.
A new twist two years ago was the creation of “dollies,” as she calls them.
“And it came out right the first time,” she said. “OK. I love these.”
Her latest doll creations take after medieval upper class and royalty.
“I spent a good deal of time this winter researching medieval costume,” she said, as she pointed out a white headdress, called a hennin, on one of her dolls.
“They were in fashion in the 1400s across Europe,” she said.
If she’s not creating art, Bullard gets depressed, she said, and her “fairy stitches” fill that need.
“I really like tiny, tiny things,” she said about her work.
Others do, too, as evidenced by how quickly she sold almost all of her wares during this year’s Ocrafolk Festival in June.
“They’re so fun,” said customer Erica Fedor of Winston-Salem, who with her boyfriend Max Messinger sported Bullard’s felt pins. “They make my heart happy.”

Bullard’s ‘dollies’ are fashioned after medieval ladies. Photo: C. Leinbach

Schedule for Fig Festival on Ocracoke Aug. 5 to 7 announced

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The following is the schedule of events for the Fig Festival on Ocracoke Aug. 5 to 7 at the Ocracoke Preservation Society museum and the Berkley Barn.

Groundbreaking set for new mainland substation

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A drawing of a new Lake Comfort substation along N.C. Highway 94, the road that runs across Lake Mattamuskeet towards Fairfield.

The Swan Quarter Volunteer Fire Department (SQVFD) will hold a groundbreaking ceremony at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 17, at the site of their proposed new Lake Comfort Substation at 149 NC Highway 94.

Following the groundbreaking, the SQVFD will celebrate their 50th anniversary with an open house beginning at noon at their 25 Oyster Creek Rd., Swan Quarter.

The open house will include a short presentation followed by refreshments.

Plans for the new substation will be on display. Visitors are encouraged to walk through the current facility and to inspect the department’s equipment fleet that will be on display outside. SQVFD members and volunteers will be on hand to answer questions.

The fire department is building the new substation to improve its response time in the vast mainland area. Once the substation is completed and rated by the NC Office of the State Fire Marshal, homeowners and businesses in that area will see a reduction in their insurance premiums. 

Also, since this substation will be closer to Fairfield and Engelhard, volunteers will be able to respond quicker to any mutual aid requests.

The public is invited to attend both events.

Oceana to hold Shark Week online event on Thursday

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From our news services

This week is the ocean’s top predator’s special week – Shark Week —  and Oceana, the Georgia Aquarium, El Porto Shark and the Great Plains Restoration Council will celebrate #SharkWeek2021 with an online event at 2 p.m. Thursday, “Shark Stories: Going Below the Surface!”
Expert panelists will share shark stories, insights and expertise with viewers as they shine a light on these ocean apex predators.

This online event will feature stunning shark photography and videos to help us learn why sharks are important to the ocean, and about threats to their survival, and ways you can take action to protect them.
Whether you are a shark fanatic, shark-curious, or wary of sharks, we hope you can join us!

Register at: https://bit.ly/SharkStories2021.

Randy Sturgill, Oceana senior field representative, Wilmington, offers the following commentary about sharks:

As families tune in for this annual summer tradition, it’s important to remember that sharks are in trouble. 

A study published earlier this year in Nature found that global oceanic shark and ray populations have declined by more than 70% over the last 50 years, with overfishing as the primary cause.

The demand for shark fins incentivizes overfishing and shark finning, the cruel and wasteful practice of removing a shark’s fins at sea and throwing them back where it drowns, starves to death, or is eaten alive by other fish.

Fins from as many as 73 million sharks end up in the market every year.

Just as rhino and elephant populations have declined due to the demand for their horns and tusks, the shark fin trade jeopardizes the continued survival of many shark populations. 

Although shark finning is illegal in U.S. waters, fins can still be bought and sold throughout much of the United States. These fins, often imported from countries that have inadequate protections in place for sharks. 

In June, the Senate passed bipartisan legislation to ban the buying and selling of shark fins in the United States.

Now it’s time for the House to make it a reality.  The House already showed its support when it passed this bill in the last Congress, but we’re now calling on them again.

The demand for shark fins is decimating shark populations, and the United States must do its part to help protect them.   Join me in calling on congress to pass the Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act (H.R. 2811) and officially remove the United States from the shark fin trade once and for all. We need a fin ban now.  

Oceanic whitetip shark, Cat Island Bahamas, Photo courtesy of Oceana.

Ocracoke events July 12 to 18

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Beautiful big blooms on Ocracoke. Photo: C. Leinbach

To catch up on Ocracoke news and much more, click here

Monday, July 12
Friends of the Library Used Book Sale, Ocracoke Community Library (inside Deepwater Theater), 3 to 7 pm Monday through Friday; 9 am to 1 pm Saturday. Summer program: Family story & craft, 6 pm.

Tuesday, July 13
Ocracoke Preservation Society Porch Talk: Philip Howard – Ocracoke Q&A

Coyote Music Den, 13 Cabana Dr: Coyote Backyard Concert, 8 pm.  All concerts are sliding scale “pay what you can” at the gate. No reservations. Walk, Bike, Taxi or Tram. NO ON-SITE PARKING but the venue has a lot nearby. Visit www.coyotemusic.net for details.

DAJIO: John Gilbride, 7 pm

Ocracoke Oyster Company: Barefoot Wade, 7:30 pm.

Wednesday, July 14
Ocracoke Community Library (inside Deepwater Theater), Baby, Toddler & Preschool story time, 10 am

Coyote Music Den, 13 Cabana Dr: Coyote + Martin Garrish Backyard Concert, 8 pm. All concerts are sliding scale “pay what you can” at the gate. No reservations. Walk, Bike, Taxi or Tram. NO ON-SITE PARKING but the venue has a lot nearby. Visit www.coyotemusic.net for details.

DAJIO: Barefoot Wade, 7 pm

Thursday, July 15
DAJIO: Raygun Ruby, 7 pm

Community Store Porch: 30Three, 7 pm. Weather dependent

Ocracoke Oyster Company: Nic, 7:30 pm.

Friday, July 16
Ocracoke Community Library (inside Deepwater Theater), Story and activity, 1 pm

The Breeze: 70 West, 9 pm

Ocracoke Oyster Company: Willis Gupton, 7:30 pm.

Saturday, July 17
DAJIO: Kate McNally, 7 pm

Ocracoke Oyster Co.: Willis Gupton, 7:30 pm.

National Park Service talks on Ocracoke

The NPS meeting area at the Visitors Center is where programs are held. Photo: C. Leinbach

The National Park Service Ocracoke Island interpretive programs on Ocracoke have begun with the following scheduled. Unless otherwise stated, these programs are outside the NPS Visitor Center at Pilot Town Road by the south end ferry docks.

Stories of Ocracoke Island
Monday to Friday from 11 to 11:30 a.m. Learn about the location and legacy of Ocracoke Island. From serving as an early port village and primary point of entry to North Carolina to Blackbeard’s final battle, Ocracoke Island possesses a unique heritage resulting from its continued remote setting.

Shaping these barrier islands:
Monday to Friday from 2 to 2:30 p.m.  Wars, hurricanes, winds and ocean currents have all had impacts on the shores of Cape Hatteras.

War Comes to Ocracoke
Every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 4 to 4:30 p.m. Learn about the role Ocracoke Island and the Outer Banks have played in shaping our country’s conflicts.

Ocracoke Island Lighthouse
Tuesday to Friday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit the lighthouse and discuss the details and history of this beautiful beacon. The base of the lighthouse will be staffed and open on dates and times listed above from June 2 through Aug. 13.

Banker Ponies
Every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 10 to 10:45 a.m. at the Pony Pen. Come meet the ponies who once roamed as a wild herd and learn about their living history on Ocracoke Island.

Explore the Shore
Every Wednesday from 9 to 9:45 a.m. Meet outside at the beach access parking area adjacent to the Ocracoke Campground. Take an easy beach walk with a ranger and learn about what calls the beach its home.

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