A desire to help fellow artists has spurred the opening of a new gallery on Ocracoke.
Owned by Lori Rich, Ocracoke Lighthouse Gallery, along Lighthouse Road in the shadow of the Ocracoke lighthouse, showcases driftwood art, porcelain sculptures and Lori’s sea glass jewelry, maple syrup and fig preserves.
A soft opening will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 25.
Lori, a silversmith, creates jewelry using beach glass she found mostly on Ocracoke.
“I find inspiration walking along the sandy beaches collecting sea glass, shells and other found items that I incorporate into my art jewelry pieces,” she said.
Rough, deep burgundy pieces are “fire glass,” she said.
“People will have beach fires and throw glass into them,” she said.
Lori Rich’s beach glass jewelry.
Some of the glass in these pieces is old since, as she said, she’s been collecting beach glass for 50 years.
Rich and her husband, Keith, spend four months each year in Vermont where they harvest maple syrup and work on their taxidermy. Lori specializes in fish and Keith waterfowl.
The shed, which houses their work, was going to just be for taxidermy but friends asked her if she would showcase their art.
So, three fourths of the space is devoted to a gallery, showcasing her jewelry and three artists from Belhaven.
Some of Dell Tolan’s works.
Bill Hohl creates art from driftwood and makes porcelain sculptures. He created the shelves and display pedestals in the gallery. He was a multimedia artist for over 20 years and had his own gallery with his late wife in Seagrove, Randolph County. Since moving to Belhaven he has been concentrating his artistic talents towards driftwood art.
Some of Hohl’s late wife’s pottery also is displayed.
Buck Radcliffe finds interesting driftwood pieces and transforms them. He was a boatbuilder in the family business for many years and after a life-changing event decided to shift his talents towards Driftwood art.
Radcliffe has been collecting driftwood for many years and teamed up with Hohl to collect many types of driftwood cypress, oak and cedar among them. Radcliffe also created the shelves in the gallery from wood salvaged from old boats.
“Two years ago, I saw his work and really liked it and wanted to get him exposure over here,” Lori said.
Hohl’s and Radcliffe’s works are high-end, so Rich brought Dell Tolan on board with smaller tabletop sculptures and wall art from driftwood, some of which comes from all over the world.
There are many opportunities to buy carvings by island artisans, and Rich wanted to make sure her wood pieces don’t compete with local offerings.
In addition to preserving a person’s prize fish with taxidermy, she also restores old taxidermy.
The gallery is open by appointment by calling Lori at 802-282-8252.
Another inside view of the gallery.
Lori Rich outside her Ocracoke Lighthouse Gallery on Lighthouse Road.
A cache of driftwood awaiting transformation into art.
Jesse Davis, the Ocracoke Observer’s graphic designer, Connie Leinbach, editor/co-publisher, and Peter Vankevich, co-publisher, at the NCPA annual conference Sept. 18. Photo by Paul Jones
The Ocracoke Observer won three awards in the annual N.C. Press Association editorial contest, announced at the annual convention Sept. 18 in Cary.
Last year, it won first-place prize in this category.
Editorials are written by Observer co-publishers Peter Vankevich and Connie Leinbach, editor.
In addition to the editorial awards, Leinbach won third place for feature writing for her story about Jonathan Zoesman’s visit to Ocracoke in his “Arctic Tesla Film” vehicle.
Additionally, the Observer’s designer, Jesse Davis of Manteo, won first place for the second consecutive year in the Magazine division for his work on the quarterly publication “Milepost,” published in Kill Devil Hills.
Although the Observer prints a monthly issue 10 times a year, it competes in the online division in the press association’s annual contest.
It has won more than 60 awards, many in first place, since joining the N.C. Press Association in 2015 and entering the contest starting in 2016.
Some highlights are first place for General Excellence for Websites in its division in 2021and first place in breaking news coverage for its Hurricane Dorian reporting.
Judging is done by newspaper staff from another state.
NCPA’s annual contest is one of the largest in the country, with over 3,500 entries submitted in 2023 from more than 125 newspapers and news organizations.
Founded in 1873, the nonprofit N.C. Press Association is one of the oldest and largest journalism trade organizations in the nation, established to protect First Amendment freedoms, promote the business interests of North Carolina newspapers and maintain high standards in the industry.
To view all of the NCPA members’ wins, click here.
The Ocracoke Seafood Company (AKA ‘The Fish House’) is the heart of commercial fishing on Ocracoke. Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer
By Connie Leinbach and Sam Walker
Leaders from 15 coastal counties in North Carolina met for the first time in Morehead City in August as part of the newly formed Coastal Counties Fisheries Coalition.
Formed on the heels of the defeat in late June of House Bill 442, which would have banned inshore shrimp trawling, the group was created to allow North Carolina’s coastal region to address critical issues related to commercial fishing with a unified voice.
Daniel Brinn, Hyde County’s water and flood control coordinator, is representing Hyde County, said Randal Mathews, Hyde County Board of Commissioners chair, who also attended the meeting.
“We’re unifying the commercial advocacy groups,” he said, “and this coalition is going to be the political voice at the legislature for advocating commercial fishing. We need to make it so they’re not pitting recreational fishermen against commercial fishermen, because that’s what they’re doing.”
The recreational fishing industry claims they are worth a lot more than the commercial fishing industry, he said.
“They’re just totally negating the fact that look at all the people buying the seafood, and the wholesale and the retail market,” Mathews said.
Mathews said Hyde County will stay on top of this issue because commercial fishing is about 20% of the county’s economy.
The meeting drew a strong turnout, with over 100 attendees, including state senators, house members and legislative staff—a clear indication of the broad interest in coastal fisheries issues in North Carolina.
Dare County Board of Commissioners Chairman Bob Woodard will serve as chairman, with Dare County providing administrative and legal support. The coalition will operate as a public body, with participating counties appointing an official representative. All meetings will be open to the public, with advance notice provided to ensure transparency.
“This coalition is more than just a partnership—it’s a united front dedicated to preserving their livelihoods, honoring their heritage and ensuring that this way of life endures for generations to come,” Woodard said.
Several speakers at the meeting shared powerful accounts of how proposed regulations in House Bill 442—a ban on inshore shrimp trawling, which was defeated—would have devastated their livelihoods and the state’s fishing communities.
There was also an emphasis on the need to educate North Carolinians throughout the state about the value of the commercial fishing industry, the people who sustain it and the conservation measures already in place to protect marine resources.
“ ‘Hot spots’ on NC12. Graphic from the NC12 Task Force
The Ocracoke Access Alliance (OAA) has formed to push for greater state and federal investment in ferry services, NC-12, and other critical infrastructure that ensures safe and reliable access.
The following is the first of a series of articles by Justin LeBlanc, executive director of Ocracoke Access Alliance
On a clear morning, NC Highway 12 looks deceptively simple: a two-lane strip of pavement threading along oceanside dunes and sound side marsh, carrying visitors in their cars & trucks, supplies, and residents to doctor’s appointments and other errands along near the entire length Ocracoke Island. But after every storm surge, every nor’easter, and every king tide that chews into its edges, the community is reminded that this road is more than asphalt. It is Ocracoke’s only highway, its economic artery, its emergency lifeline. And it’s not just the Ocracoke hotspot that affects our community, all of NC-12’s hotspots from Oregon Inlet to Ocracoke affect our island’s accessibility.
So when talk turns to relocating portions of the road away from erosion hotspots, most islanders nod. The urgency is obvious. But urgency doesn’t shorten the path a project must take before it becomes reality.
From sand to state house Unlike patching potholes or pushing sand off the pavement, moving a highway is not a maintenance job—it’s a new project. And in North Carolina, new projects face a gauntlet of planning steps before they see a dime of construction money. And even after they do.
For the Outer Banks, the first stop is The Albermarle Commission, the designated Rural Planning Organization (RPO) for Hyde and other local counties. This small but influential body represents Hyde County and other eastern counties too rural to have their own metropolitan planning organizations.
Local governments, NCDOT Division 1 staff, and even community groups can float project ideas. But before they advance, the RPO must evaluate each one — scoring Highway 12 relocation alongside other proposals ranging from bridge replacements to safety upgrades. Criteria include safety, cost-effectiveness, and how well a project matches local priorities.
“If the RPO doesn’t put its points on the project, it’s basically dead on arrival,” said one former state transportation staffer familiar with the process. Good news for Ocracoke, Hyde County Commissioner Randal Mathews is the Albemarle Commission Co-Chair.
The Numbers Game Once the RPO puts its weight behind a project, the proposal moves into the Strategic Prioritization (SPOT) process, where NCDOT analysts crunch the numbers. The scoring system weighs hard data—like traffic counts, crash history, and benefit–cost ratios—against the political weight of “local input points” assigned by RPOs and NCDOT divisions.
Highway 12 relocation would likely fall into the Division Needs or Regional Impact category, competing with dozens of other projects across eastern North Carolina. That means its fate depends not only on how fragile NC-12 hotspots may be, but also how it stacks up against pressing needs in places like Elizabeth City or Beaufort County.
“It’s not that the state doesn’t recognize Ocracoke’s challenges,” explained a transportation advocate. “But every project is fighting for the same limited pot of money.”
The STIP: A 10-Year Roadmap The ultimate gatekeeper is the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), North Carolina’s 10-year blueprint for roads, bridges, ferries, and more. Updated every two years, the STIP determines what gets built—and what gets left waiting.
For Highway 12 hotspots, inclusion in the STIP is non-negotiable. Without it, the project cannot tap state or federal dollars for design or construction.
Draft versions of the STIP are released for public comment, giving Ocracoke residents a chance to weigh in before the N.C. Board of Transportation signs off on the final plan. The current 2026-2035 STIP does not include NC-12 hotspots. Public comment on a new 2028-2037 STIP began this summer. The Pea Island Visitor’s Center is proposed in the Draft 2028-2037 STIP but has not yet been scored by the Albemarle Commission.
A Long Haul for a Short Road For locals, the process can feel painfully slow. Each new breach of Highway 12 after a storm only sharpens the sense of vulnerability. Businesses reliant on tourism, families who depend on the school bus, and patients traveling to mainland hospitals all understand what’s at stake.
Yet the rules of the road are clear: no STIP, no project.
As one longtime Ocracoke resident put it, “The ocean doesn’t wait on Raleigh. But we have to.”
After the STIP: The Real Work Begins But even once a project makes the cut, the journey is far from over. Securing a slot in the STIP is only the first checkpoint. The next steps—funding, design, right-of-way acquisition, environmental review, and construction—can take years.
First, NCDOT must allocate actual funding from its annual budgets to move the project forward, often juggling inflationary costs and competing commitments. Alternatively, the project might get funding from federal grants or congressionally directed spending (formerly known as earmarks). Then, engineers begin the painstaking work of drawing up detailed plans, modeling storm impacts, and ensuring the new alignment meets safety and durability standards.
Land acquisition presents its own hurdles. Negotiating with the National Park Service and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for right-of-way adjustments can add delays. At the same time, projects must undergo environmental review under state and federal law—a significant factor given the island’s sensitive habitats, endangered species, and national seashore designation. This review can vary from almost nothing (a categorical exclusion) to a full-blown, multi-year Environmental Impact Statement depending on the scale and scope of the project.
Only after all of that is cleared can actual construction begin, a stage that itself can stretch over multiple seasons as crews battle weather windows and the logistics of moving materials and equipment by ferry.
In short, securing a project in the STIP is the start of the process not the end. The time to start is now.
The Windfall II sails in the sunset. Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer
Tuesday, Sept. 16: Ocracoke School middle school and varsity volleyball are home vs. Columbia. The MS game will begin at 4 pm and the varsity game will play after that around 5:30 pm. Canceled
Ocracoke Civic & Business Association, 6 pm. Community Center. See agenda below.
MiniBar at Ocracoke Coffee, 6-8 pm: Family games night
Wednesday, Sept. 17: Roanoke Island Animal Clinic sees patients in the Community Center. Appointments: 252-473-3117.
Ocracoke School home middle school soccer game vs. Mattamuskeet at 4 pm. Community ballfield.
Ocracoke School cross country team will host a community 5K at 6 pm. Middle school students and adults are welcome to come run and race against the high school team. Meet at the entrance of South Point Rd. around 5:45 pm.
Ocracoke Waterways Commission, 6:30 pm. Community Center. Canceled. The next meeting will be Oct. 15.
MiniBar at Ocracoke Coffee, 6-8 pm: Karaoke
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Thursday, Sept. 18 MiniBar at Ocracoke Coffee, 6-8 pm: Brooke & Nick
Friday, Sept. 19 MiniBar at Ocracoke Coffee, 6-8 pm: Kate McNally
Saturday, Sept. 20 Down Creek Gallery: Jewelry show and sale with Loli from Sea Gypsy Handcrafted of Corolla. She uses all natural elements from the beach in her copper, bronze, and sterling jewelry. 11 am to 2 pm.
Clam Chowder Cookoff, 4 to 5:30 pm. Ocracoke Community Center. All welcome to taste the chowders and vote for $10.
Sunday, Sept. 21 Church services: Ocracoke United Methodist Church, 11 am Ocracoke Life Saving Church, 11 am Stella Maris Chapel: Sunday Mass time at 4:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Go to Masstimes.org and type in the zip code: 27960, but refresh your browsers for it to work properly.
Clam Chowder aficionados taste the chowders at the 2023 event. this year’s cookoff will be from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Sept. 20 in the Ocracoke Community Center
The Ocracoke Community Pool Association will hold a Clam Chowder Cookoff from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 20, in the Ocracoke Community Center.
The fundraising event will follow the group’s successful closing on Sept. 19 of a 1.4-acre property on which to build their long-sought community pool, said Ruth Toth, board president.
The location and details will be announced at the cookoff on Sept. 20.
Tasting for $10 per person will be from 4 to 5:30 p.m. for two categories: traditional Ocracoke style and innovative.
A people’s choice ballots will decide who is awarded the top prizes.
There also will be a raffle and Pool Association T-shirts for sale.
Toth said there will be 12 chowders to taste that she is still accepting chowder entries if there’s room. Call her at 252-588-2226.
After forming in 2023, through aggressive fundraising the pool association has garnered enough money for a down payment on the selected property.
“We were able to put $75,000 towards it, from the from the money we’d raised and from donations,” she said. “That gave us a nice down payment and closing costs.”
The donations have come from all over, she said, including people who “just thought it was worth supporting, and they took a chance on us, and hopefully they’ll be very pleased that they did.”
It’s been over 10 years since swimming lessons were conducted by the Ocracoke Youth Center, Toth said. They were the last ones to offer it.
Island hotel pools have declined to allow swimming instruction saying insurance liability only covers their guests.
And the Pamlico Sound is not suitable for large-scale swimming instruction.
Toth said that water safety instruction for children from ages of one and four decrease their chances of drowning by 88%.
This just in (Sept. 16) from the NCDOT Facebook page: With ferry service between Hatteras and Ocracoke now resuming, we are reopening NC12 on the north end of Ocracoke Island at 9:30 a.m. Please drive slowly and with extreme caution as there will likely be areas of sand and water on the roadway.
From our news services
Over this weekend, a non-tropical coastal low developed off the Outer Banks, resulting in significant weather-related disruptions. This storm breached the protective berm, causing overwash and sand to be deposited onto N.C. Highway 12 at the north end of Ocracoke Island.
As a result, hazardous driving conditions have emerged, leading to the closure of the highway from the Pony Pens to the Ocracoke Ferry Terminal. The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) is scheduled to assess the conditions on Tuesday morning and will provide updates accordingly.
Due to the highway closure, the Hatteras Island Ferry Service is suspended until the road is reopened. For the latest information on ferry services, you can contact the Ferry Service Hotline at 252-996-6000.
The adverse weather conditions were disruptive. High winds managed to dislodge a portion of a modular home yesterday from its trailer on the Basnight Bridge, which spans the Oregon Inlet. This caused a temporary closure of the bridge as crews worked diligently to clear debris amidst the challenging high wind conditions. All lanes were reopened by yesterday afternoon.
Hatteras Island also faced challenges with standing water and sand accumulations reported in northern Buxton and near Hatteras Village, particularly exacerbated during the high tide cycle. Pea Island experienced similar conditions, while Ocracoke saw some minor flooding in the village, which may recur around the next high tide today at 4 p.m.
Travelers in the Buxton area are urged to slow down and exercise caution, as saltwater exposure can cause damage to vehicles.
A wind advisory remains in effect until tonight (Sept. 16), with sustained northeast winds exceeding 20 mph, leading to hazardous marine conditions.
Ocracoke will continue to experience cloudy skies with temperatures hovering around 70 degrees.
The National Weather Service is monitoring a coastal low and the potential for coastal flooding along portions of the Outer Banks, the Pamlico Sound, and areas along the Neuse and Bay Rivers that will last through Tuesday evening.
It is expected to bring rain, thunder storms, windy conditions, rough surf, the possibility of minor overwash and deadly rip currents.
Winds from the northeast of 20 to 30 mph, with higher gusts, are possible through early Tuesday that could temporarily shut down ferry service
Inundation of one to two feet will be possible for oceanside Hatteras and Ocracoke Island, as well as soundside Core Banks and the Neuse and Bay Rivers.
A High Surf Advisory is also in effect from Hatteras Island north for minor beach erosion and ocean overwash due to large breaking waves of 6-9 feet in the surf zone.
The fig cake array before they are judged. Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer
By Connie Leinbach
As the fig cake judges were sampling the entries in the Fig Festival Cake Bake-off competition in the Berkley Barn, Kristi Reichard was already contemplating her entry for next year.
Reichard was the winner again this year in the innovative category of the bake-off, the signature event of the annual Fig Festival.
All entries are numbered for the blind tasting and the winners’ names are revealed after the judges have chosen.
Her pistachio fig cake bombs topped the other 12 entries in that category.
Kristi Reichard with her top winning pistachio fig bombs. Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer
“There were so many different visions at play in this category,” said one of the judges, John Simmins, “but when we saw these pistachio bombs, they really just blew our pants off.”
The green cakes had a white cake bottom layer infused with fig simple syrup, topped by a layer of fig preserves and fresh figs and topped with a pistachio cheesecake dome with a fig center and covered in white chocolate ganache.
“I have a competitive streak,” Reichard said as she and her family watched the judging, but this event is the only one she competes in. “This (contest) is just fun.”
Reichard won the innovative category in 2023 and was tied with Michele Thornell for first place last year.
Islander Debbie Leonard came in second this year with her fig cupcakes.
In the seafood category, three entries were judged by guest chef Dean Neff.
He chose “Figalicious pickled shrimp” in a jar by Cindy Davia of Beaufort, Carteret County.
“This was surprising,” he said about the dish. “It caught me off guard and it was just delicious.”
This was Davia’s first win.
“I had a recipe for some pickled shrimp, and I just reinvented it because I like things that are kind of the savory-sweet, and it just came to me,” she said.
Her grandson Walker Raeburn, 12, and his friend Brayden Morris, 7, both of Beaufort, captured first place in the youth entries with a strawberry fig preserves cake with lemon cream icing.
Walker Raeburn and Brayden Morris with their winning cake in the youth division. Photo by Tina Rucker
Walker has been baking fig cakes since 2019, winning first place in 2021 and second place in 2019.
In the traditional category, Thornell of Emerald Isle captured the top prize out of four entries.
Second-year fig preserves entrant Angela Cox of Darlington won top honors for her jalapeno preserves, judged in a people’s choice way on Friday evening.
It was the second time her preserves won.
“It surprised me,” she said, noting that these preserves are popular at home. “I can’t make them fast enough.”
Next year, she will have a booth at the festival.
A fig barbecue sauce by B.J. Beasley captured first place.
Fest goers who want to taste the preserves pay a nominal fee to do so and proceeds of that go toward a new Ocracoke School scholarship in honor of the late John Simpson, who, with his partner Trudy Austin, enjoyed making fig preserves and fig barbecue sauce, for which he won prizes.
Festival Organizer Sundae Horn said more than $2,200 from the barbecue sauce tasting and festival proceeds will go toward the scholarship.
She was happy with the three-day event that began with a fig dinner on Thursday night, featuring fig-smoked Cheshire pork ribs with hot sorghum and pickled figs by Neff.
Although a downpour hit the area Friday evening, outdoor events, such as a staging of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by the nonprofit Mended Wing Theater Company, under whose aegis the event occurred, went on inside the Berkley Barn.
Among the festival volunteers were Debbie Leonard, who created the fig fest dinner dessert of a snickerdoodle fig cookie with vanilla ice cream on top and fig caramel sauce with candied pecans.
Sara and Mark Hannum and Margaret Siegal helped each day, Horn said.
Next year’s festival will be Aug. 7 to 8.
Angela Cox with her winning fig jalapeno preserves. Photo: C. Leinbach
Guest chef Dean Neff awaits judging the seafood fig entries. Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer
Playing Possum were among the bands performing during the festival. Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer
Fig expert Chester Lynn sold out of fig tree saplings. Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer
A ‘fig-for-all’ after the judging when everyone can test the entries. Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer
Part of Sara and Mark Hannum’s volunteer duties involved tasing cakes as judges. Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer
The Ocracoke Seafood Company is the heart of the commercial fishing industry on Ocracoke. Photo: C. Leinbach/Ocracoke Observer
In June, House Bill 442 in the N.C. General Assembly originally sought to expand the commercial and recreational fishing season for flounder and red snapper, which was widely praised.
But the Senate tacked on an amendment to prohibit shrimp trawling within a half mile of North Carolina’s coast. It passed and went back to the House Rules Committee.
Days before the Legislature was to recess for the summer, hundreds of commercial fishermen and others descended on Raleigh to protest this bill, and the Rules Committee decided not to move the bill, effectively ending it.
By Susie O’Neal
We know through studies published in the N.C. State Economist and N.C. SeaGrant that commercial fishing provides 300 million dollars of economic impact and over 5,500 jobs to our state.
The N.C. State study was published in 2021. It is likely more than that now.
We know that North Carolina has one of the most regulated and sustainable commercial fishing industries in the country and by extension the world.
Every species of fish, every size, every location, every type of gear used is tracked. N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries was created solely for this purpose.
They control the factors they can control such as pounds of fish caught and areas of marine environment open or closed to fishing.
They cannot control other factors such as stormwater and agricultural runoff or water-quality issues affected by development.
We also know that people vacationing in eastern North Carolina, as well as inland, expect and deserve to eat delicious NC Seafood. Most of them get it through our restaurants and markets. Seafood is central to NC’s tourism industry — a $36 billion-a-year industry.
But it is more than that.
There are intangible ways commercial fishing affects eastern North Carolina and communities like Ocracoke that developed around it.
Every aspect in the making of Ocracoke has been tied to the sea, from the original pilots guiding three- and four-masted schooners through the inlet who decided to stay and settle here to the men lightering those vessels and moving those goods to ports inland.
Then, there were the fish camps where, like the indigenous people, men and women camped on the shore for weeks at a time drying and salting mullet and mackerel.
There were seafaring men who left Ocracoke to work on ships, dredges and tugboats up and down the East Coast.
They came home for births and deaths and storms, always coming and going by the water. Women, resolute, remained tending children and gardens and watching for storms that might do damage or bring menfolk home.
Men onshore patrolled the beaches to rescue other sailors and salvage ships — the future Coast Guard. Ocracoke men captained mailboats and acted as hunting and fishing guides.
There is a direct line from our history to commercial fishing today.
These are men who grow up on boats: Coming and going on the water — not big oceanic trawlers, but skiffs and small offshore vessels catching Blues and Spanish, Mullet and Drumfish in the ocean and Pamlico Sound.
They watch out for each other and feed the thousands of people who flock to Ocracoke and inland.
Many people come to Ocracoke and feel its magic but are not sure where it comes from.
The magic of Ocracoke comes from our history on the water: boats going out; boats returning — the resilience of enduring.
We had a close call recently with the amendment snuck on to House Bill 442 at the end of June.
And we will again with special interests who want to own the Pamlico Sound and sea.
The water surrounding Ocracoke contains our history and to lose commercial fishing would take away the magic that is Ocracoke.
