Si vous cherchez un lieu de vacances d’été pour profiter du soleil et d’une brise agréable, lire un livre, chercher des coquillages, observer la faune et photographier la nature, nager, pêcher, ou apprendre à surfer, Ocracoke est l’endroit idéal.
Ocracoke est connue pour ses 25 kilomètres de plages immaculées. En 2007, l’île d’Ocracoke a été nommée la plus belle plage des Etats Unis.
Une des principales raisons du charme de l’île est que l’accès se fait soit seulement par un ferry public, par bateau ou avion privé. Il y a également une histoire maritime riche en événements historiques. C’est ici que le célèbre pirate Blackbeard a rencontré la mort au combat a Noviembre 22, 1718.
Le village compte environ 1000 résidents à l’année longue. Il y a de très bons restaurants et l’hébergement, comprends des gîtes, des chambres d’hôtel et des villas aussi charmantes que bien aménagées à louer pour une durée de votre choix. Il y a aussi beaucoup de boutiques intéressantes à visiter.
Desiree Christa Ricker
En été, il y a de beaux concerts au Théâtre Deepwater et de la musique “live” dans plusieurs restaurants. Vous pouvez faire le tour du village en louant un “cart” de golf ou une bicyclette et obtenir un aperçu de l’histoire en visitant le phare construit en 1823 et le musée local: Ocracoke Preservation Society.
Des ordinateurs avec accès Wi-Fi sont disponibles dans l’après-midi à la bibliothèque publique où vous pouvez aussi obtenir des renseignements en français.
Venez voir pourquoi tant de gens pensent que l’île d’Ocracoke est un endroit spécial et inoubliable.
It doesn’t hurt one’s career by graduating summa cum laude from a prestigious University such as Wake Forest by following up immediately with a “Fulbright” and heading off to a foreign country. Anmargaret Warner is doing just that having been accepted into the Fulbright English Teaching Assistant program. She will teach English at the Balvantra
Anmargaret Warner
y Mehta Vidya Bhawan Anguridevi Shersingh Memorial Academy in New Delhi, India. This assignment will be her third visit to India. She previously participated in work-study programs in high school and college. Her teaching assignment beginning in late July will be at the Balvantray Mehta Vidya Bhawan Anguridevi Shersingh Memorial Academy in New Delhi, India.
With more than 1.2 billion citizens, India is second only to the People’s Republic of China in population. Several hundred languages are spoken there and Hindi is the most widespread native language. Due to its colonial history, English is widely used throughout the continent.
“I’m attracted to India by its many contradictions – the country’s timelessness, but also relevance as a political and economic player in the world today,” she said. “I’m looking forward to soaking in as much as I can about Indian culture in New Delhi, from learning Hindi to Northern Indian cooking. I think that how many people around the world view the U.S. is shaped by what they see in movies and on TV, so I’m excited to share a wider range of American experiences with my students, colleagues, and neighbors.”
Anmargaret attended Ocracoke School till the eighth grade and graduated from Mercersburg Academy (PA).She made the Dean’s List at Wake Forrest and her degree is in English Literature and with minors in journalism and communications. She is the daughter of Howard’s Pub owner Ann Warner and the late George “Buffy” Warner and sister of Blackburn, currently an East Carolina University student and Ocracoke volunteer firefighter. How is this for a contrast from her early years as a student on Ocracoke? The size of the classes she will be teaching will be between 40 to 90 students. Ocracoke’s graduating class this year was ten students, and six graduates are projected for the class of 2015.
In 1945, Arkansas Senator J. William Fulbright introduced a bill in the United States Congress that called for the use of surplus war property to fund the ‘promotion of international goodwill through the exchange of students in the fields of education, culture, and science.’ The following year, President Truman signed the bill into law and the Fulbright Program has since become U.S. Government’s flagship international educational exchange program.
This photo was taken at Springer’s Point. I think it is a jellyfish, but I am not sure. There were a few of them on the shore, but smaller or broken, and this was the only one I saw with the inside (body?) intact. Do you know what this is?
Photo by Greg Klein
Answer: Looking down at this jelly does not provided the overall shape, but it looks like a Cannonball Jellyfish (Stomolophus meleagris).
As for how to describe these, Wikipedia offers this eplanation: As jellyfish are not true fish (or even vertebrates), the word jellyfish is considered by some to be a misnomer. Public aquariums may use the terms jellies or sea jellies instead. The term “jellies” may have become more popular than “jellyfish.” In scientific literature, “jelly” and “jellyfish” are often used interchangeably. Some sources may use the term “jelly” to refer to organisms in this taxon, as “jellyfish” may be considered inappropriate.
For more information about this interesting species, we are reprinting a Spotted on Ocracoke Observer column which includes another photo of one also taken at Springer’s Point.
May 2008 Spotted on Ocracoke: The Cannonball Jellyfish Photo and text by Peter Vankevich
Cannonball Jellyfish. Photo by P. Vankevich
The Cannonball Jellyfish (Stomolophus meleagris) may occasionally be seen in the waters around Ocracoke during the summer and fall months of the year when currents carry them to the shore. The overall shape is that of a bell or cannonball from whence it gets its name. It grows up to the size of a small cantaloupe. Its color varies from overall clear to a yellowish wash and has a rufous/brown ring at the base. Underneath, it has sticky oral arms which form into a rigid, short mound just below the bell. Cannonballs also go by the names of Cabbagehead and Jellyball.
Jellyfish are marine invertebrates that lack basic sensory organs or a brain and consist of about 95% water. They do possess highly specialized nervous systems that allow them to perceive stimuli, such as light and odor. They may be found in all of the oceans from the arctic to the tropics. Since jellyfish are not fish, many people now refer to them as “jellies” or “sea jellies.”
Unlike other jellyfish (or jellies) that rely exclusively on currents and wind for movement, Cannonballs are strong swimmers and move by pumping water through their oral arms and catching their food which consists primarily of zooplankton including the larvae stages of veliger mollusks and red drum. They also have a much higher amount of protein than most other jellies which makes them a good food source and have also been used for medicinal purportedly for combating maladies such as arthritis in Asia. They are harvested in the waters off of Georgia and South Carolina and after a dehydration process are exported to China and Japan. Cannonballs are also an important food source for leatherback sea turtles and Atlantic spadefish.
In eastern North America, the primary range includes the Mid-Atlantic south and especially the Gulf of Mexico. With unusual currents, they may occasionally stray into the waters off of New England and as far south as Brazil.Cannonballs like other jellies may form large swarms called “blooms” consisting of hundreds or even thousands of individuals. There is concern that these blooms are increasing and may indicate an imbalance in the ecosystem; for example taking the place of fish that have declined in numbers, or the increased presence of nutrients in the water due to run-off from land. Although not considered to be stingers, one should refrain from touching them as there is a substance in the mucous that can cause a burning sensation if it gets in the eyes.
To play off the Wizard of Oz, for an animal with no brain, heart or bones, they, nevertheless, have an interesting story. This photo was taken last October at Springer’s Point.
On page 7 you will find statements from the candidates for the sheriff’s Office of Hyde County and the candidates for the board of the Ocracoke Sanitary District. Although, there is not a candidate on the ballot for the school board, incumbent Dave Tolson has indicated to us that he will run as a write-in candidate. We know of no one else who will be a write-in candidate for this important position. We at the Observer strongly support the precept that all eligible citizens should exercise their right to vote. We also strongly believe that an informed citizenry will make the best decisions. So take the time to read the actual candidates statements which may help with your decision making. And, yes, be sure to vote on Tuesday, May 6 at the Community Center 7:00 am – 7:00 pm.
If you have a questions about Ocracoke, such as, what was that plant, bird or turtle you saw, or a question about Ocracoke’s fascinating history, send us a note including a photo if you have one. We’ll try to answer it and post it on our website and possibly in the print copy monthly.
Provide the who, what, when and where details, plus your contact info. We may have some questions.
Send inquiries to info@ocracokeobserver.com and use as the subject, Ask the Observer.
If you have a questions about Ocracoke such as what was that plant, bird or turtle you saw, or a question about Ocracoke’s fascinating history, send us a note including a photo if you have one. We’ll try to answer it and post is on our website and possibly in the hard copy monthly. Send inquiries to info@ocracokeobserver.com and use as the subject, Ask the Observer.
From Greg Klein:
Having lived in Louisiana, I am pretty sure the first picture is of a nutria. You can see the straight tail in the photo, but he also has webbed feet. He was at the Lighthouse last Thursday and again on Friday just munching away on flowers or grass. He was unfazed by people, many of whom were walking much closer to him than we did. And he was as popular as the lighthouse while we were there.
In Louisiana there is a lot of concern about nutrias being invasive and eating away a lot of marsh grass and destroying a lot of barrier areas. They have also been accused of edging out native species. There is a scalping reward for trappers/hunters and there was even some efforts (unsuccessful) to get local chefs to put them on menus. Are nutria new to Ocracoke and is there similar concerns about them there?
Answer: Yes Greg, we do have have nutria on Ocracoke which is what you photographed and they are considered to be an invasive species. We have yet to see them on any of our restaurant menus on the island and don’t expect to anytime soon. Here is an article on nutria published in the Observer a while back.
Ocracoke Observer
August 2008
Spotted on Ocracoke: A Live Nutria
Driving from the Hatteras ferry down the Garrish highway into the village, you may very well have noticed a flattened large dead brown colored animal, a night time casualty of being hit by a vehicle. Almost of these rodents are sure to be nutria (Myocastor Coypus), a nonnative species. Nutria are brown-colored weigh about 12 pounds (though they may be much larger) and are approximately 2 feet long that includes a long mostly hairless tail. Nutria are from South America. Outside of the U.S. nutria also go by the name coypu, especially in the Spanish-speaking world. They were first introduced to North America in the 1930s in Louisiana for fur cultivation. Some of them were either released or escaped to the bayous where a substantial population was established. Today it is estimated that there are more than 20 million in Louisiana alone. Primarily herbivorous and originally believed to be effective in controlling aquatic weeds such as water hyacinth, it became obvious that their voracious appetites for native plants were having a detrimental impact on wetlands. Using historic and present day aerial photographs, it has been estimated that nutria have been a major reason for more than seven thousand acres of wetlands that have been lost to the Blackwater Wildlife Refuge in the Chesapeake Bay area of Maryland.
In North America, nutria are preyed upon by alligators, and juveniles may be eaten by cottonmouth moccasins, hawks, owls and eagles. In the winter on Ocracoke, there are Nothern Harriers and Peregrine Falcons that might prey upon young nutria. Other than that, there are no other natural predators to control the population. It seems that there has been an increase in seeing dead nutria on the road in the past year or so. If that is the case, it may be an indication that the population is also increasing on the island.
Nutria spend most of their time in water or hidden in the marshes and are most active in early morning, evening and the night. Unless you are kayaking on the sound side, or traipsing thought their wetlands habitat, the likelihood of seeing a live nutria on Ocracoke is small. So it was a pleasant surprise to find this individual at about 6:30 AM on a June morning on the marsh view observation stand of the nature trail across from the campground.
This is the nonprofit group that sponsors the annual in June Ocrafolk Festival and the hit musical “Tale of Blackbeard,” the Latino Festival de Ocracoke, Arts Week in Ocracoke School and many other cultural activities.
I was sorry to hear that B.J. Olschlegel was removed from the Ocracoke Planning Advisory Board last month. She was a longtime member, who had worked diligently at being well informed and constructive. With her removal, Ocracoke has lost a champion in its corner.
Unlike the County Commissioners and other boards that, at best, look one or two years ahead, the planning board is uniquely charged with the responsibility to look far into the future. Their job is to guide the Ocracoke Development Ordinance and the commissioners toward the Ocracoke that we will be proud to leave for future generations.
It’s not an easy task at all, and it requires, not agreement, but disagreement; it requires argument and dispute but it also requires that those who disagree treat each other with respect. In removing BJ and creating a board more in agreement with itself, Commissioner Fletcher has done damage to the purpose of the planning board and to the future of Ocracoke.
By Connie Leinbach
Ocracoke can’t let down its guard.
While it was reported in last month’s Observer that the Ocracoke School would lose its art teacher due to continuing state public education budget cuts, this position may be restored by the time this issue is in print.
According to Joe McClees, one of a duo of lobbyists hired by Hyde County to promote coastal North Carolina interests, budgets submitted by both the state House and Senate have restored the Small School Funding of which Ocracoke is a beneficiary.
Funding for North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching also is in both budget versions, according to Todd Vinyard, NCCAT spokesman. NCCAT, which brings teachers from all over the state to Ocracoke for seminars, is located at the south end of the island in the former Coast Guard building.
According to S. Henri McClees, the other half of the lobbyist duo, the two budget proposals are widely different. During the last two weeks of June, they hammer out the differences by July 1, and at press time, the two houses were still negotiating.
Also of interest to islanders and visitors is the continued wrangling about ferry tolls, which, according to last year’s legislation, are supposed to fund replacement boats.
Rep. Paul Tine (D-Kitty Hawk) said recently that the House’s budget took the replacement of ferries out of the “divisional” pot of money and restores it to the maintenance side of the DOT budget which funds equipment all over the state.
“We will drive other revenue,” Tine said. “The ferries are a tourist attraction which should increase interest in advertising.”
As it is now (which the Senate has not changed), the decision to enact tolls is in the hands of local folks who are part of a Rural Planning Organization that includes 10 counties in eastern North Carolina.
A complicated funding procedure (see page 19) devised last year by Gov. Pat McCrory and called the Strategic Transportation Investments divided the state into 10 regions all of whom were given $32 million with which to fund bridges, trains, airports, roads, bike and pedestrian projects and ferry replacement.
After a series of public hearings this winter, the three RPOs that have ferries in their transportation mix ignored the DOT’s request to enact or raise tolls.
In the last several weeks, members of both the House and the Senate proposed bills to eliminate all ferry tolls.
“Those bills are just sitting there,” Henri McClees explained, and will not be acted on while the budget is negotiated. “If we don’t get the House version of the budget we will just keep fighting (tolls) in January when the new session begins.”
Until then, the ferry system stays status quo and tolls cannot be increased nor additional tolls enacted, she said.
Then there’s continued concern about the Rollinson Channel—the short ferry route between Ocracoke and Hatteras.
At press time this channel still has not been dredged adequately to allow safe ferry passage. Fortunately, the Ferry Division has been using a natural channel since December, albeit it is a longer ride necessitating longer waits for visitors at the Hatteras Ferry dock.
Then there are the continuing attempts by the game fish lobby to make some prized local fish off limits to commercial fishermen further hurting the village economy.
Though it wasn’t without some pain, Ocracoke has lifeguards at the public beach this summer. The National Park Service, which owns the beach, wanted to eliminate funding these positions, and after lots of negotiations and $10,000 paid by Hyde County, lifeguards were on duty by Memorial Day.
The OCBA at its June meeting agreed to start now to make sure the NPS has lifeguards in its budget next year.
The Observer will continue to monitor these issues and report on them.
After months of wrangling, Ocracoke has lifeguards at its public beach seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Early in May, Hyde County commissioners agreed to pay out of Ocracoke Occupancy Tax monies the estimated $10,000 for weekend lifeguard coverage while the National Park Service will pay for five days of coverage provided by Surf Rescue, a private company in Duck.
Last November, Barclay Trimble, superintendent of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore (CHNS) of the National Park Service, had announced that due to budget constraints, he was eliminating lifeguard service on the three public beaches in the CHNS, a service the Park Service has supplied since the 1950s.
Ocracoke began to rally against this significant cutback in February (after having to successfully fight off a third attempt to toll the Hatteras ferry.) Protest efforts by many residents and concerned friends of the island–who signed an online petition at change.org, wrote letters, called and emailed the superintendent had an impact. With additional help from U.S. Rep. Walter Jones, Trimble announced that his budget could afford lifeguards for five days a week. If the other two communities at Coquina and Cape Hatteras Lighthouse beaches wanted lifeguards for the other two days, they would have to partner with the NPS at the tune of $10,000 each.
In mid-May, Trimble announced that the summer lifeguard program would resume the full seven days per week this summer at the other beaches and on Ocracoke.
“The National Park Service is pleased to be able to provide, along with local entities, this valuable service for the safety of our Seashore visitors,” Trimble said in a press release.
Also in mid-May, Don Hutson, chief lifeguard at the Ocracoke beach last year, was among several NPS employees honored for bravery in Washington, D.C., at the Department of the Interior’s 69th Honor Awards Convocation. According to a NPS press release, Hutson helped rescue five swimmers caught in rip currents and personally towed four of the swimmers to shore through 100-plus yards of strong current and surf.
Dylan Bennink, who was a lifeguard on Ocracoke last year and is the island’s dock master at Anchorage Marina this year, confirmed that he also saved a father and a son last year from a rip current.
