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Ocracoke and friends engaged in retaining lifeguards

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April 2014

Connie Leinbach

The National Park Ser­vice’s own policy manual says: “the pro­tection of human life is the highest priority,” and in recent weeks Ocracoke has been ask­ing them to live up to that value and to continue full funding of lifeguards at the public beach. Cape Hatteras National Sea­shore Superintendent Barclay Trimble confirmed on March 27 that he is exploring con­tracting with an outside service to have lifeguards on duty “up to seven days a week.”

He said while estimates in­dicate “a ballpark figure of $10,000” for a possible funding partnership with Ocracoke for two of the seven days, he won’t know until bids are received. “It’s all subject to negotiation,” he said. “It’s not a done deal.”

For Ocracoke to partner, Oc­cupancy Tax Board (OTB) funds would have to be approved by the Hyde County commission­ers. The OTB is scheduled to ask for this at the April 7 meeting in Swan Quarter starting at 6 p.m., Wayne Clark, chairman of the OTB, confirmed. Ocracoke resi­dents may attend the meetings via satellite hookup in the Com­mons Room of the Ocracoke School.

Hyde County manager Bill Rich said representatives from the offices of Rep. Walter Jones and Senators Richard Burr and Kay Hagan will attend this com­missioners’ meeting.

The lifeguard debate began after Trimble announced in No­vember that owing to reduced budgets, lifeguards would be eliminated on the three public beaches in the Seashore.

In his January letter to the Oc­racoke Civic and Business As­sociation (OCBA), Trimble said the cost of having lifeguards at Ocracoke, Bodie and Hatteras Islands is over $200,000 and the Seashore has lost $1 million in annual operating funds since 2010. Income from Off-Road Vehicle permits to drive on the beach is for “beach access” and cannot be used for lifeguards be­cause of “legal requirements on how those funds can be spent,” he said.

Trimble further clarified on March 27 that of the two million visitors who come to the Sea­shore, “less than 10 percent use the lifeguard beaches.” As for the NPS mandates, “The water is not in our boundaries,” he said.

While this issue is up in the air, business owners are vocal that they do not want the beach to be unguarded.

“Business owners and resi­dents are definitely concerned,” said Kari Styron, rental man­ager at Ocracoke Island Realty.

“Beach access is beach safety, which should mean life­guards,” noted Rudy Austin, OCBA president.

Hyde County commissioner John Fletcher of Ocracoke says Ocracoke should not cave in to the Park Service and that the idea of Ocracoke donating $10,000 is “ridiculous.”

“We don’t have to capitu­late,” he said in an interview. “They won’t take the risk. If something happens (on the days when there are no life­guards) the fallout from public­ity would be devastating to the Park Service.”

Everyone he runs into at the Ocracoke Post Office tells him not to give in, he said.

“They have the money,” Fletcher said. “If we ever start down that road, it’s hard to get off it,” he said about giv­ing money to the NPS. “I’ve always been willing to take a risk with government because they always come through in the end.”

The OCBA began a petition to restore lifeguards. To sign it, Google: Ocracoke petition to save lifeguards.

Old Man Winter: what have you done to our plants?

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April 2014

By Jennifer Rich

This winter has been ex­tremely long and taxing on our nerves and envi­ronment. Ocracoke is used to a much milder winter and it’s ob­vious our plants are suffering. So what do we do?

First thing is to be patient. We still have one more cold weather spell. Usually by now we are cleaning up our beds, pruning back limbs and set­ting out cold crop veggies. This year is the exception. Forecast­ers are telling us to wait until early April to start our spring routines to avoid tree and shrub damage.

The one thing you can’t miss is the leaf burnt oleander bushes. Normally we would have pruned by now, but be patient and wait another week or two to avoid damage to the bush. Then be sure to trim on an angle so that water runs off the cut and doesn’t settle.

Fig trees are hardy but wait­ing another week or two can’t hurt. Also cut on the angle to prevent damage. Tough older fig can stand cutting back 1/3 to 1/2 their size.

I prefer to eliminate dead stems and shape up the bush for better production. If you don’t see green on the stems it is probably dead but try pruning first and wait a few weeks.

Also sago palms are show­ing stress. If the frond is brown, it is dead and should be re­moved. But any green stems will feed the palm. The trick to this is wait a little longer for the warm sun to tell the palm its time to grow.

Jennifer Rich loves plants and gardening. She owns the Ocracoke Garden Center at the back of the Variety Store park­ing

Ocracoke: the red-headed stepchild

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April 2014
By B.J. Oelshchlegel

As I wrote my letter to the Albemarle RTPO, in response to the idea of increasing the ferry tolls on the southern and western routes, along with imposing a new fee for the Hatteras ferry, I had a feeling wanted to investi­gate. With all of the other perils that we have to face while liv­ing on a barrier island, the so­lution to this vaguely described problem felt like punishment.

I have yet to hear a logical explanation for why these tolls need to be imposed. All I can put together is that the legisla­tors in Raleigh have decided that a certain amount of money has to be generated and tolls are the suggested route to come up with that sum of money.

Why do the destinations ser­viced by the ferry system have to bear the burden of the capital expense for replacing the boat equipment? Are the western counties in North Carolina bearing the burden of the rock slides or the expense of extend­ing major highways into rural areas? What is the total state expenditure for salt and snow removal for the 2014 season? Will I be sharing my tax dollars to ease this burden for them? Will they be called on to indi­vidually bear a portion of this expense themselves?

Herein lies the rub. The distinction of footing this por­tion of the DOT budget goes against the original concept of “becoming a more perfect union.” What is the purpose of government? I enjoyed doing the research and came away with a concept of strength in numbers. Whether it be de­fending the people, provid­ing a safety net for the least among us or providing ser­vices which benefit the whole, more gets accomplished when we pool our resources. So in the truest spirit of this inten­tion, why would we be sin­gled out to bear this expense and the consequences of these tolls? Do all of the small vil­lages with ferry service not deserve to be considered part of the larger population of North Carolina?

With a slight increase in the gas tax–which was de­signed to fund the DOT–this problem could be solved with minor consequences. Why not consider this alternative- -share the burden. I thought that we were supposed in this together.

B.J. Oelshchlegel is a broker for Ocracoke’s Lightship Realty
…before we had a lighthouse, we had a lightship to light the way for mariners.

Spring fishing: the red drum are hungry

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By  Ken DeBarth

As the air and water tem­peratures rise and the days get longer, large red drum begin their annual spring migra­tion. In April, the fish move along the beaches and through the inlets and into the sound where they will spend the summer. After a long winter off shore, the red drum are hungry and easy to locate. They will be followed by the annual mi­gration of big bluefish, and then cobia. The water temperatures are already higher than normal for this time of year, so the fish should be active at the time you read this.

Surf fishermen will have suc­cess with large chucks of cut mul­let fished on a bottom rig. There are a number of rigs available for bottom fishing, but I prefer the “Chip Stevens Rig,” (as it is called locally for the owner of Black­beard’s Lodge) which consists of two circle hooks rigged one above the other and decorated with a brightly colored buck-tail and a snap clip on the bottom for your sinker. Ask for a “Chip Stevens” rig at Tradewinds Tackle. They al­ways have a number in stock.

How do you select the spot to cast? The sheer amount of beach available can be intimidating. The two best areas to present your baits are in the still water troughs between the breaking waves and areas where there is irregular white water.

Find troughs by watching the wave pattern. There will be places where the waves crest and break over the shallower bar. The water will then become relatively smooth before forming into another crest and breaker. This smooth water is a section of deeper water parallel­ing the beach. Drop a bait into this area where predator fish lurk to pick off food as it settles between the breakers.

Another prime area to drop your baits is where the water is “jum­bled” with white breaking wave tops running in different direc­tions. Look for section for surf in which there is no smooth water. If small waves are crashing into each other, there will be turbulence and a stirring of the bottom and debris. Red drum often frequent these shallow rough areas hunting for food caught in the moving water.

If you find the combination of clear water and bright sun, try cast­ing a bright lure. An Ocracoke fa­vorite is a gold or silver Hopkins at 1½ or 2 ounces. If you can stand knee deep in the water and see a gold Hopkins on the bottom at your feet, the water is clear enough for lure fishing.

Inshore boat anglers can find schools of feeding drum around the inlets. At times one can find schools of drum feeding on the surface. It is always a thrill to look down on the red backs of the drum as they surge past just under the surface. When you find a school of surface feeding drum, cast a two-ounce jig tipped with a six-inch twister tail into the school. Try to let it drop through the school since the smaller fish will be near the sur­face and will strike first. On a good day you can follow the school and repeat this process over and over. Watch for surface disturbances and birds to help find a school of ac­tive fish.

Remember to support local tack­le shops, clean up the beach after yourself, and return unwanted fish to the water unharmed.

Ken DeBarth lives and fish­es (although not enough) on Ocracoke.

No one puts Ocracoke in a corner

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Ocracoke is “the little island that could.”

It seems we’re always fighting for something here. Often we win.

In early March, thanks to a lot of hollering, coastal North Caro­lina won round three of the ferry toll fight when the two Regional Planning Organizations (RPOs) for Coastal Carolina ignored the NC DOT’s request to, yet again, enact tolls on the Hatteras Ferry. This action followed several NC­DOT hearings and email and let­ter campaigns to these regional groups now tasked with deciding how to spend transportation funds.

The ferry toll issue went back to the NC Legislature where Rep. Paul Tine of Kitty Hawk said they will “fix” in May. We sure hope they will once and for all.

So, Ocracoke has another stay of execution for a few months. This is the third time in as many years that voices raised have stopped the enactment of tolls on the Hat­teras ferry. To do so we’ve had to mount email, letter and social network campaigns, hire lobbyists and woo legislators.

Our challenge now is with Bar­clay Trimble, superintendent of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, deciding to cut funding for life­guards on the three beaches in the Seashore.

The ocean here is rough and a frequent claimer of lives. While the National Park Service’s own policy states that “the saving of hu­man life will take precedence over all other management actions,” Trimble says “the water is not part of our mandate.”

Before taking action to elimi­nate such a crucial service, one would think we would have been consulted, but we weren’t.

So, the Ocracoke Civic and Business Association mounted a petition campaign to reinstate the lifeguards.

Then there’s the unpopular beach-driving permits the NPS be­gan in 2012, the longstanding im­passe on the rebuilding of the Her­bert C. Bonner Bridge and issues along Highway 12. The Rollinson Channel—the short run between Hatteras and Ocracoke—has suf­fered shoaling since Hurricanes Irene and Sandy. Even with a cou­ple of months of dredging last year by the Army Corps of Engineers, it still has navigational glitches. For­tunately, there’s a longer, natural channel the ferries can use.

We who live here do so by choice and accept the challenges of living on an unbridged island. People in other parts of the country might have other dangers to deal with and don’t seem to be asked to pony up more money or are told to move.

Are “They” trying to get us to move and revert the islands to wil­derness? Some folks here think that indeed is the grand scheme being done a little at a time. Is Oc­racoke the “red-headed step-child” as B.J. Oelschlegel says in her column? Perhaps, but we have a history of being a force to be reck­oned with.

North Carolina receives a lot of financial return from Ocracoke and the OBX. We are a key tour­ist destination. We pay taxes, too, and deserve a fair shake from the government we pay for, including the NPS.

Connie Leinbach

Sunset on beach

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sunset-beach-img_3800.jpg
Photo by Peter Vankevich

Ruth Fordon

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Ruth Fordon has been editor of the Observer since 2010.  Her career on Ocracoke……..

Spotted on Ocracoke:  The Gulf Fritillary

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Holiday  2013
Text and Photo by Peter Vankevich

Fritillary PS IMG_2738_edited-1

I spent some time again hanging out on the dunes in early October (2013) waiting for Peregrine Falcons and other raptors to pass by on their way to their wintering grounds.

My favorite location is what my friends Lee Kimball and Tucker Scully have dubbed the “North Pony parking lot,” the nameless little asphalt patch on the ocean side just about a half mile from the pony pasture towards the Hatteras ferry dock. It was there that I noticed many bright orange butterflies flying by in a quick and somewhat erratic pattern. What was interesting is that all of them were heading in the direction of Hatteras Island.

I remember this phenomenon happened around the same time last fall. They all appeared to be the same species and I suspected that they were one of the fritillary butterflies. I took a walk with my camera and came across one that was resting on what appears to be a Maryland Golden Aster.  It was a Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae) also known as the passion butterfly. They have a wingspan that can be nearly 4 inches and the upper surface of the wings is bright orange with distinctive black markings; upper ones have white centers. The undersides of the wings are brown with elongated silvery-white spots. Females are generally larger than males and are somewhat darker and more extensively marked.

The Gulf Fritillary distribution range is throughout the southern United States southward through Mexico, Central America and the West Indies to South America. They have expanded farther west into California in large part due to the popularity of the passion plants. Our region is at their northern range and they are most likely to be seen on Ocracoke from mid to late summer into the early fall.  Its other name, the passion butterfly derives from the fact that the passion flower is its host plant.  I do not know why these butterflies were all flying northeast at this time of year.  If anyone knows, I’d like to hear from you.

Speaking of butterflies, I have not noticed many Monarchs on the island this fall. I wonder if there is a delayed migration.

I mentioned migrating raptors.  Last fall, the big star was the Peregrine Falcon when 42 were observed flying over Ocracoke on Oct. 3 (2012) in a period of four hours.  So far this year, the “yellow jersey” is worn by the Sharp-shinned Hawk. On Oct., 17 Gil and Jann Randell counted a stunning and exponential number of 475 individuals passing through in just four hours.  Several sharp-shins will spend much of the winter on Ocracoke.

Comments and ideas for a future column: petevankevich@gmail.com.

 

Captain Puddle Ducks’ Steamer Pots: It’s a Family Affair

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Holiday issue 2013
By Gael Hawkins 

I’ve been having one of those “why didn’t I think of this?” moments. Fresh, locally harvested seafood and fixings delivered to your cot­tage or motel-either cooked or ready to steam-an hour after a phone call to Captain Puddle Ducks’ Steamer Pots. What a great idea! Now in its third season, this local family busi­ness has perfected the ultimate Ocracoke seafood experience for a picnic, a large crowd or a laid-back family dinner after a day at the beach. Commer­cial fisherman Fletcher O’Neal and his wife Heather, who works at the Ocracoke School, offer their made-to-order feasts from May until the end of January. Fletcher and his son Hunter catch the major­ity of seafood from the Pam­lico Sound-shrimp: blue crabs, clams, and stone crab claws. Lobster, snow crab legs, mus­sels and dungeness crabs are deliv­ered fresh to Captain Puddle Ducks three times a week.

Heather does the prepara­tion and cooking. The corn and potatoes that she adds to the steamer pots are all sourced from NC farms. During the first season, food prep and cooking were done in a bor­rowed commercial kitchen. Now, the O’Neals have their own certified kitchen facili­ties which has streamlined their operation. Five different steamer pots that will feed from 2-6 people are available plus the design is your own option. Andouille sausage can be added to any steamer, too. When the steamer pot ar­rives, it includes everything you will need including cook­ing instructions if you choose to do the steaming yourself. Son Ethan is the delivery guy who will answer any ques­tions you might have about the food. The other two O’Neal sons play an important role in this business-they watch over their baby sister Maranda so that mom Heather can keep the pots rolling in the kitchen. Check out Captain Puddle Ducks’ Steamer Pots website, http://www.puddleducksteamers.com, for all the details. And don’t forget that come November, oysters will be available.

Kayaking the Off-Season Waters of Pamlico Sound

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Holiday issue 2013

by Pat Garber

Summer at Ocracoke finds lots of kayakers plying their paddles along the shores of Pam­lico Sound, as residents and tourists alike take to the wa­ter. As the seasons change, the experience of kayaking changes as well, but there is still plenty to see and en­joy in all seasons. Pamlico Sound, which divides Oc­racoke from the mainland, is one of the largest estuar­ies in the United States. It is home to all kinds of fish, skates, small sharks, and turtles, and attracts numer­ous species of ducks and other water birds. Its shal­low, brackish waters make it an ideal nursery for fish, shrimp, and crabs, and the salt marshes that line its shores are alive with mus­sels, marsh crabs, snails, and secretive birds.

As you paddle across the water, look for patches of eelgrass waving softly underneath your kayak, or you might see it pushed up against the shoreline. Eel­grass forms an underwater garden which is essential to the health of the sound.

Looking higher, you may see long strings of cormo­rants flying to and from the reefs. Cormorants are capa­ble of diving to great depths in their search for fish. An occasional loon, dressed in the soft browns of its win­ter plumage, might be spot­ted diving and surfacing in the dark waters. Most people think of loons as northern birds, but many of them winter off the coast of North Carolina. Canada geese, brants, pintails, black ducks, and mergansers are among the many kinds of waterfowl that win­ter in the waters of the Pamlico, easy to sight with binoculars. Brown pelicans glide in elegant formations along the surface of the water, and herring and ring-billed gulls are common.

There is much to see on the open wa­ters of the Pamlico, but the creeks that lead into the salt marshes are my favorite places to kayak. From a dis­tance the marsh looks like an impenetrable curtain, but behind it a labyrinth of creeks open up into a hid­den world. The marsh grasses take on an au­burn hue in autumn, turning a dark grey in winter. Spartina and black needlerush are the main components of the marsh. Near the waterline ribbed mussels cling to their roots, and on warm days small snails called marsh peri­winkles climb up the stems. You might spot a great blue heron stalking its dinner.

Some of the creeks wind through maritime forests, where live oaks, yaupons, wax myrtles, and junipers, or cedar trees, grow to­gether in a lush ecosystem. The bright red berries of the yaupon and the softer blue fruit of the cedars and wax myrtles attract yellow-rumped warblers and other songbirds. Belted kingfish­ers, piercing the air with their distinctive calls, may be observed diving kamika­ze-like from a branch into the dark waters and emerg­ing with a tiny fish.

Diamondback terra­pins bury down into the mud when tem­peratures drop, but on warm winter days they can be observed sun­ning on logs or pop­ping their heads up through the water. In the early 20th century these medium-size turtles were threat­ened with extinction when terrapin stew became a huge fad in New York. Still rare in many places, they are relatively common at Ocracoke.

Fall and winter are oyster-harvesting time, so if you are lucky you may find a few of the tasty mollusks for an oyster roast. If you look at them carefully, you can see the many forms of life that make up the oyster ecosystem; slip­per shells, snail-fur, tube worm casings, and the tiny pea or oyster crab.

A good place to put your kayak in is at the public docks behind the Ocracoke Museum. Ride the Wind rents kayaks and have their own spot for launch­ing at the edge of Silver Lake Harbor. Driving north along Hwy 12, there are several places you can slide a kayak down along one of the creeks. With 4-wheel-drive you can also drive down one the sandy lanes in the national seashore to the Pamlico Sound and put in. You need to buy a per­mit to do this. Be careful if you launch your kayak during duck-hunting sea­son; there are a number of duck blinds in the shallows of the sound. Wherever you go, don’t forget your life-preserver, required by law. Happy paddling!

Thank you Pat Steely for sug­gesting this article to the Oc­racoke Observer!

 

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