Lions and tigers, definitely not. But bears, apparently so.

I always take with a grain of salt the times someone tells me that they saw something on Ocracoke which hasn't been documented as being here, or just logically shouldn't be here. One example is deer. Every so often, someone will say they saw a deer. My response is always to smile, while inwardly thinking "I'll believe that when I see it myself". Maybe it's possible for a deer to swim the 5 miles across Hatteras Inlet, but I'm betting it doesn't happen very often.

So the first time someone told me that there was a bear on the island, I didn't think there was any truth in it. The first person I heard it from said they had seen a sign warning that there was a black bear in the area, not actually a bear. I thought maybe the sign was a prank or joke of some kind.

Turns out I was wrong. There have apparently been several sightings of a black bear, including one by a National Park ranger. So the rangers have, indeed, posted signs around the island letting people know about the unique visitor.

Fish House Update

If you've been wondering about the status of keeping the last remaining fish house on Ocracoke open, here's the latest news. Hyde County agreed to loan the Ocracoke Working Watermen's Association (OWWA) the $325,000 needed to purchase the building, and they have secured a line of credit from Eastern Carolina Bank for the additional funds needed for renovations, equipment, etc. This is great news for the over 30 fishermen members of OWWA, who now have a place to bring their catch, and for everyone (residents and visitors alike) who likes fresh seafood. The next time you are on the island, stop by the Ocracoke Seafood Company (which is the retail operation of OWWA) and buy some fish, shrimp, clams, or whatever is available that day!

Bloody pirates!

I went to see Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End on Sunday. When you live on Ocracoke, going to see a movie (especially one that is nearly 3 hours long!) is pretty much an all day affair. It took nearly 8 hours - left at 1:30 to make the 2:00 ferry to Hatteras, drove to Avon for the movie at 3:30, shopped at Food Lion (never go to Hatteras without a cooler!), and ended up on the 8:00 PM ferry back to Ocracoke, arriving home just before 9:00.

It was worth it, though. The movie was great entertainment. No, it's not as good as the first one, of course (none of them ever will be). But it's pure fun nonetheless. Go see it for an escape from daily life!

Working holiday weekend

For many people (in the US, anyway), today was a holiday - a day off from work. The Post Office and banks were closed. Here on Ocracoke we had many visitors for the long weekend who enjoyed taking advantage of their extra day without labor. For the residents, however, it was a work day like any other in "the season". I managed to get away from work duties for a short while today, and took a bike ride. As I was pedaling home, I saw some ladies I know from church. Just to make conversation, I asked "did you enjoy the holiday weekend?". One lady chuckled and said "yes, even though I had to work!" We all nodded in understanding. That's just one of the realities of living and working in a place that people love to visit. I don't think most people mind, since that hard work is what enables them to stay here, and that - of course - is well worth the effort!

For a good cause

I bought a necklace with a diamond circle pendant last night. I think I got a good deal, too (at least I paid about $85 less than I was told was retail value, I have no idea whether what I was told was accurate or not). But even if I paid too much for it, I didn't mind. Where on Ocracoke, you might wonder, did I find such a thing? And why would I not mind overpaying for it? I won the necklace (and a couple of other items) at the auction held last night to raise funds for the Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Department (OVFD). It had been donated by Kay Jewelers for the auction, which was only one part of the event held to benefit this worthy cause. Before the auction there was a pig pickin', and after the auction, a dance. The barbecue was delicious, the auction successful (and highly entertaining), and the dance I'm sure was great (I left after the first few songs, as it was late and I was getting tired).

I was told today that the entire event raised approximately $30,000 for OVFD, which is excellent but unfortunately doesn't make a huge dent in the need for approximately $1M to purchase a new truck and construct a new building (the current one is old, has been flooded multiple times, doesn't have enough room for all the trucks, and is not big enough to hold a ladder truck which is also needed since houses are being built higher (off the ground) and taller in recent times than they have been in the past).

If you can help, please consider donating to OVFD next time you are on the island. One fun way to do so is to play Bingo, which is held on Wednesday nights at the Fire Hall during the summer.

Good news?

I received the following in an email today:

Dr. Beach (Stephen Leatherman) will be on Ocracoke in June to announce the beach that has made Number 1 on his annual list of top 10 beaches. While I am not saying that Ocracoke will be named Number 1, I am told that Dr. Beach always makes his announcement from the beach that he has chosen to be Number 1 that year!

This will be a big media event with satellite feeds around the world. The North Carolina Division of Travel and Tourism is working with the National Park Service and others in Hyde County to make this a successful event. As it unfolds, I will try to keep you posted, but mark your calendars for June 8 and if you can’t be on the island with us that morning, turn your television on for the morning news!

This could be good news or bad news, depending on how you look at it. Of course, we don't know for sure that it is news at all, and we won't know until Dr. Beach makes his official announcement.

But let's say that Ocracoke is picked as the number 1 beach this year. Many people would say, "that's great!" - it's free publicity for the island, which will lead to more visitors and therefore more business for the many family owned and run establishments here. Some would say "oh, darn" - it's free publicity for the island, which will lead to more visitors and therefore more busy-ness.

And then there's the fine print: once a beach is selected as #1 on Dr. Beach's list, it is retired from the list for several years. That would make the "that's great!" people sad, and the "oh, darn" people happy.

Everyone here knows, of course that Ocracoke has the best beaches. It's just a question of perspective in determining whether we want everyone else to know or not!

Sailing and snacking

I went for a sail on the Miss Ocracoke today. (Okay, it wasn't literally a "sail", since the Miss Ocracoke is not a sailboat...but I was feeling alliterative again today, and somehow "cruising and crunching" just didn't sound quite as good as the title I settled on instead.) Anyway, the boat ride was an appreciation event for the people who volunteer at the school. The teachers brought a large selection of wonderful snacks, and we munched and chatted as Steve sailed us out to Teach's Hole. It was a lovely, needed break in the middle of a long day (well, a string of long days really!)

I always enjoy seeing Ocracoke from the water, and sailing in to Silver Lake for a view of the homes and other buildings around it from the opposite side from what I usually see. There's a metaphor in this, about looking at things from a different angle when life has got you stressed, exhausted, or just plain down in the dumps. It certainly lightened my heart for a few minutes to leave everything that has been stressful recently, and just watch sunlight on water. Here's wishing that you also have (or can find) the thing which brings you peace in the midst of sometimes-hectic life. A visit to Ocracoke is that thing for many people. If that's what it is for you, hope you can come out here soon!

As Jimmy Buffett puts it (yes, I'm a Parrothead):

Well I hope you understand
I just had to go back to the island
And watch the sun go down
(Sit and watch the sun go down)
Listen to the sea roll in
(Listen to the sea roll in)
...
Listen to the nightbird cry
Watch the sun set die
Well I hope you understand
I just had to go back to the island