Carolina Salt July/August 2015

FREE! TAKE ONE! JULY / AUGUST 2015

your life on the Crystal Coast

Crystal Coast Summer

LEARN ABOUT WILDLIFE

Sea Pork & Sea Pansies LOCAL ARTISAN BAKING

Wildflour Bakery SUMMER COMFORT

Keep That Fan Spinning!

AT THE AQUARIUM

LOOK INSIDE FOR FUN & FREE

MEMORIES

The Fisher Woman

THINGS TO DO ON THE CRYSTAL COAST MID–JULY THROUGH MID–AUGUST page 8

Sea Turtle Release at Sea

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July 10........................Morgan Comer July17 .......................... Mighty Quinn July 24 ................................... Will B July 25 ......................... Hank Barbee

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August 1 ............................ 4 Ever All August 7 .....................Morgan Comer August 8 .................... Barefoot Wade ALL LIVE MUSIC FROM 6:30–9:30 PM

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FOR WEEKLY & WEEKEND SPECIALS! GOOD FOOD, GOOD FRIENDS, GREAT TIMES!

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M I D - J U LY TO M I D - AU G U ST 2 0 1 5

Inside This Issue T H E C RYS TA L C OAS T L I F E S T Y L E

F E AT U R E S 14 Ask the Aquarium: Sea Pork

It’s an unattractive name for a very interesting animal. Or more exactly, a colony of animals.

Sea pork is a tunicate, like some jellyfish.

15 OWLS: Phantom of the Marsh

The elusive Clapper Rail is incredibly common, yet so secretive that a confirmed sighting is a starred item on anyone’s life list!

15 PHANTOM OF THE MARSH FREE! TAKE ONE! JULY / AUGUST 2015

your life on the Crystal Coast

Crystal Coast Summer

LEARN ABOUT WILDLIFE

Sea Pork & Sea Pansies LOCAL ARTISAN BAKING

Wildflour Bakery SUMMER COMFORT

Keep That Fan Spinning!

AT THE AQUARIUM

LOOK INSIDE FOR FUN & FREE

MEMORIES

The Fisher Woman

THINGS TO DO ON THE CRYSTAL COAST MID–JULY THROUGH MID–AUGUST page 8

Sea Turtle Release at Sea

ON THIS MONTH’S COVER Thanks to Brad Styron Photography for yet another amazing cover image. Visit him online at styronphoto.com.

We’re looking forward to spending some outdoor time at our local national parks!

16 Sea Pansies and Blue Buttons

Trust naturalist Sam Bland to turn up something truly interesting and rare on a walk across the beach after a storm.

17 Wildflour Bakery

What makes Wildflour Bakery special? Flip ahead and read an interview with the owners, partners in life and business.

22 Keep Your Ceiling Fans Spinning!

Did you know that fan blades need to spin in a particular direction during the summer to keep you cool and comfortable?

24 Local Cuisine and Charity

Beaufort Wine and Food highlights local cuisine and charity at “All Things Italian” on July 18 at Beaufort East Village.

17 WILDFLOUR BAKERY

brings artisan breads & jams to the Beaufort Farmers Market.

25 TINY TREASURES offers

good things at small scale at Carolina Artists Studio Gallery.

The Regulars 8 Things to Do 14 Ask the Aquarium: Sea Pork 15 OWLS: Clapper Rail 16 Sam’s Field Notes 28 Diving the Coast 29 Tides

25 Tiny Treasures Gallery Exhibit

Great things do come in small packages. This exhibit at Carolina Artists Studio Gallery from July 12 to August 29 highlights tiny art.

27 The Fisher Woman

In this lighthearted, folksy essay, the author takes a look back over the years to the day his mother showed him up on the fishing boat.

J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 5 | C A R O L I N A S A L T | 5

PUBLISHER: Will

Ashby

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Chevy

Kaylor

CONTRIBU TING WRITERS Lee Moore, Sherry White, Frances (Fran) Pigott–Harding, Sam Bland, Ike Terrell, Linda Bergman–Althouse, Helen Aitken, Rebecca Fleming, Claire Aubel and Joe Mobley.

E D I T O R IA L S & A D V E RT I S I N G Please contact the publisher at will@crystalcoastoutdoors.com or 252-723-7628 for ad rates and editorial ideas. Ad and editorial deadline for the Mid-August to Mid-September issue is July16, 2015.

Email letters to the editor, photos, community listings and articles to will@crystalcoastoutdoors.com. Next issue will publish August 7, 2015.

From the Publisher Thank you for picking up Carolina Salt magazine, published to depict your life here on the Crystal Coast.

All articles are written by locals. We cover a wide range of topics including local history, outdoor sports, wildlife, special events and more. Every month we look to you, our readers, to keep our magazine fresh. If you have a story to tell, an event to promote, an interesting local photograph or just some good times stories to share, send them our way. Participation is welcomed and appreciated. Reader contributions are the founding principle of the magazine. We want to be a local resource for you, our readers.

If you like what you see, tell people about it—especially our advertisers. For questions, concerns and more information about Carolina Salt, send e-mail to will@crystalcoastoutdoors.com or call 252-723-7628.

For up-to-date info, be sure to look us up on Facebook!

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Call 252-723-7628 if you’re interested in submitting an article or photo. Our local content is what keeps our magazine fresh and relevant.

PUBLISHED BY CRYSTAL COAST OUTDOORS PUBLICATIONS P.O. Box 572, Morehead City, NC 28557 | 252-723-7628

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THINGS TO DO ARTS | THEATER JULY 11

Magician Sammy Cortino at Carteret Community Theatre [ 8 PM ] at the Carteret Community Theatre,1311 Arendell Street, Morehead City. Merging the power of music with the art of magic, Sammy Cortino is spellbinding audiences. Cortino amazes audiences in no-nonsense fashion with original feats of the impossible using familiar objects like iPads and guitars as props. In some cases, he’s merely feet away from his audience. The show is set to a diverse soundtrack and Cortino storms the stage with charisma and original effects. Tickets range from $15 to $30.

For more information call 252-497-8919.

JULY 18

✪ Plein Air Art on the Waterfront open air art display and market [ 10 AM–4 PM ] Plein Air Art on the Waterfront takes place the third Saturday of each month around the Big Rock Fountain at Evans and Shepard Streets, Morehead City. Sponsored by Arts and Things. Watch art happen with artists painting outdoors. Artwork is available for purchase. Artists must pre-register to participate—call 252-240-1979.

JULY 18

✪ Quilling paper art demo [ 1–3 PM ] At Beaufort Historic Site, 130 Turner Street, Beaufort. Quilling or paper filigree, is the hundreds-year-old art of creating intricate shapes and designs with paper strips. Part of the Summer Living History Series, this is a free event. For more information call 252-728-5225.

FREE MOVIE NIGHTS JULY 10

✪ Friday Free Flick: The Penguins of Madagascar [ 7 PM ] At the Emerald Isle Community Center, 7500 Emerald Drive. Movies are free and family oriented.

Children must be accompanied by an adult. Popcorn and drink for $1. Please bring chairs and or blankets, but no outside beverages or snacks.

✪ =FREE

M I D – J U LY T O M I D – AU G U S T WEDNESDAYS

SATURDAYS

✪ Seaside Cinemas

✪ Summer concert series on the MHC waterfront

[ 8:30 PM ] Free movies at the Pavilion on the Circle, 115 East Atlantic Boulevard, Atlantic Beach. Movies shown at the Pavilion on the Circle, 115 Atlantic Boulevard, Atlantic Beach.

July 15....................................................Paddington July 22.....................................................Big Hero 6 July 29...........................................................Frozen August 5............................................. Dolphin Tale 2

MUSIC | CONCERTS SUMMER

At Harrika’s Brew Haus Thursdays... Trivia, beer tasting and giveaway night 6-9 Fridays......................... $3 drafts and live music 7-10 Saturdays...... Live music 4-6, band in biergarten 7-10 July 10.................................................... Dos Eddies July 11.......... Tim Rowe 4-6 and Blue Moon Jazz 7-10 July 17..................................................Hank Barbee July 18......................... Pure T Mommicked Full Band July 24............................................. Blue Sky Crying July 25............... Dan vs Storm 4-6 and 4EverAll 7-10 August 1.................................... The Joe Baes project August 7.................................................. Jeff Bernet August 8.............................Outer Banks Philharmonic

THURSDAYS

✪ Live on Thursdays free concerts [ 6–8 PM ] Free music concerts held on first, third and fifth Thursdays on the Beaufort waterfront (John Newton Park beside the Dockhouse restaurant). For more information call 252-728-4506.

[ 7–8:30 PM ] The Morehead City Parks and Recreation Department sponsors a summer concert series through Labor Day weekend on the Morehead City Waterfront at Jaycee Park, 807 Shepard Street in Morehead City. Concerts are free. For more information call 252-726-5083.

July 11....................................The Central Park Band July 18..................................Donald Thompson Band July 25...................... Outer Banks Philharmonic Band

SUNDAYS

✪ SwanFest summer concerts [ 6:30–8 PM ] SwanFest summer concert series is back again this summer in Swansboro at The Pavilion at Olde Town Square. No alcohol or pets please. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy great music by the sea!

July 12........................................... Trophy Husbands July 19..................................................Spongetones July 26......................................................Jon Shain August 2................................................. Selah Dubb August 9.............................................. Spare Change

JULY 9, 16, 23, 30 | AUGUST 6

✪ EmeraldFest summer concerts [ 6:30–8 PM ] The EmeraldFest summer concert series is back again this summer with weekly acts every Thursday evening at the Western Ocean Regional Access facility located off Islander Drive, one block east of the Coast Guard Road intersection. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy the fun!

FRIDAYS

July 9............................................ Justine Castellano July 16....................................................Wild Honey July 23...............................Outer Banks Philharmonic July 30............................................... Now and Then August 6......................................... Scearce & Ketner

✪ Newport Pickin’ and Grinnin’

JULY 10–11

[ 6 PM ] At Newport Community Park on Fridays throughout the summer. Please feel free to join in this front-porch-style musical entertainment, brought to you by local musicians. The musical genre is bluegrass, country and gospel. Bring your chairs and your instruments and play along. For more information call 252-223-3733.

✪ Wild Caught local seafood and music festival July 10, music starts at 6 p.m. and July 11 music starts at 11 a.m. and goes through the evening.

Wild Caught celebrates local seafood and produce, homegrown music and the maritime heritage and arts of Down East. Late Saturday afternoon, local seafood

Stir a little love into everything you do.

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✪ =FREE

M I D – J U LY T O M I D – AU G U S T

will be cooked and served, including fish, shrimp and all the fixings. Covered dishes are welcomed—folks are encouraged to share their favorite recipe using local seafood or produce. Camping and kayaking is available. A bathroom and cold shower is on site.

Come learn about traditional boats, commercial fishing, Carteret Catch, the Carteret Local Foods Network and more. Please bring a chair, your own shade, bug spray and something to drink. To help keep Wild Caught free, donations and sponsorships are appreciated. Send your donation to Wild Caught, P.O. Box 91, Gloucester, NC 28528. This year’s festival is at 380 Pigott Road in Gloucester. The site is on the water and is perfect for kayaks and small sailing craft.

JULY 10, 17, 31 | AUGUST 7

✪ Concerts at Fort Macon [ 7–8 PM ] The Concert in the Park series includes pop classics orchestral band, Cajun, bluegrass and Civil War-era music. This is one of the many outreach projects of the Friends of Fort Macon and admission is free. Choose one concert or attend all. Sit up on the ramparts or down in the main fort area, watch the sunset, see the boats coming into Beaufort Inlet and listen to great music. Concertgoers are welcome to bring a picnic (no alcohol or pets) and a blanket or lawn chair. At 2303 East Fort Macon Road, Atlantic Beach. For more information call 252-726-3775.

July 10....................................................Wild Honey July 17....................................... The Morehead Brass July 31....................................................... 4 EverAll August 7........... Samantha Casey & The Bluegrass Jam

THINGS TO DO

JULY 17

The Ultimate Eagles Tribute: ‘On The Border’ at the theatre [ 8 PM ] At the Carteret Community Theatre, 1311 Arendell Street, Morehead City. This talented lineup of musicians hails from Boston to Charlotte and are some of the most sought-after musicians on the East Coast with years and years of experience in other musical projects. What sets this Eagles tribute apart from any other is that each musician was hand-selected to play each member. For more information call 252-4978919.

JULY 25

CedarFest 2015 [ 9 AM–4 PM ] The Town of Cedar Point is hosting the fourth annual CedarFest at the historic Octagon House at Shipwrights Cove, 301 Masonic Avenue, Cedar Point. The event consists of arts, crafts and food vendors and live music and entertainment for the kids—all for the price of a cash or non-perishable food donation.

ART D EMO N STR ATIO N

✪ PAPER QUILLING at the Beaufort Historic Site on Turner Street on July 18 from 1 to 3 p.m. Part of the Summer Living History Series, this is a free event.

For information call 252-728-5225.

SUMMER CAMPS | KIDS FUN TUESDAYS

✪ Talkin’ Tuesdays at Core Sound [ 10:30 AM–2:30 PM ] At Core Sound Waterfowl Museum and Heritage Center, Harkers Island. Summer programming for kids and adults focusing on natural science and cultural traditions. Decoy carving, oar making, birdwatching, art activities, bee programs, lighthouse talks and more. Free for everyone on Tuesdays. Programs change weekly. Check Facebook for updates. For information call 252-728-1500.

SUMMER

Summer Science School JULY 17 | AUGUST 7

✪ Alive at Five outdoor concert [ 5–8 PM ] Concert takes place at the Jaycee Park on the Morehead City Waterfront and is free to the public.

For more information call 252-808-0440.

July 17................................................ Spare Change August 7..................................................Band of OZ

[ 9 AM ] The Summer Science School at the Maritime Museum in Beaufort offers students the opportunity to learn about the natural and maritime history of our coast through creative, hands-on experience. For children entering grades 3–6. Advance registration is required. For more information call 252-728-7317, stop by the museum at 315 Front Street or visit them online at ncmaritimemuseums.com.

August 5-6................................ Seashore Life I ($50)

Designated Driver Taxi

FR EE FAMILY MO VIE

✪ FRIDAY FREE FLICK at the Emerald Isle Community Center on Emerald Drive July 10 at 7 p.m. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Free admission. No outside food or drink.

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Emerald Isle | Cape Carteret | Swansboro | Cedar Point | All NC Airports J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 5 | C A R O L I N A S A L T | 9

THINGS TO DO July 9-10, July 23-24............... Seashore Life II ($50) July 9-10, 23-24....................... Fish & Fishing ( $65) July 21-23...................................Whales of NC ($85) June 23-24, July 7-8, July 21-22................... Pirates!

July 27-29......................Coastal Conservation Fellows

SUMMER

JULY 9, 16, 23, 30

Mondays–Saturdays................... Aquarium at a Glance 12–12:45 p.m. ($12) Mondays................................................. Otter Antics 1–2 p.m. ($25) Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sat......................... Feeding Frenzy 2:30–3:30 p.m. ($15) Tuesdays........Sound Seafood: Catching Crabs & Clams 1–3 p.m. ($20) Tuesdays, Thursdays............ Stand-Up Paddleboarding for Kids, 9–11 a.m. ($50) Tuesdays...........................................Fishing Fanatics for Kids, 8–11 a.m. ($25) Tuesdays, Fridays................................... Shark Snack 2:30–3:30 p.m. ($20) Wednesdays...............Aquarium ABCs for Preschoolers 8:30–9:30 a.m. ($10) Thursdays, Sundays................................... Night Trek 7–9 p.m. ($10) Fridays..............................................Marsh Madness 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. ($10) Fridays........................................Aquarist Apprentice 1–4 p.m. ($25) Sundays...........................Aquarium Close Encounters 2–3:30 p.m. ($20)

✪ Wonders & Wanders with Woz At Core Sound Waterfowl Museum & Heritage Center, 1785 Harkers Island Road, Harkers Island. Wonders & Wanders with Woz, Down East’s legendary explorer and teacher, will explore Willow Pond and Back Sound for science programs for elementary students 10:30 a.m. to noon and middle school students from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Parents are welcome. Programs are free to all.

For more information call 252-728-1501.

JULY 10, 17, 24, 31 | AUGUST 7

✪ Soundside Storytime Fridays [ 10:30–11:30 AM ] For preschoolers. Held at Core Sound Waterfowl Museum and Heritage Center, 1785 Island Road, Harkers Island, Friday mornings. Come “ride” in the new story skiff! Art activities also. For more information call 252-728-1500.

JULY 15 | AUGUST 5

✪ Preschool storytime and crafts [ 9–10 AM ] Includes a story, estuarine critter observation and a related craft. Free admission.

For children entering preschool. Advance registration required. Call 252-728-7317 or visit ncmaritimemuseums.com for more information. At North Carolina Maritime Museum, 315 Front Street.

JULY 15, 22, 29

✪ Storytelling Festival Performances at 10 a.m. at the Crystal Coast Civic Center in Morehead City and at 2 p.m. at the Bethlehem Methodist Church, corner of Bogue Loop Road and Route 24 in Bogue. For more information call Bogue Banks Public Library at 252-247-4660.

July 15..............................Susana and Timmy Abbell, puppet performance July 22............................................... Kali Ferguson, African diaspora culture keeper July 29.................................................. Scientellers, science stories

✪ =FREE

M I D – J U LY T O M I D – AU G U S T

Behind the Scenes at the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores For information, call the Aquarium at 252-247-4003 or visit ncaquariums.com/pine-knoll-shores.

TUESDAYS

Laser light show & dance party Emerald Isle Parks and Recreation is partnering with Emerald Owl Productions, Inc. to bring our area an exciting new attraction for this summer and beyond.

The laser light dance series will provide families and adolescents a safe, family-friendly venue, while providing a much needed break for mom and dad.

This summer series will bring a high-energy, fun-filled event that families will not soon forget. Parents of younger kids can dance and engage in fun activities with their kids; middle school kids can be dropped off in a safe environment so their parents can enjoy a night out. Salt Lounge will be offering specials in conjunction with the event. Admission starts at $15 with price breaks for families with 3 or more kids. Group rates start at 5 and large group rates are

available. At 7500 Emerald Drive, Emerald Isle. The laser light series will also take place at the Morehead City Boys and Girls Club on Mondays and Surf City Community Center on Wednesdays. Additional venues may be added throughout the summer. Season passes are available. Follow Emmy The Owl on Twitter and Emerald Owl Productions on Facebook. Check emeraldowlproductions.com or call 252-354-6350 for more details.

JULY–AUGUST

Summer drama camps At Carteret Community Theatre, 1311 Arendell Street in Morehead City. For information or to register, call 252-247-5838.

June 22-26, July 27-31.................Grades 5-12 ($75) July 6-10, August 10-14..................Grades K-4 ($50)

AUGUST 7

✪ Beaufort Pirate Invasion Get in touch with your inner pirate and enjoy two full days of piratical fun at The Beaufort Pirate Invasion.

This annual event highlights the rich history of pirates that have pillaged and plundered along the East Coast. It is a reenactment of an actual historical event that occurred in August of 1747 between the town of Beaufort and a ship of Spanish privateers.

Enjoy a pirate battle along the Beaufort waterfront with Captain Sinbad and the Meka II and Captain Ben Bunn and the Skipjack Ada Mae as they try to take the town. Join the townfolk, farmers and militia in a parade as they march to the waterfront battle to win the town back from nefarious pirates. Roam through the pirate encampment and see historical demonstrations, sword fighting, cannon firing and weapons demonstrations, mock trial and hanging and so much more. Enjoy authentic sea shanties, pirate songs by The Rusty Cutlass, Motley Tones, Thunder and Spice. The children can take part in the Scallywag School presented by Blackbeard’s Crew, have lunch with the pirates or participate in the children’s pirate activities at the Maritime Museum. Children also enjoy the costume contest. Captain Jim and Sea Shel will bring his famous magic show and you won’t want to miss the puppet storytelling and the search for pirates around town as you capture their autographs of Beaufort’s Most Wanted Pirates.

“Big Enough To Serve You, Small Enough To Know You.”

SCAN HERE FOR INFORMATION

Charleston Park • Swansboro • 910-378-0659 1 0 | C A R O L I N A S A L T | J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 5

info@cirilacothran.com • www.cirilacothran.com

✪ =FREE WINING & DINING JULY 17

9th Annual Crab Cake Cook-Off [ 6–8 PM ] Taste delicious crab cakes made by four guest chefs and vote on your favorite at this museum fundraiser at the Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center.

In addition, the event has a slaw taste-off. Space is limited. Members only, all are welcome to join the Friends of the North Carolina Maritime Museum— membership starts at just $35. Tickets available at the Museum Store or online at maritimefriends.org. For more information call 252-728-7317.

HISTORY | EDUCATION JULY 9

✪ Essential Oils free classes Free classes at Swansboro Recreation Center. For more information call 910-326-2600, come by the Swansboro Recreation Center at 830 Main Street Extension or register online at swansboro.recdesk.com.

July 9............................................Essential Oils 101 August 4............ Essentials Oils for Asthma & Allergies

M I D – J U LY T O M I D – AU G U S T informal programs engage visitors on topics of maritime history, culture and the natural environment of coastal North Carolina. Free, no advance registration required. For information call 252-728-7317 or visit ncmaritimemuseums.com.

July 14...............................Wild Caught: The Life and Struggles of an American Fishing Town July 16............ Rescue Men: The Pea Island Lifesavers July 21.................Core Sounders: Living From the Sea July 2.........Waters of Life: Estuarine Research Reserve July 28............................................... Storm Warriors

JULY 25–26

Introduction to Wooden Boat Building class [ 9 AM–4:30 PM ] This course teaches different methods used for building round-bottomed boats.

A small take home boat model of the student’s design will be produced from two sheets of marine plywood. Course fee is $135. Minimum age is 16.

This course counts as a prerequisite for Nine-Day Boatbuilding Course. Advance registration is required.

Call 252-728-7317 for more information or visit ncmaritimemuseums.com.

JULY 11 Each adult and child team uses the stitch-and-glue technique to assemble a kit for a small flat-bottomed plywood boat. By the end of the class, each boat will be completed to a watertight condition and clearcoated with epoxy. Detail finishing and painting is the responsibility of team members and may not be undertaken in the Watercraft Center. Teams are limited to a maximum of four persons, at least one of whom must be an adult. Minimum age is 8.

Course fee is $300. Advance registration is required.

For more information call 252-728-7317 or visit ncmaritimemuseums.com.

JULY 16, AUGUST 6

TUESDAYS, THURSDAYS

Historic Beaufort road race

[ 3 PM ] Follow the story of families connected with the commercial fishing in Snead’s Ferry over a span of several years. Watch as their livelihood and culture are threatened on all fronts and family businesses question the future. Snead’s Ferry is located at the mouth of the New River in Onslow County. These

FIN D YO U R FU N

PADDLEBOARD FOR KIDS ages 8 to 12 with Second Wind Eco Tours July 16 and August 6. For all levels of experience. Pre-registration required.

For information call 910-326-2600.

SPORTS | FITNESS

Build a Boat in a Day

✪ Discovery Time

THINGS TO DO

Paddleboard for ages 8 to 12 Swansboro Parks and Recreation is partnering with Second Wind Eco Tours to offer paddleboarding. Enjoy the outdoors and learn basic stand up paddle board (SUP) skills. For all levels of experience, but child must know how to swim. CPR certified experienced instructors lead the class. Boards, paddles and life vest will be provided. Class is for ages 8-12; $35 for three-hour class. Pre-registration is required by July 14. For more information call 910-326-2600.

JULY 18 [ 8 AM ] Run through historical downtown Beaufort to benefit Crystal Coast charities. The divisions include 10K Run, 5K Run, 1-Mile Run, 10K/5K Wheelchair, 5K Baby Jogger, 5K/1-Mile Timed Walk and Masters.

The race course has been certified accurate by USA Track and Field. Sponsored by The Beaufort Ole Towne Rotary Club. All races start on Front Street between

O LD TIME CR AFTS

WOODEN BOAT BUILDING class offered by NC Maritime Museum in Beaufort. Course fee is $135. Class runs July 25 to 26. Advance registration. For information call 252-728-7317.

CUSTOM HOME THEATER CENTRAL VAC | INTERCOM SYSTEMS IR SURVEILLANCE CAMERA SYSTEMS CALL 252-241-2175 for a FREE ESTIMATE

J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 5 | C A R O L I N A S A L T | 1 1

THINGS TO DO the NC Maritime Museum and Orange Street. For more information, call 252-728-4583, ext. 137 or visit beaufortroadrace.com.

JULY 23

Beach fun run in Atlantic Beach [ 6:30 PM ] Health, fitness and enjoying the great outdoors doesn’t have to take a vacation just because you’re on vacation. Locals and vacationers alike— bring your entire family to participate. Register for the 1 Mile, 5K or 10K and enjoy a run on the white sandy shores of Atlantic Beach. All ages and experience levels are welcome. The races begin and end at The Circle public beach access. For more information call 252-808-3301.

ON THE WATER | FISHING JULY 11

✪ Great 4th Boat Race [ 10 AM ] Traditionally-rigged sailing craft rally to celebrate the historic voyages that carried the news of the signing of the Declaration of Independence to the Outer Banks. This event is free, but boat registration is required for participation. The fleet of boats will be in Taylor’s Creek between 9 and 10 a.m. For more information call 252-728-7317or visit

✪ =FREE

M I D – J U LY T O M I D – AU G U S T ncmaritimemuseums.com.

JULY 24–25

Spanish Mackerel and Dolphin Fishing Tournament

which resides in the Webb Library. This race starts in front on the Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center on Taylors Creek. For information call 252-728-7317 or visit ncmaritimemuseums.com.

Carteret Community College Foundation is holding its eighth annual Spanish Mackerel & Dolphin Fishing Tournament at the Boathouse at Front Street Village in Beaufort. This is North Carolina’s premier family fishing tournament, with categories for all ages. All proceeds go to support CCC students and programs.

Entries are now being accepted with an early bird rate of $100 for the Spanish Mackerel/Bluefish category, $160 for the King Mackerel/Dolphin category and three additional add-on categories of $50 each: Spanish Mackerel Artificial Lure, Spanish Mackerel TWT and Flounder. Visit CarteretSMT.com to register online, print forms or view rules and regulations. Call 252-222-6222 for more information.

JULY 1, 15, 22, 29 | AUGUST 5, 19

AUGUST 1

✪ Traditional skiff regatta

✪ Free summer field trips on the Rachel Carson Reserve

[ 9 AM ] Each year during the museum’s August traditional skiff sailing event boaters race around the islands for the Shanghai Trophy. In the last few years spritsail skiffs have battled for this historic trophy,

[ 8:30–10:30 AM ] Free public field trips on the Rachel Carson component of the N.C. National Estuarine Research Reserve occur on Tuesdays and Thursdays during June, July and August. Reservations

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Marsh Cruises [ 10 AM–NOON ] These Marsh Cruises will explore the coastal waters and marshes of Hammocks Beach State Park. Here, where the rivers meet the sea, we come to nourish our spirit by fishing, sailing, swimming and kicking back and enjoying the ride. This cruise offers spectacular views of the coastline from a different perspective. If conditions are favorable, we may also get to pull a dip-and-seine net to see firsthand what creatures actually lie beneath the waves.

GET OUTDOORS JULY 9, 14, 16

✪ =FREE are required, as boat space is limited. We encourage you to bring sunglasses, hats, binoculars, water and sunscreen. All field trips are free, but we do accept donations. Call 252-220-0779 to make reservations or for more information or visit nccoastalreserve.net. The reserve offers three types of field trips: ➀ NATURE HIKES at low tides. Be prepared to get your shoes wet and muddy. ➁ BOARDWALK TRIPS at high tide on 27-foot skiff. ➂ CIRCUMNAVIGATION CRUISES around the reserve on our 27-foot skiff allow visitors a chance to view Middle Marsh after a brief stop at the boardwalk.

JULY 11

Horse Sense & Survival tours Led by Cape Lookout National Seashore wildlife biologist Sue Stuska. Come prepared for a day in the sun and for walking through dunes and brush in deep sand. Trips from Harkers Island are likely to include slogging through ankle-deep mud and deeper salt water. Shoes which protect your feet and stay on in the mud are required, as are water, lunch or snacks, bug repellent, sunscreen and a sun hat. Binoculars and a camera with a telephoto lens in a day pack or shoulder bag are recommended. For more information, reservations or questions, call the park at 252-7282250, ext. 3001.

JULY 16, AUGUST 6

Paddleboard for ages 8 to 12 Enjoy the outdoors and learn basic stand up paddle board (SUP) skills. For all levels of experience, child must know how to swim. CPR certified experienced instructors lead the class. Boards, paddles and life vest will be provided. Class is for ages 8-12; $35 for three-hour class. Pre-registration is required by July 14. For more information call 910-326-2600.

JULY 30 | AUGUST 1

An evening at Cape Lookout Bring your own flashlight and experience the island and the lighthouse as the keepers did, in the dark of night. Cost is $23 per person (includes ferry trip).

Reservations are required. Call 252-725-9373 for reservations. Please call for time as departures vary seasonally.

THINGS TO DO

M I D – J U LY T O M I D – AU G U S T AUGUST 7

✪ Beaufort Pirate Invasion Get in touch with your inner pirate and enjoy two full days of piratical fun at The Beaufort Pirate Invasion.

This annual event highlights the rich history of pirates that have pillaged and plundered along the East Coast.

Enjoy a pirate battle along the Beaufort waterfront with Captain Sinbad and the Meka II and Captain Ben Bunn and the Skipjack Ada Mae.

AT THE AQUARIUM AUGUST 4

International Owl Awareness Day Wise up about owls! Presentations, programs and activities all about owls. These activities are free with admission. For information call 252-247-4003 or visit ncaquariums.com/pine-knoll-shores.

JULY 10

Sea Turtle Release [ 8 AM–2 PM ] Join NC Aquarium staff as we travel 20-25 miles offshore for a sea turtle release. Rain or shine, $75 per person. Registration required; space is limited. Participants must be at least 5 years old. Any participant under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a paying adult. Call 252-247-4003 x257 or register online. For more information call 252-2474003 or visit ncaquariums.com/pine-knoll-shores.

AT TH E AQ U AR IU M

SEA TURTLE CELEBRATION activities and exhibits all about sea turtles at the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores, including a turtle birthday.

Free with admission on August 13.

JULY 25–AUGUST 1

Shark Week Seven days of toothy times spotlight the mysterious and misunderstood world of sharks. Enjoy shark programs, feedings, activities and crafts at the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. These activities are free with admission. For more information call 252247-4003 or visit ncaquariums.com/pine-knoll-shores.

AUGUST 13

Sea Turtle Celebration Activities, exhibits and programs focus on sea turtles, including how beachgoers can help tiny turtle hatchlings make it from their sandy nests to the sea.

The event includes a birthday salute to Nimbus, the NC Aquarium’s rare white sea turtle. Activities are free with admission. For more information call 252-2474003 or visit ncaquariums.com/pine-knoll-shores.S

AT CAPE LOOKOUT

HORSE SENSE and Survival Tours at Cape Lookout National Seashore on June 11. Come prepared for a day walking through dunes and brush. For information call 252-728-2250, ext. 3001.

For the first time, our regional library system is offering eBook titles

eBooks Visit carteretcplib.org & click on OneClickDigital!

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A S K T H E AQ UA R I U M

N C A Q UA R I U M S . C O M / P I N E - K N O L L - S H O R E S

FAQ

Q. While walking on the beach I came across something I’ve never seen before. It looked and felt like the slab of white pork called “fatback” she used in cooking.

What I found looked and felt just like it, with a soft, rubbery texture.

Any idea what it was?

S

ounds like you came upon a colonial tunicate known as sea pork.

When found on beaches, these unusual and often not very attractive clumps of sea matter are usually round, hard, rubbery lumps or slabs that have faded from the sun and are gray or blackish.

Sea pork belongs to the tunicate family. Tunicates are firm globs of tiny cellulose zooids, which are small, individual animals living together in a colony. The zooids have tiny sac-like bodies and colonies can be made up of hundreds or even millions of these tiny organisms. They live in both shallow and deep water and are food for skates, sharks, fishes and other bottom feeders.

The name tunicate derives from the external, virtually invisible, covering called test or tunic that encloses the colony. Sea squirts and sea grapes are also tunicates.

Tunicates are classified in the same phylum as fish, mammals and other bony animals, but occupy a separate subphylum. They can live in shallow or deep water and can form colonies up to 23 inches long and 30 feet deep.

However, much smaller pieces are found on beaches.

To create new tunicate colonies, free swimming zooid larvae gather and attach themselves to hard substrates, such as docks, pilings, boat bottoms, jetties or floating debris. There they settle down and begin growing together by secreting digested cellulose they acquire from the food they get by filtering sea water. It is the digested cellulose that becomes the outer covering of the sea pork.

The tiny holes you notice in sea pork are similar to human pores. Each houses its own zooid. The zooids have incurrent and excurrent siphons that allow seawater to pass through. Chunks of sea pork can be dislodged by strong storms, predators or the like and wind up on shore.

Sea pork is common along the Atlantic Coast from Maine to Florida and throughout the Gulf of Mexico. It comes in a variety of colors, including pink, green, red, lavender, black, gray and orange. Fresh finds on beaches can be very colorful, but color quickly fades. It’s hard to believe these blubbery, unattractive chunks were once live animals. S 1 4 | C A R O L I N A S A L T | J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 5

Sea pork newly washed up on beaches can be brilliant colors, but fades quickly under the sun. Up close, the zooid pores (little round circles) that make up the hard exterior become obvious. (Photo courtesy of John Dreyer)

about the

AQ UA R I U M Information provided by the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. The state operates three public aquariums; one in Pine Knoll Shores, another at Fort Fisher and a third on Roanoke Island, as well as Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head. The facilities are administered by the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources and are designed to inspire appreciation and conservation of North Carolina’s aquatic environments.

—F O R M O R E I N F O —

For more information, call 1-800-832-FISH or visit ncaquariums.com.

L I N DA B E R G M A N – A LT H O U S E

O U T E R BA N K S W I L D L I F E S H E LT E R

ABOUT O.W.L.S. Take a tour of the facility at 100 Wildlife Way, Newport. To volunteer, call 252-240-1200.

If your organization would like to learn more about wildlife, the O.W.L.S. non-releasable education animals jump at the chance!

PHANTOM OF THE MARSH This elusive bird is one of the most common in the marsh, yet is also one of the hardest to spot.

T

hey do like the mud! The coastal saltwater marsh of North Carolina’s easternmost counties is home to one of the most secretive birds you may ever have the lifetime privilege to glimpse. Hearing a raspy “chock–chock– chock,” a short series of clacking or grunting sounds, might even be an easier discovery than seeing the “thin as a rail” Clapper Rail. Their rattling call is one of the most common sounds of the marshes, although seeing this wetlands bird who likes to hide in dense cover isn’t easy.

One of six rail species found in North Carolina, the gray and brown Clapper Rail, also known as the Marsh Hen, uses its lean body to easily slip through marsh grass while hunting and or escaping predators. They would rather run through the thick mud than fly. Clapper Rails are considered weak flyers because flight has only been observed in

low bursts of short distances, where landing shortly after taking off is common.

Recently, four youngster Clapper Rails were admitted to the Outer Banks Wildlife Shelter after a gentleman rescued them from the Beaufort Channel. The Good Samaritan and his wife were spending the afternoon on their skiff and happened upon the four being aggressively tossed about by waves mercilessly created by the large boats in the area. He pulled his skiff between the large boats’ busy passage and the four chicks to buffer the challenging waves and waited for nearly 45 minutes, thinking one of the rails’ parents would show up to lead them out of their precarious situation. When that didn’t happen, their rescuer became concerned that because the babies were so tiny, the large boats could unintentionally run them over. He decided to bring them onboard and transport them to our shelter in Newport to ensure their safety. He mentioned they were quite fatigued and might not have lasted much longer. They are definitely too young to be on their own, so his compassionate decision probably saved their lives and afforded them that second chance.

Chickenlike in appearance, the Clapper Rail has long, unwebbed toes, a lengthy downward curved bill and an upward turned tail with white under-tail feathers.

They are the largest of the rail species when fully grown, 13 to 16 inches in length with a compact body and long, strong legs.

Although both are slender, the males are slightly larger than the delicately built females and a wee bit more colorful. Clapper Rails in North Carolina sport a fairly pale, olive brown or gray brown appearance with a subdued rust colored chest.

Aquatic life is the Clapper Rail’s diet of choice. They forage for food by walking through wetland vegetation. Most hunting is done at low tide, where they scavenge for crustaceans such as crabs or crayfish, mollusks, snails, aquatic insects and their larvae, small fish or small amphibians such as CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

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SAM’S FIELD NOTES

SAM BLAND

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sam Bland spent much of his life out in the field as a park ranger and park superintendent at the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation. He joined the NC Coastal Federation and helps develop programs at the education center. He is also an accomplished photographer.

SEA PANSIES & BLUE BUTTONS

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wakening before dawn on a recent morning, I could hear the pulse of the ocean drifting over the dunes and through the walls of my house. The roar of the sea impaled me like a harpoon and pulled me to the shore as if I didn’t have any choice. On the ocean side of the dunes, a ghost crab peered from its burrow then melted back into the sand, giving honor to its name. As I stepped out onto the open beach, I could feel the vibrations of the pounding waves coursing through the sand. The swells were undulating across the surface of the ocean like the ripples on a sail luffing in the wind. The sound was a mixture of individual crashing waves that meshed together like the white noise found on a sleep machine. Waves that traveled across a vast ocean, carried and now released the voice of a low-pressure system well out to sea.

Storms are a beachcomber’s ally, a philanthropist depositing gifts and curiosities along a beach strewn with seaweed and chunks of airy foam. I rambled along the beach looking for the calcium carbonite trophies, of which there were a few. Some nice whelks and helmet shells would quickly be snatched up as soon as the sleepy tourists, sipping their coffees, began their morning at the edge of the sea. I resisted the urge to pick up shells, intent on finding the unusual. It didn’t take long as I double stepped to avoid trampling on a dark golden, disk-shaped object complete with a blue border and tassels. This was not a seashell or even an animal—it was a colony of animals.

This group of organisms is known as a Blue Button. This object, which looks like a colorful brooch pined to the lapel of a jacket, is group of hydroid polyps that usually live well out to sea on the surface of the ocean. Each animal in the colony has a specific function such as reproduction, feeding or protection. The sturdy one-and-a-half-inch round disk is filled with gas, which creates buoyancy. Trailing underneath the disk are numerous tentaclelike strands of hydroids. At the ends of the tentacles are powerful stinging cells called nematocysts. Inside each cell is a coiled harpoon-like spear that is launched when water pressure enters the cell. These spears are used as a deterrent to predators and to capture prey such as crab larvae. Lacking any form of propulsion, they wander the ocean at the pleasure of the wind, the waves and the currents.

I continued my search for the unusual. Not far from the blue button, I found another object partially buried in the sand. This purplish, two-inch fleshy looking item, called a sea pansy, resembled a mushroom or even the petal of a flower. It is a type of soft coral—also a 1 6 | C A R O L I N A S A L T | J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 5

collection of individual organisms that work cooperatively at different tasks. The body is connected to a stalk called a peduncle.

Unlike the blue button, sea pansies live on the ocean floor and are anchored into the sand or mud by the peduncle. Even if uprooted by rough seas, the peduncle can establish a new mooring once it settles back on the sand.

The fleshy body has a rigid structure thanks to needle-like objects called spicules.

On the upper side of the body are two kinds of polyps. One is an anemone-like polyp that feeds by trapping plankton in gooey mucus.

The other polyp controls water that enters the body allowing it to inflate or deflate as necessary. If exposed at low tide, the sea pansy will deflate the body allowing it to be covered by sand and hidden from predators.

When exposed at night, the sea pansy can also thwart predators by distracting them with an amazing show of pulsing waves of green light. A green fluorescent protein along with an enzyme creates this bioluminescent activity when the body is touched. The enzyme is known as a luciferase, from the word Lucifer, which means “light bearer.”

As I handled the sea pansy in the daylight I was unable to detect any bioluminescence.

Intently studying the creature, I was unaware of the serious beachcombers that were now scavenging the beach. I walked off the beach as a group of giddy surfers trotted into the surf, eager to quench their thirst with head high waves that ended a long drought of rideable waves. S

O L D E B E AU F O R T FA R M E R’ S M A R K E T

W I L DF L OU R BA K E RY

ABOUT THE MARKET Visit Wildflour Bakery at the Olde Beaufort Farmers’ Market every Saturday 8:30 to 1 on the grounds of the Carteret County Courthouse in Beaufort from April to November. For more information about the market visit beaufortfarmersmarket.com.

locally sourced ingredients carefully blended to create offerings that are pleasing to all.

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Currently we use King Arthur bread flour. Gary goes to Snow Camp, North Carolina—round trip about eight hours—to get organic bread flour from one of the only organic millers in the country, Lindley Mills. Their flour is milled from some North Carolina grains and is outstanding!

SPOTLIGHT: WILDFLOUR BAKERY

he Olde Beaufort Farmers’ Market, held each Saturday under the live oak trees on the grounds of the Carteret County Courthouse, showcases farmers, fishermen, bakers, food producers, artisans and crafters, joining together to sell their products. While their products may be different, their goals are the same: to create an environment that promotes healthy eating, local purchasing and the sharing of ideas and art. Wildflour Bakery with Cathy and Gary White is an example of the market’s homegrown and handmade philosophy. Recently we talked with the pair about their business.

When did you start your business and why?

Our business started as a hobby about nine years ago when we couldn’t find good sourdough bread in our area. Gary taught himself how to make artisan breads. Then, about five years ago, our daughter, Amanda, was involved in the UpTown Market in Greenville baking delicious Lil’ Babycakes. We joined her for two summers selling at their farmers’ market. Everyone loved Gary’s bread and my jams, but unfortunately Gary’s job changed and his work required him to be away most of the week so we weren’t able to continue. As life changes, Gary’s job changed again early in 2015 and he is now able to work from home, which gave us the opportunity to participate in the Saturday OBFM on a regular basis.

Tell us about how Gary works his magic with the bread.

Gary built a wood-fired clay oven several years ago. This allows us to bake up to 15 loaves at a time, usually baking as many as three loads of bread and, as the temperature falls, adding croissants and pastries. It has been pleasantly surprising and to be honest, a bit humbling, when we sell out way before the end of a market day. We continue to look for ways to increase quantity, but not at a sacrifice of quality. We constantly strive to provide the absolute best products possible using

Gary’s sourdough starter was begun about eight years ago and is refreshed each week. The levain, the leavening agent, is developed over a 36-hour period from an immature sourdough starter. Once the levain is mature and ready to build bread, the process begins.

The levain is added to a temperaturecontrolled water, followed by a carefully weighed mixture of whole wheat and bread flour. This mixture is allowed to develop over the next three or four hours, at which point the dough is ready for scaling, shaping and proofing.

Sounds like this is a labor of love and an intensive, hands-on process. No mixers involved?

Yes, that’s true. Essentially, each loaf is built by hand. We sometimes use herbs from our garden to enhance the flavors.

We add rosemary, thyme, toasted sunflower seeds, roasted garlic and seeds to some of our varieties.

Prior to the bread-making process, Gary fires the oven with two to three stokings. Once the oven walls turn gray and all the soot is burned off, the coals are arranged to cover the hearth, the oven is sealed with an iron door and the temperature is allowed to equalize CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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Wildflour, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17 throughout the oven. After the coals have died out, the oven is swept, the hearth is mopped clean and the temperature is monitored, awaiting the optimum zone to produce beautiful artisan loaves.

We understand your jams get high marks too.

Our jams are different. We use fresh, local ingredients and incorporate herbs and other additives. Cathy takes the lead here—these are not your Mama’s jams! Herbs, spirits, citrus, heat and love is incorporated in each jar. Cathy strives to make the outside of each jar as good as the inside. Wildflour Bakery also offers a customer loyalty discount for these products—fifty cents off a purchase with return of an empty jar.

One of the best sellers is Kentucky Peach Bourbon—we have a customer who buys it by the case at Christmas!

What comments do you hear from shoppers?

We love hearing all the positive, encouraging remarks from the patrons at the market. They seem to really enjoy and love our selections as much as we do.

One of our customers asked us what we use in our bread and jams to make them so addictive! We have many repeat customers, which is our ultimate goal. The most recent compliment came from one of our new customers who tried our rosemary sourdough bread. They posted on our website: “The best sourdough on the planet!”

You are partners in Wildflour Bakery.

How does that work?

We’ve been married for 43 years and I’m proud to say we work really well together. We both know when to get out of each other’s way. Gary is the baker and Cathy makes the jams, jellies

We use fresh, local ingredients and incorporate herbs and other additives. Cathy takes the lead here—these are not your Mama’s jams!

Cathy strives to make the outside of each jar as good as the inside.

and crackers. Cathy also heads up the prepping, packaging and marketing for the little home bakery. This partnership has served us well in marriage and our bakery.

Tell us a little about you personally Both of us are from the same town in Kentucky. Gary joined the Coast Guard soon after we married. Fort Macon was his first duty station and North Carolina has been our home for over 40 years now. We have two daughters and four grandchildren.

Cathy has retired from the school system and loves gardening, traveling and nature, in general.

Gary retired from the both the Coast Guard and local government. He is currently working with the state but hopes to finish soon so that he can devote more time to his love of baking.

He also enjoys backpacking in the North Carolina mountains.

When our children were growing up, we instilled in them and practiced as a family, the use of fresh local ingredients. I mentioned our daughter Amanda’s involvement in farmers’ markets earlier. Our oldest daughter, Aimee, is also involved in a farmers’ market in Oregon. She sells kombucha, fresh eggs, locally wildcrafted teas and vegetables from her garden.

It’s amazing that all three of us are involved in promoting farmers’ markets: Amanda at the Uptown Farmers’ Market in Greenville; Aimee, at the Umpqua Market in Oregon; and the two of us at the OBFM!

What are your plans for the future?

Our desire is to continually explore and develop new processes and produce, ultimately, the best bread possible at each baking!

We love participating in the OBFM and being part of such a vital group bringing all the wonderful local products to our community.

Gary built a wood-fired clay oven several years ago. This allows us to bake up to 15 loaves at a time, usually baking as many as three loads of bread and, as the temperature falls, adding croissants and pastries.

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Our goal is to continue to participate in the OBFM and develop our bread baking and jam making skills. And, most of all, we enjoy making our customers happy and leave them wanting more. S

7901 Emerald Drive, Suite 3

252.764.0581

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47 7 8 H ig hway 24 • Newpo rt

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Join us for breakfast daily starting at 7am 7802 EMERALD DRIVE • EMERALD ISLE • 252.354.6592 • VILLAGEMARKETOFEI.COM

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2015 | C A R O L I N A S A L T | 2 1

Keeping your ceiling fans spinning for comfort & savings

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BY HELEN AITKEN

eiling fans circulate cool air in the summer and can reduce electric bills, if the blades rotate in the correct direction.

In the summer, the fan’s blades should spin to the left or if you are standing underneath, counterclockwise. In the winter, reverse the blade direction. In both cases, standing near the fan, you should be able to tell if the blades are correctly rotating by the wind temperature. Changing the direction of the blades is easy: just flip the switch on the motor housing!

Warm air ascends and cool air descends. When cool air coming from an air conditioning vent meets warm air brought down from incorrectly turning blades, condensation occurs, creating humidity. High humidity in a building is uncomfortable, but lowering the temperature without changing the fan direction increases your electric bill.

By using a ceiling fan, you will save on your monthly utility bill. If you use your fan often, you can save as much as 40 percent in the summer and 10 percent in the winter,

according to www.ceiling‑fans‑ceilingfans. com. Energy efficient fans are also available, which are 15 to 20 percent more efficient and if Energy Star rated, may be tax deductible.

Ceiling fan maintenance is low. If the ceiling fan’s blades are warped, the blades need changing. Universal blades found at most hardware and superstores generally come with the proper drill bit. Remove the original blade, place it over the new one, mark the position of the holes, drill and replace it, tilting the fan blades to manufacturer specifications.

Squeaks, scraping and buzzing noises may all have simple fixes: adjusting a dimmer switch to high, if the ceiling fan is on one; checking for loose light globes; or tightening loose screws on the blades or motor.

Sometimes blades become unbalanced, requiring an inexpensive balancing kit with easy instructions. Fan blades are available in many styles to enhance your decor.

There are also ceiling fans made for outdoor use. Typically, these have plastic or resin blades that can withstand humidity and moisture. For the ultimate in outdoor

SPECIALS LOCAL APPRECIATION NIGHT

EVERYTHING 1/2 PRICE! WEDNESDAY

KARAOKE NIGHT

$2 DOMESTICS $3 JÄGER BOMBS $5 FROZEN DRINKS! THURSDAY

DJ ROBBIE JONES 50¢ NATURAL LIGHT FRIDAY

DJ ROBBIE JONES SUNDAY

SUNDAY FUNDAY | |

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C A ROL I NA S A LT

cooling, look for standing fans with misting machines—you can check some out at cool-off.com or lowes.com. On cooler days, the Dimplex Umbrella Heater is a fan that attaches to a patio umbrella and pushes heated air downward. If you’re curious, visit dimplexoutdoors.com.

Inside or out, fans are a wise choice for enhancing your comfort and reducing your energy bill … but only if the blades rotate in the right direction! S

LIVE MUSIC

MONDAY-TUESDAY

LADIES NIGHT

Fans are a wise choice for enhancing your comfort and reducing your energy bill … but only if the blades rotate in the right direction!

ISLAND’S BEST DRINK SPECIALS Emerald Isle

J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 5

7/11����� 7-10pm Selah Dubb 10-2am Heritage 7/17����� 7-11pm Trevor and the Birds 11-2am DJ Dance Party Outside Under the Stars 7/18����� Backyard Groove 7/24����� DJ Dance Party Under the Stars 7/25����� CROATAN 10-YEAR CLASS REUNION 7-10pm Naked Knees 10-2am Mike Mixer Band 7/31����� DJ Dance Party Under the Stars 8/1������� 7-10pm David Dixon 10-2am Spare Change 8/7������� PARROT HEAD CLUB ANNIVERSARY 7-11pm Big Drink 11-2am DJ Dance Party Outside Under the Stars 8/8������� 7-10pm Scearce and Ketner 10-2am Eli Craig Band 8/9������� EIPHC SANDBAR PARTY on Pelican Island at 12 noon 8/14-15 HERITAGE REGGAE FESTIVAL WEEKEND

NC Aquarium adventures and tours make a splash

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xplore the coastal environment this summer with hands-on, feet-wet adventures under guidance from the Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. Stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) returns to the schedule five days a week.

New this year: two sessions customized for younger kids and their parents.

“We have close to 300 hundred acres of land and water that have been set aside as a nature reserve,” said Special Activities Coordinator Wayne Justice. “We are fortunate to have such an awesome natural classroom right in our backyard and SUPs are a fun and exciting way to explore these estuarine environments.”

The Aquarium provides the boards and other equipment and expert instruction. Sessions are 9 to 11 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for ages 12 and up. The same time slots on Tuesday and Thursday are for ages 6 up. Adult companions are required.

If you prefer to view the scenery while seated, sign up for a canoe or kayak voyage. On foot, explore Bogue Sound’s shallow waters and tidal pools with Marsh Madness or take a Night Trek on the beach to learn about the sea turtles that nest there. Fishing Fanatics and Sound Seafood: Catching Clams and Crabs provide a chance to practice new skills and knowledge about use and conservation.

At the Aquarium, get in on behind-the-scenes action. Bigpicture overview tours of 45 minutes are available Monday through Saturday and a 90-minute in-depth version is offered on Sundays.

Specialized tours include a rare chance to enter the backstage area of the river otter exhibit, a trek to the second floor overlook of the Living Shipwreck to feed the sharks and another to feed the fish.

In Aquarist Apprentice, participants spend the afternoon assisting staff with preparing food and other aspects of animal care.

Preschoolers have their own program, Aquarium ABCs, that includes crafts, live animal encounters, stories and outdoor explorations.

All these programs required advance registration and fees in addition to admission. See the Aquarium website for more information and to register online.

The North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores is five miles west of Atlantic Beach at 1 Roosevelt Blvd., Pine Knoll Shores, NC 28512. The Aquarium is open 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily. Admission is $10.95 for ages 13-61; $9.95 for ages 62 and up and military; $8.95 for ages 3-12; no charge for ages 2 and under and North Carolina Aquarium Society members. State taxes are additional to admission.

For more information, see www.ncaquariums.com/pine-knoll-shores or call 252-247-4003. S

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BWF dinner highlights local cuisine and charity

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eaufort Wine and Food is serving next a taste of Italy during the “All Things Italian” al fresco dinner and bocce tournament from 5 to 8 p.m. July 18 at Beaufort East Village between Front Street and Lennoxville Road.

During the dinner and reception, guests will be treated to an exceptional menu prepared Brent Hopkins, executive chef at GRAVY restaurant in Raleigh and the area nonprofit organizations selected to receive grants from Beaufort Wine & Food will be announced.

Staying true to the farm-to-table philosophy, BWF will be partnering with the Old Beaufort Farmer’s Market to make sure only the best, local ingredients are used in crafting the evening’s menu.

“It’s important to increase awareness and promote Eastern NC’s agricultural bounty, especially aquaculture and the local seafood industry which is so significant to our area,” said Lindsay Parker, BWF executive director. “Teaming up with great local organizations and businesses like the Old Beaufort Farmer’s Market and Fishtowne Seafood allows us to showcase the culinary bounty of Carteret County and provide our guests with a truly amazing dining experience.”

Rounding out the evening, BWF will announce the local nonprofit organizations selected as recipients of its 2015 grant cycle. All area nonprofits serving Carteret County are encouraged to apply for funding and the deadline to submit applications is July 1.

In addition to the dinner and reception, a bocce tournament will be played earlier in the day on the scenic grounds of Beaufort East Village. Spots for the two-person teams are still available and preregistration is required.

Tickets to the “All Things Italian” dinner and reception are $75 per person. The cost for a two-person bocce team is $200 and includes two tickets to the following dinner and reception. For more information on how to request grant funding, purchase tickets or become a member, contact the BWF office at 252-515-0708 or go online and download the application at www.beaufortwineandfood. com.

BWF is a nonprofit organization and proceeds from its events benefit nonprofits that excel in community enrichment and enhance quality of life in Carteret County. Through the generosity and support from sponsors, members and wine and culinary participants, Beaufort Wine and Food has raised more than $450,000 that has been donated to nonprofit organizations in the last decade. S

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Carolina Artist Gallery calls for ‘Tiny Treasures’ artists “Tiny Treasures,” an art exhibit demonstrating that great things truly do come in small packages, will be presented by Carolina Artist Gallery from July 12–August 29. Freda Kyle and Jane McConlogue, two of the original five founders of Carolina Artists Studio Gallery, will judge the show. Both continue to display their paintings and other art in the gallery.

The artist information about the show as well as an application to submit work is available on the gallery website, carolinaartistgallery. com or may be picked up at Carolina Artist Gallery. Art may be delivered to the gallery July 9–11. The deadline is July 11 at 5 p.m. Art work may include all 2-D and 3-D media with the stipulation that each piece measure no more than 8 inches in any dimension.

Carolina Artist Gallery is a nonprofit artists’ co-op located at 800 Evans Street at the corner of 8th Street on the historic Morehead City waterfront. The Gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Its mission is to bring art experiences to everyone on the Crystal Coast.

For more information on the co-op, community outreach programs and the show, visit the Gallery’s website at carolinaartistgallery.com. S

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NC Aquarium invites public to offshore turtle release

H

ead to sea with the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores for a once-in-a-lifetime experience releasing sea turtles on Friday, July 10. Climb aboard the Carolina Princess for an educational cruise from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., that culminates with the release of 11 rehabilitated loggerhead sea turtles ranging in age from 1 to 2 years.

“This is the first time we’ve ever offered a program like this,” said Aquarium Director Hap Fatzinger. “It’s an incredible experience and a way for our community to participate in our ongoing sea turtle conservation efforts.”

On the voyage, learn about sea turtles and other ocean animals in a variety of Aquarium presentations. Once arriving at the release area 20-25 miles offshore, gather to watch as the each turtle is carefully lowered into the waves and bid farewell.

The trip is $75 per person and advance registration and payment are required. Aquarium membership discounts apply. Space is limited, so early registration is advised. The minimum age is 5—no exceptions —and passengers 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

Register by phone at the Aquarium or online.

Food will be available for purchase. Participants are welcome to bring snacks. The release will take place rain or shine, unless the trip is cancelled by trip organizers due to severe conditions. Participants should prepare for the elements and their effects – heat, wind, rain, possible rough seas and the potential for sea sickness.

Three of the turtles to be released have been at the Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores since their rescue as hatchlings. Nine have been at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as subjects of noninvasive conservation research into how turtles use magnetic fields to navigate large distances.

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (WRC) coordinates all sea turtle research, rescue, rehabilitation and releases.

Volunteer groups along the coast, the North Carolina Aquariums and North Carolina State University veterinary teams work together with the WRC to help rescued hatchlings and other injured or ill sea turtles.

The North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores is five miles west of Atlantic Beach at 1 Roosevelt Blvd., Pine Knoll Shores, NC 28512. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is $10.95 for ages 13-61; $9.95 for ages 62 and up and military; $8.95 for ages 3 to 12; no charge for ages 2 and under and Aquarium Society members.

State taxes apply to admission fees. For more information, see ncaquariums.com/pine-knoll-shores or call 252-247-4003. S

The Fisher Woman

BY JOE MOBLEY

M

om was always such a good cook. As she set the baking pan down upon the old wooden dining table, hand-built by Dad, dinner was about to be served. The large baked fish glistened in the pan.

Surrounded by browned potatoes and rings of onions, the fish, with black stripes across its white body, was definitely chef quality. The aroma wafting through the air aroused our taste buds.

Probably Mom decided how she would cook the fish while she scaled and gutted it with her favorite oak-handled butcher knife, the same knife she used to slice hams and carve turkeys. No fancy and expensive filet knife for Mom. But fish had never been the intended meal for that night’s dinner.

Earlier in the day, Mom, with her two youngest sons serving as navigators and fishing guides, sat on the center seat of a sun-faded white wooden skiff. Being the older son, I poled out to a small but deep channel in the White Oak River, normally not a fishing spot (we were only allowed to use the boat in shallow water, except to anchor over a deep hole). For safety reasons, Allen and I weren’t allowed to go into deep water unless an adult was aboard, but fishing in a channel farther away from shore offered deeper water and a chance to catch something bigger than pinfish, hogfish or sand perch.

A blue sky hovered over glassy saltwater, a jumping mullet broke the smooth surface, leaving ever-widening circles when it landed … it was almost a scene from a Norman Rockwell canvas. For Allen and me, just another day on the river.

Only two other boats were anchored on the horizon, a sign the fish probably weren’t biting. But just the boat trip itself was great fun for a skinny 11 and skinnier 13 year old, bodies bronze from the Carolina sun.

We didn’t fish our favorite spot, a small but deep hole at the end of a nearby marsh—we wanted to try fishing in deeper water. We each had our own rod and reel, gifts from the previous Christmas. We had watched other fishermen casting a bait, observed how the rod was tipped back over the shoulder, elbow pointed straight forward, then quickly snapped forward until both the arm and rod were parallel with the water’s surface, landing the bait at the intended spot, always holding one’s thumb lightly on the rapidly unwinding line. The

thumb action was what prevented backlash, that dreaded overwind of tangled fishing line that most closely resembles a bird’s nest on a reel. We each had become much more proficient in the art of casting a level-wind reel than our father. Sometimes Dad seemed to get as much pleasure cursing the backlash in the fishing line as he did the actual fishing. Or so it sometimes seemed to us boys.

Normally, Mom would not have been aboard. Women didn’t hardly fish back in 1960, as far as we knew. She was given the only other available rod and reel, a large surf rod. Anyone who has fished out of a 16-foot skiff knows the bow and stern are the most coveted fishing places. Since we didn’t expect Mom to catch anything, she was assigned to the center of the boat.

Some self-proclaimed expert fishermen might argue that a sheepshead could only be caught near a piling using a sand crab for bait. Arguably, it is one of the hardest types of fish to catch. When our mom landed that sheepshead using a shrimp for bait nowhere near a piling, that myth was disproved. We reasoned she caught it because we used Dad’s little hand-pulled seine net earlier that day to catch fresh shrimp for bait. We knew catching fish was all about the bait!

Mom reeled in the fish and landed it without the use of a dip net, proving her skills as a fisherwoman. (Back then, we only used nets to dip crabs.) As she boated the fish, Allen exclaimed, “It’s a prison fish!” Prison fish was the colloquial name for sheepshead, because the black stripes running across its body looked like an old-time prison uniform.

“Gosh, Mom, I never caught a fish that big!” I exclaimed, a statement of truth and surprise.

I don’t recall us boys catching a single fish that trip. “Of course, that wasn’t our usual spot,” we agreed later. But we were strong believers in a partial quote from the Kenneth Grahame story The Wind in the Willows, “There is NOTHING—absolutely nothing half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.” And we messed about in boats a lot.

Never a braggart, the bashful smile on Mom’s face spoke more eloquently than any words in her vocabulary. Sometimes a fisherwoman, against the odds, does fish better than the two more experienced fishermen in the boat. S

ABOUT THE AUTHOR. Joe Mobley was born in Duplin County and grew up in Swansboro. His dad’s love of the water and mom’s love of the people and the Swansboro area kept the family there. After graduating from high school, Mobley joined the Navy and traveled the world. After his enlistment was up, he began a 15-year run in the boatbuilding industry, but looked for a career path with more security. He moved into civil service and began writing non-fiction short stories after retirement. Most stories are locally based, some are from elsewhere, but all have ties to Swansboro.

J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 5 | C A R O L I N A S A L T | 2 7

DI S C OV E RY DI V I NG

LEE MOORE

DIVING OUR COAST

I N J U LY A N D A U G U S T

J

JOIN DISCOVERY Contact Discovery Diving at 252‑728‑2265 or visit them on Facebook to see what classes and events are coming up. You can also visit discoverydiving.com.

JOIN ECARA ECARA works to continue sinking ships to create artificial reefs here in North Carolina, but their resources are limited. To get involved with ECARA, visit carolinareef.org to check out their current project list.

uly is going to see the water getting closer to the upper 70s on the offshore and inshore wrecks. The Gulf Stream is over 50 miles off of the coast, but it does bring warm, blue water to the offshore wrecks. It is not uncommon to see 70, 80 and even 100 feet of visibility on the wrecks of the Crystal Coast. When approaching the wrecks, the large number of baitfish that are surrounding the wreck can give the impression of a moving wreck. The warm water of the Gulf Stream is the source of a variety of tropical marine life that is found on the wrecks of the Crystal Coast.

The third annual “If You Can’t Beat ’Em, Eat ’Em” lionfish and lobster tournament—a joint effort between Bistro-By-the-Sea, Discovery Diving, Carteret Catch, Eastern Carolina Artificial Reef Association (ECARA) and Seahorse Coastal Consulting—concluded on June 7. There were three categories in the tournament: Most Lionfish, Lobster with the Biggest Carapace and Miscellaneous Edible Fish. Dean Anderson won the Most Lionfish with 32 lionfish, Leroy Craytor won Lobster with the Biggest Carapace with a 7½-inch carapace and the Miscellaneous Edible Fish was won by Doug Wise with two grouper with a total weight just above 25 pounds. Leroy Craytor and Dean Anderson were the winners in the same categories in last year’s tournament. Even though the spiny lobster doesn’t have claws like the Maine lobster, they are just as tasty. Lionfish have a white meat that is similar in taste and texture to sea bass.

The wrecks off of the Crystal Coast are the main attraction to the area for divers. The second thing that attracts diver to the Crystal Coast are the sand tiger sharks. These docile creatures are found consistently on a number of our wrecks. When a charter wants to see sharks, the dive boats know which wrecks have a resident shark population. The wrecks that have resident sand tiger sharks are the Spar, Aeolus, Caribsea, Atlas and Papoose. While diving on the other wrecks, divers shouldn’t be surprised by the occasional sand tiger passing through.

Sand tigers are identified by two nearly equal dorsal fins and a mouthful of long, jagged teeth and are the only fish that gulps down air and stocks it up in its stomach. It is not uncommon to find a sand tiger laying on the bottom because they don’t have to be constantly moving like other sharks. They are grayish brown or tan on the upper part of their body and paler to white on the lower part of their body. The juveniles have dark spots from the middle of their side to their tail, which will fade as they get older. Sand tigers average 6½ to 10½ feet in length, with some reported up to 14 feet in length. Their average weight is 200 to 350 pounds.

When a female gets ready to reproduce, she has 15 to 20 eggs in each of her two oviducts.

During the embryonic phase, the first embryo to develop in each oviduct starts to eat the remaining eggs. This continues for a year until two pups are born. The newborn sharks are about three feet long and resemble their mother. These sharks had to eat their siblings inside their mother to survive! For a shark that had to be aggressive to be born, they are docile after they are born. Sand tigers aren’t the only sharks that are seen on our wrecks.

Sandbar sharks were seen regularly on the Indra and Hutton in June. They are distinguishable by its very high and triangular first dorsal fin, very long pectoral fins and interdorsal ridge. The second dorsal fin and anal fin are close to the same height. Sandbar sharks usually have heavyset bodies and rounded snouts that are shorter than the average shark’s snout. The sandbar sharks are constantly moving and have a tendency to make quick turns.

Other sharks that can be seen on the wrecks of the Crystal Coast are bull sharks, tiger sharks, nurse sharks and hammerhead sharks.

If you would like to learn more about the sharks off of the Crystal Coast, take the Shark Awareness class at Discovery Diving. Contact Discovery Diving at dive@discoverydiving.com, 252-728-2265 or like us on Facebook to see what classes, charters and events are coming up in the near future. S

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Phantom, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 frogs. They pick up food items when spotted or probe in the mud for food with their long bills. They are also known to snatch a snake or two and may occasionally feed on plant matter, mostly seeds, but approximately 80 percent of their diet is animal-based.

Clapper Rails are monogamous and pairing is established and reestablished each year. During courtship displays, the male approaches the female, points his bill down and swings his head from side to side.

Another impressive move is to stand erect, neck stretched with bill open. A male has also been known to feed the female. Nesting pairs enhance their bond by blending their clattering until they sound like one bird.

The nesting season occurs from April to June. Nests, built by both the male and female, are cup shaped clumps of vegetation and are often found where ditches or creeks foster the growth of tall and short grasses, as well as near the upper reaches of high tide or on a bank near water. Common nesting materials are hollow stems of plants and coarse marsh grasses. Occasionally a canopy will be woven over the nest and often a ramp of plant material leading from the lower

ground up to the nest situated in the wetland reeds will be constructed. Generally, 9 to 12 eggs are laid and rails may produce more than one clutch per year. Incubation averages 20 days and is performed by both sexes, as well as raising the young.

The chicks are able to feed independently shortly after leaving the nest. Young rails are able to fly in 9 to 10 weeks. A group of Clapper Rails are collectively known as an applause, audience or commercial.

When a Clapper Rail sighting is made it usually occurs when the rail is focused on stalking for prey along the muddy edge of the marsh while twitching its short tail in anticipation of the grab. It may also be seen swimming across a tidal creek. Best viewing occurs at dawn and dusk as the birds leave the marsh grass and feed on open mud flats.

Their unique behavior, elegant appearance and characteristic shyness make them extremely sought-after sightings, but if you are that eager birder, always put the well-being of the bird first. Remember, Clapper Rails would rather never be seen at all. Intentionally startling or flushing birds to get a good view exposes them to predators

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and may force them to leave nests or young unattended or abandon them altogether.

So, never do anything that could hinder the survival of this mysterious phantom of the marsh. If you are lucky enough to see a Clapper Rail in the open, it may be under a bit of stress, so avoid adding to that by giving it a wide berth and do not allow unleashed pets to approach it. Stay low and stay quiet.

The long-term population trend of the Clapper Rail is most severely affected by water pollution, flooding of nests during spring high tides and the destruction of coastal marsh habitat. Due to the rail’s secretive nature, the difficulty of working in marsh environments and a lack of funding for rail research, basic information regarding life history and yearly population status is limited. Clapper rail populations can best be maintained by preserving their wetland habitat and with strong support for effective protection laws. Our little Clapper Rails are putting away an abundant share of large meal worms as well as, silver sides and growing bigger and stronger every day. When they are ready, they will be returned to the marsh they call home. S

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