Carolina Salt November 2015

FREE! TAKE ONE! NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015

your life on the Crystal Coast A CHEF’S LIFE

Mise-En Place UNDER THE SEA

The ShameFaced Crab

ON THE WATER

Diving & Fishing Our Coast

NATURAL COAST

Signs of the Season Change

LOCAL MARKET

The Barnyard LOOK INSIDE FOR FUN AND FREE

HOLIDAY CALENDAR

Thanksgiving In Beaufort

THINGS TO DO ON THE CRYSTAL COAST MID–NOVEMBER THROUGH MID–DECEMBER page 8

GOOD DEEDS

OWLS Silent Auction

HOME OF THE CRYSTAL COAST STEAM POT!

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M I D - NOV E M B E R TO M I D - DE C E M B E R 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 8 Mise-En-Place: A Chef ’s Life

We’ve all been out to eat at a restaurant, but not all of us have had an opportunity to step past the swinging doors into the kitchen. Get a new perspective with this day in the life of a chef.

18 The Shame-Faced Crab

Ask the Aquarium answers a question about a weird looking but pretty crab who keeps his claws locked together over his face as if hiding.

It is a little known but fairly common crab.

21

FARMERS’ MARKET PRESENTS: THE BARNYARD

FREE! TAKE ONE! NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015

your life on the Crystal Coast A CHEF’S LIFE

Mise-En Place The ShameFaced Crab

ON THE WATER

Diving & Fishing Our Coast

NATURAL COAST

calendar for some of our most popular local holiday events, including Swansboro Flotilla.

LOCAL MARKET

The Barnyard LOOK INSIDE FOR FUN AND FREE

HOLIDAY CALENDAR

Thanksgiving In Beaufort

Fall is on its way out, and winter is on its way in.

This month’s Carolina Salt helps you fill in your

UNDER THE SEA

Signs of the Season Change

ON THIS MONTH’S COVER

THINGS TO DO ON THE CRYSTAL COAST MID–NOVEMBER THROUGH MID–DECEMBER page 8

GOOD DEEDS

OWLS Silent Auction

We’re looking forward to holiday music, colder nights and more time with family!

20 Signs of the Season Change

Whatever your feelings about the end of summer and the beginning of cooler weather, we Southerners have learned to read the signs.

One of them is a certain butterfly.

21 The Barnyard

The Barnyard petting zoo is more than a collection of adorable animals. First and foremost, it is an agritourism business and educational farm. But there is lots of cuteness!

LOCAL INTEREST Things To Do......................................8 Old Fashioned Jumble Sale..............16 BHA Thanksgiving............................16 OWLS Silent Auction........................19 16 THANKSGIVING in

Beaufort with a historic flair set for November 22.

17 BEHIND THE SCENES in a typical night at a restaurant.

Hooked Up Fishing..........................23 Diving the Coast...............................24 Tides...............................................25

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015 | C A R O L I N A S A L T | 5

PUBLISHER: Will

Ashby

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Chevy

Kaylor

CONTRIBU TING WRITERS Kim Murdoch, Linda Bergman–Althouse, Gillian Ward, Khristi T. Nunnally, Michele Pasch, Jeannine Patané, David Cartier, Ken Stone, Capt. Jeff Cronk and Lee Moore.

E D I T O R IA L S A N D 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-December to Mid-January issue is November 16, 2015.

Email letters to the editor, photos, community listings and articles to will@crystalcoastoutdoors.com. Next issue will publish December 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!

We Depend On Our Readers!

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

THINGS TO DO

✪ =FREE

MID–NOVEMBER TO MID–DECEMBER FALL HOLIDAYS NOVEMBER 7

NOVEMBER 21

Veterans Day Parade

Gaylon Pope and SweetWater Holiday Show—One Night Only!

[ 11 AM ] Honor our veterans at a parade through downtown Morehead City. For more information, call 252-728-8440.

NOVEMBER 11

✪ Blue Star Memorial Dedication

N OV E MB E R 2 2

COMMUNITY THANKSGIVING feast at the Beaufort Historic Site from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. A traditional turkey dinner provided by some of the area’s finest restaurants. Call 252-728-5225.

[ 11 AM ] At the Emerald Isle Visitor Center, 8401 Emerald Drive. Emerald Isle Garden Club and the Town of Emerald Isle request the honor of your presence at the Blue Star Memorial Dedication Ceremony to honor men and women who have served, are currently serving or will serve in our Armed Forces. Following the ceremony, lemonade and cookies will be served at the Visitor Center.

Please RSVP to Tula Satterfield, 252-354-1909 or jbsatty@suddenlink.net.

NOVEMBER 9–13, 16

Kindergarten Thanksgiving [ 9–11:30 AM ] The Beaufort Historic Site will welcome kindergarten classes to participate in hands-on learning activities and demonstrations for its autumn educational program. As part of this program, the students visit four stations on the grounds of the site, each designed to teach them about a different aspect of life as a colonial Beaufort resident. Interactive stations, such as the popular butter churning station, allow the children to participate in the entire process of making butter, from milking the cow to serving the final product.

Other activities include colonial dress-up, open hearth cooking, colonial gardening, spinning and weaving. To reserve a spot for your class call 252728-5225.

NOVEMBER 22 N OV E MB E R 2 1

GAYLON POPE and SweetWater appear at Joslyn Hall, Carteret Community College for one night, one show only. Sold out every year! Call 919915-1422 for tickets or information.

CHRISTMAS EVENTS

Community Thanksgiving Feast [ 11:30 AM–1 PM ] A traditional turkey dinner is provided by some of the area’s finest restaurants.

Served at the Beaufort Historic Site, dinners are available for takeout or to enjoy under our tent. For information, call 252-728-5225 or email pr@beauforthistoricsite.org.

[ 7 PM ] At Joslyn Hall, Carteret Community College. Experience the Gaylon Pope and SweetWater Holiday Show that celebrates both Thanksgiving and Christmas! This one night, one show only sells out every year, so make sure you get your tickets early! Call CenterStage Entertainment for tickets and more information at 919-915-1422.

NOVEMBER 27

Swansboro Christmas Flotilla [ 6 PM ] Kick off the 2015 holiday season with the Swansboro Christmas Flotilla in Historic Downtown Swansboro—it’s an honored tradition and fun for the whole family! On the Friday after Thanksgiving, gather along Swansboro’s waterfront and watch as boats parade down the White Oak River. Music will fill the air and you can enjoy treats, such as funnel cakes, cider and hot cocoa. You’ll be amazed by the lights and decoration of the boats and will even catch a glimpse of Santa Claus! Please feel free to contact us at 910-326-7370 or visit swansborofestivals.com if you have any questions.

NOVEMBER 27-28 | DECEMBER 3-5, 10-12, 17-19

Christmas at The Barnyard [ 5–8 PM ] Celebrate the Christmas season barnyard style at The Barnyard, 844 Robert’s Road, Newport. Enjoy an evening farm tour, petting the animals under hundreds of Christmas lights and decorations. Let the kids visit with Santa in his big red sleigh while sipping on hot chocolate. Hang out with your family by our bonfire as you listen to Christmas music and watch the lights on the farm twinkle. Gate fee is $6 per person; children under 2 admitted free. All activities are included in the gate fee except hot chocolate and decorated live Christmas wreaths for sale. For more information call 252-223-2950 or visit thebarnyardnc.com.

NOVEMBER 28

✪ Emerald Isle Christmas Parade [ 3 PM ] The Emerald Isle Christmas Parade, sponsored by the Emerald Isle Business Association

Stir a little love into everything you do.

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THINGS TO DO

MID–NOVEMBER TO MID–DECEMBER

and the Town of Emerald Isle, will take place the Saturday after Thanksgiving on Highway 58 (Emerald Drive). Important note to all entrants: There will be only one Santa Claus in the parade and he will be riding in a float at the end. All other Santas will be sent back to the North Pole! Also, please join us after the parade for the official Christmas Tree Lighting at Merchant’s Park. Enjoy free refreshments, as well as a holiday caroling singalong as Santa Claus visits with the children.

To enter, contact Don Wells at 252-772-3282 or donaldjwells@gmail.com.

DECEMBER 4

✪ Christmas ArtWalk [ 4–8 PM ] Art lovers can start their holiday festivities with the annual Morehead City Christmas Artwalk featuring downtown Morehead City galleries, as well as several participating downtown businesses and restaurants. At 1001 Arendell Street. For more information call 252-808-0440.

DECEMBER 4

✪ Christmas Tree Lighting at Katherine Davis Park [ 6 PM ] The annual Christmas Tree Lighting in downtown Morehead City will take place at Katherine Davis Park, at 6th and Arendell Streets.

DECEMBER 4–6

✪ The Annual John Costlow Christmas Train Show The 21st Annual John Costlow Christmas Train Show comes to the Old Train Depot at the corner of Pollock and Broad Streets in Beaufort. Free admission! Any donations go to the Beaufort Lions Club. The show will be open to the public from 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. The train show takes place in the Old Train Depot at the corner of Pollock and Broad Streets in Beaufort. For more information call 252-728-2259.

with Santa, s’mores by the fire, special seasonal sales, live music, food and more. Also, we are now taking orders for poinsettias, live wreaths and Christmas trees. If you pre-order your tree or wreath

by November 19, you’ll receive $5 off. Let us hand pick your Christmas tree for you this year! At Carolina Home and Garden, 4778 NC 24, Newport.

For more information call 252-393-9004.

DECEMBER 5

✪ Christmas Parade & Light Up the Night [ 6 PM ] Show your Christmas spirit by decorating and lighting up the night with boats, floats, cars and trucks. Parade begins at West Fort Macon from Dunes Club and heads toward the Circle, ending at the flagpoles. Meet Santa after the parade at the Fire Department. For parade information visit www.atlanticbeach-nc.com or email townclerk@ atlanticbeach-nc.com.

DECEMBER 5

D ECEMB ER 5

✪ CHRISTMAS FLOTILLA begins on the Morehead City Waterfront and goes on to the Beaufort Waterfront. All decorated boats are judged and prizes awarded.

Crystal Coast Christmas Flotilla The Crystal Coast Christmas Flotilla features boats, yachts, oars, kayaks and commercial vessels decorated for the season. The decorated boats can be seen at 5:30 p.m. on the Morehead City waterfront and at 6:15 p.m. on the Beaufort waterfront. Boats may register to participate in the flotilla by phone or mail and until noon on December 5 at the NC Maritime Museum Store.

All decorated boats are judged and prizes for excellence and creativity are awarded at the Awards Party after the flotilla in the Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center. Cash prizes will be awarded!

Entry fee to participate.

DECEMBER 6

D ECEMB ER 4–6

DECEMBER 5

✪ Newport Christmas Parade

✪ Christmas Open House at Carolina Home & Garden

[ 3 PM ] The Town of Newport Christmas Parade begins at the Newport Garden Center (291 Chatham Street) and ends at Town Hall. Call 252223-4749 for more information.

✪ FREE CHRISTMAS TRAIN SHOW at the Old Train Depot at the corner of Pollock and Broad Streets in Beaufort.

Free admission! For information call 252-728-2259.

[ 10 AM–5 PM ] Join Carolina Home and Garden for our Christmas Open House. We will have pictures

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THINGS TO DO

✪ =FREE

MID–NOVEMBER TO MID–DECEMBER HOLIDAY GIFTS & CRAFTING NOVEMBER 7

Mistletoe Magic Holiday Gift Show at the Civic Center [ 9 AM–4 PM ] Finding something for everyone on your shopping list is easy at the annual Mistletoe Magic Holiday Gift Show. Over 60 vendors gather at the Crystal Coast Civic Center in Morehead City, bringing a wide variety of handmade and commercial items. Entry fee is $4 for adults, $3 for seniors 60 and over and free for children under 12.

For more information call 252-247-3883.

NOVEMBER 7, 14 N OV E MB E R 1 4

DAVE GUNNING in concert at Clawson’s Restaurant on Front Street in Beaufort. Admission is $15 ($12 for active duty military and Down East FolkArts Society members.)

The Crystal Coast Choral Society’s In Tune with the Season Bazaar and Silent Auction at the Cape Carteret Aquatic and Wellness Center to benefit a 30th anniversary concert to include two performances of Handel’s Messiah. A 14-piece professional orchestra and four professional soloists will be hired to accompany the chorus. This concert will be presented in December.

[ 8 AM–6 PM ] On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Emerald Isle Parks and Recreation will host our 4th Annual Holiday Arts and Crafts Fair in the gymnasium. The fair will feature all handmade or hand-authenticated items from local artisans and crafters. For more information or to become a vendor, contact Lainey Gottuso at 252-3546350 or lgottuso@emeraldisle-nc.org. There is no application deadline, but space is limited and is expected to fill up quickly.

DECEMBER 4–6

✪ Core Sound Waterfowl Weekend This celebration boasts local waterfowl art, music, seafood, museum exhibits and more. It also includes educational displays, competitions, arts and crafts, community boat building and a fellowship service on Sunday morning. It’s the perfect way to experience the holiday season Down East. For more information call 252-728-1500 or visit coresound.com.

DECEMBER 5–6

NOVEMBER 14

Core Sound Decoy Festival

Thanksgiving Centerpiece Class

At Harkers Island Elementary School, 1785 Harkers Island Road, Beaufort. Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4p.m.

Admission is $8 (children under 12 admitted free).

Sunday is Youth Day and all children under 18 will receive free admission and door prizes! The decoy competition has many categories to suit nearly every carver and there are several youth divisions this year. Harkers Island Elementary School staff and volunteers dish out scrumptious food and over 90 vendors spread their wares for shoppers. This event benefits the Core Sound Decoy Carver’s Guild and Harkers Island Elementary School and is the area’s largest off-season event. Visit decoyguild.com for more information or join the Core Sound Decoy Carvers Guild on Facebook.

[ 10 AM ] Join Carolina Home and Garden, at 4778 NC 24 in Newport, for our Thanksgiving Centerpieces class. We will be making festive fall arrangements that will look great on your tables for Thanksgiving! Space is limited. Call to reserve your space today at 252-393-9004.

OYSTER ROAST highlights NC’s coastal and culinary heritage. At Beaufort East Village in Beaufort. Live music, bonfire, hay wagon and great seafood. Call 252-515-0708.

✪ Emerald Isle Holiday Arts and Crafts Fair

FALL FESTIVALS

✪ Bazaar and Silent Auction: In Tune with the Season

11/7...............................................Silent Auction 11/14..........................Holiday Bazaar 8 AM–1PM

N OV E MB E R 1 1

NOVEMBER 28

NOVEMBER 27–DECEMBER 13

✪ Arts and Crafts Coalition Holiday Show Carteret County Arts and Crafts Coalition Holiday Show, a free indoor show of juried arts and crafts, takes place on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m.

“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 | NOVEMBER / DECMEBER 2015

info@cirilacothran.com • www.cirilacothran.com

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MID–NOVEMBER TO MID–DECEMBER

MUSIC | CONCERTS NOVEMBER 14

Down East Folk Arts Society Concert: Dave Gunning [ 6:30 PM ] At Clawson’s Restaurant, 425 Front Street, Beaufort. General admission $15, active duty military and Down East FolkArts Society members $12, full-time students $8. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., show starts at 7:30. To reserve tickets, please call or text 252-646-4657 or email folkartsenc@gmail.com.

Sponsored by the Beaufort Lions Club for diabetes awareness. For more information call 252-2412201.

NOVEMBER 7

Live Pro Wrestling at MacDaddy’s [ 7:30–9:45 PM ] Saturday night’s alright for fightin’ at Mac Daddy’s, 130 Golfin Dolphin Drive, Cape Carteret. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for kids under 13. For more information or tickets, visit prowrestlingpwf.com or call 252-393-6500.

GET OUTDOORS

WINING & DINING NOVEMBER 7

Charity Pig Cook-Off at Mac Daddy’s in Cape Carteret [ 10 AM–3 PM ] At Mac Daddy’s, 130 Golfin’ Dolphin Drive, Cape Carteret. Music, vendors, $8 BBQ plates and more! Purchase BBQ plate tickets online at carolinachocolatefestival.com or mymacdaddys.com or at these physical locations: Mac Daddy’s, Arts by the Sea and Second Blessings Thrift Store. On-site pick up available. Proceeds benefit the Carolina Chocolate Festival. For more information email tracy@mymacdaddys.com.

NOVEMBER 11

Beaufort Wine and Food’s Annual Oyster Roast [ 3–6 PM ] Beaufort Wine and Food will be highlighting NC’s coastal and culinary heritage with its annual Oyster Roast at Beaufort East Village on Turner Creek off Lennoxville Road (2201 Front Street). The gathering, complete with bonfire, hay wagon transport and live music, celebrates the bounty of Eastern NC cuisine and will feature local steamed oysters, shrimp and other seafood selections along with NC pork. For more information and to purchase tickets call 252-515-0708.

SPORTS & FITNESS NOVEMBER 7

Glow Run and Salty Dog Walk [ 5:15 PM ] Starts at First Citizens Bank, 411 Front Street, Beaufort) Register at runtheeast.com.

NOVEMBER 19 AND 22

Horse Sense and 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 252-728-2250, ext. 3001.

AT THE MARITIME MUSEUM For information on these programs, visit the NC Maritime Museum at 315 Front Street in Beaufort, call 252-728-7317 or visit them online at ncmaritimemuseums.com.

NOVEMBER 7

Friends of the NC Maritime Museum Boat Shop Bash [ 6:30–10 PM ] Friends of the North Carolina Maritime Museum host the annual Boat Shop Bash fundraising party for members and the public at the Harvey W. Watercraft Center. This themed event includes music, food and live and silent auctions.

Costumes are optional. Tickets can be purchased at the Museum Store or online at maritimefriends.org.

Cost is $70 for members ($80 non-members).

THINGS TO DO

NOVEMBER 11

✪ Merry Time for Tots: Boats that Float [ 11 AM–NOON ] Preschoolers and their caregivers will learn to judge different items (cannon balls, toy boats, spoons and more) and decide if they will float or sink before testing their hypothesis with a very scientific experiment in a pool of water.

NOVEMBER 12

✪ Boater Safety Course [ 6:30–8:30 PM ] These boater safety courses, presented at the NC Maritime Museum, are offered jointly with Fort Macon Sail and Power Squadron, an affiliate of the United States Power Squadrons.

For reservations e-mail SEACLEF@CoastalNet.COM or call 252-726-0630.

NOVEMBER 14–15

Intro to Wooden Boat Building [ 9 AM–4:30 PM ] In this two-day hands-on course, students will explore the art of boat building from start to finish. By the end of the course, students will have the knowledge and skill to choose a design and style of boat to build on their own and the confidence to take on the job. Course cost is $135.

Advance registration required.

NOVEMBER 17

✪ Film Screening: The Navigators, Pathfinders to the Pacific [ 7 PM ] A thousand years before Europeans knew the Pacific existed, Polynesian seafarers had already explored and settled it. Thor Heyerdahl believed Polynesians floated into the Pacific from South America on crude rafts, pushed by prevailing winds and currents. The real story is far more interesting.

Come listen to Anthropologist and filmmaker Sam Low’s film “The Navigators—Pathfinders of the Pacific” as he tells this story. The event is free and open to the public. Walk-ins are welcome.

NOVEMBER 18

✪ Brown Bag Gam: Archaeology of Treasure Ships [ NOON–1 PM ] Pack a lunch for the Brown Bag Gam during your lunch hour and join Museum Natural Science Curator David Moore for an

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NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015 | C A R O L I N A S A L T | 1 1

THINGS TO DO

informal discussion about the archeology of treasure ships. Gam is defined as a friendly conversation between whalers or to visit with another ship while at sea. Free admission; no advance registration required.

SWANSBORO PARKS AND REC For more information or to register for a program, call 910-326-2600, come by the Swansboro Recreation Center at 830 Main Street Extension or visit swansboro.recdesk.com.

Build Your Own Oars or Paddles Come to the Watercraft Center and build a canoe paddle, stand-up paddleboard paddle, doubleended kayak paddle or set of oars. All will be shaped with solid wood looms and curved plywood blades with a solid wood tip. In this two-day class, participants will build their own paddle or set of oars to take home for finishing. Cost is $175 ($200 for oars). All materials provided. Minimum age is 16. All courses are limited in size. Advance registration is required for all courses.

DECEMBER 2

✪ Queen Anne’s Revenge [ 10 AM–3 PM ] Have you ever wondered what happens to the artifacts from the Blackbeard’s Queen Anne’s Revenge once they are recovered from the bottom of the ocean? The North Carolina Maritime Museum will host a conservator from the Queen Anne’s Revenge conservation lab from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. Conservators will be available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Wednesday to answer questions about the processes required to conserve the thousands of artifacts that have been recovered from the Queen Anne’s Revenge site.

DECEMBER 4

✪ Reading and Book Signing: Little Rivers and Waterway Tales [ 3–4 PM ] Bland Simpson regales us with new tales of the Carolina’s water-loving land, revealing how its creeks, streams and rivers shape the region’s geography as well as its culture. The book includes photographs by Ann Cary Simpson, Bland’s wife and collaborator on this work. Come early, this event will definitely draw a crowd! Free admission.

No advance registration required.

FREE

ADMISSION EVERY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT!

alternatives. The beverages being discussed range from milk to adult drinks.

NOVEMBER 14

Quilted Christmas Tree

[ 10 AM ] Swansboro Parks and Recreation is partnering with Swansboro Dance Studio to offer a Cinderella ballerina camp. The cost is $50 for 6 weeks. You will receive a tutu and dance bag as a gift. Your little ballerina will learn beginning ballet moves, how to follow directions and how to dance to music. They will leap, plié and many other beginning dance moves. The classes will last 30 minutes and we hope to see your little one there!

[ 9 AM–NOON ] Spruce up your home with quilted holiday decor! During this class you will make an adorable patchwork Christmas tree that’s perfect for mantels, centerpieces or any place you want a little holiday cheer. You will learn simple quilting techniques while putting together a patchwork Christmas tree. This class is considered beginner level, but knowledge of sewing and using a sewing machine is preferred. You will need to have your own sewing machine. A complete list of supplies will be provided after registration. Pre-register

by November 11; class is $10.

NOVEMBER 6 | DECEMBER 4

NOVEMBER 17

TUESDAYS

NOVEMBER 21–22

ICE COLD BEVERAGES AND GREAT FOOD

✪ =FREE

MID–NOVEMBER TO MID–DECEMBER

Cinderella Ballerina Camp

Kids’ Night In, Parents’ Night Out [ 6–8 PM ] Calling all K-6th graders! Join Swansboro Parks and Recreation for an evening of fun and creative fall crafts, games and activities in the Kids’ Night In, Parents’ Night Out program.

Dinner and refreshments will be served. Drop the kids off for a safe and fun time while you head out for a fun evening of your own! Space is limited to 12 so be sure to pre-register by September 30; $10 for the first child and $8 for each additional child.

Handmade Holiday Gifts [ 6 PM ] Join Swansboro Parks and Recreation for a handmade gift workshop where you will create beautifully wrapped edible gifts for everyone. These are so cute and delicious you may want to keep some for yourself. Pre-register by November 13; class is $10.

ONGOING

Personal Training

[ 6 PM ] Spruce up your holiday wardrobe with festive accessories. Let Swansboro Parks and Recreation help you get into the holiday spirit with sparkling earrings, bracelets and accessories. You will make jewelry pieces that are perfect for holiday parties or to give as gifts. Pre-register by November 10; class is $10.

Swansboro Parks and Recreation is partnering with Aubrey Morrison to offer personal training.

Aubrey is a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Free consultation to discuss goals—lose weight, improve performance, build strength, fix posture, strengthen core, run faster— and free trial session. Cost is as low as $25 per session. For more information, pricing and specials contact Aubrey Morrison at 423-653-1277or aubreygmorris@gmail. com.

NOVEMBER 12

DECEMBER 1

NOVEMBER 10

Holiday Jewelry

✪ Organic Beverages: Alternatives to What You Are Drinking Now

✪ Essential Oils 101: Back to Basics

[ 5:30–6:30 PM ] Swansboro Parks and Recreation is partnering with Carteret Chiropractic to offer monthly seminars on health and wellness. In this discussion Dr. Montero will talk about the benefits of switching from mainstream beverages to organic

[ 6 PM ] Let’s take the mystique out of essential oils and take control of our well-being and our family’s with monthly seminars. December’s topic will discuss how to boost your immune system for the flu season. S

SATURDAY Classic Car Cruise-In! Bring out your classic & custom cars!

1 2 | C A R O L I N A S A L T | NOVEMBER / DECMEBER 2015 CARTERET COUNTY SPEEDWAY / 501 WHITEHOUSE FORK RD / SWANSBORO / 252.242.1015

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015 | C A R O L I N A S A L T | 1 3

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

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Jumble Sale Brings Old-Fashioned Community Market to Historic Site

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he Beaufort Historical Association (BHA) offers something for everyone at its annual Jumble Sale from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., November 21 on the grounds of the Beaufort Historic Site. The site, located at 130 Turner Street, transforms into an old-fashioned community market filled with vendors selling a wide variety of items. Eventgoers can expect to find antiques and collectibles, fine art, pottery, crafts, holiday items, handmade jewelry, candles, books, homemade food, and more. One of the highlights every year is the Beaufort Garden Club’s booth with homemade food items and many pre-loved treasures donated by their members. Held rain or shine, it’s a great opportunity for holiday shoppers to find that one-of-a-kind gift and special bargains all in one location.

“The Jumble Sale is a lot of fun for vendors and shoppers,” says BHA Executive Director, Patricia Suggs. “It’s a great place to shop for handmade items and unique gifts.” Paired with the BHA’s Community Thanksgiving Feast on November 22, it will make for a great autumn weekend in historic Beaufort.

The Jumble Sale serves as a fundraiser for the restoration and education projects of the Beaufort Historical Association. Vendor spaces are still available. For more information or to download and submit a vendor application form, please contact the BHA at 252-7285225, pr@beauforthistoricsite.org, or visit beauforthistoricsite.org. S

Thanksgiving in Beaufort

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he Community Thanksgiving Feast held on the grounds of the Beaufort Historic Site will be Sunday, November 22, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 130 Turner Street.

Prepared and donated by our fine Beaufort restaurants, the feast is a delicious traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 the day of the event. Tickets sell out quickly so be sure to purchase yours ahead of time! For more information or to purchase your ticket, contact the BHA at 252-728-5225, stop by the Welcome Center located at 130 Turner Street, or visit beauforthistoricsite.org. S

MiseEn-Place: A Chef ’s Life

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BY BLAKE SUT TON

hink about your favorite restaurant. Picture the decor, the smells, the sounds, the servers scurrying about balancing multiple plates of delicious food or carrying massive trays of drinks, bobbing and weaving through a gauntlet of tables and diners like an NFL running back trying to score a touchdown.

Amidst the chaos there is a calmness, but at the same time a sense of urgency.

They welcome you with a friendly smile and hopefully politely ask what your drinks will be. They return with your drinks, recite a list of specials and answer any questions you might have about the menu. Once you have given them your order and the menus they scurry off to send it to the kitchen.

Depending upon how busy the restaurant is, your food arrives about 10 to 15 minutes later, hot and ready to be eaten. The server will come by every so often to check on you and make sure your food was cooked properly. They might bring you another drink or refill your water during the course of your meal and offer you a dessert to finish off the evening. Your experience ends with a check and a thank you from your server.

Hopefully, you will be headed home satisfied.

This is what we all see and experience when we go out to eat. What most guests do not get to see is what goes on behind the doors to the kitchen.

Once you break the threshold of the kitchen your senses light up with smells, sights and sounds that are nearly impossible to process all at once. The chaos of the back of house—the searing hot pots and pans being tossed into sinks full of soapy water, the chatter of the the printer as it ceaselessly spits out ticket after ticket, the constant loud banter of the expediter in the window calling tickets to the cooks, calling for servers to run food and the sporadic call of “hot!” or “behind!”—are all but deafening.

These guys and gals in the back are working hard and busting their youknow-whats to put out food that is both

aesthetically and palate pleasing. Their hard work is rarely seen other than as the final product that goes out to the diners. They are the other part of the equation that are sometimes forgotten.

Their days are long and hot. Usually 10 to 12 (if not more) hours in temperatures that can reach over 100 degrees. The chef comes in still groggy from the previous night’s service on top having a newborn at home.

His feet still ache and the burn blisters on his hands from the night before have swollen to twice the size they were last night. The kitchen is quiet, dark, clean and peaceful. He takes a moment to appreciate it because he knows the situation will change.

He slowly walks to the back wall and flips on the lights to the dish pit and picks up a bus tub full of the necessary tools he will need for the upcoming prep and service and methodically puts them in their proper place.

The cutting boards are set up on on each station next to the stacks of folded towels that are sure to disappear as the day wears on. He walks down the line one last time for a quick inspection for anything out of place.

Satisfied, he flips a switch above his head and the fume hoods come to life with a familiar monotone hum that will soon be forgotten.

He does the same with his oven. The stainless steel knobs on the grill are turned ever so slightly to fire up the grill. The line is set.

Before the prep list is made for the day, inventory must be taken. A quick 15-minute check of the steaks, fish and sauces is done.

Afterwards, a look over the vegetables and

starches. Mental notes are taken and his mind is turning with ideas for the special entrees for the evening. Once the inventory is done the prep list can be written and the legal pad he scribbles the list on is down to the last few sheets of paper. The first sheet is quickly filled with things to chop, dice, mince, shred, mix, cut, rotate, thaw, freeze and par cook. It has been an hour and he has yet to touch a knife.

Slowly the line cooks start to show up one by one, greeting each other with “here we go again” looks. They clock in and start to set up their individual stations with the appropriate knives, whisks, spatulas, tongs, ladles and other things they will need along with their specific sauces, proteins, starches, batters, cheeses and whatnot. Their equipment is turned and prep work begins.

The kitchen is starting to come alive now.

The sound of knives chattering on cutting boards, the whir of robo-coupes and stick blenders and even some music playing in the background fills the air. Chicken sizzling on the grill emits a smell that wafts through the entire kitchen. This is the time of day that is make-or-break for service later. This is where mise-en-place must be perfect. This is where you must, as a chef or cook, set yourself up for success. It has now been four hours since the head chef arrived and not one meal has been cooked yet (other than a sandwich made by the sauté chef because he skipped breakfast). The mood is loose and fun and CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015 | C A R O L I N A S A L T | 1 7

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

My husband and I found a very odd crab in our net.

We’d never seen a crab with such claws and it seemed to hold them in front of its face as if hiding. The crab had very pretty markings. We let it go.

B Y S H E R RY W H I T E

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The oversized, jigsaw configuration of the claws is a dead giveaway for a little known but fairly common crab called a shame-faced crab (Calappa granulata). A member of the box crab variety, the common shame-faced is a shallow-water crab most often seen off southern beaches.

The shell of this attractive yet oddly shaped crustacean is very compact and incredibly hard. The claws form a perfect jigsaw to cover the crab’s entire face, hence its coquettish name. The “face” is actually the breathing apparatus and mouth parts and is the most vulnerable part of a crab’s body.

The claws form an impenetrable barrier to this area.

There are two other parts of a crab’s body that are tasty morsels for predators: the eyes and legs. For the shame-faced crab, deep grooves in the body allow both the eyes and legs to disappear, making them completely inaccessible.

If you think those claws look pretty serious, you’re right. They are incredibly powerful. If you get pinched by one you may have to resort to snapping off the entire claw. This crab’s favorite foods are mollusks and its specially formed forceps are well adapted to picking apart snails and are strong enough to crack their shells.

Being an ambush hunter, the crab is inactive most of time, burying itself in sandy bottoms with only its eyes, antennae and the upper parts of its shell showing. Its color pattern of rose or yellowish crimson is excellent camouflage and its four pairs of walking legs buried under the sand are rather slim because they are seldom used.

Like most crabs, the shame-faced holds its claws out front, but the top of each claw has a large flare.

When seen closely, the left claw comes to a fine point and has sharp, serrated teeth. Once it grabs hold of something there’s no escaping. The right claw is powerful as well, but it’s not the pincher itself that’s truly amazing, but the nodules you can see on the wrist.

The big claws are also used for digging. Most crabs use their back legs to burrow backwards into the sand, but the shame-faced uses those huge claws like bulldozers, excavating the sand forward so the crab sinks downward until it’s completely covered by sediment. Now you see it, now you don’t.

Very effective. S 1 8 | C A R O L I N A S A L T | NOVEMBER / DECMEBER 2015

This close-up photo illustrates how the massive claws of the shame faced crab fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. The crab uses the claws to excavate sand forward so the crab can sink downward until it is completely covered by sediment for ambush hunting or escaping predators.

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.

aned wildlife since 1988. h p r o & d e r ju Helping in OUTER BANKS

WILDLIFE SHELTER — SINCE 1988 —

MEET OUR 2015

ANIMAL AMBASSADORS

I

t is that time of year again when we get together to have a good time and renew our commitment or become part of the solution for wildlife care and conservation. The Outer Banks Wildlife Shelter (OWLS) is inviting you all to our annual Taste of Carteret Silent Auction on Friday, November 20, at The Crystal Coast Civic Center in Morehead City. This occasion is a night you will fondly remember forever! There will be a buffet providing some of the tastiest treats our restaurants of Carteret County have to offer and live entertainment by Morris Willis, who knows what songs we like to hear. The silent auction is a competitive and fun way to Christmas shop or take home a few personal items and gift certificates for winning bids. Just ask Kathy K. how much she wanted that muted-green, retro lamp last year! All bids are duo-deals because they benefit event guests and our shelter. All the money gained from the local businesses and donated treasures goes directly to help care for injured or orphaned wildlife being rehabilitated at the shelter at 100 Wildlife Way in Newport.

The scrumptious food, the gifts to be won and a first-rate music man is awesome entertainment for sure, but the most pleasurable and adventurous moments of the night will be your visits with our Animal Ambassadors who do such an amazing job representing their species and wild animals in general, as well as being a testament to the important and remarkable things the staff and volunteers do at the shelter for wildlife in distress in our area. The shelter’s resident birds of prey, Dinah (Barred Owl), Isabeau (Red-tailed Hawk) and Phoenix (Peregrine Falcon) will be in attendance.

One of our resident opossums would love to meet you, but our three contenders, Isabelle, Peggy and Little Girl, will have to draw straws to see who gets to attend this year! For those of you who get excited about reptiles or amphibs, Blanca and Otis will be making the scene and who else might be on hand? We’ll know closer to event time! Please put us on your calendar for Friday, November 20, at the Crystal Coast Civic Center.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and dinner is served at 6:30.

Call OWLS at 252-240-1200 for tickets today!

They are only $35 for a most wonderful evening steeped in good works. If your schedule is too tight and you can’t make it, donations for the shelter or new item contributions for our silent auction will still be appreciated!

OWLS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to promoting and protecting native wildlife.

T H E 1 2 TH A N N U A L

Signs of the Season Change

Emerald Isle

CHRISTMAS PARADE FREE

REFRESHMENTS VISIT WITH

SANTA

HOLIDAY

CAROLING

AND FUN SINGA-LONG

✴

S

BY SAM BLAND

✴

To participate in the Emerald Isle Christmas Parade, contact Don Wells at 252-722-3282 or donaldjwells@gmail.com. Deadline for entries is Nov. 25.

EMERALD ISLE PARKS & REC GYMNASIUM HOSTS THE THIRD ANNUAL …

Arts & Crafts Fair

All handmade and hand-authenticated items from 30 vendors. Doors are open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For vendor spots, contact Lainey Gottuso at 252-354-6350 or lgottuso@ emeraldisle-nc.org. Space is limited and is expected to fill quickly.

ummer is slipping away and I will miss it. I don’t even mind the muggy, sticky humidity that hangs over the coast like a blanket during the steamy months of July and August. Ultimately, like the tide, the season will change and I will have no choice but to accept this climatic transformation. But until then, I will hold on to summer as long as I can.

Early September has already ushered in cooler weather. This time of year, these pushes of northern air usually escort a variety of migrating birds and butterflies fleeing south to warmer latitudes. The movement of these animals is triggered, instinctually, by air temperature and shorter periods of day light.

Along the coastal plain of North Carolina, anyone out for a walk will notice one of the first signs of the approaching autumn skipping just past their noses. At first, a sighting here and there, then a trickle of brilliant yellow streaks floating through the air, followed by a steady stream of fluttering lemon yellow butterflies. The cloudless sulphur butterfly has arrived and it has relaxed my grip on summer.

The dazzling color of the cloudless sulphur is reflected in the insect’s scientific name, Phoebis sennae. Phoebis is derived from Pheobe, the Titan goddess of Greek mythology, who was known for her radiance and brightness. Pheobe was also known for her prophecies. The arrival of the cloudless sulphur butterflies along the coast has long been an alarm clock alerting the local fishermen to ready their gear as the waters will soon be thick with spot and mullet. Its common name, cloudless sulphur, represents its sulphur colored wings that are clear and free of blemish.

Cloudless sulphur butterflies are wide ranging and are found from Argentina north into south Texas and across the southeast. During summer, they stray into the Midwest and some will even reach Canada.

In North Carolina, they have been documented in all 100 counties and are predominantly seen during the fall migration. Their flight can seem erratic with no particular direction in mind. But like a sailboat tacking against the wind, their zig zagging eventually leads them to their destination. During migration, however, their flight is more direct, with the males outpacing the females to wintering sites while covering close to 12 miles a day. The females will actually reduce their flight tempo while flying with the wind. It is thought that this conserves precious energy that will be needed later to produce and lay eggs.

A curious thing though—while most of the cloudless sulphur butterflies are heading south racing against the frigid future, a number of them, undaunted, are actually heading north. While the cloudless sulphur CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

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

T H E B A R N YA R D

ABOUT THE MARKET The Olde Beaufort Farmers’ Market takes place 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.

farm where people will be, built multiple pens and extra barns for our “zoo crew.”

Actually we’ve given everything a face lift to make it very appealing. We have created a safe and fun environment for families to enjoy. A ton of our love has been poured into The Barnyard for sure.

How do you sell the programs?

SPOTLIGHT: THE BARNYARD Amber Nead, representative of The Barnyard, recently talked to us about her family’s agritourism and meat production business in Newport.

When did you start your business and why?

The family farm was created after my dad, Russell, retired from the Marine Corps. In 2004 my parents purchased our small acreage on Robert’s Road in Newport. In the beginning, we only kept our horses and my various 4-H/FFA livestock projects at the farm. As my 4-H/FFA projects began adding more farm animal species to our land, close friends began requesting the use of our horses for birthday pony rides and even the chance to use our livestock for kids to pet. After getting quite a few requests over the years, my mom, Kim, decided that she would move our farm into an agritourism business. Our business, The Barnyard, began in 2010. Our vision is to teach the community about animal agriculture and have a farm where families can visit to learn more about farm animals.

Tell us about the challenges you encountered?

In the beginning, our primary challenge was getting the word out about our business.

Many people knew our family from 4-H and other youth organizations and most of them knew we had farm animals. It has taken several years to make a business name for our farm. We had to transition from family farm to farm business. Not having a traditional local family name added to the challenge. Now, after years of word of mouth marketing and dedicated social media marketing, The Barnyard is better known as a petting zoo and birthday venue. Now we are transitioning again. Our current challenge is getting known that we are also a working farm. Many people don’t realize that we sell meat, eggs and wool from our animals. The animals that we raise for the educational agritourism part of the business are also used for meat production.

Sounds like this is a labor of love and an intensive process.

Building the farm was simple in the first stages. To take a family farm and turn it into a public business definitely took a lot of work. We’ve spruced up areas of the

First and foremost, The Barnyard is an agritourism business and educational farm. Our website outlines all our programs. We do birthday parties at our farm or your home, which include a petting zoo and pony rides. We also host events like family reunions and squadron parties, as well as bringing the farm animals and/or the horse to non-birthday events like school festivals. The Barnyard is also open by appointment for individuals, families and small groups for farm tours.

Horseback riding lessons for kids are available also. And we are a working farm.

This means that we breed, birth and raise all the animals at our farm. Once the animals reach their market weights, we send them to be processed and packaged.

We sell locally born, raised and processed meat products and we can also be found at some local markets, such as the Olde Beaufort Farmer’s Market!

What comments do you hear from shoppers? From the kids enjoying the Farm?

At the markets, we hear a lot of positive feedback from people who visit our booth.

Many people are shocked to learn about a farm petting zoo in the area and are excited to take a business card to learn more. We have gotten great comments from customers who have purchased our meat. This reinforces our confidence in supplying quality products. In addition, when customers learn that we sell more CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

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

Chef ’s Life, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17 the prep list is nearly complete.

It is now an hour before service and things are starting to get a little more serious and frantic. Servers start to show up, last minute prep items are found and dealt with, there is a brief run to the store to pick up anything that has been used up or out of stock just to get by and a much-needed break is taken. Six hours has passed since the chef walked through the the door that morning and he has been decided upon the specials for the evening. Confident with his choices, he runs through the specials in detail with his cooks and assigns them each certain responsibilities. Now, just minutes before the doors open, the chef and the cooks look as if they are preparing for battle, donning their coats and bandanas. Each one knows their role. They know that tonight’sservice is going to be tough and they know that to survive they must work as a team.

The open sign is turned on, the host station is ready, the server station is ready and the cooks are prepared. The first wave of diners hits and the tickets start pouring in, almost too fast. Immediately, pans are on the burners, meats are on the grill and appetizers are being pushed out. The pace has been set. Cooks are tossing pots and pans while

communicating with servers about a special prep ticket while cooking meals for three others. It is orchestrated pandemonium, but somehow the cooks seem to thrive on it. The night wears on and there are casualties. Cuts and burns are an everyday occurrence, but callouses thicken, hands get steadier and the pace is quickened. Shouting for items out of the walk-in coolers during the rush happens continuously. By the end of the night, the extreme heat of the line has caused more than one person to seek a brief refuge in the walk-in freezer where the zero-degree temperature is a welcome change.

One last rush of tickets comes in. Then, silence. The printer has stopped spewing tickets and the last guest has been served, save a stray dessert or two. There is a collective silent sigh of relief as the ovens and grill get switched off and utensils get taken back to a dish pit overflowing with dirties from service. The stack of towels that were once next to each station on the line has all but disappeared. The kitchen staff can now breathe and take another much-needed break before breaking down their stations and cleaning up. They all walk out through

the back door together for a cigarette or to call a loved one or scroll through Facebook or Twitter. Once the break is over, it is time to clean up.

The smell of oven cleaner, bleach water, sanitizer and dish soap fill the kitchen and sting the nostrils, but no one cares. This is the home stretch. Stations are wiped and wrapped, the floors are swept and mopped and the equipment is scrubbed clean of grease, soot or any other grime that accumulated through the service and turned off. Finally, one by one the cooks clock out, get in their cars and head home for a stiff drink or two to counteract the adrenaline.

The chef has stayed behind, working on an outline of the following day’s prep list.

Finished, he dims the lights in the kitchen.

It’s quiet. Dark. Peaceful. Clean. It has now been 12 hours and counting since he walked through the door groggy and aching and will leave in the same manner. Day in and day out the process repeats. This is the life he’s chosen, this is the life he loves, this is the life of a chef.

Think about your favorite restaurant.

Think about it differently? S

Blake Sutton is a chef at Jackie’s American Grille. Visit them at 9106 Coast Guard Road in Emerald Isle or online at jackiesamericangrille.com.

The Barnyard, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21 than the normal beef, pork and poultry products, they express their excitement: It seems many love the chance to try goat and lamb meat! At the farm, after events, parties or visits, we hear awesome comments from parents and children. They talk about the unique opportunity that our farm offers. Many have not had a chance to get up close and personal with farm animals and we provide that opportunity.

Tell us a little about yourself.

As a family, we have always been involved in youth organizations from FFA and 4-H to Girl Scouts. Even as my brothers and I got older and left for college, my parents continued their involvement with youth in Carteret County. This interest ultimately led to the creation of The Barnyard. Now teaching still comes naturally via The Barnyard! My dad, Russell, still works full time on base and my mom, Kim, is still a 4-H leader, but other than those obligations, the farm and The Barnyard are literally my parents’ life. They dedicate every free moment they have to the farm animals and making the business better.

What are your plans for the future?

Our plans are to continue to grow The Barnyard into a prime birthday and field trip venue. Although we only offer the animals and farm right now, we feel it is a special. Eventually, we would 2 2 | C A R O L I N A S A L T | NOVEMBER / DECMEBER 2015

like to add little things like extra educational sections on other parts of farming (food crops and gardens) and we would love to explore the option to open a mini gift shop with Barnyardthemed items to help people remember us. In the past, we have offered summer camps, but to date have not had great response for that program. We plan to broaden the opportunity in order to encourage more participation. Although it may be a long term goal, we also hope to have business hours for the petting zoo one day, instead of being open by appointment only. We are also planning to get more involved in meat production. Our land is limited, but we can rotate species based on season. S

C A P TA I N J E F F C R O N K

HOOKED UP FISHING REPORT

THANKS MOTHER NATURE! A H O O K E D U P L O O K AT W H AT ’ S B I T I N G I N N O V E M B E R

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FISH’N 4 LIFE Captain Jeff Cronk leads fishing and nature charters on the Crystal Coast. To get out on the water with him, call 910‑325‑8194. You can also visit him online at nccharterfishing.com.

s November settles in we’re reminded of the importance of family and friends, giving thanks for all we have. Like all who choose to benefit from our wonderful fisheries resource, I find myself thanking Mother Nature for her amazing abilities to survive and recoup from brutal winters like this past year. Winter 2014–15 hit us with a ten-day stretch of extreme cold which really impacted our already struggling speckled trout populations. With several brutal winters in a row, anglers along the Crystal Coast have been waiting to see if we would have a good showing of trout during this fall/winter migration. Although we haven’t seen a lot of big fish, there are plenty of 12–15" trout being released, with decent numbers of one to three-pounders. So, it’s obvious that Mother Nature is taking care of our fishery!

Inshore fishing was fantastic in October with plenty of Black Drum, Bluefish, Reds, Spots, Sea Mullet and other bottom fish along the surf, inlets and ICW. Many anglers and giggers reported plenty of summer Flounder in the lower rivers, sounds and near the inlets.

There have been a lot of flatties up to five pounds or more coming to the scales via gigging and inshore fishing the past few weeks. Many of the shallow bays and channels along the Crystal Coast were productive for Redfish and Speckled Trout in October and we can expect a good bite to continue in November.

Redfish will continue to work the shallow bays and creeks along our inshore waters, but anglers can also find some very good concentrations of slot-sized reds along the surf and inlets in November as much of our bait will continue to migrate out the inlets and pile up in the surf zone. Those experienced with operating a boat in the chop and swell of the surf zone will be able to maneuver shallow enough to target these fish from the boat. I’ll be guiding clients to these ocean reds throughout the winter. We often catch and release 20 to 50 reds during a four hour trip, with most fish ranging from 5 to 12 pounds. My go-to bait for this situation is a Berkley Gulp 4" Shrimp with a 1⁄4 to 1⁄₂-oz. jighead. Anglers not comfortable with putting their boats in the swell of the surf zone can safely target these reds by parking on the inside of the inlets, walking the surf and casting until a school is located. These fish can be found roaming just outside every inlet along our coast.

Flounder Aboard Fish’n4life Charters we’ve been finding plenty of summer Flounder along our nearshore live bottoms and ledges and they should stick around through much of November. Anglers should target these deep-water Flounder using Bett’s Flounder Fanatic Bucktails tipped with any Berkley Gulp bait. I like a controlled drift along nearshore ledges and hard bottoms while lightly jigging the bucktail within inches of the bottom. There will also be plenty of Flounder staging up around the inlets and along the surf this month due to decreasing water temperatures in our backwaters. Walking the surf and fishing a 1⁄4 to 1⁄₂-oz. jighead or bucktail tipped with a scented Berkley Gulp Pogy or Shrimp will catch plenty of Flounder as well as other species.

Speckled Trout will prevail as the most sought after species this month. Each November, multitudes of speckled trout in our open sounds and surf migrate south, eventually working up our river systems for protection from the cold winter temps. During November anglers can find speckled trout everywhere from our inlets to our upper rivers. The colder it gets, the farther upriver fish seem to move. Sometimes, fish near the inlets seem to move into the deeper channels and along the surf zone. These fish will strike a variety of baits and I always keep the best baits available onboard for each trip. Some great trout baits include Bett’s Halo Shad, Halo Shrimp, Mirrolure’s sinking twitch baits and Berkley Gulp Alive scented baits.

If you’re heading out this month for Speckled Trout, be sure to pick up a variety of Berkley’s Gulp baits. These baits produce some of the most aggressive strikes day after day! Dudley’s Marina in Swansboro keeps the largest variety of Berkley Gulp baits in stock and can easily accommodate all of your fishing needs. Have a Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy some holiday time fishing! S NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015 | C A R O L I N A S A L T | 2 3

DI S C OV E RY DI V I NG

LEE MOORE

DIVING OUR COAST

IN NOVEMBER

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ovember is when the water begins to cool down offshore, with temperatures starting to slip down to the low 70s; by the end of the month, they will be in the upper 60s. Charters will still be running, but weekend sports activities and the chill in the air keep most divers out of the water. Most boats have heat on them, so divers getting out the water can find comfort in a warm cabin.

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.

Critical Equipment: The Mask

One of the main reasons that divers take the plunge under the water is to see the wonders that await them. In order to clearly see the wrecks, ledges and marine life, a diver needs a mask.

The lens should be made out of tempered glass to stand up to the pressure of deep dives. Masks are available in different sizes which reflect the amount of air the mask can hold.

Small volume masks are the easiest to clear because the size of the airspace between your face and the lens isn’t that great. They work well for people with smaller faces. Medium volume masks are the most widely used size today because they tend to fit the face size of the general population. The airspace isn’t that much greater than that of the small volume masks. The large volume masks are generally constructed with a large single lens that covers a large portion of the face. People who are larger than the average population usually wear the larger masks.

Since the airspace is increased, it will require more air to clear the water out of the mask when it is filled during mask clearing drills or if a strong current dislodges it.

Masks have a single lens, dual lenses or multiple lenses. Single lenses sit farther away from the face, which tend to be comfortable on faces that have a large nose. Dual lenses have a lens for each eye and are closer to the face. Masks can also have side windows that allow divers to see to the sides, to have better peripheral vision. Side windows can be on masks with either a single or dual main lenses. For divers who wear glasses, corrective lenses can be inserted into masks with dual lenses. Most dive shops carry in-house lenses that will correct for nearsightedness and farsightedness right in the shop. These lenses can be purchased at the time of the mask and are easily installed. They usually cost about $70-80. If a diver has astigmatism, needs bifocals or trifocals, ground lenses can be ordered. The prescription will be ground into another lens and that lens will be glued to the lens in your mask. The glue is clear so you won’t have any problems seeing. They usually cost about $100. For divers who need a little assistance reading their gauges but can see well otherwise, there are dual lens masks that come with magnifiers built into the bottom of the main lenses. A diver can wear contacts with their mask.

While performing mask clears or other drills, they will have to keep their eyes closed.

Purge valves are usually located in the nose portion of the mask or at the bottom of one of the lenses. They aid in the clearing of the mask by providing a one-way valve to let the water out. Purge valves can work well, but if mucus gets in them, they will work in the opposite way by letting water into the mask. When a diver clears their ears, they need to be able to pinch off their nose. Depending on the way the purge valve is made, a diver might have to use both hands to pinch off the nose. If a diver is carrying a camera, this could be difficult. This is something that needs to be considered before purchase.

Most masks come with a split mask strap that is made out of silicone. The purpose of the strap is not to create a watertight seal, but to keep the mask in place if the diver is bumped or is in a strong current. The water pressure makes the seal and holds the mask in place. The mask shouldn’t be so tight as to cause a headache or pain on the face. If the mask leaves a red ring on the face, it is too tight. If the diver has to tighten the strap to keep if from leaking, the mask does not fit well.

Mask straps are usually adjusted on each side of the mask. The wide part of the mask strap should be symmetrical on the back of the head so one end of the strap shouldn’t be longer than the other. It shouldn’t be on top of the head where it could easily get knocked off by a wave or

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CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

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Butterfly, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20 is more tolerant of the cold than most butterflies, this is a fool’s errand.

Eventually, they will be caressed by the embrace of a powerful artic air mass that will greet them with the cold cruel kiss of death. It is not fully understood why some take on this suicidal journey; it may be a way for them to push genetic changes that will eventually allow them to survive in colder climates and extend their range.

As I watch from my porch, it is obvious that the sulphurs passing through are heading north. A few stop among the flowers to slurp up energizing nectar with their long proboscis. Out in a clearing, four cloudless sulphurs converge together and conduct a butterfly version

of the chest bump in midair. They then swirl around chasing after each other while spiraling up into the air like a mini yellow tornado. At tree top level, they separate, flying down and away from each other in different directions showering the sky like Fourth of July fireworks. A butterfly scuffle triggered over the nectar rich flowers or males intent on finding a mate.

The cloudless Sulphur butterflies will continue to coast by until their numbers dwindle like the amount of day light each day. Like the metamorphosis of a butterfly, the equinox dawns the transition into the migration of a new season. S

Diving Masks, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24 come off on entry. For a comfortable fit, it shouldn’t be covering the ears, but instead should be above the ears resting on the head.

When using a split strap, the smaller straps should be worn apart so that they provide a wide coverage area. For divers with long hair, a neoprene strap or strap cover can be used to reduce tangling.

To prepare a new mask for use, mild toothpaste (not gel), will remove the silicone spray the manufacturer applied as a protective coating for shipping. Any mild cleaner will work, such as Soft Scrub, but don’t rub too hard or the lens can get scratched. Comet is too abrasive.Unless the

protective coating is removed, the mask will fog. After the initial cleanings, rinse the mask with fresh water after every use. Chlorine from the pool and salt water from the ocean can easily weaken the silicone in the masks.

In addition to an outer seal, a mask has an inner seal. To make sure the inner seal is sealing, look at the features on your face, such as eyebrows, moustaches or your smile lines to make sure the seal is not touching these areas. This will indicate if there might be leakage. Once all of this has been completed and you know the style, you only have to select a color. It must be comfortable.

Everything else is personal preference.

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It is important that a mask fits and seals well and the diver can get hold of their nose to clear their ears. If a diver has to crank down on the mask strap to get the mask to seal, it does not fit properly. When selecting a mask, a wide variety of styles should be available for the diver to choose. The larger the variety, the easier it is for a diver to find the proper mask to see all of the wonders of the underwater world. For more information on gear selection, contact Discovery Diving at dive@discoverydiving.com, 252-728-2265 or like us on Facebook to see what classes and events are coming up. S

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