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contents 12 Cape Lookout at 50
The beloved Cape Lookout National Seashore celebrates its 50th birthday in 2016.
20 Book Bites
Foodie John Batchelor’s recently released book spotlights chefs and restaurants up and down the coast.
22 Fish Bouffant
Beaufort’s Craig Gurganus has made a name for himself with his whimsical take on sea life.
26 If You Build It...
September marked the grand opening of the Carteret County Speedway just outside of Swansboro, bringing one man’s American dream to life.
32 Classic Beauty
The historical Athens Theatre in New Bern starts its fall season with a new facade, a
38 Forgotten NC
The Uprooted Photographer Zach Frailey of New Bern has gotten to know his home away from home one derelict building at a time.
46 Unknown Tongues
These talented musicians have carved a niche for themselves with their colorful Zydeco music.
55 Winter ’s Fruit
The comfort food of winter, oysters are a tradition for many families up and down Coastal Carolina.
56 Recycling the Coast
Through the efforts of several agencies, oyster shell recycling is helping restore the winter crop.
58 Shucking in Style
The artists behind Carolina Shuckers share the story of their unique upstart.
12 55
12 Sowa Carolina Bob photoShore • SEPTEMBER 2015
Cape Lookout National Seashore
50
at
by Elizabeth DeVan
Solitary person – me. On a lonely lane for OffRoad Vehicles. But perhaps not lonely or solitary. I sense peace, freedom, a type of space not usually in my repertoire. Quiet noises only – cicadas, birds, distant ocean waves – not disturbing but natural. They belong here. I belong here. . . . I just stopped on the path and turned to look 360 degrees around. The only things I see above the horizon are sea oats, the roof of a park shelter, some trees, the lighthouse in the distance, clouds in the sky. I see not one water tower, not one power line, not one microwave tower. Truly remote, truly solitary at this moment. No other person in sight right now. No sound of traffic, planes, or machinery. I get to the beach, finally, a bit tired and hot. “Ramp 42A” No one is here but me. I see a few birds, the gentle waves, sea oats in the dunes, and sand, sand, sand. A few boats look small, anchored out in the distance. Alone on the beach – this is like the end of the world. . . . Or, is it the beginning? Almost 50 years ago, Cape Lookout National Seashore was created by Act of Congress. The law was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson on March 10, 1966, authorizing the National Park Service to establish and develop the park on 29,000 acres of land, marsh and open water between Ocracoke Inlet and Beaufort Inlet. The majestic jewel of the central North Carolina coast turns 50 in 2016. Today, people in Carteret County think nothing of saying, “Let’s go to the Cape!” They enjoy the pristine beaches, see the wild horses of Shackleford Banks, the lighthouse and keepers‘ quarters; they fish, observe birds, breathe in the seascape. They experience the rarity of undeveloped, remote islands just a few miles from a busy mainland. Other people travel short and long distances to visit Cape Lookout. Current superintendent of the park, Pat Kenney, estimates that half a million people visit each year. Because private boats – as well as ferries – bring visitors, an exact number is hard to determine. “Part of the uniqueness of this place is that it’s hard to get there,” Kenney said. “You don’t just drive through the park. Some of the charm is the remote feeling you get. We’re a six-hour drive from Washington, D.C. Millions of people live within a day’s drive from here. Yet once you arrive here – you are really remote.” People from all parts of North Carolina, and from all over the United States, own this place called Cape Lookout National Seashore together, because more than 50 years ago a few forwardlooking people began to realize the value of preserving beautiful treasures which might otherwise be diminished or become inaccessible to the public. (Continued on page 14) nccoast.com
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Wendy Moody photo
(Continued on page 13)
As early as 1938, U.S. Interior Secretary Harold C. Ickes declared a need for more government-owned and managed seashores. Cape Hatteras National Seashore had just been authorized in 1937, but Ickes was aware that ocean-front properties, especially beaches, were likely to be privately owned more and more. Secretary Ickes noted that “people can no longer get to the ocean … I say it is the prerogative and duty of the federal and state governments to step in and acquire, not a swimming beach here and there, but solid blocks of oceanfront hundreds of miles in length. Call this oceanfront a national park, or a national seashore, or a state park or anything you please – I say the people have right to a fair share of it.”
The Wild Coast
Cape Lookout is accessible only by boat. There, people experience seashore and water and wind without distractions of human developments such as shops, paved roads, condominiums, power lines or traffic noises. Cheryl Shelton-Roberts and Bruce Roberts, in their 2005 publication “Cape Lookout National Seashore:
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Carolina Shore • MARCH 2015
Exploring the History and Wild Coastal Beauty,” wrote “Standing at the edge of the ocean, the universe seems to hang in suspended animation. Time slips out to the far-away horizon and disappears beyond the breakers. We are, at that moment, part of nature, listening to a universal language.” When asked about his favorite aspect of the Cape, author Carmine Prioli said, “It’s hard to pin it down to one or two things. I have to echo former park superintendent Bob Vogel, who said in a speech that it’s a combination of seascape, geography, geology, history and people. “Cape Lookout is a sacred place for locals – but also for me and my family – we’ve been going down there for 30 years. It will always be a part of my kids’ personal history, it’s in their genes now. It becomes rather metaphysical and spiritual. It’s a welcoming place, a challenging place, a hard place to live.” Superintendent Kenney has noticed that “genetic” pull of Cape Lookout: “There is a ‘sense of place’ – people who come here regularly have it. One man brought his grandson to Cape Lookout recently, and told me this was the fifth
generation of his family to come here. They’re from the Piedmont region of North Carolina. They come and fish, but it’s the time they spend here, more than the fishing, that draws them.” Rene and Ed Burgess, residents of Burlington, have been volunteering at Portsmouth Village (at the north end of the park, just south of Ocracoke Island) for 15 years. “We fell in love with the history and charm of Portsmouth,” they explained. Then, in January-February, 2006, they spent six weeks at the Cape Lookout Lighthouse to help watch over the buildings after they had been vacated by previous owners. “Those six weeks were an awesome experience – walking the beach after storms, finding massive beds of shells … that the waves had brought ashore. Just listening to the wind as it howled around the keepers’ quarters and the light house was an unforgettable experience. At night we were overwhelmed by the number and clarity of the stars. They were so many and so thick, it was difficult to differentiate the common constellations we saw at home in Burlington.” Cape Lookout National Seashore is not just about
what we see or do now. It is also a place with a history and a cultural identity, both of which are valued and protected by the law of the land. Before 1500, Native Americans who called themselves the “Coree” tribe, were drawn to the bountiful fishing grounds of the Cape. They paddled boats on Core Sound (their namesake), the waters between the southern Outer Banks and the mainland. In the 1500s, European explorers happened upon these barrier islands when they were looking for “a great western sea.” Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazano actually mistook Pamlico Sound (north of Core Sound) for the start of the Pacific Ocean. North Core Banks, referred to as Portsmouth Island by some, became the home of Portsmouth Village, chartered in 1753 by the North Carolina General Assembly. Portsmouth grew to be a thriving “lightering” village, where goods were taken off large ships coming across the Atlantic and stored or transferred to shallow draft boats for delivery to mainland seaports. After the Civil War, and the effects of storms and changing inlets, Portsmouth declined in size. Only three year-round residents remained when the seashore was authorized, and they left in 1971. There are still 20 buildings standing in what is left of Portsmouth Village; park staff and volunteers maintain some of the buildings and welcome visitors, while private leases are held for the remainder. In 1812, the first Cape Lookout Lighthouse began shining a light to help seamen navigate the dangerous shoals near the Cape. The tower was 96 feet tall, and the light shone 104 feet above sea level. Even so, mariners complained that the light was not tall enough or bright enough to be seen 20 miles out to sea, and that they could run aground trying to locate it. A village grew near the lighthouse, made up of fishermen, U.S. Coast Guard personnel, U.S. Life-Saving Service employees, and others. The present-day lighthouse began working in 1859, with a light shining 150-feet above mean high water. Its signature black and white diamond pattern was painted on in 1873. Among the villages that grew up west and north of the lighthouse was “Diamond City,” a busy fishing and whaling community on Shackleford Banks. Until 1933, South Core Banks and Shackleford were one contiguous island, connected at “The Drain,” a low area between the Cape and Shackleford that was covered by water during high tide. A strong hurricane in 1933 washed out The Drain, opening up what became known as Barden’s Inlet between South Core Banks and Shackleford. Shackleford Banks is now considered a wilderness area (not yet designated by law, but proposed). It has no buildings left on it and is inhabited only by a legendary herd of wild horses, very likely descended from Spanish horses brought across the Atlantic by early explorers and mariners. Strong hurricanes in the 1890s took a toll on the people and terrain of Shackleford, eventually forcing everyone to move to mainland areas. Some people moved their houses to nearby Harkers Island, floating them in pieces atop two boats, then reconstructing them elsewhere. Other groups settled in Morehead City’s downtown Promise Land neighborhood and Salter Path along Hwy 58. A major draw for visitors, the wild horses of Shackleford Banks are protected by law, and managed by a unique partnership between the National Park Service and the Foundation for Shackleford Horses, Inc., a nonprofit organization. They are “high-tech wild,” because they are managed carefully through genetic testing and immunocontraception to keep the herd size to 120-130, and to keep the horses genetically viable. But they are wild – visitors to the island are instructed to stay at least 50 feet away from the animals, (“Picture the length of a typical school bus,” Supt. Kenney suggests) in order to protect the horses and the visitors from each other.
Forming the Park
The state of North Carolina recognized the importance of preserving and protecting the southern Outer Banks, and in 1959 the legislators passed a resolution to establish an Outer Banks state park, just south of Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Steps were then taken to purchase land on Core Banks and Portsmouth Island, and also at least enough of (Continued on page 16)
From top, the lighthouse and outbuildings as they looked in 1913 (National Park Service photo); the abundance of abandoned cars at the cape in 1974 (Leon Reed photo); and the remains of those vehicles as they looked in 2014 (Bob Sowa photo). nccoast.com
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(Continued on page 15)
NPS photo
NPS photo
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Carolina Shore • SEPTEMBER 2015
Today, Cape Lookout is a favorite spot for boating, fishing and watersports. Access has been improved with the addition of boardwalks and trails that connect the sound and ocean sides of the island. Primitive camping is available and National Park Service contractors offer modest cabin rentals at two locations.
Shackleford Banks to include Barden’s Inlet. State officials began to realize that the job of actually developing a state park on the Outer Banks would be more daunting than they realized, and beyond the financial capabilities of North Carolina. In 1963, the NC Seashore Park Commission requested the governor and the council of state to take what steps were necessary to transfer state-owned Outer Banks property to the National Park Service. With state and federal agencies working together, there would be funds for a proposed Cape Lookout National Seashore. On Oct. 17, 1963, U.S. Senate Bill 2244 was introduced, calling for the establishment of a national park at Cape Lookout to “preserve for public use and enjoyment an area in the State of North Carolina possessing outstanding natural and recreational values.” The assassination of President John F. Kennedy, on Nov. 22, 1963, stopped the momentum of the park’s development. The state continued to purchase land from private owners, however. U.S. Senate hearings were held in 1965 to consider the proposed national seashore. Some of those making statements, either in person or by letter, were: N.C. Congressman David N. Henderson; Gen. James R. Townsend, chairman of N.C. Board of Water Resources; Alfred Cooper, chairman of the Carteret County Board of Commissioners; and Gov. Dan K. Moore. All of the officials urged the establishment of the national seashore. Except for a few questions about how to finish procuring the remaining privately-owned land on Core Banks, the support appeared to be unanimous, and legislation passed both the Senate and the House easily before being signed by President Johnson on March 10, 1966. There were a few hitches, however. This idyllic park almost wasn’t. Carmine Prioli’s fascinating essay, “The Stormy Birth of Cape Lookout National Seashore,” published in his book “Life at the Edge of the Sea: Essays on North Carolina’s Coast and Coastal Culture,” provides a detailed story of the challenges that had to be overcome. Briefly, what delayed the development of Cape Lookout for almost two decades after it was authorized involved claims of private ownership of some sections on Core Banks. Prioli writes, “The 18 or so members of the Core Sound Gun Club thought their 900 + acre tract on the sound side of Core Banks, about 14 miles north of Cape Lookout, was worth more than the $20 an acre the state had paid for land adjacent to theirs. Apparently, hoping to sidestep the issue at least temporarily, the [1966] bill’s sponsors excluded the gun club property from the bill.” The 1966 legislation also excluded a 230-acre tract owned by a businessman who planned to create a residential development with almost 800 lots on it. Court battles dragged on for years over the two exclusions, and final settlements ended up being much more expensive than had been originally expected. Once North Carolina transferred ownership of Core Banks and Portsmouth Island to the federal government in 1974, work could start on adding Shackleford Banks to the National Seashore, and developing a management plan for Cape Lookout. It took another 11 years to fully acquire all of the desired land. Eventually, all buildings were removed from the island, and only the wild horses remained. Those who gave up their private stake in what had
become national property had no easy time of it; they had built family memories and traditions on the ever-shifting sands of these barrier islands, survived storms and weathered floods. Although cooperation between local and federal interests is now the norm, it is not surprising that tensions and conflicts arose at times in the beginning. On Core Banks, the National Park Service faced an interesting challenge when they began preparing the park for public use. Over the years, many fishing parties on Core Banks had brought vehicles over by ferry, to transport themselves and their equipment (and their huge catches at the end of the day) across the island. When vehicles broke down or rusted out, they were often abandoned where they lay. This was no small challenge to clean up. Even after removing more than 2,500 vehicle remains, the park service had to leave some behind, because their “sense of place” deep in the sand would have required heavy equipment to move them, causing too much environmental damage. Interestingly, the issue of Off-Road Vehicles on North and South Core Banks is in the news currently. Environmental groups brought litigation against the National Park Service, because park regulations were not in compliance with federal laws. The NPS settled the cases, and have developed a new plan for ORV regulation. According to the superintendent, details of the plan will go out to the public this fall and winter, public comments will be invited, and the finished set of regulations will be implemented in 2017.
Cape Lookout National Seashore belongs to all of us. But joint ownership has its challenges. “This is public land. There are a lot of different perspectives on how we should manage the park,” said Kenney. “We deal constantly with the ongoing realities of the maturation of the park. Rules are necessary to protect this place for future generations. The bar is set pretty high. To protect these treasures for the future – it is a big task.” That generational thing again. Cape Lookout National Seashore’s foundational purpose was to preserve a beautiful place for generations to come, and for all people who seek recreation, history, and undeveloped spaces for their joy and renewal. Just knowing that this place – and others like it – exists, even when we are not physically there, may well contribute to a sense of hope and health. With the 50th anniversary of the Seashore’s authorization coming in March 2016, as well as the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service’s founding, it is exciting to know that children in Carteret County are increasingly visiting the Cape. This past school year, the park’s goal was to treat all of the fourth grade classes in Carteret County, from all eight schools, to a Cape Lookout excursion. The costs of ferry ride and lighthouse tour were covered by grant from the National Park Foundation (a philanthropic organization), and more than 500 children were reached through this effort. Five of the eight schools were included, which was less than the goal set, but a good start. With funds left over from last year, the
park hopes to extend “Ticket to Ride” excursions to some Boys and Girls Club children as well. Superintendent Kenney is committed to the park’s educational role with children as well as adults. Park staff and the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum (which is next door to Cape Lookout’s visitor center on Harkers Island) have developed six curricula for grades K-12, to be used by teachers for field trips to the national seashore. These curricula are available on-line, and include the necessary variety of components (math, language arts, science, etc.) to satisfy educational standards. The park’s education coordinator, a former teacher, contributed to this project. Of course, you don’t have to be a student to visit. Cape Lookout and Shackleford Banks are accepting guests daily, throughout the year, a secret many residents along the Crystal Coast know all too well. Primitive camping is allowed on both islands, although adventurers are reminded that there are no resources in either location. Everything campers need must be brought in and carried out when they depart. Throughout the summer months, visitors have the opportunity to climb the lighthouse on prescheduled days and special events and programs are held throughout the park’s busiest months, including nighttime tours of the keepers’ quarters and lighthouse. Ferry access is available from both Harkers Island and Beaufort for a fee. To learn more about Cape Lookout and to make plans for a visit during its 50th anniversary year, visit www.nps.gov/calo. nccoast.com
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Coastal Cuisine
Navigating the never-ending array of options that come with dining on the North Carolina coast can be nothing short of daunting. Whether you’re visiting the coast for the first time or you’re a long-time resident, the myriad options available can make it more challenging than ever to answer that age-old question, “What are we having for dinner?” Enter John Batchelor. We’re betting there isn’t a long-term restaurant employee in the state of North Carolina that hasn’t heard the name at least once or twice. Since 1981, Batchelor has been known for his no holds barred analysis of North Carolina’s restaurants and cuisine for the Greensboro News and Record, not only singing the praises of those restaurants that meet his discerning palate’s expectations, but also offering sage criticism when things aren’t quite up to par. He has been a revered member of North Carolina’s culinary landscape for more than three decades and has penned over 1,000 articles along the way. His love affair with coastal cuisine culminated this year with the release of “Chefs of the Coast: Restaurants & Recipes of the North Carolina Coast.” In the 338-page book, Batchelor takes diners on a near-shore tour of some of the region’s not-to-be-missed eateries. From Corolla to Southport, from New Bern to Morehead City, the book takes readers into restaurants in 16 cities, ranging from quickgrab lunch hubs to fine dining establishments. His years of journalistic experience and food criticism make him the ideal candidate to provide the narrative for this virtual culinary tour of the coast. Not only has it trained him to obtain the most in-depth information possible about each restaurant he spotlights, but his longevity in the field gives him a level of validity that is hard to come by. When John Batchelor talks about food – people listen. More than 50 restaurants are highlighted in all, with information about the eatery’s history and menu as well as detailed information about each chef and their professional philosophies. In addition, each restaurant offers recipes for the budding chef in all of us, giving it an added benefit. The book is great for travelers looking for the perfect spot for dinner, but with the
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Carolina Shore • SEPTEMBER 2015
by Amanda Dagnino
added recipes, it’s also great for the coastal resident who is looking for a fresh recipe to try for dinner. Those familiar with their hometown restaurants will find lots of favorites mentioned in its pages. Get to know Chef Clarke Merrell of Circa 81 and the Dank Burrito in Morehead City, try your hand at whipping up Chef Shawn Hoveland’s Shrimp and Crab al Fresco made popular at The Chelsea in New Bern, or read the history of the Icehouse Waterfront Restaurant in Swansboro. Special sections throughout the book highlight additional food related information, including features on area fish markets and information about the Beaufort Wine & Food Weekend, the Outer Banks Taste of the Beach and the NC Seafood Festival, held each October in Morehead City. According to Batchelor, when it came time to choose which restaurants to include in the book, he initially reached out to a few of his favorites. “I started with places I know and like. My wife and I have had a cottage at Emerald Isle for over 20 years, so I have plenty of personal favorites in the Crystal Coast area. I have also written about restaurants in the Wilmington area for Focus on the Coast magazine, so adding those was the next step,” he said. In recent years, Batchelor has judged chef competitions for Competition Dining, formerly Fire on the Dock, so he selected restaurants from among those that participated in some of the contests he has been a part of. In addition, he has been a judge for Best Dish North Carolina, sponsored by the NC Dept. of Agriculture and the OBX Taste of the Beach, which gave him the opportunity to sample dishes in the northern part of the state. “I admire what chefs do; I envy their knowledge and skills,” said Batchelor. “This book is a tribute to their endeavors.” The critic began writing restaurant reviews in July 1981. In addition to writing, John Batchelor had a lengthy career as a teacher and school administrator in Guilford County, serving as superintendent for two school districts. He retired in 2009. His latest venture can be found in bookstores throughout eastern North Carolina.
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Carolina Shore • SEPTEMBER 2015
Bouffant C
by the Sea story & photos by Ben Hogwood
raig Gurganus opens the front door of his house on Pine Street, a wide, pockmarked residential road in the old “Union Town” section of Beaufort, and picks up a shark. OK, it’s a sculpture of a shark. And it’s not exactly designed to instill fear into its audience. Instead, the shark has Ping-Pong eyes that pop out of its head, and a goofy grin featuring a set of choppers that looks more interested in chewing gummy bears than portioning out thigh meat from beach goers. “I painted teeth last night at 9 o’clock,” Gurganus says, tossing the shark on a leather couch beside two yellow pillows and a guidebook for fish. Above the couch is an aquarium-like wall full of other sea creatures: the snobby triggerfish, the prickly blowfish, the astonished flounder. The shark will be joining this menagerie that Gurganus, 63, has named “Fish Bouffant,” in which the artist takes old, broken surfboards and – with a little carving, some fiberglass cloth, some resin, spray paint and a few coats of lacquer – transforms them into these playful, gill-bearing sculptures. They are all colorful and kooky, and they all aim to please. “Bouffant is a happy word in French,” he explains on a July morning from the living room of his house. He’s sitting on his couch and his blue eyes cut through the white of his hair and beard. At his feet is a pair of nondescript fish that, with the addition of some barbecue skewers and a few days at his workshop down Highway 70 just outside of town, will soon become lionfish. The walls are covered in art from friends and family and the wood floors show dribbles of dry paint. “It’s like the frilly cuffs,” he says, thinking of the shirts worn by Renaissance poets or pirates. “It’s an attitude. It’s supposed to make you happy, big time. It’s very cartoonish.” The “happy” aspect is certainly important, but so is the recycling element. While he has stacks of boards, he only cuts into the ones that can no longer be used. He can tell you the story behind each board; perhaps it snapped on a wave in Nicaragua; maybe a dog in Hawaii chewed it up; maybe it was in a fire. He has the remnants of all these boards in his workshop. But if the board is in good shape, or if the art on it is already too good to touch, he hangs on to it, storing it alongside scores of bowling balls, a Christmas tree made of resin-filled paint brushes, boats, a camper, and an old school bus. “I’m a bit of a hoarder,” he says. Still, recycling is a theme in his life; when he can, he uses what he has, and he turns it into something new. Gurganus grew up in Chapel Hill, the son of a preschool teacher mother and a grocer father. While his mother pushed art on the family a little, perhaps there was more a practical application in his father’s line of work. “Believe it or not, in a grocery store there’s art, in color, in how to display stuff,” he said. Whatever the influence, art took a hold on three of the four Gurganus brothers. Gurganus’s younger brother is a carver, and his oldest brother, Allan, a novelist whose books include the bestseller Oldest Confederate Widow Tells All, began as a painter. Gurganus said Allan always had art books lying around the house and had his first show when he was still a teenager. “Being around someone like Allan – my younger brother too – it does wear off on you,” he said. Gurganus worked as a produce manager for a while, but by the age of 32 he had moved to Thousand Oaks, Calif. He surfed, he painted houses, he fished, and he worked and stayed with a family. “I was kind of like an au pair,” he says. “I lived with a family and took care of their kids. I’d paint on the side.” According to the “Fish Bouffant” legend, one day, while surfing in San Diego, he snapped his one and only board. However, on the drive home he had somewhat of an epiphany. He would reuse that broken surfboard; he would make it useful again. He would turn it into a fish. It wasn’t quite that straightforward. The broken surfboard, and the resulting epiphany, was really just another piece of the puzzle that became Fish Bouffant. In fact, he’d already made one fish, a yellow thing with thick red, white, and blue paint drooled across it. It was made of plywood, chicken wire and fiberglass cloth and he still owns it. “I call it a Pollock,” he says, referring not to the species of fish, but to the drip-paint style of the artist he copied: Jackson Pollock.
(Continued on page 24) nccoast.com
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(Continued from page 23)
“This piece, this is before I even knew how to do fins,” he says, looking at that prototype. “Once I learned to do the fins it jumped into another level.” The project gave Gurganus the chance to roll his experience and his passions into one: his passion for surfing and fishing, his knowledge of color and organization from working in the grocery store, his understanding of paint. And, reusing surfboards tied in with his political worldview. “If you take them to the dump, they don’t break down in nature,” he said. “If you burn them, they’re toxic. People have tons of old boards they just keep, and then they have to clean their garage out and they take them all to the dump. “I could buy surfboard blanks, I could buy the foam that’s never been used and it would be twice as easy. But it is a service.” Still, he admits some of the other material he uses isn’t doing the planet any favors, and he does have a pretty big “footprint,” though he tries to use every piece of what he has. But there was still something missing, and that was the location. That piece fell into place when he moved to Beaufort around 1990. He came here to paint houses, ran into a girl from his hometown, and that was it. “It was just like, this is the place. I don’t know, I felt very comfortable here.” And the town has embraced him. “People are good to me,” he said. “People around here look out for local artists.” The restaurants, both in the town and around the county, have embraced him particularly tight. Wendy Park, owner of Beaufort Grocery Co. on Queen Street, said her restaurant sells five or six of Gurganus’s sculptures each week. Park understands that, for whatever reason, artists are attracted to the area. “We’re the artist’s hideaway,” she said, standing in the restaurant’s bar, underneath one of Gurganus’s blue and gray sailfish. “It’s where the crazies come.” The restaurant has had Gurganus’s work on display almost since it opened 24 years ago, but Park first heard of Gurganus as a house painter. “He was supposed to paint our house,” she said. “He was the man to get.” Unfortunately for her, Fish Bouffant took off, and Gurganus set house painting aside. Elements of the town also get recycled and turned into something new with Fish Bouffant. In fact, it’s hard to imagine Gurganus’s success without the town, particularly the influence of the marine biologists who work and study at the county’s marine facilities, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration office and the Duke University Marine Lab, both on Pivers Island. Gurganus even has a wall, 36-feet long, in Duke’s Pilkey Research Lab, filled with nothing but his fish. Gurganus said that often, when a student at one of the labs graduates, their friends and classmates will chip in and custom order a piece of whatever aquatic life they studied. Barnacles? With their cute little feathery feeding appendages? Sure thing. Lemon drop sea slugs? With mushroomy antennas on their head? Done. Pompano? Deep-water snails that die from fright as soon as a research vessel gets close to them? Snails that are so difficult to capture, even on film, that there aren’t that many photos of them? You got it. How about lobster larvae? “I did a lobster larvae. It’s a microscopic shot,” Gurganus says, one leg crossed over the other. “When I finished, it was this big” – he stretches his arms wide across his body. “People freaked out because they thought
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Carolina Shore • SEPTEMBER 2015
it was going to be …” – well, microscopic. Those marine experts are often the ones who keep him motivated. They keep pushing him to try something different. “Every once in a while you get bored, but then you start meeting people and everybody’s happy. Then you start making a piece you haven’t made before,” he said. And each piece has its own personality. Today it is hot. The air is so thick and heavy you can almost scoop it up in your hands. Adorned on the wall beside Gurganus’s house, which is painted cooked-salmon pink, is a self-made historic plaque, gently mocking the town’s historic houses on the south side of Cedar Street. The plaque announces the hoity name of the house as “Chateau Bouffant,” and where the historic markers typically state the year the house was built, Gurganus’s simply says, “old.” Accompanying it is a flounder Gurganus has dubbed “Yikes,” which serves as a mascot for the business. About a block from Gurganus’s house is Town Creek, and a clanging rings out as construction workers continue to build the new high-rise bridge that will eventually connect Beaufort to all points west. Pedro, the U.S. Marines double rotor helicopter, orange and black, cuts through the rhythmic pounding and arcs over the water. Gurganus is busy, and that’s the way he likes it. He’s shuttling sculptures back and forth between his home and a friend’s restaurant in Chapel Hill, where he’s showing work. In a few weeks he’s hosting an event at the Duke Marine Lab, where he’ll be the featured artist, and sooner or later he’ll head down to Florida to drum up some more business. When it’s hot, like today, he’s even busier, because the heat affects the materials he uses, forcing him to work quicker. Later, he’ll be heading to his shop to do the dirtiest work. This – the house, the water, the heat, the mess of paint, the town and its people and that slimmest of threads connecting it to a wider world – all intersects somewhere inside Gurganus, and it mingles with his love of fishing and surfing and knowledge of colors and his desire to learn something new, and when it comes out, he’s recycled it all into what we know as Fish Bouffant. “If I was a millionaire I’d still be doing it, you know what I mean? If I won the lottery I wouldn’t stop,” he says. “Today I’m making sailfish” – he pauses, and maybe he thinks about those seven-foot sculptures with the long pointed bills and deep blue dorsal fins that looks like stained glass. “And they’re so beautiful.”
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25
If You Build It...
Speedway Opens in Western Carteret County
story & photos by Amanda Dagnino
It’s the third day of September and Bobby Watson is making an unexpected run to Kinston to pick up a freezer. In his absence, workmen pass lumber back and forth, power tools whir to life and a late summer breeze whips up the flags that line the pristine track at the Carteret County Speedway. The entire facility is abuzz with activity, from the volunteer meeting in the first floor of the main building to the infield, where vendors are making their final additions to the Moonshiner’s Café. The smell of fresh cut wood permeates the air, overlaid by the acrid scents of oil and asphalt. It’s a busy time – just three days before the speedway’s first race in nearly 16 years – and while work continues, just about everyone is holding their collective breath as the absent Watson builds his American dream. “I don’t think there is a person here that isn’t excited for Bobby,” said
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Carolina Shore • SEPTEMBER 2015
Adam Resnick, who, with more than 20 years in the racing industry as a driver and owner, has stepped in to help promote and oversee track operations. “This kind of thing doesn’t happen nowadays. This man has spent 14 years preparing for this opening. Fourteen years,” he said again, pausing for emphasis. “Bobby Watson was determined that he was going to have a race track, he has dreamed of having a short track here – it was going to happen. He’s one of those people that is challenged when someone says something can’t be done. That just motivates him more.” Resnick knows the ins and outs of racing. A driver at heart, he took on the role of owner at Wake County Speedway three years ago, learning through the school of hard knocks what works and what doesn’t. “In my first six months I lost quite a bit of money,” said Resnick. “But I worked my way through it – I figured it out. I quickly learned where my errors where and was able to turn it around and do really well. It’s a difficult business. When Watson first gave him a call, he admits he was hesitant. “At first I just wasn’t interested. I had that been-there-done-thatbeen-successful attitude,” said Resnick. “But then I got to thinking and I really didn’t want him to go through what I had experienced. Plus,
the level of excitement surrounding this project was a big factor. The whole community has embraced Bobby and what he wants to accomplish. It’s contagious. You can’t help but get excited with him.” Located at 501 Whitehouse Fork Road, just off of Hwy 58 in the small community of Peletier, the track is a virtual museum of racing memorabilia. Junior Johnson’s last moonshine still sits in the corner of the track’s full-service restaurant and the Union 76 tower from Talladega keeps watch over turn four. The names of Nascar favorites are prominent – Bobby Allison, Darrel Waltrip, Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt – from the benches that dot the infield to the signs that decorate the restaurant. Nothing here has b een thrown together haphazardly. Each small piece of the puzzle was carefully thought out, planned and placed, said Resnick, to ensure that the site would not only meet Watson’s expectations, but also be a draw for Carteret County for years to come. For nearly 20 years, the site served as a World Karting Association sanctioned go-kart facility before pulling the plug in 1999. Since then, Watson has been focused on developing a world-class short track that (Continued on page 28) nccoast.com
27
Bobby Watson is all smiles on the first day of practice at the Carteret County Speedway.
(Continued from page 27)
could also serve as a venue for large-scale events, including concerts. Today, the track seats about 4,000 guests with VIP suites and concession stands along the ends of the track. A great place for concerts? Absolutely. But first, there is racing to contend with. North Carolina has had a long love affair with all things that go fast. In the 1920s and early 30s, fast cars were ideal transport for moonshiners in the Appalachian Mountains. Despite the end of Prohibition, bootlegging continued and by the mid 1930s races among moonshiners became common. In fact, some of the former felons went on to enjoy long careers in the racing industry, including Wilkes County native Junior Johnson, one of the sports earliest bad boys. “It’s a North Carolina tradition,” said Watson, smiling from ear to ear on the eve of Carteret County Speedway’s opening day. “And I’m excited to continue that tradition. This is a great day for me, a great day for fans and a great day for racing.” Even when work would come to a stall, Watson said, he would head out on the road researching and “picking” racing memorabilia to bring back to the track. There were naysayers along the way, he admits. As each year passed, however, Watson’s resolve only grew stronger. “I knew it was going to happen. When you have heart and determination you can accomplish just about anything. You have to have a dream and you have to work toward it if you want it to come to fruition – you have to want it in order to receive it.” The response from the community and the support of his friends and family members has been paramount to achieving his goals, said Watson. In turn, he hopes the success of the track will be a draw for Carteret County. “When these drivers and fans come to the track, they’re not just here
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Carolina Shore • SEPTEMBER 2015
for an evening of racing and back home – they’re here to stay the night, to eat in our restaurants, to visit our shops,” said Watson. “We have the beach, so there may be many who come and make a weekend of it. That’s big for the community.” He encourages business owners to put up signage, offer specials to welcome the racers and embrace the new attraction. Races are scheduled for 7pm on Sunday, Oct. 10 and 24 on the 4/10mile paved oval featuring late models, street stock, legends, super late models, mini-stocks and more. Tickets are $15. To learn more, visit carteretspeedway.com.
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31
Classic Beauty
New Bern’s 104-year-old Athens Theatre gets a faceliftby Elizabeth DeVan
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Carolina Shore • SEPTEMBER 2015
P
utting on a façade is usually frowned upon. But putting a new façade on the historic Athens Theatre in New Bern has the enthusiastic support of a throng of theatre-goers, history lovers and townspeople. New Bern Civic Theatre has taken on this labor of love, calling it “The Athens Renaissance Project.” Started on June 8 and due to finish this fall if all goes well, the project’s goal is to restore the theatre’s front to a look very similar to the original. Why bother? The Athens has managed to stay open since the 1980s, when NBCT bought the building. Community theatre is thriving on the inside, drawing crowds to dramas, musical plays, children’s theatre, and youth-directed productions by the NBCT’s Saax Bradbury Players. Since first opening its doors in April, 1911, the Athens has been home to silent movies, Vaudeville acts, talking movies and live theatre. The theater’s name has changed numerous times: “Show Shop Theatre” from 1930s to 40s’ “Kehoe Theatre,“ 1943 until about 1950; “Tryon Theatre,” through 1979. The building’s face has changed less often than its name. It was given an Art Deco look in the 1940s, with very little resemblance to its original classic style. After most of the Art Deco façade was removed, leaving brick above and green tiles below, a wide stripe was painted diagonally on the façade. By the 1980s, the exterior appeared to have been decorated by a wild committee of artists working from four different plans, with no communication among them. Why bother to return the Athens to its former beauty? Frankly, the exterior of the Athens Theatre had become “a mess,” “an eyesore,” and it “detracts from the beauty of one of New Bern’s prettiest downtown streets,” according to people who love this building. “We want the outside of the building to reflect the quality of what is going on inside. New Bern is beautiful,” said Angelica Doyle, executive direct of the New Bern Civic Theatre, which calls the building home. “We want the Athens to be beautiful also. “I hope that the new façade will help people of the community feel like they are
coming home, walking into history,” Doyle said. “There is something about this place, and the people who are here, and community theatre. It is warm and inviting, always changing, gathering people from all walks of life who are passionate about theatre – they are all volunteers – and they love it. This is being part of a family.” Doyle herself joined this “family” in 2006 when she was a stayat-home mom, an ex-Marine with three sons wanting to find a new hobby. She tried out for an acting role at New Bern Civic Theatre, got it, and was soon drawn deeper and deeper. First she acted, then she painted scenery, then she started helping as an administrative assistant in the office and with marketing. In 2010, Doyle was hired as executive director of the theater. She is in charge of the day-to-day operations of the nonprofit group; the only other paid position is the role of office manager held by Jen Blalock. A new façade for the Athens was on Doyle’s list of three- to fiveyear goals. But she wasn’t the first one to wish for it. Serious talks had taken place in 2006 at the theater regarding major renovations, but then the economic recession hit and theatre groups around the country were fighting just to stay alive. Major repairs and upgrading had to be put on the proverbial back burner. The need for safety demanded some repairs, such as redoing the battens (pipes hanging from the ceiling) and replacing ropes backstage for moving scenery, lights and curtains. Old, worn-out hemp was replaced by more stable nylon ropes. Also, the front entry had to be repaired, due to frequent flooding. Volunteers worked hard and kept costs down. The façade, a huge project, would have to wait. A few improvements inside the Athens came from generous donations. “Gently used” theatre seats were donated by Craven Community College and installed by volunteers. This project would have cost about $70,000 without donated goods and labor. In 2010, new carpeting inside the theatre was donated by bestselling author Nicholas Sparks, who lives in New Bern and has held “red carpet events” for his new movies, including the 2012 for the premier of “The Lucky One.” New seats, new carpet, new ropes and battens, fixed-up entryway: this is all good. However, the hodgepodge exterior of this historically important theater remained. This situation distracts from the building’s historic significance and the great live theater the theater company provides. It also detracts from the beauty of one of New Bern’s prettiest downtown streets. Thus reads the brochure produced by NBCT’s “The Athens Renaissance Project.” The Harold H. Bates Foundation awarded the theater a $40,000 matching grant toward the estimated $100,000 (Continued on page 36)
The many faces of the Athens Theatre - top, interior and exterior shots showing off the theater’s original design in 1914 (NC State Archives photo); and above, with its Art Deco facade in 1974 (New Bern Historical Society photo). nccoast.com
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(Continued from page 33)
cost of a full exterior renovation. Donors provided the $40,000 needed to match. Doyle said, “People are excited – they have been willing to give to this project even though there are many projects in our community asking for donations. We are very close to our total goal of $100,000, and anyone is welcome to make tax deductible gifts.â€? Herbert B. Simpson was the original architect for the Athens. According to the North Carolina State Archives, Simpson’s façade combined “Neo-Classical and Beaux-Arts stylistic elements ‌ crowning the façade was a Baroque curvilinear pediment.â€? New Bern was once affectionately referred to as “The Athens of North Carolina,â€? perhaps because of Greek revival architecture used on many of the city’s buildings. This is very likely the reason for the theatre’s original name. New Bern architect, Charles Francis, designed the new façade. He worked from early photos and what remains of earlier features of the building. “The façade was a mess when we started,â€? Francis said. “The exterior had not been taken care of through the years, especially in the 1970s and 80s. We popped off the green tiles from the Art Deco design of the 40s and carefully removed rusted nails from the masonry. We couldn’t remove a lot of the paint without damaging the masonry.â€? The exquisite “crownâ€? of the original build-
ing included two large lyres and many curves. “The new façade will be toned down a little – it would be too expensive to duplicate the original with those lyres, for example,â€? said Francis. “Our basic idea is to take it back to a character very similar to the original. Where changes over time have made it impossible to go back, we aim for adaptive re-use.â€? In 2014, a new sign was added to the the-
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Carolina Shore â&#x20AC;˘ SEPTEMBER 2015
Things to do s Food s Calendar s Real Estate and more...
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Forgotten NC
T
by Amanda Dagnino Zach Frailey photos
here are many ways to get to know a new community, but for many of us that would include driving around to check out the surrounding neighborhoods, town and countryside. When New Bern photographer Zach Frailey, otherwise known as the Uprooted Photographer, arrived in New Bern after college he did just that – he took to the open road to explore, and photograph, his new home. What he found along the way was an abundance of history, much of which was giving way to the elements after years of abandonment. “There wasn’t really one particular building that grabbed my attention, but I think it was just the amount of material,” said Frailey. “Around every corner there is a forgotten barn or a rundown house. There’s just something about them – the history and the memories.” At first, he said, the his shots were focused on the amazing vegetation in the spring and summer with a stunning summer sunset tossed in here and there. “But when comments started coming in from people who were affiliated with the buildings that were often in the frame, it really made it more of a living history project. My focus began to change.” Forgotten NC was born – a side project for this photojournalist with the Kinston Free Press that continues to gain steam with followers. “Now, as soon as I put something up on social media, people will almost immediately chime in that they know the house, or had a relative who used to live there,” Frailey said. “That involvement, and hearing the stories, has really been the motivation to keep the project going. “I can remember I shot an old store outside of Beaufort and it had just rained that day and there was a nice reflection in the puddles. It was a great shot and it got so many comments,” said the photographer. “People remembered sneaking out of the high school nearby to have a hamburger, or they recalled the time the principal caught them there. It started a great conversation of memories that people probably hadn’t thought about in years.” While most of his subject matter remains, several have caved and fallen since he has shot them. A few others have been destroyed by the owners or bulldozed for development. “And that’s another reason to capture them – to conserve those memories – because we’re losing them at a pretty fast rate.” The rules for Frailey are simple. If located on private property, he always seeks permission first. He never enters any of the structures and his goal is to try his best not to disturb the scene in any way. “I try to add to the project pretty regularly, but other things sometimes get in the way, so there have been some definite holes here and there,” he said. “And of course I’m always looking for new material.” New works are posted on both a tumblr page (Tumblr.forgottennc.com) as well as Facebook, under Forgotten NC. “It’s definitely a social media project,” the photographer said. “It’s a social project for me. I love the comments and discussion it creates.” A dream shoot? Frailey is hoping he can one day photograph the old North Wilkesboro Speedway. Until then, he is happy traipsing through Eastern North Carolina in search of the forgotten.
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Carolina Shore • SEPTEMBER 2015
This beautiful image of abandonment was shot along Highway 55 near Stonewall
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Above, the former Pittman’s Store in Stacy might have been crumbling when this shot was taken, but the newspaper box out front was still very much in use. This building has since collapsed. Left, The Greene House, which was constructed in the early 1800s, sits between New Bern and Kinston. It’s location, Frailey surmises, indicates that at some point in December 1862, residents could have sat on the porch and watched approximately 12,000 Union troops march on by after taking control of New Bern.
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Carolina Shore • SEPTEMBER 2015
Right, Winston Hill & Sons in Atlantic continues to bring back memories for the residents of Down East Carteret County. Below, the first entry in Fraileyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Forgotten NC project, complete with the house number above the door - 555.
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46
Carolina Shore • SEPTEMBER 2015
Unknown Tongues story & photos by Ben Hogwood
“Didn’t you once string up a boat?” This is Barbara Garrity-Blake, chatting during a typically hot August afternoon from her porch in Gloucester. Barbara has a PhD in anthropology from the University of Virginia, and has published a book, “Fish Factory,” about the menhaden fishing industry. She’s also the co-creator of the Cajun band Unknown Tongues, and she’s asking her husband, Bryan Blake, the other co-creator, who is also sitting on the porch, if he remembers the time he tried to turn a boat into a musical instrument. “I strung it up and made a bridge,” Bryan said. “It sounded like a whale.” This is perhaps one of the more extreme ways to combine a passion for music and the maritime traditions of North Carolina’s Down East area, the collection of fishing villages east of Beaufort that run along the Core Banks. But it’s a good example of what these guys do; both were once outsiders in a community that can be wary of outsiders, where even the blue “Hurricane Evacuation Route” signs pointing in the opposite direction might be enough to convince some people they don’t belong here. The music the Blakes play is from an entirely different shore, with entirely different instruments (accordions? Rub boards? Triangles?), and sometimes with entirely foreign lyrics (French?!). Yet through their efforts to support the fishermen, the boat builders, the musicians and the traditions of this area, and through their efforts to be generous neighbors, the Blakes have managed to weave both their lives, and their music, into the culture of this low-lying land.
Getting to Know You
Just from looking at the knickknacks on the porch, you can tell there’s a touch of nostalgia to the couple. On a wall is a painting of two butterflies on what looks like a piece of driftwood, made by Bryan’s mother. On another is a tapestry of a scarecrow that Bryan made when he was in sixth grade. Elsewhere is the big brassy stencil that Barbara used to make the pink and black signs for their most recent effort to combine music and maritime tradition: a two-day festival held in Gloucester called Wild Caught. Hanging from the ceiling is a rusted, coiled horn. “I don’t know where that came from,” said Bryan, who is wearing a blue “Marshallberg Fire Department” T-shirt. He is chief of the department and is on duty today. “It just ended up here.” Behind the house, however, in an overgrown patch of land, is a boat that Bryan has been working on, and the roots of how he ended up in this area begin to reveal themselves. Bryan was born in Greensboro, but grew up in South Carolina. He arrived Down East in 1976, when he drove along the coast after deciding he would build boats for a living, and was eventually hired by the Rose Brothers of Harkers Island. He didn’t meet Barbara until 11 years later. She grew up in St. Petersburg, Fla., but was pursuing an advanced degree at the University of Virginia. She had previously spent time in the county conducting fieldwork on the menhaden fishing industry. Bryan had previously been married, but it didn’t work out, and he had come to Beaufort one day in the summer of 1987 to do laundry. He decided to stop by the Backstreet Pub, a bar just off Front Street, where
live bands thump from the second floor on weekends and patrons’ dogs often congregate around water bowls downstairs. Barbara came into the bar to meet her former roommate, who knew Bryan and made the introduction. Pretty soon, Bryan was driving up to the UVA campus in Charlottesville, Va., bringing his mandolin with him. Charlottesville is where Bryan became interested in Louisiana music. Chuck Perdue, one of Barbara’s professors, recommended he listen to some Cajun fiddle tunes, and shortly after, while she was attending classes, he was recording every Cajun album he could get his hands on. His new fascination was reinforced when the couple started going to open jams. At one of these Bryan remembers being “struck” when he heard someone playing this “greasy” sound on a fiddle. “The seed had been planted,” he said. He even got to take a one-on-one workshop with Dewey Balfa, a legendary Cajun fiddler who became the face of genre for many following his performance at the 1964 Newport Folk Festival. “I just absorbed everything I could,” Bryan said. “That’s when it took a turn.” Barbara could play a few chords on guitar, but perhaps more relevant to the style of music, she also learned how to play the triangle. In fact, Bryan took the hand crank from the jack to her car and, with a little welding, turned it into a triangle for her to play. She now has two of those, one in C and one in F sharp.
The Only Game in Town
When they returned to Carteret County, they didn’t have the access to jamming they had in Charlottesville. “We were like, where’s the musicians?” said Barbara. So they put an ad in the Carteret County News-Times: “Musicians Wanted – Jam.” One of those who responded was a guitarist named Derby Daniels. He was an established local musician and had previously been in the Core Creek Corn Commission. He promptly took the lead of this band – if it could be called a band at this point. While “Unknown Tongues” may conjure up a weird voodoo vibe, the name actually has a lot more to do with the transiency of the members during those early years. “We’re just a bunch of unknown tongues,” Daniels exclaimed during one jam session. “We don’t know who’s singing.” The name stuck, though Daniels would eventually leave. A few years later, after variations of the band with multiple fiddle players and even multiple drum kits, bassist Todd Humphreys and drummer (Continued on page 52)
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(Continued from page 47)
Tom Parker came on board, cementing the lineup that is still in place today. Daniels had experience, and the Blakes took note before he left. “Derby was the professional,” Bryan said. “We were just the rank amateurs.” The music at that time was more bluegrass, though Bryan would pepper it with Cajun whenever he got the chance to take a fiddle solo. With Daniels departure, the Blakes stepped to the front, and that’s when their musical background bled more into the sound and the songs. Audiences, at least at first, were often confused. Even in the early ’90s, people weren’t really familiar with Cajun music. “We’d get people” – Bryan pauses and bugs his eyes out, impersonating one of the stunned faces he saw in the crowd – “‘They’re not singing in English.’ We were the only game in town.”
Stirring the Pot
One piece of advice Daniels gave the band was never to play gigs for free. “We took the business model where we would charge decently, so we could pay for gas to get home,” Bryan said. But the band wanted to do something for its
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Carolina Shore • SEPTEMBER 2015
community. “We wanted to give everybody a free concert,” Barbara said. So they decided to have a potluck, at which they would play. To get the word out, they once again put an ad in the newspaper. That potluck grew into what is now the Down East Mardi Gras, an annual event held at the Gloucester Community Club each February that draws hundreds of guests and features multiple bands, along with cauldrons of gumbo filled with local seafood. “We’ve always been holding our breath that it doesn’t get too big,” Barbara said. In 2010, that almost happened. That year, Our State magazine published an article on the event, naming it one of the best destinations in the state. “We were ‘Miss February,’” Barbara said. The weather was gorgeous the week leading up the Mardi Gras. They were sure to be overrun. The Blakes, as well as the crew they’ve amassed to help, began planning for thousands of visitors, and borrowed an event tent from the Beaufort Historic Site, but they still had doubts about the location being able to handle those kinds of numbers. And then, a few days before the designated weekend, a weather report
(Continued on page 54)
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(Continued from page 52)
suggested there was a slight, tiny, miniscule chance of snow flurries being in the forecast. The night before the event Barbara was outside, stirring the roux for the gumbo, when she looked up. “What’s that?” she said. By 3am, Bryan was outside sweeping snow off the tent to make sure it didn’t collapse. By morning, there were six inches of snow on the ground. To get to the community club, visitors had to drive along a long stretch of roadway without shoulders in an area where snow is so rare that snowplows are almost unheard of. Would anybody show up? The phone calls, starting at 7am, suggested they would. One after the other they came, until Barbara eventually recorded a new voice message: yes, she said. The 2010 Down East Mardi Gras is still taking place. Despite the weather, 450 people attended that year. The following year, 2011, set a record high of 1,200, and the event is still going strong with planning for its twenty-fourth festival now in the planning stages. “Mardi Gras has truly turned into a community event,” Bryan said.
Ups and Downs
While the band took off after its formation in the ’90s, the fishing industry went the opposite way. Seafood landings nosedived, imports from abroad increased, federal and state governments beefed up regulations, and property values along the coast skyrocketed. The businesses Down East supported by the fishing industry – from fish houses to grocery stores – started disappearing, and jobs became harder to find. “We’ve seen first-hand the effects of younger people moving away,” Barbara said. Barbara, in particular, has invested countless hours trying to bring attention to the issue, serving on state boards including the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission and the N.C. Waterfront Access Study Committee. She even ran for the N.C. House and N.C. Senate and part of her platform was to support the industry and boost the recognition of local seafood, though those political campaigns ultimately failed. So, in 2010, they decided to hold a festival. The festival would celebrate roots music and the people who made it, and it would celebrate seafood and the people who hauled it in. It would feature the Unknown Tongues, of course, but as it grew it would also feature other local musicians and bands, including cutting edge, disco-mariachi rock from the Beaufort-based Chupacabras (de la rosa) (author’s note – I play in this band) to the Southern guitar sounds of Straits Haven (author’s note again – I play in this one too). Perhaps of more note, for the last two years, it’s also featured Bland Simpson, the pianist of the Tony-award winning band the Red Clay Ramblers. Simpson is also a professor of English and creative writing at UNC-Chapel Hill, and has written several nonfiction books that feature stories from the Down East region. His most recent book, “Little Rivers & Waterway Tales,” came out this year. “I first met them a little over 20 years ago,” Simpson said. The Tongues were playing a fundraiser in the Beaufort area and Simpson’s mother-in-law, the late Pat Kindell, wanted to take Simpson and his wife (and photographer) Ann. Kindell told him there would be a Cajun band playing. “I said, ‘A Cajun band?’” He was expecting perhaps something a little showy and a little country, in the vein of Doug Kershaw. “When we walked down the lane, I remember hearing – they were playing as a three-piece then – I remember hearing a Balfa Brothers song, played very faithfully,” he said. “I thought, whoa, this is not what I expected. I certainly took note.” Simpson ran into the band at various places and each time the Tongues surprised him with their approach and repertoire. He found out Bryan was a boat builder, and heard about Barbara’s research on the menhaden industry. “I read Barbara’s work to better understand Beaufort,” he said.
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Carolina Shore • SEPTEMBER 2015
The Simpsons are not just fans of the music; they are also big supporters of the Blakes’ efforts with wild caught seafood. In Fact, Ann Simpson is the director of NC Catch, an effort to promote the state’s seafood. Likewise, Ann’s mother was a big proponent of local seafood. “She couldn’t eat imported shrimp because she could taste the chemicals,” he said.
So, Without Further Ado …
It’s just after 9pm on a Saturday in July, and after swimming humidity followed by the kind of downpour that would inspire Noah to dig out his boat shoes, the weather is cool, the sky is clear, and the Unknown Tongues have taken the stage of the 2015 Wild Caught Festival. They open with “Going to Louisiana,” a simple song filled with the kinds of grace notes and embellishments that makes Cajun music almost impossible, or maybe pointless, to transcribe. They are playing on the back porch of a house in Gloucester that faces out toward the Straits, where the outlines of tall, mostly naked pine trees on the opposite side of the creek can be seen scratching the sky. Earlier in the day, smoke poured from the charcoal grills cooking up fresh-caught mullet. In fact, if Bryan, Barbara, Todd and Tom were to look over the heads of the audience dancing in front of them, they would see some of the spots where the fish were caught. Barbara takes the microphone when the song ends. “Bryan’s feeling sentimental,” she says. “That was the first song we wrote together. I was trying to leave him and he said, ‘Can I come too?’” “She’s been trying to leave me for 30 years,” says Bryan. “I keep a backpack in the truck.” These are the guys behind the Unknown Tongues, behind Wild Caught, behind the Down East Mardi Gras, behind efforts to support local musicians, behind efforts to support local fishermen, and maybe, if you live in the Marshallberg area, behind efforts to pour water on your house if it were to ever catch on fire. It’s dark now and the band brings Simpson on stage to play piano, which he does until the closing band, The Family, takes over. Todd, barefoot and wearing a blue Wild Caught T-shirt, thumps on the bass, and Tom, in a white undershirt, taps the drums. Barbara switches between forming barre chords on an acoustic guitar to tinging a triangle to scratching a rub board. Bryan transitions from fiddle to accordion to pedal steel, sometimes in the same song. They both sing. They banter. They make the audience laugh and nod their heads and move their feet. They can put everything they enjoy and care about, everything they are good at, on one stage. And they make it look so easy.
Winter’s Fruit
T
hey’re as Southern as sweet tea and buttermilk biscuits and once the temperatures begin to dip, they’re near and dear to everyone’s heart. Oyster roasts are a tradition in the South. Sweatshirts and boots, a bonfire, a bushel or two of oysters, a cooler full of beer and plenty of Texas Pete and you have the makings of a great fall evening. Whether you’re on the beach or in the woods, oyster roasts are a great way to enjoy the cool weather and the fellowship of friends and family. Oysters have earned something of a bad rap through the years, however, they’re a great source of protein and are full of minerals while being low in calories and those unwanted carbs. Any danger associated with oysters applies to eating them raw, so as long as your oyster steamer has a good handle on cooking the salty treats, they’re perfectly safe to enjoy. According to the NC Division of Marine Fisheries, it’s important to purchase your shellfish from a reputable dealer or retailer. It is illegal for shellfish harvesters to sell directly to the public unless they are also certified shellfish dealers. These licensed dealers are inspected regularly and are required to keep shellfish under refrigeration and keep sanitation records. Oysters, like other bi-valves, must be sold live by law. Consumers will find that they should feel heavy and wet and be tightly clamped shut. Shoppers can ask to see the shellfish tag before making a purchase if they have any concerns. By law, the shellfish tag must be removed at the last point of sale and kept on file for tracking purposes, but consumers can always ask to see the tag to verify when the shellfish were harvested and what area they are from. For the best quality, shellfish should be consumed within seven days of harvest. Keep oysters and clams refrigerated until you are ready to cook and eat them. Shellfish need to be kept at or below 45 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent bacterial growth. Shellfish are living animals when you purchase them, so they can become contaminated by placing them on wet floors, splashing them with
dirty water or dripping raw fish and other foods into their bag. Oysters in the shell should never be frozen. They’ll do fine in the refrigerator for up to two days, but they should be used as soon after purchase as possible. Thoroughly wash shellfish prior to cooking. Remove all mud and dirt from the outside of the shellfish, using water and a stiff brush. When purchasing oysters from a fish market, odds are this dirty work has been taken care of for you. Prior to cooking or raw consumption, discard any dead shellfish. Dead shellfish will have slightly gaping shells that will not close when tapped. Enjoying oysters raw has long been a luxury, but it’s important to note that people with particular health concerns are more susceptible the bacteria oysters can contain. The most common bacteria is vibrio vulnificus, which can occur naturally in warm water similar to those found along the Crystal Coast. Since oysters feed through a filtration system, they easily absorb the variety of bacteria found within their environment. According to a release from the US Food & Drug Administration people having a reaction to raw oysters will generally have symptoms within 24-48 hours of ingestion. These can include chills, fever, nausea, diarrhea, shock and skin lesions. In healthy people, the release notes that reactions are generally less severe. In individuals with certain health conditions, however, a vibrio infection can be quite dangerous. Those conditions include liver disease, iron overload, diabetes, cancer, stomach disorders or any illness that weakens the immune system. Cooking does eliminate the concern of foodborne illnesses. If cooking at home, oysters should be added to water that is already steaming for about 5-10 minutes. When they are ready, the majority of the shells will have begun to open slightly. Be sure not to cook too many oysters in the same pot to ensure that the steam is well distributed among them. But most importantly, enjoy. Take an old table outside – a piece of plywood on a couple of barrels works just fine, too. Dump your bounty out for all to grab, don a glove and get to shucking. There’s no better way to enjoy the autumn than a true Eastern North Carolina tradition. nccoast.com
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Recycling the Coast
I
n our era of unprecedented environmental advocacy and awareness, there is a crucial preservation effort being made to restore and protect one of the most important facets of our waterways: oysters. Though many of us civilians may not appreciate how vital these critters are to the natural environment, oysters and other shellfish are essential elements in keeping local waterways populated and safe. Oysters filter the brackish water in which they live, acting as a sort of natural cleaner. Moreover, oyster beds themselves can foster loads of other species – a healthy oyster bed can house up to 300 kinds of flora and fauna. In North Carolina, oyster beds are particularly attractive to flounder and sheepshead, and serve as natural nurseries for baby gag grouper and black sea bass. But oysters are not just important to the living things around them. Studies of oyster reefs have shown that they literally “shore up”
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Carolina Shore • SEPTEMBER 2015
our shoreline, protecting the coast from erosion both by trapping sediment and by reducing the impact energy of incoming waves. Happily, the NC Division of Marine Fisheries reports that our state has “one of the most active shellfish restoration programs in the country.” Since much of our local revenue comes from our sea life, and since oysters are such an integral part of keeping that sea life thriving, such a program is necessary. But how do we accomplish this superlative effort? Largely, our restoration program is attributable to two main components. First, our state has cordoned off 12 previously viable oyster habitats and reserved these areas as oyster sanctuaries. Within the limits of an oyster sanctuary, harvesting any oysters is strictly prohibited, and so is the use of “bottom disturbing equipment” which may disturb the habitats. The sanctuaries provide safe locations for oysters to grow and produce eggs that will eventually filter out downstream
by Michael Candelario
and populate surrounding territories. The other main component of North Carolina’s shellfish restoration program is the creation of artificial reefs. Since oyster reefs provide the “three F’s” – food, filter and fish habitats – creating more of them helps to foster ecological growth. Typically, artificial reefs are created using a mixture of used, recycled oyster shells and various other non-natural materials like decommissioned shipping vessels, railroad cars, concrete, pipe, rubble and even sections of manhole covers. This hodgepodge of craggy material is usually arranged into pyramidal piles to form the reefs. However, a newer technique is being tried out on Roanoke Island. Here, the NC Coastal Federation has “upcycled” abandoned and lost crabpots collected as part of a joint effort with Marine Fisheries. These old crabpots are staked down individually with rebar and will eventually serve as colonizationpoints for free-floating oyster spat. Though (Continued on page 62)
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Rob Hanson photo
Shucking in Style
O
by Amanda Dagnino
yster roasts are a treasured thread in the fabric of the coastal landscape. Whether you’re in your own backyard or sliding up to an oyster bar in one of the region’s many restaurants, going raw or roasting, oysters are serious business for coastal North Carolinians, right up there with barbecue and hushpuppies. So is the tool with which those shells are breeched. For Michael Waller and Kirk Davis, shucking oysters has taking a more artistic turn through their growing company, Carolina Shuckers. The duo grew up as friends in Kinston, heading to ECU together after graduation, where they both earned bachelor’s degrees in sculpture. After college Davis set up shop in Greenville, opening a studio where he focused on metalwork, wrought iron hand rails and what he refers to as “funky functional furniture.” The workspace was conveniently located across the road from Hatteras Hammocks, who he did some product design work for. Waller moved further inland, taking a job with Carolina Bronze, a foundry in Seagrove. “Our jobs after school sort of played on what we wanted to do, from casting bronze to working on commercial and residential projects. We were pursing our own careers as artists,” said Davis. In 2000, however, he moved to the beach. First maintaining his studio in Greenville and later
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Carolina Shore • SEPTEMBER 2015
opening ArtForm Studio in Morehead City, which provides custom metalwork to designers and architects as well as custom made art. By 2003, Waller was in business for himself as well. The artist opened WallerFoushee Studio with his wife, Leah, on a six-acre spread in Hillsborough. “So there we are,” said Davis. “We’re both making art, loving life, happy that we were able to do what we love, you know, and make a living. That’s really all anyone can ask for.” Oysters roasts, he notes, were always a part of the landscape. “My grandmother had a second home in Salter Path and somewhere along the way that whole beach culture was just instilled in us – and that definitely included oyster roasts,” Davis said. “We loved the laid back atmosphere at the beach. It was that place you could always go back to – a place to relax and get away from it all.” And it was an invitation to an oyster roast about 10 years or so ago, Davis said, that started the ball rolling. “We had this idea to make ourselves oyster knives to take with us,” said Davis. “There were crude but functional, made from an old piece of scrap metal. But people kept complimenting them and asking where they came from. So we ended up going to another and we made some extra to give away as gifts to friends since they had liked them so much. They were really crude – just thrown together – but they had a blade and they fit in your hand good so it worked.” From there, word of the custom oyster knives spread like wildfire. The friends who had received them as gifts put theirs to use, and each time they took their custom knife to an oyster roast someone would inevitably ask where they got it. “People were always asking about them so we thought we’d make up a batch and sell them to friends,” said Davis. “A birthday would come along and someone would ask us to make one. Then Christmas came. And it just progressively grew from people putting their hands on them and using them. Word was out – Mike and Kirk have these cool knives. They were getting cleaner as we went, more thought out, but still not where they are today.” Somewhere along the way, a year or so in, the pair were have a few beers and realized that if there is one thing you need to use in (Continued on page 60)
Top right, Michael Waller, left, and Kirk Davis show off their Carolina Shuckers at a recent festival. Above, a Beer Shucker with a custom brand for Chef & the Farmer and the Boiler Room in Kinston. nccoast.com
59
Dylan Ray Photography (Continued from page 59)
addition to your oyster shucker, it’s a beer opener. So they incorporated a bottle opener to the design. The men began to realize they may be on to something here; a little sideline if nothing else. The economy had started to droop and both men were feeling the pinch as consumers tightened their belts. “We were sitting around one night, drinking a few beers … again,” laughed Davis. “and we started talking about the shuckers a little more seriously. By this point the economy had taken a dive and you can imagine being an artist and doing what we do when the economy isn’t there to sustain it. Nobody was spending money on high end stuff – the railings the gates. So you could say that Carolina Shuckers is the byproduct of that little spell in our economy.” They started by refining their product, coming up with various designs, some lighter, some heavier, some with thumb depressions, others with bottle openers. “We just made a bunch of product and coined names for them,” said Davis. “Mother Shucker, Little Big Boy and Old Big Boy, Beer Shucker – because if anything can be shucked, it’s a beer,” he added with a chuckle. “We decided to start introducing the product at a decoy festival in little Washington but we had no idea what to expect.” The response, he said, blew their minds. People lined up for the chance to own one of these small pieces of art. “We couldn’t sell them fast enough,” Davis said. And that was just the beginning. More shows and festivals followed, from the NC Seafood Festival in Morehead City to the Southeastern Wildlife Expo in Charleston. Word reached “Our State” magazine and when the article came out, Davis said they were bombarded. Stores and restaurants came calling and before long, people had the chance to hold a Carolina Shucker at retail establishments, with some even requesting an original design for their location. “Our
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Carolina Shore • SEPTEMBER 2015
State” now sells an original and Chef and the Farmer in Kinston uses knives designed for them at their oyster bar. The knives are carried at a growing number of retail establishments, including Orvis.com; EJW Outdoors, Morehead City; Sportsman’s Toy Store, New Bern; Tidewater Gallery, Swansboro; and Lone Leaf Gallery in Washington. Stores in Massachusetts, San Francisco, Martha’s Vineyard, Seattle, Hilton Head and other major markets have picked up the tools as well. “It has been a wild ride,” said Davis, who gives no sign of slowing down anytime soon. “While we’ve definitely polished our methods, the knives are, and will continue to be, all handmade and hand stamped with our logo. No two knives are identical. They really are a really cool functional piece of art that you can hold in your hand. And they make great gifts – we get a lot of calls from bachelor parties.” This year, the men visited more trade shows than ever before and now ships to buyers overseas through their website. Knives have gone to China, Australia and England, said the artist. “It feels amazing. We’re both excited that we’re doing something that we enjoy doing, making a living and feeling really proud of the product we are able to produce. Personally, I get a great amount of satisfaction making something functional out of nothing, something that you know people are going to use time and time again,” Davis said. “The holiday season is always our busiest time, so we’re eagerly looking forward to what the 2015 season brings us. “If we had to attribute our success to anything, I’d have to thank the people who work in our oyster industry – the people who are working hard to cultivate them and distribute them and maintain the habitat – because let’s face it, we have some of the best tasting oysters I’ve ever come across and it’s that love of oysters that has brought us to where we are today.” The knives retail for $40 and can be viewed at carolinashuckers.com.
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(Continued from page 56)
this has been done elsewhere, the NCCF is measuring the success of these crabpot reefs against that of “control” reefs made in the more common manner. The Coastal Federation is no stranger to protecting our waterways. In previous years, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration granted the federation $5 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to dedicate to a large-scale oyster restoration project. Since then, the federation has developed 100 acres of oyster reef using more than 40,000 bushels of recycled oyster shells – that’s over 54,000 tons of reef material. One would be tempted to bask in the high spirits that such numbers engender, but there is also a darker side to our state’s preservation policies. Though it is illegal to dump oysters in landfills, the North Carolina legislature defunded its oyster recycling program in July of 2013. Ted Wilgis, coastal education coordinator at the NCCF’s southeast office in Wrightsville Beach, explained that the controversial part of the program was the tax credit given to participating restaurants. This does not mean, however, that recycling oyster shells has come to a standstill. Donald Jordan, owner of Jordan’s House of Seafood in Emerald Isle, participates in the program. “I get a trailer and they pick it up when it’s filled [with oyster shells],” he said.
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Carolina Shore • SEPTEMBER 2015
But the choice to participate in the collection program is not easy. Anybody familiar with the odor of used oyster shells can confirm that it is not exactly the most pleasant aroma to have around a restaurant. That’s part of the reason that the tax break was so important – it helped give owners a financial reason to deal with the stress of having a trailer full of old oyster shells outside. Now, without the aid of a tax credit to offset these kinds of anxieties, only Jordan’s restaurant and T&W Oyster Bar in Swansboro are listed by the Division of Marine Fisheries as participating Carteret County restaurants. When the oyster recycling program was in its prime, it was highly successful. The 20122013 year – the final full year of the program’s operation – saw a collection of over 27,000 bushels of shells, adding to an overall total of 211,255 bushels processed and recycled in the program’s 10 year span. In July of 2013, the low-yield collection sites were closed as a result of the defunding. Even though highyield sites were absorbed or grandfathered into other existent programs – which is why Jordan is still able to acquire a trailer to recycle his oysters – the numbers are not nearly as good. Wilgis laments, “Since it’s been defunded, they’re at about 3,000-6,000 bushels per year.” That’s a staggering drop from the heyday of North Carolinian oyster recycling, and it is a bit alarming. After all, oysters have been designated a “species of concern” by Marine Fisheries.
There are still plenty of opportunities for laypeople to get involved in the state’s restorative efforts, however. Wilgis suggests that residents only purchase local oysters and that they make sure to recycle the shells. If we buy locally, we provide financial incentives to fishermen and restaurants to do their parts in oyster restoration and recycling. And if we recycle our shells, we provide the best possible material for creating even more reefs. These reefs have long-term benefits to our local environment. The NCCF reports that even 30-year-old artificial reefs remain active with flourishing habitats that can still be fished to this day. As Ted Wilgis summarizes, “oysters are vital to our coastal ecology and economy.” Volunteerism is also greatly encouraged and appreciated by the state, and by NCCF particularly. There is a large volunteer base for bagging recycled oysters that can then be used to create the artificial reefs. Fishermen with old and retired crabpots can send them to the NCCF to serve as the new artificial reefs as well. So volunteers can have a huge impact on restorative efforts. If volunteering is too time consuming, though, recycling is still convenient and easy. There are collection sites all throughout Carteret County – at the Town of Beaufort Public Works, on Hibbs Road in Newport, at the Marine Fisheries office in Morehead City, on Harker’s Island Road in Otway and on Highway 58 in Cape Carteret.
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An egret skips across the sandy shores of Cape Lookout National Seashore. (Bill Brown, CLNS photo)
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