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4 Friday, September 4, 2020 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

ON THE TOWN A Hurricane Dorian benefit and three Scott Franson shows are on tap this week.

8 BEYOND THE MUSIC Live music on the OBX finds a way to survive despite COVID-19.

table of contents

12 COASTAL CULTURE Michael Halminski shares some of the inspirations and preparation behind his photograpy.

EATING IN Add a spin on Cornell Chicken to your grilling repertoire, thanks this recipe from Chef Matt Payne of Bad Bean Baja Grill.

16 UNEARTHED Mystery solved? The fate of the Lost Colony was not so mysterious after all, according

THE NEW NORMAL Virtual field trips bring the wonder of the OBX to students’ homes.

OBX spared worst of COVID by Jeff Hampton

Staff writer

The coronavirus remains in check on the Outer Banks despite robust crowds all summer. Anestimated threemillion people have come to Dare County beaches since they reopened in May, but only 16 were hospitalized with the virus, according to county statistics. As of Wednesday, more than 10,000 people had been tested in the county resulting in 437 positive cases — a 4% rate. The percentage has dropped five straight weeks. Statewide, the rate of positivetestsisabout8%. “It’s been surprisingly good,” said Garry Oliver, owner of the Outer Banks Fishing Pier and Fishheads Bar and Grill. “I have 30 people on my staff and none of them have caught the virus.” According to Sheila Davies, director of the Dare County Department of Health and Human Services, healthcare providers are quickly reporting cases to county officials, stunting the spread and reducing severity. She added that sick people are quickly isolated and direct contacts are quarantined sooner. “This timely response is helping reduce the spread of thevirus,”Daviessaid. It doesn’t appear as if the Outer Banks are leading to spikes elsewhere. State officials have contacted Dare roughly12 times tracing virus cases to the area, Davies said. Two people in Dare County withthevirushavedied. When the beaches opened 15 weeks ago, no one was sure what would happen. Some feared the worst; others were cautiouslyoptimistic. Restaurants, motels and property managers are cleaning extra well and often, said Amy Underhill, spokesperson for Albemarle RegionalHealthServices. For the most part, waitresses, desk clerks and shop managersarewearingmasks. Ubiquitous signs remind people to wear their masks, wash their hands and stay 6

feetapart. Oliver said business is steady, but down from last year with no bar service and no live music. His staff wears maskseventhoughit’sharder to show a big smile and get a bigger tip, and most customers follow suit. A few, however, refuse to wear one even whenasked. “They seem to be insulted,”hesaid. Outdoor activities are moreflexible.AdamPopefinished a burger and fries while standing at the front desk of Causeway Watersports. He was in a rush to send a group scooting away on watercraft overtheRoanokeSound. “To me it’s like any other day,” said Pope, a supervisor at the Nags Head enterprise. “Theycomeinwithamaskin their hand and when they leave they don’t have one anymore.” Jetting over the water is not conducive to mask wearing and distance is not a problem,hesaid. Pope does take precautions.Thebusinessstaffregularlywipesdownthegearand watercraft. He wears a mask in crowded indoor places overconcernsabouthissister, who has cerebral palsy and a weakimmunesystem. Currituck County was the only place in the region to hold a July fireworks show. A large crowd came to Corolla to watch. Still, that county had reported only 91 COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday. Nine cases were stillactive.Noonehaddiedof thevirus. In Hyde County, which includes Ocracoke, there were 85 cases with 34 active. Nine people had been hospitalizedandnoonehaddied. Davies stressed that to keep the numbers low, continued vigilance is necessary. She warns people each week tofollowtherulesinanonline videopresentation. “Close contact continues to be the predominant way the virus is being spread,” Daviessaid. JeffHampton,252-491-5272, jeff.hampton @pilotonline.com

DOLPHIN MIGRATION PATTERNS

COROLLA • DUCK • NAGS HEAD • RODANTHE • HATTERAS

OUTER BANKS CENTER FOR DOLPHIN RESEARCH

The Outer Banks Center for Dolphin Research continues to survey Roanoke Sound for dolphins every year into the fall, identifying individuals to track over time. To meet some of the seasonal residents that extend their time longest into the fall, see page 30.

ABOUT COAST For more than 30 years, COAST has been the go-to source for information about the people, places, and things that make the Outer Banks one of the top destinations on the East Coast. The publication shines a spotlight on locals who are making their mark, and it provides current information about the latest happenings that should not be missed — from music and art, to food, festivals, fishing, and more. COAST. All local. All the time. EDITOR Victoria Bourne, victoria.bourne@ pilotonline.com, 757-222-5563 LOCAL EDITOR Dave Fairbank

davefairbank100@ gmail.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dave Fairbank, Amy Gaw, Jeff Hampton, John Harper, Daryl Law, Maggie Miles, Mary Ellen Riddle, Megan Scott, Scott Sechman

If so, we’d like to know. Contact victoria.bourne@ pilotonline.com.

ADVERTISE WITH US Find out how you can engage more readers with an integrated marketing program. John "Ski" Miller, media sales manager, ski.miller@virginiamedia.com; Elizabeth Cato, senior account executive, elizabeth.catoe@ virginiamedia.com

THINGS TO KNOW During the summer season (May-August), when Coast is a weekly publication, information must be submitted at least 10 days in advance of an event. During the shoulder season (September-October), when Coast is a monthly publication — with the exception of November-December and January-February, when two months are combined — information must be submitted at least 14 days in advance of an event.

HOW TO GET YOUR NEWS OR EVENT IN COAST Do you have an event coming up that’s open to the public, or an idea for a story?

WANT TO KNOW MORE? For more information, visit coastobx.com; facebook.com/ CoastOBX

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6 Friday, September 4, 2020 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

ON THE TOWN

COURTESY OF BAREFOOT WADE

COURTESY OF SCOTT FRANSON

Barefoot Wade is one of a half-dozen musicians and bands that will come together for a benefit concert at Berkley Barn on Saturday, Sept. 5.

Scott Franson has been a key figure on the Outer Banks music scene for more than 25 years.

By John Harper

Saturday, Sept. 5

Franso shows and a Hurricane Dorian benefit

Correspondent

Sept. 6, 20, 27 Scott Franson The local singer-songwriter, playing three nocover, outdoor shows in September at Tap Shack in Duck, has a simple gameplan when performing. “My job is to keep the peopleinfrontofmehappy,” says Franson, 53, of Kill Devil Hills. He does just that by staying true to the music, whether remaking tunes by artists ranging from The Kinks to Sly and the Family Stone to Gordon Lightfoot, or presenting original tunes merging blues, rock, jazz and folk, with quirky yet accessible lyrics. And Franson is a purist; there’s no overdubbing or “looping” of instruments

and vocals to enhance his sound. He coaxes warm tones from his Alvarez Yairi handcrafted guitar, and his rough-hewn voice drives the messages home. “There’s a different feel for each lyric,” he explains. “It changes every time.” His 260-song repertoire includes John Prine’s “Long Monday,” The Beatles’ “In My Life,” Bob Marley’s “One Love,” the Traveling Wilburys’ “End of the Line,” Prince’s “Purple Rain,” Crosby, Stills and Nash’s “Wooden Ships,” Chris Stapleton’s “What Are You Listening To” and Bob Dylan’s “Tangled Up in Blue.” A certified “Deadhead,” Franson also dips deep into the legendary jam-band’s catalog. Among his bluesy rock originals are “Let Yourself Go” and “Anyway.”

A respected guitar teacher (he was classically trained at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia), music producer, sound engineer and studio owner, Franson has been key figure on the Outer Banks music scene for more than 25 years. He also has a side-gig about once a month, traveling to Macon, Georgia, to play guitar with the Maconites. The band is led by multiinstrumentalist Shaun Oakley, whose grandfather, bassist Berry Oakley, was one of the founding members of the Allman Brothers Band. ■ Where: Tap Shack (behind Coastal Cravings),1209 Duck Road, Duck ■ When: 6:30 p.m. ■ Cost: No cover ■ Info: 252-480-0032; Tap Shack on Facebook

One-Year Post-Dorian Benefit Concert No hurricane was more devastating for Ocracoke than Dorian in 2019. The tiny island, which has about 1,000 residents, lies south of Hatteras and is only accessible by boat. A free ferry service runs from the southern tip of Hatteras. Many homes and businesses were destroyed by the storm, and hundreds of peoplewereputoutofwork. The island was slowly recovering, and then the pandemic shutdown brought things to a screeching halt. But the residents are hardy, resilient souls, and Ocracoke has a vibrant arts community. On Saturday, Sept. 5, a half-dozen musicians and bands will come together

forabenefitconcertat Berkley Barn (on the lawn if weather permits). All recommended safety precautions will be in place. The concert also will be broadcast on the Ocracoke Interfaith and Recovery Team Facebook page. The lineup includes Barefoot Wade (islandrock), Nobody Circuit (folkrock covers), Toaster Oven (eclectic alternative and rock covers and originals), Molasses Creek (folk-rockpop-bluegrass originals and covers), Coyote (pop, rock and folk covers and originals) and Raygun Ruby (1980s covers). “Twenty per cent of the residents are still not in their homes,” says Alicia Peel, administrative assistant at the nonprofit Interfaith and Recovery Team and the event’s organizer. “We thought (the concert) would be a good

way to raise money and celebrate at the same time.” ■ Where: Berkley Barn, 58 Water Plant Road, Ocracoke ■ When: 5-10 p.m. ■ Cost: $10 ■ Info and tickets: oirrt.org, 252-921-0348

John Harper has been covering the local entertainment scene for The Coast and Virginian-Pilot since1994. He’s also written hundreds of stories on subjects ranging from history to sports and food. Harper is longtime radio broadcaster and program director on the Outer Banks and can be heard from10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday on the local Triple A outlet WVOD-99.1-The Sound. He’s the host of the popular Saturday morning flashback feature “10 at10” and is also an award-winning wedding D.J.

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8 Friday, September 4, 2020 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

BEYOND THE MUSIC

Live music on the OBX has struggled, but it hasn’t died By Scott Sechman Correspondent

Here we are. September 2020. The “season,” although ended as the calendar flies, continues because of the unprecedented numbers of visitors to our slice of paradise. Due to the international travel restrictions on Americans in the era of COVID-19, folks who had planned European getaways, Caribbean cruises or even a vacation here in the United States, like that island in the Pacific Ocean called Hawaii, had to make major adjustments. Because we lead the world in total coronavirus cases, we are not only viewed by some as “ugly Americans,” but potentially contagious, as well. No surprise that countries that have a handle on COVID would like us to stay right where we are, thank you very much. That meant our citizens had to look homeward for rest, relaxation and hopefully, a good time. Forbes.com names the Outer Banks as the No. 1 beach destination in the nation. That was before COVID, but it still applies. We are the place to be. Even better, you can drive here. No airplanes, trains or other public enclosed spaces that folks worry can launch infections. Just hop in your automobiles packed with the kids and supplies, step on the gas and drive. Sadly, the visitors who appear on our shores this year haven’t gotten as much of what we consider one of the most appealing aspects of the OBX: live music. The uninitiated, or the newbies, may not realize that nearly every eatery of note on the beach featured live music. Some places had entertainers inside and some outside. Some had acoustic solo performers, some had duos, trios and full bands with drums and electricity. Some played good time, beachy music, while others catered to those with a more romantic bent and plied you with love songs. Many combined the two. But make no mistake, music on the Banks is, in a perfect world, ubiquitous. This year? Not so much. Our restaurants, during the summer months, usually have long lines of hungry visitors yearning for a taste of what we are famous for: seafood. Shrimp, scallops, fish, clams, oysters and the ever-popular crab. All washed

SCOTT SECHMAN PHOTOS/FREELANCE

Previously, the musicians set up on the deck at Aqua Restaurant in Duck. Aqua utilized a small spot in the yard, adjacent to the stairwell to maintain social distancing. Here, Graham Outten sets up on the new, albeit tiny stage. Aqua has moved to solo performers only.

More Information Find the Beach Food Pantry on Facebook and online at www.beachfoodpantry.org, or call 252-261-2756 to learn more about the nonprofit. Check out Dare County Arts Council’s Courthouse Sessions on Facebook and learn more about the organization online at www.darearts.org.

down with music. So even though we musicians have lost work and the income it provides, the music continues, albeit judiciously. There are restaurants that have taken advantage of vacant spaces around their brick-and-mortar establishments. Regulations mandate 50% of normal capacity inside. Tables See MUSIC/Page 9

Kevin Roughton and Matt McGuire setting up at the new NC Coast Grill & Bar in Duck. Owner Wes Stepp built a decent sized stage off the deck to accommodate multiple musicians with seating under a canopy.

and seating for dining, sometimes a small stage for musicians, appropriately distanced from diners, are set up in parking lots. Venue owners aware of the unpredictable weather patterns may provide a canopy to protect the players — and their work tools — from the elements. Ones that have a deck or a porch have simply moved their musicians outdoors. Of course, among the scores of restaurants that presented live tunes in the past, many have put it on the back burner. A disappointing aspect of the pandemic is the loss of various music events. The Mustang festivals in the spring and fall, the Duck Jazz Festival and the many different summertime shows at the Soundside Event Site in Nags Head. Holding larger events like these is unwise, and potentially dangerous, at this juncture. Technology allows musicians to get their music out to audiences via social media platforms. Without them, many local performers would suffer more than they already are. In conjunction with nonprofit organizations, many musicians on the Outer Banks can be found streaming live

nized that musicians themselves may be experiencing food insecurity due to the lack of paid jobs. Streamed from a wide array of locations, Waters and Joe Tyson streamed live from the beach. Yeah, you read that correctly: the beach. Many of these shows are on the pantry’s Facebook page. Check them out. And if you can afford to help, please donate whatever you can. Be it food or dollars, it’s all welcomed and appreciated. Given that this global pandemic has adversely affected nearly every aspect of our daily lives, we can still be thankful that we can enjoy live music. It’s preferable to be in the same room rather than viewing and listening on an electronic device but streaming to a TV with a decent audio system is a viable option. A “lost season?” Not really. There is live music is out there. It’s not hard to find, if you look. And there’s always next year. Transplanted to the Outer Banks from the wilds of the L.A. area, singer-songwriter Scott Sechman has shared stages with Bill Medley, Tom Rush, Al Wilson and the Grass Roots during his ongoing music career. He has contributed to Mojo and various online outlets. His column, Beyond the Music, appears Fridays in Coast.

OUTER BANKS ORIGINAL CHRISTMAS SHOP...SINCE 1967

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An unidentified keyboard player entertains diners at Red Sky Cafe’s outdoor area.

252.473.2838 • OuterBanksChristmas.com OPEN DAILY AT 9:30 A.M.

THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT Friday, September 4, 2020

Continued from 8

shows online, with links for tipping performers. Most of the streams are left on the pages for those who may have missed the livestream. If you have a favorite, it’s likely there is a whole show on social media pages. Nonprofits such as the Beach Food Pantry and Dare County Arts Council feature weekly live performances. I recently wrote about the arts council’s Courthouse Sessions, but the Beach Food Pantry’s “Live Feed” shows are a different animal. Performers donate their time and talents to promote the fine and essential work the pantry does for our citizens in need of resources. Food insecurity has always been on our beach. With the loss of jobs and shuttering of businesses, it is no longer hidden. Not only food staples, but items like baby diapers. Things that we may take for granted or just don’t consider. Our Outer Banks musicians have stepped up, admirably. Dan and Laura Martier (Birddog), Scott Franson, Bill Rea and family, Barry Wells, Graham Outten, Holly Overton, The Sandbar Blues Band, Chris Toolan, Tempest Revival (Shelli Gates and Bob Sanders) and many others have helped raise funds. Organized by Jonny Waters and Skip Saunders, the Beach Food Pantry has also recog-

MUSIC

10 Friday, September 4, 2020 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

COAST LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR | SEPT. 4-17

CONTRIBUTED

FILE PHOTO

Molasses Creek is one of the groups performing Saturday, Sept. 5, for the One-Year Hurricane Dorian Fundraiser in Ocracoke.

Ruth Wyand will perform with Dan Martier on Sept. 10 as Blue Dog at Roadside Bar and Grill in Duck.

MANTEO/ WANCHESE

KILL DEVIL HILLS

Souls

Watson; Sept. 11 – The Wilders

Pier): Sept. 4, 5, 11, 12 – TBA

TBA

Jack Brown’s: Sept. 4 – DJ Mattie D; Sept. 5 – Gypsea

Outer Banks Brewing Station: Sept. 6 – Graham Outten

Saltbox Café: Sept. 5, 10, 12, 17 – Kim Kalman

KITTY HAWK

Rundown Café: Sept. 5 – Brian

Poor Richard’s: Sept. 4 – SOULone; Sept. 11 – Tommy V

Rooster’s: Sept. 9, 16 – Phil

Stonefish Beach Bar (Avalon

Longboards: Sept. 4, 5, 11, 12 –

See Page 11

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441-6530 • www.jollyrogerobx.com • MP 6 3/4 Beach Road, KDH Continued from 10 Kent; Sept. 6 – Derek Smith

DUCK Aqua: Sept. 4, 8, 11, 15 – Monte Hooker; Sept. 5, 12 – Devin Frazier; Sept. 6, 7, 13, 14 – Randy Burton; Sept. 9, 16 – Graham Outten; Sept. 10, 17 – Bobby Soto Blue Point (Back Bar): Sept. 5 – SOULone Cravings Tap Shack: Sept. 4 – Mojo Collins and Triple Vision; Sept. 6 – Scott Franson NC Coast: Sept. 4 – The Wilder Bros.; Sept. 7 – Bryan Campbell Red Sky Café: Sept. 4 – Greg Shelton Roadside Bar and Grill: Sept. 4, 11 – Yacht Dogs; Sept. 5, 12 – Burton Murray Band; Sept. 9 – Stephen Brown Band; Sept. 10 – Blue Dog (Ruth Wyand and Dan Martier) Village Table and Tavern: Sept. 8 – Marc Murray

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★ Please remember when you are sitting at the bar, food must be ordered. ★ For the time being, we are a restaurant and not a bar. ★ You are required to wear face masks upon entering and while waiting to be seated. You are not required to wear them while you are seated at a table. ★ Absolutely no vaping is allowed in the restaurant. ★ We apologize for any inconvenience and hope we will be back to normal operations soon.

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Froggy Dog: Sept. 4, 6, 9, 11, 13, 16 – Kim Kalman Turner’s High Moon: Sept. 4 – Brian Surratt; Sept. 5, 6, 11, 12, 13 – TBA; Sept. 10, 17 – Open mic w/ Rory Kelleher BUXTON Café Pamlico: Sept. 7, 14 – Rory Kelleher; Sept. 8, 15 – Brian Surratt; Sept. 9, 16 – TBA; Sept. 10, 17 – Stephen Vang RODANTHE/WAVES/SALVO Neptune’s Kitchen and Dive Bar: Sept. 5, 8, 9, 12, 15, 16 – TBA HATTERAS VILLAGE Breakwater: Sept. 4, 11 – Rory Kelleher; Sept. 6, 13 – Jam session w/ Rory Kelleher; Sept. 9, 16 – Brian Surratt Hatteras Sol Deli and Café: Sept. 4, 11 – Brian Surratt Quarterdeck (Frisco): Sept. 6, 13 – Mary Joy McDaniel; Sept. 10, 17 – TBA The Wreck Tiki Bar: Sept. 10, 17 – TBA

OCRACOKE Berkley Barn: Sept. 5 – One-Year Hurricane Dorian fundraiser (Barefoot Wade, Nobody Circuit,

FACEBOOK PHOTO

Open mic with Outer Banks musician Rory Kelleher at Turner’s High Moon on Sept. 10 and 17. Toaster Oven, Molasses Creek, Coyote, Raygun Ruby) Coyote Music Den: Sept. 9, 16 – Livestream in-house concert w/ Marcy Brenner, Lou Castro and Martin Garrish on Martin Garrish and Friends Facebook page, coyotemusic.net

MAINLAND BJ’s Carolina Café (Jarvisburg): Sept. 9, 16 – TBA Morris Farm Market (Barco) – Sept. 6 – Phil Watson Sanctuary Vineyards (Jarvisburg): Sept. 10, 17 – TBA

COURTESY OF RANDY BURTON

The instrumental-vocal duo of Randy Burton, left, and Marc Murray, known as The Burton Murray Band, will perform a no-cover, outdoor gig in Duck on Saturday.

THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT Friday, September 4, 2020

Outside Dining and Karaoke!

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12 Friday, September 4, 2020 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

COASTAL CULTURE

OBX photographer immersed in his craft

By Mary Ellen Riddle Correspondent

Michael Halminski heard the word. A green heron was nesting in Buxton Woods. The 71-year-old Waves photographer heeded the call. He spent days photographing the mother, father and, eventually, the four baby birds. Over the years, Halminski has trekked all over the Outer Banks photographing a variety of birds, including black-necked stilts, piping plovers, skimmer and tern colonies, red knots and oyster catchers. “Landscapes and birds are real dear to me,” he said in a recent interview. A glimpse around Halminski’s gallery reveals bins filled with matted work in a variety of sizes, as well as framed photographs, with blue and red ribbons attached to several of them, indicating awards he has won over the years. The walls are covered with iconic Outer Banks images, including majestic dunes with wind-carved patterns, a fogbound skiff near a weathered bridge, sunlit marshland, and a series revealing the evolution of a waterspout. Halminski captures expansive scenes such as a golden-toned photograph with a surfer standing in the distance pondering the sea, and close-ups, including an earthy-hued detail of an oyster shell with scalloped bands of melting colors — lavenders, blues, greens and browns — defying the mollusk’s usual grayish hue. Viewing the body of work shows that Halminski understands composition, light, color, texture and atmosphere. But he doesn’t always know at the time of capturing photos the full success of his work. When photographing the nesting green heron, he took close to 3,000 images of the experience. “I like being by myself, and I was so at peace and totally absorbed in the process,” he said.

Halminski visited the scene 12 times. The mother was nesting in a willow tree over a pond. He saw a 12-day-old baby in the nest with its mother and the takeoff of the four young green herons into the woods. It wasn’t until downloading the images that he knew he had succeeded. Calling them the best bird pictures he’s taken in years, Halminski came home with about 2,500 images he felt were keepers. But there have been times in the past where he paid his dues with less success. When asked how he learned his craft, Halminski readily said, “By making a lot of mistakes.” He thinks back to the first exhibit he had as a young photographer at the North Carolina Marine Resources Center in Manteo, which is now a state aquarium. He was just learning the process of color printing. “I look back on that old work, and it was really awful,” he said. Halminski’s father inspired his interest in photography. His dad took photos of family events with a Canon that he bought in the 1950s or ’60s, said Halminski. His father was a meteorologist in the Navy Weather Service. The family moved about every two years to places all over the world, including Japan, Guam and Newfoundland. “I always saw him using the camera,” Halminski said. “I always just had a curiosity about it.” Halminski senior took his son into the darkroom on one of the bases where they developed film, and Halminski junior made his first print. His father also taught him how to work on cars. In high school, Halminski saw himself as a motor head who appreciated souped-up cars and custom paint jobs. He started photographing cars at the dragstrip. “That got me hooked,” he said about photography. At the end of high school, Halminski got into surfing

MARY ELLEN RIDDLE PHOTOS/FREELANCE

“Surfer at Pea Island” by Michael Halminski, 2020.

and started taking pictures of people riding the waves. His folks had a cottage in Delaware, where he became integrated with a circle of surfer friends. Calling the sport a spiritual experience, Halminski visited the Outer Banks several times, where he would go to Cape Point to surf, fish and camp. Eventually he realized he preferred the Outer Banks to Delaware, and in 1973, he moved here. The coast called to this son of a Navy man who grew up never far from water. He has a 75pound surfboard that his father made from redwood hanging in the rafters of his gallery. Over time, Halminski honed his photographic skills through experience, taking multiple workshops, sharing his interest and comparing notes with a close friend, Outer Banks photographer Ray Matthews. He regularly See CULTURE/Page 13

Michael Halminski with a photo of a green heron mother and chick called “Out on a Limb.”

MARY ELLEN RIDDLE/FREELANCE

“Life History of a Waterspout” by Michael Halminski, 2020

CULTURE Continued from 12

viewed the work of favorite icons such as Ansel Adams and Edward Weston, with whom his son, Cole, studied. Taking a workshop under Ernst Haaf, of Marlboro Man fame, despite being pricey, yielded solid gold. “That was really energizing for years, even to this day,” Halminski said. Eventually, he found his own path. The move to the North Carolina coast was a lifesaver. “I picked my happy place,” he said. Halminski also learned over time that taking good wildlife photos was not just about technical ability. Earlier in his Outer Banks sojourn, he did a five-year stint working at the Gull Island Gunning Club. He maintained the decoys and boats and guided hunting parties. This stoked an interest in waterfowl and, despite hunting having a far different “shooting” outcome than photography, he picked up valuable tips that

have served him over the years. Watching hunters, Halminski learned how to approach animals and birds without scaring them away. Covered with a mover’s blanket — green on one side and brown on the other — he learned to crawl up to the wildlife whose images he wished to capture. Over time he fashioned a blind out of canvas that he used for years. Even his truck acted as a blind as he would ride the beach and take photos from his window. He has done this so many times, his big lens became scarred from resting on the window ledge. In the mid-70s, Halminski made a sign out of a sheet of plywood for a photography business and put it up at a space in Rodanthe. Lo and behold, people who had seen his photography at the Marine Resources Center began showing up to buy work. He stayed in Rodanthe for 10 years before opening his Waves studio, Michael Halminski Photography, where he has been for the last 35 years.

While birds and landscapes are his passion, and beachscapes his primary bread and butter, coastal culture and history also call to him. He has photographed commercial fishers pulling in nets filled with speckled trout. He traveled to Portsmouth Island to capture images of the Henry Pigott House, whose occupant was the last to leave the now uninhabited island. Halminski also photographed oystermen working from skipjacks on the Chesapeake Bay. Today, this photographer still listens for nature’s call, but he has lightened his load. When he goes on a photography junket, he leaves behind his Nikons and the heavy equipment he used to carry with him. He downsized to a small, mirror-less Panasonic Lumix camera. His 2,500 saved green heron photos show that traveling light does not mean coming home empty-handed nor empty-hearted, as Halminski is in his happy place. Mary Ellen Riddle has been writing the Coast’s art column for more than 27 years and brings to her work a BFA in painting from East Carolina University and a profound passion for the role the arts play in society.

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What: Birds, landscapes, and local and regional culture and history Where: 25838 Midgett Way (just off N.C. 12), Waves Contact: 252-987-2401, michael@Michael Halminski.com; Learn more about Michael Halminski through his monthly blog at http://photoblog. michaelhalminski.com where you will find entries dating back to 2008.

Michael Halminski, Outer Banks photographer

14 Friday, September 4, 2020 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

EATING IN

Firing up the grill with Chef Matt Payne By Megan Scott

Correspondent

Well, it seems like we blinked and August is over. September is here with its 7:30 sunsets and slightly cooler temps, and summer is almost in the rearview mirror. If you’re eager to maximize the last bit of those summertimevibes,whatbetter way than to fire up the grill? Here, we’re sharing a simply delicious recipe for barbecued Cornell Chicken. Actually, it’s Chef Matt Payne’s version of Cornell Chicken, something he developed after years of eating it growing up in New York, where he attended culinary school at The Culinary Institute of America before movingtotheOuterBanks.Payne has been executive chef at Kitty Hawk’s Bad Bean Baja Grill since 2010. He and the restaurant’s owner, Rob Robinson, create one-of-a-kind Mexican and Latin-American fare. Technically, it’s more of a mashup of those two food genres, plus influences of coastal Carolina, BajaCalifornia,Tex-Mexand Asian cuisine. On the menu at Bad Bean, you’ll always find fresh takes on its famous pork belly taco. The most recent one featured a grilled corn salsa, but the classic version topped with jicama slaw, pickled red onions, and scratch-made chipotle barbecue sauce is hard to beat. Last year, the purchase of an ice cream machine led to customers losing their minds on social media over fresh-spun flavors like strawberry and coconut-cinnamon. Back on the savory side, specials such as house-smoked brisket with fried green tomatoes on ahomemadebun,orduckleg confit with pineapple salsa and fresh warm tortillas appear regularly. Perhaps you’re getting the picture that Payne and his crew can cook. Maybe all we really needed to say was that every sauce, salsa, and tortilla chip ismadefreshintheBadBean kitchen. That kind of says it all, doesn’t it?

Chef Matt Payne’s Cornell Chicken on the grill. Basting and flipping is the key to this tangy, flavorful grilled chicken.

Matt Payne’s Cornell Chicken MEGAN SCOTT/FREELANCE

Matt Payne is the chef at Bad Bean Baja Grill and owner of Paynefully Good Artisans.

So, when Payne passed along this recipe that he praises as his absolute favorite summertime grilling dish and his go-to for company, it seemed like the perfect thing tosharejustintimeforLabor Day. The dish’s New York roots trace back to Robert Baker, a poultry and food science professor at Cornell University. He created the recipe for Cornell Chicken Barbecue Sauce in 1946. The fact that it’s still passed around in communities today is a testament to the dish’s amazing flavor, but also, Baker knew a thing or two about chicken. His list of achievements includes inventing a favorite of children (and adults) everywhere: the chicken nugget. The original Cornell Chicken recipe calls for oil and an egg yolk mixed with cider vinegar and seasonings to create a well-balanced marinade and basting liquid

for chicken. But Payne simplified that by substituting Duke’smayonnaisefortheoil and egg. Of course he did. No respectable summertime recipe on the Outer Banks is complete without Duke’s. Payne says, for him, this version is reminiscent of eastern North Carolina barbecue, and when you taste it, you’ll recognize that richness punctuated by the familiar vinegary tang. A little poultry seasoning, salt and pepper round out the flavor to create a simple but unforgettable dish. Payne offers user-friendly instructions for alternating between direct and indirect heatonacharcoalorgasgrill, soyou’ll feel like you’re doing real cooking, but you can definitely crack open some beers or a bottle of wine and relax without too much work. Follow Payne’s instructions and you’ll have what might be your favorite

Chef Matt Payne What: Fresh, creative Mexican cuisine Where: 4146 N. Croatan Hwy., Kitty Hawk When: 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday More info: badbeanobx.com

dish of the summer – tangy, deeplyflavorfulchickenwith crispy skin and supremely tender meat. This chicken is a very enthusiastic exclamation point at the end of a late-summer evening and the perfect way to commemorate the near-end of a season on the Outer Banks. Megan Scott is co-owner of The Spice & Tea Exchange in Duck. You can check out her food blog at bit.ly/34KePzO.

Serves 3-4 2 pounds chicken thighs or chicken quarters (skin-on, bone-in) 1 1/2 cup cider vinegar ¾ cup Duke’s mayo 3 tablespoons kosher salt 2 tablespoons poultry seasoning 1 tablespoons cracked black pepper

■ Mix all ingredients and pour over chicken and marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight. ■ Prepare a charcoal grill and rake the coals to one half of the grill. A gas grill can be used as well, just make sure to have a hot and a cold side. ■ Remove chicken from marinade and reserve marinade for basting. ■ Start the chicken skin-side down on the indirect heat side of the grill for 5 minutes. Move the chicken, skin-side down, over the coals (or to the hot side of your gas grill) for another 5 minutes, or until you achieve some color on the skin. ■ Flip chicken skin-side up, move to indirect side of grill, and baste with marinade. Keep repeating this process of moving from indirect to direct heat approximately every 5 minutes, flipping and basting as you go, for 30-40 minutes until chicken is done. *Payne notes it’s important to baste whenever the chicken comes off the direct heat as it re-introduces moisture to the chicken. Toward the end, Matt prefers to almost char the skin and keep basting it for extra crispiness. To maintain proper food safety, be sure to let the final application of marinade cook for a bit to kill any bacteria before taking the chicken off the grill.

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A piece of writing tablet from the 1500s indicates English settlers assimilated with the natives. The lead tablet has impressions on it that show an Englishman shooting a Secotan Indian chief.

‘The mystery is over’ Researchers say they know what happened to the Lost Colony By Jeff Hampton Staff writer

The English colonists who settled the so-called Lost Colony before disappearing from history simply went to live with their native friends — the Croatoans of Hatteras, according to a new book. “They were never lost,” said Scott Dawson, who has researched records and dug up artifacts where the colonists lived with the American Indians in the 16th century. “It was made up. The mystery is over.” Dawson has written a book, published in June, that

details his research. It is called “The Lost Colony and Hatteras Island,” and echoes many of the sentiments he has voiced for years. A team of archaeologists, historians, botanists, geologists and others have conducted digs on small plots in Buxton and Frisco for11years. Dawson and his wife, Maggie, formed the Croatoan Archaeological Society when the digs began. Mark Horton, a professor and archaeologist from England’s University of See COLONY/Page 17

Bristol leads the project. Henry Wright, professor of anthropology at the University of Michigan, is an expert on native history. Teams have found thousands of artifacts 4-6 feet below the surface that show a mix of English and American Indian life. Parts of swords and guns are in the same layer of soil as Indian pottery and arrowheads. The excavated earth looks like layer cake as the centuries pass. “In a spot the size of two parking spaces, we could find10,000 pieces,” he said. Pieces found during the project are on display in the community building in Hatteras Village. The rest are in storage. Dawson’s book draws from research into original writings of John White, Thomas Harriot and others. Most of their writings were compiled at the time by English historian Rich-

“You’re robbing an entire nation of people of their history by pretending Croatoan is a mystery on a tree. These were a people that mattered a lot.” — Scott Dawson found “CROATOAN” carved on a post and “cro” on a tree. He found no distress marks. They literally made a sign. It was expected the colonists would go with their friends, the Croatoans and tribe member, Manteo, Dawson said. Manteo had traveled to England with earlier expeditions and was baptized a Christian on Roanoke Island. White later wrote of finding the writing on the post, “I greatly joyed that I had found a certain token of their being at Croatoan where Manteo was born ....” A bad storm and a near mutiny kept White from reaching Hatteras. He returned to England without

ever seeing his colony again. Archaeologists found a flower-shaped clothing clasp belonging to a woman with the other items. Sir Walter Raleigh sent three expeditions to the New World in 1584, 1585 and in 1587. The first two had more military purposes and did not include women. The 1587 group brought 16 women with it, Dawson said. They also found round post holes where the indigenous inhabitants built their long houses 25-feet to 60feet long and they uncovered square post holes made by English during the same period. “They were in the Indian village surrounded by long houses,” Dawson said.

Bones of turtle, wildfowl and deer bones indicate good eating. Pigs teeth turn up for generations. “They never had to eat the last pig,” Dawson said. Any skeletons uncovered during the digs were left untouched out of respect, Dawson said. One artifact could depict a recorded event. A lead tablet and lead pencil found at the dig could have belonged to White himself, Dawson said. White also was part of the 1585 group, working as an artist who drew natives and wildlife. The British Museum has the originals. He likely used the newly discovered tablet or a similar one to draw the miniature pictures. The uncovered tablet has an impression of an Englishman shooting a native in the back. The paper drawing has never been found. Wingina, chief of the Secotans, was shot twice in the back by an Englishman in 1586 at a village near what is now Manns Harbor, Dawson said. The Croatoans as-

sisted the English in the ambush, Dawson said. The Secotans and the Croatoans hated each other, Dawson said. Secotans enslaved Croatoans just a few years before the English arrived. The English had burned a Secotan village in 1585. The Croatoans befriended the English as powerful friends with guns and armor. White’s colony welcomed their friendship, especially after one of their members, George Howe, was killed by the Secotans. White was concerned about the danger posed by the Secotans when he left for England. The Croatoans saved the colonists by taking them away from Roanoke Island to their Hatteras Island village, Dawson said. “You’re robbing an entire nation of people of their history by pretending Croatoan is a mystery on a tree,” he said. “These were a people that mattered a lot.” Jeff Hampton, 252-491-5272, jeff.hampton @pilotonline.com

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Continued from 16

ard Hakluyt. Records from Jamestown also helped Dawson understand more about the tribes’ political structure. The evidence shows the colony left Roanoke Island with the friendly Croatoans to settle on Hatteras Island. They thrived, ate well, had mixed families and endured for generations. More than a century later, explorer John Lawson found natives with blue eyes who recounted they had ancestors who could “speak out of a book,” Lawson wrote. The two cultures adapted English earrings into fishhooks and gun barrels into sharp-ended tubes to tap tar from trees. The Lost Colony stemmed from an 1587 expedition. Just weeks after arriving, White had to leave the group of settlers — including his daughter, Eleanor Dare, and newborn granddaughter, Virginia — to get more supplies from England. White was not able to return for three years. When he arrived at Roanoke Island in 1590 he

COLONY

18 Friday, September 4, 2020 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

INNER BANKS

Fermentation: More interesting than you think

Island Farm hosts old-school food workshops By Maggie Miles

Correspondent

Traditional food preparation methods like fermentation have been used by every culture around the world for thousands of years. The evidence of the earliest fermentation was the remnants of an Armenian winery that dates to 4100 B.C. The first naturally leavened bread dates to the Egyptians in 1000 B.C., the Croations were busy fermenting cheese a whopping 7,200 years ago, and beer, well, everyone knows we were drinking beer long before we were drinking water. It wasn’t until the 1800s that we learned how to utilize this technique to ferment our vegetables. In the days of old, these methods were used mainly for longterm preservation due to the obvious lack of an ice box. Now they’re making a resurgence because of their amazing health benefits, and Island Farm in Manteo has teamed up with local experts to teach these ancient techniques in open-air workshops. And they’re focusing on foods they think our ancestors were making here, on this island, in the mid-1800s. “So what we’re trying to do at the farm is create these opportunities for people to be able to interact with their history and kind of keep these real important traditional practices alive,” says Ladd Bayliss, executive director of Outer Banks Conservationists, which coordinates the program. So far, they have had a sauerkraut making workshop, a traditional pickle making workshop and a traditional fermented hot sauce workshop, all taught by local fermentation expert Owen Sullivan, of Hay Point Live Culture Foods. Sullivan says his goal is “for people to walk away with a good basic under-

L. TODD SPENCER/STAFF FILE

Island Farm is a living history site on Roanoke Island in North Carolina. The centerpiece of the site is the Etheridge farmstead, where Adam Etheridge built a house on land that had been farmed by his family since 1757.

standing of lacto-fermentation, specifically why it’s a safe, relevant and a tasty technique for food preservation, and why fermented foods are an important part of a healthy diet. Hopefully, attendees will also walk away with the confidence to continue to experiment with fermentation at home, and maybe most importantly have fun in doing so.” Attendees are provided a kit with everything they need to complete the fermentation process, including jars, brines and all locally sourced, organic ingredients, which according to Bayliss is easy to do if you put in a little work. The farthest they will go for vegetables is Somerset Farm in Edenton. Bayliss has been delighted to see people’s reactions at the workshops. According to her, a traditional See FARM/Page 19

MAGGIE MILES/FREELANCE

COURTESY OF ISLAND FARM

Hay Point Live Culture Foods' owner Owen Perry Sullivan has taught workshops in sauerkraut making, traditional pickle making and traditional fermented hot sauce making at Island Farm in Manteo.

pickle is very different than a canned pickle. Some people may never have tried a pickle that has sat on the counter for 10 days and utilized the natural bacteria in their environment, and the thought of making them is intimidating. “So, that’s a really cool, eye opening thing to witness when people come up to Owen or us and are like ‘Those pickles were so delicious! I can’t believe how simple it was. I can’t believe how great they are, and they’re still crunchy!’” says Bayliss. Next up is a traditionally fermented sourdough workshop and a rustic cornbread workshop taught by local sourdough extraordinaire Jamie Wegener of Gutsy Grain. In her workshops, to be offered sometime in November, you can expect to get a hands-on opportunity to learn and understand the different fundamentals of each ingre-

More Information To learn more about upcoming Island Farm workshops, follow along on Facebook (@IslandFarmRoanokeIsland). Visit www.obcinc.org or call 252-473-6500.

COURTESY OF ISLAND FARM

Island Farm has teamed up with local experts to teach ancient techniques in open-air workshops focused on foods they think our ancestors made on this island in the mid-1800s.

Wegener says you can’t help but wonder “How have we gone away from this for so long?” Bayliss emphasizes that it isn’t just about showing people these cool, simple techniques for preparing

foods. “What we’re trying to focus on is really reinforcing these characteristics of early Outer Bankers, like self-sufficiency, independence, attention to the seasons, and overall greater connection to the land, and

we feel like this hands-on workshop model is something that we really want to develop and continue,” says Bayliss. She believes this resurgence in these traditional methods, and the local in-

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terest in these workshops is because it’s in the nature of who we are as Outer Bankers. “This traditionally has always been a pile of sand that housed really hard working, self-sufficient people and I don’t think that has changed very much,” Bayliss explains. “So I think that it’s really empowering to be able to look at something that you’ve created using super simple materials like salt and water and vegetables that were grown three miles away and, you know, to be able to create a champion hot sauce using those three ingredients is pretty cool.”

THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT Friday, September 4, 2020

Continued from 18

dient and how that all comes together to bring a loaf to life. She’ll also be tapping into the nutritional value. There won’t be any baking on-site, but she’ll go through additional fundamentals, proofing and shaping and participants will take the bread home to bake. She’ll also provide you with a starter and teach you how to keep it alive, as well as local North Carolina organic flour from Linley Mills, and corn from local growers. “But the part of the demonstration I’m looking forward to the most is teaching people how flexible baking can be. I know there’s a lot of information out there and I really want to show people that its not as intimidating as it comes off to be,” says Wegener. Plus, Wegener explains that once you taste real sourdough, you’ll be hooked. Sourdough on the grocery shelf is not real sourdough. In fact, a lot of times they use a chemical to make the bread taste sour. Once you try real, traditionally fermented sourdough,

FARM

20 Friday, September 4, 2020 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

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THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT Friday, September 4, 2020

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ishing boats are complicated. A blend of design, By Amy Gaw utility, recreation and livelihood; they are also high-standing members of the family. Manteo Photos By native and life-long waterwoman Melodye Lori Cannady appreciates all these nuances; she was Douglas recently reunited with her “sister” boat — one built by her father and shares her name — after 50 years apart. In October 2019, Cannady bought the Mel-O-Dee from Hatteras fisherman Capt. Neff Matthews and brought the boat back home to her father’s house in Manteo, where it now resides on a deep-water canal. “I never stopped loving her,” says Cannady, recalling the history of the boat named after her by legendary Dare County boat builder Buddy Cannady, otherwise known as Capt. BC. “I know every inch of her,” Cannady says. “After all this time, she still has that hum. ‘Your boat has to have the right hum,’ my dad would always say. That hum is what will bring the fish to the boat.” The history of the boat is well documented. Capt. BC, who built 350 boats in his lifetime, was 26 when the Mel-O-Dee was constructed. William Thomas “Buddy” Calloway, his grandson, was 26 when Mel-O-Dee returned to the family dock. “My son, Buddy, is a lot like my dad,” Cannady says. “We all stay busy. larger vessels built for sport fishing. Because of O’Neal’s influence, all the Buddy is putting the boat back to her original condition.” boats built by Capt. BC feature the classic, Carolina-style bow and wide flare. Dare County Boat Builders Foundation recognizes Capt. BC as a founding In 1961, when it was time to replace the Snot, Capt. BC teamed up with father of the local boat building industry, and “one of the most prolific O’Neal and a third legacy, Omie Tillett, and built the Mel-O-Dee – it was the custom boat builders and successful charter fishermen” on the Outer Banks, second hull to feature O’Neal’s signature Carolina flare. according to the foundation’s website. Cannady’s mother, Maggie, contacted well known Elizabeth City sign Capt. BC’s first charter boat was named Snot, which he bought in 1954. painter and billboard artist R.O. Givens to paint the boat’s name across the He worked that small fishing vessel in the summer and began building boats transom. For a little flair, Givens added musical notes and bars around the in the winter. In the 1960s, Capt. BC worked alongside boat building legacy, lettering, a nod to the boat’s musical name. Warren O’Neal from whom he learned the art of boat construction, especially “By the time he finished painting the name, there was a huge crowd Opposite: A photo of the fishing boat Mel-O-Dee when she was new. ‘My mother had someone crawl up the outriggers of a fishing trawler coming out of Wanchese take the picture,” says current owner Melodye Cannady. On board are legendary boat builder Buddy “Capt. BC” Cannady on the flying bridge, his wife, Maggie Daniels Cannady (sitting), mate Jack Hofler (standing), and a young Melodye (red shirt) and her best friend and cousin Starr Curles. Top: In 2019, Melodye Cannady bought back her namesake boat, which was built be her father in 1961.

THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT Friday, September 4, 2020

Manteo native and life-long waterwoman buys back namesake boat built by legendary father.

‘SISTERS’ OF THE WATER REUNITE

Friday, September 4, 2020 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

25 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT Friday, September 4, 2020

gathered around Warren O’Neal’s workshop to see his work,” Cannady recalls. “It was a first. The lettering was that different from the normal way. It really was the beginning of transom art on Carolina-style boats.” Melodye Cannady is as local as they come, and she grew up in the fishing and boat building industries. When her mother, Maggie, died when Cannady was 16, the young woman spent most of her time with her father as part of the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center fleet. She was the fleet’s first female mate. Meanwhile, her paternal grandmother, Bernice Cannady, taught Cannady about the hospitality business. She later purchased Cannady Guest Home and Cottages and currently operates that business with the help of her children. She also manages the Miss Oregon Inlet head boat and organizes an annual youth fishing tournament. Cannady is married to commercial fisherman William Calloway, and they have two children, Lillie Bernice Calloway Leavel and Buddy Calloway. Cannady’s namesake remained just as busy, continually fishing Opposite: Mate Richard Baum, angler John Dillard and Capt. BC. Top: Cannady and her grandson, William Chesley Leavel. Bottom: Cannady’s son, William Thomas “Buddy” Calloway, is putting the boat back to its original condition, she says.

26 Friday, September 4, 2020 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

through the past five decades. After the Cannadys sold the MelO-Dee, the boat operated out of Oregon Inlet, then sold again and worked out of Virginia Beach. Capt. Neff Matthews bought the boat in the late 1980s and fished out of Hatteras for 30 years, naming it Lucky Chip, after his son. As he got on in years, it was common for Capt. BC to go to Hatteras just to look at the boat he built, says Cannady of her father, who died June 1, 2018, at the age of 86. “Sometimes, he would sit on the stern,” says Cannady. “He just loved it. We would always stop by and see her. We told Neff, ‘If you ever decide to sell the boat, please let us know.’” Cannady called Matthews last fall and he agreed to sell. She was there the next day to finalize the deal, along with her son and her grandbaby. They all cried, even Matthews. Tears of joy, says Cannady. To date, the new owner has put windows back in the cabin, refurbished the fiberglass bottom and dried the boat out. Cannady and her son will paint the hull and continue to do cosmetic improvements this winter. Mel-O-Dee is juniper planked and has an open cabin, same as when the boat was originally built. “I love her that way,” says Cannady, “the diesel smell and the cool spray of the ocean while headed offshore brings the same excitement and anticipation to me as it did many years ago.” Clockman’s Sign Shop, Graphics & Printing in Manteo restored the boat’s signature name and musical notes on the transom, says Cannady, and she’s grateful to Blackwell Boatworks in Wanchese for “taking extra good care to put this old girl back in the water.” John Wilson, the former mayor of Manteo, is the owner of another vintage, recently renovated charter fishing boat called Deepwater. He appreciates the historical significance of Cannady’s acquisition. “It is great to have two iconic, island-built wooden boats saved for future generations,” Wilson says. “It is wonderful to see the two Left and top: The Mel-O-Dee and its namesake then (1961) and now, pictured at Blackwell Boatworks in Wanchese. Continued on page 28

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of them out in Shallowbag Bay at the same time.” Cannady says she found fishing on the Mel-O-Dee for the first time as the new owner a bit overwhelming. “My heart was so full. When we went under the bridge for first time in 50 years, phew. That memory will last forever,” she says of that July trip. “We went out to (the) Gulf Stream, went out a bit farther than other boats. We caught some fish, then it was my turn. I could almost hear my dad; he would get so excited. I couldn’t believe it — I caught a white marlin.” It was a meaningful trip for her son, too. “We fished alongside my granddad’s friends and heard a lot of great stories,” Calloway says. “Just before we got back to the dock, we passed Lee Perry’s Deepwater and it made me feel as if I was living in an old fishing story. I wish Pop-Pop (Capt. BC) could be here to see his old boat come back to his house with his family smiling and tunas on the dock.”

Mate John Booth, Capt. BC and angler Dick Manchon holding the cup awarded to them for winning the Hatteras Marlin Club Tournament in the late 1960s. “I loved that week,” says Cannady. “My family always stayed in Hatteras Village, as close as we could to the boat, awaiting the return every afternoon.” It was a lot of fun at the docks for young and old alike, she adds. Continued from page 26

Top: The Mel-O-Dee returned to the Cannady family in 2019. Pictured are William Thomas “Buddy” Calloway, Nikki Seward, Lillie Bernice Calloway Leavel, William Calloway and Meldoye Cannady holding grandson, William.

PHOTOS COURTESY JENNETTE’S PIER

Meredith Fish received the Award of Excellence for 2019.

Janie Shanks shows off her Sea Star Award.

Rhoads Lee, a lifelong fisherman, also won a Sea Star.

year, nice to see them growing up.” Another pier award winner, Janie Shanks, also loves to be around children. In fact, she has a whole house full of kids as several generations live with her and husband, Ted, a Dare MedFlight helicopter mechanic. But it’s her dedicated work in the Pier Shop for the North Carolina Aquarium Society that’s earned her one of two Sea Star Awards this year. The gift shop sells T-shirts, hats, beach supplies, jewelry, drinks and of course, bait and fishing supplies. The self-proclaimed “night owl” who always works the late shifts as “The Closer,” she said was a bit surprised she won. “I couldn’t believe it – it’s like ‘wow!’” Shanks said. “It usually goes to a long-timer, I’m just four going on five years. This is

in Duck

ND SOU UCK 12

WATERFRONT SHOPS

EACH YEAR, WE LOOK FORWARD to sharing our summer with Free Family Events at the Duck Town Park. Over the years, we’ve enjoyed spending time with our residents and visitors with ﬁtness classes, magic shows, live music, and outdoor movies. 2020 has thrown some challenges our way but hasn’t aﬀected the spirit of Duck!

WAT E R TOWER

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Three employees of Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head have been honored by their co-workers for excelling at their jobs in 2019. Director Mike Remige presented each of them with a certificate recently; the pier’s original awards celebration was delayed by the COVID 19 pandemic. Environmental educator Meredith Fish received plenty of praise from her co-workers and she was the sole winner of the Award of Excellence, the highest honor bestowed. In her seventh summer at the pier and third year as a fulltime employee, Fish has certainly made her mark in the Education Department. She is a dedicated employee who sets goals and works hard to reach them. With a double major from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, this former marching band flute player and Disney lover has a bright future. “I start projects with a lot of planning, get the details figured out and then … I execute the plan,” Fish said. Along the way, she also considers her target audience, “school kids or general public?” Fish attempts to work in conservation messages, too. During most of her tenure at the pier, Fish taught lessons in person but more recently, she has adjusted to being an online educator in the pier’s new virtual programming push. It’s also been revealed she has an excellent on camera presence through a series of environmental YouTube videos she produced. But the down to earth, Kitty Hawk local, who thrived at First Flight High School and “Carolina” prefers teaching in person. “The summer camps have always been a highlight,” she said. “It’s nice to have the kids back every

SHOP PLAY DINE STAY

RIT

Jennette’s Pier

nice! This is a privilege!” While ringing folks up, she shares her knowledge about Jennette’s Pier. “I love the customers, love them!” Shanks noted. “I just hope they’re having a good time because of everything. “I like for them to know this is an education pier,” she added. “There’s a lot of information to learn. Most think we’re just a fishing pier but we’re more than that.” An Indiana transplant, the customer service pro does her best to help people get the most from their visit. Another stellar employee who enjoys helping people is Rhoads Lee. A longtime fisherman, he likes to educate anglers on ways to improve their chances to catch a fish. He also won the Sea Star award. “Oh yeah, I love it here, being right on the ocean,” he said. “There can’t be a better view. “I’ve been fishing my whole life and always joked I would work at a pier (in retirement) and here I am living the dream,” Lee said. When there is a chance to help a customer, he steps in and does his best. “I know some of my co-workers are not quite as experienced, I started at 8 years old,” Lee said. “In my 20s, I discovered the Outer Banks and fell in love with surf fishing,” he said. “I fished on a team in Ocracoke for 20 years. “We have a lot of novice anglers,” Lee said. “I really enjoy passing on what I know, trying to make them more successful.” The former land surveyor in Urbanna, Virginia, who now lives on the north end of Roanoke Island with wife Mary Ellen Lee, cruises to work and on the beach in a tough looking 1994 Toyota pickup with big tires. “I still drive it back and forth, drive it on the beach,” he said. “That’s my beach buggy.”

CUR

By Daryl Law

THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT Friday, September 4, 2020

Pier staff pick peers for awards

JENNETTE’S PIER

Please check our website and social media pages for updates about events in Town, including virtual ways to connect with us and learn more about Duck.

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30 Friday, September 4, 2020 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

NATURE WISE

Dolphins follow seasonal migration patterns By Jessica Taylor Correspondent

As the weather cools and the days get shorter, we start to settle into fall routines. The traffic begins to slow on the Outer Banks, and our thoughts turn from beach and swimming to pumpkins and Thanksgiving. The Outer Banks Center for Dolphin Research continues to survey Roanoke Sound for dolphins every year into the fall. Bottlenose dolphins are commonly seen in the sound from April through October. By photographing distinguishing markings on the dolphin dorsal fins, the center’s researchers can identify individuals and track them over time. A seasonally resident population of dolphins visits the Outer Banks every summer. In the fall, dolphins move out of the Sound, and these seasonal residents are seen just south of the Outer Banks in Beaufort, North Carolina. Perhaps they are coming here for summer vacation, enjoying the warm sound waters and plentiful fish. The females seem to stay longer in the Sound than the males, possibly to help their calves grow as big as possible before they leave for the winter. Here are some of our seasonal residents that extend their time longest into the fall: Fatlip, one of our most well-known and frequently sighted dolphins, has been seen in Roanoke Sound since 1997 and spends her winters in Beaufort. She was named for the markings on her fin that resemble a pair of fat lips. Fatlip tends to frequent shallow sandbars and seagrasses; in the past year, she has shown a particular liking to the shallow sandbars near Duck Island and Oregon Inlet. Since 1997, Fatlip has been seen with three different calves. Bottlenose dolphins only have one calf at a time; the next calf is usually not born until the older calf becomes independent. Her

most recent calf turned 5 years old this summer and still sticks close to mom. However, due to her love of the shallow waters, Fatlip has also been known to cause inquisitive boaters to run aground. Double Scoop was named for the two small scoops in the middle of her fin. She has been seen in Roanoke Sound since 2008. Double Scoop was sighted with her first calf, Little Scoop, in 2011. As a 5-yearold, Little Scoop moved out and went off to join a juvenile group, but frequently went back to visit with mom. Last year, Double Scoop appeared with a 2- to 3-year-old calf named Uno. Females typically spend time in nursery groups with other females with calves of similar ages. Double Scoop and Little Scoop spent much of their time together with Lorna and Snickerdoodle, both of which were born the same year. This year, we have sighted Double Scoop and Uno both together and apart. Uno may soon be ready to leave the nest. Madi was affectionately named after a 2-year-old little girl who, during a dolphin watch trip, crawled under the seats of the boat while everyone delighted watching the dolphins. This occurred during one of our first sightings of Madi, aboard the Nags Head Dolphin Watch where the center conducts opportunistic photo-ID research. (That little girl was also my niece, Madeline, who is now entering high school.) Madi has been sighted with two calves in Roanoke Sound since her first sighting in 2008. She frequently spends her time in nursery groups well into October every fall. Fatlip, Double Scoop and Madi are typically the last females we see late into the fall. The seasonal trips to Beaufort and back that these dolphins take are characteristic of their specific population. Our longterm monitoring study has

OUTER BANKS CENTER FOR DOLPHIN RESEARCH

Bottlenose dolphins are commonly seen in the Roanoke Sound from April through October.

shown us that Roanoke Sound is an important seasonal habitat for bottlenose dolphins. If you are out on the water this fall and happen to see dolphins, they are likely also soaking up the last of summer, getting ready to begin to settle into their fall routines. Be sure to follow the federal recommended viewing guidelines for bottlenose dolphins, including keeping a distance of at least 50 yards from the group and limiting your viewing time to 30 minutes. These guidelines are the safest way for people and dolphins to be out on the water together. And if you happen to see Fatlip, don’t follow her into the shallows! Biologist Jessica Taylor is president of the Outer Banks Center for Dolphin Research. She has a Bachelor of Science in marine science from Rutgers and master’s degree in environmental management from Duke. She has participated in field research

Madi and calf pictured in October 2018.

studies of bottlenose dolphins, humpback whales, Steller sea lions and predatory fish in Florida, South Carolina, New Jersey, Alaska and Australia. In 2008, she incorporated the nonprofit Outer Banks Center for Dolphin Research, which is dedicated to conservation of bottlenose dolphins on the Outer Banks. For more info, visit obxdolphins.org.

A bottlenose dolphin named Double Scoop.

Many people vacation with their pets, and the Outer Banks offers pet-friendly restaurants, beaches and dog parks, provided some rules are followed. Each town on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore has its own restriction pertaining to pets. All municipalities have ordinances to clean up after your pet, and the State of North Carolina requires rabies tags to be worn at all times. Also, remember to bring plenty of fresh water for your pet. Here’s a guide:

Currituck County

Leashes are required, but there is no length requirement.

Duck

Leash law requires leash not to exceed 10 feet in length. Pets are

allowed to play unleashed on the beach under close supervision of owner. Year round pet-friendly beaches. (252) 255-1234

Southern Shores

Leash law requires leash not to exceed 10 feet in length. From May 15 to September 15 of each year, animals are prohibited on town beaches. Leash laws enforced remainder of year. (252) 261-2394

Kitty Hawk

Leash law requires leash not to exceed 6 feet in length between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. from the Friday before Memorial Day until the day after Labor Day. At all other times, the leash may be extended, but must be retractable to 12 feet. Well-trained dogs may be unleashed under close supervision of owner, not to exceed 30

feet in distance between owner and dog. (252) 261-3552

THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT Friday, September 4, 2020

Outer Banks beach rules for your pets

FYI

Kill Devil Hills

Leash law requires leash not to exceed 10 feet in length. From 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day from May 15 through Sept. 15 each year, no dogs shall be allowed on town beaches, except those aiding a handicap person. (252) 4495300

Nags Head

Leash law requires leash not to exceed 10 feet in length. Leashed pets allowed on town’s beaches year round. (252) 441-5508

Manteo

Leash law requires leash not to exceed 6 feet in length. Leashed pets are allowed on the waterfront year round. (252) 473-2133

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Leash law at National Parks requires leashes not to exceed 6 feet in length. (252) 473-2111

FILE PHOTO

Kill Devil Hills musician Christian Benedi and his four-legged daughter, Izzy, a Chesapeake Bay retriever.

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Experience the wonder of the Outer Banks virtually Registration is limited; private virtual field trips also available By Maggie Miles Correspondent

With schools now delving into the world of remote learning as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, a group of local organizations are figuring out a way to allow children to experience the wonder and excitement of the Outer Banks, virtually. Virtual Field Trip Fridays isafreeprogramwherechildren can learn the history and ecology of the islands, through virtual tours and lessons with nine of the Outer Banks’ favorite local organizations. Childrenwillhavetheopportunity to go on a virtual underwater dive with the Coastal Studies Institute, go for a virtual fishing trip for plankton off of Jeanette’s Pier, visit with the river otters and opossums at the Aquarium, or see things like blacksmithing and weaving at Island Farm. They also have the chance to go on virtualhikeswithparkrangers to places like Jockey’s Ridge and Nags Head Woods. According to Meredith Fish, environmental educator at Jeanette’s Pier, with everything shifting, these organizations, who all belong to a local network called Coastal Environmental Educators Network, wantedtofigureoutawayto collaborate with each other. “Thiswasjustanideathat we had to include multiple organizations on the Outer Banks, so instead of trying to compete with each other to promote our individual virtual programs we wanted to kind of come together and offer a showcase of all that wehavetoofferontheOuter Banks,” says Fish. The programs will held on three consecutive Fridays, starting Sept. 18, and will be free and available to anyone who wants to sign up — that goes for teachers,

homeschool groups, or parents who don’t know what to do with their kids for one ortwohoursinthemorning. “We’re really geared towards anyone, all ages, but this will probably pique teachers’ interest because they (are) usually going on actualfieldtrips,soit’saway to virtually travel and still get a kind of different experience in the classroom.”

“It won’t be the same thing as an in-person lesson, but we’re hoping that it will be... fun and interactive for everybody.” — Meredith Fish For example, the Jeanette’s Pier program will provide a short introduction about the pier and a lesson on plankton — what they are and why they’re important. Participants will get a chance to catch plankton from pier virtually look at them through a microscope with their phones, Fish says. “It won’t be the same thing as an in-person lesson, but we’re hoping that it will be close enough and still beneficial and fun and interactive for everybody,” says Fish. With the future being unclear, this may just be the waykidsdofieldtripsforthe near future. Fish and the Coastal Environmental Educators Network want to showteachersthatalthough this world of virtual education is new to everyone, they can still work alongside teachers to give them fun options for their students. Some of the organizations will offer free programs all year, but some will have to charge, says Fish. “But we wanted to have at least this one program that was completely free, that gave lots of different teachers and children access to what we’re doing.”

COURTESY OF JENNETTE’S PIER

Meredith Fish teaches an environmental science class virtually at Jennette’s Pier recently. She was recently given the annual Award of Excellence for 2019.

Virtual Field Trip sessions Eastern 4-H Center: 9-9:45 a.m., Sept. 18 As part of the Albemarle Sound, The Eastern 4-H Center is situated in a marine estuary where the freshwater of North Carolina’s rivers meets the salt water of the Atlantic Ocean. In this session, participants will explore the vibrant ecology of the Albemarle Sound, learning about the plants and animals that make this unique ecosystem their home. Island Farm: 10-10:45 a.m., Sept. 18 Located on the north end of Roanoke Island, Island Farm highlights what life was like for an Outer Banker in the mid-1800s. Take a virtual tour with us to see traditional trades such as blacksmithing and weaving. The Nature Conservancy’s Nags Head Woods Preserve: 11-11:45 a.m., Sept. 18 Join The Nature Conservancy virtually for a walking ecology lesson on one of the preserve’s many trails. Discover the various biotic and abiotic components in the different ecosystems that make up this rare maritime forest and talk about building lesson plans around topics such as ecosystem dynamics, water testing, native plants and animals, weather versus climate and more. North Carolina Coastal Federation: 9-9:45 a.m., Sept. 25 Join the N.C. Coastal Federation on a tour of several projects on its Wanchese office grounds, that help to protect water quality and provide natural habitat. Learn more about rain gardens, living shorelines, oysters and how to help maintain clean water ways. Coastal Studies Institute: 10–10:45 a.m., Sept. 25 Coastal Studies Institute will offer a variety of virtual programs this year including short instructional videos, student activities and worksheets, teacher lesson plans, and live virtual programming through the fall. The live virtual programs will include topics studied by institute researchers, including North Carolina shipwrecks and ocean energy. Jennette’s Pier: 11–11:45 a.m., Sept. 25 Participants will venture virtually out onto Jennette’s Pier to collect plankton from the Atlantic Ocean. Jockey’s Ridge State Park: 9–9:45 a.m., Oct. 2 Join a park ranger and learn more about how truly unique Jockey’s Ridge State Park really is. Discover the park, by traveling through a maritime thicket and hike along the Atlantic Coast’s tallest living dune system. North Carolina Aquariums on Roanoke Island: 10–10:45 a.m., Oct. 2 Participants will get an introduction to the aquarium’s animal cameos, educational series and virtual tour programs. The interactive educational theme for Field Trip Friday will be mammals, highlighting river otters, an opossum and a culminating trivia game. The aquarium’s virtual programs provide opportunities to learn about the animals in its care and their relationships within their home. OBX Center for Wildlife Education: 11–11:45 a.m., Oct. 2 Center staff will take you live in the field on the beach to look for the different shorebird species that can be found on the Outer Banks. Learn how to identify shorebirds and have some paper with color pencils or crayons handy to practice drawing the birds discovered on the beach. Registration is limited. Recordings of each sessions will also be available for a limited time. Visit www.eventbrite.com/e/outer-banks-virtual-fieldtrip-fridays-tickets-117788339093. Email meredith.fish@ncaquariums.com for more information.

33 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT Friday, September 4, 2020

Friday, September 4, 2020 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

Audubon Sanctuary

The 2,600-acre site was the first Audubon center in the State of North Carolina. One of the last pieces of untouched property on the northeastern portion of the Outer Banks, the sanctuary protects marshes along Currituck Sound, bottomland areas, and dry sandy areas and upland maritime forests. The public is invited to enjoy the area through Kayak tours, public programs and a 2.5 mile nature trail that is open from dawn to dusk. Info: pineisland.audubon.org

Mackay Island

The small rural hunting and fishing community, surrounded by the waters of Knotts Island Bay and the Currituck Sound, is home to Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge. Established in 1960, the Refuge is a great place for bird watching, as well as biking, hiking, camping, boating, fishing and hunting. There are numerous duck hunting blinds located in the bay, as well as on land. It also is home to the Swan Island Hunting Club, a guided duck-hunting club located across the bay on Swan Island. Info: fws.gov/refuge/ mackay_island

Currituck Light Station Construction of the lighthouse, which began in 1873, was the result of eight vessels that ran aground on Currituck Beach the same

night in 1852. The incident helped convince Congress to appropriate money for the Currituck Beach Lighthouse in 1854. At a height of 158 feet above sea level, the red brick lighthouse has 220 steps, and visitors are invited to climb to the top — weather permitting — from early-spring through Thanksgiving weekend. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, with the exception of one night in lateOctober, when the site remains open after dark for Historic Corolla Village’s annual Halloween event, Creepy in Corolla. Info: currituckbeachlight.com

Whalehead

A landmark on the Currituck Outer Banks, the opulent mansion, called Whalehead, was built in the mid-1920s by railroad executive Edward Collings and Marie Louise Knight. The couple summered at their estate ‘Stony Brook’ —

THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT Friday, September 4, 2020

Currituck County offers a treasure trove of spots that should not be missed. Visitors to the Outer Banks should not miss the opportunity to check out some of the highlights. Following is a sampling of what awaits happy wanderers:

Get out and discover Currituck County located outside Newport, Rhode Island, in Middletown — and used Corolla Island as their winter residence from 1925 to 1934. The home boasts art nouveau architectural styling and accented with Tiffany lamps, five chimneys, cork-tiled floors, brass duck head and water lily hardware. The mansion stood isolated for years on these remote barrier islands and has been fully restored. Located just off Highway 12. It is open year-round. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Info: (252) 453-9040, whaleheadwedding.com

Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education

The Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education offers programs through which the general public and educators can learn

FILE PHOTO

Currituck Lighthouse

about wildlife, natural history and outdoor skills. The center is located off of Highway 12 in Currituck

Heritage Park, between the Whalehead Club and Currituck Beach Lighthouse. Info: ncwildlife.org

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37 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT Friday, September 4, 2020

Get Out of the Sand and into Great Wide Open Golf

The Courses are Calling The Currituck Outer Banks and Mainland are home to six awe-inspiring out-of-the-way golf courses, giving golfers the option to experience more than one course in a day, testing old pros and newcomers alike with variety of play. Come see what those in the know are calling Currituck’s best kept secret for yourself.

Call 877.287.7488 for more information, driving directions or a free golf guide

Corolla • Carova • The Mainland

Visit us online at VisitCurrituck.com

38 Friday, September 4, 2020 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

Welcome to the Coastâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coloring page!

No matter what your age, coloring is a great way to relax and unwind. Use whatever color palette you like to make this beach scene your very own.

There are Treasures to Behold

Just Outside the OBX on highway 158 south of the VA/NC state line you’ll find an award-winning winery, Sanctuary Vineyards, offering both tours and tastings, and NC’s first craft brewery, The Weeping Radish, offering unique farm-to-fork fair to those who know good food. Come see why your vacation begins on the road to Corolla.

Call 877.287.7488 for more information, driving directions or a free visitors guide

Corolla • Carova • The Mainland

Visit us online at VisitCurrituck.com

THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT Friday, September 4, 2020

On the Road to Corolla

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