As Hurricane Florence headed to Eastern North Carolina last September, residents from Dare County all the way down to South Carolina had their personal Category 4 level of anxiety. Although Ocracoke and points further north were largely spared, it was not the case for those to the south and communities on the mainland that dealt […] Local News | Full Article
Portsmouth Village suffered no major damage from the passage of Hurricane Florence Sept. 13. Cape Lookout National Seashore Superintendent Jeff West visited the village last week after the storm to assess the historic site. “We lost three structures–the Armtech (a modern building), a modern fishing shed and one of Henry Pigott’s out buildings,” West, said. […] Local News | Full Article
In early January, President Donald Trump’s administration announced a five-year plan that would invite drilling in the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans. So, with the real possibility of offshore drilling off the mid-Atlantic coast looming again, islanders and visitors will once again have an opportunity to show their opposition by participating in Hands Across the […] Local News | Full Article
By Peter Vankevich Ocracoke Observer Ocracoke’s first Waterfowl Festival on April 21 in the school gym will celebrate renowned island carver Dave O’Neal. When you step inside his Down Point Decoys Shop, you may feel you have wandered into an earlier time. The small building that once served as the island’s post office is “downtown,” […] Hatteras Features | Full Article
By Peter Vankevich If the North Carolina General Assembly’s Senate Bill 15 is not passed it could result in a loss of 4.5 teaching positions for Ocracoke School, according to an announcement released Friday by Hyde County. The bill, An Act To Provide For Teacher Allotments For Geographically Isolated K-12 Schools, is scheduled to be heard […] Local News | Full Article
The 71 fishing teams were all in a good mood Friday evening, April 29, as the 33rd annual Ocracoke Invitational Surf Fishing Tournament came to an end. Amidst the beer, good food — barbecue, black-eyed peas, potato salad and cole slaw — supplied by Jack Edwards and the Carolina Boys and under the big tent […] Fishing | Full Article
While N.C. Ferry Division officials were on Ocracoke yesterday assuring islanders that they would go along with islanders’ not wanting a toll on the Hatteras Ferry, the Dare County commissioners, after a presentation by the Ferry Division, voted 6 to 1 to approve tolling the Hatteras Ferry. Ed Goodwin, Ferry Division director, along with Rep. […] Local News | Full Article
Many summer visitors experience frustration with the long lines at the Hatteras ferry terminal to visit Ocracoke. (Hint: To avoid long lines, arrive early or late in the day.) If you haven’t been reading the Ocracoke Observer and other local news services over the last year, you may not be aware that the North Carolina […] Community News | Full Article
Ocracoke’s six graduates contributed to many of the achievements the school garnered this academic year. One of the smallest public schools in North Carolina with 168 students in grades pre-K through 12, Ocracoke gained a lot of attention by obtaining an “A” rating from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI). This was the […] Local News | Full Article
As part of the feasibility study to see if a passenger ferry option should be added to the Hatteras-Ocracoke car ferry runs, trial runs are planned for this spring, Ed Goodwin, the N.C. Ferry Division director, announced Monday at a public meeting in the Community Center. “I attend monthly meetings in Raleigh and this is the fastest […] Local News | Full Article
