Follow that Star

Ocracoke Preservation all ready for the Wassail Party

*** Find the special link in our newsletter and click on it to be entered in a drawing for a Cd of your choice from Soundside Records. When you click on the link, it will bring up an email to Soundside Records . . . simply type in your name and address in the body of the newsletter, and we will let you know at our next blog if you are the winner! Congratulations to Leonard Banjoduster of Ocracoke. Last week's winners!***

Two evenings ago we stood out at the end of the Lifeguard beach walkover. The sunset had passed a few hours earlier and a brilliant array of stars now lit up the sky. The brisk temperature caused everyone to huddle close to each other -- one adventurer even suggested that everyone cluster up together in a giant ball. All stomped about in place to keep the blood flowing, excepting the kids who stayed warm by playing king of the dunes. Dave Frum with the walkie talkie reported to the group that the everything was going to happen on schedule and we could expect to see results about 8:50. As the clock ticked down, the thirty observers scanned the skies southward and then suddenly someone spotted the larger than normal star streaming across the horizon.

The space shuttle took a little over a minute to skim out of sight to the north, and in that time you could faintly make out a tail against the night if you looked at small gem of light out of the corner of your eye. Those who managed to pin the point down with their binoculars could see the tail distinctly. The shuttle blinked in and out as clouds came in between and eventually appeared to dive into the ocean to the north. Enough blowing on hands. . . let’s run for the cars and warm up our bodies dancing to the Ocracoke Rockers at Jimmy’s Garage!

On Ocracoke Island
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The Christmas season has arrived. Many Ocracoke residents write off the month of December for any practical work. There are events at least every other day. . . all worth attending. Many businesses have closed their doors by now and that makes for more reasons to celebrate community.

On December 2, the Ocracoke Library kicked off the cookie swap by showcasing Flat Cat kids musicians on the porch.


Aaron Caswell, Emma & Molly Lovejoy

Around ten different ensembles presented Christmas tunes on guitars, piano, fiddles, & bass. Fiddler Dave joined Caroline Temple and Sundae Horn on a version of `O Come All Ye Faithful.’ Molly Lovejoy and Dave also gave a rousing rendition of a baroque tune, `The King’s March,’ and a Shetland tune `Christmas Ida Mornin’ (Christmas in the Morning). Lou Castro, Marcy Brenner, Kitty Mitchell, and Leslie Gilbert were among the other community teachers that gave performances with their students. After the music was done, the cookie tables were thrown wide open. The cookie swap rules? Bring two dozen and go home with two dozen!



On the evening of December 2, Flat Cat hosted a formal community pot luck at the Ocracoke School Gym. The performers from the cookie swap gave an encore performance after a delectable dinner. Lou Castro and Jason (of the police) and others, rounded out the evening with some rock n’ roll. At the same time, the Back Porch Restaurant held its end-of-the-year employee appreciation party. . . fine wine, Mexican food (hey! Something a little different!), and footloose dancing and shenanigans.

Sunday – we took a break!

Monday, Fiddler Dave and Julie Howard played for the Methodist Ladies Christmas Dinner which was held at the Flying Melon Restaurant. Even though the Melon was not officially open, Susie O’Neal and Michael Schramel cooked up a fine meal for the ladies while Julie and Dave played through all the seasonal favorites.

On Wednesday, the Ocracoke Preservation Society lit up their Christmas Tree during the annual Wassail Party. The Flat Catters made a final community performance on the porch of the museum, and then the doors were thrown open for cookies and wassail.

Friday, December 8th we held the third annual Ocrafolk Christmas Concert at Deepwater Theater to benefit the Ocracoke Preservation Museum. Sundae Horn and the the Madri-gals kicked off the show which continued on to feature Molly Lovejoy and Fiddler Dave, Capt. Rob Temple, Philip Howard, Coyote, Molasses Creek, Roy Parsons, Aaron Caswell and Emma Lovejoy, Cynthia Mitchell, Jamie Tunnell, & Julie Howard. The evening rounded out with some carol singing and raised over $500.


Jamie Tunnell, Marcy Brenner, Noah Paley, & Lou Castro


Flat Catters


The Mitchells (Gary & Kitty Mitchell of Molasses Creek w/Cynthia Mitchell)

Finally on December 9th Jimmy’s Garage held its annual community potluck. We always like to note that Jimmy’s Garage party is the one place where everyone in the Ocracoke community comes together to celebrate. . .for no matter who you are there is only one place to get your car fixed on the island.

Now the thought of having a cover dish supper at your local mechanic’s may raise an eyebrow, but on the second Saturday Jimmy’s garage is spotless. . . and we mean fit to eat off the floor! After all the dining is done, the tables are taken outside and the Ocracoke Rockers let loose on bay # 1. The old and the young are out shaking it all until midnight!

Ocracoke School Opens the Doors on New Addition

Ribbon Cutting w/School Board Representatives and Principal George Ortman

This last Thursday, Ocracoke School officially cut the ribbon leading to the entrance of the new school addition. The new facility replaces temporary trailers that became infested with mold after flooding from the past years. The building houses eight large classrooms on two floors, and state of the art equipment . . . even an elevator! Students and teachers will move into the new rooms for the spring semester of 2007. Congratulations!


The Whole School Turned Out!

Molasses Creek to play for Ocracoke Waterman’s Association Fundraiser
Saturday, December 30th is working up to be a big fundraising day for the Ocracoke Waterman’s Association. In addition to the evening concert with Donald Davis, Molasses Creek will be providing the music for an afternoon Oyster Steam. The fun begins at 2:00 PM at the Fish House on Silver Lake Harbor (next to the Jolly Roger) and then moves to the Ocracoke Community Center for the evening performance.

A Blustery Thanksgiving!

Flooding at Ocracoke School

*** Find the special link in our newsletter and click on it to be entered in a drawing for a Cd of your choice from Soundside Records. When you click on the link, it will bring up an email to Soundside Records . . . simply type in your name and address in the body of the newsletter, and we will let you know at our next blog if you are the winner! Congratulations to Tom and Susan Kunsitis of Virginia. Last week's winners!***

Allow us a moment to wring out our turkeys and we will spin ya a wet and wild tale of this last week’s Thanksgiving! Under normal circumstances November’s celebrations on Ocracoke bring a large following from off-island. Folks trickle in slowly at first during Thanksgiving week and then traffic builds up momentum on Wednesday as visitors pour in for Thursday and Friday.

As Friday November 17th rolled around, we began to hear rustlings from the weather advisors of a front predicted to impact the island Monday-Wednesday of the upcoming week. Some residents cancelled appointments up-the-beach for fear that the ferries might stop running and others scurried around securing items in undersheds in case of rising flood waters. Those who planned to spend Thanksgiving off the island left early Monday evening to beat the storm. A wise move as it turned out.

Late Monday night the front moved in bringing with it high winds and rising tide waters. By Tuesday, even the Hatteras Island ferry link had ceased operations as ferry workers secured the boats and hunkered down for the storm. Later that morning wader boots sprung back into fashion as the squall began to raise water levels into the village and residents moved their cars to high ground near the Island Inn and the National Park Service visitor center.


Pelicans taking a rest

No emergency weather evacuation had been called, so some visitors who arrived on the island over the weekend were able to experience the fun of an Ocracoke winter storm first hand. Most residents chose to hole up in their homes and wait out the weather, although a few ventured out on bikes or trucks.



You can usually tell a local from a visitor by the way in which they tackle the foot of water that sits in the middle of the road. A resident takes it very slowly because they know that the flood is not accumulated rainwater but salt water from the rising levels of the sound. The uninitiated take the opportunity to sport their 4-wheel-drive and plow through the current, giving their vehicle a liberal coating into every nook and cranny. In about a year they will discover their mistake.


On the Back Road of Ocracoke

The 3-day storm ground down on the sand dunes north of the Pony Pen and the ocean breached several dune spots on Hatteras Island. . .the seriousness of the flooding varying with the tides. Some visitors made it as far as Hatteras village near the Ocracoke-Hatteras ferry and were forced to sit tight waiting for the ferry to make a run. Power to the village was sporadic Tuesday through Thursday (although better supplied to Ocracoke than Hatteras because of the generator). Electricity was out most of Tuesday evening and on and off on Wednesday. Even though the storm abated on Wednesday, access to the island was limited to residents while officials assessed the damage. Ocracoke village was back on main power by Thursday morning except for a two hour morning break in the power (we rubbed a lot of sticks together to keep the turkeys warm).



By Thanksgiving, most of the sand had been cleared from Highway 12 and traffic was again flowing freely. The ferries filled up, ready to bring folks back to the island. Although there was a bit of flooding around town, the village of Ocracoke sustained no damage aside from the financial strike on one of the last big tourism weeks of the year.




Nothin' can stop the Thanksgiving oysters!

On Ocracoke Island
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Acoustic Flat Cat at Deepwater Theater
(Photos courtesy of Jamie Tunnell)



The Flat Cat Café moved to Deepwater Theater for an all-acoustic session on Friday November 17th. For those not familiar with the event, the Flat Cat Café is an Ocracoke student run (and named) open-mike anything-goes performance club. A wide variety of Ocracoke students performed, ranging in age from first grader Sam Marinace (joined by his mother Caroline playing a fantastic duet on piano) to high school guitar wizard, Aaron Caswell. The Pep Band did a rousing rendition of John Fogarty's "Down on the Corner" and 11th grader Emma Lovejoy played a flute duet with her sister Molly on violin/fiddle. Several of Miss Jeanie's piano students played their songs as well. A few of the community's adult musicians added a tune or two including Molasses Creek with Lou Castro and Abner the dog. The percussion class rounded out the night with some joyful noise.




Molasses Creek with Lou Castro

Keeping the Village Clean for Everyone
The residents of Ocracoke love island visitors for their stories as well as the financial assistance that they bring to the local economy. Villagers also recognize that a community effort is needed to keep Ocracoke a neat and tidy, trash-free environment. Twice a year the Ocracoke Preservation Society rounds up local folks for a litter pickup that scours the town for the bits of debris that gather at sides of streets and paths. Most of Ocracoke’s guests are very aware, appreciative, and protective of the natural beauty of the island. But even most honorable boyscout can have a candy wrapper whipped from their hands during a blustery blow. Last Saturday (the 18th), citizens gathered at the Ocracoke Methodist Church on School Road for a sunny day of tidying up.

In addition to the Preservation cleaning, there is also holds a beach sweep every year organized by Howard Bennink. Portions of Highway 12 are also maintained by local businesses and organizations. Traveling into town, you may notice that Deepwater Theater and The Ocrafolk Opry have just adopted a portion of highway 12 from Molasses Creek to the Ocracoke Campground.

Ocrafolk Festival Thanksgiving Fundraiser
Friday, November 24th we held our annual Ocrafolk Festival Thanksgiving Fundraiser at the Ocracoke Community Center. Performers came from on and off the island to join in the celebration. Acts included Coyote, Capt. Rob and Sundae and daughter Caroline, Kevin Hardy, Martin Garrish, Aaron Caswell, John Golden, Molasses Creek, Katy Mitchell, Cheryl Roberts, Jamie Tunnell, Roy Parsons, Catesby Jones, and Donald Davis. Jef the Mime kicked off the evening with some pre-show shenanigans and then introduced the whole crew playing the traditional square dance tune of Redwing. To accompany the fine music, some of the island’s best bakers were out in force to lend a hand. With tasty treat and fine coffee from the Ocracoke Coffee Company the evening was a rousing success, netting over $2500 for next June’s Ocrafolk Festival. Thanks to all the performers, volunteers, and contributors!


Capt. Rob and Sundae with Coyote backup


Marcy Brenner and Lou Castro


Martin Garrish with friends


Donald Davis


Roy Parsons


Lou Castro and young Aaron Caswell

Back Porch Restaurant wraps up the Season
Thanksgiving means not only wonderful food at Thanksgiving potlucks but also the last chance of the year to partake in a gorgeous meal at the Back Porch Restaurant. Owner Daphne Bennink stays open every year up to Thanksgiving weekend, and then sounds the retreat, calling all staff members to batten down the hatches until spring. Diners came out this last weekend for a last taste of crab beignets, bourbon pecan chicken, vietnamese lime fish, steak au poivre. Hmm! It can be a long winter.

Donald Davis to Give a Fundraising Benefit for the Ocracoke Waterman’s Association
If you are heading to the island for New Years Eve, make sure to arrive early enough to attend a storytelling benefit concert for the newly founded Ocracoke Waterman’s Association given by Donald Davis. The event will be on Saturday, December 30th at 7:00 PM at the Ocracoke Community Center. Tickets will be available at the door.

Here are the upcoming events
December 2 -- Ocracoke Christmas Cookie Swap, Ocracoke Library, 10 AM.
December 6 -- Ocracoke Preservation Society Christmas Tree Lighting and Wassail Party, Ocracoke Preservation Society, 5-7 PM.

December 8 -- Ocrafolk Opry Christmas Concert Fundraiser for the Ocracoke Preservation Society, 7:30 PM, Deepwater Theater, Ocracoke Island, NC.
December 30 -- Donald Davis Storytelling Benefit for the Ocracoke Waterman's Association. Ocracoke Community Center. 7 PM.
January 20, 2007 – CoastalFolk performance with John Golden in Wilmington. Details TBA.

Gifts of the Storm

(Photo by Claudia Boehm)

*** Find the special link in our newsletter and click on it to be entered in a drawing for a Cd of your choice from Soundside Records. When you click on the link, it will bring up an email to Soundside Records . . . simply type in your name and address in the body of the newsletter, and we will let you know at our next blog if you are the winner! ***

On Ocracoke Island
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The last two weeks we have had a good bit of warm weather interspersed with blustery squalls. The Cafe Atlantic served its last brunch of the year and went into hibernation until next April (last chance for their fabulous crab cakes in 2006!). This Tuesday, Ocracoke residents braved a rainy day to cast their votes at the Ocracoke Community Center. About a third of Ocracoke's residents filled out their ballots. Tuesday night, gusty winds swept the village while folks huddled around TVs watching the elections unfold.

During the night, the storm drove the seas up to the base of the dunes and whipped up foam and sand until the morning light unveiled a beach full of tide pools and bubbly sea meringue.

After the storm some visitors and villagers rush to the beach to see what treasures mother nature might have uncovered. North of the Pony Pen walkover the tides have further excavated the remains of a wreck. Amy Howard and her host sister Claudia (from Germany) also discovered a small sea turtle that met its end during the night.


Fiddler Dave and Lachlan carefully excavate the wreck (Photo by Claudia Boehm)

Soundside Records Sending Out Holiday, Album Catalog
Soundside Records is just about to go to press with our small but richly fortified fall catalog. If you would like to receive a hard copy in the mail, but are unsure if you are on our snail mail list, email us and submit your mailing information. We are currently running a holiday special online and through the mail: Buy 3 Cds, get a 4th one free! Perfect for stuffing your family's waders at Christmastime!

Off Ocracoke Island
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Gary and Kitty Workshops in the Mountains
Gary of Molasses Creek just returned from a week at the Campbell Folk School in Brasstown where he took a Naturalist Workshop with instructor Liz Domingue. Each day the class hiked 3-6 miles, exploring the ecology and biology of the Appalachian Mountains. At the end of the week Gary determined that the calories burned in hiking didn't quite balance out the fabulous food served by the Folk School.

Kitty spent the same week in Cullowhee, NC at a teacher renewal seminar entitled Women of the Blues. The course uncovered the history of the blues "from the green hills of Africa to the bright lights of the big cities."

Gerald Hampton: Mando-Man


If you haven’t had the pleasure yet, we want you to meet our frequently featured guest, Gerald Hampton, of Franklinville NC. For the past several years, Gerald has been performing many road shows, and at the Ocrafolk Festival, with Molasses Creek. He is a terrific mandolin player, and has written and recorded several of his instrumental tunes (“Feeding the Ponies”, “Category 2”, and “Ehringhaus Blues”) on our albums. When not picking, Gerald teaches technical drawing at Randolph Community College in Asheboro NC and works on repairing friends' instruments at his wood shop.

Outer Banks Marathon
The first annual Outer Banks Marathon is coming up this Sunday in Kitty Hawk, NC. The 4000 runner entry limit has been reached. . . now we are just waiting for the starting gun. In addition to the main event, there is also a half marathon and a fun run. The races finish up at Manteo High School, and from there folks travel to the downtown and over the bridge to Festival Park for the post race celebration. Molasses Creek will be performing from 12:15 to 1:30 and will be joined by Gerald Hampton and Stan Brown.

Fall Colors and an Island Halloween

Fall leaves in the mountains of North Carolina

A Different Kind of Ocracoke Surf Fishing
by Fiddler Dave

I just returned from a morning on the beach with Philip Howard and Lachlan. The temperature climbed to mid-sixties today and is supposed to get up to seventy tomorrow. Despite a windy storm passing through over the weekend, visitors (especially a lot of surf fisherman) are here to try their luck. We arrived at around 11:00 at one of the beach access points north of the campground. Philip just had an undercoating applied to his new car, and wanted to kick some sand up into it. We drove about halfway down the sandy lane to the beach and then parked the car and walked the rest of the way.

The air had a clarity to it this morning only found in the fall when the sun is getting lower in the sky. Soon after we came over the dune line, we noticed several pods of dolphins circling schools of fish off shore. About 15 minutes after we arrived, two trucks drove up the beach, one hauling a surf boat on a trailer behind. After scoping catch possibilities these fishermen from Collington backed up their dory into the surf and dumped it off the trailer into the breakers. Then one fellow pushed the boat out deeper into the incoming waves and the second waited until a swell raised the vessel and then carefully lowered a motor (which descended out the center of the boat).

The dory charged quickly out through the surf into the deeper water, feeding out the buoyed net which had one end anchored in the sand. The two fisherman made a wide pass encircling where they thought the catch would be most promising, and then drove the skiff back to shore and beached it in the sand. The net now formed a large loop with both ends anchored on shore. Working from both sides, the fishermen used the trucks to haul the net back in by hooking the line under the truck and dragging it back the dune line. They repeated this action until the net was drawn in and they could examine the catch.

There were a wide variety of fish drawn in, although this particular catch only consisted of a few drum, spots, butterfish, rays, and one pufferfish. The smaller fish were tossed back into the surf while the larger were gathered into a laundry basket. The whole process probably took less than an hour. Pretty fascinating to watch!

On Ocracoke Island
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Halloween Carnival and Spook Walk


Cowboy Lachlan at 2 1/2
Ready for the Halloween Carnival

Last Friday the Ocracoke School held its annual fall (Halloween) festival. The afternoon began with a ghostly parade around the school circle. The fund-raiser continued with a teacher dunking booth (despite the chilly rain), carnival games, a spook walk down Howard Street which featured traditional Ocracoke tales, and some incredible Mexican food provided by many of our local Hispanic families. The evening wrapped up with Quizo (the Ocracoke BINGO). The night always brings the community together in support of the school.


Ocracoke teacher Flavia Burton


Ocracoke teacher Charles Temple trying to beg funds
to cure his hookworm at the School Fall Carnival

Ocrafolk Festival Featured in November Issue of Our State Magazine

Our State magazine showcased the Ocrafolk Festival as well as nine other North Carolina storytelling events in its new issue “Tell Me a Tale.” The article highlights some of our local stars (Donald Davis, Rodney Kemp, Philip Howard, Capt Rob Temple, Bob Zentz, and John Golden), as well as some of our choice events like the Ocracoke Square Dance, the community potluck, the fundraising auction, fig cake bake-off, waiter/waitress competition, and boat building. For more information on the magazine, visit www.ourstate.com. For more information about the festival, visit the website at www.ocrafolkfestival.org. Next year’s event is scheduled for June 1-3, 2007. Hope to see ya there!

Soundside Records Holiday Special
Soundside Records is currently running a holiday special that will make it easy to get Ocracoke recordings for everyone on your holiday list. For every three albums that you purchase, you can choose a fourth one for free! Just visit the Soundside Records website at www.soundsiderecords.com and take a listen to your choice selections. It is a great way to spread the Ocracoke charm this season!

Soundside Records Adds Ann Ehringhaus’s Photographic Works
Ann Ehringhaus has been one of the most active Ocracoke photojournalists since she first arrived on the island in 1971. She is responsible for most of Molasses Creek and Ocrafolk Festival’s press materials and has a beautiful eye for capturing fleeting magical moments in the Ocracoke community. Soundside Records now offers her book “Ocracoke Portrait,” a collection of 64 duotone photographs accompanied by choice quotations from subject interviews. Also available are two of her postcards -- one entitled “Howard Street,” and a second collaborative “poster” work with Gretchen Sigmund featuring Polaroid transfer images from the Ocracoke.

Off Ocracoke Island
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Ocrafolk Opry Visits Kanuga & West Jefferson

Kanuga Lake


Kanuga Chapel

The inside of Kanuga Chapel

The week of October 14-19 Fiddler Dave and Gary of Molasses Creek headed to the mountains south of Asheville to the Kanuga retreat center near Flat Rock. Dave and Gary were musicians in residence at the Episcopal center, providing Ocraccoke Square Dance instruction, workshops on fiddle & guitar, songs and tales from a small island, and fireplace picking throughout the week. On Thursday, they were joined by Miss Kitty of Molasses Creek, and Lou Castro and Marcy Brenner of Coyote for an evening concert.

Eagle Rock near Kanuga

After packing up on Thursday evening, the troupe headed for West Jefferson (near Boone), for Friday residencies in the schools of West Jefferson and an evening concert of the Ocrafolk Opry on Saturday night. The concert bill for Saturday included Molasses Creek with special guest Gerald Hampton, Coyote, Katy Mitchell, and storyteller Rodney Kemp of Morehead City.

Everyone enjoyed the trip to the mountains during peak leaf season, the fine family style feasting at Shatley Springs, and incredible Cuban food at Isabel's of West Jefferson. Katy Mitchell also celebrated her 18th birthday during the Saturday night concert. She is currently a freshman at Appalachian State in Boone.

Before returning to the island, Molasses Creek stopped off to visit the frescos at St. Mary's Episcopal Church near West Jefferson. The frescos were created by artist Ben Long between 1974 & 1977. Ben studied the art of creating frescos in Italy. They are truly amazing and worth an extra journey. Find out more at the church website at www.ecva.org/exhibition/acs/commun_1.html


St. Mary's




A mosaic in the basement of the church

Fall on Ocracoke (Sigh)

Thank you folks for your patience with the blog. It took at bit of a break during the summer, but now it is back!

Ernesto passed by Ocracoke last month with just a little bit of windy weather, but its tail brought beautiful fall-like days that have islanders rejoicing. Air conditioners take a rest as windows are thrown open to the heavenly breezes. The baby sea turtle have hatched out and the Park Service has removed the barriers around the nests. . .the summer life-guard stand has also been taken back to park service headquarters. The bi-weekly blog has been on vacation over the summer while we scramble to keep up with our music schedules on and off the island.
Ocracoke businesses have reported a good summer season, supported by a relatively quiet hurricane activity. September is often the telling month and after Labor Day weekend visitor profiles shift from larger family groups to single couples without children and retirees. Ocracoke school is back is session of course, and kids are busy panning for the Halloween carnival and holiday costumes. Construction to the new school addition is not yet complete, but should be ready for students at the beginning of next term.



The Ocracoke Masonic lodge has received some new attention. Members painted the lodge building (located on the back road next to the health center), and are constructing a fish fry cook shack next to the lodge.



Activity on the Ocracoke house market is beginning to heat up a little as fall approaches. There are a larger number of properties for sale right now and the Ocracoke market tends to mirror the behavior of the national market although the limited options in the two mile-square village tend to stabilize prices somewhat. We see more fall visitors gazing longingly at their favorite house and crunching numbers as they wonder if this is the year to dream big.

Fall brings off-island festivals and the Ocracoke Arts Walk (September 30th). Molasses Creek will be making a few trips to the mainland this year to provide entertainment for communities across the state. Deepwater Theater also wrapped up shows last month with Rumgagger on Tuesday nights, Ocrafolk Opry on Wednesdays, and Molasses Creek on Thursdays. Hope to see you on the island soon!

On Ocracoke Island
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Ocracoke Arts Walk
Folks usually don’t need much of an excuse to steer Ocracoke direction, but here was another great reason this fall. The 3rd Annual Ocracoke Art Walk was held on on Saturday, September 30th throughout Ocracoke village. Visitors and residents poked around the studios and galleries of many of their favorite island artists while enjoying the very best from Ocracoke’s quilters, painters, potters, photographers, carvers, jewelers and more. The event culminated in a A ‘Meet the Artists’ reception at 6PM at the Flying Melon.

NCCAT Workshops on Ocracoke in Full Swing
Although renovations at the old Ocracoke Coast Guard Station are not yet completed, workshops with the NC Center for the Advancement of Teaching are underway. This week, teachers from across the state traveled to Ocracoke for “The Age of Sail.” Participants learned sea history and terminology, served aboard Captain Rob’s schooner WINDFALL, tried their hand at scrimshaw, and were subjected to Capt. Rob and Fiddler Dave’s nautical Rumgagger performance. NCCAT is a non-profit organization out of the mountains of NC that provides free renewal seminars to NC teachers. For more information visit www.nccat.org

Soundside Records Now Offers Listening Samples
Due to the overwhelming requests and our determination to march into the twentyfirst century with pride, Soundside Records now offers MP3 samples for most releases. Just click on the link for each album and you can listen to all of your favorite island performers. Soundside Records will also soon be offering MP3s for purchase over the internet for a few of their performers. The website is constantly being worked on, so if you have any trouble with it please let us know. Thanks! www.soundsiderecords.com

The Ocracoke Arts Council offers Quilting Heritage Craft Class
In conjunction with the NC Arts Council and the Beaufort Arts Council this year’s Heritage Craft Class will focus on quilting and will take place at Deepwater Theater over four consecutive Saturdays, January 20th through February 10th. The class will be directed by the Ocracoke Needle and Thread Club and will cover topics ranging from Ocracoke quilting history to selecting and cutting material, sewing, basting and topstitch, and assembly. Families are encouraged to attend. The cost is $10 per participant. For more information contact Marcy Brenner at 252-256-2081 or info@coyotemusic.net.

Off Ocracoke Island
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Katy Goes to College!
Well, the little varmint has finally become a big varmint and headed off to Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. After finishing Ocracoke School in the top ten of her class of 5, she was accepted into the Watauga College program, which is a small group of freshmen and sophomores who live and work together in a beautiful new facility called the Living-Learning Center. It is an interdisciplinary program for creative kids who prefer not to be ‘in-the-box’ of traditional academia. She is happy as a duck, and has already made lots of new friends. After singing in “Mom and Dad’s band” for the last several years, we can’t wait to see where her music heads! Best of luck Katy. We love you!




Ocrafolk Opry Heads to the Mountains
Gary and Fiddler Dave will be heading out on the 9:30 Cedar Island Ferry on Friday for a week of residency at the Kanuga Retreat Center in Hendersonville, NC (South of Asheville). Kitty Mitchell and Marcy and Lou of Coyote will join them for a concert next Thursday and then the whole gang will rendezvous with storyteller Rodney Kemp and Katy Mitchell for an Ocrafolk a residency and concert (Saturday, October 21) with the Ashe County Arts Council in West Jefferson, NC. For more details visit www.ashecountyarts.org.

Noah Paley to Open for Boney James at the Carolina Theater
On Saturday October 14 at 8:00 PM, Noah Paley will open for saxophonist Boney James at the Carolina Theater in Durham. He will be joined at the performance by Marcy Brenner of Coyote, Chris Frank of the Red Clay Ramblers, and Noah's son. To get tickets and for more information visit http://www.carolinatheatre.org

Molasses Creek, Noah Paley, and Coyote performing at the
Pepsi Tall Ships Festival this summer

Ocrafolk Festival, New Album Releases and Summer Events on Ocracoke Island

Many apologies for the long break in newsletters. Once Ocrafolk Festival preparation sets in, we have great difficulty on concentrating on anything else. This year’s Ocrafolk Festival (June 2-4) was a wonderful homecoming for many performers, artisans, and island friends. Bands of thunderstorms swept Ocracoke way for the weekend, so Gary and Fiddler Dave made the call on Friday to hold Saturday events at Ocracoke School and then move outside for Sundays’ activities. Ideally they would have liked to of held all performances outside under the beautiful live oaks, but it is hard to argue with mother nature. The weekend blossomed into a beautiful festival -- successful musically, spiritually, and financially. Here is a summary of what has been happening!

On Ocracoke Island
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North Carolina Coastal Land Trust Opens the Springer’s Point Preserve
On Saturday May 20th, the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust held the grand opening of the Springer’s Point Preserve on Ocracoke Island. The preserve represents one of the last undeveloped spots on Ocracoke outside of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The protected 31 acres features rambling footpaths through maritime forest that lead the visitor under a live oak canopy where Blackbeard and his fellow pirates held one of the greatest pirate gatherings in the continental US.

The weekend featured kayak tours, native led walking tours, and a reception at the Back Porch Restaurant with music provided by Molasses Creek. Thanks to all the volunteers and donors who helped to make this mission and the weekend a success. To find out more about the NC Coastal Land Trust’s Springer’s Point Campaign and how to add your support, visit their website at www.coastallandtrust.org/pages/current_campaigns.html

Ocrafolk Festival Weekend a Great Success
June 2-4 brought the much anticipated, 7th annual Ocrafolk Festival. This event represents a great labor of love of Gary Mitchell and Fiddler Dave, as well as countless other volunteers. This year’s event brought joy and entertainment to presenters, performers and visitors and set new financial records for fundraising.

For those who aren’t familiar with the Ocrafolk Festival, the celebration is an extravaganza that features performers and artisans from the coastal Carolina region. All parts of the festival are free and open to the public with events sponsored by private individuals and corporations, as well as funds gathered through the Ocrafolk Festival Live and Silent Auctions.

New happenings at this year’s Ocrafolk included the moving of the live auction from Sunday afternoon to Friday night after the community potluck (this year’s live auction netted over $5000 ~ a new record by $2000!), a waiter/waitress rumble on Sunday (competition for the quickest, most accurate, and smoothest server), a fig cake bake off (won by Debbie Wells, Janet Spencer, and the Flying Melon Restaurant), wooden skiff building with Jimmy Amspacher of the Harker’s Island Waterfowl Museum, and a bicycle design workshop hosted by the Ocracoke Youth Center and Family Planning Resource Center.

New performers at this year’s festival included the Carolina Still band from New Bern, Donald Thompson (bluesman from La Grange, NC), The Flatland Bluegrass Band of Greenville, the Mya Wilkins Band of Ocracoke, Katy Mitchell and the Mumphries of Ocracoke, Serge Gracovetsky and Fiddler Dave playing jazz, and an Ocrafolk Women Songwriting Circle. If you are interested in keeping up to date with Ocrafolk Festival happenings, visit their website at www.ocrafolkfestival.org. Next year’s event will be June 1-3, 2007.

Fiddler Dave’s “The Cormorant” and “Ocrafolk Sampler 3: Festival Favorites” released!



Two new albums hot off the press for this year’s Ocrafolk Festival are now available through Soundside Records. Fiddler Dave’s second all-instrumental release “The Cormorant” is a compendium of original reels, jigs, hornpipes, and waltzes that will have ya dippin’ & swinging from Ocracoke Island all the way back to the homeplace. Joined by Dave Wiesler on piano and guitar, Jubal Creech on percussion, and a host of other friends, Fiddler Dave has polished this recording with his driving fiddle and sweet original melodies – it will surely secure a favored spot in your musical heart.

“Ocrafolk 3: Festival Favorites” winds down the stellar path of it’s Ocrafolk predecessors featuring some fabulous tracks from many of this year’s Ocrafolk artists. The new faces of Carolina Still and bluesman Donald Thompson join Molasses Creek, Martin Garrish, Coyote, Noah Paley, Katy Mitchell, Anne Haley, John Golden, Jule Garrish, Bob Zentz, and Capt. Rob and Sundae Horn to weave a rich musical tapestry. This recording will evoke the Ocrafolk spirits of island ~ conjuring up dancing feet, fish house liars, clam chowder and fig cakes. It is like a trip to Ocracoke Island without the driving!

To find out more about these albums and more visit the Soundside Records website at www.soundsiderecords.com

Open Season at Molasses Creek’s Deepwater Theater



The week of June 6, Molasses Creek threw open the doors of Deepwater Theater, welcoming visitors to a new season of shows. This year’s lineup features a new show on Tuesdays. . . Rumgagger with Capt. Rob Temple and Fiddler Dave . . . the Ocrafolk Opry on Wednesdays, and Molasses Creek on Thursdays.

Rumgagger – Tall tales, poems, and music from the high seas with the salty skipper Captain Rob and Fiddler Dave. Sure to hook ya!

Ocrafolk Opry -- A musical buffet of the wonderful talent present on tiny Ocracoke Island. Features such renown local musicians as Martin Garrish, Coyote, Roy Parsons, Capt. Rob & Sundae, Philip Howard, Katy Mitchell, and Molasses Creek.

Molasses Creek – Ocracoke’s own is back entertaining audiences with a mix of new and classic songs, wackiness and soulful musicianship. “They exude sheer joy and talent when it comes to entertaining . . . I hail them as a North Carolina Treasure.” -- Davie Arts Council.

For show details visit the Molasses Creek website a www.molassescreek.com

Katy Mitchell Graduates from High School

Katy Mitchell, daughter of Gary & Kitty Mitchell of Molasses Creek, donned her cap and gown last Sunday as a member of Ocracoke School’s graduating class of 2006. The entire village came out to congratulate the 5 members of this year’s senior class and to wish them the best as they enter the next stage of their lives. Katy received several scholarships and awards, including a scholarship for volunteerism from the Credit Union in the amount of $2500 for the next four years of school. Katy will be attending the Watauga Program at Appalachian State University in the fall. Molasses Creek will try to pick up as many mountain gigs as possible so that we can kidnap her from her studies to perform!

Gove Shrivenor Comes to Deepwater Theater on Friday July 7
Singer-songwriter guitarist and autoharpist Gove Schrivenor will be coming to Deepwater Theater on July 7. Local musician extraordinaire, Kevin Hardy, ran across Gove while traveling off of Ocracoke and knew he had to bring him for a concert at home.

Gove’s playing has graced the recordings of Dolly Parton, Neil Young, Dan Seals, Hank Williams, Jr., Iris Dement and Glen Campbell. Doc Watson, John Hartford, Marty Stuart, Buddy Emmons, John Prine, Nanci Griffith and Lari White in turn have all joined Gove’s recordings over the years, Gove pens songs that are “full of life and energy.” For advance tickets and concert information contact Kevin Hardy at 252-588-0059 or kevinhardymusic@hotmail.com. Find out more about Gove at www.solidgove.com

Off Ocracoke Island
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Public Radio East Show May 21
On Sunday, May 21, Finley Woolston of Public Radio East put together a wonderful benefit concert for our Eastern Carolina Public Radio network. Along with Molasses Creek, the concert featured Finley Woolston’s Sine Nominee Singers, jazz artists Andrea and Phil Owens, the Sons of Dixie, and classical artists Charles and Joanne Bath, Greg Hurley, Wendy Bissinger, Sharon Munden, and John O Brien. Public Radio East already has plans for another event next year . . . we’ll let ya know what we hear! For more information visit www.publicradioeast.org.

Celebrate Our State at High Point with Noah Paley
Hatteras Singer Songwriter Noah Paley was a featured performer at Our State Magazine’s Best of Our State festival in High Point, NC on June 10. Noah’s performance entourage included Marcy Brenner and Lou Castro of Coyote, bassist Robbie Link of Chapel Hill, and Fiddler Dave Tweedie of Molasses Creek. Festival performers also included Doc Watson and David Holt, the Chairmen of the Board, Lightnin Wells, Bruce Piephoff, and others. A great time was had by all!

Rumgagging and Website Keelhauling

Cool evenings and sunny afternoons invite Spring breakers to make Ocracoke their destination. Joining the new leaves on the fig trees, restaurants and businesses slowly emerge from their sleepy winter hibernation. The Café Atlantic opened last week, bringing the island dining selection up to six (Jason’s, the Flying Melon, Thai Moon, Howard’s Pub, and the Pelican). The relocated Teaches Hole Pirate Shop and Museum held a grand opening at their new location across from the Variety Store. Fresh businesses and dreams pop into existence while some older ones hang in uncertain transition, owners contemplating retirement in view of the fast approaching season.

On Ocracoke Island
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Soundside Records Website Gets a Facelift
Over this winter, we have been keelhauling the Soundside Records website. Although not completely finished, the new site is almost done and will feature sample mp3s of albums as well as other features. Take a look at www.soundsiderecords.com.

House Burns Down on Ocracoke


During the weekend of Music Across the Sound, a fire burned an Ocracoke house to the ground on Cutting Sage Road (on the way to Oyster Creek). The house was previously owned by Ocracoke artist and resident Barbara Spencer. The flames from the 5:00 AM blaze were visible all over the village, causing many island residents in the area to prepare for evacuation. The Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Department worked at the scene to control the fire in the windy morning conditions. Although the house and a truck and boat on the property were a complete loss, the couple staying in the house escaped injury.

Gary and Dave join Bob Zentz for St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations in Norfolk
On March 16th Gary and Fiddler Dave accompanied balladeer Bob Zentz of Norfolk for some green day events. On Thursday, they joined the able bodied mariner/musician for a performance at a private dinner party, and on Friday the “Celtic Opry” provided music for Festevent’s St Paddy’s Day celebration. Along with pipers Irish dancers and green beer, the trio provided lively music for the four hour party at the downtown’s Seldon Arcade, an indoor mall of art galleries in Norfolk.

Walter Howard Jr. (son of Ocracoke musical legend Walter Howard) was in the audience to hear a version of his father’s song “Paddy’s Holler.” Walter also brought along many Ocracoke stories and the copper pitcher once used to carry whale oil up the winding stairs of the Ocracoke lighthouse. Walter Howard Sr. saved the artifact from the trash pile when the lighthouse was converted to electric power in the 40s.

Capt’ Rob Temple Hosts Rumgagger evening at Deepwater Theater
Last Saturday night, Capt. Rob Temple Ocracoke residents to a free performance of pirate and sailor stories at Molasses Creek’s Deepwater Theater. Gary Mitchell recorded the concert with live studio audience for Rob’s upcoming Rumgagger album, due out this summer. Fiddler Dave provided some interlude music and Rob’s daughter Caroline joined Rob for the song “It’s All Part of Being a Pirate!” The term Rumgagger refers to a mariner who exchanges tales for drink. In addition to his many original poems from past Opry years, Rob recited several tales by Wallace Irving, and unveiled a new poem on the life and times of Blackbeard, told from the perspective of Israel Hands. Sundae Horn rounded out the evening with some wonderous fig cake and key lime squares.

Here are some pictures from the Music Across the Sound concert from earlier this month.


Gary and Earl Carawan


Gospel Singing


Green Grass Cloggers


Coyote with Jamie Tunnel and Gerald Hampton


Carolina Still

Off Ocracoke Island
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Fiddler Dave and Gary travel to Chapel Hill to Mix Upcoming Album, “The Cormorant”
Fiddler Dave and Gary traveled to Jerry Brown’s Rubber Room Studio in Chapel Hill to mix Dave’s upcoming release “The Cormorant,” (due out in June of this year). The album features a cast of all-original reels, waltzes, jigs, hornpipes, and hornpipes written over the past five years. All tracks were recorded right on the island at Gary’s “Soundside Studio.”

Official studio work on the project began in January of 2005 when pianist (and guitarist) Dave Weisler and percussionist Jubal Creech joined Fiddler Dave to lay down the basic tracks of the tunes. Over the next year and a half, additional musicians joined the album including David DiGuiseppe (accordion), Michael Stanwood (autoharp and digeradoo), Bob Ray (vocals), Kevin Hardy (bass), Lou Castro (electric bass), and Marcy Brenner (mandolin). Fiddler Dave plans to have the new CD out for this year’s Ocrafolk Festival, June 2-4.

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Molasses Creek is getting ready to head out to eastern Tennessee for a concert and residency in Madisonville. Then Fiddler Dave and Gary trek out to the snowy Midwest for two days of residency in Angola, Indiana (home of storyteller Lou Ann Homan). Here are the upcoming appearances!