The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1958-06-27
LADY SCRIBE FROM PENNSYLVANIA
ENCHANTED BY VISIT TO OCRACOKE
An Entertaining Recital Of Impressions of the Outer Banks BY
Reporter From The News-Tribune of Beaver Falls Pa.

the back yard garden plots, and
practically everything comes by
boat. A tanker brings in fuel sup
plies once a week. There are no
central heating plants in the
homes, most of which are warmed
by living room oil stoves.
Electricity is generated right in
the town with oil. Wells and els
terms provide water.
Until about two years ago the
only telephone in Ocracoke was at
the Coast Guard station. Now
most residences are served. But
the general store was, and still is
the center of news information.
On it's wall are posted the notices
which Ocracokans need to know,
and around the stove the troubles
of the day are threshed out.
. Tourist themselves and the
number is continually growing
head for the 76-foot tall light
house, whose fixed white light can
be seen for IA miles at night. In
the grounds surrounding the light
we first met the park ranger,
Hazen Brooks.
Only a few traces remain on
OcracOke of the sizeable navy
installation there during the war.
When the Navy moved ont, the
government destroyed the struc-
lures, burning supplies of all
kinds while thrifty residents to
whom waste is sin, looked on
in dismay. They'd have liked the
gallon cans of white paint which
went up in a big bonfire.
Salvage from shipwrecks con-
tributed substantially to the bank
ers' fortunes in past years and
many homes contain timbers and
furnishings which once went to
sea.
Along the Atlantic shores are
still to be found the wrecks of
ships which foundered in the
treacherous shoals in past years.
Such tragedies now are few and
far between. But the remains of
old ships make picturesque scenes
for camera fans.
Ocracoke sands yield a wealth
of fun for the person who collects
shells. Here to be found are huge
whelks and conchs, and we also
picked up some Scotch bonnets,
olive shells, lady ears and slippers
and more common varieties.
To the first ferry boat to Hat
teras Thursday morning, Ocracoke
boy scouts rode their ponies up
the wide, wild beach in order to
participate in the dedication serv-
ices. We were on the second ferry
and this time, with the tide higher,
there were no navigation Difficult
ties.
Waters Blended
At Thursdays exercises waters
from Old Faithful geyser at yell
lowstone, the first national park,
were mixed with the waters off
Cape Hatteras, the first national
seashora Governor L'7+'- Hodges
of North Carolina and Director of
the National Park Service, Conrad
L. Wirth were among dignitaries
on hand.
At the celebration Friday at
Hatteras Light, thousands of per-
sons were on hand. Many were in
gay pirate dress, observing the
fourth annual Pirates Festival on
the Outer Banks.
Opening the events was life
saving drill staged by coast
guardsmen. followed by events
for the children. While the lat
ter were going ON, busy men
and women were readying what
they said was ''the worlds larg-
est fish fry" Served to each
person without charge were
generous helping of fried fish,
square of corn bread, serving
of cold slaw, handful of potato
chips, and cup of iced tea.
The exhibition by the boy scouts
with their ponies followed, and
then the spectators piled in their
ears for the 10 mile ride to Hat
teras itself where "beach buggy"
race was staged.
Fireworks planned for that night
near the lighthouse were post
poned because of high winds.
Continuing homeward, we stop
ped once again along the ocean at
Rodanthe to see a wrecked ship,
its rusty hull lying just off shore.
We visited Bodie Island lighthouse
after crossing Oregon Inlet, and
dropped in at the office of the
weekly "Coastland Times" at Man.
teo, where we were made welcome.
Another ferry ride, this time
over the wide and coffee-colored
Alligator river-our fifth such ride
in a week--saw us we'll on our
way back home.
Someday we'll go back to Ocra-
coke, and we're afraid it will be