Category Archives: history

Pea Island Lifesavers

Thirty years ago, I was president of Chicamacomico Historical Association. As a board member, I had been involved with the group since 1982. Our job was historical preservation and promoting the legacy of the United States Lifesaving Service. There were numerous other lifesaving stations along the coast. 

One of those was Pea Island Station several miles north of Chicamacomico. It was the only station in the country manned by an all African-American crew. On October 11, 1896 they responded to the shipwreck of the E.S. Newman. An account of this event is found in the following United States Naval Institute publication. 

https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/1997/february/against-raging-storm

On October 11, 1996 we celebrated the one hundred year anniversary of this rescue by gathering descendants of the rescuers and rescued together. It was somewhat emotional knowing that without that 1896 crew at Pea Island, some of the attendees would never have been born. Pea Island Keeper Richard Etheridge and his crew were awarded Gold Lifesaving Medals posthumously for heroism.

During the gathering I was taken by one particular individual. William C Bowser was descended from Surfman Benjamin Bowser who took part in the rescue. Speaking with Mr. Bowser, I found him to be a true gentleman, handsome, humble and accomplished. I asked if he would mind if I photographed him and he obliged. He passed away ten years later in 2006. He was the last surviving crew member of the all-black Pea Island Coast Guard Station.

Emily

Each Summer my mind drifts to what a hurricane season might bring. It’s hard to describe the feeling when one’s bearing down. Different hurricanes can have similarities, but no two are exactly alike. As strength increases, so does the anxiety.   

Toward the end of August 1993, the fifth named storm, Emily was heading our way. On the 31st, it strengthened to category 3 with an eye about 50 miles wide, centered 25 miles to the east of Cape Hatteras. That put Buxton and Frisco in the eye wall. The unofficial highest wind gust there was reported to be 107 miles an hour, but I’d venture a guess from hearing locals, it must have been higher.

Boarding every window on my house, I hunkered down with Denise and close friend Tim Merritt. Tim had sent his wife, Karen and young son off island. I checked the barometer while getting a phone call from WTOP-TV in Washington, and gave an on-air live report. The barometer read 978 millibars. When the wind switched northwest, the water in Pamlico Sound rose quickly. There was flooding in Buxton and Frisco that almost never had that inundation before.

The next day after Emily passed, I drove south, noticing damage along the way.

The sound side of Buxton took the brunt, with around 10 feet of storm surge and high winds.

Near the Scott Boatyard, was a shattered mobile home court.

Live oaks were uprooted rather than broken.

In Buxton Woods the cleanup was ongoing. Cars were flooded and pines snapped like matchsticks.

Crews from NCDOT and Cape Hatteras EMC had their work cut out.

Rob and Susan West were stacking cords of wood.

I visited Mark Nash in Frisco. His wife Barbara evacuated with their daughter while he stayed home. His story, how the tide came in from Pamlico Sound when the wind switched, was harrowing. Standing inside with knee deep water rising, he put on his wetsuit and climbed out the bathroom window on the lee side of the house. The waterline came to the bottom of the window.

Perhaps one of the top five storms I’ve experienced, I’m not the only one grateful to have gotten through it.

 

 

Working Waterfronts

Several decades ago Hatteras Island was a bit different. The island had yet to be discovered by the masses and many locals made livelihoods from the sea. I was particularly taken with the commercial fishing industry. On the sound side of all seven villages, there were small working waterfronts where individuals could keep their boats and bring in the catch. Today those waterfronts are all but gone.

The village of Avon originally known as Kinnakeet had one of those waterfronts. That’s where generations of native Kinnakeeters had lived, and worked on the water. I saw this place as a hidden gem.

While wandering the Avon Harbor in 1977, I photographed a wooden workboat that lay derelict in the marsh. It was about 40 feet long and beautiful. With rounded stern, dead-rise design and distinctive trunk cabin, it could have been a sister ship to the Albatross boats built in Marshallberg, NC. The Edwin Jr. had seen better days. Little did I know at that time, it was a precursor to a way of life in decline.

The Albatross Fleet

I’ve long appreciated the Hatteras-based charter boats known as the Albatross Fleet. Amongst all of the local offshore charter boats, the Albatross Fleet stands out. All three boats are undoubtedly the oldest around still operating. Over the years I’ve enjoyed opportunities to  photograph them. 

In 2000 I was offshore shooting anglers looking for bluefin tuna while Albatross III was trolling nearby. The appealing design and sheer of the boat struck me.

The boats have been docked in the same place for several decades. I shot them again in 2005 during the Day at the Docks event.

Red and white bamboo outriggers have long been an Albatross Fleet trademark.

While checking out the Hatteras waterfront in 1990, I saw the original 1938 Albatross hauled out for repairs.

Most recently a fundraiser was begun to help a local 5 year old girl, Milly King who was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. Hundreds of people have stepped forward to raise money for her expensive treatments. Two of those pitching in to help are Ernie and Lynne Foster. Ernie’s dad initiated the island’s charter fishing business back in 1938 when he built the first Albatross. The history is fascinating.

Albatross History

Ernie and Lynne volunteered to offer sunset cruises during Spring weekends for a $200 donation for Milly. I jumped at the opportunity to book a May trip, and asked my wife, Denise and 4 of our friends to come along.

We got underway aboard Albatross at 6:00, leaving Albatross II and III at the dock.

We settled in relaxing and taking in the sights.

Everyone had a great time with refreshments, snacks and some occasional gossip.

Eric Anglin’s ceviche was a huge hit with the crew. It’s the best I’ve ever had!

It was a great experience for us all. Captain Ernie and Lynne were wonderful hosts for the worthy cause. We share concerns about a healthy environment, appreciating our history and giving back to the island community.

To learn more about Milly’s journey, read this story.

Community rallies around “Mighty Milly” King as Buxton family begins leukemia fight

 

 

Why I Live Here

People ask, how’s the photography going? My answer can vary, but it depends what I’m working on. Nowadays I’ve cut back shooting, to spend more time editing and archiving what’s accumulated. I’m a photographic hoarder. I maintain and store what I shoot in a reasonably categorized fashion, so when looking for particular images, I can almost always find them. There are a few missing in action, others may have been inadvertently tossed. I just do the best I can.

I have boxes of saved work prints. Many shot with film, others taken with digital cameras that I began using in 2003. For the above image I spread some 10 inch prints across my work table and photographed them from above.

They show some of the reasons why I live here. So to answer that first question, it’s good!