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Watermelon Sunday 2022 | August 14, 2022

Today is Watermelon Sunday 2022 at The Bonds, at the corner of Neuse & Ragan. It starts at 4p. Everyone is invited. Even you.

Today is the 2022 Dragon Boat Festival at River Dune’s Grace Harbor. Above is a finish at one of this morning’s heats.

This is a dredger. But not just any dredger. It’s a Suction Hopper Dredger. Here, Dodge Island was working in the Beaufort Channel. (Click for the big picture and more.)

The late, great Nol Engel bangs the drum for the Dragon Masters Dragon Boat Team at the 2013 Oriental Dragon Boat Festival. The latest iteration of this annual event (ongoing since 2010) happens this Saturday, August 13 at River Dunes.

A barge, a fishing trawler, and those bright orange fenders. It’s a common weekend scene in Oriental’s harbor. The barge has been digging out the channel for the Oriental Yacht Club. The fenders belong to fishing trawler Lillie Jane unloading at the Garland Fulcher docks.

An early morning fire Tuesday in Buccaneer Bay West reduced a garage to ash. Volunteer Firefighters from five departments were able to save the house. Check out the scene here.

It’s an Oriental tradition. For the last 50+ years, the Bond family slices and serves up watermelon on Fay Bond’s front lawn. Everyone – residents, boaters, visitors – is invited to join the Bond family this coming Sunday, August 14, starting at 4p.

Fishing Trawler Carolyn Ann in Oriental Harbor this morning. After finishing unloading her catch at the Garland Fulcher docks, the trawler navigated out of the spot and reversed through the harbor to the end of the docks. (Click for the big view and more pictures of the trawler.)

Judy Crane has been a working artist for the part 40 years, most recently working with oils. See Last Rays (above) and more of her work at The Village Gallery throughout August.

What do horses have to do with sailing? You can only get to these horses by boat. They’re living on Carrot Island, facing the Beaufort Waterfront. Back in the 1940s, a local dropped several horses on the marshy island. They’ve since expanded into a feral herd of around 30 animals. (Click for the big pic and more)

A barge and a bit of spoil means better access to the slips at Oriental Yacht Club. OYC has been getting a long awaited dredging.

Fishing Trawler Little Sammie heading north on Adams Creek, bound for shrimping in the Neuse & Pamlico Sound. (Click for the big picture and more.)

Saturday morning, Virginia and her dad Drew Keasler were out on the water in Drew’s dinghy. Her dad said she enjoyed the trip. Maybe it was the photographer she didn’t like.. (Click for the bigger picture and more of Virginia and her dad.)

Tuesday sunrise, viewed from Pecan Grove Marina. The seagulls don’t normally get to stand on that sand bump… it’s low water from the strong southwest winds. (Jens-Peter Berndt photo)

Sunday afternoon shrimp trawler Captain Ben (hailing port Sneads Ferry) was in place on the Neuse. Shrimp get the weekend off. North Carolina law states that you can’t fish for shrimp from sundown Friday through 5p Sunday. As a result, every Sunday afternoon during shrimp season you’ll see trawlers getting in position, ready to drop their nets the moment 5p arrives.

Todd Cox leans off the deck of a floating Tiki Bar to check out a playing card. The boater holding the card is part of today’s 15th Annual Dinghy Poker Run – a visit to the creeks (via boat) to collect a hand of playing cards. The event is a collaboration between Oriental’s sailing clubs. (Click for the big picture and the full floating tiki bar view.)

Have a bicycle that needs repair? Village Bicycle is at the Farmers’ Market on Hodges Street Saturday morning. You can even test drive an electric bike.

Cruising sailor Ashley Haley and her dog Apache take the dinghy to shore. The pair live aboard a Moody 34.

Sunrise, Sunset. The ArtWorks amateur photography contest is this Sunday at New Village Brewery from 4-8p. Entry deadline is Wednesday at 5p. Brewery visitors determine the people’s choice award. Entry and rules here.

A view from inside the Idea House, at River Dunes. It is the 2022 Southern Living Idea House, built on the theme “The Great Escape.” It is available to tour starting this weekend. More info at riverdunes.com. (click pic for more views)

Cavalier des Mers stayed at the fuel dock at Oriental Marina Inn Wednesday night. With three 501 hp Detroit diesels, it might be thirsty. The 91’ passenger vessel has a hailing port of St. John, Newfoundland. It was used to service the Bull Arm ExxonMobil project. It has a certain “experienced patina” from its life experiences. (Click for the big picture and more)

