It's Tuesday June 6, 2023
SV Mexicana Of Dunedin | June 5, 2023
Oriental’s anchorage has been busy lately. One colorful boat was anchored out last week: Mexicana of Dunedin.
The noir view of a high water Sunday morning on Hodges. Just 17 days til the first day of summer.
This is a Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, a new military aircraft that is just arriving at nearby Cherry Point Marine Corp Air Station. Over time there will be 6 squadrons, with ten planes each. Sixty F-35. The new planes have the Marines seeking expanded airspace to fly in… click here to learn more.
Today is the first official day of Hurricane Season. The last major hurricane to visit Oriental was Hurricane Dorian in September, 2019.
This particular school of fish is seen once a year around Memorial Day. It’s a section of the body of Mildred Pickles.
A turtle crossing Deerfield Rd near Sea Harbour Yacht Club. Keep an eye out… more turtles than average are out following the weekend’s high waters. (Bill Chaplik photo)
One of the WildLife Ramp docks in Oriental came loose in the high winds & high waters. TownDock reader Lynn Ray reports: “The dock did break away free heading for the bridge. I contacted wildlife and they retrieved it by boat and beached it in the parking lot.” Above is the recovered ramp Saturday evening… awaited being re-installed after the storm.
A seafood house cat ponders Friday’s high waters on Hodges Street.
High northeast winds have pushed the Neuse onto Hodges Street. With forecast northeast winds 25-30 knots tonight & Saturday, waters are likely to get even higher.
Early morning view on the Aurora to Bayview ferry.
Graham Byrnes in his Core Sound 17 Mark 3 ketch Carlita. He’s on a circumnavigation around Pamlico Sound to raise funds to help those with Parkinson’s Disease.
Sailor, boat builder, nautical architect. Graham Byrnes has an extensive resumé. He also has Parkinson’s Disease. Despite that, he’s circumnavigating the Pamlico Sound to help others. Story coming. (Click for the big picture and a view of his vessel.)
A familiar boat returned to Oriental Sunday morning… from Holland is Martijn Dijkstra onboard Princes Mia. The boat arrived in Beaufort a few days ago, after sailing up from the Caribbean. Martijn has been visiting Oriental for a couple decades, first arriving with this over 50 ft vessel in 2013 (he used to sail a 34 ft cutter). Here’s a look at the boat when it first arrived.
Breena Litzenberger sits at a sewing machine at Inner Banks Canvas. She and her husband were once cruisers. Then they docked in Oriental…. and found a new mission.
These days, they live in a house and operate Inner Banks Canvas.
Plein Air art from the work done Tuesday in Oriental. TownDock’s lead art critic noted Pollywood may have been the most compelling Plein Air subject. (click photo for more examples)
Semi-patient TownDock photographers are waiting for actual Plein Air artists to awaken and arrive in Oriental. Plein Air artists are now in Oriental today, as part of a week long Plein Air Art Festival in eastern North Carolina.
The Oriental Dragon Boat Club paddling out of Smith Creek, bound for the Wildlife Ramp. In 2022, Oriental’s team accomplished a demographic feat: they won the Dragon Boat races, beating out 8 other teams, including two crews of young, strappin’ Marines. (Click for more on the creek coverage)
Why act your age? Wendy Osserman, Aniyah Simone and the Dazzling Dancers ask the question through the art of dance. The performance is 3p Sunday on the Old Theater stage.
Above is the Hayde Bluegrass Orchestra – from Norway. They performed in Oriental in October 2022. They are a perfect reminder of why we have the Ol’ Front Porch Music Festival every year. It takes a few bucks to make the festival happen – so there’s a fundraiser for the festival Saturday. Get yourself a chicken BBQ plate and some tunes (and a beer). More info here.
TownDock provides this subtle hint, that White Goods/Brown Goods need to be at the curb by sunrise Saturday. It’s Oriental’s annual Brown/White goods pickup. Have everything curbside by 7am.
The narrow waters high up Greens Creek.
Red trawlers bask in morning red sky.
Week-long trips, a basket of scratch offs, and carved birds – they were all up for auction at the 2023 Hope Regala. Story coming.
Picture of a bygone era – that some of you may remember. Found at the Town Wide Yard Sale, Saturday, May 6.
This is the steering station of a 22 ft launch, a 1911 Fay & Bowen named Chinook. The Friends Of The Museum (Maritime Museum) were showing it at the Beaufort Wooden Boat Show Saturday. She could be yours. (click pic for more Chinook views)
In an uncertain world, sometimes you may need to make a statement of where you are on the food chain. Spotted in Saturday’s town wide yard sale… mink stoles (we peasants just call them dead animal scarfs). They wear their final expression well.
The 2023 Town Wide Yard sale is underway. “Stuff” is waiting for you. Click here to see the yard sale map.
It seemed like any other morning on the Minnesott Beach / Cherry Point Ferry. But something was different? Some say North Carolina is a hotspot for UFO sightings. Learn more at a UFO Talk… it’s 7p tonight at the Spirit Shack in Oriental.
May has arrived with dry clear air. This is the harbor sunset view from the 1st of May.
Mr. & Mrs. Bruno – Ben & Chloie – were married in a small family ceremony at Windmill Point Saturday night. In the inset photo is a young Ben Bruno, circa 2009. Ben and Chloie are both MK2s – mechanic second class petty officers – in the Coast Guard. Their next station is Kodiak, Alaska. They’ll report in the next three weeks.
Bicyclists discover Oriental’s highest altitude Saturday morning, as they pedal across the bridge. The masts of Pecan Grove beckon ahead.
Every NC Cycle Coastal Ride cyclist gets a copy of this drawing celebrating the 2023 ride being in Oriental. The drawing is by Oriental’s Laura Turgeon.
The population of Oriental has doubled for the weekend. It seems the visitors like coffee (word is, they drink beer too). Friday morning at The Bean, and a patient line of Cycle NC visitors wait for their caffeine. (click pic for more views)
Mousers. They’ve found a home at the Garland Fulcher docks. These cats keep the facilities clear of unwanted visitors, trading their hunting skills for the occasional laze on the docks. (Click for the big picture and scroll for more dock cats.)
SV Flying Fish is at the town dock this morning. Her crew – family of four – have been sailing aboard the 1976 Islander Freeport 41 since 2020. They’re stopping off in Oriental to get some sail and boat work done. (Click for the big view and more)
There’s capsizing… and then there is capsizing with style. The Sailpack ladies show how it’s done. The 2023 Sailpack Regatta was this past weekend. TownDock was there with camera’s clicking… here’s the story.
Sailpack Regatta sailors return to Bow To Stern Sunday, winding up the two day collegiate event. Story coming…
With calmer Sunday winds, the SailPack Regatta returned to the Neuse. Here, two teams from NC State SailPack cross paths. Story coming.
Capsize city. Saturday’s high winds pushed the SailPack Regatta into the creeks. The regatta was postponed after the first race. It continued around 1p, after the winds died down some.
High wind capsize… Sailpack Regatta sailors get dunked Saturday on Smith Creek.
The 2023 Sailpack Regatta is today & Sunday in the waters of Oriental. Over 130 collegiate sailors are in town to compete. (file photo, mid-jibe in the 2022 regatta)
The “Great Lake Fire”, viewed from Arapahoe. Winds have shifted Friday afternoon… and smoke isn’t all over Oriental anymore. (Dave Dewey photo)
View of the sunrise at Lou Mac Pier through the haze of smoke. Where’s all the smoke coming from? The Great Lake Fire in Croatan National Forest. It’s around 2000 acres, and only partially contained. 7000 acres with 0% containment as of 9:30a this morning. With WSW winds, the smoke will be with us for a while today. (click pic for the big view… and a map of where the fire is)
Thursday morning harbor; the bird’s eye view.
