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Sunday 2p Update: It’s now Tropical Storm Imelda. What was feared as a potential visitor, now has a forecast track turning the storm east and away.

Sunday 5a Update: Tropical Depression Nine (soon Storm Imelda), the latest forecast update has the storm turning east even farther south – off the coast of Florida. Imelda should stay south & east of us. (click image to see the big view)

5p Update: Tropical Depression Nine (future Storm Imelda), the latest forecast update is even more positive. The official NHC track shows the storm turning east even sooner, keeping the storm south & east of us. (click image to see the big view)

11a Update: Now Tropical Depression Nine (and future Storm Imelda). The official NHC track shows the storm turning east sooner, which would keep the storm farther away from our town. Longer term models agree that eastern movement will continue, taking Imelda farther out to sea (and away). (click image to see the big view and more models)

5a Update: Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine (future Storm Imelda). The official NHC track is beginning to show Storm Nine stalling off SC coast, turning east. Longer term models suggest that eastern movement will continue, taking Imelda farther out to sea (and away). (click image to see the big view and more models)

Invest 94 is now Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine… and the future Storm Imelda. The official NHC track has Storm Nine heading for the SC coast.

What forecasts & projections do agree on: Invest 94 will become a tropical depression this weekend, and ultimately upgrade to storm Imelda. Imelda will track northwest towards the US east coast.
Then enters Imelda’s Dilemma. Computer models are divided. Will the storm track inland at the SC coast, or be pulled out to sea by the force of Hurricane Humberto?

MV Freedom takes in sunset on Taylor’s Creek, Beaufort. (John Rahm photo)

The Atlantic is a bit more complex today. Hurricane Gabrielle is powerful, but heading east and away. Invest 93 appears likely to take a similar path as Gabrielle.
Invest 94 is a potential concern. Early (unofficial) models are disparate. Some show a storm that may visit our shores, others suggest it could stay offshore.

Monarch butterflies were released Sunday on South Water St. Darlene Marquart fosters Monarchs, starting with a spec on a leaf, that becomes a caterpillar… that becomes a butterfly. Above above left, a new male, bottom right, a new female. At left… a future butterfly (in about 3 weeks).

Cormorants on early morning guard duty at Marker 6 in the Oriental channel.

Trawler Capt Ben, underway on Core Creek.

Monday night about 7p, a rainbow appeared (it didn’t last long). Pete Newman took in the view… from the newly constructed Taco Tower on Hodges St. (click pic for more views, Martha Newman photos)

A Hurricane Lily blooms in the blue bottle gardens on South Water Street. They are sometimes called a “red spider lily,” or even by their fancy scientific name: Lycoris radiata. They bloom in mid September… just when hurricanes often bloom too.

Sunset on Greens Creek… the view from MV Liz.

The dragon compass rose decorating the side of the Provision Company has weathered most of Oriental’s worst storms. Originally painted by Sue Henry, it recently got a paint refresh from Charlie Frye. Click for the big view, and to see the dragon in 2008.

Neal Whicher shows how to hold a sextant. Tonight, Fred Read will teach you how to use it. He’s speaking at The Oriental History Museum at 6:30p.

A cormorants suns itself on a piling near the Oriental Bridge.

The Greens Creek Challenge Regatta is the sailboat race for boats 20 ft and under. Held on the creeks of Oriental for over 30 years, its a magic small event that can make you smile. It was initially planned for Sept 13… but potentially unkind weather has the 2025 Greens Creek Challenge now set for Saturday Sept 20.
This is a scene from the 2023 Greens Creek Challenge.

Heading out Sunday afternoon for a new week of shrimp trawling, trawler Brenda K. (click pic for more Brenda K views)

Moonrise over Kershaw Creek.

SV Girl Friend has been a fixture at OYC and the Oriental harbor for over half a century. We’re told that when the boat debuted in the early 70s, it was the largest sailboat in Oriental. To put perspective on how boat sizes have changed, Girl Friend is a Tartan 34.

Mariposa and Silver Girl sailing on the Neuse.

Fishing boat at sunrise. (Kevin O’Neill photo)

A cat sits in the shadows at Garland Fulcher Seafood.

At sunrise, a native fisherman at work. (Jennifer Smart photo)

There were a lot of boats at Pirate Jam Saturday (looked like the largest group ever). Among them… a steamboat sighting. Jim Wysenski and crew visited the Jam with SS Ellie. (click pic for more steamy views)

Pirate Jam is Saturday, three bands play off Teachs Point from 2p to 6:30p. You take in the music from your boat. Here’s the map.

With summer almost gone… here is one of the iconic views of summer in Oriental: Bow To Stern’s youth sailing school dinghies lined up at the breakwater at Hodges Street. On mid summer Fridays the young sailors tie up here for a sweet reason… ice cream at The Bean.

On the water at the Wednesday Night Sail – Silver Girl and Mariposa. The Wednesday Night Sail is a multi-decade Oriental tradition.

Libby Delamar goes fishing in the harbor. (click pic for more fishing views, Ben Casey photos)

SV Monhegan Mist: home port in South Carolina, docked in North Carolina, named for an island off the coast of Maine.

Sunrise at Baird Creek, just off the Neuse. (Kelly Slobodian photo)

Sunrise, and a sailboat anchored beyond Oriental.

SV Whim is home on Pierce Creek.

At 9p Wednesday, the satellite view of Hurricane Erin moving north at 14 mph.

At 5p Wednesday, the satellite view of Erin. You can see the outer bands beginning to touch the NC coast.

The Wednesday morning satellite view of Hurricane Erin (from NOAA’s Goes East satelliute).

The Erin surge forecast from NHC/NOAA… 1 to 3 feet locally.

On Sunday mornings you’ll find the Oriental Dragon Boat Club out practicing on the creeks.

A cormorant takes in the sunrise.

SV Gizmo, docked in Pierce Creek. (Click for the full view)

An orange cat rests on the dock at Garland Fulcher Seafood. The docked ears indicate it won’t be adding to the local cat population.

You can eat it dainty with a fork, or some just pick it up and chomp in. It’s Watermelon Sunday, 4p today at the Bonds. (file photo from the 2021 Watermelon Sunday)

Gulls follow a small fishing boat, looking for a quick meal from the net.