Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
Opening May 26th
May 6, 2000
Cheryl Roberts
ANNOUNCEMENT
MOREHEAD CITY, NC
The National Park Service, Cape Hatteras
National Seashore, Outer Banks Group, has recently announced that the
lighthouse will open for climbing beginning 10 am the Friday before Memorial Day
(May 26) and continue to be open through Monday, May 29th. If Phase II
contractors complete their work, the lighthouse will re-open permanently July 4th. We will
keep you posted.
 | Lighthouse Tour |
Driving Directions to all North Carolina's Lighthouses
May 6, 2000
Cheryl Roberts
ANNOUNCEMENT
MOREHEAD CITY, NC
Most people visiting the Outer Banks of North Carolina want ot visit at least one of the lighthouses. The Outer Banks Lighthouse Society has prepared a Driving Tour from north to south along coastal North Carolina.
Of the existing towers you have a choice of seven lighthouses to visit, and you can see the ruins of an eighth light. Theses lighthouses are so interesting days can be spent in the surrounding area of each one. You are invited to visit a lighthouse soon.
State Boat Restoration
Shad Boat
May 6, 2000
Michael Halminski
HISTORY
ELIZABETH CITY, NC
The shad boat was developed on Roanoke Island in the late 1800's. It was a renowned design for being seaworthy, having maneuverability under sail, and its ability to haul heavy loads. The name comes from the type of fish it was used to catch. In 1987, the North Carolina General Assembly adopted the shad boat as the official state boat. Today most of the shad boats are long gone, although a few are still being used with motors by commercial fishermen.
photography courtesy Michael Halminski
In 1994, The Museum of the Albemarle, while researching traditional wooden boats of the region discovered an Alvira Wright shad boat overgrown in a yard. Alvira Wright (1869-1951) originally built the boat on the banks of the Arenuse Creek in Camden County in 1904. He was a noted decoy maker, logger, and boat builder. Originally built as a sailboat, it has a length of 29 feet and a beam of 7 feet 5 inches. It was converted to gasoline power in about 1912. In the 1970's there was an attempt to restore it back to sail power, but the shad boat eventually sat neglected and into a state of disrepair. Wright's daughter in law, Elizabeth Wright, donated the boat to the museum. In 1995 the Museum of the Albemarle received a grant from the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources to begin restoring the boat.
Shown in the photo is Wayne Matthews of the Museum of the Albemarle along side the project, which is about 80%, complete. He was one of the people instrumental in conceiving the shad boat restoration project. Enno Reckendorf, retired director of the Norfolk School of Boatbuilding is serving as the project director.
The restoration project is designed to revive interest in the boat building heritage of the Albemarle region and to prepare an authentic watercraft for the museum's collection. The fully rigged shad boat will be exhibited in the lobby entrance of the Museum of the Albemarle's future home in downtown Elizabeth City.
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Aquarium to Reopen
May 19th Date Set
May 6, 2000
Michael Halminski
NEWS
MANTEO, NC
After two years of expansion construction, the new North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island in Manteo will reopen its doors Friday, May 19th. At 68,000 square feet, the new facility will be double its former size and feature hundreds of animals found in North Carolina's diverse aquatic environments.
Visitors will be able to explore various natural habitats as they wander through the new complex. Creatures of the state's rivers, marshes, and sounds will be highlighted in the Freshwater Gallery. A wooded path will lead one through a skylit atrium complete with trees, creeks and streams. The Natural Habitat will include a Marsh Exhibit, consisting of native plants and animals, including alligators, otters, frogs and turtles. A Sound Exhibit will house creatures that reside in this transitional zone. A walkway will lead visitors to a series of outdoor exhibits along the Croatan Sound Shoreline where the effects of tides, weather and waters can be explored.
photography courtesy Michael Halminski
Natural settings featuring the animals that reside in near-shore habitats such as inlets, jetties, surf zones and reefs will also be featured. The nearby Discovery Gallery will provide visitors with a "hands on" learning experience where skates and rays, crabs, sea stars, urchins and other invertebrates can be handled.
The centerpiece of the expanded aquarium will be the 285,000-gallon ocean tank, which will display the skeletal remains of the recreated USS Monitor shipwreck. The 1/3 scale replica of the Monitor is amazingly realistic, so much so that many of the small reef fish try to feed off it. Large sharks, schooling fishes and sea turtles combine to make this a spectacular exhibit.
photography courtesy Michael Halminski
The reopening marks the completion of one third of the North Carolina Aquariums' expansion effort. "The grand reopening at Roanoke Island will offer a first glimpse at what our state's aquarium system will be like after all three facilities finish their expansion projects," said Aquariums Director, Rhett White.
As a result of a $32 million appropriation by the North Carolina General Assembly, all three North Carolina Aquariums will increase in size and offer more educational opportunities to visitors. The North Carolina Aquarium Society has committed to providing an additional $6 million to the expansions through a capital campaign and its grass roots, "Help Fill the Tanks" campaign.
Administered by the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Aquariums are designed to promote an awareness, understanding and appreciation of the state's diverse aquatic environments.
 | Outer Banks
At A Glance |
May 7, 2000
Staff Report
FACTS
OUTER BANKS, NC
Here's where to find the Outer Banks basics:
Current Weather and Forecasts
Outer Banks Calendar of Events
Oregon Inlet Fishing Reports
Outer Banks Ferry Schedules
Directions to the Outer Banks
Map of the Outer Banks
Tour the Outer Banks Lighthouses
The Outer Banks Lighthouse Collection
Outer Banks Shopping Directory
Requests .. Vacation Guides, Travel Guides, Accommodations, etc.
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