From Greenville, I made for the Outer Banks, specifically to the island of Ocracoke, where Blackbeard’s legacy seemed to hang in the air like Spanish moss on a live oak.
To reach Ocracoke Island, I took the ferry from Swan Quarter on the mainland. The scenic two-and-a-half hour voyage was an appealing aspect of the trip. Losing sight of the mainland to catch a glimpse eventually of my island destination with a flurry of pelicans and gulls to greet the ship as it neared the terminal evoked a strong feeling of being transported elsewhere for an experience beyond the norms of the rest of the world.
For routes, schedules, reservations and updated information about the North Carolina Ferry service, check out ncdot.gov/divisions/ferry.
Springer’s Point Nature Preserve
My most memorable time on Ocracoke was hiking around Springer’s Point, a hideout and anchorage for Blackbeard and the site where he lost his life at the hands of British Naval Lieutenant Robert Maynard three centuries ago. The walk was with island resident Philip Howard.
An eighth-generation descendant of William Howard – the quartermaster for Blackbeard and the fourth and last colonial owner of Ocracoke Island – Philip spun tale after tale as we walked the beach path lined with live oaks to see where Blackbeard met his demise.
Stay tuned for more about and with Philip in an interview (and maybe a ghost story) for my podcast. Until then, I encourage you to have a look at Philip’s blog for loads of insight about Ocracoke history and lore: villagecraftsmen.blogspot.com.
For details about Philip’s tours of Springer’s Point click on villagecraftsmen.com/ghostwalk.
And for more information about Springer’s Point go to coastallandtrust.org/springers-point.
Ocracoke Village & Beach Tours
Continuing with my Ocracoke immersion, I hopped on a ride around the island with Justin LeBlanc of Ocracoke Village & Beach Tours. In addition to further pirate fact and fable, I learned about recent island history and wildlife. Tagging along with Justin meant a chance to get out to the beach, and a few other important spots such as the lighthouse. When hopping the ferry back to the mainland, I was sad to leave those broad beaches with no developments along them. I would have loved a couple of days relaxing there.
Details of Justin’s chartered tours are at ocracokebeachtours.com.
1718 Brewing Ocracoke + Plumb Pointe Kitchen
I worked up a thirst discovering the charms of Ocracoke life. So lunch at the recently opened 1718 Brewing Ocracoke was a most pleasing pit stop.
1718 brews a quality (and somewhat quirky) selection of expertly crafted beer made with local ingredients. I was impressed with everything sipped from my flight, particularly with the coffee kolsch. Attached to the brewery is Plumb Pointe Kitchen, an ace little eatery producing excellent casual cuisine. Tummy pleasers I tried that perfectly paired with included shrimp wrapped in bacon and southern style oysters Rockefeller.
Go to 1718’s Facebook page for more information: facebook.com/1718BrewingOcracoke.
Back Porch Restaurant
Another fab meal was enjoyed at Back Porch Restaurant, where seafood and fish dishes reigned supreme and a slice of fig cake with cream cheese frosting (made with island-grown figs) was a total treat (and quite possibly the yummiest slice of cake I had this year). Back Porch was a fine place for a chinwag too. I left my dinner glad for the impromptu conversations about life on the island that I had with restaurant owner Daphne Bennick and some of her friends.
Visit the restaurant online at backporchocracoke.com.
Blackbeard’s Lodge
While on Ocracoke, I stayed at Blackbeard’s Lodge. Established in 1936, it is the oldest operating lodge on the island and is owned by the Stevens family. Ocracoke residents with a lineage connecting them to some of the island’s earliest settlers, the Stevens are directly related to the lodge’s riginal owner, Robert Stanley Wahab. It was also a pleasant and well situated place to spend the night. My suite with balcony was ginormous and comfortable.
Book online at blackbeardslodge.com.
Ocracoke Island Golf Carts
I parked my car for the entirety of my stay on Ocracoke and got around in island style with a golf cart. It came courtesy of Ocracoke Island Golf Carts, a locally owned and operated business offering hourly, daily and weekly rental rates.
Find out more at ocracokeislandgolfcarts.com.
Keep a watch out for more posts to come in my Blackbeard’s Wake miniseries.
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