dedicated to one of our 

 world's highest achievements. If not for the 

 help of North Carolinians — and Outer 

 Bankers in particular — the miracle of flight 

 may not have been achieved in America, 

 Parramore convincingly argues. 



North Carolina contributed much more 

 than a plot of land that could be used for 

 flight practice. Our state produced some of 

 the most notable airwomen and airmen. 



In World War I, hundreds of pilots came 

 from North Carolina, including the first 

 American to shoot down an enemy plane. 



In the few years that followed the 

 Wright brothers' famous flight, "it seemed 

 unlikely that airplanes would be much 

 consequence to human existence," Parramore 

 writes. However, published on the dawning 

 of the flight's 100th birthday, Parramore's 

 book celebrates a rich past in a compelling 

 story that is just right for any history buff. 



• Ghost Ship of Diamond Shores, 



by Bland Simpson, The University of North 

 Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, NC 27515. 256 

 pages. Hardback, $24.95, ISBN 0-8078- 

 2749-5. 



Bland Simpson's Ghost Ship of 

 Diamond Shoals is another must-read for 

 history lovers, as it describes the real-life 



mystery of the Carroll A. Deering, a great 

 cargo ship whose past has haunted historians 

 for more than a half century. 



Willis Wormell, captain of the Deering, 

 had retired when he received a telegram from 

 the ship asking if he'd make one more run. 

 The scheduled captain had become ill, but 

 the Deering needed to make a trip to Rio de 

 Janeiro, Brazil. So Wormell said goodbye 

 to his wife and daughter, Lula, and left for 

 Rio. Though aware of the dangers of the 

 sea, "a man just couldn't give up all he'd 

 known and done and followed for his 

 whole life" after he retired, said his 

 wife. And just as he'd always returned, 

 she didn't expect this time to be any 

 different. 



But on Jan. 31, 1921, an 

 abandoned schooner was seen 

 wrecked on the treacherous Diamond Shoals. 

 When rescuers were finally able to approach 

 the ship, they found it both plundered and 

 deserted. Only a cat still occupied the ruined 

 ship. 



Several months later, a bottle was found 

 on the shore not far from the spot of the 

 wreckage. The soggy note that was enclosed 

 appeared to be written by one of the 

 crewmembers and claimed that pirates had 

 captured the ship. 



When Lula Wormell brought her 

 suspicions of foul play to then-secretary of 

 commerce Herbert Hoover, a worldwide 

 investigation commenced. Rumors of 

 mariners' mutiny and murder followed. 

 Through the articles of W.O. Saunders, editor 

 of Elizabeth City's newspaper, the Indepen- 

 dent, as well as letters from Lula Wormell, 

 FBI reports and ship's logs, Simpson 

 unravels an investigative mystery that is still 

 alive today. 



• A Guide to Nature Conservancy 

 Projects in North Carolina, written 

 and edited by Margaret Fields and Ida 

 Phillips Lynch, published by The Nature 

 Conservancy, N.C Chapter, Durham, NC 

 27707. 129 pages. Paperback, $9.95, ISBN0- 

 9675026-0-8. 



For the adventurous outdoorsman or the 



BOOK 



MARKET 



avid traveler on your list, consider A Guide 

 to Nature Conservancy Projects in North 

 Carolina. Compiled by the Nature 

 Conservancy — a nonprofit organization 

 dedicated to protecting the natural areas that 

 plants and animals need to survive — the 

 colorful guide highlights 50 of our state's 

 conservation lands that are most accessible 

 to outdoor enthusiasts. The guide is divided 

 into four sections, each one highlighting a 

 different region of our state. 



From entries on the coast to the 

 mountains, each passage brims with 

 pictures, as well as easy-to-interpret 

 symbols that give information about hiking, 

 camping and fishing opportunities, along 

 with hints on boating or bird watching. 

 Each section provides facts on the size of 

 each preserve or project, and highlights its 

 history with the Nature Conservancy. 



No matter where you're bound in 

 North Carolina, the 

 Nature Conservancy's 

 guide is certain to ^ 

 feature a site close by. Nature 

 We recommend 

 keeping a copy of 

 this book in your 

 glove compartment, 

 so that a long trip to 

 the mountains may 

 be broken up with 

 a picnic lunch at 

 the Eno River 

 State Park in 

 Durham. Or a 

 trip to the coast 

 could incorpo- 

 rate bird 

 watching at 

 Nags Head. 



Whether 

 you plan 

 your trip 

 around a Nature 

 Conservancy preserve, or you just want to 

 stretch your legs with a short walk amid a 

 shady trail's colorful wildflowers, this guide 

 is a must-have for locating our state's 

 unique natural treasures. □ 



Conservi 



mm:- 



COASTWATCH 29 



