Features 



Coastal Tidings 



Old Currituck 



In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, game birds flocked to the 

 sheltered waters of Currituck Sound. So did the market hunters 

 who shot them and sold them by the barrelful. T. Edward Nickens 

 describes the rise and fall of Currituck market hunting 6 



Blackbeard's Flagship? Searching a Shipwreck for Clues 



Have divers found the Queen Anne 's Revengel A shipwreck off 

 Beaufort offers a historian's treasure trove: guns, bottles and 

 possibly a trace of pirate gold 14 



Blackbeard: The Man and the Myth 



That bristling beard, those smoking pigtails! It's Blackbeard, of 



course. Discover how he lived and where he died — and how 



his history is intertwined with coastal North Carolina 17 



Patience Pays Off: The Rebirth of the Chowan River 

 Gives Hope for the Neuse 



Today the Chowan River is a beautiful backdrop for historic down- 

 town Edenton, but in the 1970s it was better known for its carpet 

 of algae. Take a look at how North Carolina battled the blue-green 

 scum — and won 18 



Sea Science: On the Trail of Giants: Bluefin Tuna Research 

 Expands to Cape Lookout 



Bluefin tuna are bringing fishers and scientists from all over the world 

 to North Carolina each winter. Catch the excitement and reel in the 

 latest on tuna tagging 24 



Book Market: Armchair Sailing 



If you're hankering for a good book about sailing the open ocean, 

 read no further. Whether you need practical tips, a historic adventure, 

 a tour of southern seaports or a story to entertain your kids, we've 

 got a book for you 27 



People & Places: Saving Snails ... And Other Steps Toward 

 a Healthy Planet 



Andy Wood is education curator for the N.C Aquarium at Fort 

 Fisher. He teaches, preaches and cajoles to get North Carolina 

 residents involved with saving the environment 30 



Maritime Morsels: Crabby Fare 



Blue crabs are both beautiful and delicious. Kathy Hart offers up 

 tasty ways to use their sweet, delicate meat 32 



COASTWATCH 1 



