COASTAL 



TIDINGS 



Ferries bring visitors to Cedar Island, 

 a Down East community. 



New Down East 

 Web Site 



Want to take a virtual tour of 

 Down East culture — from historic Ports- 

 mouth to the tiny fishing village of Cedar 

 Island? 



A new Web site developed by Core 

 Sound Waterfowl Museum highlights 

 photos, stories and facts from several Down 

 East communities. 



Funded through a grant from the 

 N.C. Arts Council, the site showcases the 

 cultural heritage of Down East communities, 

 according to Karen Amspacher, director of 

 the museum on Harkers Island. 



From boat building to hunting with 

 handcrafted decoys, the Down East com- 

 munities bring you back in time. 



To view the Website: click on www. 

 downeasttour. com. — A. G . 



The U.S. 77 Bypass near Wilmingon took a new turn to save this centuries-old tree. 



Living History Saved 



I f trees could talk, one in New Hanover 

 County might be saying, "Thank you." 



The giant live oak tree was destined to 

 be knocked down to make way for the U.S. 17 

 Wilmington Bypass project. But public outcry in 

 2000 sent the N.C. Department of Transportation 

 (DOT) back to the drawing board to reroute an 

 off-ramp and spare the tree. 



Work on that section of the bypass, which 

 includes the $500,000 redesign, began early this 

 year. 



Now a large area surrounding the tree is 

 fenced off to keep vehicles from damaging the 



stately oak and its extensive root system. 



The exact age of the tree is not known, but 

 Mary Ann Metcalf , an urban forestry specialist 

 with the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service, 

 estimates that it is more than 450 years old. 



The tree measures 80 1/2 inches around, 

 and its canopy spreads more than 120 feet 

 across. 



John Farrow, supervisor of DOT's roadside 

 environmental unit, told the Wilmington Star- 

 News that "It felt good to be able to protect 

 something that's older than the state of North 

 Carolina" — P.S. 



Oriental Harbor to Host Boat Show 



The first annual Oriental Harbor Boat Show and Festival is set for April 23-25. The 

 event will feature power, sail and fishing vessels, both in and out of the water. Marine 

 vendors also will highlight popular products. 



The agenda boasts seafood cook-offs, fishing demonstrations, beach and bluegrass 

 music and a coastal fashion show. 



Oriental is located at the mouth of the Neuse River on the Intracoastal Waterway 

 and is known as "The Sailing Capital of North Carolina" because it hosts dozens of sail- 

 ing regattas each year. 



For more information about the boat show, call 252/249-3783, or go online to 

 www.orientalharbor.com. — P.S. 



4 SPRING 2004 



