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Old 08-05-2006, 03:13   #1
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North Carolina ?

Does the Maritime Museum, at Beaufort NC, still provide a free (2 Hr) courtesy car?
Are the "Rose Buddies" still welcoming every woman to Elizabeth City NC with a fresh-cut rose, and do they still put on the dockside wine & cheese parties?
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Old 08-05-2006, 07:09   #2
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Quote:
Does the Maritime Museum, at Beaufort NC, still provide a free (2 Hr) courtesy car? Are the "Rose Buddies" still welcoming every woman to Elizabeth City NC with a fresh-cut rose, and do they still put on the dockside wine & cheese parties?
Not sure about the loaner car in Beuafort. The Elizabeth City rose buddies are still there but the original gentleman that made it famous is no longer. The tradition has been picked up by I think two or three others. Some changes in town as all along the ICW there are changes but still a great spot in a great location.

Going farther inland off the ICW yields a lot of neat old small towns still quite engaging. Had neighbors come back from an April two week trip down there and it is a great place to cruise around at a great time of the year. If you can spend the time to get farther up the rivers you'll find some really great places. The reverse migration is on so there is a lot of traffic.

The popular spots along the ICW are still most popular but the out of the way places are maybe even more interesting. The dismal swamp canal seems to be getting more dismal. It's unknown how much longer it can reamin open.
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Old 08-05-2006, 13:02   #3
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In December of last year the museum was still lending out the van. It was the most amazing thing! I showed them my drivers license, they gave me the keys. I had to fill it with gas, cause I was so greatfull. They did not ask me to fill it though.

Keith
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Old 15-07-2006, 11:40   #4
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In addition to the car available from the Maritime Museum, Beauford Docks has (had?) a loaner car for folks that took a slip there.

Pblias: Mr. Fred Fearing was one of the original "Rose Buddies." Your post is not clear: "... is no longer." Is he no longer associated with the Welcome Party, or has he died? Mr. Fearing was quite elderly.

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Old 15-07-2006, 12:15   #5
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Rose Buddies

Fred was still in Elizabeth City last fall when we passed through, though he did have to ask my wife to cut her own fresh roses. The wine and cheese party was just as good as it was 20 years ago. The courtesy cars are still at the museum in Beaufort. The Dismal Swamp Canal was open and the rumors were flying that it was going to close--we've been hearing those same rumors for 20 years, so don't hold your breath. The biggest change on the ICW in the past 20 years is the emergence of TowBoat U.S. and Sea Tow and the disappearance of the Coast Guard in helping people. Boaters now call one of the towers for every little grounding or fuel problem whereas we used to all help each other out. One day on the ICW we heard five boats call the towboats, mostly for running out of fuel.
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Old 02-09-2006, 12:43   #6
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New Bern, North Carolina,
My wife and I were visiting her relatives in Lexington, KY and took a side trip to NC and stopped at New Bern, then went on to the coast and did a drive on Emerald Isle.
Anyone here from that area? I'd like to know more about it.
Kind Regards, JohnL
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Old 02-09-2006, 13:08   #7
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SkiprJohn, we live just outside of New Bern, and it's a great area. There is a huge boating interest here, and good areas to spend time on the water - either in the protection of the sounds and rivers, or out in the Atlantic.

We are about 20 miles up the Neuse River from the ICW - that juncture is close to Oriental. It's another very popular sailing town. From there, you can turn north toward the Chesapeake, or south to Beaufort, to continue on the ICW or shoot out the Beaufort Inlet into the Atlantic.

The Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium has just reopened, and it is between Atlantic Beach and Emerald Isle. We haven't been there since the reopening, but reports are good.

Not all the boaters here stay put. We meet many of our neighbors when we are cruising - in places as far as the southern Bahamas. A number of the liveaboards are in our marina for the summer months.

A number of retired military folks live in the area - what with Seymour Johnson AFB, MCAS Cherry Point, and MCB Camp LeJeune nearby.

Fishing is popular. I'm not sure if it would compare to Hawaii, but you can get big stuff with the Gulf Stream being about 30 miles out of Beaufort, and catch flounder, drum, trout, tarpon, etc. in the inland waters.

The big drawback for some is the barbecue. It's vinegar based. I like it all, but some people prefer the red sauce over Carolina style.

Entlie

PS. We lived just outside of Lexington, KY before we came here. It's beautiful, too.
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Old 02-09-2006, 14:56   #8
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The "Rose Buddies"

GordMay: Sunspot Baby has not been further north than the Pamlico River, but I asked your question in our boating group, and here's the answer:

"When we were in Elizabeth City a few weeks ago by car, the Rose Buddies were still going but that day's edition of the local newspaper had a story about the fact that the local PD had taken Fred's golf cart away from him.

The quote in the paper said that Fred didn't know what it would mean to the Rose Buddies.

Seems that Fred who had no other means of transportation had taken to
wandering about the city and "for his own protection the city PD had asked that he park the cart."
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Old 02-09-2006, 21:08   #9
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Aloha Entlie,
Thanks for the information. We stopped at the AFB and at MCAS and did a bit of walking around in New Bern. Unfortunately, just not enough time to see as much as I would have liked.
Had a great visit to Lexington. Did the Horse Park and Concours (auto show) as well as Mammoth Caves and Natural Bridge. Packed a lot of traveling into two weeks plus a couple of days for wife's mom's 90th birthday celebration.
It appears to be a boater friendly area which is very nice. Home prices don't seem unreasonable either. If you had your druthers what town would you settle near?
Regards,
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Old 03-09-2006, 04:43   #10
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SkiprJohn,

Well we thought we were going to move to Oriental, and when we bought Sunspot Baby, named her hailing port as Oriental. However, in the two years it took us to sell our house, property values shot up and haven't stopped moving that direction. Properties are still a good buy, but a town lot that was $50,000 in 2000 is now $125,000. You get the picture. Nevertheless, if you come from an area with high values, many still consider Oriental a bargain.

We moved to New Bern, to a development called Fairfield Harbour, about 8 miles from town. It's also booming, but prices are lower than Oriental, and it's a popular spot, closer to infrastructure than Oriental. It's a gated community (I know...structured, etc., but 24 hour security when you take off on your boat for 6 months at a time, even though not much crime here.) There are two golf courses here, and the occasional restaurant that goes in and out of business. No curbs or sidewalks, and few street lights, so the community still has a rural feel.

If you don't need waterfront or golf course property, you can get a nice 3 bdr house w/2 car garage, mostly brick, in FFH for less than $300,000, and pick your builder.

Northwest Creek Marina, where we keep Sunspot Baby, is about a mile and a half from our house. Dockages rates are great, and Bud Ellis, the dockmaster, runs a tight ship but has a very safe and well run marina. When a hurricane is on the way, it's a good spot to be. It's full now, with a waiting list. There are other marinas, including the Sheraton in New Bern, which is also popular with locals and cruisers.

New Bern and surrounding communities offer other places to live, and many roads and creeks where you can park your boat at your house if you are willing to pay the extra for waterfront.

Of course there are many towns along the waterway, rich in marine history and charm - Swansboro, Beaufort, Morehead City, Elizabeth City.

If you end up out our way, we'd be happy to show you around.

There are links to Fairfield Harbour, New Bern, and Oriental on our web site:
http://www.stateham.com/sunspotbaby/

Entlie
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Old 03-09-2006, 11:56   #11
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Aloha Entlie,
Thanks very much for the information. Fairfield Harbour sounds very nice. It'll probably be a couple more years before we can tour the area again and we do appreciate the invitation to see your area. You too are invited to have a free tour of Hawaii Island, Hawaii.
Kind Regards, JohnL
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