5: Spring First Friday 5:30-7 p.m.
Join us for the final evening planned in our Spring First Friday series, which features local art, artists, jewelry and more each month in the Port of Call Museum Store, museum lobby and auditorium. The free event is open to the public, and advance registration is not required. The May event coincides with the free Annual Wooden Boat Show Kickoff Reception, held across the street in the Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center.
5: Annual Wooden Boat Show Opening Reception, 5-7 p.m.
Enjoy light refreshments and entertainment during the free Annual Wooden Boat Show Kickoff Reception, held in the Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center.
6: 47th Annual Wooden Boat Show, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Additional activities are scheduled May 5–7 Enjoy a variety of small wooden boats, historic vessels, nautical crafts, educational activities, boat models, traditional skills demonstrations and displays. It is the longest-running wooden boat show in the Southeast. Free.
Go Sailing in a Wooden Boat (weather permitting; free boat rides will also be offered on May 5 and 7) Boating Skills Virtual Trainer (also available during museum hours May 4-8) Wooden Boat Kids Activities Carolina Maritime Model Boat Exposition The Art of Nautical Knot Tying Sailing Race Awards Reception
10: Merry-time for Tots 15 at 10 a.m.
Preschoolers (ages 2-5) and their caregivers participate in a maritime themed hands-on experience, craft, and activity. Topics rotate between pirates, sharks, whales, and fish with a focus on both experience and exposure. Each program is 45-60 minutes long. Caregivers are asked to stay for entire program, which is offered every second Wednesday. Pre-registration required; $10 per participating child (Friends of the Museum members $5). Or buy a three-month package and get 20 percent off. For information or to register, call 252-504-7758 or visit ncmaritimemuseumbeaufort.com/
11: Ocean Infants, 9 a.m.
The program, designed for infants (0-2 years) and their caregivers, involves maritime items such as whale bones, shark teeth, and pirate hats! This program, offered every second Thursday, is designed to give the caregiver and infant the chance to bond, learn, and socialize. Pre-registration required; $5 per participating child (Friends of the Museum members $2). Or buy a three-month package and get 20 percent off. For information or to register, call 252-504-7758 or visit ncmaritimemuseumbeaufort.com/
11: Crusty Clusters, Hidden Treasure: Concretions in Archaeological Conservation, 11 a.m.
Is it a seahorse? A plumbing fixture? What about a really big nail? Sometimes artifacts that are buried in the ocean form special crusts called “concretion” that change their appearance and hide their identity. Join Museum Conservator Michelle Crepeau in the museum auditorium to learn what a concretion is, how it forms, and how conservators break them down to uncover the buried archaeological treasure within. Free, no registration required.
15: Maritime Matinee: “The Eagle: America’s Tall ship”, 1 p.m.
A never-before-seen look at one of the most unique U.S. Coast Guard training exercises at sea, this film gives an unprecedented firsthand experience of life aboard America’s Tall Ship. Christened in the German Navy and seized as a war prize during World War II, Eagle today trains over 600 new officer cadets every year. The pace is hectic, the action is nonstop, and the dangers are ever present. The 80-minute film will be screened in the museum auditorium. Free, no registration required.
16: Exploring Coastal Habitats, 9 a.m.–noon
Discover the various plants and animals of the salt marsh and tidal flats at the Rachel Carson Reserve. A guided hike will take you through the different habitats found on Town Marsh and Bird Shoal. The terrain will be sandy, muddy, and wet. $25. Under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Pre-registration required by noon day prior. For information or to register, call 252-504-7758 or visit ncmaritimemuseumbeaufort.com/
17: Shrimping in North Carolina, 11 a.m.
North Carolina’s shrimp industry slowly emerged in the Lower Cape Fear region during the 19th century. However, it did not take-off until the years leading up to World War I when Scandinavian immigrants introduced the otter trawl to Brunswick County. Following the introduction of the otter trawl, the industry quickly expanded and spread from Brunswick County to the Pamlico Sound. As business improved, so did the watercraft. Eventually, the shrimp industry peaked in the late 1940s and in the early 1950s. By the late 1950s, the fishery began to face challenges due to environmental factors, heavy fishing, foreign imported shrimp, and conflicts with other fisheries. Join Maritime Historian David Bennett for the free presentation held in the museum auditorium. The program is presented in partnership with the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries. The programs focus on the history of four different fisheries in North Carolina as part of the DMF celebration of 200 Years of State Marine Fisheries Management and Conservation in North Carolina.
18: Explosion on the Steamship Pulaski, 1838, 11 a.m.
One of North Carolina’s most tragic maritime accidents, the steamer Pulaski sank about 30 miles off the coast in June of 1838 when a steam boiler exploded. Two thirds of passengers onboard were lost. Education Curator Benjamin Wunderly will discuss the days leading up to the incident, its aftermath and the survivors. Free, no registration required.
19: Adults-Only Tour, 6-8 p.m.
Enjoy your beverage of choice as you learn about some lesser told stories related to maritime history. Laugh, drink, and learn during this evening tour, which features tales of love triangles, indecency, drugs, and more. This program is rated R due to language, alcohol, and explicit content. Participants must be 21 years of age or older. Tickets are $30 per person ($25 for Friends of the Maritime Museum members). Cost includes tour, moonshine tasting, and souvenir cup. Pre-registration required by noon the day prior. For information or to register, call (252) 504-7758 or visit ncmaritimemuseumbeaufort.com/
23: Kayak the Salt Marsh, 9 a.m.–noon
Learn about the benefits of salt marshes while on the water. Basic kayak instruction and safety lessons on shore are followed by a two-mile paddle through the salt marsh. Under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Participants must know how to swim; some kayak experience is recommended. $35 ($30 with own kayak). Pre-registration required by noon day prior. For information or to register, call 252-504-7758 or visit ncmaritimemuseumbeaufort.com/
23: World Turtle Day: Sea Turtles of North Carolina, 1 p.m.
Spending only a brief time on land, sea turtles are quite different from most other turtles we know. From hatchling to adult, a lifetime at sea is no small task for these reptiles that grow so big. Join the museum educators in the auditorium on World Turtle Day to learn about the different species of sea turtles that inhabit the coastal waters of North Carolina and the trials they face from before they even emerge from their sandy nest. Free; no registration required.
25: North Carolina Marine Mammal Stranding Network, 11 a.m.
Join Vicky Thayer, coordinator of the North Carolina Inland and Central Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network, in the museum auditorium to learn what the stranding network does when responding to whales, dolphins, porpoises, and seals that come ashore along North Carolina’s ocean and estuarine shorelines. Dr. Thayer will describe the sequence of events that happen when her team gets a call reporting a marine mammal stranding and what they learn from these animals. Free, no registration required.
By Cyndi Brown, Public Information Officer, NC Maritime Museums