Celebrate the 'Sea'-son in Beaufort
Welcome cooler weather and fall colors during the “Celebrate the ‘Sea’son Weekend” at the North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort.
Experience the history, heritage and environment of the coast through three unique activities, offered Friday, Sept. 23 and Saturday, Sept. 24.
“These Museum programs show the way the marine environment has shaped important historical and cultural events,” said Museum Education Curator Allison Besch. “A sunset sail, a celebration of estuaries, and a look at Beaufort during the Civil War might seem like unrelated subjects, but the common link is the sea. And, this is the perfect time of year to enjoy it!”
On Friday at 5 p.m., set sail on a 72-foot schooner, the Jeanie B., as the stars appear over the Crystal Coast. Enjoy sea breezes as Captain Lee Sutton presents “Biography of Man through the Stars.” Light refreshments provided. Reservations are $40 per person; Museum members receive a discount.
Saturday marks National Estuaries Day. The Museum, in partnership with the North Carolina Coastal Reserve, offers a free day of outdoor fun from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visit the education tent at the Museum, or register to go on a marine debris clean-up on the nearby Rachel Carson Reserve. For more information call, (252)838-0886.
Then, on Saturday afternoon, the Museum will open a new temporary exhibit, “Watched by Sound and Sea: Occupied Beaufort, 1862.” Artifacts and hands-on features tell the story of how the Civil War transformed a quiet coastal community. The grand opening includes:
• 3 p.m. - guest lecturer Judkin Browning, author of The Southern Mind Under Union Rule: The Diary of James Rumley, Beaufort, NC 1862 – 1865. Free.
• 4 – 6 p.m. – opening reception. Light refreshments served. Free.
On display until September 2012, the exhibit and monthly speakers are part of Civil War sesquicentennial commemorations held throughout North Carolina. For information visit www.nccivilwar150.com.
The Museum is open Mon. through Fri., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sun., 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. For more information call (252)728-7317
