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Marker 6 is supposed to look like this. It’s gone. Just a stub remains. Something big must have hit it – the piling is (was) a large metal pipe. Click photo for more views… of the stub… and where it is on a nautical chart.

It’s cold. Wet. Proper British weather.

Now that you’re enjoying many of the thermal trappings of royalty, perhaps you might make weekend plans.

Peasants, rejoice. Food trucks are back at the brewery. Today its Jasmine Tasty Thai, starting at 4p. The Kentucky Gentlemen play the Old Theater tonight @ 7:30p, it’s a Pamlico Music Society show.

Ariadne “Ari” Sylvester has authored A Lantern In The Dark, her story of surviving stage 4 cancer. Saturday morning Ari has a book signing at The Bean, 9a-12noon. NCO’s Sailing Winter Seminars continue Saturday morning (online), Darrell Foster teaches Diesel Maintenance. Mariposa Wine Bar & Bakery opens Saturday morning, 7-10a and evening 3-8p. Also open Sunday and Monday.

Saturday at noon, New Village Brewery opens early, 12 noon. This is to coincide with the noon arrival of Cousins Maine Lobster food truck, serving noon til 7p. Andy Woolgar brings 5 new wines to town Saturday at Nautical Wheelers. These are not just new to town – they are new to the USA. Wine tastings at 2 & 3p.

Some say oyster consumption requires bravery. There will be much courage Saturday at PCC’s Annual Great Oyster Roast and Chili Cookoff, 3-5p. Oysters are accompanied by The Southern Hellcats.

It’s all in What’s Happening.

Sunday, the sun comes out. Promise.

10:28a Two decades ago Ari Sylvester got a diagnosis: Stage 4 cancer. She might not survive. What does one do? What would you do?

Ariadne has written a book about her journey fighting and winning a battle with cancer. A Lantern In The Dark launches in Oriental with a book signing, this Saturday Feb 28 9a-noon at The Bean. More here.

3:05p Officer Bill Wichrowski was sworn in as Oriental’s new Chief of Police at the February Town Board Meeting. Commissioners also heard from the County’s Register of Deeds, Lynn Lewis, on the rise of property Fraud. It’s all in the Town Meeting report.

This past Saturday, February 21, residents celebrated the Lunar New Year, also called the Chinese New Year, with a dragon parade on Hodges Street. Check out the scene here.

4:46p A sad note: Russ Stevenson passed away early this morning while in hospice care at New Bern hospital. He was 93. Russ was a smiling face and a key part of Oriental. He made music, he sailed, he appeared in theater productions. He will be much missed.

Russ, with his familiar tartan hat.

A church service and celebration of his life is being planned, date TBD. More photos of Russ, here.

4:42p Our town was initially known as Smith’s Creek. But in the mid 1880’s, a post office came to town. Lou Midyette became the postmaster. Lou’s wife was Rebecca Midyette. She thought the town needed a new name…. and named our town Oriental. The name came from a ship that had sunk off the Outer Banks in 1862.

The ship Oriental got that name because she was designed to trade with a Cuban province… named Oriente.

Above, the Steamer Oriental. She never got to Cuba.

Logically, perhaps our town should have rum and cigar festivals. But the name “Oriental” conjures up visions of the far east, Asia. Those visions have stuck.

Which brings us to tomorrow. Saturday, Oriental (a town indirectly named after a Cuban province) celebrates the Chinese New Year. A Dragon Run happens on Hodges St at 2p. Have a look at the 2023 Chinese New Year Celebration.

All you have to do is show up on Hodges St (near the harbor) by 2p. Noise makers help. More info here.

3:20p Mads Dahlke is a Danish YouTube content creator. He is restoring a 44 ft catamaran. And he’s doing it in Oriental.

TownDock needed to visit and find out more. Meet Mads Dahlke and SV Spiffy in The Shipping News.

2:14p Docking is a fairly simple task… when there’s no breeze. Or current. Or other boats around. Or people watching you.

Damn. There usually is a bunch of the above.

Bunky, you might need a little more knowledge.

Saturday morning, join a free online seminar on docking sponsored by the NCO (Nautical Co-Operative of Oriental). Captain John Rahm gives the presentation. It happens at 9a, Saturday morning – from the comfort of your own home. Register by emailing ncoseminars@gmail.com.

Captain John Rahm also writes the Captain’s Blog on TownDock.net. He’s talked about docking before. Brush up on your knowledge and get your Saturday morning questions ready:
• Docking: Getting Underway
• Docking: Returning to Your Slip

11:50a If you’re looking for the El Taco Loco food truck at Triton Yachts, they were running a little late today.

Boatyard owner Blair Cooper says they should be up and ready to serve in the noon hour.

8:18a Churches in Oriental are collaborating today, Ash Wednesday. Oriental United Methodist Church, St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Oriental First Baptist Church and St. Peter the Fisherman Catholic Church.

• 8 – 10a, Walk up or Ashes-to-go (Drive Thru), The Bean Coffee Shop on Hodges Street
• 12noon, Ash Wednesday Service, St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 402 Freemason St
• 12noon, Ash Wednesday Service, St. Peter the Fisherman Catholic Church, 1149 White Farm Rd
• 6p, Ash Wednesday Service, Oriental First Baptist Church, 605 Broad St
• 7p, Ash Wednesday Service, Oriental United Methodist Church, 404 Freemason St

2:11p Today is the Chinese New Year. While Oriental waits to the weekend to celebrate (Dragon Run Saturday), Salty Celeste couldn’t wait.

For 2026, Chinese New Year Animal Sign horoscopes.

11:08a Late last summer Michael North passed away. He was 74. Michael was an outdoorsman, had his own construction company, and helped found the Marine Corps League Dragon Detachment in Oriental. More about his life here.

That same Marine Corps League Dragon Detachment has news today.

They conduct the annual Toys for Tots program in Pamlico County.

Program Coordinator Martin Musella writes in about their 2025 Toys for Tots campaign.

10:50a Water is again on tap. From Town Hall:

9:59a Times are tough. No water (briefly). From Town Hall:

Beautiful fog out there. It should lift, with a partly sunny day ahead. Today about 60, Wednesday look forward to a luxurious 70.

• Oriental NC Forecast
• Neuse River Marine Forecast

1:38p Cycle NC visits Oriental every 3 years. 2026 is that year.

During the weekend of April 24 – 26, hundreds of cycling enthusiasts will make Oriental their home base as they take part in rides throughout the county. Rides are between 11 – 100 miles long.

Fancy showers and bathrooms are trailered in. Some cyclists will set up tents, others RVs, and still others will overnight in local hotels.

Hope Clinic is pairing some cyclists with local lodging and they need your help. From Hope Clinic Executive Director Yolanda Cristiani:

Click here for the full press release.

If you’re ready to sign up, click here for the Cycle NC Host Housing Form.

9:09a It might get to 60 today. You lucky valentine.

11:55a Depending on your view of the world, you might need to be extra careful today … or it’s just another Friday.

You’d think that would be enough.

But you’ve got a little pressure too. Bill Wheeler writes in:

Either way, it’s sunny with a high about 50, Saturday gets to 60.

• Oriental NC Forecast
• Oriental Weather Station
• Neuse River Marine Forecast

12:33p A few weeks ago, Ellen Ryder posted an ad with a simple request: give her your unused cat things.

The community had cat things – like this Cattasaurus cave – to give.

Ellen wrote in with thanks. Read her letter here.

Though there’s rain today, there’ll be sunshine tomorrow through Saturday.

Daily highs between 50-55 degrees, low nighttime temps between 30-40.

Over at the Silos, it’s Open Mic Night. Music starts at 7p upstairs.

11:35a Tonight is the monthly Town Board meeting, 6p at Town Hall.

January’s Town Board meeting was unusually late in the month, happening January 29 and rolling the meeting and a workshop into one.

Commissioners discussed rules of procedure, ordinances, and promoted Officer Bill Wichrowski to Chief of Police. Here’s the report.

10:18a Sad news to share. A town fixture, Max, has passed on.

A Chocolate Labrador retriever, Max was Fire Chief (and Bean owner) Eric Kindle’s dog. Max was often seen walking with Eric, or walking about town with Sigrid Overcash (Eric’s Mom).

Here’s Max digging in on some ice cream @ The Bean:

In February 2020, Max was Pet Of The Month.

7:27a It’s 28 degrees this morning. By noon it will be near 60.

• Oriental NC Forecast
• Oriental Weather Station
• Neuse River Marine Forecast

2:42p The windy & cold weather has today’s food truck at the brewery cancelled. FYI, it’s OK to bring food to the brewery… they are open til 9p tonight.

10:37a Brisk winds on the Neuse have stopped the ferries:

The Neuse marine forecast: Rest of today, northwest winds 20 – 25 knots, gusts to 35. Waves rough.

9:44a It feels warmer than it is today… somthin’ about that kind sun.

Cold tonight and Sunday night… but a warm break is on the way. Sunshine and 60 coming Tuesday.

• Oriental NC Forecast
• Oriental Weather Station
• Neuse River Marine Forecast

Live music, a student arts festival, and the start of the Winter Sailing Seminars. They’re happening this weekend.

Tanja’s German Street Food is at the Brewery tonight from 5-8p. Across the street, The String Revolution plays at The Old Theater at 7:30p, courtesy of the Pamlico Musical Society.

Mariposa opens Saturday morning, 7-10a and evening 3-8p. Also open Sunday and Monday.

Saturday morning at 9a is the first of the Winter Sailing Seminars: the 10 Commandments to Tie up a Boat, presented by John Rahm. The series is presented over Zoom. Email ncoseminars@gmail.com to get the link.

The Polar Plunge is happens Saturday at 11a, moved from Oriental to New Bern.

Saturday evening, Capone’s: A Taste of Philly is at the Brewery from 4-8p.

Sunday afternoon, the Oriental Woman’s Club invites you to view the Pamlico County Student Arts Festival from 1-3p.

At 3p, The Old Theater screens the musical Mamma Mia! Admission by donation.

It’s all in What’s Happening.

7:05p There is a thin layer of ice crystals on the ground. Caution… slippery stuff.

4:18p As Oriental continues its return to regular operating hours, food trucks are back at the Brewery.

Tonight, it’s A Taste of Philly, from 5-8p.

And inside, the Brewery’s own Lili’s Breakfast Stout is on tap.

10:39a Several years ago, TownDock.net added something new to site: a better weather radar. It used information from NOAA to deliver weather information in a simple and elegant format.

Yesterday, the source TownDock has used for years stopped working.

We’ll find an alternative, but it may take a few days to find it and get it coded to work on the site. Until then, NOAA’s radar images are being used so we have some form of weather radar.

3:45p Weather has triggered another change in plans for Pamlico Community College:

1:56p The Silos is adjusting their hours tonight – they’ll close at 7p. From owner Chris Daniels:

8:36a Freezing temps caused some water lines around town to spring a few leaks. The problem is finding them. From Town Manager Miller:

Town Hall is at 252-249-0555.

8:25a Normal slowly coming back to town. The Pig is back to regular hours, 7a-8p. First Citizens Bank too, 9a-5p. The Bean will be on slightly shorter hours this week, 8a-5p.

7:27a Trash pickup is happening today. Roll out those barrels. Just trash, not recycling.

Town Hall will open at 10a.