The Ocracoke Working Watermen’s Association is gearing up for its 8th Annual Oyster Roast from two to five pm Saturday, Dec. 28, at the Ocracoke Seafood Company. All are welcome to attend, bring their oyster shuckers and shuck away for this all-you-can-eat fundraiser for OWWA.
“We do this for the community and to thank people for their support,” says Patty Plyler, who, along with her husband, fisherman Hardy Plyler, works at the Fish House, as it is known locally. “Folks just love it,” she continues, “and they come from all over.” The Fish House is the place on Ocracoke to buy fresh seafood brought in from local waters by island fishermen. It is owned by OWWA, who saved “the last fish house” on the island several years ago. Last year, the fundraiser grossed about $6,000 and proceeds will help fund OWWA’s education and outreach activities.
For this annual oyster feast, the group sets up two rows of plywood tables on top of saw horses. Then they dump piles of steamed oysters on the tables while patrons stand and shuck away. Included in the price of admission (to be determined when the oysters are purchased) is cocktail sauce, vinegar, Saltine crackers and steamed shrimp.
This year, the Watermen are shooting to obtain 40 bushels of the prized eating. Last year, the crowd of about 250 consumed 30 bushels of oysters, 225 pounds of shrimp and two pots of the fish stew. Availability of food is first-come, first-served and there are no advance ticket sales. Desserts and hot cider are offered starting at 3 pm in the Ocracoke Working Watermen’s Exhibit in the Community Square. OWWA invites attendees to bring donated desserts to share, which may run out before the end of the event.
Among the crowd last year were two couples from up North. “We come every year,” says Catherine Marryott, from Carney’s Point, N.J. She and her husband, Jay, stay for the holidays with her sister Mary Creech and her husband Kipp, who live in Point Harbor, Currituck. “This is our fifth oyster roast,” Marryott continues. “We come to Ocracoke for the day purposely for this. We’ve met so many great friends here.” They have attended oyster roasts in Chincoteague and Urbanna, Va., and prefer Ocracoke’s event for its smaller size, meaning they don’t have to wait in line for hours to get their food, she says.
And while good weather always helps boost attendance, inclement weather will not cancel the event, but it will move inside.
Local artist Barbara Adams created this year’s poster, which features waterman Morty Gaskill, James Barrie Gaskill’s son.
