By Suzanne Gwaltney, SRES
More than one famous sailor has cruised the creeks of Oriental. Legend has it that Greens and Smith Creeks near Oriental were sometime haunts for the infamous Edward Teach, better known as the pirate Blackbeard. Blackbeard was rumored to be hideously ugly, wearing his beard in braids that looked like writhing snakes. From Teach’s Cove, at the intersection of the two creeks, Blackbeard would hide behind a huge oak and watch for potential targets sailing down the Neuse. According to legend, Blackbeard left a captured princess near Oriental and buried the booty from her ship under the oak, never to return. Blackbeard was beheaded in 1718, and Teach’s Oak fell during a storm in 1958. To date, no one has found the treasure.
If you wish to explore the charm of the waterways that beckoned Edward Teach, visit Oriental, NC. You can anchor one night in the stillness of South River, or one of the many smaller creeks that lead to places like Vandemere and Lowland. You will find many of the surroundings unchanged since Blackbeard prowled them.
For more information, email Suzanne Gwaltney