Southport Magazine

The NC Maritime Museum at Southport is sailing into spring with all sorts of events and activities for all ages. From a new club for model builders to a Jazz Night fundraiser, lectures, classes, and special time in the museum for home schoolers and children with sensory issues, there’s no better time to go find out what our own local museum (at 204 East Moore St.) has to offer. 

New Orleans-Style Jazz Night Fundraiser 

Come join the Friends of the NC Maritime Museum at Southport’s New Orleans Style Jazz night April 21, 6-9 pm at the Southport Community Building! Get your tickets to enjoy a night of jazz music featuring Le Group Du Jour with Mark Bachata on vocals, New Orleans style heavy hors d’oeuvres and desserts, a wine and Bourbon Street cocktail bar, a fun “wine grab,” and live and silent auctions. Tickets are available at the Museum, or online at www.FriendsNCNNSouthport.com. Every dollar raised at this event supports the mission of the Friends of the NC Maritime Museum at Southport. 

Sponsorships are also available, including donations of products, services and gift certificates for the silent auction. Sponsors will be recognized on a poster that will be displayed at the event and in the Museum during the month of June, on their website, in social media and in the after-event “Thank You” advertisement. To sponsor or donate to this event, contact a Jazz Night committee member by calling 910-477-5154 or emailing SouthportFOM@gmail.com.

Lectures, Classes and Children’s Events

Sensory Saturday: Underwater Egg Hunt

April 1, 10 am – noon

Stop by the museum for Sensory Saturday! From 10 am to noon on the first Saturday of every month, the exhibit hall lights will be dimmed and audio volume will be muted. For April’s event, visitors will have the opportunity to decorate their own maritime-themed Easter egg and participate in a special Easter Egg-themed scavenger hunt accessible and fun for all ages and abilities. Museum volunteers will be on hand to assist as needed. The program is free (donations are appreciated) and open to the public. Registration is not required. For information, contact Curator of Programming and Education Shannon Walker at shannon.walker@ncdcr.gov or (910) 477-5153

Third Tuesday Lecture Series: “What Is There To Do When You Find an Old Indian Canoe?: Anti-Colonialism in Maritime Archaeology”

April 18, 7 pm

Join Dr. Sara Rich for a presentation that looks at the circumstances surrounding a 4,000-year-old Late Archaic dugout canoe illegally excavated from the Cooper River in South Carolina in 1997. The removal put the diver at odds with recognition of the rights of the Native Peoples of South Carolina. Rich’s lecture, “What Is There To Do When You Find an Old Indian Canoe?: Anti-Colonialism in Maritime Archaeology,” will be presented at the Southport Community Building, 223 E. Bay St., at 7 pm on April 18. The program is part of the museum’s Third Tuesday series, free lectures geared for ages 16 and older.

The programs are open to the public; donations are appreciated. Seating is limited, so advance registration is required. Register online at ncmaritimemuseumsouthport.com or by calling (910) 477-5151.

Homeschool Friday: “Black, Blue, and Gold: Tar, Indigo, and Rice on the Cape Fear”

April 21, 11 am – 2 p.m.

Learn how these important plants (pine trees, indigo, and rice) and the skilled enslaved African laborers behind them helped create the economic backbone of the Lower Cape Fear in the 18th century. Participants will have the opportunity to explore history through hands-on activities, stations, and take-homes. The program is appropriate for ages 4–18. Cost is $10 per child, which is payable at the door. Friends of the Maritime Museum at Southport receive a 10-percent discount. Participants are free to move at their own pace throughout the individual stations. However, they are asked to register for an arrival time to assist museum staff with crowd control inside the museum and grounds. Registration closes at 4 pm the day prior. For more information or to register, email shannon.walker@ncdcr.gov or call (910) 477-5151 to register.

Learning the Ropes: A Beginners Guide to Splicing

April 22, 10:30 am – noon

Curious about the nautical art of splicing and don’t know where to start? What’s the difference between a slice and a knot? Join the North Carolina Maritime Museum at Southport for a beginners’ primer with instructor Tom Lacey. Lacey grew up on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire and spent his summers working at a marina where he learned how to splice three-strand rope. The program is free and open to the public; donations are appreciated. Space is limited, and advance registration is required. Registration closes at 4 pm the day prior. For more information or to register, visit ncmaritimemuseumsouthport.com, email shannon.walker@ncdcr.gov or call 910-477-5151.

Model Club 

The NC Maritime Museum at Southport uses scale models to bring the size of massive ships to a more accessible level. However, according to Museum Manager John Moseley, the collection serves an even greater purpose. 

“Each model is a piece of art and is a three-dimensional representation of history,” Moseley said. “Model makers spend many hours researching and perfecting techniques of construction and painting to develop this art form.”

To encourage and support others interested in model making, Moseley has partnered with the Wilmington Plastic Modelers Club for a new monthly program at the museum, located at 204 E. Moore St. in downtown Southport.

The next meeting will be held from 1-4 pm  on May 13 at the museum. Members of the Wilmington club will be on hand with a variety of ships, planes, tanks, and cars in various states of construction. The public is invited to bring a model of their own to work on, to get help with their models or even with getting started. Club members will also be bringing a selection of specialized modeling tools that will be available for use. The meeting is free and open to all ages; under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Seating is limited, so those interested in attending are asked to register in advance. To register, call 910-477-5151.

“In major cities, there are clubs like this,” Wilmington resident and member of the Wilmington Plastic Modelers Club Jeff Maples said. “The hobby is actually very large.”

Those planning to attend a gathering only need to supply their own model to work on. Maples said model kits are available at local craft stores, and the museum sells model boat kits. However, he added, most of the materials are now purchased online. 

“Clubs usually form around hobby stores,” Maples said. But with much of the supplies transitioning from storefront to websites, that natural meeting location is lost. That’s one of the reasons for promoting the group aspect of the club and the museum gathering — the latter of which Moseley plans to continue on a monthly basis.

Maples emphasized the new program is for all skill levels, from the hobbyist to the master builder and everyone in between. And despite the club’s name, it’s not limited to plastic models — models in any type of material and genre are welcome.

“To us, that’s all that really counts,” Maples said. “We just want anyone and everyone who just wants to build a model.”

For more information about the meeting or to reserve a seat, call 910-477-5151 or visit ncmaritimemuseumsouthport.com.