Keeper James announces presentation on the Ephraim Williams shipwreck

Standing Watch: Keeper James imagining he is on watch looking for the wandering wreck of the schooner Ephraim Williams. [Dan Westergren]

Keeper James will be presenting the Ephraim Williams saga at the Dare County Hatteras Library on Tuesday, March 7 beginning at 11:00 a.m. This is another in his series of presentations. The program will consist of excerpts of readings directly from his book, Shipwrecks of the Outer Banks: Dramatic Rescues and Fantastic Wrecks in the Graveyard of the Atlantic, with his narratives connecting the readings. 

Some dramatic highlights of the upcoming presentation are: the wrecking vessel covering hundreds of miles being completely out of control; the rescue attempts took three days; the rescue involved three different Outer Banks U.S. Life-Saving Service stations. Additionally, the rescuing surfman covered miles of stormy beaches going back and forth chasing the drifting wreck. This episode gave rise to some of the most famous Coast Guard mottos. The United States Life-Saving Service (1871-1915) was the direct predecessor of today’s Coast Guard.

Keeper James will be in his new full-dress Keeper’s uniform provided in part by a grant from Dare Arts of the Outer Banks. 

The program will end at noon, with time for Q&A and photo ops are welcomed. Everyone interested in Hatteras Island history and the United States Coast Guard are encouraged to attend.

“Miz Linda,” Keeper James’ wife, also in correct period attire, will be selling copies of James’ book that he will sign and personalize. In addition, special “custom mini-book marks” with the place and date will accompany each sale at no charge. The book is being well-sold internationally, but it started right here on Hatteras Island.

Registration is required to attend this free programming event as in-person space is limited. See https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdcINX0cbZUeBbPz2eaDnOvBteEveVpYiDjKfmpXJxJOWaNHQ/viewform, or for assistance, please contact the Hatteras Library, weekdays 9am to 5pm at (252) 986-2385.

 Keeper James Presentations TM is a series of live programs presented by local historians, historic interpreters and performers Keeper James Charlet and Miz Linda Molloy. Each program about the U.S. Life-Saving Service consists of appetizers of true, exciting, highly dramatic Outer Banks stories of ‘America’s Forgotten Heroes.’ For more information, see www.KeeperJames.com/programs. 

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