BEAUFORT — Before the 37-foot peace ship, the Golden Rule, visits here in early March, the North Carolina Maritime Museum on Front Street will host a program about the ship’s mission in opposition to nuclear weapons war.
Dr. Arnold Oliver will speak at 3 p.m. March 4 in the museum auditorium. Admission is free and registration is not required.
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Golden Rule is scheduled to dock in Beaufort that week and will be open for tours and crew visits 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 8-10 and free sailing as tides and weather permit.
This is one of the many programs the museum will offer in March for all ages.
Golden Rule became popular in 1958 when four Quakers sailed the wooden ketch toward the Marshall Islands to halt the atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons. The ship was was later pressed into private service but eventually sank in 2010 during a storm in California, according to information provided by the museum.
Veterans For Peace raised and rebuilt the Golden Rule, completing the work in 2015. The ship and crew, which revived both the ship and the original mission, are currently on a great loop tour around the eastern United States that includes the Beaufort stop and one in Wilmington March 2-5.
For more information on Golden Rule, visit vfpgoldenruleproject.org. The N.C. Maritime Museum is at 315 Front St. in downtown Beaufort. For information on the March 4 program or to register for any of the other programs at the museum, call 252-504-7740 or visit ncmaritimemuseumbeaufort.com.
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March schedule
Ribbon-cutting and Spring First Friday 5 p.m. March 3. The Port of Call Museum Store First Friday series resumes in March with a celebration of the one-year anniversary of the redesigned store, now operated under the Friends of the Maritime Museum. The Carteret County Chamber of Commerce will be on hand to host an official ribbon-cutting and join in on a toast the first year. First Fridays, which will be held in March, April and May, feature local artists, jewelers and crafters showcasing and selling their art. The receptions are free and open to the public.
Merry-time for Tots 10 a.m. March 8. Ages 2-5 and their caregivers participate in a maritime themed hands-on experience, craft and activity. Each program is 45-60 minutes long. Caregivers are asked to stay for entire program. Registration required; $10 per participating child, $5 for Friends of the Museum members, or buy a three-month package and get 20% off.
Ocean Infants 9 a.m. March 9. The program for 0-2 years and their caregivers, involves maritime items such as whale bones, shark teeth, and pirate hats. Registration is $5 per participating child, $2 for Friends of the Museum members or buy a three-month package at 20% off.
“The World’s First Ironclad Warship: Lincoln’s Secret Weapon” 1 p.m. March 9. In A 57-minute film will show an elite team of divers as they attempt to recover priceless artifacts of American naval history from the USS Monitor that sank in 1862 off the coast of Cape Hatteras during a storm. Free.
North Atlantic Right Whale Aerial Surveys in North Carolina 6 p.m. March 10. A presentation at the museum will focus on the work by a team to document the existence and importance of right whales, as well as their plight, off our state’s coast. North Atlantic Right Whale aerial observers with the Clearwater (Fla.) Marine Aquarium Research Institute will present the North Atlantic Right Whale Aerial Surveys in North Carolina program on March 10 at 6 p.m. in the museum auditorium. Free.
Lift Half-Model Class 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. March 11-12. Learn how to read a set of plans and use the basic woodworking tools to shape a lift half-model of a North Carolina Shad Boat during a two-day course. The models are built following a step-by-step procedure and are then taken home to apply a finish. Course fee is $120, or $108 for Friends of the Museum). Course size is limited, and advance registration is required.
North Carolina’s Oyster Boom 11 a.m. March 15. Join Maritime Historian David Bennett for a free presentation in partnership with the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries on the history of four different fisheries in North Carolina as part of the division’s celebration of 200 Years of State Marine Fisheries Management and Conservation in North Carolina.
By Hook or By Crook 11 a.m. March 16. Ranked amongst the fiercest pirates from the “Golden age of Piracy,” Anne Bonny and Mary Read have stories that daytime TV could only aspire to. Join Associate Education Curator Christine Brin in the museum auditorium to learn about these women pirates. The program may not be appropriate for younger children as topics of adultery and pregnancy will be discussed. Free.
Lofting a Boat 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 18-19. Learn how to “loft,” the process of taking information from a boat plan and drawing it out in full scale in preparation for creating templates to build a boat. Fee is $110, or $99 for Friends of the Museum. Course size is limited, and advance registration is required.
Book launch: ‘Drought, Drought, Torrential’ 2 p.m. March 18. Join Susan Schmidt, PhD, in the museum auditorium for the launch of her newest book, “Drought, Drought, Torrential.” The program will feature Schmidt reading some of the poems from her latest work, as well as a discussion of the poetry from this publication and her previous works.
The Oyster Patrol: Early Enforcement of North Carolina’s Oyster Laws March 23, 11 a.m. Join Maritime History Curator David Bennett in the museum auditorium to explore the challenges and controversies that the Shell Fish Commission faced while patrolling the state’s waters. Free, no registration required.
Adults-Only Tour 6-8 p.m. March 24. Enjoy a beverage of choice while learning about some lesser-told maritime history stories that features tales of love triangles, indecency, drugs, and more. This program is rated R due to language, alcohol and explicit content. Participants must be 21 years of age or older. Tickets are $30 per person or $25 for Friends of the Maritime Museum members. Cost includes tour, moonshine tasting, and souvenir cup. Register by noon the day prior.
Carolina Maritime Model Society Meeting 2 p.m. March 25. The Carolina Maritime Model Society exists to promote the production of high-quality ship models and encourage members and the public to participate in a craft that is as old as shipbuilding itself. Meetings, which are open to the public, are held in the museum auditorium.
Introduction to Wooden Boat Building 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 25-26. The course begins with the design and lofting of boats and moves on to the setup, steam bending and different methods of creating the backbone of small boats. Course fee is $180 or $162 for Friends of the Museum. Course size is limited, and advance registration is required.
Beaufort’s Dolphins: Getting to Know Them 11 a.m. March 30. Bottlenose dolphins occur in Beaufort year-round but they’re not the same individuals, and we’re learning a lot from photo-ID and stranding response. Join Museum Natural Science Curator Keith Rittmaster in the museum auditorium for an informal discussion about the biology, behavior and conservation issues affecting “Beaufort’s dolphins.” Free.
