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Museum Celebrates the Surf Men of N.C. by JHANA M. LEWIS The Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex is hosting the exhibit He- roes of the Surf, which tells the remarkable story of the U.S. Lifesaving Service in North Carolina. The Lifesaving Service began as a United States government outfi t that eventu- ally became what is now known as the U.S. Coast Guard. These brave souls, called Surf Men, patrolled the sea for marooned sailors or other persons in distress on the waters off of North Carolina’s Outer Banks. These men were volunteers, local inhabitants that possessed the kind of knowledge that came from living on and near the sea the majority of their lives. Without the use of the complex weather predicting equipment, the knowledge of tide, current conditions and being able to foresee when a hur- ricane was approaching proved to be an invaluable skill. The life of a surf man wasn’t easy, nor was it glamorous. Though there were three different types of service, the Lifesaving unit was the most danger- ous, manned by a full crew at the times that wrecks were most likely to occur. They were away from their families six days a week patrolling the beach or manning the watchtower, 24 hours a day leaving only one day to be at home with loved ones. Although this was a physically demanding position, these were not the muscle- bound guys you would expect to be the heroes. The average Surf Man stood at about 5’6 and weighed 140 lbs. They did not always have the equipment they needed to do the job, often armed only with a cork vest, barometer and a coura- geous heart, they braved stormy seas in order to save countless lives. THANKS AGAIN for making us your place for: BEST • SPORTS BAR The Surf Men at Kitty Hawk, N.C. These men had to know naval code and be able to conquer rough tides and daunting conditions, but also had to rely much on their instinct and bravery. This was the difference between life and death in a lot of situations. One such case was the tale of Rasmus Midgett, who earned the Gold Lifesaving Medal in 1899 by single-handedly rescuing 10 men from the wreckage of the barkentine Priscilla. Visitors to the exhibit will not only get to learn about these courageous men, but also get a close up look at some of the equipment that was used, including a faking box, a box with a very long, thick rope, used to pull people from treach- erous conditions to safety. Ty Lewis, a 13-year-old visitor to the exhibit says “I can’t believe they rescued people without the use of helicopters or G.P.S, like we have now. They really had to know their stuff to be able to do that.” Kathryn Beach, Research Historian for the Museum, shares the feeling. “I am honestly just amazed at what these men managed to accom- plish with so little. The physical demand alone would have been too much for some, never mind the tediousness of the hours of sitting around when there was no emergency. Being away from their families while performing such a diffi cult but important service is very commendable.” This exhibit will be fun and interesting for people of all ages and nautical familiarity, and will be on display now through March 6, 2011. Admission is free. For more information, visit www. museumofthecapefear.ncdcr.gov or call 910- 486-1330. JHANA M. LEWIS, Contributing Writer. COMMENTS? 484-6200 ext. 222 or editor@upandcomingweekly.com. 826-2300 • 4118 Legends Ave. www.itzentertainmentcity.com WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM SEPTEMBER 15-21, 2010 UCW 11 With any Purchase Chicken Fingers 3 FREE Offer expires 10/1/10