In a modest shop tucked away in the heart of Ocracoke, David O’Neal tends to Downpoint Decoy Shop—a haven brimming with history, craftsmanship, and the whispers of North Carolina legends. Here, among the weathered shelves and vintage duck decoys, David preserves more than just artifacts; he carries the soul of a vanishing world.
Born and raised on this small island, David still speaks the lilting “hoi toide” brogue, a dialect as unique and enduring as the tides that shape these shores. Each word is a thread connecting him to generations of watermen and storytellers who lived by the rhythms of the sea and the seasons. His voice, textured with the weight of history, transforms the ordinary into something timeless.
Behind him hangs an original sign, one of two that were first posted in the 1940s, back when the first waves of tourists set foot on Ocracoke’s sandy roads. Weathered and proud, it once warned visitors of the wild horses that roamed freely across the island—a glimpse of a bygone era when Ocracoke was untamed and untouched by the modern world.
David’s shop is more than a business; it’s a sanctuary for a culture slipping quietly into the past. Each decoy tells a story, a silent testament to the hunters and carvers who shaped them. And in David’s hands, these stories find their voice again, spoken in the accent of a man who has never left the place that made him.
To step into Downpoint Decoys is to step into the heart of Ocracoke—a place where history isn’t just remembered but lived. And at its center stands David O’Neal, a keeper of legends, a guardian of heritage, and a man who ensures that even as the tides change, the soul of the island remains.
Downpoint Decoys
350 Irvin Garrish Hwy
Ocracoke NC 27960
