Why be a DIFF Club member? This is a good question that many people are asking.

I wasn’t an original member, but have been involved since the second year because besides the fellowship, I thought the club was a good way to put something back into the preservation of Davis Island. Don Eury and others, including Floyd Elkins, Glen Green, J W Smith, Jim Greer, Robert Gladden and others from the Pineville area were the original founders. With their support the club has grown and matured by establishing a stated mission which is to have an interest in the wellbeing of the island, the concessionaire, and work with the park service to accomplish this mission.

Over the years the DIFF leaders have worked with the park service to accomplish many projects. Beginning with park superintendent Mack Riddle, then Bill Harris, Karen Brown, and now, Bob Vogel, the club has established a reputation as being one of the representatives of the sportsman with regard to activities on South Core Banks. The superintendents have sought our opinions and club help on various projects.

Members of the club have been involved in many projects on the island. Some include collection of trash, and I mean big trash, including scrap metal, junk cars and the like. This was done in a coordinated project with The US Army Reserves, National Guard, and the NPS. You can’t imagine that at one time the island looked like one big junkyard. DIFF had a part in removing that blight.

Cabins 10A and 10B were paid for and built by the DIFF Club. At sometime or another every cabin at the Great Island Camp has been worked on by club members. The present layout of new cabins was arrived at by the NPS after receiving input from the club. At one time the NPS wanted to rebuild cabins similar to those at Portsmouth, that is, duplexes all built in a row. DIFF recommended a cluster arrangement and various size cabins. The park service listened. Other projects included delineation of the back road and the establishment of parking areas and restricted areas. During a work week club members built a cabin at the old Les and Sally’s for the Cape Lookout Environmental Education Center.

The club had input when the NPS revised the Park Management Plan. One proposal was to have all park access thru park headquarters on Harker’s Island. The final plan reflects the recommendation of the DIFF Club, which was to continue service from Davis.

What is in the future? The selection of a new concessionaire may be taking place in the next couple of years or so. DIFF will have the opportunity to have a say. Even more important is the issue of vehicle access to the island. There are national environmental organizations that would like to deny or greatly restrict all vehicle access to the island. This issue is in the courts now and it is imperative that the NPS prepare an acceptable plan for vehicle access or the results might not be in the best interest of the sportsman. The NPS will be asking for input from sportsmen’s organizations like DIFF and others to formulate a plan. We need to be ready as a strong voice to address this and similar issues.

The DIFF Club has come a long way since the original “Davis Island Fishing Fools.” The club is well recognized by the NPS and others as a strong and important voice for the island. Continued growth in membership of sportsmen that have a common interest enables DIFF to continue to be a factor on Davis Island.

Your membership and support is important.

B K Barringer, Jr.
Past President