News media all over the region were reporting on Ocracoke's temporary fuel shortage with varying degrees of hyperbole. 

The Virginian-Pilot's Jeff Hampton mentioned that "a tank of gas can last for months on the tiny island." Well, I beg to differ. The next time Jeff is down here, we'll have to introduce him to the art of the "scud." If you are serious about your scud life, a tank of gas won't last a week.

The AP made sure to scare us with the fact that "residents must take a ferry to fill their tanks." Hello? Don't we do that anyway? 

WRAL pities us for "losing" our gas station. Um, we know exactly where it is, thanks. Also, we don't have to take a ferry to the "mainland" to fill up. Hatteras Island has gas stations, too. 

I guess it was a slow news day for the bigwigs. At the Current, we were busy writing about ferries and channels and art shows and preparing for the full blood blue moon and anyway, it's happened before and the gas came back. 

The fact is that Ocracoke Station, Ocracoke's only service station for trucks, automobiles and non-electric golf carts, is temporarily closed, and you'll find out why if you read one of the articles in the real news sources above.

I contacted county manager Bill Rich for a quote of our own, but haven't heard back from him yet. Ocracoke Station co-owner Laurie Death didn't provide any details about the shutdown, but reminded me that the deli would be open for breakfast and lunch tomorrow, and the store is still open.