Seafood Steamers Straight to Your Door
A steamer pot loaded with Ocracoke clams, shrimp, crabs, red potatoes, corn and andouille sausage will be delivered, with simple preparation instructions, to your home, cottage, motel room or campsite.
Commercial fisherman Fletcher O'Neal and his wife, Heather, started the business last summer. Fletcher catches the clams, blue crabs and (in season) oysters. They use only fresh NC shrimp. Lobster, dungeoness crabs and snow crabs come from a seafood wholesaler in Newport News, Virginia. The service includes butter for dunking, cocktail sauce for dipping, spice packets and lemon wedges.
Captain Puddle Duck's get orders every day and business is picking up. "We've gotten really good feedback," said Heather. "Customers say the food is excellent, and that it's a neat idea."
Many clients steam the pots on a grill and then savor the meal as a picnic, said Fletcher. Others prepare the one-pot meal in their cottage kitchen, then spread newspaper on the table and dive in. The meals cost between $26.99 for the Clam Bake, which feeds two, and $84.99 for the Captain's Feast, which is enough food for up to six adults. For an additional $10, they'll steam the food for you prior to delivery.
Captain Puddle Duck's can prepare steamer pots that feed up to 20 people ready for delivery in as little as one hour, but a bit more warning "helps my blood pressure," admits Heather with a smile. With even more advance notice, Heather and Fletcher can provide catered food for events.
Live lobsters and oysters require a days notice, and arrive on Ocracoke each Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, said Fletcher. Steamer pots can be customized to taste, at market price.
"We try really hard to keep it affordable," said Heather. With a large family of young children, she and Fletcher know firsthand that going out to restaurants isn't always convenient.
Fletcher and Heather's oldest son, 13 year old Hunter, came up with the name Captain Puddle Duck's. He works with his dad to catch the seafood. When calls come in he helps his mom watch his four younger siblings so she can prepare the orders.
Fishing is in the family. The youngest of Heather and Fletcher's four sons, Will, got up early to fish with his grandfather, David, before he was old enough to start school. Brandt and Ethan help out, too, and look after baby sister Maranda, one of Ocracoke's newest O'Neals.
Fletcher began his career with the NC Ferry Division shortly after graduating from high school in 1993. He also fished commercially until 1998, and returned to fishing in 2009. Heather is an elementary education aide at Ocracoke School.
Last year the couple worked out of the kitchen at the Ocracoke Pizza Co. Over the winter they turned an outbuilding in their yard into a commercial, USDA inspected kitchen.
Captain Puddle Duck's is open Monday through Saturday from noon - 9 p.m. On Wednesdays customers get a free pound of shrimp on orders over $50. On Fridays, orders over $50 get two dozen clams thrown in. Each Thursday and Saturday, special pots are available for $21.99.
To place an order, call (252) 588 - 0107.
