Swan Quarter Boating Access Area in Hyde County has been renamed the Kelly N. Davis Boating Access Area at Swan Quarter in honor of the former NCWRC Commissioner who represented District 1 from 2019 to 2025.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to have served on the Wildlife Resources Commission and to continue working alongside them,” said Davis. “I hope this recognition reflects the importance of caring for our public resources and keeping them accessible for everyone.”
Davis has fond memories of each of the five boating access areas the Wildlife Commission manages in Hyde County:
- Rose Bay — “Many years ago, we headed out at night with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the state wildlife crews to try to catch and band canvasbacks, and wound up with more laughter than ducks!”
- Swan Quarter —“My refuge partner and I once broke ice the length of the canal to reach diving duck traps, and I launched trips to Ocracoke with my husband here.”
- Hydeland Canal — “A favorite for family fishing outings in Juniper Bay and Marsh Island sunsets.”
- Lake Mattamuskeet — “I launched for submerged aquatic vegetation surveys and helped stock bluegills with wildlife biologists.”
- Engelhard — “Set beside Pamlico Sound and near my family’s long-held oyster bottom.”
She ultimately chose Swan Quarter.
“This ramp has been meaningful to me as a Hyde resident and an appreciative former commissioner,” she said. “It is used by anglers from across the state, by wildlife officers ferrying supplies to Ocracoke in emergencies, and it is where I felt an unforgettable sense of belonging in 2022 during the Torch Run for Special Olympics.”
Davis reflects on her time with NCWRC and her deep commitment to wildlife, saying her tenure as commissioner “deepened my long-standing commitment to North Carolina's wildlife, fisheries, and other natural resources. It also gave me a deep appreciation for the people who carry out the Commission’s mission every day - its biologists, educators, and law enforcement officers, and the many staff who work behind the scenes to support public engagement and access.”
She reflects on personal connections to the boating access area.
“Hyde County has been my home for 46 years, where I help manage the family farm and remain engaged in land and water stewardship, particularly in waterfowl and pollinator habitat management,” Davis said. “I am involved in conservation efforts in Hyde County, including work related to Lake Mattamuskeet and participation on the Swan Quarter Watershed Steering Committee. This community and its natural richness are part of who I am and what I value.”
Davis has a background in wildlife biology, including work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and experience in wildlife management planning and resource assessment for both public agencies and private landowners.
The newly renamed boating access area was opened in 2007, located at 278 Oyster Creek Road, Swan Quarter. It is the most used state-managed boating access area of the six in Hyde County and one of the most popular on the northern coast of N.C. It’s heavily utilized for fishing and hunting by a larger number of visitors to Pamlico Sound. There are 47 parking spaces allowing for 38 vehicles with trailer, two disabled with trailer, six single, and one single disabled.