The Battle of the Banks is one of the best surf contests the OBX has to offer.
It pits a team of surfers from Virginia against a team of surfers from the Outer Banks, and if the rivalry isn’t enough to get the blood boiling, the contest has a 6-week waiting period to make sure it goes off in the gnarlyest conditions possible. The surf forecast is watched religiously, and the call is made at the last minute to make sure the surf conditions are ideal for huge Outer Banks surf with giant chocolate milk colored barrels the OBX is famous for.
The Battle of the Banks went off yesterday at the famed OBX surf spot, S-Turns, and I was there to take in the action. Bright sun, light southwest winds, and temps in the upper 60′s…perfect fall day with classic OBX waves rolling through.
After an hour or two of hemming and hawing about whether the conditions were big and bad enough, the call was made to let ‘r rip, and the surfers happily complied.
Rt. 12 running south into Rodanthe with lined with cars north and south. The dunes were lined with spectators and cameras, and the surfers put on a gnarly display of skill, courage, and athleticism.
In the end, the Virginia Beach team came away with the overall win for the third year in a row. However, for the third year in a row, the OBX team took the Best Barrel of the Day (Seth Barrick) and the Individual Winner (Matt Beacham) titles.
Not sure how you win both of those and lose overall, but I’ll leave the scoring to the judges.
At any rate, thanks to the organizers and the surfers for an awesome show.
The Center monitors the population size, movement patterns, and behaviors of coastal bottlenose dolphins. The health and general state of our marine mammal population is a direct reflection of the general health of our precious ocean ecosystem.
Ten competitors from leading area restaurants will be cooking fresh area shrimp amongst live music, drink specials, and door prizes! Tickets are $20 each in advance at Ocean Boulevard or at the door.
So far, contestants are:
Kenny Sloan from Aqua S Restaurant
Chef Rob from The Bad Bean Burrito
Pok from The Outer Banks Brewing Station
Matt & Mark from Metropolis
Dan & Scott from Coastal Provisions
Tim Gard from Ocean Boulevard
Christian Benedi the Musician
Renee from The Black Pelican!
Good afternoon. Here’s the Outer Banks Beach & Surf Report for Monday, November 15, 2010.
I was up early checking the waves this morning. I missed the sunrise by about 10 minutes in Kill Devil Hills.
It’s a gorgeous fall day on the OBX. The low pressure system that brought heavy winds and ocean overwash last week has finally moved off, and the wind switched to a light breeze out of the Southwest. Just in time to clean the surf up for the annual Battle of the Banks surf contest.
After checking a few surf spots in the KDH and Nags Head area, I decided it was a bit to disorganized and chilly for an early session; so I headed south to S-Turns in Rodanthe to watch some of the Battle of the Banks.
Temps in the mid 60′s and not a cloud in the sky, plus head high waves coming through. Perfect day for an OBX surf contest.
I included some footage from the surf contest here, but I’ll have some more on the way for you soon.
1,800 runners, 26 miles, sore bodies, and lots of smiles.
The 5th annual Outer Banks Marathon kicked off yesterday, and it was a gorgeous day for running. Temps in the 60′s and scattered clouds with a light breeze.
Runners from all corners of the globe converged on the Outer Banks and enjoyed a scenic route along the OBX with the roads lined with fans cheering them on. It’s a great event that is growing every year.
Here are the top five finishers for men and women, and below is a quick video recap of some of the race. You can find all race results here.
Enjoy.
TOP MALE FINISHERS
1. John Crews – Raleigh, NC – 2:20:22.60
2. Peter Kemboi – Kenya – 2:22:47.59
3. Geoffrey Kiprotich – Kenya – 2:28:02.34
4. Mike Knutson – Athens OH – 2:37:07.91
5. Sammy Xyamongo – ATLANTA GA – 2:37:58.47
TOP FEMALE FINISHERS
1. Viviana Chalco-Caiza-Dina – High Point, NC – 2:59:21.60
2. Larissa Park – Somervil, MA – 3:07:32.13
3. Dorothy Wofford – Winston, NC – 3:12:19.35
4. Wanda Gau – Little F, MN – 3:13:34.07
5. Sharon Hathaway – Powell, OH – 3:22:23.77
Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report - 11.12.10
Good afternoon. Here’s the Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report for Friday, November 12, 2010.
This video was shot this morning at 9AM in Kill Devil Hills at the Avalon Pier.
The OBX has a relatively strong low pressure system hanging off the coast pushing massive waves and heavy wind into the area. Luckily, we’ve missed out on the rains, and the system should be out of the area sometime tomorrow.
Unfortunately, we are seeing significant overwash on the Beach Road and in the Oregon Inlet/Rodanthe area.
The weather today is overcast and windy, but that should change for the better tomorrow as this low moves out. We should see sunny weather and much calmer winds starting tomorrow and lasting into next week.
This bright spot in the weather is perfect for the Outer Banks Marathon taking place on Sunday and the Battle of the Banks surf contest that is tentatively schedule for Monday.
The surf should be amazing moving into the early part of next week. 10 foot waves and light offshore (west) winds. It could be an epic few days on the Outer Banks.
OBX Surf Forecast - 11.12.10
As for fishing, this heave wind has killed the fishing, but that should change as the weather brigtens up. And as the water cools (currently 60 degrees), we should see an increased amount of fish in the area.
The Currituck Beach Lighthouse turns 135 years old this year!
Come to the Currituck Beach Lighthouse in Corolla from 3 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 1, to celebrate 135 years of light! Join the modern-day lighthouse keepers to celebrate the history of this beacon. Enjoy a rare opportunity to enter the lens room to see the magnificent lens – one of very few First Order Fresnel lenses still in operation.
Feel the incredible heat emanating from the prisms once the sky is dark and the light is on (automatically now, as it has been since 1939). Enjoy the evening sky from the outdoor gallery. Meet two uniformed lighthouse keepers as they explain the workings of the original lighting mechanism and tell tales of life on Currituck’s Outer Banks. View letters written by the keepers, archives about the tower’s construction, and reports on ships that were lost before the tower was built.
CURRITUCK HERITAGE PARK IS LOCATED PAST MILEPOST 11 ON RT. 12 N. IN COROLLA, NC.
JANUARY & FEBRUARY SEMINARS WILL BE HELD IN THE OUTER BANKS CENTER FOR WILDLIFE EDUCATION.
3:00 pm Wednesday December 1, 2010 – ILLUMINATING THE DARK SPACE
Celebrate the 135th birthdayof the Currituck Beach Lighthouse
9:30 am Wednesday January 12, 2011 – IN THE DARK – BEFORE THELIGHTHOUSE
Shifting Sands
Shipwrecks
9:30 am Wednesday February 9, 2011 – BLACKOUT!
World War II days
Coast Guard in Corolla
Co-Sponsored by the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education, the Currituck Beach Lighthouse,The Whalehead Club at Currituck Heritage Park and the Corolla Wild Horse Fund.
Time: Saturday, December 4 at 10:00am – December 5 at 6:00pm
Highlight of the holiday season! – ‘Nights in Rodanthe’ holiday open house at Serendipity – and a chance to spend a week there!
We watched while it was threatened by the encroaching Atlantic Ocean as the first house on the northern end of Mirlo Beach in Rodanthe. Many of us cheered when it was purchased by new owners and moved to a safer place about a half mile away. In fact, many lined Highway 12 to watch the house move on a windy morning last January.
We watched as the work went on – inside and outside – to return the tall, imposing structure to its former glory as “The Inn at Rodanthe,” as it appeared in the popular feature film, “Nights in Rodanthe,” starring Richard Gere and Diane Lane.
Tourists pulled up by the dozens each day – and still do – to photograph the exterior. Many longed to spend a vacation there. Many locals and tourists want to see the inside renovations that copied some of the décor of the house in the film – even though only the exterior scenes were actually filmed in Rodanthe.
And now you can see the interior of one of the Outer Banks’ most famous beach cottages, Serendipity, aka The Inn at Rodanthe. And you can also buy a raffle ticket for a week’s vacation there.
The Hatteras Island Cancer Foundation and the new owners Ben and Debbie Huss of Newton, N.C., will host a Holiday Open House at Serendipity on Saturday, December 4th – 10 am – 6 pm and Sunday, December 5th – 1 pm – 6 pm.
It will be the first public showing of the house since the renovation was completed and the house went on the rental market last May. And the open house will kick off the raffle for the week-long vacation at Serendipity.
The event is happening because the Husses want “to give something back” to the community they feel has welcomed them with open arms and embraced their plans to move and renovate the beach house.
The couple can’t say enough about the islanders who have helped them – from the local sub-contractors who worked on the renovation, to officials who helped them get permits for the move, to owners of local businesses with whom they have become friends during the five months of work on the house – right down to the Chicamacomico Banks Volunteer Fire Department, which used its tall ladder truck to help them keep the pigeons out of the eaves at the top of the house.
They wanted everyone who had admired their work to have a chance to see the inside, and they wanted to event to benefit islanders.
When they were told about the Hatteras Island Cancer Foundation, a 10-year-old, all-volunteer group that raises funds to help local cancer patients pay for treatment and medication not covered by insurance and also helps pay for patients to travel to cancer centers far from the island, the Husses found the beneficiary for their open house. All of the proceeds from the house tour and raffle will benefit the cancer patients on the island that Ben and Debbie have adopted as a second home.
Hors d’ oeuvres from recipes in the foundation’s new cookbook, “Seasonings,” will be served, along with punch, and the cookbook will also be sold during the tour.
Cancer foundation volunteers will take small tour groups through the four floors of the house, including the “blue room,” decorated to match almost exactly Richard Gere’s room at the Inn at Rodanthe, and the Diane Lane bedroom, a replica of the star’s room in the film.
Tickets can be purchased in advance for $15 from HICF board members or at the Midgett Realty office in Hatteras village, Buxton Village Books, and at Vacation Traditions and Island Convenience in Rodanthe.
Tickets will be sold at the door for $20.
The holiday tour will kick off a raffle for a week’s stay at Serendipity during the off-season, compliments of Ben and Debbie Huss and also to benefit the cancer foundation. Raffle tickets will cost $25 each or three for $50. Tickets will go on sale December 4th. They will continue to be sold through the winter by board members or through PayPal at http://www.hicf.org/. The winner will be announced sometime in the spring at a date to be announced. Ticket holders do not have to be present to win.
For more information, contact Donna Barnett at donnabarnett@hicf.org.
Set against the unique and colorful background of the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island, the Second Annual Wags and Whiskers Gala will take place on Friday, November 19, 7:00 pm ’til 11:00 pm.
It will feature live music, dancing, and an extensive light dinner buffet by Kelly’s Hospitality Group.
A large number of high quality live auction items, including:
A wine tasting party for 18 people at the Native Vine;
A half-day inshore fishing trip for six aboard the Reel TeasHer;
A week at luxurious ocean front homes;
A gourmet dinner with wine for 6 by Coastal Provisions;
A U. S. Sailing Certification Course and 3 hours of free sail boat rental by Nor’Banks Sailing; and other offerings will be open for bids.
A wide array of silent auction items range from a dog bed and a generous supply of gourmet dog food to free rounds of golf for two with cart at either of three different area golf courses, cosmetics, jewelry, and a host of other desirable items.
Local artists will have their works of art on display and for sale.
Tickets are $45.00 per person; $75.00 per couple. Tickets are available at the door or in advance at:
Outer Barks (Duck);
Salty Paws (Nags Head);
The holistic Pet Shop (KDH);
The Pet Gallery (KDH);
Dog Nutz (Corolla);
Outer Beaches Realty (Avon);
Hatteras Island Pet Resort (Rodanthe & Frisco); and
The big news on the OBX surf front is that we are once again in a “Yellow” waiting period for the Battle of the Banks.
Last year at this time, the Outer Banks withstood a four day pounding from what became known as the “November Nor’easter.” Four days of heavy winds, crushing rains, and massive flooding. Hurricanes get all the hype, but Nor’easters can pack a serious punch, and they don’t move off quickly like hurricanes tend to do. There’s a quick video recap of last year’s Nor’easter below.
The OBX is now facing another low pressure steaming in from the North, but this year’s version of the November storm should be much more appealing. In fact, it could create some downright amazing surf.
The weather report: A gale warning and heavy surf advisory is in effect for the Outer Banks through Saturday as a low pressure system sits offshore before heading out Saturday night. We’ve been struggling with heavy North/Northwest winds for almost a week, and it seems like they will remain through Saturday. The ocean will reach eight to 13 feet tonight, and it’s expected to be as high as 11 to 15 feet by Friday night.
So, today through Saturday night looks pretty grim, but then the magic happens. Sunday brings on sun and temps in the mid to upper 60’s; plus 12 foot seas and that killer North/Northwest wind lays out to a beautifully quiet 3 – 6 mph west wind Sunday afternoon through Monday.
OBX Surf Forecast - 11.11.10
It’s easy to get too hyped. A lot can change. But, this sure does look like a perfect surf forecast…especially for the gnarliest of the gnarly surf contests, the Battle of the Banks.
Here’s what the Battle of the Banks Facebook page has to say today:
Battle Of The Banks All right Campers. We are once again in the “YELLOW” for Monday. Report to your respective TEAM CAPTAINS for a possible GO on Monday. We will know for certain by tomorrow. YEEEEEWWWWWW!!!!
Pray for surf!
On a related note, Eastern Surf Magazine recently put a great video on their website that was developed by local OBX surf pro Noah Snyder…it highlights the amazing barrels the Outer Banks can throw your way.
