Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report – 2.28.11 – Adios February

Posted on February 28, 2011

Outer Banks - 2.28.11 - Adios February

Good morning. Here’s the Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report for Monday, February 28, 2011.

This video was shot on the Kitty Hawk Pier at 8:30 AM.

Last day a February! We’re inching closer to spring, and it feels like it today….topping out at the 70 degree mark. Overcast skies and a stiff wind out of the southwest, but it still feels like spring.

The nice weather will stick with us for the week, although the temps will be more seasonable. Temps drop back to the 50′s tomorrow, and will climb back to the 60′s by the weekend. Sun should be out all week.

No swell today, so no surf, but the swell is building tonight and tomorrow to the head high range. Unfortunately, the wind will be blowing out of the north at about 20 mph tomorrow, so no surf likely. However, the good news is the wind will swing around to the west and die back on Wednesday. So, we should have a nice light offshore wind to clean up the chest high waves all day Wednesday. Wednesday looks to be the day for surf this week…hopefully it extends to Thursday…we’ll see.

Great OBX fishing still going on. The rock fish are still in the area, and now blue fin and some yellow fin tuna have joined the fish frenzy. A lot of boats were out of Oregon Inlet over the weekend, and I got a report yesterday at 11 AM, and boats had already returned with their limit of stripers. In addition, there was already a blue fin tuna catch by 11 AM! Some of the reports are now saying they are starting to see yellow fin tuna in the area as well. Still very few reports of any catches out of the surf.

Enjoy!

OBX Pic O’ the Day: Classic Outer Banks Aerial Photos

Posted on February 25, 2011

I was doing a little spring cleaning in the office today – I know, it’s not spring, but it’s almost 70′s degrees today, and I’m a believer in positive thinking. Anyway, I came across an old CD buried in the back of a file cabinet, and it turns out it is a CD chock full of some amazing Outer Banks aerial photos.

Classic OBX photos from the air! Sweet find!

Here are few of the best…

: Outer Banks Aerial – Bodie Island Lighthouse

: Outer Banks Aerial – Oregon Inlet

: Outer Banks Aerial – Bodie Island Lighthouse

: Outer Banks Aerial – Oregon Inlet Fishing Center

Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report – 2.25.11 – Warm but windy.

Posted on February 25, 2011

Outer Banks - 2.25.11 - Warm but windy in KDH

Good morning. Here’s the Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report for Friday, February 25, 2011.

This video was shot at the Sutton St. beach access in Kill Devil Hills at 9:00 AM.

The warm weather has returned, but it brought overcast skies and stiff winds with it. Temps will be in the upper 60′s today, but the sun is hiding behind the clouds, and there is a stiff wind out of the southwest at 25 – 30 mph. The sun should find it’s way out this afternoon, and the warmer weather and sun will stick with us through the weekend and into next week.

There is some waist high swell in the area, and it was surprising clean this morning. If the wind lets off a bit and adjusts to the west, there could be some decent surf this afternoon. The swell will die down tomorrow, and it should be pretty flat to start next week.

OBX fishing is still going well. Still getting reports of boats out of Oregon Inlet catching rock fish. Our friends at Rock Solid Fishing (www.RockSolidFishing.com) are reporting catches in the 30-50 pound range. Good sized rock fish still out there, but we are also starting to hear captains mention that the season could be winding down. This week has been a bit hit or miss with some days being great and others tough to find the fish. If you still want to get in on the rock fish action, you should probably do so in the near future.

We also have some good reports of tuna in the area. Getting reports of large schools of blue fin tuna offshore, and last weekend there was a catch over 300 pounds.

Enjoy!

Outer Banks Fishing – The Best in the United States?!

Posted on February 24, 2011

Outer Banks Record Blue Marlin

We’ve been jazzed about the awesome OBX fishing going on this winter. I ramble about it on my daily fishing reports and I mentioned the two state records for rock fish already set in 2011 in a previous post. It’s been a great winter for OBX fishing.

But we expect Outer Banks fishing to be good. It’s like expecting snow in the mountains. It’s what we do.

Despite our expectations, it’s always great to hear how great the OBX fishing is from a trusted, outside source. Last year, Marlin Magazine named the OBX the number one spot in the WORLD for marlin fishing. Very cool. But that’s a pretty specialized game. How about OBX fishing as a whole? Does the Outer Banks have the best fishing in the United States?

The editor-at-large for Salt Water Sportsman, George Poveromo, seems to think so. (I think it’s safe to say he knows a bit about salt water fishing.) The Virginia Pilot ran an article a few weeks ago that discussed Poveromo’s recent trip to VA Beach for a national seminar, and while there, he noted “the Virginia Beach and nearby Outer Banks area’s abundance of variety as one reason he thinks the mid-Atlantic could be the best. The size that some species grow to is a bonus.”

The article finishes up by quoting Poveromo: ”I’d have to say that the fishing you guys have spanks the rest of the country in a lot of ways.”

So I guess our expectations are well founded. It will snow in Colorado, and we’ll catch some big fish on the OBX. Thanks for confirming our beliefs Mr. Poveromo.

TripAdvisor Loves Vacation Rentals: Top 10 Vacation Rental Spots for 2011

Posted on February 24, 2011

Outer Banks Sunset

TripAdvisor®, dubbed the world’s largest travel site, today announced America’s top 10 vacation rental hot spots for 2011, based on TripAdvisor search data and site editors. The Outer Banks landed at number 7!

“Vacation rentals can offer families and groups of travelers significant savings over other accommodation options,” said Hank Hudepohl, director of vacation rentals at TripAdvisor. “Our list shows off some of the best vacation rental destinations in the U.S. where travelers can save big, ranging from prime summer beach spots to areas with first-rate ski resorts.”

Top 10 Vacation Rental Hot Spots in the U.S.

1. Kissimmee, Florida
2. Big Bear Lake, California
3. Gatlinburg, Tennessee
4. Kihei, Hawaii
5. Destin, Florida
6. Palm Springs, California
7. Outer Banks, North Carolina — 1,302 vacation rentals on TripAdvisor

A narrow strip of land just off the Atlantic Coast, the Outer Banks boasts miles of picturesque beaches and a wide array of wildlife, including herds of wild horses that roam the beaches in the northern portion of the islands.

Potential Vacation Rental Savings: $1,580 for a weeklong trip.
*All Seaside Vacations homes are listed on TripAdvisor

8. Lahaina, Hawaii
9. Hilton Head, South Carolina
10. Cape Cod, Massachusetts

More information about TripAdvisor’s more than 100,000 vacation rentals listings from around the world, as well as its innovative Vacation Rentals Calculator, can be found at:http://www.tripadvisor.com/vacationrentals.

† Average potential savings versus a hotel based on a group of four travelers using the TripAdvisor Vacation Rentals Calculator.

OBX Pic O’ the Day: Glassy on the Sound

Posted on February 24, 2011

Outer Banks - 2.24.11 - Glassy on the Sound

Pretty day. Sound is glassy this morning. Sunny, 50′s, light wind. Waist high surf, clean but fading. Rock fish & blue fin are biting. @ The Sound

Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report – 2.23.11 – Sun is back, but feels like February.

Posted on February 23, 2011

Outer Banks - 2.23.11 - Pretty but windy at Avalon Pier

Good morning. Here’s the Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report for Wednesday, February, 23, 2011.

Wow, the last week in February; 2011 is already flying by. Good news is that means spring will be here before we know it.

This video was shot just north of the Avalon Pier in Kill Devil Hills at the “Sea Haven” at 8:30 AM.

The sun has returned, but it feels like February. The spring-like weather from earlier this week is gone, but hopefully it will return soon. For now, we have seasonable weather with temps in the low 50′s and a stiff wind out of the northeast. Should warm up as we get closer to the weekend.

We have some swell in the water, but unfortunately, the northeast blow isn’t helping. Judging by the forecasts, it doesn’t look like we’ll have surf for a few days, but I’ll keep an eye on it.

Fishing is still hot. Stripers are biting, and the reports from our friends at Rock Solid Fishing (www.RockSolidFishing.com) have catches in the 30 – 50 pound range. Big rock fish in the area! We are also getting reports of large schools of bluefin tuna offshore…even a catch over 300 pounds last weekend.

Enjoy!

International Space Station Flies by the Outer Banks

Posted on February 23, 2011

Orion The Hunter

The Outer Banks is a great spot for gazing at the night sky. Whether it’s a space shuttle launch, a meteor shower, a lunar eclipse, or just gazing at the bright constellations, the low light pollution and ample room to carve out a secret spot for yourself make the OBX a perfect option lovers of the night sky.

Yesterday we had another opportunity for fun sky gazing event. Not quite as exciting as “buzzing the tower” in Top Gun, but the International Space Station flew up the East Coast under chilly, but otherwise ideal conditions for viewing. The Station, and its crew of six astronauts, rose out of the southwestern sky at 5:59 PM and climbed about halfway above the southeastern horizon as it made its way from the coast of southern Georgia to the Outer Banks. It passed through the constellation Orion around 6:00 PM, just below the bright star Betelgeuse on The Hunter’s right shoulder. From there, the ISS moved below Castor and Pollux, the twins of Gemini. Then it moved off to the northeast, over the Nova Scotia coast before disappearing from our view around 6:05 PM.

It was still dusk, but the ISS was clearly visible, although the light from the setting sun was challenging. The first stars were not visible for another half hour.

OBX Pic O’ the Day: Back to Reality

Posted on February 22, 2011

Outer Banks - 2.22.11 - Back to Reality

The taste of spring was nice while it lasted. Looks and feels like February today. Overcast, temps in the 40′s, and the wind is blowing hard out of the northeast. Ocean is active but no surf. I doubt many boats will get out for fishing today. @ Kitty Hawk Pier

Seaside Vacations Proudly Sponsors the Memorial Day Blues Fest on the Outer Banks

Posted on February 22, 2011

Outer Banks Memorial Day Blues Festival

Is the Outer Banks quietly becoming a blues mecca? We still need a dedicated blues bar, or at least some blues themed nights, but the OBX is starting to draw a serious blues crowd.

In August, we were the proud sponsors of the 3rd annual Bluez & Brewz festival, and a second blues fest was recently announced for Memorial Day weekend 2011. New acts and new location…same promoter, same great blues music and great beers.

It is called the Marsh Grass Music Festival, and it is being held on the lawn of the Whalehead Club in Corolla. This is a perfect spot for an outdoor music festival; huge lawn overlooking the sound with perfect sunsets. We are proud to be a sponsor of this event, and hope to see much more blues on the OBX.

It is a blues music festival that the entire family can enjoy. Dance the night away to the smooth tunes of Eddie Shaw& the Wolf Gang, Jackie Scott & the Housewreckers and Approved by Snakes with Jason Ricci. For ticket information visit Marsh Grass Music Festival on Facebook.

I’ve been trying to teach myself blues harmonica for a few years, relatively unsuccessfully I might add, and over that time, I’ve stumbled across Jason Ricci numerous times. He is an amazing blues harp player, and well worth the price of admission on his own. I can’t wait to see this amazing show.

Let’s keep bringing the blues to the OBX!