Monthly Archives: August 2011

Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report – 8.22.11 – Calm day. But Hurricane Irene on the way?

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Outer Banks: 8.22.11 - Calm in Kill Devil Hills

Outer Banks: 8.22.11 - Calm in Kill Devil Hills

Good morning. Here’s the Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report for Monday, August 22, 2011.

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

Kids start going back to school this week! Ah, where did the time go?! End of August, wrapping up another great OBX summer!

I always have mixed feelings this time of year. It’s tough to see summer slipping away, but this really is the BEST time of year on the Outer Banks. Over the past week or so, the temps have cooled and the humidity has dropped. Temps have cooled form the 90′s to the mid 80′s. Ideal beach weather, warm during the day and getting cool at night. And this great weather will last for the next couple months! Warm air, warm water, empty beaches, great fishing, great surf. Fall on the OBX is perfect!

Today we’re seeing sun, temps in the mid 80′s, and light offshore breeze out of the southwest, and this fab weather will stick with us through the week.

Unfortunately, there’s not much surf to report today. There is a tiny bit of swell in the knee high range, and the offshore breeze is keeping it clean, so there’s a longboard wave out there if you find the right spot.

It’s pretty flat today, but the forecast is showing all sorts of activity towards the end of the week. Hurricane Irene officially formed yesterday, and it’s down around Haiti today. Forecasting hurricanes is pretty difficult, they can change drastically pretty quickly. So, it’s far to early to know where this storm is headed, but the current tracks have it coming relatively close to the Outer Banks. Fingers crossed that it drifts back to sea, but we’ll have to wait to find out.

However, in the meantime, it seems pretty certain that we’ll see some significant swell from the storm. This could be large and completely unsurfable, but knowing that swell is on the way is a good thing from the surfing perspective. The best bet for surf from a system like this could be on the backside after it moves past us, so fingers crossed for a storm out to sea and great waves late this week to early next week. Please be kind Mother Nature. :)

As for OBX fishing, going very strong. Offshore is catching dolphin, whaoo, yellow and black fin tuna, and some bill fish. The piers, bridges, surf, & Sound are very consistent with a wide variety of fish – speckled trout, croaker, blue fish, spot, sea mullet, pompano, flounder, cobia, Spanish mackerel, trigger fish.

Hope to see you soon. Have fun!

Kitty Hawk, NC: Named after a goose or a mosquito hawk?

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Kitty Hawk, NC

The Virginian Pilot recently released an article titled “What’s in a name? Kitty Hawk, NC”, raising questions about where exactly the name of the city originated. This sparked some interest with me and I thought I would share it with you all. Kind of fun to learn how cities get their names, especially in this case. Funny thing is that even the Mayor of Kitty Hawk said “I don’t know if anyone really knows” in reference to where the name of Kitty Hawk came from.

There have been some rumors and speculations about how the name came about. One idea is that it originates from a Native Indian name for the area related to the hunting of geese, as in “Killy honker” or “Killy honk.” This is the story that the town embraces. Another idea traces the roots to the large number of mosquito hawks found in the area. So the nickname “Skeeter Hawk” could have morphed over time into “Kitty Hawk,”

Historians note that the town first showed up on English maps in the early 1700s as “Chickehauk” and “Chickahawk.” By the late 1700s, land deeds referred to settlements there as “Kitty huk,” “Kitty hark,” “KittyHawk,” and finally “Kitty Hawk.”

What do you guys think? Since no one really knows we could always come up with our own elaborate story of how Kitty Hawk got its name. ;) Either way both stories are funny. I’m not sure how “killy honk” or “skeeter hawk”  turned into Kitty Hawk but I sure am glad its around because it is a beautiful place to call home.

 

OBX Makes Forbes List of “Endless Summer Vacations” for Labor Day

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Oh man- it is finally kicking in that Labor Day is right around the corner. Almost time to get back into the swing of things, send the kids back to school and say goodbye to summer. But why rush it ;) ? A recent Forbes article lists 5 “Endless Summer” vacation spots and the Outer Banks made the list! Noting our famous lighthouses, 130 miles of endless scenery and white sandy beaches the author reminds you that it is not to0 late for a vacation, and so do we!

Seaside still has some great units left for summer and even if you cant make it for an entire week, we offer homes with partial week stays. Ditch the school supply lists and fall shopping and plan a last minute trip to the OBX. I mean who can let summer go by without relaxation, great food, warm weather, sand between your toes, lots of pictures and a gorgeous beach house? Not you!

Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report – 8.19.11 – Near perfect…

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Outer Banks: 8.19.11 - Near Perfect at Kitty Hawk Pier

Outer Banks: 8.19.11 - Near Perfect at Kitty Hawk Pier

Good morning. Here’s the Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report for Friday, August 19, 2011.

This video was shot at the Kitty Hawk Pier at 9:00 AM.

Have we turned a corner? No more high heat and high humidity? Definitely starting to feel like the tail end of summer. I always have mixed feelings about this time of year. It’s no fun to watch summer slip away, but on the other hand, this weather sure is perfect!

Bright sun, blue skies, temps in the 80′s, low humidity, light onshore breeze out of the east, and water at almost 80 degrees! Can’t beat it. Perfect beach weather. And this weather will stick with us through the weekend…really, this weather will stick with us through October! September and October are definitely the best months on the OBX.

Unfortunately, there’s not much surf to report. There’s a tiny knee high wave coming through, but it’s not very consistent. If you find the right spot there could be some fun longboard waves today. Hopefully the swell will pick up early next week.

Fishing is going great though. Offshore is catching dolphin, wahoo, black and yellow fin tuna, and some bill fish mixed in. The bridges, piers, surf, and Sound are all very consistent with a wide variety of fish – croaker, speckled trout, spot, blue fish, Spanish mackerel, pompano and spadefish are showing up, and a cobia was even caught off the Avalon Pier yesterday!

Hope to see you soon. Have fun!

Spotlight on the OBX: Kill Devil Hills

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Kill Devil Hills

Kill Devil Hills

Let’s spin the “Spotlight” towards Kill Devil Hills today. KDH (as it is lovingly known around these parts) has a little something, something for everyone – awesome beaches, gorgeous houses, great restaurants, the Wright Brothers, playgrounds, skate parks, an awesome fishing pier, fantastic local shops, amazing art, and the list rolls on…

The oldest township in the Outer Banks, Kill Devil Hills should not be confused with Kill Devil Hill, where the Wright Brothers made the first successful flight in a powered machine. The Wright Brothers Memorial Monument stands sixty feet high on the ninety foot high Kill Devil Hill.

Situated in the middle of the northern Dare County beaches, KDH is the most populated of the Outer Banks town. The majority of our OBX locals reside here, with a total population of approximately 7,500.

Today, Kill Devil Hills is one of the most popular vacation destinations on the Outer Banks. The many beach accesses make for an easy trip to the beach with lots of public parking. Lifeguards are stationed every half mile or so, making KDH beaches ideal for families with children. With thousands of rental homes, great restaurants, sports and activities, and shopping, Kill Devil Hills is at the center of an Outer Banks vacation.

I’ll zip it so you can enjoy the tour…

OBX Pic O’ the Day: Another Beauty!

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Outer Banks: 8.18.11 - Another Beauty in Kitty Hawk

Outer Banks: 8.18.11 - Another Beauty in Kitty Hawk

Another beautiful summer day on the OBX. Bright sun, blue skies, light onshore breeze, water temps at 75+. Unfortunately, no surf, but the fish are biting.

Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report – 8.17.11 – Perfect summer day…

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Outer Banks: 8.17.11 - Perfect Summer Day at Avalon Pier

Outer Banks: 8.17.11 - Perfect Summer Day at Avalon Pier

Good morning. Here’s the Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report for Wednesday, August 17, 2011.

This video was shot at the Avalon Pier in Kill Devil Hills at 9:00 AM.

I’m not sure if we’re turning a corner towards the end of summer, or if we just have a great weather pattern hanging with us, but the beach weather this week is near perfect. The sun is bright, the skies are blue, the humidity has dropped, temps have cooled to the low 80′s, there’s a light onshore breeze out of the northeast, and water temps have jumped to the mid 70′s. Hard to beat this beach weather!

Unfortunately, no surf to report. Lake Atlantic. And the forecast isn’t too promising. The wind will be inconsistent over the next few days, and a good portion of the time it will be out of the northeast, so even the little swell we have won’t be clean. Hopefully some swell and offshore winds are in our near future. The good news is that the water should stay warm with this onshore wind.

OBX fishing is going great. Tight lines all around. Offshore is catching dolphin, wahoo, and tuna – yellow fin are still in the area, and black fin showed up yesterday; some bill fish mixed in as well. As a side note, the Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament starts today, so we should see some impressive game fish being hauled in.

The bridges, piers, surf, & Sound are very consistent with a wide variety of fish – spot, croaker, blue fish, speckled trout, flounder, trigger fish, cobia, and some spade fish showed up yesterday.

Hope to see you soon. Have fun!

Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report – 8.15.11 – Great day on the beach…

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Outer Banks: 8.15.11 - Great day on the beach in Kill Devil Hills

Outer Banks: 8.15.11 - Great day on the beach in Kill Devil Hills

Good morning. Here’s the Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report for Monday, August 15, 2011.

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

Half way through August! It’s moving fast, but we have a great beach week ahead of us. It’s going to be a very comfortable week on the beach. Today we have temps in the upper 80′s, sun, and a light offshore breeze out of the southwest. As the week progresses, the temps will cool slightly to the mid to lower 80′s, and the sun, and comfortable breezes will stick with us. Great week at the beach!

Unfortunately, no surf to report. There will be a nice offshore breeze for most of the week, so the little swell we get will be clean, but we’re looking at knee to waist surf, and waist is probably being generous. The wind should switch out of the north on Wednesday, so even the longboard waves won’t be clean, but the good news is that the north wind will push the warmer water back towards shore.

As for fishing, still going great. Offshore is catching wahoo, dolphin, big eye and yellow fin tuna, and some bill fish mixed in. The piers, bridges, surf, and Sound are all very consistent with a wide variety of fish – spot, sea mullet, Spanish mackerel, flounder, cobia, trigger fish.

As I mentioned, August is moving quickly, but we still have time to squeeze in a last minute OBX getaway, and we still have some availability for the next couple weeks. In addition, the best time of year on the Outer Banks is fast approaching. September and October are amazing on the OBX – warm air, warm water, great surf, great fishing, no crowds – easily the best time to be here. We have great houses available for the best time of year. Please take a look if you’re ready for a beach trip! – www.OuterBanksVacations.com

Hope to see you soon. Have fun!

Ocean Tells Tales of Shorelines Past

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Divers off the Outer Banks coastline have found a German U-701 submarine believed to have entered American waters in 1942 to destroy Navy ships during World War 2. The vessel is believed to hold the bodies of 7 soldiers and is just the first of many underwater military graveyards to be researched by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The Administration is aiming to document and photograph the dozens of warships that disappeared below the surface and to produce a comprehensive report on the wartime shipwrecks. Supporters hope to channel the findings into museum exhibits or film productions that raise awareness of an often-forgotten part of WWII history.

They’ve narrowed their focus to a 130-square-mile area of the ocean off the southern end of Hatteras Island, believed to be the site of a critical battle between a German submarine and an Allied convoy en route to Florida. The researchers don’t know precisely how many WWII vessels were sunk off the North Carolina coast, but estimates range from 50 to 80. Some, like the U-701, have been located and identified, but the majority remain undiscovered.

“It’s a sight that would strike fear into any merchant marine’s heart,” said Evan Kovacs, a scuba diver who photographed the submarine days ago. “It’s definitely one of those sights that gets your blood going.”