OBXmas Weekends

Posted on October 21, 2011

The Outer Banks Visitors Bureau is starting a new tradition this year and wants locals and visitors to jump on board! OBXmas Weekends is a site centered around all the great events taking place this fall and winter season in the OBX. It gives you the opportunity to see what is going on from Kitty Hawk to Hatteras, especially as it gets close to the holidays.

From craft shows to fishing tournaments, to Christmas light shows, OBXmas Weekends calendar lets you know the best places to check out around the beach. Not only can you check out local events, but business are also posting great holiday specials and coupons to share.

I don’t know about you guys but this is my favorite time of year! Why not skip the craziness of the holidays and head down to the beach for a very merry OBX getaway? Seems like the perfect way to get the family together and spend some real quality time, and isn’t that what the holidays are all about? Nothing like sipping eggnog while putting your feet up and watching the sunrise at your oceanfront vacation home.

Here is the calendar for Novembers events thus far. Keep an eye on it because there are new events and new deals all the time!

Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report: 10.20.11 – Feels like Fall. Surf is up…so is the wind.

Posted on October 20, 2011

Outer Banks: 10.20.11 - Feels Like Fall in Kitty Hawk

Good morning. Here’s the Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report for Thursday, October 20, 2011.

This video was shot at the Lillian St. beach access in Kitty Hawk at 9:00 AM.

It’s a pretty day, but it’s starting to feel like fall. Temps have cooled from the mid 70′s earlier in the week to the mid 60′s today with a strong wind out of the southwest at 20 mph. Definite hoodie weather!

Looking at the 10 day forecast, we’ve got nothing but sun ahead, but the fall coolness seems like it’s here to stay…temps hovering in the 60′s for the foreseeable future. Water temps are still at almost 70 degrees. Warmer in the water than on the beach today!

We have some decent surf today, but that wind sure is blowing. There chest high surf, but the 20 mph west wind is blowing the tops off the waves…and adding to the chill factor. The swell will be fading throughout the day, but the good news is that the swell will stick in the waist high range for tomorrow, and the wind will slow down and stay out of the west tomorrow. Seems like tomorrow could be the day…but there’s plenty of fun to be had out there today too.

OBX fall fishing is going great. Offshore is catching their limits on black fin and yellow fin tuna. The piers, bridges, surf, and Sound are very active with a wide variety of fish – speckled trout, spot, blue fish, sea mullet, gray trout, black drum, flounder, puppy drum, striper.

Hope to see you soon. Have fun!

Coastal Studies Institute Begins to Take Shape

Posted on October 20, 2011

Only about one more year to go before the University of North Carolina’s Coastal Studies Institute is opening its Outer Banks campus. It has been a long process but the $32 million facility in Skyco is about 40 percent complete. We have written about the Institute before but just to refresh you, CSI is in partnership with other state universities that offer marine science programs and will serve as a home to marine science research and education.

Its partners include North Carolina State University, UNC at Chapel Hill and Wilmington, East Carolina University and Elizabeth City State University.

The campus is about 200 acres but only about 35 acres will be used for the facility and the rest for research and lab sites. The facility is being built with state of the art construction, designed to minimize the impact on the marsh area and be as environmentally safe as possible.

While the facility will be new to the Outer Banks, the Institute has had a presence on the Outer Banks for the past eight years. It currently conducts $6 million in grant-funded research focusing on projects such as renewable ocean energy, storm water runoff impacts and the Outer Banks’ maritime history.

The institute will host graduate, undergraduate students and faculty who can conduct research and take college-level courses related to coastal sciences as well as distance education program. Researchers and students will focus on four main research areas, including estuarine ecology and human health, coastal processes and engineering, public policy and coastal sustainability and maritime heritage.

It is an amazing opportunity for the Outer Banks to host such a unique institute. It will be able to provide the hands on experience students are encouraged to have, in an environment that is constantly changing and providing new information and research. The institute will be a great addition to the Duck Research Pier, another great educational facility. Pretty cool that these students and researchers are the building blocks of new technology, renewable energy, and discovering answers to some of the mysteries under the sea. Can I go back to school ?

Fine Line OBX Art Contest: Proceeds to Benefit Hotline

Posted on October 19, 2011

What a sweet followup to our recent Outer Banks T-Shirt Contest! Fine Line is a non-profit clothing brand that donates 100% of its profits to a different local charity each year. The designs for the clothes are selected from entries submitted by local Outer Banks artists in their annual art contest. This year Fine Line is donating to the Hotline Outer Banks, a private, non-profit human services organization that provides crisis intervention, temporary shelter, information and referrals, advocacy and prevention education services to residents of and visitors to the Outer Banks.

If you are an OBX local and interested in submitting a design, keep in mind that it doesn’t have to be something you created specifically for this contest, it can be an older piece of art you think you would make a great t-shirt design. To make a submission you post it directly to Fine Line’s facebook wall. The contest is open until November 31st. Good Luck!

Here is a winning design from Season 2 of the contest.

Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report: 10.18.11 – Gorgeous day. Big surf starting tomorrow?!

Posted on October 18, 2011

Outer Banks: 10.18.11 - Gorgeous at Avalon Pier

Good morning. Here’s the Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report for Tuesday, October 18, 2011.

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

Another gorgeous fall day! We’ve had a great string of weather lately. Going on about a week with bright sun, blue skies and temps in the 70′s. Today will continue that stretch of great weather; mid 70′s, not a cloud in the sky, light breeze out of the southwest and water temps at 69 degree. Perfection!

Unfortunately, we have a storm rolling up the coast, so it looks like tomorrow could be a bit rainy, but the sun should return by Thursday. The temps will dip a bit towards the end of the week to the mid 60′s…water warmer than the air?!

No surf to report, but that is going to change in a big way starting tomorrow. The storm that is approaching is going to push the swell to the head high range tomorrow, and that swell should stick around through Thursday. The current forecast is for offshore winds, so the surf could be great, but we’ll see if that holds.

They are considering running the Battle of the Banks on Thursday, but they are questioning the forecast right now. The Battle of the Banks is the best OBX surf contest of the year. A team from Virginia Beach goes head to head with a team from the Outer Banks for bragging rights. They wait for the biggest, baddest day of the fall season, and the goal is to get the most intense sure and biggest barrels the OBX has to offer. Definitely my favorite contest, and I’ll be sure to be there when it runs. We’ll keep you posted.

OBX fishing is going great. Fall is an amazing time for fishing. Offshore is catching limits of black fin and yellow fin tuna. The bridges, pier, surf & Sound are very active with a wide variety of fish – speckled trout, blue fish, spot, sea mullet, black drum, gray trout, flounder, puppy drum, striper.

Hope to see you soon. Have fun!

Currituck Officials Look for Ways to Make Beach Driving Safer

Posted on October 18, 2011

After these busy summer months have come and gone, Currituck County officials are looking for ways to make beach driving along the 11 mile strip of Corolla up to the state line, safer for drivers and pedestrians. If you have ever been up that way you can see that as of now beach driving is pretty much unlimited, you can drive close to the waters edge or up near the dunes, and everywhere in between. With so many people out on the beach there seems to be a ton of accidents waiting to happen.

The off-road tract is a popular destination for locals and tourists to enjoy oceanside driving, the sight of Currituck’s wild horses or a trip to the water’s edge to spend the day. The experience is one of many that make Currituck such a popular tourism destination.It’s that popularity, however, which has led to the concerns now being addressed by the county’s citizens, officials and businesses. The increase in beach traffic poses serious concerns about safety for pedestrians as well as other beach traffic.

The Daily Advance noted some of the ideas the appointed beach driving committee had about ways to make our beaches safer yet not try to limit access. Oriiginally they reccomended the idea of issuing permits to reduce the amount of vehicles out on the beach, but this idea didnt sit well with the community. Locals and businesses agree that this would not only hurt the county’s reputation of friendliness and accomidation, but would also penalize the 2,000 day-trippers who visit the Northern Outer Banks for beach driving.

Currituck County Sherriff Susan Johnson opposed the permit system and instead recommended changing the traffic patterns on the beach to prevent drivers from weaving down and around beach goers, but instead driving behind them close to the dunes. She believes this will create a predictable traffic pattern, improve safety and not limit any access for locals and visitors.

Officials are still researching the best way to accomplish the number one goal of safety out on the beaches by researching other communities that allow beach driving. As the amount of visitors continue to increase in the Outer Banks, this will continue to become a bigger problem if nothing is done soon.

I am not sure what the answer is. As a local I feel that the suggested traffic pattern idea would not work because there is really no way to enforce it, as well as most people follow that pattern now. Only a few crazies drive down close to the water and weave in and out of pedestrians. Maybe some more enforcement down on the beach to give people like that a ticket for their reckless driving? Definitely not a permit system. Plus we have to keep in mind the tide changes, sometimes the tide is so high in certain areas there would be no way to have a set traffic pattern. What do you all think?

Highway 12 Makes Travel & Leisure’s List of Most Iconic Drives

Posted on October 17, 2011

Of course we know the Outer Banks is one of the most beautiful places on earth, but its always nice when people who have seen places all over America and the OBX is one of the most memorable. Travel and Leisure recently released a list of 32 of America’s Most Iconic Drives and the Outer Banks’ famous Highway 12 made the list.

“Linked together by ferry crossings, and never rising more than a few feet above sea level, Highway 12 skips along the series of barrier islands that form Cape Hatteras, separating the usually placid waters of Pamlico Sound from the frequently raging Atlantic Ocean. Though many sections were flooded and damaged by Hurricane Irene, Highway 12 is an unforgettable drive, winding past sand dunes, landmark lighthouses, and historic villages.’

Although Highway 12 did see alot of damage during Irene, we are lucky enough to have parts of it back open and access to Hatteras Island restored. If you aren’t to far away, nothing beats a fall trip down to Cape Hatteras National Seashore or Pea Island. The scenery is absolutely beautiful and the fishing is excellent during the fall. If you want to wait until summer make sure you plan on checking out some of the great hang gliding and kite surfing outfitters along Highway 12.

Here is a neat video of some of the early recovery efforts in Hatteras from the air, not long after Hurricane Irene hit the Outer Banks.

Outer Banks: 2011 World Championships of Surf Kayaking Highlights – Jennette’s Pier, Nags Head NC

Posted on October 15, 2011

Outer Banks: 2011 World Championships of Surf Kayaking

September went out, and October arrived, with a bang on the Outer Banks. Actually, it was more of a splash…a big splash; a worldwide splash.

Fall on the Outer Banks is awesome. Empty beaches, warm weather, warm water, and fantastic surf. The perfect time to bring a huge surf kayaking contest to the OBX!

For 10 days, from September 29th – October 9th, the 2011 World Championships of Surf Kayaking were held on the Outer Banks, specifically at Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head, NC.

This is a huge contest. It is held every two years, and the last event was in Brazil; we are very happy that it found its way to the Outer Banks. 10 days worth of events, contestants from all over the world, a wide variety of event categories, and the Outer Banks provided some perfect conditions. The weather and waves varied a bit over the 10 day period, but there was plenty of sun, a lot of great waves, and some amazing kayaking.

I was able to make it to the event five of the ten days. It was great to see so much excitement and energy on the beach…and in the water. I couldn’t get there everyday, but I made sure to get there when all of the fickle surf ingredients lined up to throw some great waves our way. And there were plenty of gorgeous waves to go around.

I’ll let the official website of the event (http://www.worldchampionshipsofsurfkayaking.com/) offer the full recaps, including opening and closing ceremonies and list of winners, but I do want to share some of great surf kayaking highlights…and amazing OBX waves.

Sit back, kick up your feet, enjoy the scenery; the waves and kayaking are mesmerizing…and don’t forget to turn up the speakers, I think you’ll enjoy the jam from Foster the People – “Pumped Up Kicks.”

Hope to see y’all kayakers back on the OBX soon!…thanks for the show.

Outer Banks T-Shirt Design Contest: The Champ has Been Crowned!

Posted on October 13, 2011

The crowning moment has finally arrived!

After months of collecting fabulous Outer Banks t-shirt designs for our t-shirt design contest, we narrowed the field down to five amazing pieces of art, and Tuesday we opened the final stage of voting on our Facebook page.

It was a 24-hour period of heated voting with two awesome designs battling it out down to the last minute of voting at midnight. And in the end, the fabulous “Mermaid” design, created by Ms. Patsy Bachus Ridlon, was crowned the victor!

I asked Patsy if there was a story behind the design, and here’s what she had to say…

Yes! I’m southern, so I always have a good story:)

I was raised in Asheville, North Carolina, and now live in the Pacific Northwest, soon to move to the coast of Oregon. Still, the Outer Banks has a feeling and life all it’s own. There is no place like it.

The first time I visited the Outer Banks, I was a kid. That was 30 years ago. We went to a local restaurant and the waitress was so beautiful she looked like she belonged on the front of a ship!

She and her family had lived there for generations. She had the most exotic green eyes, so she made me think of the mermaid and the Pirate bandana she is wearing.

The horse, turtle, fish, crab, the dolphin hidden in the wave, the little seahorse…all the wildlife, to me, is one of the most amazing and important parts of the Outer Banks.

Horses! I love the wild horses.

She is part of the ocean and the OBX, and protecting it, as the people of the Outer Banks do.

The Surfboard, energy and fun!

Thank you for having the contest, it was great. I am sooo happy to be a tiny part of this. All the designs were amazing, and I am honored to have won. Please thank your awesome staff. I read about you all every day. You’re my link to my favorite place.

Thank you!
Patsy

Awesome description.

It is amazing how much the Outer Banks can effect people. There is so much “everyday magic” on the Outer Banks. So much so, that we can be changed by it and not even realize it’s happening. I can speak from experience (as I’m sure most of y’all can as well). I grew up in Boston, but after vacationing on the Outer Banks a couple times, I knew this is where I wanted to spend every available minute. Now, here I am with my entire life built around this amazing place.

Patsy lives on the opposite side of the country – 3k miles away? – yet she stays tuned into our daily updates everyday, took the time to enter our t-shirt design contest, and created the winning design based on inspiration from her first OBX visit 30 years ago! Amazing!

Great design, and great story. Thanks so much Patsy.

This was such a fun contest! We can’t wait to see the great design on the Seaside Vacations 2012 t-shirt, and we can’t wait to do it again next year! Get your creative thinking caps on.

T-shirts will be available soon. We’ll be sure to announce it as soon as they are ready. Stay tuned!

Outer Banks T-Shirt Design Contest: "Mermaid" - Winning Design

Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report: 10.13.11 – Perfect fall day; sun, surf, & fish.

Posted on October 13, 2011

Outer Banks: 10.13.11 - Sun, Surf, & Fish

Good morning. Here’s the Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report for Thursday, October 13, 2011.

This video was shot at the Lillian St. beach access in Kitty Hawk at 9:00 AM.

Gorgeous fall day. The sun has returned! We’ve had a storm system hanging out with us for a couple days bringing some clouds and rain, but the sun is back today…And for the next 5-10 days!

We have bright blue skies, bright sun, air temps hovering around 70, water temps almost the same at 68 degrees, and a light southwest wind. And based on the forecast, it looks like this perfect fall weather is going to stick with us for a while. Should be a gorgeous weekend with sun and temps around 70.

We have some decent surf this morning. Some good swell around chest high, and the light southwest wind is cleaning up the waves pretty well. Although, the wind is in the process of switching to the south for this afternoon. But the good news is the wind will be back offshore tomorrow, and should stay that way through the weekend.

The swell is going to drop to about waist high, but with the nice west wind all weekend, the waves should be real clean. They may be on the small size, but clean waves, great weather, and warm water make for a great fall weekend on the Outer Banks. Still time to get a session in without your wetsuit!

Fall OBX fishing is going off! Offshore is catching their limits on black fin and yellow fin tuna. And the piers and surf are full of some great fishing action – blues, pompano, some flounder, spot, black drum, but the big story is the speckled trout. We are seeing one of the best runs on speckled trout in years. Avalon Pier was going crazy yesterday morning with speckled keepers.

Great time to be on the OBX! Hope to see you soon.