OBXmas Weekend: New Events Added

Posted on November 30, 2011

Its begining to look alot like Christmas! With Thanksgiving behind us that can only mean one thing…Christmas is right around the corner. Of course there is no better place to spend the holidays than the Outer Banks! We have mentioned OBXmas weekends before, it is a great “one stop shop” for all the great events taking place on the beach during the holiday season. They have continued to add new great events to the calander and if you are in area make sure you check them out. Here is the link to the updated calander. Tons of fun things coming up this weekend! Here are some highlights.

Wednesday, November 30

All day

First in Flight Holiday Lights

All day

Poulos Christmas Lights

Thursday, December 1

All day

23rd Annual Festival of Trees

All day

First in Flight Holiday Lights

All day

Poulos Christmas Lights

Friday, December 2

All day

Kitty Hawk Kites Holiday Sales Spectacular

All day

23rd Annual Festival of Trees

All day

First Annual Duck Yuletide Celebration

All day

First in Flight Holiday Lights

All day

Holiday Small Works Show (Vault Gallery)

All day

Poulos Christmas Lights

All day

Manteo Tree Lighting

4:00pm

First Friday

5:00pm

Duck Tapas Crawl

Saturday, December 3

All day

Kitty Hawk Kites Holiday Sales Spectacular

All day

23rd Annual Festival of Trees

All day

Art and Spirit: Sacred Works by Sixty Artists

All day

First in Flight Holiday Lights

All day

Holiday Small Works Show (Vault Gallery)

All day

Poulos Christmas Lights

All day

Downtown Manteo Christmas Parade

9:30am

Storewide Holiday Sale at the Christmas Shop

3:00pm

First Annual Duck Yuletide Celebration

6:00pm

Grand Illumination – The Elizabethan Gardens

Sunday, December 4

All day

Kitty Hawk Kites Holiday Sales Spectacular

All day

Storewide Holiday Sale at the Christmas Shop

All day

Art and Spirit: Sacred Works by Sixty Artists

All day

First in Flight Holiday Lights

All day

Holiday Small Works Show (Vault Gallery)

All day

Poulos Christmas Lights

OBX Daredevils Out for 2012 Season: Franchise for Sale

Posted on November 29, 2011

Sad news for Outer Banks Daredevil fans. After 14 seasons team owners are shutting down operations with concerns they would be unable to break even in 2012. The Daredevils were one of the original Coatal Plains Leaugue teams joining in 1997. There will be 14 teams continuing in the league, including the Edenton Steamers, who will play in a seven-team East Division when the 54-game season begins May 29. Warren Spivey bought the Daredevils in 1999. The team moved from Manteo to Kill Devil Hills in 2006 when a group led by Marcus Felton bought the team prior to the season. According to the Outer Banks Voice, the Daredevils franschise will sit dormant in 2012 and is up for sale.

Oh no! I didnt even get a chance to go to one of their games! It seems that locals and visitors are having mixed reactions to the news. Some are saying that the talent just wasnt enough to keep fans engaged, some have said it was too expensive and others are saying its a shame to lose such a great team. Everyone should know that even if your local team has a few bad seasons (Ahemmm…the Panthers), eventually things will turn around and you have to always stick with them.

We will keep you updated if there are any future announcements.

Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report: 11.29.11 – Quiet & peaceful at the beach…

Posted on November 29, 2011

Outer Banks: 11.29.11 - Peace & Quiet at Lillian St.

Good morning. Here’s the Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report for Tuesday, November 11, 2011.

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

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving. The OBX enjoyed some awesome weather during the holiday and through the weekend. Sun and upper 60′s. Luckily, that weather is sticking around today. There are some clouds in the area, so it will be a mix of sun and clouds, but temps are mild in the mid 60′s.
Pretty great talking about upper 60′s at the end of November!

The rest of the week looks nice. Temps will dip a bit to the mid 50′s, but we’ll have lots of sun all the way through the weekend.

We do have a relatively strong offshore wind today adding a bit of a chill, but still mild; about 10-15 mph out of the southwest. The good news is the wind is cleaning up the waist to chest swell we have in the area, so the surf is looking decent today. The wind is a bit strong and blowing the tops of the waves off, but worth getting wet for a few fun waves. And the water temp is still pretty mild; 58 degrees at Avalon Pier this morning.

Speaking of the piers, some of the piers have closed down for the season. Avalon Pier, Nags Head Pier, and the Outer Banks Pier closed down Sunday for the season. The Kitty Hawk Pier will remain open through January, and Jennette’s Pier is open as well…I think Jennette’s may stay open year-round.

The piers may be closing, but the fish are still biting. Offshore they are catching yellow fin tuna and some wahoo. There are some striper, puppy drum, and red drum in the area, but the big news is the speckled trout. Lots of great catches and keepers around, especially north of Kitty Hawk Pier.

Hope to see you soon. Have fun!

OBX Pic O’ the Day: Amazing Bird Migration

Posted on November 28, 2011

Outer Banks: 11.28.11 - Amazing Bird Migration at Avalon Pier

I strolled up to the beach this morning for my daily picture/beach report, and I was wow’ed by a pretty cool sight. Hundreds (maybe 1000+?) of birds moving around Avalon Pier and heading south. Very cool.

This is some conjecture, but I think they were ducks (with some pelicans and sea gulls mixed in), and it seemed like they were migrating south. They were bouncing from the water to the air, but they weren’t taking the time to fish, so migration seems to make the most sense. Regardless of the reason, it was awesome to watch nature doing its thing.

Hope you had a great Turkey Day. The weather was perfect on the OBX, and that great weather is continuing today. Sun and 60′s. Unfortunately no surf, but we could see some nice waves tomorrow. Piers are closing down for the season, but the fish are still biting.

Were you on the OBX for Thanksgiving? How did you spend your time when you weren’t gobbling down a delicious Turkey Day feast? We’d love to know. Please share in the comment section below.

Have a great day!

Outer Banks: Duck Yuletide Celebration

Posted on November 21, 2011

Santa Duck

Duck, NC – The Town of Duck, in cooperation with our local business community, announces the First Annual “Duck Yuletide Celebration” – a Town-wide celebration of Yuletide Cheer.

Friday and Saturday, December 2 and 3, 2011

Duck merchants will keep their doors open late for shoppers to find the perfect gift. Visitors will enjoy Holiday sales, refreshments, and even some Holiday entertainment as they make their way through the Town of Duck.

The entire Village Commercial District will be decked out for the holiday season with festive decorations and lights.

To complement your shopping experience, Duck eateries are hosting one of their famous Duck Tapas Crawls on Friday, December 2, 2011 from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. Participating restaurants will be serving up a plate of tapas and a cup of Holiday cheer for one special price that is sure to be pleasing to every palate.

Check out the Duck website for some more info.

Love holiday shopping? Love tapas? Love Duck? Will you be going to the Yuletide Celebration? Please let us know all about it in our comments section. Have fun!

Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report: 11.21.11 – Great Thanksgiving week…

Posted on November 21, 2011

Outer Banks: 11.21.11 - Nice Fall Weather in Kitty Hawk

Good morning. Here’s the Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report for Monday, November 21, 2011.

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

The gorgeous weather from the weekend is carrying into today and the rest of the week. Great time to be at the beach enjoying the Thanksgiving holiday. A little overcast to start today, but the sun is fighting its way out. Temps in the mid 60′s with an offshore breeze out of the southwest at 10 mph. Sun and 60′s for most of this week, and a gorgeous Thanksgiving Day on Thursday (maybe a bit windy).

The offshore breeze is cleaning up the waves. The surf is small, in the knee to waist range, but it’s real clean with this southwest wind. The swell will pick up a bit through the week; should be in the chest range by Thursday. But it looks like today will be the only day with the offshore wind.

OBX fishing is going well. Offshore the boats are hauling in yellow fin tuna, dolphin, and white marlin. The big story is the speckled trout. A lot of specks in the area with a bunch of keepers being hauled in at all of the piers and out of the surf. I also saw a report from our friends at www.RockSolidFishing.com that they hauled in a big rock fish near shore this morning. Some good fall fishing happening on the Outer Banks!

Hope to see you soon. Have fun!

Carnival May Return for 8 Week Run Next Summer

Posted on November 18, 2011

Did anyone get a chance to go to the carnival in Nags Head last summer? It was awesome and a huge hit for locals and OBX visitors. The Outer Banks Voice reports that the carnival may be returning next summer for an 8 week run at the soundfront Windmill Point site. The Dare County Tourism Board is considering a June to August return, as well as building or renting an outdoor stage for entertainment shows and events.

Boardwalk Attractions, the company who brings in the carnival has mentioned that they would hire and train local workers to head the carnival and consider bringing in more rides. The tourism board continues to research more permanent uses for the 14 acre site but it seems like this would be great way to use the land in the mean time. Potentially create jobs for locals and be another fun thing to do here on the beach, seems like a great idea!

Tis the Season….to be at the OBX!

Posted on November 16, 2011

With Thanksgiving right around the corner and Christmas not too far behind, the holiday season is in full swing. Whether you are heading to the beach with family for the holidays or a local, we wanted to let you know about some upcoming events here in the Outer Banks. We have mentioned OBXmas weekends earlier in the fall, but there have been more great events announced and tons more on the way. From shopping, to light shows, to fishing tournaments, there is something fun for the whole family to enjoy. Here are some highlights of some of the events begining next week.

Reindeer Run Extravaganza:

Retailers join forces Thanksgiving weekend to provide the ultimate holiday shopping experience. The Reindeer Run is brought to you by the Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce and the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau and provides visitors and residents a quick guide to the best local shopping and discounts. On Black Friday follow the red line. Follow the green line on Small Business Saturday.

Friday, November 25 (Red Line map );

Click here for participating retailers

Saturday, November 26 (Green Line map)

Click here for participating retailers

Redfish Saturday Fishing Tournament at Jennettes Pier:

The new Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head will hold its first ever Redfish Saturday tournament on Nov. 26 from 8 a.m. until noon. Trophies will be awarded that day for the longest fish of these types: red drum, black drum, bluefish, speckled trout, gray trout, striped bass, croaker, flounder and others. Jennette’s Pier has partnered with Tanger Outlet Center also of Nags Head for the event. Everyone who registers for the tournament will receive a free Tanger Outlet coupon book, a $350 value. The pier’s educational staff will offer fee-based programs for children during the tournament. So, let the angler in your family go fishing and the shopper go shopping at the nearby outlets.

Event Information:

Jennette’s Pier, Nags Head

Saturday, November 26; 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Families must register by Wednesday, Nov. 23 for the programs. For more information, call 252-255-1501, ext. 202.

Kites with Lights:

Watch the night sky magically transform as kites with lights glow in the sky atop Jockey’s Ridge State Park. Kites go up around 3 p.m. and will be in the sky until 6 p.m. Hot apple cider and cookies will be served beginning at 4 p.m. at Kitty Hawk Kites store. This is a very well attended event so get there early to get your parking spot.

Event Information:

Jockey’s Ridge State Park,

Mile Post 12.5, Nags Head

Saturday, November 26, 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.

1-877-FLY-THIS, 252-441-4124

Island Farms Presents: Island Foodways

Looking for something to do with the family after Thanksgiving? Come to Island Farm as we interpret fall food traditions and share how Roanoke Island families prepared for winter during the 1850s. Some activities will include: hearth cooking, food preservation, ox-drawn wagon rides from 10am-noon, corn shucking and shelling in the afternoon. Bring a nonperishable food item and receive $1 off admission to the farm. Goods will be donated to the Roanoke Island Food Pantry.

Event Information:

Island Farm, Manteo

Saturday, November 26,

10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Standard admission of $6 (or $5 with donation of canned good), children ages 5 and under admitted free.

Upcoming Events

23rd Annual Festival of Trees: December 1 -3

Grand Illuminations at the Elizabethan Gardens: December 3

Downtown Manteo Christmas Parade: December 3

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Winter Climb: December 10

Christmas Past at Island Farm: December 10

108th Annual Celebration of the Wright Brothers First Flight: December 17

Since this is my favorite time of year, its awesome the Outer Banks has so much going on for residents and visitors. I have heard that the Kites with Lights is a really sweet event because you get to watch the sunset get transformed into a winter wonderland! Make sure you get out and check out some of these great events brought to us by the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau and make a new OBX tradition!

Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report: 11.15.11 – Gorgeous start to the week…

Posted on November 15, 2011

Outer Banks: 11.15.11 - Gorgeous at Avalon Pier

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

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

Wow, what a great start to the week! We’ve been enjoying some gorgeous OBX fall weather for the past few days; 70 degrees, sun, and a light offshore breeze out of the southwest. This great weather is continuing today an tomorrow, but it there are some changes toward the end of the week.

The gorgeous weather is going to give way to a cold front that is moving into the area toward the end of the week. The 70 degree temps will drop to the mid 50′s by Thursday and Friday, and the light offshore winds will switch to some stiff north winds. Luckily, the weekend looks great with sun and temps in the 60′s.

Unfortunately, no Outer Banks surf to report. There’s really no swell coming in today, and although the swell will jump to chest high by the end of the week, it will coincide with 15-20 mph north winds, so the waves won’t have a chance to clean up. Fingers crossed that conditions improve, but it doesn’t look like we have any surf in store this week.

OBX fishing on the other hand, is a completely different story. Fall fishing on the Outer Banks is going great…tight lines all around! Offshore they are catching marlin and tuna. The surf and piers are active with some variety – blue fish, blow toads, black drum, sheepshead – but the big story is speckled trout! The specks are out in full force, and anglers are reeling them in on the regular. Surfcasters are having great success just north of every pier.

As a side note, keep in mind that the limit on speckled trout has dropped from 6 to 4 this year, so only 4 keepers per person.

Hope to see you soon. Have fun!

2011 Outer Banks Marathon: Recap & Results

Posted on November 15, 2011

Over 1,200 runners geared up for the 6th annual Outer Banks Marathon this weekend. The weather could not have been more perfect to conquer the 26 miles, and of course the views werent bad either.

Starting in Kitty Hawk, runners made their way through the Wright Brothers Memorial trail, down in the Nags Head Woode Nature Preserve, around Jockey’s Ridge State Park, crossing the Manteo bridge and finishing up in beautiful downtown Manteo.

It was amazing to see people from all over the country conquering what some considered a “check off the bucket list”. Its really inspiring actually, and seeing their family and children yelling for them on the side lines will really bring a smile to your face.

Here are the top 10 finishers for the male and female categories.

Male Finishers:

1. Tim Surface 2:38:40 Raleigh NC

2. Bruce Berger 2:48.08 Richmond VA

3. Alan Pietruszkiewicz 2:49:18 Glen Allen VA

4. Michael Dwomoh 2:49:35 Raleigh NC

5. Shiels Duncan 2:50:15 Glen Allen VA

6. William Kuper 2:50:27 Fairfax VA

7. Talentino Angelosante 2:50:33 Albuquerque NM

8. Merrick Lincoln 2:50:39 Milford MI

9. Mark Dewyea 2:52:23 Standardsville VA

10. Bret Mower 2:56:05 Waynesboro PA

Female Finishers:

1. Megan Hovis 2:54:38 Charlotte NC

2. Heather Magill 3:03:04 Wilmington NC

3. Viviana Chalco-Caiza-dinan 3:05:11 High Point NC

4. Amy Kearns 3:10:21 Wintervill NC

5. Mary Tuttle 3:16:59 Winston Salem NC

6. Jennifer Curtin 3:17:31 Raleigh NC

7. Kayla Campisino 3:18:36 Raleigh NC

8. Abigail Jeck 3:18:56 Chapel Hill NC

9. Chelsea Holt 3:22:21 Durham NC

10. Carolyn Yang 3:22:27 Cincinnati OH

For complete results click here.

Truley amazing guys!! Pretty cool to see a lot of North Carolinians placing in the top 10 as well. Congratulations to everyone who ran, you all rock! Here are some clips from the race. Try to ignore the dirty windshield.