2011 Outer Banks T-Shirt Design Contest, the Gift that Keeps on Giving

Posted on December 5, 2011

During the 2011 summer, we started a new Seaside Vacations tradition and ran a contest to design an Outer Banks t-shirt. Such a great contest. Here we are in December, and we’re still talking about it!

We received a whole bunch of amazing designs, and after some heated voting on our Facebook page, we crowned the Mermaid design as champ – thanks to the fantastic talents of Ms. Patsy.

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

In my mind, all was said and done. We mailed off Patsy’s prize (a free OBX getaway), and we had some fabulous t-shirts designed and sent to the printer. I was looking forward to our sweet 2012 Outer Banks t-shirts, but my mind had moved on to other tasks.

And then the t-shirt contest gave us a nice surprise. Our team of Vacation Specialists loved the winning design, but they had a soft-spot for one of the other designs. They took it upon themselves to have t-shirts made for the “runner-up,” Ms. SuAnn, and each member of our reservations team. Taken alone, this is a great story…but it gets better.

Outer Banks T-Shirt Design Contest: SuAnn's Design

Outer Banks T-Shirt Contest: Awesome T-shirts!

We put up a blog post to recognize the unsung hero of the contest and show off the new t-shirts, and the greatness snowballed from there. The team of Vacation Specialists were touched by this awesome design – and amazing person – and luckily I was able to capture a tiny piece of this genuine happiness in the blog post.

As a result, Ms. Patsy – i.e. the amazing artist that designed the winning t-shirt – saw the post and offered to give her free OBX getaway to Ms. SuAnn. Actually, let me rephrase that; she demanded (in a very nice way, of course ) that the prize must go to SuAnn. Patsy made it clear that her decision was made. She packaged up the vacation voucher and a card for SuAnn, and she sent it back to the Seaside Vacations office the next day.

We were amazed by the generosity; in fact, we’re still amazed.

We sent the voucher to SuAnn as a surprise, and we just got word today that the voucher arrived safe and sound…and it was quite a surprise. At this point, we’ll step back from our match-making role and let the “thank you’s” happen one on one. We’ve connected Patsy and SuAnn, and I think there’s a great friendship blooming.

However, before we close out the 2011 Outer Banks T-Shirt Design Contest and focus on 2012, I’d like to wrap up with a few points…

Kindness is definitely at the heart of what makes the world go round, and from the bottom of our hearts, we want to thank all of the participants for being a part of this awesome contest. And a big THANK YOU to Patsy and SuAnn for being super awesome people.
Take a look at the card that Patsy “whipped up” for SuAnn. Amazing, right?! Patsy, you have an amazing talent.
Last but certainly not least, there’s no way we’re letting Patsy go without her winnings! Patsy, a voucher for your free OBX getaway is headed your way along with a t-shirt with SuAnn’s design. Thanks for being so great. Hope you like your surprise.

2011 Outer Banks T-Shirt Design Contest - Ms. Patsy's Greatness

Outer Banks Author Discovers Treasure Island

Posted on December 2, 2011

Outer Banks NC author and real estate broker, John Amrhein, Jr., has just published his comprehensive documentary about the real story behind Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island book. And as fate would have it, the Outer Banks of North Carolina is the birthplace of this amazing true adventure. His new book, Treasure Island: The Untold Story, is about a treasure stolen from a Spanish galleon at Ocracoke in 1750 and buried in the Caribbean on the real-life treasure island called Norman Island. After nine years of research in the archives of Europe, the Caribbean, and the United States, Amrhein resurrects a story almost forgotten and never truthfully told until now. This Outer Banks book now stands with those written about the Wright Brothers, The Lost Colony, and Blackbeard, as international historical centerpieces.

This is not Amrhein’s first discovery. In 1983, he discovered the Spanish warship La Galga buried beneath the sands and marshes of Assateague Island, Virginia. Amrhein began his research into the lost Spanish warship, La Galga, in 1978. Two years later, he had the evidence he needed to pinpoint the Spanish wreck. But the ship was not lying where all logic and archival documents would suggest. This would-be treasure hunter realized that the ship had been buried in a forgotten inlet and was lying within the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. With this revelation came another surprise: La Galga was the legendary Spanish galleon associated with the wild horses of Assateague. Not only was the legendary galleon mentioned in the children’s classic, Misty of Chincoteague, but the great nephew of a character in the book helped Amrhein locate the wreck. Today, the author is lobbying the federal government to excavate and display the many artifacts believed to be buried within the refuge. In 2007, he published The Hidden Galleon, which documents his amazing search in the archives, beneath the sea, and ultimately on land. With his second book now published, he has documented the complete history of the 1750 Spanish fleet. The historical events documented in these two books have inspired two children’s classics and have become movies.

How cool is this? Of course we knew the Outer Banks was full of history, but its pretty neat that this is the birthplace of such an amazing adventure and that an OBX local discovered it! Treasure Island: The Untold Story is available at Outer Banks bookstores and online in all ebook formats. Make sure you check it out!

Seaside Vacations Helps Spread Some Holiday Cheer

Posted on December 2, 2011

With the stress of the holidays, shopping, cooking, and all the other hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, we often lose sight of the real meaning behind Christmas. Here at Seaside Vacations we want to give the ultimate gift of hapiness for families that are less fortunate or unable to buy presents to put under their trees. Through the Angel Tree program we have adopted a family of 4 children and another family with one child to collect donations in hopes to make a Merry Christmas for them. For every donation Seaside will match all collections and hopefully together, we can fulfill each child’s wish list.

If you are interested in giving a donation to Seaside’s sponsored families, please make checks payable to Seaside Vacations and send them to:

4820 N. Croatan Hwy. P.O. Box 3339

Kitty Hawk, NC 27949

Remember that we will match 100% of your contribution and no matter how much the donation, every little bit helps. Join Seaside Vacations in bringing a smile to these childrens faces on Christmas morning. Merry Christmas!

Santa’s OBX Elf Spotted in Nags Head!

Posted on December 2, 2011

12.2.11 - Santa's OBX Elf in Nags Head

We have photographic evidence that Santa’s OBX Elf has been spotted on the beach in Nags Head today. And beyond just a mere siting, the reporters have determined the name of the 2011 OBX Elf, Bernard Tinsel!

Welcome Bernard! We’re so happy to have you on the Outer Banks to help us count down to Christmas. We’ll keep an eye out for your everyday…and we’ll be sure to be on our best behavior!

24 days until the jolly one comes to town!

Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report: 12.1.11 – Fast Wind = Slow Day

Posted on December 1, 2011

Outer Banks: 12.1.11 - Pretty But Chilly at Kitty Hawk Pier

Good morning. Here’s the Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report for Thursday, December 1, 2011.

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

Happy December! I’m not sure how it is that time moves so quickly. I can recall looking at the clock in school and feeling like it was moving backwards, yet now I feel like I blink and a month goes by. This means I’m getting old, right? Dang!

Great time to start thinking about those spring and summer vacations…create some warm thoughts on chilly days, and beat the crowd to the house you want. Take a look at our gorgeous OBX vacation rental homes (www.OuterBanksVacations.com).

But back to the subject at hand; what’s the beach like today? In a word, chilly. We enjoyed some awesome weather over the Thanksgiving weekend and into the beginning of this week – sun and upper 60′s – but that has changed a bit. The sun is sticking with us, but the temps have dipped to the mid 50′s, and there’s a strong northeast wind blowing at 15-20 mph today…definitely adding a chill to the air.

Looking ahead, the weekend looks great with sun, temps around 60 degrees, and the wind will slow down.

Unfortunately, no surf to report. We have swell in the chest high range, but this stiff onshore wind is making it real messy. Doesn’t look like the wind will swing back offshore until next week.

Fishing is slow today too. Fast wind = a slow day. Still a lot of speckled trout in the area, and hopefully we’ll see a good striper bite soon. Keep your fingers crossed.

Hope to see you soon. Have fun!

Breaking News: Santa’s Elf Has Landed on the OBX!

Posted on December 1, 2011

Outer Banks: 12.1.11 - Santa's Elf Arrives on the OBX!

We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming to bring you some breaking news from the Outer Banks!

Reports are in that an Elf has landed at Seaside Vacations on the OBX. And this is no ordinary Elf. This is an Elf sent directly from Santa!

The Elf has been sent by Jolly ol’ Saint Nick to make sure we’re all behaving well and to help us count down the days until Christmas.

Stay tuned, the Elf (the reporters have not learned his name yet) will be appearing in new locations daily to help us count down, and he’ll be traveling back to the North Pole nightly to give a report to the Big Man.

Make sure you’re well behaved…I hear he has a list and is checking it twice.