The Truth About Outer Banks Vacations: Spend the Extra Money on the House…not the T-Shirt.

Posted on July 11, 2012 by Seaside Vacations

Ocean View Premium

It’s been a while since I hit this topic, but it’s about time we circled back to the awesome BLUEMiND2 conference that was held on the Outer Banks in early June.

You can find more info about the conference in our Blue Mind blog category or on our webpage dedicated to the Blue Mind event, but for this post, I want to focus on a specific talk from the BM2 conference; “The Ocean View Premium.”

How much is the ocean view worth? And is the value worth the added cost?

As I discussed in a recent post about planning an Outer Banks vacation, we understand the trials and tribulations that go into organizing a vacation. One of the largest challenges for the planners is choosing the house, and a difficult aspect of that choice is location.

Should you go front row, i.e. oceanfront, or should you save a little money and be a little further from the beach?

We can always walk to the beach, right? And the money we save can be used in other ways – food, equipment rentals, souvenirs…maybe even a great new IPad to bring with us! Is this the right trade-off?

Oceanfront vacation rental homes can be expensive, but are they really worth the added costs? This was one of the questions we tried to tackle at the Blue Mind conference.

We recruited Gordon Jones, local OBX resident and President of Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty for 22 years, and Dr. Scott Huettel, a Duke University neuroscience professor to, dissect the “Ocean View Premium” from a practical, real estate perspective and a scientific mind/reward perspective. The results are not unexpected, but also very fascinating.

Below is the full video of the presentations, and you can find the PowerPoint presentations on SlideShare. But to save you some time, I’ll breakdown some of the highlights.

To help us put a value on the oceanfront, I’ll start with some tangible numbers from the OBX real estate world courtesy of Gordon, and then we’ll work our way to the domain of the mind and whether this added value is worth the cost with the help of Scott.

Here is a chart with the 10 year averages for Outer Banks land lots – as expected, oceanfront carries a higher cost…in fact, more than 40% higher!

Oceanfront- Front Row	$722,608
Semi-oceanfront- 2^nd Row	$420,390	58.18%
3rd row	$260,422	36.04%
4th row	$231,221	32.00%
5th row	$209,280	28.96%
Soundfront	340,747	47.16%

And the vacation rental costs are similar in proportion:

Oceanfront:10/20 = $2,150
No ocean view: 10/20 = $1,195

Clearly there is an added cost to be on the ocean – 40% or more! So, is the added value really worth the added cost?

In Dr. Huettel’s presentation, he tackled the difficult questions of… “Why do we value something?” AND “How do we trade off between different things we value?”

Whew! No easy task. Luckily, we had a neuroscientist on the job.

Dr. Huettel went on to explain that deciding between goods (i.e. IPhone vs. Android) is relatively easy for us. Our brains can process these decisions pretty quickly. As we move on to choosing one experience vs. another experience it gets a bit more difficult, and when we have to choose between an experience and a good…uh oh!

As Dr. Huettel stated it:

“Decisions involving tradeoffs between goods (e.g., money) and experiences (e.g., a view) are difficult because they involve different value computations in the brain.”

Dr. Huettel has conducted some amazing research at his Duke neuroscience lab to help us understand how we make these trade-off decisions, and his below video presentation is very fascinating, but I’ll cut to the chase for the sake of brevity.

Dr. Huettel believes that we tend to undervalue experiences when we make decisions, and as a result, he was able to pull out some underlying principles to help us with difficult oceanfront decisions.

Principle 1: We value memories (much more than we realize)
Principle 2: Goods can (and should) be traded for experiences

And he offers this summary…

Experiences carry value…
- … by containing information.
- … by generating memories.

Experiences can be obtained/traded for goods…
- … through a “common currency” for value.
- … with positive long-term consequences.

Keep in mind, this is a PhD, Dr. of Neuroscience from Duke University. Pretty good cred right? This isn’t just a marketing dude trying to sell you a more expensive house – ah hem…those dude’s are pretty cool too.

As Dr. Huettel says, don’t underestimate the value of your experience, “purchase the ocean view!“

So, to close, spend the extra money on the house…not the t-shirt! :)

PS – If you really want that t-shirt

, check out our super rad online store with custom OBX gear: OBX Livin’

One Turtle Saved.

Posted on June 26, 2012 by Seaside Vacations

Sea turtles have a special affinity for the Outer Banks. And for many people on the OBX, that love is returned to the turtles. Spotters on ATV’s traverse the beaches daily looking for new nests, a “boil” is a community event that draws a crowd, heck, we’ll even close parts of the beach for those awesome creatures!

So, when I got this email from Dr. Wallace “J” Nichols, I needed to share it with y’all.

If you’ve followed the blog the past few months, you’ll probably recognize J’s name as the founder of the awesome Blue Mind event that we held at Jennette’s Pier earlier this month. We’re still in the process of diving into the presentations and materials from BLUEMiND2; so stay tuned for some great info that offers evidence of the positive effects the Outer Banks – and oceans as a whole – has on us.

But in the meantime, what has J been doing since the OBX Blue Mind conference? Saving sea turtles. Just another day on the job for the Blue Mind.

I’ll let J tell you in his own words. Thanks for the update J.

One Turtle Saved. Sea Turtle & Wallace “J” Nichols

Fifteen years ago the hawksbill sea turtle in my hands would have been hog-tied, whisked hundreds of miles, slaughtered and carved into trinkets.

Today, it swam free.

On Baja’s Pacific coast, an adult male hawksbill sea turtle found its way into a fisherman’s net. In the past, for the fisherman anyway, such a thing would have been considered a stroke of good luck. The endless demand for turtle meat, eggs, skin and shell on the black market can provide a nice payday to anyone willing to endure the low-level risk of being caught.

Hawksbill turtles, once common, are now the rarest of the rare due to decades of being hunted for their beautiful shells, which get carved into combs, broaches, and other adornments.

These days, however, a Mexican grassroots conservation movement called GrupoTortuguero.org has challenged the old ways and shaken things up a bit. A network of thousands of fishermen, women and children count themselves among its ranks.

Noe de la Toba, the fisherman who caught this turtle, is the nephew of the local lighthouse keeper who is a sea turtle champion himself. Noe contacted Aaron Esliman the director of Grupo Tortuguero. Esliman dispatched a call, an email and several facebook messages to network members throughout the region, who responded immediately. The turtle was swiftly moved by another fisherman to the nearby office of Vigilantes de Bahia Magdalena, where a team led by Julio Solis, a former turtle hunter himself, took care of the turtle, checking it for injuries. The turtle was measured and weighed, ID tagged and then quickly returned to the ocean. Images and details were shared immediately on Facebook and Twitter, on websites and over beers.

The fishermen involved weren’t paid. They just did it. It was no one’s “job”, but it was everyone’s responsibility. They weren’t motivated by fear or money, but pride, dignity and camaraderie instead.

People just like them are rescuing animals every day. Thousands of sea turtles are saved each year. The number of sea turtles in Baja’s ocean has been on the rise. One turtle rescue at a time.

Fifteen years ago experts had written off Baja’s sea turtles. The population was too small and the pressures on them too great, the thinking went. And yet, the survival of this one turtle tells a very different story.

If the survival of endangered species is just a battle of the budgets, they — and we — will lose. But if it’s a matter of will, commitment and love, I’ll put my bet on the turtles to win.

The hope conveyed in this turtle story is embodied by Julio Solis and beautifully described in his own words in the award winning short film by the good folks at MoveShake.org.

The hope we have for the restoration of endangered wildlife is the motivation behind our new online magazine, WildHope. It launches soon and highlights compelling wildlife conservation success stories and moves you can make to create more. I hope you will check it out. We have come a long way indeed.

As we watched that lucky hawksbill swim gracefully into deeper water, we all felt good, optimistic and grateful. It was a moment of joy, not because one turtle was saved, but because we understood that this one experience just might be a trend, a movement, a collective shift. And because a world with sea turtles is better than a world without them.

Julio Solis, A MoveShake Story from RED REEL on Vimeo.

OBX Trip Planner: BLUEMiND

Posted on June 13, 2012 by Seaside Vacations

2012 Outer Banks BLUEMiND2 – Where Nostalgia is Born

The BLUEMiND2 Summit at Jennette’s Pier has come and gone. But the Blue Mind ideas never end.

As I mentioned the other day, over the next few weeks/months, we’ll be rolling out all sorts of great from the conference, but in the meantime, let’s get out and stoke our Blue Minds on the OBX.

To help get us started, here is a great OBX Trip Planner focused on Blue Mind activities.

Outer Banks Trip Planner: BLUEMiND

The ocean feeds our soul in ways that are difficult to pinpoint. We know that the ocean makes us healthier, happier, reduces stress and brings us peace-much the same as meditation. Everyone that knows the Outer Banks, loves it for the ocean, the beach, the waves, the wildlife, and everything that makes it so unique. This is the idea behind BLUEMiND.

Below are seven different activities perfect for those that want a BLUEMiND experience.


Day 1: Hit the Beach Well known for our beautiful pristine beaches, it’s only natural that a full day on the beach is part of the agenda. Start your Outer Banks BLUEMiND getaway right – with a little fun in the sun.

Day 2: Dolphin Tour Join our research team on an unparalleled nature tour. You’ll see Atlantic bottlenose dolphins and learn about their feeding and social behavior. You can observe the diverse and fascinating wildlife of the Outer Banks including ospreys, pelicans and many others. Throughout your trip, our expert naturalists will provide a fascinating and in-depth commentary on the local ecology and history of this unique area. And if you like, you can participate in the ongoing study of our “brothers of the sea.” Nags Head Dolphin Watch 7517 S Virginia Dare Tr. Nags Head, NC 27959 (252) 449-8999

Day 3: Surfing One of the best reasons for coming to the Outer Banks is the fact that we have some of the best surf on the entire east coast. With over 100 miles of coastline, you’re sure to have the time of your life. Farmdog Surf School (located at Outer Banks Boarding Company) 103 Morning View Place Nags Head (252) 267-7575

Day 4: Sunrise Yoga Session Start your day of relaxation with a complimentary sunrise yoga session with Outer Banks Yoga & Pilates. These yoga classes follow the typical structure of a centering period, moving into an asana practice and finishing with a final relaxation and meditation period. Outer Banks Yoga & Pilates 5230 N. Virginia Dare Tr. Kitty Hawk, NC 27949 (252) 305-3791 michelle@outerbanksyoga.com

Day 5: Tour of Jennette’s Pier Tour Did you know that the BLUEMiND 2 Summit occured right here on the Outer Banks? Leaders and innovators from the worlds of neuroscience and ocean exploration came together on the Outer Banks to discuss the convergence of the two expansive disciplines – at Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head. Take a complimentary tour of the beautifully renovated Jennette’s Pier. Jennette’s Fishing Pier 7223 South Virginia Dare Tr. (Milepost 16.5) Nags Head, NC 27959 (252) 255-1501

Day 6: Visit the NC Aquarium on Roanoke Island The aquarium presents the aquatic environments of coastal Carolina through its theme “Waters of The Outer Banks.” The variety of exhibits promises to educate and entertain visitors. Journey through coastal freshwaters to see river otters, turtles, and American alligators. Explore saltwater habitats from grass flats to Gulf Stream waters. Gently stroke a stingray or touch a hermit crab at the touch tanks. Watch fish and sharks cruise by the 35-foot long viewing window of the 285,000-gallon “Graveyard of the Atlantic” tank containing a one-third scale replica of the USS Monitor. NC Aquarium on Roanoke Island 374 Airport Rd. Manteo, NC 27954 (252) 473-3494

Day 7: Explore Cape Hatteras National Seashore Journey to Cape Hatteras National Seashore and you’ll quickly discover there is much for you to enjoy. Swimming, crabbing, surf fishing, surfing, shell collecting, bird and wildlife watching, sightseeing and more. By foot, bicycle or vehicle, spend the day exploring this beautiful national seashore. Cape Hatteras National Seashore 1401 National Park Drive Manteo, NC 27954 (252) 473-2111

Veterans, Surfers and Neuroscientists Kick Off World Oceans Day at BLUEMiND2 on the Outer Banks

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Seaside Vacations

2012 Outer Banks BLUEMiND2 – Where Nostalgia is Born

For more than six months I’ve been yakety yakking about the awesome BLUEMiND2 conference coming to the Outer Banks. Well, it has come and gone. And it was awesome.

Last week was quite a blur pulling together all the loose ends, setting up and breaking down the conference space, mingling, taping the live feed (you can watch the archived feed here), and taking in the amazing conference first-hand. I was humbled to be there, and honored to play such a big part in bringing it to the OBX. The ideas and relationships will be with me for a long time.

Now that I can exhale a bit, I’m starting to digest all of the information, and there is some top-notch science demonstrating that the Outer Banks (ok, oceans as a whole) makes us happy and healthy. Sure, that may seem intuitive, but this is an important discussion for the science community to pursue – it has impacts on conservation, public health, and overall enjoyment of life.

We still have a lot of information from the conference to get through, but over the next few weeks – and months – we’ll be rolling out BLUEMiND2 highlights, including videos, presentations, research, thoughts, etc. Much more Blue Mind to come.

In fact, we’re already planning BLUEMiND3 for Boston in June 2013!

And the Blue Mind ideas never take a rest – spread the message that the ocean makes us happy and healthy! To help spread the message, share a Blue Marble. (All 2012 Seaside Vacations reservations receive one at check-in )

While we start to edit and repackage the amazing amount of great Blue Mind info, here’s a quick overview of the 2012 BLUEMiND2 conference…and the great info that will be coming your way soon.

Live like you love the ocean.

Veterans, Surfers and Neuroscientists Kick Off World Oceans Day at BLUEMiND2 on the Outer Banks

Last week a group of neuroscientists joined surfers, veterans, film makers, seafood experts and other ocean professionals on North Carolina’s Outer Banks to explore the depths of the waters of our own minds. A wide range of innovative ideas and perspectives were discussed, advancing our understanding of ourselves and our relationship to our blue planet.

Neurosurgeon Amir Vokshoor of INI opened the summit with a thoughtful reflection on the meeting’s theme, “Where Nostalgia Is Born”.
Catherine Franssen of Longwood University and Rip Curl big wave surfer Joao De Macedo described the research and practice of balancing both “Red MInd” and “Blue Mind” for peak performance.
Open water swimmer Bruckner Chase was joined by University of Pennsylvania social scientist Michelle Evans-Chase and Mental Health professional Bryan Flores to describe how water-based activities have empowered youth and helped individuals cope with mental illness from American Samoa to Monterey, California.
Jordan Grafman of the Kessler Institute explained the science of PTSD and how being in or near water may help reduce stress.
Butch Newell, Research Director for Heroes On The Water explained how kayak fishing has helped thousands of veterans get back on their feet.
Patagonia Surf Ambassador Jeff Denholm told his inspiring personal story of survival and humility as a lifelong waterman and fisher.
M.A. Greenstein was joined by NOAA’s Thank You Ocean Campaign Director, Sarah Marquis and led participants in an exploration of the science of play and gratitude as forces for positive ocean change.
Brett Fitzgerald of Sands Research and Emmy Award-winning filmmakers Lexy Lovell and Michael Uys presented new research on neuromarketing and the ocean and considered the possibilities ahead for sharing the insights.
Researchers Scott Huettel and Rick Larrick from Duke University were joined by Coldwell Banker realtor Gordon Jones and CleanFish sea food expert Tim O’Shea to explore the neuroscience behind choosing an “ocean view” or a sustainable dinner.
UC Davis neuroscientists Petr Janata succinctly and wonderfully summarized and connected the day’s presentations through the lens of his own work on nostalgia, music and the brain.

The meeting was held at Jennette’s Pier in a room surrounded by ocean on all sides, the ideal venue for discussions of these topics.

Along with the deep, dark unexplored depths of the seas, the human mind is certainly one of the great frontiers of our water planet.

BLUEMiND3 will be held the first week of June 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. The theme is “Last Child In The Water”. For more information visit MindandOcean.org.

The Summer Ocean: Where Nostalgia Is Born – BLUEMiND2 at Jennette’s Pier

Posted on June 4, 2012 by Seaside Vacations

2012 Outer Banks BLUEMiND2 – Where Nostalgia is Born

The Summer Ocean: Where Nostalgia Is Born. Ocean and Neuroscience Experts Gather To Discuss “Blue Mind”, Our Brain On Water

4 June 2012

Contact: Adam Norko, adam@seasiderealty.com, (252) 255-4964. MindandOcean.org

Ocean and Neuroscience Experts Gather To Discuss “Blue Mind”, Our Brain On Water

Where do you like to go to relax? This time of year most people answer that question with one word: water.

As summer vacation season approaches, a group of leading neuroscientists, psychologists, ocean experts, business people, pro surfers and military veterans are gathering to discuss the strong pull and healing powers of water.

The BLUEMiND 2 conference is being held June 4-5th in Nags Head on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. The beautiful oceanfront venue is Jennette’s Pier, and the meeting room is appropriately surrounded on all sides by water.

An accomplished group of experts from research institutes across the nation will address how water intersects with topics ranging from PTSD to gratitude, seafood to marketing. But the main theme of BLUEMiND 2 is nostalgia.

“Nostalgia is a very special kind of memory that’s barely understood by neuroscience”, says Dr. Wallace”J” Nichols, BLUEMiND founder and a Research Associate at the California Academy of Sciences. “It’s often associated with music and special places such as the seaside.”

Fabien Cousteau, grandson of the legendary explorer and founder of PlantaFish.org agrees and will open the gathering with his thoughts on the nostalgic ocean legacy that helps guide his own career.

“If we can better understand how, where and when nostalgia is born in our brains, perhaps we can use that information to reconnect people with the natural world”, adds Nichols.

Brett Fitzgerald, of Texas neuromarketing firm Sands Research, will present the results of a first-ever study of our brains on water. In between showing test subjects advertisements, the Sands team inserted ocean scenes by award-winning filmmaker Bob Talbot. EEG and eye tracking measured what was happening in the subjects’ minds while watching the ocean visuals.

Other speakers at BLUEMiND 2 include scientists, experts and professionals from California Academy of Sciences, CleanFish, Coldwell Banker, Duke University, GGI, Heroes on the Water, Institute of Neuro Innovation, Kessler Institute , Longwood University, Monterey County Mental Health Commission, NOAA, OceanRevolution.org, Outer Banks Visitor’s Bureau, Out of the Blue Productions, Patagonia, PlantAFish.org, Rip Curl, University of California, and University of Pennsylvania.

Sponsors of BLUEMiND2 include Cataleya Software, Seaside Vacations, Ocean Revolution, CleanFish, Max Davis Design, SEEtheWild, United by Blue and Snap Design.

The BLUEMiND Summit is part of The Mind and Ocean Initiative, and the NeuroConservation Research Group, a collaboration between leading researchers in the conservation, communications and cognitive sciences.

For program updates, live stream and further information on BLUEMiND, please visit www.MindandOcean.org

The California Academy of Sciences is an international center for scientific education and research and is at the forefront of efforts to understand and protect the diversity of Earth’s living things. The Academy has a staff of over 50 professional educators and Ph.D.-level scientists, supported by more than 100 Research and Field Associates and over 300 Fellows. It conducts research in 11 scientific fields: anthropology, aquatic biology, botany, comparative genomics, entomology, geology, herpetology, ichthyology, invertebrate zoology, mammalogy, and ornithology. Visit research.calacademy.org.

Seaside Vacations offers a complete selection of Outer Banks vacation rentals. Guests can choose from 1 – 10-bedroom private vacation rental homes, condominiums, townhomes and villas. Explore our homes in Duck and Corolla as well as numerous vacation rentals in Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head.Founded in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina in 1990, Seaside Vacations is a full-service vacation rental management company representing homes from Corolla to Nags Head.

Outer Banks Blue Marble. OBX Blue Mind.

Outer Banks BLUEMiND2: A Message from Dr. J

Posted on May 31, 2012 by Seaside Vacations

2012 Outer Banks Blue Mind Poster

The BLUEMiND2 conference is a short 5 days away! We are like kids on Christmas at this point. We are busy tying up on the loose ends, but we couldn’t be more excited about the amazing conference embracing science, the ocean, and the Outer Banks.

I’m going to share a great message from the Blue Mind founder, Dr. J, below – including an awesome way that all attendees will become an integral part of the conference – but first I want to toot our own horn a bit by sharing a couple great articles that have been run in the press recently – ah hem…Huffington Post today!

Here’s a great article the Huffington Post picked up today. The article was originally run on the Mission Blue website – awesome work Mission Blue!
Here’s a fun interview from SantaCruz.com with J about the Blue Mind ideas and his background.

Now I’ll turn it over to J with some thoughts about BLUEMiND here on the Outer Banks. Take note of the area in bold. Super cool, right?

Dear BLUEMiND2 Outer Banks Ocean Lovers,

We are looking forward to seeing you early next week at BLUEMiND2. Our team is getting the final details organized, the line up of speakers and topics is fantastic, and the venue (Jennette’s Pier) is stunning.

You can find regularly updated info at MindandOcean.org (and remember the livecast will be at the same link, so tell your friends).

If you have any questions between now and Monday pm when we gather at the pier, don’t hesitate to contact Adam (on-site in NC) or me.

Adam Norko <Adam@seasiderealty.com> tel 252/255-4964
Wallace J. Nichols <wallacejnichols@me.com> tel 831/252-0338

PLEASE Bring Your Own 5: As an exercise in mindfulness and in recognition of the massive, and growing, amount of plastic pollution in the ocean we are asking attendees to BYO-5.

We are asking attendees to bring their own 1) water bottle if you need one, 2) cup/mug, 3) plate/bowl, 4) spork or utensil set and 5) bandana/napkin.

We will have some on hand for those who forget or don’t read this email to borrow or buy. (Or you can just share!) We know, it happens. Don’t feel bad.

We also ask that everyone be mindful of food waste, take small amounts and return for seconds or thirds as needed. Our food sponsors are looking forward to serving some very yummy food to you.

Travelers, if you are in need of a ride from an airport, or have room in a car coming from an airport, please let me know when/where so we can make those connections.

This is by design a small meeting. We are interested in expanding the BLUEMiND conversation and making new connections in a beautiful setting outside the normal conference setting.

Everyone attending should consider themselves an active participant, a volunteer and full of creative ideas about BLUEMiND worthy of sharing.

See you very soon,
J. and Adam

To add some emphasis to J’s message about shooting for a waste free conference, I want to share a couple points.

First, here’s an image I shared in a post last week when we announced our goal of zero waste/plastic at BLUEMiND2…pretty powerful.

Outer Banks Blue Mind: Plastics

Secondly, let’s take a look at an amazing video titled “Sea It To Believe It.” Here’s how TheInertia.com leads into the video…

On February 2nd, a crew of three set sail 2,800 nautical miles across the Atlantic Ocean to sample for plastic pollution. Based on our findings, we can’t help but wonder, is there anywhere that’s free of plastic pollution?

Seems well worth challenging the status quo, doesn’t it? Looking forward to seeing you and your BYO-5 at next week at BLUEMiND2.

Outer Banks Blue Mind: Welcome to an Awesome New BLUEMiND2 Sponsor – United By Blue

Posted on May 25, 2012 by Seaside Vacations

This is quite the blue marriage made in heaven.

The Blue Mind ideas – and the BLUEMiND2 summit – is all about embracing our love for the ocean. And guess what the super cool fashion gear sold by United By Blue is all about? Yep, ocean love!

Check this out…”For every product sold, UBB removes 1 pound of trash from our worlds oceans and waterways.” Awesome! Talk about money well spent…to save the oceans and kick it in some rad gear.

So, how much trash has UBB actually removed? A bunch! 105, 955 pounds, to be exact. Dang! Nice work UBB.

So, in the perfect marriage of blueness, we are jazzed to welcome United By Blue as the newest sponsor of BLUEMiND2.

And to kick it up a notch, UBB will not only clean up a pound of trash, but they will also donate a percentage of the sale to Blue Mind for each “Live Blue” shirt that is sold. Sweetness.

So, what are you waiting for? Scoop up an awesome T, support Blue Mind, and clean up the ocean…all wrapped up in your new favorite t-shirt.

Outer Banks Blue Mind: Live Blue T-Shirt

Outer Banks Blue Mind: BLUEMiND2 is a Plastic Free Zone

Posted on May 25, 2012 by Seaside Vacations

The BLUEMiND2 summit is a short 10 days away. We’re pulling together all of the loose ends, and the excitement is building.

You can find the full schedule of speakers and topics at www.MindandOcean.org. It is going to be an amazing couple days!

As we are putting the finishing touches on the planning, we reached an interesting decision point. This awesome event includes a couple meals from amazing local OBX restaurant sponsors – The Brewing Station & Chilli Peppers – and as we were determining the most efficient way to serve the tasty treats, we decided one of the key components of our ocean-minded conference is the integral understanding of conservation and low-impact living.

With this in mind, we decided to make BLUEMiND2 a disposable plastic free zone.

In today’s world, it’s next to impossible to remove all existence of plastic – I’d have to leave, phones, cameras, IPads, etc at home; so a complete plastic free zone is not really a reality. However, we can commit ourselves to banishing disposable plastic.

And we’re going to recruit the help off all attendees. If you’ll be joining us for BLUEMiND2, please be conscious of the plastic you are using, and help us with our goal – bring a water bottle with you, and help us move all plates, cups, utensils to the designated area to be cleaned, rather than added to a landfill…or worse, the ocean!

To help drive home the need to develop this low-impact mentality, take a look at this image.

Outer Banks Blue Mind: Plastics

Plastic trash has become a massive problem in our oceans.

We talk about recycling, but the simple truth is that less than 10% of our plastics are recycled.

The red line shows how much plastic is created. The green line shows how much is recovered (recycled). The massive and growing yellow area is what ends up as trash… This means it ends up in landfills and our oceans.

Thanks to TheInertia.com for sharing the image.

Outer Banks Blue Mind: Excitement Building for BLUEMiND2…just 2 weeks away!

Posted on May 21, 2012 by Seaside Vacations

2012 Outer Banks Blue Mind Poster

BLUEMiND2 is a short two weeks away – June 4-5 at Jennette’s Pier – and the excitement is building!

You can find all of the up-to-date information at www.MindandOcean.org, including the full lineup of speakers and presentation topics. It will be an amazing day of ocean love at the perfect Blue Mind location – Jennette’s Pier.

The summit will also be livecast, so no one will miss the inspiring ideas being shared. You can find the feed at MindandOcean.org.

BLUEMiND is a look at the Ocean through neuroscience, linking studies of the mind and ocean. In this quick video/podcast below, summit founder Wallace J. Nichols (aka “J”) talks about BLUEMiND questions:

Why the Ocean makes us happy?
Why we are drawn to the ocean?
What’s happening to our brain when we feel a connection to the Ocean?

To give you a glimpse of this stellar Blue Mind location, here’s a link to our webcam that is pointed at Jennette’s Pier, and here’s a quick OBX Moment of Zen from the Pier this morning…

Outer Banks: 5.21.12 – Gorgeous at Jennette’s Pier

As a reminder, this is an invite-only conference, but I do have a few invitations available that I would love to share with “Blue Minds.” The goal is to fill the room with Blue Minds to help spread this amazing message.

All I ask is that you send me an email at Adam@seasiderealty.com with a quick explanation of why you would like to attend the conference.

Here’s a great example of an invitation I passed on to a “Blue Mind” today…

Hi Adam,

My name is Eileen, and I have spent my entire life along the shores of the Chesapeake bay and the Atlantic Ocean. As my husband tells me I have salt water running through my veins!

As a lover of our coastline, I have seen the changes that have occurred over the last 40+ years. As a young girl, we would have to wear sneakers on our feet, to wade into the bay because the blue crabs were so plentiful that you would have your toes pinched when you went in for a swim. When my son was a child, we could go crabbing with just chicken necks and pull in enough in just a couple of hours to feed our family and that of any neighbors as well. Then things began to change.

In just a few short seasons the blue crab population declined to the point where there was a ban on crabbing, and we started noticing more and more garbage washing up on the beaches. In more recent years, local health departments have had to close sections of the Bay and the Ocean due to high bacteria levels. This is incredibly sad.

Each spring and summer season I have spent either weekends or entire seasons along the Outer banks, which I call my home away from home. As soon as you hit the bridge across the sound you know you are headed to heaven.

I would like to share a story which dove tails all this info together and my desire to educate myself and anyone who will listen about the destruction of our beaches and the need for education. My brother owns a home in Duck. My husband, 2 of our sons and our family dog went to the cottage to have a coastal Thanksgiving holiday. It was at the tail end of a nor’easter that blew thru. That Friday morning we headed to the ocean for a walk, and what I witnessed was something I will never forget as long as I live.

It was like to ocean had regurgitated plastic; it was pushed up into the dune line for what seemed like miles. The storms strength forced hundreds of pounds of plastic debre out from its depths and dumped it all along the coastline. So upset, we ran to our cottage grabbed all the bags we had and headed back down to our beach. We collected 15 large bags of debre and did not even put a dent into the enormous amount of pollution. Ever since that experience I have had a burning desire to become involved in a large scale environmental educational group to help teach the masses what is happening in our waters.

This program Blue Mind 2 is exactly the type of information I have been looking for – new tools to help heal the mind, body and spirit with just the site and sound of the ocean itself.

Thanks for your ear,
Eileen

Outer Banks Blue Mind: BLUEMiND2 Invites & Ticket Sponsorships Available

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Seaside Vacations

2012 Outer Banks Blue Mind Poster

BLUEMiND2 is speeding towards us like a like the perfect OBX wave. June 4-5 will be here before we know it, and the Outer Banks will have the proud distinction of hosting the perfect blend of ocean and mind.

Here’s a quick mental image of this amazing conference coming to the OBX…

A national group of top neuroscientists meeting on the Outer Banks to discuss the amazing positive effects that the Outer Banks has to our health and happiness; including data points from the first study of its kind – focused on the Outer Banks – all while overlooking the ocean at the brand new, “green”/ocean-minded Jennette’s Pier.

You can find the full BLUEMiND2 agenda at www.MindandOcean.org. Such an amazing lineup of speakers and topics.

And now you have the opportunity to attend the conference that will help us understand why we love the Outer Banks so much – hint: there are some amazing physical and mental connections that big blue ocean out there.

I have a small group of tickets available for this invite-only event. And I want to share them with you!

We are still working hard to pull together all of the various pieces of the puzzle, and some additional financial support would be a tremendous help. With this in mind, I’d like to offer you the opportunity to not only attend the event, but also play a key role in making BLUEMiND2 a reality.

If you would like to attend the BLUEMiND2, please send me an email at adam@seasiderealty.com, and let me know why you’d like to attend – why is the ocean important to you, why do you love the Outer Banks, do you have a Blue Mind, etc.?

In addition, if you can make a donation in exchange for the invitation, please let me know – $50, $100, $200?! Whatever you can afford.

My goals is to fill this room with Blue Minds that love the ocean and love the Outer Banks. And if we can raise some money along the way, great!

Here are a couple BLUEMiND2 promos to get you in the Blue Mind mood.