Outer Banks “Wind Farm” Continues to Make Progress
Wind Turbine
The Outer Banks wind energy project continues to make progress. It was recently announced that Army Corps of Engineers has asked Duke Energy to perform an environmental impact assessment. To begin the assessment process, Duke Energy will be holding a public meeting this month to discuss the project.
The meeting will be held in the town of Manteo, and the new environmental impact study will be the main topic of discussion. A Duke Energy spokesperson mentioned that the project is contingent on permits and that there is no specific start date for the project. The meeting will serve as a means of letting locals voice their opinions and express their concerns.
In addition, Duke Energy is currently working in conjunction with UNC Chapel Hill to conduct a demonstration project. The purpose of the demonstration project is to determine the feasibility of offshore wind turbines off the North Carolina coast. The demonstration project is capped by North Carolina statute at three offshore turbines. A UNC representative points out that a small demonstration project like this has the potential to move forward more quickly than larger projects and could be the first offshore wind project built in the United States.
Dolphin Research on the Outer Banks
Bottlenose Dolphin
Outer Banks Center for Dolphin Research
The Outer Banks Center for Dolphin Research, established in November 2008, is a non-profit organization engaged in a long-term photo-identification study of bottlenose dolphins in the northern Outer Banks of North Carolina.
Their research is a continuation of a photo-identification study conducted for more than 11 years aboard the Nags Head Dolphin Watch. They seek to learn more about the population abundances, movement patterns, and behavior of coastal bottlenose dolphins in the Outer Banks and to expand public knowledge and concern for these marine mammals.
The OBXCDR currently conducts a photo-identification monitoring study of bottlenose dolphins in Roanoke, Croatan, Albemarle, Pamlico and Currituck Sounds. Data is collected via dedicated small boat surveys as well as opportunistically from a local dolphin watch.
Information from the current long-term study will provide a basis for initiation of studies involving habitat utilization, social associations, and anthropogenic effects on the dolphins. For more information about the OBXCDR, please visit: www.OBXDolphins.org.
Great View of Outer Banks Snow
The Norfolk Examiner (www.Examiner.com) recently ran a story showing NASA images of the recent snow storms that stretched into the South, and included in the images is a great view from space of the recent snow on the Outer Banks.
Here’s the description from NASA’s Earth Observatory:
With miles of sandy beaches and generally good weather, coastal North Carolina isn’t a place you would usually expect to find snow. But the view from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite on February 14, 2010, shows snow extending to the Outer Banks. The sandy islands, normally pale tan, are bright white in this image. Harkers Island received 8.8 inches of snow, reported CNN. The snow fell in a winter storm that moved across the southern United States from Texas to the Atlantic Coast on February 12-13.
NASA View - Snow on the Outer Banks
2010 Snow on the Outer Banks
Outer Banks Snow 2010 - Wright Brothers Monument
Flakes started to fall late Friday night, and by early Saturday the Outer Banks was layered in a sheet of white 2-3 inches thick. Unfortunately, the wintery scene did not last too long; the feathery flakes turned to heavy rain throughout the morning, and the white landscape gradually shifted to a wintery beach scene.
Just over a year from 2009’s OBX snow; two years in a row with snow on the Outer Banks. Although the beach blanketed in snow dissipated quickly, the joys of a day filled with a white landscape, snowballs and snowmen, and some sledding will hold us over until the next wintery storm draws far enough south to grace the OBX with a day slowed to nurture the effects of nature.
Outer Banks Snow 2010 - Buoy at Nags Head Pier
Outer Banks Snow 2010 - Nags Head Pier
Outer Banks Snow 2010 - KDH2
Outer Banks Snow 2010 - KDH
Wildlife Refuge on the Outer Banks to Build New Visitor’s Center
The Alligator National Wildlife Refuge is a 154,000 acre refuge that runs from the Outer Banks coast inland. The 26 year old refuge is home to a wide variety of wildlife like bear, rare red wolves, diverse bird species, and of course, alligators.
The Virginia Pilot recently announced that the Alligator National Wildlife Refuge will be fortunate enough to have a brand new $5 million visitor’s center constructed at its headquarters in Manteo, NC (Roanoke Island), a short drive from the OBX beaches. The project is scheduled to be finished in 18 months.
Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge
Record Year for Jockey’s Ridge…and All North Carolina State Parks
One of the nice aspects about life is that there is generally a “silver lining,” or a positive spin, that can be found in difficult situations. The current economic pinch definitely qualifies as a difficult situation, but a silver lining for visitors and local residents to North Carolina is an increase in interest towards North Carolina state parks.
State parks offer a wide variety of great activities and a great opportunity to get closer to nature, and considering the current economic conditions, state parks are a great opportunity to enjoy some unique activities at a very reasonable price…many free!
The North Carolina state parks reported record attendance for 2009, with 14.16 million visits. That is a 13% increase from 2008 and a 5% increase from the previous record set in 2007.
The Outer Banks offers some great areas to escape to nature, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Nags Head Woods, Outer Banks Wildlife Center, and one North Carolina designated state park; Jockeys Ridge State Park.
In 2009, Jockey’s Ridge earned the designation as the most visited North Carolina state park with 1.4 million visitors. Considering this was a record setting year for all North Carolina state parks, it is pretty impressive to see the OBX state park with the most visitors.
Jockey’s Ridge is centrally located in Nags Head, a quick walk or ride from many vacation homes.
NC Aquarium on the Outer Banks Adds Some Bite
- Outer Banks Shark
The NC Aquarium on the Outer Banks has a massive “Graveyard of the Atlantic” exhibit that consists of a 285,000 gallon tank and a variety of sharks. Ten years after the renovated and enlarged aquarium reopened, the sharks remain the most popular of its exhibits. The exhibit, including a 300 pound sand tiger shark, is already one of the most popular stops at the aquarium, but it’s about to become even more popular.
By summer 2010, OBX visitors that venture over to the aquarium will see some additional sharks and additional shark exhibits. The aquarium is planning to open $75,000 worth of new shark exhibits.
The planned exhibits include:
- Three new sharks already added to the big tank, and more are expected in the coming months.
- Sharks to replace the audio-visual display about storms that had been in the changing exhibit room.
- Small sharks called chain dogfish to be displayed in a saltwater gallery tank.
- Interactive games, photo opportunities and a touch tank are being discussed as possibilities.
- Tropical fish that are commonly called sharks but are not – for instance, rainbow sharks, red tail sharks, and bala sharks – to be displayed in the freshwater gallery.
Endangered Sea Turtles Recuperating at Outer Banks Aquarium
Outer Banks Sea Turtle
The North Carolina Aquarium, located on nearby Roanoke Island in Manteo, is helping nurse dozens of sea turtles back to health after being rescued from the Outer Banks’ beaches.
The cold-blooded animals appear to have beached themselves after being stunned by low water temperatures. The turtles are all either of the loggerhead, green or kemp’s ridley varieties of sea turtles.
Know Your Park: Dolphins Along the Outer Banks
Know Your Park: Dolphins Along the Outer Banks - Presentations to be held at Rodanthe and Ocracoke
The National Park Service Outer Banks Group Know Your Park citizen science program series continues this week with presentations from Jessica Weiss from the Outer Banks Center for Dolphin Research.
There are two presentations scheduled; 7 p.m. Friday, December 11 at the Ocracoke Community Center and 7 p.m. Saturday, December 12 at the Rodanthe Community Building. Each program is free and will last approximately 1 hour.
Weiss will speak about the importance of dolphins to the Outer Banks environment and the significance of the Outer Banks dolphins to the development of conservation strategies along the U.S. Atlantic coast.
A marine mammal researcher, Weiss has over 9 years of experience in the field of marine mammal monitoring and behavioral ecology. She is a co-founder of the Outer Banks Center for Dolphin Research, a non-profit dedicated to the conservation of bottlenose dolphins in the Outer Banks.
As the Scientific Advisor, she leads a long-term monitoring study of bottlenose dolphins in the northern Outer Banks.
The Know Your Park citizen science program series is designed to further connect the Outer Banks communities and residents with the rich natural world and cultural heritage of their neighboring National Park sites; Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Wright Brothers National Memorial and Fort Raleigh National Historic Site. “These presentations offer park visitors as well as local residents an opportunity to learn more about, and better enjoy, the coastal environment and their National Parks” stated Mike Murray, Superintendent, Outer Banks Group.
One other Know Your Park program is currently scheduled for this season.
Joseph Hoyt from the NOAA Monitor National Marine Sanctuary will speak about recent maritime archaeology work off the Outer Banks coast including an exploration of the HMT Bedfordshire and other World War I and II vessels on January 20, 7 p.m., at the Fessenden Center in Buxton, NC.
Outer Banks November Nor’Easter Recap
It’s unclear what name will be used to “coin” last week’s storm that wreaked havoc on the Outer Banks as it lives on in the minds of those effected; is it the “November nor’easter,” “Veteran’s Day nor’easter,” “Friday the 13th nor’easter,” “Nor’Ida”?
November nor’easter seems to be the most widely used for now, so we’ll stick with that. What is clear, however, is that the storm (really two weather systems; a high to the north and a low to the south – remnants of tropical storm Ida) was the worst the area has seen in a few years with major damage that will require significant time, energy, and monetary funds to repair. The damage is widespread from Hatters to Corolla and affects public and private property.
The storm arrived on the OBX on Wednesday afternoon and didn’t release its grip on the area until Saturday evening. The long duration of the storm is one of the main reasons for the severe impact. Residents and weather forecasters have compared this storm to Hurricane Isabel in 2003. In the end, the current storm surge during high tides was approximately a foot below Isabel’s storm surge; however, a significant difference between the storms is the duration.
Hurricanes move quickly while nor’easters, and this storm in particular, tend to stall and barrage the Outer Banks for days rather than hours. Hurricanes can be violent, but they are generally short-lived; nor’easters tend to create an ideal environment for increased damage from extended periods of high winds, high surf, high storm surge, and standing water/flooding.
Strong winds blew consistently for almost four days out of the northeast driving large surf to the beach, eventually overtaking the beach and dune lines. Houses sitting precariously along the dune line faced imminent danger from the crashing surf. Add to the dangerous surf and overwash significant rain fall, and flooding, especially along the beach, becomes one of the main forces underlying damage to roadways and residences.
As of now, a week after the start of the storm and four days removed from the return of the sun, the damage assessments are ongoing and repairs are underway. Massive amounts of sand need to be removed; the area resembles the northeast after a major snowfall, but replace snow drifts with sand drifts. Debris needs to be removed from streets, beaches, and the ocean. Select roadways need significant repair; the main roadway casualty being Rt. 12 at the top of Hatters.
Rt. 12 at the top of Hatteras is a well known section of road for a few reasons; Rt. 12 is a nationally recognized scenic byway, this section is well-known in the surf culture for great OBX surf, the house from Nights in Rodanthe is precariously perched in the beach here, and now it is gaining notoriety for the extensive damage from the November nor’easter.
From last Friday through today, the road has been shut down due to significant damage, and keep in mind this is the only road out of Hatteras. On Monday, a temporary path was created for four-wheel drive vehicles, but it was a crude solution to a more significant problem. As of today, one lane has reopened while crews continue to work tirelessly to repair the dune line and roadway. As a result of the damage, Hatteras was declared a State of Emergency late last week, and Governor Purdue is expected to seek Federal aid for the repairs.
In addition to the focus on the road in this area, a significant amount of attention is focused on “Serendipity,” the house from Nights in Rodanthe. The house has been treacherously close to the waves for quite a while, but this storm brought a renewed threat to the already empty house. The devastating destruction caused by Mother Nature is clear from the disappearing dunes and mangled road. It doesn’t require a large stretch of imagination to comprehend the damage “Serendipity” is facing. As of today, Dare County has determined that “Serendipity” must be moved or removed from its precarious location. It could be the end of an icon that has stood as an OBX treasure since 1988 when it was erected by a local builder.
-
Flickr Photos
More Photos
Share This Blog
RSS
