The Other Side of the Outer Banks – The Sound
The Outer Banks is known best for the long stretch of gorgeous beaches overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Most OBX visitors come with a single focus of enjoying every possible minute at the beach, and this is understandable. However, the Outer Banks has more to offer than the beach overlooking the ocean…
Like a beach overlooking the Sound!
A Sound is defined as:
- a wide channel or strait linking two large bodies of water or separating an island from the mainland
- a long inlet or arm of the sea
The Outer Banks is a narrow band of barrier islands that has the Atlantic Ocean on the east and the Currituck, Albemarle, and Pamlico Sounds to the west. The Sound offers a variety of activities and a different OBX vibe than the beach.
The Sound tends to be a tranquil respite with calm, quiet waters, wild life, and few crowds. It offers a great opportunity for boating, jet skiing, fishing, and crabbing, and the Sound is also perfect for small kids. The ocean can be rough and loud, and many small children can be intimidate by the crashing waves; the Sound offers a calm alternative to enjoy a day at the beach. A recent Outer Banks vacationer wrote a great story about how they fell in love with the Sound when the ocean was too rough due to Hurricane Bill passing by.
The Sound is also the best spot to catch an OBX sunset! It is great to have the opportunity to see the sun rise and set over water in the same day.
Jockey’s Ridge is an Outer Banks Treasure
Every year, thousands of people visit Jockeys Ridge State Park to experience the largest “living” sand dune on the East Coast. Many visit to take in the sheer beauty of this amazing landscape and the breathtaking views (arguably the best spot on the beach to watch the sunset over the Sound), but there is much more to Jockey’s Ridge than sand and views.
Jockeys Ridge is home to a wide array of wildlife and gorgeous scenery. The park offers a variety of hiking trails with signs designating the wildlife and surrounding nature.
- The Soundside Natural Trail is a self guided tour that is only about a mile long. This trail features a glimpse of several different coastal ecosystems; including, wetlands, grassy dunes and maritime thickets. While hiking on this trail, you will be able to learn about some of the wildlife that call this park home.
- The Tracks in the Sand trail is another popular trail that runs a little longer than the Soundside Natural Trail. This trail runs for a distance of approximately 1.5 miles, and offers a glimpse at the parks different ecosystems with stations that will provide the hiker information.
The park also offers a full calendar of events and programs that are designed to be fun, educational, and hands-on…most of these are free to the public, but some may require prior registration.
Another unique feature of this incredible system of sand dunes is the ability to harness the amazing Outer Banks winds on just about any day of the year. Jockey’s Ridge is a favorite for kite flyers on the OBX, and it is where many hang gliding enthusiasts got their start.
- Kitty Hawk Kites has been teaching hang gliding at Jockey’s Ridge since 1974! They are the largest hand gliding school in the world, teaching hundreds of thousands of students since 1974 (over 300,000)!
- They have taught students aged 4-92, male and female, physically fit and physically challenged. In fact, they can accommodate paraplegics, blind, deaf and other persons physically challenged. All they require is a desire to learn how to fly. They provide beginner, intermediate and advanced instruction.
Park hours:
November-February, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
March and October, 8 a.m.-7 p.m.
April, May, September, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
June-August, 8 a.m.-9 p.m.
Closed Christmas Day
Park office hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. daily
Closed Christmas Day
Ship Wreck Found Off the Outer Banks
NOAA recently announced that a World War II Navy patrol boat (YP-389) was found at the beginning of August off the coast of Hatteras, NC.
The boat was sunk by a German sub in 1942 during the “Battle of the Atlantic” and has been untouched since.
YP-389 was involved in a 90 minute battle with a German U-boat that led to its demise. The U-boat was sunk two weeks later about 10 miles north.
The “Battle of the Atlantic” refers to the early years of WWII when ships were regularly attacked by German submarines off the East Coast. During this time, 137 allied, German, and merchant vessels were lost along North Carolina. Of the 137 vessels lost, only 40 have been located!
The boat is 325 feet underwater, and it is believed that 5 men may be entombed. The site is protected by federal laws that prohibit the touching or removing of artifacts.
Rare Sea Turtles Born on the Outer Banks
A rare nest of Leatherback sea turtles located in Kill Devil Hills “boiled” around 9:00 p.m. August 27th. Approximately 60 baby turtles were hatched.
A Leatherback nest is very rare on the Outer Banks, and this is the first recorded occurrence.
Volunteers from NEST monitored the boil and assisted the baby turtles to the ocean when needed.
Outer Banks Wind Farm?
The Outer Banks is becoming the focus of a push for pollution-free electricity. Surfers, Kiteboarders, and sailors know how fierce the winds can be along the Outer Banks, and energy experts are starting to take notice.
A small company from Chapel Hill, Outer Banks Ocean Energy Corp., has been developing plans for more than a year to build a “wind farm” 25 miles off the coast of the Outer Banks, and the plans are gaining momentum. The goal is to harness some of the nation’s best wind resources to create environmentally friendly electricity. The wind farm would generate enough power for about 42,000 homes.
If the project reaches fruition, this would be one of the first wind farms in the U.S., but the idea will need to overcome strong public opposition and pass intense environmental scrutiny. The turbines’ blades would reach 465 feet into the sky. At least 50 towers would be required for the first phase, and plans call for eventually increasing to 150 towers spread out over 54 square miles if demand supports the growth. Even with such large turbines and blades, and at mass quantities, the farm would not be visible 25 miles from shore. In addition, detailed environmental and coastal impact studies are needed: sea bed formation, bird flight patterns, fish movements, commercial shipping lanes, and military training zones.
Getting the project passed will be a formidable task, and building it could be just as difficult. It is estimated to be a seven year project and cost upwards of $900 million. Hurricane-resistant towers would need to be secured to the ocean floor, and underwater transmission cables costing upwards of $2 million per mile would need to come ashore over beaches, dunes, and wetlands.
Project founder, Donald Evans, feels wind is one of our best energy options, saying “Offshore wind is an inexhaustible, clean energy resource. It’s been there since the Earth was here.”
Eventually, the plan also calls for underwater turbines to capture power from the steady Gulf Stream just off the OBX coast.
Birding Off the Outer Banks
Few people have the opportunity to see two dozen of the most majestic birds in the northern hemisphere. These birds are commonly referred to as pelagic species.
The Outer Banks has a wide variety of wildlife, including amazing birds. However, just off the coast of the Outer Banks towards the Gulf Stream are some hard to find species of birds. Birders that are familiar with the common terns that are typically seen on the OBX may be astonished by the birds that are encountered on the high seas…
• Garry Durham was fishing at the East Branch Reservoir when an American avocet touched down.
• The Pickerel Creek Wildlife Area in Sandusky County has been the shorebird hotspot recently, featuring red knots, Hudsonian and marbled godwits, and Western, Baird’s, white-rumped, stilt, and pectoral sandpipers, red-necked and Wilson’s phalaropes, both dowitchers, both yellowlegs, ruddy turnstones, black-bellied plover, and black terns, reported Kenn Kaufman, Gabe Leidy and Chris Pierce.
• The first wave of fall warblers arrived at the Shaker Lakes Nature Center last week, Scott Van Valkenburg reported. They included Blackburnian, black-and-white, chestnut-sided and yellow-rumped.
• Jeanne Hrenko tracked down a male mourning warbler skulking in the shrubs at the Beaty Landing MetroPark in Painesville.
• Two merlins at Carver Pond near the Holden Arboretum were a surprising find for Haans Petruschke.
• Sandy Ridge Park in North Ridgeville has hosted good numbers of shorebirds, waterfowl and raptors recently, as well as busy beavers. Naturalist Tim Fairweather will begin leading the fall bird walks on Wednesdays beginning Aug. 26 at 7:30 a.m.
Jockey’s Ridge, One of the Many Natural Wonders of the Outer Banks
Jockey’s Ridge State Park is one of the many natural wonders on the Outer Banks.
This amazing park stretches 420 acres and is the tallest natural sand dune in the Eastern United States. The park offers plenty of activities that are free and open to the public, and it is handicap accessible.
The park is ideal for taking in the wide variety of OBX nature; there is a 384 ft boardwalk that winds through the park with informational signs explaining the local wildlife and stops with an excellent view of the ridge.
The park also offers great activities like sandboarding (similar to snowboarding, but you guessed it, on sand), kite flying, and perfect conditions for hang gliding. In fact, Jockey’s Ridge, and Kitty Hawk Kites located across the street, boast more hang gliders over the last 30 years than any other location in the United States. Drop by Kitty Hawk Kites for more information on lessons.
The activities offered at Jockey’s Ridge are second to none, but one of the best uses of the giant sand dune is to capture an unparalleled view of the Outer Banks. It is arguably the best spot for viewing the gorgeous OBX sunsets over the Sound.
Please call 252-441-7132 for more information or visit http://www.jockeysridgestatepark.com/.
Outer Banks Fishing Report 8.7.09
Ocean Fishing Report: Summer on the Outer Banks usually means high humidity, hot weather and blustery southwest winds, peppered with sporadic afternoon thunderstorms, and that’s what we saw this week. Every summer along the northern beaches, between Corolla and Rodanthe, the southwest winds push the warm surface water offshore, the cooler water rises to the surface and the cool water slows the fishing.
We’re in the dog days of August and fishing has been slow along most fronts. Looks like a brief wind shift to the northeast is in the offing during the next couple days, so that might help the weekend angling prospects.
Record Setting Blue Marlin Caught on the Outer Banks
During last year’s 25th annual Pirates Cove Billfish festival, on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, history was made!
A state record breaking 1,228.5 pound blue marlin was pulled from the depths of the Atlantic. This catch outweighed the previous record holder (1,142) by a long shot.
The gulf stream, which is situated about 15 miles offshore from Hatteras Inlet, is home to a vast amount of fish and marine life, and attracts fishing enthusiasts from all over the world. A wide variety of fish are caught on the OBX, from striped bass to mahi mahi, and of course, marlin.
In most of the world , marlins do not exist in high populations. Off the coast of North Carolina, many blue marlin thrive in the waters of the Atlantic.
Curious about why fisherman from all over the world come to the Outer Banks to fish? Come check out the Pirates Cove Fishing Tournament and see.
Outer Banks Wings Over Water Festival Announced
Wings Over Water Wildlife Festival! November 3-8, 2009
Outer Banks of North Carolina offers photography, birding, paddling, and more!
The Wings Over Water Wildlife Festival, a six-day celebration of the wild side of the Outer Banks region of North Carolina, is set for November 3 through 8, 2009. As always, the festival includes a wide variety of programs and this year, and – due to popular demand — there are an increased number of photography programs to be taught by professionals. Classes have been designed for both the skilled and not-so-practiced, as well as some programs for children and/or families.
Birding, natural history, and paddling are just some of the other types of programs planned for the festival which spans Veteran’s Day weekend. The regions offers some of the country’s best paddling for canoe and kayak enthusiasts. From tannin-fed cypress swamps to endless marsh mazes, it is possible to paddle the region for a lifetime yet still study charts at night, discovering unexplored areas. Registration currently is open for an assortment of water trips escorted by leaders who are familiar with the various areas. Physical demands range from open water with wind exposure, to short distances with excellent wind protection.
Several different paddling trips are planned and include the Kitty Hawk Bay Sunset Kayak Tour that will allow participants to enjoy a classic Carolina sunset over the bay while navigating through tall cord grass fields and listening for the mysterious sounds of the night marsh. The Backcountry Expedition combines “off-road” four-wheel-drive and kayaking into an eco-tour that explores 30 miles of beach and backcountry lanes by SUV to paddle the northern Currituck waterways from inside the Spanish Mustang Reserve. Trained naturalists discuss local ecology, history and shore life. Upper Milltail Creek Canoe Trip allows canoeists to explore the narrow, winding creek through the heart of Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Sheltered paddling gives participants a close look at the wildlife that calls the Refuge home, including Pileated Woodpeckers, river otter, and a variety of reptiles and amphibians.
This year’s keynote dinner will be held in the Museum and Grand Hall at Roanoke Island Festival Park. Catered by Kelly’s Restaurant, the keynote address will be presented by Mark Buckler, award-winning nature photographer. The cost of the keynote dinner is $35 and registration is required. Dinner includes beer, wine and non-alcohol beverages.
This festival is traditionally set during the shoulder season when rates are lower for accommodations, traffic is light and the weather is mild. To learn more about the Wings Over Water Wildlife Festival call252-216-9464 or go to www.wingsoverwater.org
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