Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report – 9.2.11 – Recovering from Hurricane Irene

Posted on September 2, 2011

9.2.11 - Perfect OBX Fall Weather

Good morning. Here’s the Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report for Friday, September 2, 2011.

This video was shot at the Hayman St. beach access in Kill Devil Hills at 9:00 AM.

Happy September, happy Friday. It’s a gorgeous day, and the northern OBX beaches are wide open for business.

Corolla through Nags Head is open and ready to go; beaches, businesses, attractions, and vacation rental homes. We pulled our entire team together to inspect and clean all of our homes this week following Hurricane Irene, and we are happy to report that our homes our in great shape. With the exception of a few minor maintenance issues, our homes are up and ready, including almost all of our pools. We started welcoming guests back as early Monday, and we are looking forward to welcoming guests this weekend.

And it couldn’t be a better time of year to be here! September and October on the Outer Banks is amazing…perfect conditions. The five day forecast shows bright sun with temps at 80 during the day and 70 at night. The water temp is 75 degrees, and the beaches are pretty empty. In addition, prices for vacation rental homes drop significantly in September. Truly the best time of year to be on the OBX.

As a side note, if you have kids back in school, it still could be a great time to come to the Outer Banks. Not sure if this is the same for every state, but in North Carolina, we can take education vacations that do not count as absent days. You need to give notice to the school and explain the educational activities, but it is a great opportunity to enjoy a vacation and learn along the way.

And the OBX is a perfect spot for an educational vacation. We partnered with www.HomeSchool.com this year, and they have given us their “Seal of Approval.” There is an endless amount of great educational opportunities on the OBX…art, history, nature.

But I digress, back to the report. Unfortunately, no surf to report. An east wind is beating up the swell we have, but Sunday and Monday are looking very good. Swell will be with us throughout next week, but the wind won’t be matching up much…just Sunday and Monday at this point.

Swell could be growing significantly by the end of next week. This could be due to the dreaded “H” word! We’ve had enough already, and it’s way too early to tell the path, but Hurricane Katia is out in the Atlantic and moving west. The projections look like it could stay out to sea, so hopefully it just sends us awesome waves. We’ll keep an eye on it.

OBX fishing is heating up again. Still no reports offshore. The fleet has to get their boats back in the water after Hurricane Irene, and Oregon Inlet needs to repair their damages from Irene. Hopefully they’ll be driving again soon. But the piers, bridges, surf, and Sound are getting consistent again with a wide variety of fish (fall OBX fishing is great!) – spot, croaker, pompano, blue fish, speckled trout, and even some puppy drums (no keepers yet).

Hope to see you soon. Have fun!

Guest Post: HomeSchool.com Loves the Outer Banks!

Posted on July 11, 2011

A few weeks ago we announced on the blog that www.HomeSchool.com gave their official “seal of approval” to the Outer Banks and Seaside Vacations after their recent visit, and we have some more OBX/Homeschool info to share.

The Outer Banks really is a perfect match for homeschoolers. The OBX offers a tremendous amount of “educational” opportunities; the Wright Brothers first flight, Blackbeard the Pirate, wild horses, largest sand dune on the East Coast, miles of empty beaches, water sports, shipwrecks, art galleries, and the list goes on. History, culture, nature, and arts…all set in an amazingly pretty and fun location. Does education get any better than this?!

Here’s what HomeSchool.com has to say…

Guest Post from www.HomeSchool.com:
Roanoke, Hatteras and More

July 1st, 2011 by dailynews

Since I last wrote to you about our family vacation to the Outer Banks, I’ve had some time to think back on all of our adventures and family fun. I wanted to share with you some of my favorite things to do in the area, as well as some ideas for those of you who might be going to the area soon.

Daytrips! Our time in OBX was filled with day-trips! There are so many things to do, that a week wasn’t enough to take in everything the OBX has to offer. We tried to get in as much as we possibly could, but I must admit, the area warrants another trip just so we can see all it has to offer. Here are some of our favorites from the time we spent in the Outer Banks.

Roanoke Island - Everybody who vacations on the Outer Banks should make it a point to go to Roanoke Island at least once! The island is overflowing with things to see and do – being the daytrip capital of the Outer Banks, the island is home to four of the Outer Banks’ most popular attractions. For a complete guide of the area, go to www.roanokeisland.net.

Hatteras Island - If you love being outdoors and in the natural world, you’ll really enjoy Hatteras Island. About 75% of Hatteras Island is undeveloped – and much of that land is accessible to the public for activities like fishing, water sports and observing nature. You’ll be surprised by the natural, cultural and recreational opportunities. For a complete guide to this area, visit www.hatterasguide.com.

Ocracoke Island - If you’re looking for some peace and quiet, this island is for you. Ocracoke is all about simple activities – building a sand castle, crabbing from a dock, pedaling aimlessly on a bicycle, peeling your own shrimp, poking in and out of shops, and actually having very little to do. For a complete guide to this area, visitwww.ocracokeguide.com

**Need to know ferry info**
A ferry service links Hatteras and Ocracoke islands with a relaxing 40-minute trip. During the summer, the wait can be long. Reservations are not accepted, and when getting in line for this ferry, make sure you’re not in the locals’ lane -usually the shortest line.
May 30 – September 6, departures are every hour from 5-7am and every 30 minutes from 7:30 – 6:30pm. It changes back to hourly departures from 7pm – midnight. September 7 – December 31 it runs every hour from 5am – midnight. For more information, please visitwww.ncferry.org or call (800)BY-FERRY.

Next time I’ll share information about Corolla, Duck, and Nags Head, Kill Devil Hills and Kitty Hawk!

Stay Tuned!…

PS. If you’re looking for a home to rent while you’re in the area, be sure to check out www.outerbanksvacations.com .

Winter Education Series on the Outer Banks

Posted on October 19, 2009

Currituck Heritage Park Winter Educational Series

COROLLA IN RETROSPECT

* Getting Here * Making It Here * Surviving Here

Experience life in the past from a panel of local experts; Come prepared to participate! Refreshments served. No cost to attend. Donations welcome.

CURRITUCK HERITAGE PARK IS LOCATED PAST MILEPOST 11 ON RT. 12 N. IN COROLLA, NC.

ALL SEMINARS WILL BE HELD IN THE OUTER BANKS CENTER FOR WILDLIFE EDUCATION.

Reservations Required. Please call 252-453-9040 ext 3.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009 9:30 am

MAKING IT HERE

Local Recipes
Living off the Land
Historical Traditions

Tuesday, January 12, 2010 9:30 am

SURVIVING HERE

Storm Stories
Passing the Time
Seasonal Skills

Tuesday, February 9, 2010 9:30 am

GETTING HERE

Boats
Carts
Automobiles

Co-Sponsored by the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education, the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, and The Whalehead Club at Currituck Heritage Park. Each facility will be open for Tours.

Educational Programs at the Outer Banks’ Elizabethan Gardens

Posted on March 31, 2009

Educational Programs to be held at Elizabethan Gardens

Anne White is presenting two classes beginning next week at the Elizabethan Gardens. Known for her informative and engaging teaching style, Mrs. White has enlightened volunteers and delighted visitors to The Gardens for more than a decade with her tours and educational programs. Persons interested in attending the sessions listed below may register by calling 252-473-3234.

March (Elizabethan Gardens hours: 9 am – 5 pm daily)

March 31 9am-12 noon

Historical Perspectives from The Elizabethan Era

Spring Programs designed to reveal a new way of looking at this beautiful public garden, a significant destination and a haven for locals and visitors alike. Each class is included with general admission fee or free for Friends of the Elizabethan Gardens – a way to enhance your visits while using your annual pass. Second Program is April 7th. Program Topics: A Garden Shaped by History; Tough Times on Roanoke Island, Myth and Art in a Garden Setting; Renaissance Design Revealed. Herbs for Your Health. There are so many wonderful stories to tell – you don’t want to miss this event! The Shakespeare herb garden connects us to beneficial ideas from the past. 9am-12pm Dress for the weather outside as narrated tour on topic of the day is part of the program. Reserve our motorized chair for touring Garden if needed when you call to register.

April (Elizabethan Gardens hours: 9 am – 6 pm daily)

April 07
The Elizabethan Gardens Today and Tomorrow: Docent Training
Spring Programs designed to reveal a new way of looking at this beautiful public garden, a significant destination and a haven for locals and visitors alike. Each class is included with general admission fee or free for Friends of the Elizabethan Gardens – a way to enhance your visits while using your annual pass. Program Topics: Our Green Guidelines for Biodiversity in a small Garden, Plants for the Planet and for The Outer Banks, for Future Careers and for Environmental Solutions. How will our Garden Grow – a Plan for Sustainability. A society disconnected from nature is without understanding of the processes that sustain life. Knowledge of the awesome miracles of mother nature will be shared through readings, photos, commentary. Learn how maintenance of The Gardens creates multiple layers rich in living things. Dress for the weather outside as narrated tour on topic of the day is part of the program. 9 am – 12 pm Reserve our motorized chair for touring Garden if needed when you call to register.

Outer Banks: Elizabethan Gardens’ Educational Outreach

Posted on December 10, 2008

Elizabethan Gardens (www.ElizabethanGardens.org), located at Roanoke Festival Park in Manteo, is teaming up with North Carolina State University for new community outreach and educational programs and continued improvements to the Gardens.

The program will be headed up by a full time educator and two graduate students of horticultural science. This program has been designed to educate interested members of the community about the importance of the gardens to the Outer Banks.

The program will include:

· Educational research,

· Sustainable horticulture,

· Development of exhibits and interpretive signs,

· New garden design,

· Greenhouse and nursery management,

· Master planning and publications, and

· Staff development.

You can find further information here.