Outer Banks Link Love: 2.24.12 – All Sorts of Goodies

Posted on February 24, 2012

Outer Banks Link Love

We have a full docket of awesome OBX links for our weekly dose of Link Love; so no time for me to wax poetically. Let’s get down to business.

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, when faced with good news and bad, I’m the type that likes to get the bad out of the way so I can end on a positive note. So, let’s start with the not-so-great.

Via Con Dios Stewart Couch
The Outer Banks lost a member of the family this week. The owner of Hatteras Realty, Stewart Couch, passed away this week while on a surf trip to Nicaragua. Here’s a link to one of the many stories about Stewart’s untimely passing. Stewart was raised on Hatteras Island and created one of the most successful businesses on the Island. I had the pleasure of meeting Stewart on a few occasions, and his sense of humor and smile were infectious. He will be missed by many.

It’s hard to follow that announcement, but let’s keep our heads up and charge on. One more link on with a negative tinge, and then I promise we’ll get rolling with some positive OBX links.

Hurricane Irene & Manteo
Hurricane Irene just won’t go away. I’ve mentioned Irene’s lasting effects in a recent post Link Love, and here’s another article about the lasting effects of that beast. This time we’re focusing on Manteo. Do you visit Manteo when you come to the Outer Banks? It is definitely worth the trip. An amazing little town – the real Mayberry – with art, food, history, shops, and a great waterfront. They were hit hard by the flooding from Irene, and the downtown area is still recovering. Next time you’re in town, consider a trip to Manteo – you’ll dig it, and they’ll appreciate your love.

Outer Banks Beach Driving
OBX beach driving has been a hot topic recently. There are a lot of strong feelings around the topic, and now you have a chance to take action. Here’s an online petition that is being passed around that is calling for “free and open” beach access. Take a stand.

6 Ways to Enjoy the Outer Banks
Here’s a great article from The Montrealer offering some great tips for enjoying the Outer Banks all year long. Yes, Canadians love the OBX too!

The Most Scenic Drive in America
While we’re on the subject of great press for the OBX, here’s an article from VisitSouth.com that proclaims that Outer Banks Scenic Byway the most scenic drive in America! Who am I to disagree?! Great choice VisitSouth.

Outer Banks Everyday Magic
Earlier this week I shared a guest post about the amazing Surfing for Autism event held on the OBX each year. I have also shared some great stories of Outer Banks Everyday Magic over the past couple months, and my favorite Magic story is Toys from God about Jordan, who also happens to have autism. While I’m at it, let’s add another level to this discussion. How about the Blue Mind ideas saying that the Outer Banks (ocean as a whole) makes us happy? Seems like a strong connection between the ocean, happiness, and a calming affect for people with autism. And here’s another great example, an article from the Autism Support Network discussing how great a trip to the OBX can be. Blue Mind indeed.

Groupon Makes it to the OBX…Finally!
Are you a fan of Groupon? Seems like a good way to get some deals. But I wouldn’t know because that trendy little site hasn’t made it’s way to promoting OBX businesses…until now! Boom! The OBX is on the Groupon map with a skydiving deal. What, you didn’t know you can skydive on the Outer Banks?! Yep…and now you can save $100 to boot. Thanks Groupon.

OBX History Buffs
The Outer Banks History Center is going to debut is 150th anniversary Civil War exhibit at next week’s (March 2) “First Friday” in Manteo.

Let’s close out with some OBX events…

Have an urge to jump into 46 degree water? Yeah, me neither. But if you do, the Penguin Plunge is taking place tomorrow at the Ramada Inn in Kill Devil Hills, and it is for a good cause – raising money for the YMCA. Break out your wackiest costume and prepare to freeze.
The Cash Pot Surf Series, sponsored by Arnett sunglasses, announced this week that they will be making a stop on the Outer Banks in August. Plenty of time to wax up the board and get a little practice in before the big event.
Love the Outer Banks Wild Horses? Me too. Here’s a great chance to show some support. The 3rd annual “Night at the Races” is being held on March 13 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Kitty Hawk. It’s a fun night and a great way to raise some money for a great cause.
Another wedding show is hitting the Outer Banks in a couple weeks. The OBX is such a fab place to get married (or have a honeymoon)…of course we need another wedding show. Brides, mark your calendar for March 24.
Taste of the Beach kicks off in three short weeks. Four days of food, drinks and fun! For real, this is a great event…especially if you love food and drink…and who doesn’t?! Come on, you know you want to come. And to sweeten the deal (like that pun?), how about a free early check-in and late checkout from your friends at Seaside Vacations. You’re welcome.
Last but certainly not least, St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner! Are you aware that the Outer Banks has the largest St. Patty’s Day parade in NC?! I’m not sure how we measure these things, but that’s what I hear, and I’m sticking to it until proven wrong. Check out this raging parade…

Time Capsule: Here are some popular posts from last year at this time.

Outer Banks History: Burnside’s Expedition

Posted on January 26, 2012

Outer Banks History: Burnside's Expedition

The Outer Banks is well-known for some obvious reasons – gorgeous beaches, great weather, fabulous beach vacations, etc. – but I often find that OBX lovers miss some of the less obvious magic.

I know, it’s tough to pull ourselves off the beach to see what else is around, but WOW, the Outer Banks is amazing beyond the beach. I could give a long list of reasons for my amazement, but for purposes of this post, I’m going to stick to one subject, OBX history.

The Outer Banks has sooo much history – the Wright Brothers, Blackbeard the Pirate, The Lost Colony, shipwrecks, Civil War battles, sunken WWII submarines, wild horses descending from Spain!

It’s bizarre to think the OBX is such a popular vacation destination, but the massive amount of history goes unnoticed by the majority of visitors.

OK, I agree, history lessons are not quite as fun as toes in the sand. But let’s spend a few minutes to realize what’s going on around us. And to help with this, we’re going to drop some OBX history knowledge on you all year long. Every month, we’re going to pick a piece of Outer Banks history and pass it along you.

So next time you have your toes stuck in the sand, you can tell everyone about the great history all around us…even if the beach won’t release it’s grip.

Stay tuned, more great Outer Banks history to come.

Let’s start with a bit of OBX Civil War history. January marks the start of “Burnside’s Expedition.”

Here is Wikipedia’s description of Burnside’s Expedition:

Burnside’s North Carolina Expedition (also known as the Burnside Expedition) was a series of engagements fought along the North Carolina Coast between February and June 1862. The expedition was part of Winfield Scott’s overall Anaconda Plan, which aimed at closing blockade-running ports inside the Outer Banks. The amphibious operation was carried out primarily by New England troops under Brig. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside and assisted by the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron under Captain Louis M. Goldsborough.

You may have noticed in Wikipedia’s description that the battles took place between February and June. But I just said January marks the start date. What gives?!

Take a peek at the caption on the monument pictured above. As is the case at this time of year, OBX weather is unpredictable and often dangerous. Nor’easters love the winter months on the Outer Banks, and Burnside’s Expedition got off to a late start because once the fleet (80 ships!) took off from VA, Mother Nature threw them for a loop. Two days after lifting anchor, the fleet hit a strong nor’easter trying to cross Hatteras Bar, and reassembling the fleet in Pamlico Sound was delayed until February due to stormy weather.

OBX weather strikes again! You really can’t beat Mother Nature…she has our number.

There’s your Outer Banks history lesson for the month. Hope you enjoyed…and took notes.

Can’t wait to see what February has in store for our OBX history!

Outer Banks Link Love: 1.20.12 – Lots o’ Local News

Posted on January 20, 2012

Outer Banks Link Love

Here’s this weeks love for all of the links I couldn’t get to. A bunch of local OBX news to pass on.

Enjoy the link love…

Congrats to local Outer Banks surfer, Kim Diggs for landing a full-page spread in the new Surfing magazine. Always great to see an OBX local hit the big time.
New Outer Banks bridge one step closer to being a reality. The final environmental impact study was just released for the Mid-Currituck bridge. What do you think, does the OBX need another bridge?
The Bodie Island Lighthouse restoration is back on! After almost a year in hiatus, the additional funding for the project has been approved, and work should start at the Lighthouse by late February. Hopefully we’ll be climbing to the top come fall!
The Coast Guard earned their pay this week, and hauled in a sailor from a sinking sailboat off of Hatteras.
There’s no doubt Lowe’s is on the OBX. And now that they are here, they are bringing 125 jobs with them.
Looks like NatGeo is going to do a feature on the Outer Banks. We have to wait until June to see it, but pretty cool.
Are you aware that the Outer Banks has some fantastic golf courses? And you can setup an OBX golf package so you can play them all! Sweet.
Check out this awesome story about a horse trainer working with the Outer Banks wild horses. The wild horse whisperer?!
Got any OBX Civil War artifacts? The Outer Banks History Center is on the hunt for OBX Civil War memorabilia for an upcoming exhibit.
Any country music fans out there? How about Randy Thompson fans? Seems that good ol’ boy Randy enjoyed New Year’s on the Outer Banks. Love OBX celebrity sightings!
We’ve been sharing a lot of Outer Banks Everyday Magic stories recently, and here’s a great OBX story that wasn’t so magical…then again, maybe an adventure that turns into a lifelong family story is magical.
I’m not sure if the OBX needs saving, but just in case, here’s your chance to save the Outer Banks.

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!

History and Mystery on the Outer Banks

Posted on November 2, 2011

Ran across an awesome article written by Washington Post author, Zofia Smardz about her recent trip to the Outer Banks and specifically her ghost tour of the Whalehead Club in Corolla. Yeah we know.. Halloween is over, but there’s some neat history built in that even I didn’t know about. Another example of being a local and not getting to experience all the cool stuff

Read along and let us know what you think.

“There are 13 of us,” says my sister, nodding meaningfully as I join her at the door of the historic Whalehead Club. Whoa! Thirteen. On a moonlight ghost tour. Now that. Is. Spooky. . . .

Spooky, of course, is what we’re after on this nearly full-moon October night in the old mansion-turned-museum on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. But alas, once we get going, I’m not really feeling it. We make our way from room to darkened room, up the staircase and down, listening to unlikely tales of smoking paintings and self-igniting candles and murder in the kitchen, and I’m thinking ho-hum.

Uh — wait a minute. Murder in the kitchen? Of the lady of the house’s ne’er-do-well brother, you say? Well, that is interesting. But hmm. There was no mention of any such event in the regular historical tour we took a couple of days earlier. Are you sure about that? Well, it certainly does add that necessary little frisson to the evening.

But it doesn’t quite fit with the picture of wealthy industrialist Edward Collings Knight Jr. and his wife that you get on the daytime audio tour of their winter vacation home near Corolla, a village on the northernmost reaches of the Outer Banks. There are (Mc)mansions galore on the Banks these days, of course, but back in the Roaring Twenties, the Knights’ splendid 21,000-square-foot, five-story art nouveau house, with its sweeping grounds on Currituck Sound, was truly one of a kind. And unlike many a McMansion, it was a welcome addition to the neighborhood, bringing jobs and riches to a fairly impoverished region.

So murder and coverup? Seems out of sync with old-timers’ memories of the Knights’ generosity and graciousness. But then again, the wealthy pair did have their little, oh, oddities. There was Marie Louise’s passion for hunting and her preference for pants over party dresses. And then the couple’s separate (though adjoining) bedrooms. The tour describes this as “common for the period.” But what about that other, not-so-common adjoining bedroom to Knight’s, where his friend and doctor, Harry Knapp, routinely slept? Okay, Knight had a heart condition. But still. . . .

I could be completely wrong, of course, but hey. I’m not the only one to wonder about the arrangement. Two years ago, at my nephew’s wedding on the Banks, the maid of honor, a local girl, planted the seeds with her stories of Banker lore and gossip about the Knights and their grand house. When she was a kid, the place was nothing but an abandoned wreck that teens liked to prowl around. Ditto the empty lighthouse keeper’s residence beside the nearby Currituck Beach Lighthouse. You know how stories pile up around mysterious places like that.

Today, the mystery’s mostly in the mind. Both buildings have been rescued and spiffed up to perfection as part of Currituck Heritage Park, a 39-acre enclave on the sound that encompasses the Whalehead Club, the still-operating lighthouse (last one built on the Banks, in 1875, its red bricks left unpainted to distinguish it from its iconic black-and-white brethren farther south), a wildlife center and Historic Corolla Village, a group of restored buildings that formed the little fishing village in the late 19th century.

Poking around the park on a drizzly day, we pick up some less well-known Outer Banks history. Because Roanoke we know. And Kitty Hawk, of course. But who knew that in the early 20th century, the waterfowl were so plentiful on Currituck Sound — the body of water separating the Banks from the mainland is on the Atlantic Flyway, the north-south migration route for many a goose, etc. — that locals did a booming business selling their catch to restaurants in the Northeast? Pretty soon, natch, the sportsmen wanted in on the action, and hunt clubs proliferated. Then the Knights built their haven, dubbed Corolla Island, so that Marie Louise — sorry, no ladies in the clubs — could get her hunting jollies, too.

After the Knights died and the waterfowl declined (totally unrelated!), the estate served variously as a World War II Coast Guard receiving station, a weekend playground for a wealthy Washington meatpacker (he gave it its present name), a boys’ academy and a secret research center for a company trying to develop a solid rocket fuel. Wouldn’t have been hard to keep things secret around here: Before a paved road from the more southerly town of Duck was laid in 1985, this was one tough spot to get to. “It was a really desolate place,” declares our ghost tour guide.”

Ocean Tells Tales of Shorelines Past

Posted on August 15, 2011

Divers off the Outer Banks coastline have found a German U-701 submarine believed to have entered American waters in 1942 to destroy Navy ships during World War 2. The vessel is believed to hold the bodies of 7 soldiers and is just the first of many underwater military graveyards to be researched by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The Administration is aiming to document and photograph the dozens of warships that disappeared below the surface and to produce a comprehensive report on the wartime shipwrecks. Supporters hope to channel the findings into museum exhibits or film productions that raise awareness of an often-forgotten part of WWII history.

They’ve narrowed their focus to a 130-square-mile area of the ocean off the southern end of Hatteras Island, believed to be the site of a critical battle between a German submarine and an Allied convoy en route to Florida. The researchers don’t know precisely how many WWII vessels were sunk off the North Carolina coast, but estimates range from 50 to 80. Some, like the U-701, have been located and identified, but the majority remain undiscovered.

“It’s a sight that would strike fear into any merchant marine’s heart,” said Evan Kovacs, a scuba diver who photographed the submarine days ago. “It’s definitely one of those sights that gets your blood going.”

Dare County: A Moonshine Mecca Way Back Yonder

Posted on August 14, 2011

Came across a great article in the Virginia Pilot about a little piece of Dare County that was once a major hub in the moonshine making business in North Carolina.

Little is left of this former logging town on the Dare County mainland, which was born in Civil War times and morphed decades later into a haven for bootlegging moonshine makers. Its legacy survives in the aging memories of long-ago residents and a dusty gravel road through the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge that bears its name. Otherwise, Buffalo City today belongs to the swamp.

But while there are still memories to preserve and artifacts to collect, staff at the wildlife refuge are working to ensure that Buffalo City does not disappear altogether. At a new visitors center set to open next year, refuge officials plan to build a theater reminiscent of the general store where Buffalo City residents once shopped.

Its history dates from the mid-1800s through the 1950s, when the last Buffalo City residents deserted the town, about 20 miles west of Roanoke Island.In its heyday, Buffalo City boasted multiple logging companies, a hotel, a post office, railroad service and its own currency. It was once Dare County’s largest community.

By the late 1920s and early 1930s, however, with the logging industry losing steam, residents began making moonshine to survive. The illegal liquor was transported north by boat to places such as Elizabeth City.

Wildlife and habitat are the primary focus of the new visitors center that will soon be under construction on the northern end of Roanoke Island, near the entrance to Fort Raleigh National Historic Site. The Gateway Visitor Center, expected to open in spring or early summer next year, will introduce people to 11 refuges in northeastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia, including Buffalo City.

I feel an Outer Banks Treasure video in the works here.

Outer Banks Whalehead Club Preparing Some Great Updates

Posted on March 30, 2011

Outer Banks Whalehead Club

The Whalehead Club, in Corolla along the northern stretch of the Outer Banks, is an amazing attraction. A historic hunting club sitting on a breath-taking piece of property along the Sound that has been restored to its original condition. It is a fantastic piece of OBX history…feels like you are stepping back in time. Unfortunately, history doesn’t always offer much “sizzle” in today’s fast-paced culture. Attendance could be improve, and great changes are in the making.

The Virginia Pilot is reporting that the Whalehead Club board and Currituck County commissioners are considering plans to make some new additions to the club in hopes it will bring in more locals and visitors to the historic site. These plans would include adding a new caretakers house, an amphitheater and vendor area.

The new caretaker’s house would be used for weddings, classrooms and meeting space as well as connecting new walkways to the Currituck Lighthouse and Center for Wildlife Education.

Plans for the vendor area include setting up white tents on the grounds near NC 12 that would be a great resource for local artists to sell their art or local fisherman to sell their catch of the day. It would provide the hometown feel that residents and visitors enjoy.

With music events like the Marsh Grass Music Festival right around the corner, commissioners look for the new amphitheater to be home to future music events like these. Music festivals are just one of many great ways to draw families and the community together and the new theater would be another way to keep travelers visiting the area.

The Whalehead Club currently hosts guided tours, wine tasting, and other local events and draws in over 17,000 visitors annually.

PS – We are proud to partner with the Whalehead Club to offer complimentary tours to Seaside Vacations’ guests through Club Seaside. A great opportunity to see an amazing piece of OBX history.

Update: By a unanimous vote, the board of directors of the Whalehead Preservation Trust has agreed to discontinued consideration for placing vending areas for merchants within Heritage Park in Corolla.

For more information visit http://www.womacknewspapers.com/obsentinel/

2011 Outer Banks “Land of Beginnings” Festival

Posted on March 29, 2011

Land of Beginnings Festival

The Land of Beginnings Festival is an annual celebration of Outer Banks originals that define who the OBX is as a community. Events planned at various sites throughout the week include a long list of exciting cultural, educational and entertainment activities.

The dates for the 2011 Land of Beginnings Festival are set for April 4-9. Festival events are geared toward diverse interests and ages and will be located throughout the Outer Banks from Kitty Hawk to Hatteras.

The Land of Beginnings Festival
April 4-9, 2011

Living Legend Community Luncheon

Noon, Monday, April 4, Ramada Plaza
Author Suzanne Tate will receive the Fifth Annual Living Legend Award
East Carolina Bank Living Legend Scholarship will be presented
Cost $25; advance reservations required.
To purchase tickets online CLICK HERE; to order by phone, call Lost Colony Theater Manager Brandon Smith at 252-473-2127.

Storytelling

Sit back and rest a spell while listening to tales about the ‘good ole days’ on the Outer Banks Kitty Hawk.
7 p.m. Tuesday, April 5, Black Pelican Restaurant
Manteo, 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 6, at the Dare Center in Manteo preceded with a potluck dinner at 6 p.m.
Buxton, 7 p.m. Thursday, April 7, at the Fessenden Center
Storytelling events free; require no reservations

Footprints in the Sand

Ever wonder about the area’s history and the sites that interpret it? Learn all about the sites, their program offerings and the history of the area.
9 a.m. on Friday, April 8, at the Russell Twiford campus of College of the Albemarle-Dare in Manteo.
Great program for new residents, history-lovers and for customer service employees who work with visitors. This program is free.

Lost Colony Fire and Ice Gala

The festivities will end on a high note with the annual The Lost Colony Gala
7 p.m.-midnight on Saturday, April 9, at the Wright Brothers Memorial Pavilion in Kill Devil Hills.
Food, drink, entertainment, silent auction, and more!
CLICK HERE for more details and to purchase tickets for this favorite party!

Outer Banks: Road Trip to Duck

Posted on March 10, 2011

Outer Banks Road Trippin'

Don’t just take it from us…Raleigh based Fifteen501 magazine encourages a spring visit to the Outer Banks too!

Boasting the amazing OBX history – one of the first settlements of Virginia Dare, Blackbeard, shipwrecks in the Graveyard of the Atlantic and the first in flight – Fifteen 501 encourages travelers to make the trip to the Outer Banks.

But there’s more than just history…

The wild mustangs still populating the island of Corolla are said to be the descendants of those aboard Spanish shipwrecks and are just another great site on more than 130 mile stretch of beaches.

With a wide array of quiet spots to sit back and enjoy plenty of relaxation and recreation, the Fifteen 501 believes the entire Outer Banks is worth visiting but there is one place of the beaten path. Duck, NC.

Inspired by its uncrowded beaches, friendly locals, beautiful views and artistic feel, Duck is an island town that continues to move residents and visitors alike. High class amenities, delicious coastal cuisine, locally owned shopping and amazing vacation rental homes are some of the great reasons to plan a spring or summer trip to the Outer Banks.

Thanks Fifteen 501…please, come back and visit again soon. :)