Highway 12 Makes Travel & Leisure’s List of Most Iconic Drives

Posted on October 17, 2011

Of course we know the Outer Banks is one of the most beautiful places on earth, but its always nice when people who have seen places all over America and the OBX is one of the most memorable. Travel and Leisure recently released a list of 32 of America’s Most Iconic Drives and the Outer Banks’ famous Highway 12 made the list.

“Linked together by ferry crossings, and never rising more than a few feet above sea level, Highway 12 skips along the series of barrier islands that form Cape Hatteras, separating the usually placid waters of Pamlico Sound from the frequently raging Atlantic Ocean. Though many sections were flooded and damaged by Hurricane Irene, Highway 12 is an unforgettable drive, winding past sand dunes, landmark lighthouses, and historic villages.’

Although Highway 12 did see alot of damage during Irene, we are lucky enough to have parts of it back open and access to Hatteras Island restored. If you aren’t to far away, nothing beats a fall trip down to Cape Hatteras National Seashore or Pea Island. The scenery is absolutely beautiful and the fishing is excellent during the fall. If you want to wait until summer make sure you plan on checking out some of the great hang gliding and kite surfing outfitters along Highway 12.

Here is a neat video of some of the early recovery efforts in Hatteras from the air, not long after Hurricane Irene hit the Outer Banks.

Ready for a Rodeo, OBX Style?

Posted on June 3, 2011

Outer Banks Crabbing

Come one come all for the annual crabbing and fishing rodeo where you can round up some crab and rope you some fish! The event is sponsored annually by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Coastal Wildlife Refuge Society and is the only day that North Pond, directly behind the Pea Island Visitor Center, is open to the public.

Although you can never be guaranteed you will catch anything, the event will be a great time regardless and includes fun for the whole family. If nothing is biting you can always take a walk on the many nature trails, enjoy a day at the beach soaking up the sun, plan a picnic or just come be a spectator!

The state limit for crabbing is 50 per day and for fishing a state issued saltwater fishing license is required so don’t forget it! Ive never been crabbing before but it sounds like a great time and 50 crabs would make a yummy dinner

The annual Crabbing and Fishing Rodeo will be held Saturday, June 11, from 9 a.m. to noon at Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Outer Banks Wildlife & Nature Documentary

Posted on January 25, 2011

Refuge Pea Island - Hurricane Bill Filming on the Outer Banks

The Outer Banks is home to an amazing amount of undisturbed nature and wildlife. Mile upon mile of empty beaches and natural conservation land. It seems like someone should make a movie about the abundance of OBX nature.

Bingo!

STRS Productions, a professional film development team based in North Carolina, released their newest documentary in late 2010, and the movie focuses on the wildlife available in Pea Island Refuge located on the southern portion of the Outer Banks.

From the STRS website: The new release Refuge Pea Island is the third to be released of the series of films that will be covering our beautiful National Wildlife Refuges in eastern North Carolina. Refuge the series concentrates on the wonderful wildlife that can be seen while visiting one of these majestic places.

The trailer looks amazing, and I can guarantee any OBX lover will be hooked in seconds. Here’s the description of the movie from the trailer:

“Witness wildlife as it was meant to be seen. Third in the “REFUGE” series, Pea Island lies off the coast of North Carolina where wildlife abounds and the environment is ever changing. Award winning film makers Blake and Emily Scott once again deliver. A year in the making, covering all four seasons, narrated by Denise Kelly, and filmed in High Definition completely without baiting, blinds, or staging. The power of the Atlantic Ocean is felt in dramatic footage of a hurricane and ‘noreasters battering the coastline, and full of astonishing shots of maritime wildlife that includes Finback Whales, Harbor Seals, Loggerhead Turtles and an incredible sampling of bird life. REFUGE – Pea Island captures all the drama and beauty that exists on this coastal treasure. To purchase a copy of this film on DVD go to www.refugewildlife.com.”

For more information about the filmmakers and the film-making process, here’s a great interview with Emily Scott, one of the husband-wife film-making team.

Crabbing & Fishing Rodeo on the Outer Banks

Posted on April 19, 2010

Blue Crab

Each year, the Pea Island Crabbing/Fishing Rodeo is held the second Saturday in June from 9 am until noon.

Participants are encouraged to bring everything they need for the morning, including sunscreen, insect repellant, food, drink, chairs, etc.

Success varies from year-to-year. Some years, almost everyone (sometimes as many as 500 people) takes home a full bucket of crabs. Some years, catch is much smaller. But, it’s always a fun time for the entire family.

For more information, contact the Refuge Visitor Center at 252-987-2394.

Outer Banks Surf Contest – “Battle of the Banks” – Set for This Weekend

Posted on October 15, 2009

Virginia Beach is a short 1-2 hour ride from the Outer Banks; that close proximity tends to breed a fierce rivalry between the surf cultures.

The Outer Banks tends to get the notoriety as a world-class surf zone/culture (Surfer even named Kill Devil Hills in the Top 10 Surf Towns), but VB has its share of waves and great surfers, and the VB surfers definitely hit the waves with something to prove.

One of the best East Coast surf competitions is taking place this week, and it pits these fierce rivals against each other. The WRV Battle of the Banks is taking place this Saturday on Pea Island. The official site will be determined by the contest directors based on the best possible conditions.

The Battle of the Banks captures the soul of Right Coast surf, gorgeous fall weather on the Outer Banks, water cooling off as autumn drags on, potential for strong off shore winds, fast, heaving barrels that only the Outer Banks sandbars can produce, and fierce rivals.

It is a grudge match with bragging rights on the line. VB vs. OBX. David vs. Goliath as far as overall East Coast surf is perceived. But don’t count David out. VB is the reigning champ and aims to hold their crown.

This is only the second year of the contest, but 2008 was epic. Some of the best East Coast surfers navigating some of the gnarliest 8 foot barrels of the year. Here is a great video from Surfline that highlights last year’s Battle of the Banks.

Since everyone is relatively local to the Outer Banks, the contest is setup with a wide window of opportunity to take advantage of the best possible OBX conditions, and it seems this weekend is going to provide those conditions. If it is anything like last year, we are in for one heck of a battle.

A new format to the contest was added late this week due to the change in the number of surfers from originally 20 down to only a team of 15 surfers from each county(VB and OBX). Contest directors have decided to have an additional qualifier or “surf off” for the remaining 3 spots on the team. The 8 qualifiers and alternates from the Outer Banks Pro Contest will surf a heat in the morning and the 3 highest placers in that heat are added to the 12 invitees for the team of 15 in the “Main Event”.

Free Family Fun on the Outer Banks

Posted on June 18, 2009

America’s Beach offers a treasure of free stuff to do!

If you are looking for fun in the sun without burning your bank account, head to the Outer Banks of North Carolina this summer for a treasure of free activities and adventure that will make this year’s vacation one to remember. We’re just a tank of gas or two away from most major cities on the East Coast, and you won’t find a more pet-friendly beach in America, because we know the value of traveling in a pack! www.outerbanks.org.

Most importantly, our beaches are FREE to access with plentiful FREE parking. Spend your quarters on more important things. The Outer Banks are 130 miles long and are home to some of the most wild and natural, undeveloped beaches in the country along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Take your four wheel drive SUV off-road in select areas to access some of the best fishing and scenery on the eastern seaboard. There are literally miles and miles on Hatteras Island you can navigate in the summer that you can’t find anywhere else.

Think your kids would like to play in the largest natural sandbox in the south? Try Jockey’s Ridge State Park in Nags Head, a 426 acre sand dune system that’s about 90 feet tall and mecca for kite flying, sunsets or just rolling down the giant sand hills. Incredible panoramic scenery with a bird’s eye view of the island. Visit Bodie Island Lighthouse, Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse and the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse for free. Want to take a boat ride but think it’s too expensive for your group? Take the FREE ferry to Ocracoke Island, a 40 minute trip where you can walk around the boat, feed the birds or just bask in the sun.

Take your friends and loved ones to Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge and see one of the most popular stops for birds on the Atlantic Flyway. Hundreds of species of birds have been documented here. It’s free to enter, and the kids will love the turtle pond or looking through the free binoculars at the observation platforms overlooking miles of refuge. America got its start at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, where England’s first colony settled here at Roanoke Island from 1584-1587. Their disappearance is one of our history’s most enduring mysteries. So is the price. It’s free.

Want to learn about waves and coastal dynamics? The Army Corps of Engineers Field Research Facility in Duck, NC offers free summer tours. See really neat vehicles, buoys and devices that scientists use to measure waves during storms, etc. and engage your kids with a family field trip. The coast of Cape Hatteras is known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic, because of the 2000 plus shipwrecks that line the Outer Banks. You can visit the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras, NC for free and see what the sea has thrown back! Learn about the lost Civil War submarine Alligator, see a real Enigma machine recovered from a German U-boat, and learn about the ghost ship Carroll A. Deering.