I hope you’re well on your way to tackling the holiday “to do” list, but I want to give you a good reason for a quick break from the hustle and bustle of the holiday planning onslaught.
Each and everyday I try to make time to get to the beach to snap a photo and give a quick beach report. I share these on a variety of websites, and one of these fabulous websites – Flickr – gives me the ability to create nifty slideshows.
What a great way to share some Outer Banks pictures, right? Bingo! Let’s do just that. Let’s share some OBX pictures from the past month. I’m going to do this every month (so be sure to check back…or better yet, sign up by email in the top right ), and I’ve coined the fantastic title of this new series, “Outer Banks Behind the Lens.”
I’m a few days late, but let’s kick it off with all the great images from November 2011. So sit back, kick up those tired feet and enjoy a one minute OBX vacation.
Love the idea? Want to see OBX pictures of something in particular? Just want to say hi? Let me know in the comments section. We love to hear from you.
It’s hard to believe, but, yes, sometimes it even rains on the Outer Banks. Boo!…I know.
It’s not too shabby today, only a 50% chance of showers, but it’s definitely an overcast day. The warms temps still feel great though. Temps in the 70′s, water @ 68, a relatively stiff east wind at about 10-15 mph. The good news is it looks like the sun will be back soon, and the weekend looks perfecto!
There’s some decent swell in the water, but no surf today. Although, fun Surf tomorrow? The OBX surf forecast looks good tomorrow morning with chest high, clean surf and a light southwest breeze. But the wind should pick up and switch south in the morning, so get at the waves early. Friday and the weekend look decent for clean waves, but they’ll be small in the knee to waist range.
The Fall fish are biting! Piers are full, surf casters are lining the shore. It’s a great time to be fishing on the Outer Banks. Here’s a great OBX fishing overview we posted yesterday.
With all the Outer Banks has to offer – beach, wild horses, Wright Brothers, Black Beard the Pirate, surfing, fishing, Jockey’s Ridge, beach driving, art, seafood, nature preserves, amazing wildlife…the list seems endless – the OBX fishing piers are often overlooked.
Well, all the piers are the same, right?…long wooden structures with some good fishing and great views, but if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all.
Not so fast. You may be surprised at just how much variety the Outer Banks fishing piers offer, and with the arrival of the new Jennette’s Pier, the piers have been taken to an entirely new level of fun, education, amazing views, and world-class fishing.
For today’s installment, we’re going to turn the “Spotlight” on the Outer Banks Fishing Piers.
The five fishing piers located on the northern beaches of the Outer Banks are Kitty Hawk, Avalon, Nags Head, Jennette’s and Outer Banks Fishing Pier, all of which are unique.
The Kitty Hawk Pier is now privately owned and part of the Hilton Garden Inn. The pier is still available for daily fishing, and the gorgeous pier house can be booked through the Hilton for private events…an awesome spot for an Outer Banks wedding!
The Avalon Pier is located on the Oceanfront in Kill Devil Hills, at Mile Post 6. It is 696 feet long. The pier is usually open from 5:00 am — 2:00 am during the summer months. During the Spring and Fall, they open at 6:00 am and close when things slow down which is usually right before 10:00 pm. They sell all kinds of bait including bloodworms, squid, mullet, shrimp, and artificial lures. They also rent tackle. When you enter the Avalon Pier, you almost feel like you are stepping back in time…in a great way. It feels like the OBX from the 70′s…complete with an old-school arcade!
The Nags Head Fishing Pier offers a great fishing pier as well as a bait & tackle shop for all of your fishing needs. Also on site is a The Pier House Restaurant and The Pier Cottages. There are 6 cottages available ranging from 1-bedroom to 4-bedrooms. Daily rates are available for the cottages, though there is a 3-night minimum stay. This pier is great for fishing or taking in the views, but the highlight for me is the breakfast! Arguably the best OBX breakfast spot. 1. Because the breakfast is delicious (classic diner style) and 2. Because you can’t beat the view overlooking the ocean!
Jennette’s Pier, the oldest fishing pier on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, was built in 1939. This historic ocean landmark has weathered dozens of hurricanes and nor’easters over the past six decades.
Now wwned by the North Carolina Aquarium Society, the oldest fishing pier on the Outer Banks provides a great fishing experience for the entire family. The main exhibit, Giants of the Sea, showcases state-record trophy fish mounts and five aquariums with indigenous fish species on display. The pier also houses an outpost for the North Carolina Aquarium Education Department, which offers a wide variety of coastal educational opportunities for children of all ages. Aquarium education classes run Monday — Friday between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Last but not least, the Outer Banks Fishing Pier is open 24 hours a day. Daily, weekend and weekly passes are available, as well as group rates and senior citizen discounts. Bait and tackle are available at the Pier, as well as rentals of tackle, bicycles, umbrellas, chairs and boogie boards. Fishing charters are also available through Outer Banks Fishing Unlimited.
Good morning. Here’s the Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report for Friday, July 22, 2011.
This video was shot at the Lillian St. beach access at 9:00 AM.
Happy Friday. Great beach day and a great beach weekend ahead. Temps in the 90′s, sun, and a light offshore wind out of the Southwest all weekend. Great beach weather!
However, there is good and bad news with that offshore wind. I like to start with the bad, so I’ll share that first. The southwest winds tend to blow the warm surface water out to sea, and the cooler water rises to the surface. This is a process known as “upwelling.” So, the bad news is that we can see the water temps change pretty quickly based on the wind direction, and it’s been blowing out of the southwest for a few days, so the OBX has seen the water temps drop from the mid 70′s to the mid 60′s.
A bit chilly, but like I said, there’s good news too. The fish really like the upwelling process because as the warm water moves out, and the cooler water that “upwells” to replace it tends to be rich in nutrients. So, there’s good news for OBX fishing, and the offshore breeze keeps the surf clean.
There’s not much surf to report today (or this weekend), but the little swell that is out there is very clean. The surf is in the knee high range. Probably best for SUP (stand up paddleboarding), but a decent longboard wave too. In the video, I mention that the guys in the water are in board shorts so it can’t be too cold, but you’ll see some in wet suits too. A long stint in 65 degree water can get chilly.
Tight lines all around for OBX fishing. Offshore continues to see dolphin, yellow fin tuna, wahoo, and some bill fish mixed in. The piers, bridges, surf, & Sound are all very consistent with a wide variety of fish – spot, croaker, blue fish, speckled trout, Spanish mackerel, trigger fish, cobia.
Outer Banks - 6.24.11 - Great Start to the Weekend at Avalon Pier
Good morning. Here’s the Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report for Friday, June 24, 2011.
This video was shot at the Avalon Pier in Kill Devil Hills at 9:00 AM.
Happy Friday! We’ve had great weather all week, and it will carry through the weekend. There was an amazing sunset last night after a much needed thunderstorm, so I’ll include a pic of that too.
A bit overcast this morning, but overall a great start to the weekend. We’ll have a mix of sun and clouds today, with temps in the upper 80′s, and light southwest wind. A very comfortable beach day…and weekend.
The southwest wind is cleaning the tiny wave we have coming through, so there is a clean longboard wave, but it’s only in the knee high range. This is the story for the weekend too. Knee high waves, offshore wind through Saturday, and on Sunday the wind switches to the east. Unfortunately, not too exciting for OBX surf, but we had some fun surf and warm water this week, so no complaints.
OBX fishing is hitting its stride. Offshore is seeing dolphin, tuna and some bill fish mixed in. Near shore, piers, bridges, Sound, and surf are all very active with a wide variety of fish – croaker, spot, speckled trout, sea mullet, Spanish mackerel, blue fish, Cobia. Great time to be fishing on the OBX…tight lines all around!
Outer Banks - 6.20.11 - Great start in Kill Devil Hills
Good afternoon. Here’s the Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report for Monday, June 20, 2011.
This video was shot at the Wright Brothers Memorial and the Hayman St. beach access, both in Kill Devil Hills, at 9:00 AM.
Happy belated Father’s Day. Hope all of the Dad’s enjoyed their day. I was lucky enough to share Father’s Day with with my boy’s first birthday, so it was a great day. Happy birthday Finn!
It was a great day because of the weather too. The weekend was gorgeous with 80 degree temps, sun, and a light breeze, and the great weather is going to continue this week. The 10 day forecast is sun, 80′s, and a few isolated thunderstorms. The showers will not be widespread, and really the plants could use a drink.
Unfortunately, not much surf to report. A small bump out there today (happy International Surfing Day, by the way), but not much going on, and the wind isn’t going to cooperate to start the week. But the wind will switch offshore around Wednesday, and we could have some fun knee to waist longboard waves towards the end of the week. Coupled with the great weather, it should be fun to catch any surf rolling through.
Outer Banks fishing is going strong. Offshore is seeing dolphin, tuna, and a few bill fish mixed in. Cobia are hot near shore. The bridges, piers, and Sound are all active with a wide variety of fish – croaker, sea mullet, spot, speckled trout, blue fish, Spanish mackerel. And the great news is that surf fishing is getting more consistent as well. Great time to be fishing on the OBX!
Good morning. Here’s the Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report for Friday, June 17, 2011.
This video was shot at the Avalon Pier in Kill Devil Hills at 9:00 AM…then a quick stop at the Lillian St. beach access.
Happy Friday! It’s been a mild week on the OBX with temps in the upper 70′s and lower 80′s all week, but just in time for the weekend, the temps are jumping into the 90′s! There’s a mix of sun and clouds this morning, with a few showers (the plants are loving it!), but the sun will be out this afternoon, and temps will climb to the 90′s. Sun and 90′s all weekend.
There is a nice offshore wind out of the southwest adding a cool breeze to the day. The offshore wind is perfect for cleaning up the little swell we have in the area. The swell is only in the knee to waist range, but it is very clean with the southwest wind. The water is warm, the air is hot, and the surf is clean, so even if it’s small, it’s a good day to be in the water. Definitely worth a longboard session.
Outer Banks fishing is getting better everyday. Offshore is seeing dolphin, big eye tuna and some bill fish mixed in. The piers, bridges, and Sound are very active with a wide variety of fish – blue fish, Spanish mackerel, flounder, spot, speckled trout, croaker – but the big catch of the day is cobia! Our friends over at Rock Solid Fishing (www.RockSolidFishing.com) gave us a great report from their near shore fishing trip yesterday, and they landed four big cobia, with the biggest topping out at almost 80 pounds!
Outer Banks - 6.15.11 - Beautiful Day in Kitty Hawk
Good morning. Here’s the Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report for Wednesday, June 15, 2011.
This video was shot at the Lillian St. beach access in Kitty Hawk at 9:00 AM.
Perfect beach weather, sun, upper 70′s to lower 80′s with water temps in the 70′s! There is a cool north wind that is a bit stiff today, but that north wind is blowing in the warmer water temps, so no complaints. The water and the air will be pretty close today. Great day to enjoy some time in the water.
Unfortunately, no surf to report. There is a trace swell in the knee high range, but this north wind isn’t helping to clean it up. The wind will switch to the southwest over the next couple days, but the swell isn’t forecasted to increase much. It could build to the waist high range, and with an offshore wind and warm water, it could be a fun longboard wave over the next couple days. Worth keeping an eye on.
Outer Banks fishing is going strong. Offshore is reporting dolphin and big eye tuna with some bill fish mixed in. The piers, bridges, and Sound are very consistent with a wide variety of fish – sea mullet, flounder, spot, speckled trout, blue fish, Spanish mackerel, cobia. Our friends at Rock Solid Fishing (www.RockSolidFishing.com) reported some good cobia catches near shore yesterday. The reports out of the surf are starting to get more consistent as well.
Good morning. Here’s the Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report for Monday, June 6, 2011.
This video was shot at Avalon Pier in Kill Devil Hills at 9:00 AM.
I’m making it official this morning, summer has arrived on the Outer Banks. I know, the true beginning of summer isn’t until the end of June, but we’re passed Memorial Day, this is the last week of school on the OBX, the sun and temps have been perfect for about a month, and the beach and pier are busy at 9 AM Monday morning. Yep, summer has arrived!
It is a gorgeous day. 80′s and sun, and this weather will stick with us all week. Feels like it’s been about a month without rain. The plants are thirsty, but we’re loving the sun and perfect temps.
Unfortunately, no surf this week. There will be a nice offshore wind headed out of the southwest most of the week, but it doesn’t look like we’ll see much swell all week. Hopefully I’m wrong…but I don’t think so.
The great news is that the OBX fishing is going strong. Offshore they are catching dolphin, tuna, and a few bill fish mixed in. The bridges and piers are consistently reporting a wide variety of fish; spot, croaker, sea mullet, flounder, Spanish mackerel, blue fish, and cobia. A 44 pound cobia was hauled in at Jennette’s Pier yesterday…that’s a big daddy from the pier! The Sound is also very consistent with a wide variety of fish.
Outer Banks - 6.2.11 - Great Weather in Kill Devil Hills
Good morning. Here’s the Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report for Thursday, June 2, 2011.
This video was shot at the Sutton Ave. beach access in Kill Devil Hills at 9:00 AM.
Happy June! The streak of gorgeous weather continues. We’re going on about three weeks of perfect weather; temps in the upper 80′s and sun. The plants are thirsty, but it has been great motivation to get out and enjoy the Outer Banks…perfect vacation weather. The streak of great weather continues today, and through the weekend. I looked at the 10 day forecast this morning, and there are only two chances for isolated thunder storms! Looks like the plants will have to go thirsty, but we’ll sure enjoy the weather!
We’ve also been having a great streak of fun surf. We’ve enjoyed waist to chest swell and consistent offshore winds out of the southwest for about a week and a half. The wind switched to the north yesterday for a while, but it is back to the southwest this morning. There is a fun wave coming through for the morning, but the swell will start fading this afternoon, and the wind will switch back to the north this afternoon.
So, today is probably the best bet for surf for the next few days. No surf for a few days, but the good news is that the north wind is starting to warm the water. When we have a consistent west/southwest wind for a few days, the warm surface water tends to get blown out to sea, and cooler water rises up. But the wind shift will bring in some warmer water. After one day of north wind yesterday, we already saw temps jump back into the 60′s. The next few days should keep the warming trend going.
Outer Banks fishing is going strong, and the warmer water will just keep the improvements coming. Offshore is seeing consistent dolphin and yellow fin tuna catches. The piers, bridges, and Sound are seeing a wide variety of catches – spot, speckled trout, sea mullet, blue fish, flounder, cobia, Spanish mackerel.
), and I’ve coined the fantastic title of this new series, “Outer Banks Behind the Lens.”
