REMEMBER
WHALEBONE JUNCTION ALL THE
SMALL THINGS VISIT
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FALL 2016 | VOLUME 118 NORTHBEACHSUN.COM
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Savor breathtaking views of the Manteo Waterfront and the Elizabeth II, while enjoying fresh paninis, hand-crafted sandwiches and fresh French baguettes in Manteo's newest European-style cafe. Our mouthwatering selection of imported meats and cheeses bring the flavor of the Old World to one of the oldest ports in America. Cap off your day in downtown Manteo with a visit to the Hungry Pirate. It's the perfect spot for an afternoon glass of wine or sangria, an upscale lunch or light dinner with the family! hS
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MANTEO WATERFRONT
The Waterfront Shops, 207 Queen Elizabeth Avenue, Manteo 252-423-3133 • hungrypiratecafe.com
R O F N O S A E S E H T IS L L FA
Let Big Buck’s Homemade Ice Cream cool off your taste buds with a frosty milkshake, fresh fruit smoothie or a banana split. Treat yourself to their selection of decadent handmade Belgian chocolates. Need a caffeine boost? You’ll love their frozen mochas. Hankering for fudge? They make that, too. Big Buck’s Homemade Ice Cream is the best on the beach, and it’s because they make it all fresh daily. Come in and try a scoop to see why the Outer Banks voted Big Buck’s “Best Ice Cream” on the beach!
m SHOP best ICE CREA shop la best choco te
Our new ice cream shop & coffee house location!
106A Sir Walter Raleigh St. Manteo 252-423-3400
Waterfront Shops Manteo 252-423-3118
Buccaneer’s Walk MP 4.5, Kitty Hawk 252-715-0779
Timbuck II Corolla 252-453-3188
bigbucksicecream.com • distinctdelights.com 2
NORTH BEACH SUN FALLLike 2016us
on Facebook for updates, store hours, specials, and more.
Corporate orders welcome!
Pre-order your own custom box of chocolates and fudge for the holidays!
Fresh, local ingredients, made-from-scratch cooking and breathtaking vistas from every seat...all at Point Harbor Café & Marina, where the view is almost as good as the food!
OVERLOOKING THE SOUND AT THE WRIGHT MEMORIAL BRIDGE
PointHarborCafeAndMarina.com NORTHBEACHSUN.COM
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NORTH BEACH SUN FALL 2016
NORTHBEACHSUN.COM
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Fall 2016
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BUT FIRST...
10 fall EVENTS CALENDAR
EXPLORE 14 whalebone junction Crossroads of the Outer Banks 18 A day at the museum Oddities from the National Park Service's collection 20 columbia The small town that's big on fun and adventure
R1 REAL ESTATE 23 carving out a living The chainsaw art of Barco's Skip Raymo 24 all the small things Experience hidden treasures on the Outer Banks
community 26 this town's got heart Serving our veterans
lifestyle 27 b.s. in parenting The journey's the thing
folks 28 from scrap to art Knife maker and chef Dave Melson 30 sunsets Remembering Frank Gajar 32 love at first sight Teacher and children's book author Debbie Hester
food & beverage
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NORTH BEACH SUN FALL 2016
34 amanda’s kitchen A shrimp recipe to die for
outdoors 36 shore science Creepy crawlies of the Outer Banks 38 board banter Life after pro surfing 40 at the edge of the world Taking the leap with OBX Skydive
everything else under the sun 42 off the beaten path fall fests
about the cover: Using a long exposure and burning steel wool, photographer Jordan LaRose captured a little bit of magic on top of this lifeguard stand in South Nags Head. this page: Photos top to bottom by Cory Godwin Productions, Ryan Moser, Patti Harrell Photography, K. Wilkins Photography.
Gotta feed the whole farm?
Pigman‛s
Picnics To-Go AFFORDABLE PACKAGES FOR 8, 12, OR 16 PEOPLE
252-441-6803 OPEN 7 Days a Week from 11am til 9pm!
Milepost 9.5 • 1606 S. Croatan Hwy, KILL DEVIL HILLS www.pigman.com
NORTHBEACHSUN.COM
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Publishers Adam & Cathy Baldwin LOCAL FISH • CRAB STUFFED SHRIMP SEA SCALLOPS • CRAB CAKES WOOD ROASTED CHICKEN • HAND ROLLED RAVIOLI • STEAKS • STUFFED PORK CHOPS OLD WORLD WOOD FIRED PIZZA 10 Craft Beers On Tap Weekly Changing Wines by the Glass
Located in North Duck across from the Sanderling Resort 1564 Duck Road - Duck, NC | 252-715-2220 | papercanoeobx.com Reservations Suggested
WATERFRONT DINING
COASTAL CUISINE • WINE • BEER • SPIRITS WHERE THE BOARDWALK ENDS & THE FUN BEGINS
local hangout
live music happy hour daily
amazing sunsets
year round
Isn’t it time to treat yourself?
WE LOVE LOCALS! 252.261.9700 restaurant | 252.261.9709 spa aquaobx.com | facebook.com/aquaobx
COME SEE WH Y YOU’RE SPECIAL ! 1174 DUCK ROAD DUCK
Come see our full spa menu and monthly specials at aquaobx.com NORTH BEACH SUN FALL 2016
Art Director Dave Rollins Graphic Design Adam Baldwin Writers Cathy Baldwin Amelia Boldaji Dawn Church Lindsey Beasley Dianna Katrina Leuzinger Amanda McDanel Jeff Myers Kip Tabb Michelle Wagner COPY EDITORS Amelia Boldaji Michelle Wagner
Photography Jon Carter Photography Cory Godwin Productions Patti Harrell Photography Jordan LaRose Photography Ryan Moser K. Wilkins Photography Sales Manager Helen Furr Account Executives Sue Goodrich Tori Peters Distribution Bob & Glen Baldwin ADVERTISING DEADLINE FO R THE HOLIDAY ISSUE
NORTH BEACH SUN 115 West Meadowlark St. Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 252.449.4444 phone 252.715.1303 fax
OCT. 21
The North Beach Sun is published quarterly by Access Media Group. All works contained herein are the property of the North Beach Sun and/or its contributors. Opinions, responses, and inquiries are always welcome. You can email us directly at editor@northbeachsun.com or sound off at NORTHBEACHSUN.COM.
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EDITOR Cathy Baldwin
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BUT FIRST... From the Publisher Italian writer Cesare Pevase wrote: "We do not remember days, we remember moments."
Gotcha, Cesare. I really do. But this summer I paid a lot of money to Disney World for the 2016 Baldwin Family Vacation so that my kids could remember days. Whole days. And I wanted them all filled to the brim with magic and wonder. Prior to our trip, I spent countless hours researching the heck out of Disney World. I read the blogs, asked people who had been, and even polled Facebook friends on "what not to miss." Tower of Terror. Bippity Boppity Boo Salon. Cinderella's Castle. The Main Street Electrical Parade. I studied the Magic Kingdom map, read up on the rides, and planned out our Fast Passes. And yes, I drove myself a little crazy in the process. But instead of magic and wonder, our trip started out with a cancelled flight to Orlando and lost luggage. Stuck in BWI Airport in a long line at the Southwest ticket counter, I felt my eyes welling up with hot tears. Things were not going as planned, and my Type-A, control freak brain was wigging out. Where was the MAGIC, dammit? I looked down beside me and my eightyear-old was tugging my arm. "Don't worry, Mom. We'll get there eventually." We spent the first night of our trip not under the fireworks of Magic Kingdom, but in a moderately seedy hotel near the airport, which—as it turned out—my kids found just as cool as the Hilton I had booked in Orlando. My five-year-old was THRILLED to take a cab to the hotel (seriously…this got a bigger reaction out of her than Space Mountain), the kids splashed in the hotel pool, and they were allowed to drink Coca-Cola at dinnertime. It was pretty much all they really wanted out of a vacation anyway. I guess Cesare was right. We eventually made it to Disney World, thanks to a saint of a Southwest ticket agent who re-routed us to Tampa. The kids thought it was a pretty cool adventure. I just wanted a stiff drink. But now, looking back, the kids were right.
It was an adventure. And once I let myself feel it, there was magic in that fleabag hotel in Baltimore (not that kind of magic!). But there it was, sweet moments with my kids laughing, splashing, making lemons out of lemonade. The cab ride, the hotel pool, the almost-always-forbidden Coca-Cola, those are the small things, the moments (thank you, Cesare) that made our "adventure" so memorable. In this issue we take a journey through the Outer Banks to experience some of the smaller, more unique places that might not always get the same amount of press as the lighthouses or the Wright Brothers National Memorial, but hold their own magic nonetheless. We take you to a peaceful butterfly garden in Kill Devil Hills, and then south to Stanley, the mechanical shark tucked away in Kitty Hawk Surf Co. in Nags Head. Next we head over the Washington Baum Bridge to a mysterious and historical piece of statuary in the Elizabethan Gardens. These are just a few examples of our area’s hidden treasures and trust me, even if you’re a local, you probably haven’t seen them all. Also in this issue, we pore through the National Park Service Museum’s archives to show you the most interesting and historically significant pieces in their collection. It’s simply fascinating to see what’s been unearthed, washed up or left behind on the Outer Banks over the centuries. We delve into the history of Whalebone Junction, a place known for long-standing Outer Banks businesses that has somehow been able to stand the test of time. We also meet with Dave Melson, who takes old car parts and transforms them into works of art, and Skip Raymo, who uses a chainsaw to create life-sized sculptures out of wood. Something out of nothing — these guys truly see the beauty in what isn't yet there but what could be. Maybe that’s the secret to a happy life— finding the beauty, the magic, whatever you want to call it, in between the big stuff. It’s the moments, not the days, folks. Enjoy the issue!
Peace out, summer! Photo by Amelia Boldaji.
Hashtags of summer 2016
-Cathy Baldwin NORTHBEACHSUN.COM
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Get more info on events at
Fall 2016
Events Calendar
Ghost Tours of the Outer Banks Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
Choose one of three haunted tours in downtown Manteo for a night of spooky fun. ghosttoursoftheouterbanks.com Whalehead Wednesdays June 1 – September 14 (Wednesdays only)
Sample local wines and listen to live music on the lawn of the Historic Corolla Park. visitcurrituck.com
Sundays in the Country Sundays through September
Take a hayride through the farm, enjoy live music and sample some of the local wine every Sunday at Sanctuary Vineyards in Jarvisburg. sanctuaryvineyards.com WRV Outer Banks Pro August 31 – September 4
Top surfers from all over the country will compete in this annual showdown at Jennette’s Pier. wrvobxpro.com First Friday September 2, October 7, November 4
Joan's Way Tour June 16 – September 8 (Thursdays only)
Tour Whalehead in Historic Corolla through the eyes of a child—one who lived in the village during the 1920s. visitcurrituck.com Manteo Farmers' Market Saturdays through October 8
Buy fresh, local fruits and veggies at this farmer's market every Saturday in downtown Manteo.
OBX Latin Festival September 18
Downtown Manteo comes alive on the first Friday of each month from 6–8 PM. BIC SUP One Design September 2
Everyone’s welcome to join in this family-friendly paddle boarding competition at the Manteo Kitty Hawk Kites location. kittyhawk.com
This event during Hispanic Heritage month celebrates Latin American traditions with food, local and out-of-town dance groups, genuine Latin food and a children’s soccer workshop at the First Flight Middle School athletic field. obxlatinfestival.com
northbeachsun.com Day at the Docks September 16 – 17
ZoSo, the Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience September 3
Celebrate the heritage and living traditions of Hatteras watermen with seafood cooking demos, live music, contests, games and more in Hatteras Village. hatterasonmymind.com
Check out the premier Led Zeppelin tribute band in the beautiful outdoor setting of Roanoke Island Festival Park. roanokeisland.com OBX Arts and Crafts Festival September 7 – 8
Browse the works of 25 local artisans whose specialties include painting, pottery, jewelry, photography, textiles and more at the Hilton Garden Inn. Some of the proceeds go to two local charities: N.E.S.T. (Network for Endangered Sea Turtles) and the Dare Literacy Council. facebook.com/obxartfestival 6th Annual Outer Banks Pridefest September 9 – 11
A sunset cruise, drag brunch, comedy show and concert starring Steve Grand are all part of this 3-day gay pride festival. obxpridefest.com Surfalorus Film Festival September 15 – 17
This 3-day celebration of coastal marine culture showcases the year’s hottest surf films and ocean documentaries. surfalorus.com 14th Annual TowneBank / Southern Insurance Agency Charity Classic Tennis Tournament September 15 – 18
Proceeds from this tennis tournament held at both Duck Woods Country Club and Westside Athletic Club benefit Dare Hospice. outerbanks.usta.com
ESA Easterns Surfing Championships September 18 – 24
Surfers compete in the ESA’s “grand finale” at Jennette’s Pier. surfesa.org
Full Moon Climb September 16
Climb to the top of the Bodie Island Lighthouse or the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse by the light of the moon. Children must be at least 42 inches to climb. nps.gov
Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival September 20 – 24
Bluegrass stars from all over the country will be on hand for this 4-day outdoor jam at Festival Park in Manteo featuring Rhonda Vincent, the Soggy Bottom Boys and more. bluegrassisland.com
Outer Banks Kayak Fishing Tournament September 17
This photo catch-and-release style tournament benefits the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust. khsurf.com
The Artrageous Art Extravaganza September 24
Artrageous, sponsored by the Dare County Arts Council, includes hands-on art activities for kids, live music, artists’ booths and more at the Dare County Parks and Recreation Center. darearts.org
Currituck Heritage Festival September 17
Celebrate “Currituck Heritage: Bulls and BBQ Edition” at the Currituck County Rural Center complete with a BBQ contest and professional bull riding. visitcurrituck.com Outer Banks Cycle Races – Inaugural 20K and 40K September 17
Spin your wheels at the Outer Banks Inaugural Cycle Races on a course that takes riders over the Albemarle Sound and back again. raceit.com SAGA Outer Banks Triathlon September 17 – 18
Crabdaddy Seafood and Wine Festival September 24
Enjoy fresh, local seafood and wine, live music, grape stomping, and hayrides. Compete in the Crabdaddy Olympics at Sanctuary Vineyards. sanctuaryvineyards.com Island Farm’s Pumpkin Patch Saturdays in October
This USAT-sanctioned event in Manteo features Olympic distance, half distance and sprint distance. outerbankstriathlon.com
Take an ox-drawn wagon to find your perfect pumpkin. Kids can play games, pet the farm animals and participate in scarecrow stuffing and more. theislandfarm.com
HAPPY HOUR EVERY DAY Two for Tuesdays 2 meals for one price including 2 salads, 2 entrees, 2 desserts and live music
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NORTH BEACH SUN FALL 2016
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Cocktails and Conversations Networking in a casual atmosphere. Free appetizers! Fridays from 4-6pm Sunday Ribeye Steak Night salad, entree, and dessert for $21.95
LIVE MUSIC TUESDAYS FRIDAYS SATURDAYS SUNDAYS
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Amazing Food served, catered, delivered or hot and ready for pick-up!
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Fall 2016
Events Calendar
Dare 2 Care OBX Shred Fest October 1
With seven live bands, demos from pro skaters and BMX bikers and an art vendor village, this family-friendly fundraiser at the Outer Banks Event Site for veterans and the special needs community is one not to miss. xorbia.com/e/dare2careobx/ dare2care-obx-shred-fest Outer Banks Bike Fest October 5 – 9
This annual bike fest includes poker runs, live bands, contests, bike shows and more. outerbankshd.com Hatterasity: A Bluegrass Festival October 6 – 8
This 4-day bluegrass block party features regional and national bands at the Hatteras Village Civic Center. hatterasitybluegrass.com
Parade of Homes October 6 – 9
Tour a select group of new, remodeled or green homes all along the Outer Banks. obhomebuilders.org
Dedication of Richard Etheridge Burial Site October 8
This ceremony at the N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island celebrates the achievements of Richard Etheridge, the first African American keeper of the Pea Island Life Saving Station. ncaquariums.com/roanokeisland
PsychoPath: Carnevil October 7 – 29 (Fridays and Saturdays only)
Brave the haunted trail through the backstage areas of the Waterside Theatre at the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site where you’ll encounter creeps, clowns and evil carnival workers. thelostcolony.org
10th Annual Duck Jazz Festival October 9
This free, all-day event features national, regional and local acts at the Duck Town Park. duckjazz.com
Mustang Music Festival October 7 – 8
This two-day music festival at the Whalehead Club features Moe, Lettuce, G. Love and Special Sauce and so many more. Proceeds benefit the Corolla Wild Horse Fund. mustangmusicfestival.com 25th Annual Scuppernong River Festival October 8
Manx on the Banx October 10 – 15
This week-long event is the premier East Coast fiberglass dune buggy gathering. manxonthebanx.com Outer Banks Seafood Festival October 15
This all day festival in nearby Columbia, N.C. features a parade, live music and entertainment, rides, water activities, fireworks and a night time concert. visittyrrellcounty.com
Enjoy fresh, local seafood, cooking demos, live music and more at this family-friendly event at the Outer Banks Event Site in Nags Head. outerbanksseafoodfestival. org
3rd Annual Century OBX Ride for Life October 15
This bike race features full, metric, half-century and 30-mile rides through Dare and Currituck counties. Proceeds from the ride benefit Autism Speaks and Outer Banks Woman’s Club Angel Tree Bikes. outerbankstrisports.com Kelly’s 23rd Annual Charity Golf Tournament October 17
Tee up at Nags Head Golf Links for a worthy cause—the Outer Banks Community Foundation. kellysrestaurant.com Wings Over Water Wildlife Festival October 18 – 23
This several day event features nearly 100 programs on subjects ranging from wildlife photography, natural history, kayaking and more. wingsoverwater.org Outer Banks Brewtag October 22
Watch teams launch handcrafted keg-driven flying machines from a flight deck while enjoying live music and tasty grub at the Outer Banks Event Site in Nags Head. obxbrewtag.com 31st Annual Outer Banks Stunt Kite Competition October 22 – 23
This event, held in conjunction with Brewtag, includes competitive kite flying, stunt and power kite lessons by pros, kites dancing to music and more at the Outer Banks Event Site in Nags Head. kittyhawk.com
MORE FUN FOR THE FAMILY
Trick or Treat Under the Sea October 26 – 27
Come in costume, trick or treat with community participants and enjoy a spooky look at the N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island’s newly renovated exhibits with the return of this Halloween tradition. ncaquariums.com/roanokeisland
THE OUTER BANKS FAMILY YMCA IS HERE FOR YOU Add more fun to your vacation by enjoying the outdoor water park, skate park, racquetball courts and more! Day and week passes available. Call 449-8897 for more information or visit www.obxymca.org to join us!
The Voyagers, We! October 28
Join the Outer Banks Hotline for Nancy Harvey's play The Voyagers, We! at Avenue Waterfront Grille. brownpapertickets.com Harvest Hayday October 29
OUTER BANKS FAMILY YMCA 3000 South Croatan Highway, Nags Head, NC 27959 P 252 449 8897 W www.obxymca.org
1 NORTH BEACH 12NBS2015-5.8x5.8.indd
SUN FALL 2016
Try the hay bale maze or take a hayride through the Elizabethan Gardens during this familyfriendly, harvest-themed afternoon. elizabethangardens.org 7/29/15 4:00 PM
40th Anniversary March for Babies Walk October 29
Take part in a walk in Elizabethan Gardens on Harvest Hayday that raises money for the March of Dimes, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for babies’ health. marchforbabies.org Roanoke Island Maritime Museum – 5th Annual Wooden Boat Show October 29
This boat show is open to all wooden boats, new or restored. Proceeds benefit the museum’s youth sailing program. townofmanteo.com 3rd Annual Outer Banks Parade of Costumes October 30
This family-friendly event features trick-or-treat stations, a pumpkin carving contest, live entertainment, great prizes and more. obxentertainment.com Evening Lantern Tours: Draped in Black, Victorian Death Rituals November 4 – 5
Take this haunting tour that follows the death rituals of Victorian times at the Island Farm. theislandfarm.com 7th Annual Outer Banks Shrimp Cook-Off November 6
Local restaurants compete to prepare the best shrimp dish in this tasty cook-off to benefit the Outer Banks Center for Dolphin Research. obxdolphins.org TowneBank Outer Banks Marathon and Southern Fried Half-Marathon November 11 – 13
This 3-day event over Veteran’s Day weekend includes a marathon, half-marathon, 8K, 5K and a family fun run. outerbanksmarathon.com The Big Curri-Shuck November 26
Feast on all-you-can-eat steamed oysters and sample newly released wine while jamming out to live music at Sanctuary Vineyards in Jarvisburg. sanctuaryvineyards.com 3rd Annual Beach Food Pantry Holiday Chefs Challenge December 1
Vote for your favorite local chef at the Hilton Garden Inn during this fun event with live music, tasty appetizers, raffles and a silent auction to benefit the Beach Food Pantry. beachfoodpantry.org
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EXPLORE
Whalebone Junction Crossroads of the Outer Banks
By Michelle Wagner
At one time, it was simply referred to as “the end of the road” — a sandy intersection where several roads merged together at the southern end of Nags Head. It was long before milepost markers were placed in the sandy soil to put this section of town on the map at 16.5. To go any farther south meant that motorists would have to pull over at Alexander Midgett’s filling station to let the air out of their tires. From there, a dirt road led to Oregon Inlet and to the ferry shuttle Toby Tillett operated that connected the northern beach to Hatteras Island. The time was the early 1930s and the filling station was about the only thing that existed at “the end of the road,” which was soon given the more official title of the Junction to give a name to where U.S. 158, U.S. 64 and N.C. 12 converged. But the story of how this part of Nags Head became what it is today begins at the filling station way back when the area finally received the name Whalebone Junction. The words conjure up images of a coastal version of the wild, wild west, and, in many ways, in the beginning it was. Whale Bones Come to the Junction Butch Midgett tells the story best—the one about how his grandfather is responsible for what this section of Nags Head is called today. The young Midgett likes to tell the tale of his Junction roots to the customers who come into his toy store Pirates & Pixies that sits right across the street from where Midgett’s Esso station operated more than 75 years ago. “I like to tell everyone just how local I am,” he says, adding tidbits of family stories he’s heard over the years, like the fact that the yucca plants that can be seen growing wild around the Junction came from his
grandmother’s plants and that his grandfather lost the lower part of his leg while shorebird hunting. His favorite though is the story about how the U.S. Coast Guard would come and bang on the side of his grandparents’ house when a hurricane was coming so they could take them off the island. Those family stories are not, however, what his grandfather is best known for on these islands. It’s the whale bones. The filling station was always just a pit stop for cars heading south or north, but when Midgett ran across some washed up old whale bones on Pea Island one day, he and his station would go down in Outer Banks history. “My dad tells the story of how they had to beg and bribe the ferry operators to let them carry those bones across because they smelled so bad,” Midgett says. “They had to scrub them all down real well.” Once back at the station, Alexander put the bones together to make up a 72-foot whale skeleton at the edge of his property to lure in potential customers. “It was a retail move,” says Midgett. “He thought if he put the whale bones out, people would get out of their cars and would be more likely to go into the store. It was marketing in its most primal form.” The gas station, which not surprisingly was renamed Whalebone Service Station, eventually burned down and Butch says no one knows exactly what happened to the whale bones. But the marketing gimmick of Alexander Midgett marked the beginning of a place called Whalebone Junction, a section carved out of the town lines that for decades would offer visitors and residents a sense of place—whether
Continued on page 16 14
NORTH BEACH SUN FALL 2016
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Discover What’s New at the Cotton Gin
Cotton Gin & Sanctuary Vineyards
OFFERING Klutz • Melissa & Doug • Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty Playmobil • Breyer • Calico Critters • LEGO WHALEBONE JUNCTION 7332 S. Va. Dare Trail (MP17) Nags Head BUCCANEERS WALK 3810 N Croatan Highway (MP4.5) Kitty Hawk
252.441.TOYS • toysobx.com
6957 Caratoke Hwy. Jarvisburg, NC (winery at 7005 Caratoke Hwy.) • 252-491-2387
Est. 1929 Four Convenient Locations cottongin.com Cotton Gin Cotton Gin
789 Sunset Blvd. Corolla, NC 252-453-4446
1185 Duck Rd. Duck, NC 252-261-2387
Cotton Gin
5151 S. Croatan Hwy. Nags Head, NC 252-449-2387
Two Great Events, One Grape Location! The Big CURRI-SHUCK
Crabs, Crabs, Wine, Beer & Crabs! AYCE Oysters, Crabs & BBQ (While it lasts) Grape Stomp, Hayrides, Live Music Country Music Throwdown 2015 NC Wine Grower of the Year and More • Sept. 24th 12-6pm Nov. 26th 12-5pm Call for Tickets: 252-491-2387 • 7005 Caratoke Hwy, Jarvisburg, NC • sanctuaryvineyards.com
Starting
September 30th
Open Daily Lunch & Dinner
Fall Friday Night Prime Rib Special ($15.99) Music upstairs in the Oceanview Lounge
Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall, Time to Kick Back!
Customer appreciation party and closing for the season Sunday, November 27th
Stop in at
Awful Arthur’s Beach Shop right next door!
awfularthursobx.com • 252.449.2220 MP 6 Beach Road Across From Avalon Pier • Kill Devil Hills
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they are stocking up for a beach day at Cahoon’s Market, filling up at Sam & Omie’s before a morning of fishing at the pier or catching some surf after a long day of work.
was at the spot. The road to Hatteras had been built, but the bridge came just a year or two after she arrived. She remember The Jokers Three, and also what she refers to as the “real” Jennette’s Pier, which has been replaced by the N.C. Aquarium’s full-service educational pier. Cahoon’s family, originally from Swan Quarter, would spend the summers at Whalebone Junction operating the business and then return home. “Everything died at Labor Day. There was no off-season.” Vaughn remembers those days as well. He said he remembers how the beach emptied out the day after Labor Day. “There would be double overhead waves and I couldn’t find anyone to surf with out at Jennette’s Pier.” Vaughn recalls Whalebone Junction in its heyday as a place
More than Just a Junction It didn’t take long before Whalebone Junction became what seemed like its own version of a small town. The still-popular Sam & Omie’s Restaurant (first called Sambo’s) was constructed in 1936 with pieces of wood that washed up from the ocean. It also served as the site of a charter boat booking service run by owner Sambo Tillett for many years. His son, Capt. Omie Tillett, was later added to the restaurant’s name. Not long after, in 1939, the original Jennette’s Pier was erected, followed by a dance hall and bar called The Jokers Three that later served as a Shrine Club and eventually Holy Trinity Catholic Church. Cahoon’s Cottage Court and Market were both already up and run- The marketing gimmick of ning, along with Owens’ Alexander Midgett marked the beginning of a place called Restaurant. That’s A Burger, the Whalebone Junction, a section island’s first drive-up carved out of the town lines that burger joint opened for decades would offer visitors in the '50s, giving hun- and residents a sense of place. gry beach goers a place to grab a quick lunch. It changed hands a few times and was where everyone knew everyone else. renamed Dune Burger, but is also still He’d have happy hour at his surf shop at the Junction today. every afternoon and was open until Fast forward several years and the sundown because there were no state paved a road from Whalebone streetlights at the time. He also reJunction to Oregon Inlet in 1951, and members with a smile how he would the Herbert C. Bonner Bridge was literally chase customers out of the built in 1963. In the 1970s, Jim Vaughn store when he got word that the moved into a small house next to the waves were good down on Hatteras church and opened up Whalebone Island. Surf Shop, naming it after the Butch Midgett remembers the Junction. same community feel that was woven During all this growth, a small com- into daily life at Whalebone Junction. munity of locals was growing whose “We’d grab a sandwich at That’s a connection to the Junction would Burger and head down to the beach. run deep over the years as they either We’d eat under the pier and we had no grew up at the crossroads, ran a busi- air-conditioning, so we’d just all stay ness there are spent long afternoons down at the beach.” at the pier. In years to come, they During those days, he recalls, peowould be instrumental in resisting de- ple would surf on whatever they could velopment pressures and in the midst find, even pieces of plywood. of change, struggle to keep the origiWhile things changed over the nal spirit of Whalebone Junction alive. years, many things remained quite the same as this place has continued to Daily Life at the Junction gain a very unique identity of its own. Renee Cahoon was six years old when her parents, Dot and Ray, Whalebone Junction Today bought Cahoon’s Cottage Court and Wally Gray first started leasing the Market, built by Charles Evans in the filling station at Whalebone Junction late 1940s. in 1976 and in 2000 he purchased the The year was 1962 and Cahoon property now known as Whalebone remembers kids roaming the beach Citgo. It took him a long time to finalduring the summer months. “The ly acquire it, but he says, “I’m here now problems of today didn’t exist, and no and I’m not going anywhere.” one worried about us. There were lots Like Gray’s station, longstandof open spaces back then.” ing businesses—what town planners Cahoon remembers the scene at refer to as “legacy establishments” that time. That’s A Burger was across —have contributed to Whalebone N.C. 12, and before that an old tire place Junction’s lasting identity that sets it 16
NORTH BEACH SUN FALL 2016
eet Top: Tourists wait for sw hot July treats at Fatboyz on a ti Harrell evening. (Photo by Pat The original : ove Photography.) Ab with g tlin bus r Pie Jennette's Head activity during the Nags circa nt, me rna Tou Surf Fishing of the sy rte cou oto (Ph . 52 19 , Outer Aycock Brown Collection ht: The Rig r.) nte Ce y tor His Banks p in its Sho f Sur ne original Whalebo Jim of sy rte cou oto (Ph ys. early da ial aer ly ear Vaughn.) Below: An ction. (Photo shot of Whalebone Jun ekins Me courtesy of the Roger nks Ba ter Ou , tion Aerial Collec r.) nte Ce y tor His
Top: Dune Burg er still delights today's hungry beachgoers. (Photo by Patti Ha rrell Photography.) Le ft: The Holy Trinity Catholic Church as it stands today, fo rmerly a Shrine Club and a danc e hall. (Photo by Patti Harrell Photography.) Below: Children pose in front of the whale bo nes that gave the Junction its name. (Photo courtesy of the Outer Banks History Center.)
apart from other areas of town. “Things have changed way too much,” says Gray, but in the same breath he can rattle off a list of things that have remained the same— his gas station, Owens’ Restaurant, the Sea Foam, Sam & Omie’s, Dune Burger and Cahoon’s. “We’ve all worked hard to stay here and we fight to survive,” says Cahoon, whose cottage court and market, like the other legacy establishments at Whalebone Junction, haven’t changed much over the years. Even as businesses change hands, owners work hard to keep the character of the original businesses and structures. Still, she said, the Junction has lost a lot of its character. Old motels such as the Vivianna and Manor have been replaced with houses, and zoning laws make it difficult for non-conforming businesses to upgrade. “Everyone has had to work hard to maintain,” Cahoon says. Considered by many a town model for the future of beach road development, a municipal park now sits on the west side of N.C. 12 behind Dune Burger. The park includes a playground, shaded picnic area, bocce ball and a volleyball court. Residents and business owners at the Junction are now working with town leaders as part of the FOCUS Nags Head Initiative to determine a future vision for the area. Nags Head Principal Planner Holly White said there’s a strong push for it to continue to be a destination where people can visit, park their cars and enjoy exploring on foot. “We are going to continue to thrive,” says Cahoon of the Junction as she sits outside Cahoon’s Market on a sunny Monday morning in July. All around her, visitors and locals are beginning their week just as they did all those years ago when the whale bones sat outside Alexander Midgett’s filling station. One thing is certain about this unique area of Nags Head. As it and the locals who call it home move into the future, there will always be bits of the past that can been seen and felt while spending some time at this sandy, windswept crossroads called Whalebone Junction.
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EXPLORE
A Day at the
MUSEUM By Amelia Boldaji
Tucked away on the heavily wooded north side of Roanoke Island are two squat, unassuming buildings that you’d be unlikely to happen across by chance. But while they might not look like much from
the outside, these buildings are the central storage facilities for the Outer Banks National Park Service’s (NPS) museum collection — a treasure trove that includes an impressive (and invaluable) array of more than 800,000 objects and archives that speak volumes about the rich history of this area. Formally known as the Museum Resource Center, the main building is where you’ll find Jami Lanier, the cultural resource manager for the NPS’s three Outer Banks sites — including Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site and Wright Brothers National Memorial. Since the center is a public research facility, anyone can tour its holdings by appointment. Lanier, who oversees the collection, is emphatic about this point. “It’s an important thing to remember,” Lanier says. “These objects belong to the American people.” And while the most fascinating objects in the Outer Banks group’s holdings are already out on display, whether at one of its official NPS sites or on loan at another institution, there are still plenty of other curiosities to discover. Even a quick peek inside the vaults offers visitors an invaluable look back in time through a collection that covers a vast array of subjects…and ultimately spans millennia.
Remains of a Wartime First Though some German U-boats were active off the North Carolina coast during the First World War, advancing technology had made these warships even more deadly by the time America entered World War II in 1941. Less than a year later, German forces had sunk hundreds of freighters and 18
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naval ships along the Eastern Seaboard — including a large number of casualties near Cape Hatteras, which eventually earned it the moniker “Torpedo Junction.” Amid all this havoc, the U-85 was one of many German vessels launched to disrupt maritime activities off the East Coast, but it met its match when it encountered the U.S.S Roper not far from Bodie Island Lighthouse in the spring of 1942. The Roper was on a routine anti-submarine patrol when it spotted and fired on the U-85 in relatively shallow waters, marking the first time U.S. forces sank a German U-boat during WWII. The Museum Resource Center now houses the U-85’s gyroscope, and its original hatch is on loan at the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras. The site of the U-85 wreck was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015, and it continues to attract many deep-sea divers to this day.
From Kitty Hawk to the Moon After several years of painstaking experiments, Wilbur and Orville Wright accomplished the extraordinary in Kitty Hawk on December 17, 1903: they flew. They celebrated this historic achievement by taking turns flying their hand-constructed aircraft a total of four times that day before a sudden gust of wind overturned the flyer, rendering it inoperable. That didn’t diminish their historic achievement however, as Orville made clear in a telegram he sent to their father later that afternoon. “Success” was the first word he wrote in an announcement that ended by saying they’d be home in time for Christmas. Sixty-six years later, on July 20, 1969, more than a half a billion people worldwide were glued to their televisions to witness yet another chapter in aeronautical history when Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon. This “small step” was of particular importance for a large crowd of people who gathered at the Wright Brothers National
Memorial to watch the live broadcast since Armstrong was carrying a piece of fabric and wood from the Wright’s flyer in his NASA-approved Personal Preference Kit. Recent visitors to the Memorial’s visitors’ center have likely seen a framed display commemorating this historic event, complete with pieces of the flyer that made the trek from Kitty Hawk to the moon, along with authentication letters signed by the Orville Wright Estate and Armstrong himself.
Adorning the New World Armed with a patent granted by none other than Queen Elizabeth I, Sir Walter Raleigh was determined to establish a permanent English colony in the “New World” during the late 1500s. This resulted in several expeditions to coastal North Carolina that began in 1584 and lasted until the Lost Colony vanished sometime after the group settled on Roanoke Island in 1587. Archeological efforts to determine exactly what happened to the 1587 colony, and to learn more about the early interactions between native tribes and those early European settlers, have been ongoing since at least the 1800s. While many interesting artifacts have been unearthed at the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site on Roanoke Island over the years, one of the most precious finds was a Native American copper necklace that was excavated near the Thomas Hariot Nature Trail in 2008. As Lanier notes, Raleigh’s 16th century explorers quickly learned how valuable copper was to the native Algonquian-speaking tribes — which ultimately allowed the two groups to establish a trading practice that had far-reaching effects. “I believe that this shared knowledge resulting from the earliest English cultural interaction with Native Americans at Roanoke played an important role in the successful colonization of Jamestown a generation later,” Lanier says. The copper necklace, which was featured in an episode
Clockwise from left: the recovered hatch of the U-85, the Wright Flyer remnant that went to the moon with Neil Armstrong, fossilized walrus skull and a Native American copper necklace (photos courtesy of the National Park Service).
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of PBS’s acclaimed Time Team America, is currently on display at the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site’s visitors’ center.
A Prehistoric Puzzle On a cold January day in 1990, a visitor was walking on the beach between Avon and Salvo when she made an extraordinary find. There on the shore was a fossilized walrus skull that appeared to be in remarkably complete condition, with the exception of its two missing tusks. In a matter of weeks, the park service had contacted the Smithsonian Institute, which was extremely interested in analyzing the skull since the institute had never seen a specimen in such pristine condition. Subsequent tests found that the skull was more than 36,000 years old — making this Stone Age relic the undisputable oldest item in the NPS’s local museum collection. Though the Smithsonian also expressed an interest in acquiring the skull for its collection, the skull remains in Lanier’s care at the Museum Resource Center on Roanoke Island. And while we may never know whether the skull washed up on shore or was simply uncovered, the sheer weight of it strongly suggests the latter…and opens up the floor for an endless amount of speculation about what this coast was like during prehistoric times. To see these objects — and many more — visit some of our local NPS sites (including Wright Brothers National Memorial, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, and the Museum of the Sea at Cape Hatteras Light Station in Buxton) as well as other lending institutions such as the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum. For a larger overview of the NPS museum holdings in our area, especially while the Wright Brothers National Memorial undergoes major renovations starting this November, visitors can make an appointment to tour the Museum Resource Center by contacting Jami Lanier at (252) 475-9021.
Fresh Local Seafood • Daily Specials Rasta Pasta • Burgers Large Kids Menu • Homemade Desserts Over 50 Imported & Domestic Micro Brew Beers
Lunch & Dinner • 11:30am - 2am
MP7 on the Beach Road • Kill Devil Hills • 252.441.6001 • goombays.com NORTHBEACHSUN.COM
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a i b m u l o C EXPLORE
the small town that’s big on fun and adventure
Photos by Cory Godwin Productions Story by Michelle Wagner
Kim Wheeler calls Columbia, N.C. a hidden jewel, and anyone who has spent time in this quaint town just an hour or so away from the Outer Banks would easily agree. As a member of the Tyrell County Chamber of Commerce and executive director of the Red Wolf Coalition, Wheeler cites the region’s amazing waterways, plentiful wildlife, charming community and historic buildings all as reasons to make Columbia a destination rather than just a town to drive through on the way to somewhere else. And she’s right. From the Palmetto-Peartree Preserve along the Albemarle Sound to Pocosin Arts in downtown Columbia, this little-known town is brimming with activities and cultural opportunities. And with a population of less than 1,000, those who are lucky enough to spend some time in Columbia can enjoy all of this while getting a taste of small town life in northeastern North Carolina. Columbia is located on the eastern shore of the Scuppernong River and is known for its hometown feel and welcoming residents. Many community events bring thousands of visitors to this small town to enjoy the downtown area and surrounding natural resources. Two of the largest events are the Scuppernong River Festival, held this year on Oct. 8, and the annual River Town Christmas held every December. While most will drive to Columbia, if you prefer to sail into this riverside community, the municipal docks in the downtown area are a perfect place for boaters to spend the night and take some time in town where they will find plenty of options as far as restaurants, shopping, nature, history and wine all rolled into one small geographic area. “Columbia’s downtown is home to an antique shop, photography gallery, art studio, cultural resources theater, restaurants and businesses to meet your day-to-day needs,” Wheeler says. “And our Main Street ends at the docks of the Scuppernong River, offering boaters the chance to dock within walking distance of our downtown area.” The historic district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and visitors can go on a self-guided walking tour by picking up a tour brochure at the Tyrrell County Visitor’s Center adjacent to the Walter B. Jones Center for the Sounds, located on the south side of Highway 64 on the Scuppernong River. For nature lovers, opportunities in and around Columbia are limitless. The Tyrrell County Chamber of Commerce refers to the region as “nature’s buffer zone, sprawled between the urban mainland and the popular stretch of North Carolina’s Outer Banks.” continued on page 22> 20
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lumbia.
pernong river in co
e crosses the scup
idg the highway 64 br
local art graces the streets (above). oenophiles will enjoy
vineyards on the scuppernong (below).
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Cash Bar Available Door Prize Drawing, Prize Basket, 50/50 Raffles, & Silent Auction
Thursday, December 1 • 6:00-8:30pm Hilton Garden Inn in Kitty Hawk
8739 Hwy. 158 Harbinger, NC 27941 252-491-2091 outerbankshd.com 4104 Hwy. 158, MP13 Nags Head, NC 27959 252-255-5922 nagsheadhd.com
For information & tickets: 252.261.2756 BeachFoodPantry.org
All proceeds benefit the Beach Food Pantry
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TO GO ORDERS: 252-261-5504
Open Year Round at 11:30 am | MP 4 on the Beach Road in Kitty Hawk | 252-261-3171 | blackpelican.com INTERACTIVE TRIVIA
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the pocosin la
kes national
craftsmanship at pocosin
wildlife refu
ge headquarte
rs is a haven
for hikers.
arts.
flora lines the boar
dwalk trail leadin g do
wntown.
.
ong in downtown columbia
the small town vibe is str
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“Here is where the red wolf howls. Bald eagles and northern harriers soar across the sunset. American alligators live at their northern limits near ancient pocosin forests,” boasts the chamber’s webpage. And there are plenty of opportunities for visitors to get out and explore. The Palmetto-Peartree Preserve, just five miles outside of town, was established in 1999 to protect red-cockaded woodpeckers and is home to more than 100 species of migratory birds. Visitors can walk along a network of boardwalk trails through wetland forests while viewing a wide variety of birds and native plants. Kiosks along the way share the history and uniqueness of the 10,000-acre preserve. There are also miles of walking trails, 14 miles of canoe and kayak trails for visitors to explore along the Albemarle Sound and Alligator Creek, as well as primitive camping. The preserve is open seven days a week during daylight hours. The Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge is another way to get off the beaten track while visiting Columbia. The refuge headquarters is located at the Walter B. Jones, Sr. Center for the Sounds. The center includes exhibits about the refuge and features a 10-minute film about the region and its wildlife. A nature store is also inside the center. A .75-mile interpretative boardwalk loops behind the center and takes hikers through a cypress swamp to downtown Columbia. Other activities within the refuge include fishing, canoeing and wildlife observation. A picnic shelter is also available. A second trail and observation platform can be found at the Pungo unit of Pocosin Lakes. This half-mile Duck Pen Trail takes hikers to a blind that is perfect for viewing waterfowl in the winter as well as birds that visit the lake while migrating south. Pocosin Arts on Main Street is a must-see while visiting Columbia. This fall the center will feature three artists in residence, two ceramicists and a metalsmith. Visitors can enjoy the center’s gallery that displays current resident artists’ work as well as selections from past residents. They can also visit the artists’ studios as they work. Pocosin Arts’ mission is to “connect culture to the environment through the arts.” Rotating exhibits as well as classes and retreats ensure that there is always something exciting and new to see here. The gallery is open during the week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Don’t miss the Columbia Theater Cultural Resources Center, built in 1938 and located on Main Street. The center is an environmental and cultural history museum and visitors can learn more about Tyrrell County’s long history of forestry, fishing and farming. Here you’ll meet “Hunter Jim” and see other artifacts from Tyrell County. The Vineyards on the Scuppernong is a perfect place to relax and enjoy some of the finest wine in northeastern North Carolina that comes right from local vines. The winery and tasting room is located in the oldest building in Columbia that once served as the town hall and fire station. Every Thursday through October, visitors can take a tour of the grape fields and winery. Tours by boat leave the docks of the Tyrell County Visitors Center. The winery is located on South Elm Street. At Ashbee Dora Vineyards, just 15 minutes from Columbia, visitors can pick their own muscadine grapes in the fall and at Scuppernong Produce they can treat themselves to hoop cheese. And you will step back in time when you visit the oldest Ben Franklin in North Carolina right on Main Street. While in town, stop by the Southern Dreams Gallery, located right in downtown Columbia on Main Street to view local artists’ work. The works of Mark Buckler, Ken Cherry, Jane C. Perry and Currwood Harrison are described as being inspired by northeastern North Carolina’s natural beauty. The downtown area also has shops featuring local arts and crafts, sweet treats and other specialties. Visitors to Columbia will find that there are great places to shop and eat while in town. Some favorite restaurants among the locals are Call of the Wild, Hwy. 55 Burgers, Shakes and Fries, Elements Café and Full Circle Crab Company. Guests to Full Circle can watch watermen bring in their catch at the company’s loading dock and get some of the area’s freshest seafood packed to go. And if you are planning on staying for more than a day, Columbia offers a variety of lodging options including the waterfront Egret House cottage, the Brickhouse Inn Bed & Breakfast and the Dalton Inn. But whether you visit for a day or spend a few nights, you’ll see that Columbia is exactly as Kim Wheeler describes—a hidden jewel.
EXPLORE
Photo by Cory Godwin Productions Story by Michelle Wagner
Skip Raymo turns logs into art at his roadside workshop in Barco.
Skip Raymo stands on the side of Carotoke Highway in Barco covered from head to toe in a thin layer of sawdust. It’s only 10 a.m. and the sawdust is already in his eyelashes and hair, in his ears and even under his fingernails. There are small piles of it at the bottom of his shoes, despite the handmade gators he wears to keep it out. Wherever he steps, Raymo leaves a dusty boot print behind him. Not far away, a sprawling pile of pine logs, chunks of poplar and tools sit under a tent on the edge of U.S. 158, one of only two roads that lead to the Outer Banks. This is Raymo’s art studio. And the sawdust, well, he just swipes at a patch of it on his arm and refers to it as “man glitter.” Raymo used to be an electrician – for 15 years to be exact. But his life took a slight turn about eight years ago when he found a book his brother left during a visit called The Art of Chainsaw Carving. It had been lying dormant under his couch for several years. The book stirred something that obviously had been dormant in Raymo as well. After flipping through some pages, Raymo revved up the old chainsaw, started messing around with some pieces of wood and watched a few YouTube videos. It wasn’t long before he started turning logs into art. Raymo first started selling carvings on the side of the highway next to Currituck BBQ with his brother Bob five years ago, but it wasn’t long before his business grew into something more. “I began by carving bears. The first one I put out on the side of the road I sold in a day.” So Raymo began investing in some tools of the trade, including some grinders and a Fordham carver, a tool he describes as a “Dremel on steroids.” He took up shop in the building adjacent to Currituck Sports and has put a name to his business – Hedgehog’s Woodworks. And his business, along with the pieces of pine he gets free of charge from Rainwater Tree and Lawn Service, began to take shape. Now he can hardly keep up with the demand. His best sellers that move through the store quickly, particularly on summer weekends, are the twoto three-foot carvings of everything from bears holding welcome signs and fishing poles to herons and pelicans. It’s what he calls the “cash and carry” items that people can buy on a whim, put in their car and drive away with. They sell for between $150 and $200. “I can’t seem to make them fast enough,” he says. But it’s the custom work he really enjoys, which can take him up to two weeks to complete. Raymo’s work can be found displayed around the region.
the people who bring them home always name their wooden creations. “I like the custom work because it isn’t the same stuff day in and day out. And one piece that I set outside will spark an idea in another customer’s mind and it just begins to evolve, like it’s alive. The idea, whether it’s a parrot in a palm tree or a bear watering a garden, stays around for a few months and then peters out.” But whether he’s carving away at a custom order of the Loch Ness for the N.C. Aquarium or making dozens of pumpkins to keep up with the demand for them at Morris Farm Market during the fall, Raymo says there’s something therapeutic about taking a chainsaw to a piece of wood and making it into something. “It’s relaxing work when you get in a groove,” he explains. “When you put on your headphones and start up the saw, it’s like you’re in a whole different world out here.” Raymo is busy year round at his roadside art studio and it doesn’t matter what the weather is. He carves in the heat, the wind, the snow and the rain. And it keeps him busy even in the dead of winter, when he makes seasonal carvings such as Santa Clauses and Christmas trees. “I remember one year I made a 19piece holiday set for an oncologist in Maryland,” says Raymo. Raymo has pieces around the country, from Florida to New Mexico and Kansas. “One man from Arizona ordered a bear, came by and strapped it in the seatbelt and drove off.” Raymo laughs when people ask him if he advertises. “Thousands of cars drive by me on a summer day so I don’t need to advertise. I am the advertisement,” he says, adding that there is always a steady flow of cars coming by. “It’s fun to be right out there on the main highway,” he says. “They have to come by me unless they come through Manteo. And it’s the visual draw that gets people to pull over.” He also adds that he sees some crazy sights working on the side of Caratoke Highway – everything from car accidents to black bears. “It’s a wild spot,” Raymo says. Hedgehog’s is hard to miss, with eye-catching life size carvings of all kinds outside the store. Right next to Currituck Sports, which has been at that location for more than 50 years, the lot is a popular one among Currituck County’s “good ole boys” who go to Currituck Sports to buy bait and other supplies while swapping stories. And now that Raymo is carving out his niche next door, another piece of the local character is laying down its roots in Barco.
Carving OUT A LIVING A perched eagle that towers outside Outer Banks Harley Davidson is his creation, as well as the Dennis Anderson “Grave Digger” that greets passersby outside Digger’s Dungeon. His carving of a 12-foot bear stands at the Dismal Swamp Wildlife Refuge Welcome Center. “I try to get in all the detail I can and sometimes it’s hard to know when to say it’s done.” Using mostly pine, Raymo also works with poplar and hickory logs as well. And whatever he brings to life from the wood,
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EXPLORE
Since the mid-1980s the Corolla Wild Horse Fund’s mission has been to protect, conserve and manage the endangered Colonial Spanish Mustangs that live on the northernmost section of the Currituck Outer Banks. To further these efforts they operate a yearround Wild Horse Museum in historic Corolla Village where visitors can learn more about their programs and the herd through interactive displays, videos and an aerial map of the area where the horses roam. Staff and volunteers are always on hand to answer questions, and proceeds from their gift shop are used to protect the horses. The fund also operates a second store at Scarborough Faire in Duck.
All the
Small Things There are plenty of things to do on the Outer Banks, but sometimes our grand plans don’t go exactly the way we imagined. The weather takes a turn for the
worse, that big attraction is closed for repairs, the natives are restless or sunburned (or both) and no one has the energy to haul out all the necessary gear for yet another long day at the beach. Or maybe it’s just a short delay that causes us to veer off track. An especially long waitlist for dinner, a check-in time that someone forgot to account for, or simply way too much afternoon traffic. All those small things we face daily that we can either view as inconveniences…or turn into opportunities. One of the many reasons why these islands are so special is the fact that just when you think you’ve seen everything, there’s something else to explore right around the corner. It might not be an item you already had on your itinerary — in fact, it might not even be something you can find in a guide book filled with lists of “must dos” and “top tens.” This is the other side of dealing with the unexpected: sometimes it’s the small things that wind up leading to our biggest adventures.
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Historic Corolla Village, Corolla
One of the first things you might be tempted to do at Surfin’ Spoon is to look up — and that’s because what you’ll see is a number of coins and bills stuffed in between the ceiling planks. Almost unbelievably, this is part of a tradition that started about a half-century ago when the building was home to Jockey Ridge Restaurant (back before we started calling it “Jockey’s”) and patrons were encouraged to leave their tips in the ceiling. When Jesse and Whitney Hines opened their frozen yogurt joint in 2013 they decided to bring that tradition back, and for the first time in decades people began to stick money in the ceiling of Surfin’ Spoon. Over the past three years all that spare change has added up, allowing them to donate more than $6,000 to their cause of choice: Surfing for Autism. Whitney Norko Photography location
Elizabethan Gardens, Manteo
By Amelia Boldaji
The nearly mile-long Duck Boardwalk is a great place to take in some amazing views of the Currituck Sound, visit plenty of shops and even spend some time fishing and crabbing in designated areas. But one of the perhaps lesser-known highlights of this area is the diverse wildlife found along the shore. At the Waterfront Shops by the northern edge of the boardwalk, you’ll find several coin-operated bird feeders — two on the boardwalk itself and three others by a relaxing pond located just behind Duck’s Cottage. Not only can you feed seasonally migrating birds such as geese, ducks and even wintertime swans, but you’ll also likely capture the attention of turtles, fish and the occasional otter!
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The Elizabethan Gardens’ famed sunken garden is not only its centerpiece, but also the site of a possible clue to one of its biggest mysteries. Back in 1953, the Whitney family donated a large number of valuable statuary that inspired the Gardens’ unique design. This included the sunken garden’s central fountain and its surrounding balustrade, which also bears a carving of the Farnese family crest — supporting reports that these pieces once resided at the Farnese Palace in Rome. Since there’s reason to believe that this may have corresponded with the time Michelangelo spent as the Farnese family’s lead architect, many now wonder if he might have also had a hand in creating some of the statuary that still graces the Gardens. Surfin' Spoon, Nags Head
Home to three of the northern beaches’ biggest attractions — including the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, Whalehead and the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education — the list of things to see and do at Currituck Heritage Park can seem endless. For visitors who might not have all day to take everything in, spending even a short amount of time strolling the walkways around the central boat basin can be the perfect way to get a taste of the area. Informational markers line the trails so visitors can go at their own pace as they learn about the surrounding wildlife and other coastal features, as well as historically significant periods such as the Cold War when Whalehead was an instrumental testing site for the development of solid rocket fuel. location location
Soundside Boardwalk, Duck
Currituck Heritage Park, Corolla
location
Glenmere Ave., Kill Devil Hills
Sometimes it’s the small ideas that spread the farthest, as local resident Sue Goodrich proved when she was inspired to place a mailbox at the Glenmere public beach access near milepost 8. For a little over two years now, The Little Red Mailbox has had a permanent home at the newly renamed “Hope Beach Access at Glenmere Avenue,” and visitors flock from all over to read through a growing collection of universally hopeful messages — and, more often than not, end up leaving behind a heartfelt note of their own. The Little Red Mailbox has become so popular that it now has two sister mailboxes in Rodanthe, N.C. and Johnstown, Pa.
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Moore Shore Rd., Kitty Hawk
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Duck Town Hall, Duck
Although Duck didn’t officially become a town until May 1, 2002, the village’s historic roots run much deeper than that. Visitors can learn more about the area’s past by taking a walk through the Duck Town Hall lobby. There you’ll find displays that include a shipwreck fragment, dozens of antique photos, collages, and illustrated maps from the late ‘30s and early ‘80s. There’s even an old wooden sign with an interactive blinking light that once warned travelers not to enter the area during routine U.S. Navy bombing target practices that took place slightly north of the village from 1941 to 1964.
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Just south of the Wright Brothers National Memorial on Mustian Street, you’ll find the Outer Banks’ only public Butterfly Garden with a stone totem by sculptor Gary Colson at the end of the trail. Part of the Outer Banks Arboretum and Teaching Garden, the Butterfly Garden is filled with a variety of native and adapted plants such as milkweed, parsley and Mexican Petunias that attract a number of species from Monarchs to swallowtails and nocturnal moths. Maintained by the Dunes of Dare Garden Club, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, visitors can also watch volunteers tend the garden most Wednesday mornings throughout the year.
The Wright Brothers National Memorial may be the most obvious tribute to Orville and Wilbur’s triumphant accomplishments here during the early 20th century, but it’s not the only one. In 1927, a group of Kitty Hawk residents got together and began to raise funds for a more personal local monument that would mark the spot where the Wright brothers first constructed their glider. This marble obelisk honoring the Wrights was unveiled less than a year later on what’s now known as Moore Shore Road. While a replica still stands there today, the original marker is now on display at the Kitty Hawk Town Hall.
Aycock Brown Welcome Center, Kitty Hawk
Attempts to celebrate the Wright brothers’ groundbreaking experiments have been ongoing for more than 100 years, so it’s hardly surprising that the official First Flight Centennial was seen as an opportunity to further commemorate their achievements alongside a number of other significant events in the history of aviation. Located behind the Aycock Brown Welcome Center, the Icarus Monument to a Century of Flight was dedicated and opened to the public in 2003. The monument, which includes 14 dramatic wingshaped pylons that tell the story of mankind’s journey from Kitty Hawk to the moon, is the result of collaborative efforts between wellknown local artist, Glenn Eure, and renowned North Carolina-based sculptors, Hanna Jubran and Jodi Hollnagel Jubran.
location
Mustian St., Kill Devil Hills
Located on the first floor of the old county courthouse in downtown Manteo, the Dare County Arts Council’s Gallery is a great place to discover a variety of local artists…and to select a new piece for your collection from a vending machine! The gallery hosts a truly original Art-o-mat, a project that was started by North Carolina-based artist, Clark Whittington, when he began rehabbing old cigarette vending machines so they could dispense small works of art. More than 400 artists from all over the world now participate in this project, and there are currently about 100 active machines throughout the country — including one in the Smithsonian!
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Dare County Arts Council, Manteo
You’ve probably heard of a bucking bronco, but how about a bucking shark? If you’re ready to test your skill with the latter, then it’s time you met Stanley the mechanical shark at Kitty Hawk Surf Co. in Nags Head. You must be over four feet tall to ride, and even then you’ll want to hang on tight. Surrounded by an inflated area for soft landings, Stanley has three levels of bucking power before he goes into his ferocious “cowboy” mode. Only those who can hang in there the longest get to put their name on the leader board of record times! Kitty Hawk Surf Co., Nags Head
Photos by K. Wilkins Photography and Amelia Boldaji
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This town’s got heart
Outer Banks VFW members and Home Depot employees work together to replace an old deck for a disabled Navy veteran and his disabled veteran wife in Manteo. Photo courtesy of Bo Simpson.
Serving Our Veterans
By Katrina Mae Leuzinger
“It can be difficult to find veterans who need the help,” Chairman of the Dare
County Veterans Advisory Council Clarence Lewis admitted during the council's June meeting. His comment was in response to an offer from Home Depot to build a wheelchair ramp for a disabled veteran or provide home repairs. Those types of projects are ones the Veterans Advisory Council, the local Veterans of Foreign Affairs (VFW) and the American Legion posts have handled before. Though the mission of each organization varies, a large part of what all three do is fundraise, collect donations, and get that money to those who need it. “Around here we like to say, ‘We honor the dead by helping the living,’” says Clark Twiddy, Commander of VFW post 10950. The assistance these organizations provide range from helping a veteran with gas money to raising the $5,000 needed to provide a veteran with a service dog (an expense which the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs does not cover). The Veterans Advisory Council has even created Dare County Veteran I.D. cards, which are accepted at 67 different local businesses. The I.D. cards offer a discount or other benefit to any veteran who shows them the card. More businesses are regularly added to the list. It’s no secret that life can be incredibly difficult for military veterans. The physical and emotional toll of military service can leave many veterans at a severe disadvantage. Statistics show they are more likely than civilians to live in poverty, be homeless, incarcerated or suicidal. Obviously this is a segment of the population that needs help. That’s why other programs aim to help veterans in some less tangible ways. With the assistance of the Dare County Arts Council (DCAC), the fourth annual Outer Banks Veterans Week will be held November 4-11. This year’s line-up of events includes live music, ceremonies at each of the veterans’ memorials, and the Veterans Writing Project that, thanks to a grant from 26
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the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau, will be offered to veterans Lewis agrees that many veterans are hesitant to ask for asand active duty service members free of charge. The two-day sistance, but he wants to stress that the help these organizaclass gives veterans a chance to write about their experiences tions provide is not a hand out. “They get the full benefits that in a safe, supportive environment. they earned by doing that service time,” he says. “The word ‘therapeutic’ comes up a lot,” says Ron Capps, Ideally, all of these organizations would like to see more who started the Veterans Writing Project. donations so they can help more veterans in need. Veterans “Either you control the memory or the memory controls advocates say they would also like to see more people, particyou,” agrees DCAC Executive Director, Chris Sawin. “This ularly younger veterans, get involved and help out. But more helps veterans control the memory.” than anything, they would like to see more veterans come forThe biggest challenge of local groups that support vet- ward and seek assistance, so that they can get them the help erans can be getting the right information into the hands of they earned from their service to this country. those who need it most. Some veterans are not aware of the programs or don't think they qualify. In order to qualify for During my time writing this article, there were two names many aid programs, however, a person only needs to have that were brought up again and again as people I should speak served for 180 days and does not need to have seen combat. with about veterans’ services: Billy and Marsha Brown. The paperwork involved with filing for benefits with the It is my great misfortune to report that I was not able to V.A. can also feel like a monumental task, which is why the speak with them because Billy Brown passed away on July 12th. Dare County Veterans Service Office is available to help vetHe suffered from brain cancer related to exposure to Agent erans file claims. “We’ve helped several veterans who didn’t know how to Orange while fighting in Vietnam. As if Billy did not already go about getting their benefits,” says Lewis. “We got them on give enough serving his country, after retiring from the military he and his wife Marsha devoted their lives to helping veterans in the right track.” But more often than not these programs aren’t being Dare County. This article would simply not be complete without taken advantage of as much as they should simply because acknowledging their contributions. veterans are not willing to ask for the help. Billy Brown, thank you for your service. “They don’t come forward because they’re not used to If you are a veteran who needs assistance, if you know a asking for help. They’re used to veteran who might need assistance, or if you’d like to know getting it done themselves. We more about how you can help, please contact: don’t want them to feel embarrassed,” says Lynda Hester, a U.S. VFW Post 10950 Veterans Service Office Coast Guard veteran who works (252) 489-9421 and Veterans Advisory at the Veterans Service Office. Council “Down here they’re very American Legion Post 26 (252) 475-5604 proud people,” says VFW Junior (252) 715-4251 Vice Commander, Carl Reiber.
b.s. in parenting
The Journey’s the Thing I’ve loved that quote from Homer’s The Odyssey for such a long time now…but as a mother, sometimes it feels like a mocking and satirical smack in the face. Oh, the
JOURNEY’S the thing? Is it? Is it always?!? I posit that in certain circumstances, the journey is the thing that will cause you to lose your sh*t publicly, privately, internally, externally—just all of the ways. I am talking, of course, about traveling with young children, whether it’s halfway across the country or a mile down the road. Get Out Now Before It’s Too Late Trips Especially in the dead of summer when the newness of “vacation” has worn off, we seem to have a delightful routine I can set the clock by. Kids wake up, help make breakfast, and because I let them detonate my kitchen learning how to make pancakes AND my coffee (that second part is key, folks!), they are content and pretty much whistle while they work. About 30 minutes after their attempt to clean up, the questions begin: What are we doing today? Who’s going to be there? I’m booooooooored…I already read that book four times….I don’t want to practice guitar again…waaah, waaah, waaah. It’s about this time that I decide we are completely unfit to leave the house because nobody ought to be subject to our insanity. And it’s about five minutes after that when I decide that if we DON’T leave the house at least one of us isn’t going to make it out alive. So away we go, red hot mess or not, on a wing and a prayer. The Beach: So Close Yet So Far Away Trips to the beach are an all or nothing affair. Each time we go, we embark on our own personal episode of Survivor, but with one of two very different scenarios. One day we’ll pack enough things to last a full week out there and are prepared for anything, bringing enough provisions to sustain an army. Veggies and fruits (for the adults those fruits include special grape juice, if you know what I mean), meat and cheese platters, sandwiches, you name it. I’ll pack boogie boards, Beater boards, chairs for everyone, beach toys and a change of clothes among other things…I have a career awaiting me as a sherpa. Another day we might not even be in actual swimsuits and just show up with nada, relying on yesterday’s towels or my car's omnipresent bag of donation clothes to get us home. C’est la vie. Life’s a beach, right? Airport Travel My first and most recent flights with children were different variations of absurdity that no doubt translated into birth control for any fellow passengers contemplating whether or not they wished to become parents themselves. My inaugural flight was with one baby, two metric tons of unnecessary baby crap and a boatload of anxiety. I researched travel tips ad nauseam, like everything else one tends to do with their first child. My most recent flight involved zero research, delayed and canceled flights, three children and my
By Lindsey Beasley Dianna
mother. We were toting the absolute max in luggage for an extended stay in Michigan for my sister’s wedding. I had managed to pare down our carry-on luggage, but the bags we were supposed to check in ended up being hauled through the airports and in and out of shuttles by beach kids who couldn’t keep their shoes on to save their lives. So…what are you waiting for, parents? Just hop in your car and off you go to enjoy your whimsical journey. But first, join with me in this delightful refrain with which I’m sure you’re all familiar: Get your shoes, please. Please go get your shoes on, kids. I’m serious, shoes on NOW. PLEASE. What do you mean you can’t find the other one? Just get your other pair. What do you mean what other pair? If I have to find them myself I’m gonna…OK FINE, here they are. Now put them on. Where did your sister go? Am I the only one who cares about getting out the front door? Fine, I’m leaving! Who’s crying? Why are you crying? I’M the one who should be crying. Just get in the damn car so we can get to our damn destination and the hell out of this house and have some fun already dammit!!! Buckle. Buckle. BUCKLE, FOR THE LOVE OF ALL
THINGS HOLY! Here, let me—no, I know you can do it yourself but if we don’t hurry up—you know what? FINE. We’ll just sit here until I die of old age. Honey, stop crying. I’m not actually dying. But a little bit of my soul will be dead if you don’t quit. Wait—where the hell are your shoes??? Oh, DO I sound angry? You’re right, I shouldn’t cuss. Earmuffs, baby. No, of course I want to go, now everybody be quiet and look out the window for deer or clouds or Superman. *Turns up music loudly and drowns out dissatisfied backseat customers while calculating the number of days left until oldest child has driver’s license.* So metaphorically speaking, do enjoy the journey of life’s adventures, but take heart in knowing that getting to your destination with children isn’t all sunshine and daydreams. The struggle is real! Lindsey Beasley Dianna is a fulltime mom to three who currently resides in Kitty Hawk. She’d like to be a writer when she grows up. NORTHBEACHSUN.COM
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FOLKS
From Scrap to Art Dave Melson pops open a plain looking toolbox and brings out some knives. They’re not like any store bought knives. Beautifully balanced and light in weight, each handle is different and in its own way a part of the artistry of the knife. There are other differences as well, some not quite as apparent. The blades are highly polished, each with a remarkably sharp blade. A signature feature of his knives is that they also have a spine that is slightly rounded, a great selling point for those who spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Dave, the creator of Kilmarlic Knife Works, is both a bladesmith— that’s a knife maker—and a chef at The Blue Point in Duck. He makes his knives at his home in Powells Point next door to Melson’s Junk & Salvage, his uncle’s business. That’s where he gets most of the metal for his blades. Some of it comes from old cars. “I use the leaf springs and torsion bars from cars, but they are usually older cars from the '70s and back,” he says. No reason, he adds; he just likes them more. Most of his knives, though, are made from pieces of scrap or old tools that someone has thrown away. Today he’s holding a farrier’s rasp—a file with deep teeth on one side and finer teeth on the other. “Files make great knives,” Dave says. “The people who make the files source out really good steel. When it’s no longer good for grinding or filing stuff, you can turn it into a piece of art—a really nice knife.” Working with scrap, creating something new from metal, seems to be in his blood. “It’s a family tradition. We’re standing in my father’s garage. They built race cars and drag cars. I just went in a different direction." There is also, of course, his uncle’s salvage yard that was started by Dave’s grandfather. 28
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Bladesmith Dave Melson Finds Inspiration in an Unlikely Place— His Family’s Junkyard
Photos by Ryan Moser / Story by Kip Tabb
“Interesting note about this salvage yard; it’s the oldest licensed salvage yard in eastern North Carolina. He started it right after he came out of the Navy after World War II,” he recounts. That’s the same grandfather who made the hammer that may never break. The hammer, though, is the third part of the knife making process. The first step is walking next door and finding material. The next step is heating the metal. Dave walks over to a metal cylinder packed with insulation. “This is my forge, which I also built,” he says. “I built it out of an old scuba tank that I also reclaimed from the salvage yard.” His fuel source is a weed burner. “It creates a bigger flame. This whole thing will heat up to about 2,200 degrees.” The third step involves his grandfather’s hammer, which is truly a different design than most. Attached to the large mallet head is a heavy metal shaft. “My grandfather got tired of the wooden handle breaking so he actually took an axel shaft out of a truck and welded it,” Dave explains. It’s hot working with metal, and the process of creating a knife from a farrier’s rasp cannot be hurried. The metal gets hot, and then the shaping begins. “You heat it up as high as you can. It’s glowing orange. You have just a five-gallon bucket of regular sand. You put it in there so it can cool down slowly,” he says.
Then the difficult work begins. “You hit it and you shape it and it’s a long, hard, aggravating process sometimes because you hit it and it doesn’t do what you want it to do,” says Dave. “The great thing about heat and steel is you can heat it up and do it again.” After a number of trips between the heat, the sand and the mallet, something resembling a knife emerges. That’s when he starts shaping it and one of the unique features of a Melson knife is created. “Being a chef, I think about things a little bit differently than some other knife makers do,” he says. “All of us chefs get calluses on our hands from our knives. On most production knives, there’s a hard 90-degree angle on the spine. What I’ll do with my knives, I round that so it’s nice and smooth so you don’t get that callusing on such a hard edge.” After shaping, the blade goes to the grinders. As he walks back to his grinders, Dave recites a little personal history. “When I was growing up, I was obsessed with knives and swords and all that kind of stuff. I would always take little pieces of metal or wood and make my own swords,” he recalls. There are three grinders. Two of them, Dave says, can be found at Home Depot. The third—no surprise—Dave made himself. The homemade grinder has a 2x 72-inch belt. That longer belt is really important in holding the
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THE MUSTANG OUTREACH PROGRAM AND COROLLA WILD HORSE FUND
moe. · Lettuce
G. Love and Special Sauce Yonder Mountain String Band Mike Dillon Band Smooth Hound Smith · Fruition Big Something · Ripe Empire Strikes Brass Lunar Test Drive
Finished blades that began life as salvaged steel (left). Dave Melson in his shop (top); Dave's homemade forge (above).
cost of an artisan-created knife down. “What costs they told me they were going to throw it away. I the most in knife making is purchasing the belts,” said, ‘No, you’re not.’” Dave notes. A longer belt is more efficient and does Dave has been making knives for the past three not wear out as quickly years and is gaining a followas the shorter belts. ing. This winter, when things There are two slow down a bit, he hopes to more steps before a "Being a chef, I think about take a huge professional step. Kilmarlic Knife Works things a little bit differently than “I’m looking forward to forging knife is considered my own knife and being cersome other knife makers do." tified as an apprentice bladefinished. Because the blade smith through the American is metal, it's magnetBladesmith Society,” Dave ic, so it’s back to the says. forge. “I go back out Although he is not yet a fullto the forge again, and we heat it back up to crit- time bladesmith, Dave seems to have found someical temperature until it no longer reacts with a thing that artists often express from time to time. magnet.” “I’ll sit there and think about how I’ll be dust Putting a handle on the blade is the last step and one day but there’s a possibility the knife I’ve made one that also makes a Kilmarlic Knife Works blade will still be there,” Dave muses. “I really love that distinctive. I’m taking something that’s basically junk and turnOccasionally Dave will buy some wood or ma- ing it into something that’s usable, that someone’s terial for his handles, but he seems to prefer to use going to really cherish. That just gives me a good whatever he can find. feeling.” “I just got some Brazilian walnut wood from Dave Melson can be contacted by email at The Blue Point,” he says. “They were building their kilmarlickknifeworks@gmail.com or on Instagram new outdoor bar and they had a stack of lumber, so at chefanddestroy. I asked, ‘What are you going to do with that?’ and
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sunsets Call to reserve yours today!
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4717 N. Croatan Hwy | Kitty Hawk | 252-916-1709 | acubrone.com
Remembering Frank Gajar
MP 6 Plaza • Highway 158, KDH • 252.449.8229 • ChipsWineMarket.com OUTER BANKS OLIVE OIL CO. NOW OPEN IN THE WATERFRONT SHOPS IN DUCK!
By Kip Tabb
Frank Gajar passed away on June 9th. On the Outer Banks he was well known as the owner of Port O’ Call Restaurant and Gaslight Saloon, and the success of the Kill Devil Hills restaurant and entertainment venue stands as a testament to him. Yet Port O’ Call is but one part of his story. He was a unique combination of visionary, hardnosed businessman and philanthropist. Frank was the classic American success story. Born in 1940 in the Bronx, his parents were Czechoslovakian immigrants. After graduating from Cornell, he spent five years in the U.S. Army as a helicopter pilot, which included a tour in Vietnam. He returned to civilian life in 1967 as a decorated veteran and was a captain at the time of his discharge. After earning an MBA from University of North Carolina, Frank worked as a financial analyst for Norfolk and Western Railroad—the predecessor to Norfolk Southern Railroad. While working for Norfolk and Western, he renovated the railroad’s fine dining room, an experience he often cited as preparation for the adventure of bringing a rundown restaurant on the beach road back to life. In 1976, the Outer Banks was still a somewhat out-of-the-way tourist destination, but where caution ruled the judgment of others, Frank saw opportunity. Today, Port O’ Call continues his vision of fine dining and outstanding entertainment. As the success of Port O’ Call grew, Frank became increasingly involved in local and statewide organizations and nonprofits. Locally, he served on the Dare County Health Board and statewide he sat on the North Carolina Advisory Board of Commonwealth Bankshares. His greatest interest, though, was the education of Dare County children and for years he served on the Dare Education Foundation Board as treasurer. He was also instrumental in developing Dare County Schools’ AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program that helps talented students who might not otherwise attend college learn the skills necessary to succeed academically. He would regularly host AVID dinners at Port O’ Call, serving students free of charge. “I had some mentors when I was growing up who really helped me,” Frank told the North Beach Sun in 2012. “They’re a lot of the reason I got out of where I was and got to where I am today. I feel it is important to give back—to let the kids know how important education is.”
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The Waterfront Shops • Duck
252-255-0600
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FOLKS
Love at First Sight
The Unlikely Story of Three Dogs, One Cat, a Dolphin, a School Teacher and the DJ who Brought Them Together
Photo by K. Wilkins Photography Story by Amanda McDanel
In life, we love the story of an unlikely couple. These stories are woven into the fabric of our culture and educate us on
the importance of love, kindness and acceptance. They also demonstrate that even the unlikeliest of souls can be friends. Disney has perfected this classic storyline many times. Think of the unlikely human friends: Mary Poppins and Bert, Pocahontas and John Smith, Angela Lansbury and the orphans in Bedknobs and Broomsticks. (Haven’t seen it? Pull out your VHS pronto!) The pairing of animals and humans became possible through live animation: Pete and his dragon, Mowgli and Baloo, Roger Rabbit and Eddie Valiant. And, of course, the oldest and most beloved of improbable companions are those of the animal world: Lady and the Tramp, the Fox and the Hound, Timon and Pumba. Local author Debbie Hester found the unlikeliest of companions through an unusual connection of her own and has woven the story into a collection of children’s books she calls The Huckleberry and Jake Book Series. 32
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Debbie Hester with her pals Lucy and Scout (left). Debbie's self-illustrated books (below).
Debbie, an elementary school teacher but sea gypsy at heart, came to the Outer Banks 10 years ago from Richmond, Va. With her tan skin, golden sun-streaked hair and no shoes attitude, she looks like she just walked off the beach with a shell in her pocket and sand between her toes. She shared her love of the coast with her two dogs, Huckleberry and Jake, who loved running along the sand, going on long walks and riding in her red Jeep Wrangler with the top down. Watching the interaction of these two canine brothers, Debbie was inspired to pen a children’s story – first about Huckleberry, and then about how Jake entered their family and made Huck a big brother. She kept it to herself, locked away in a drawer for almost eight years. While she had conceptualized the storyline with the premise of how pets communicate with each other while their owners are away, Debbie says she lacked the artistic talent to illustrate and bring the story to life. But Debbie is not one to shy away from a challenge. As we sit over coffee, she describes her trip to South Africa to bungee jump from one of the world’s tallest river gorges. When asked why in the world she hurled herself off a platform with her eyes closed, she smiles and nonchalantly says, “Because I was afraid to do it.” The sparkle in her eye is undeniable. Fast forward a few years and Debbie, after teaching herself to paint, has published the first two books in the Huckleberry and Jake series. After eight years, she finally decided to dive into the fear head on and with an overhead projector, a paintbrush and some colored pencils to self-illustrate both books. Published and on the shelves in local boutiques and on Amazon.com, the series shares the tale of her two dogs that live long, full lives before going to doggie heaven. And that was where the story ended… …Until Debbie read the two books to her
second grade class at Nags Head Elementary School. They laughed at all of the right places and enjoyed the story, but asked, “When are you going to write a story about your new dog, Scout?” With the pleas of second graders in her head, Debbie was unsure of what Scout’s story was really about…until she was inspired by her friend DJ Bruce. DJ Bruce is a local disc jockey, surfer and animal activist. Like Debbie, he has a passion for rescue animals, and he focuses on trapping, neutering and releasing feral cats. Scout's story, which evolved into another book, begins with the DJ calling the elementary school teacher and saying, “I believe I have your cat.” Debbie was not interested in adopting a cat, but as soon as she saw Lucy, the black-and-white furball whom she frequently carries around in a blanket or walks on a leash, it was love at first sight. The same can be said for Scout, a yellow lab who taught Lucy all the ropes of the Hester household, including how to ride in the red Jeep, how to take a bath and how to spend a lazy Saturday at the beach. Yes, Lucy the cat walks on a leash to the beach, where she hides under the beach chair and digs in the sand. This friendship, which began with a local DJ and an elementary school teacher, gave life to the new book. Debbie has since published their story, Love at First Sight. She has gone on to chronicle the lives of other rescue animals such as Louie the dolphin and plans to expand the series to other rescue animals around the world. If somewhere on the globe a killer whale and a sea turtle were having an underwater tea party, I would expect to see Debbie Hester swimming up and asking for two lumps in her cup with a twinkle in her eye. The Huckleberry and Jake book series can be found locally at Seagreen Gallery, Stop & Shop, Cloud 9, My Little Sunshine, Made in the OBX, Carolina Keiki, Outer Barks and in the back of Debbie’s red Jeep. It’s also available at Amazon.com.
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amanda’s kitchen
You’ve Come a Long Way, (Beach) Baby! By Amanda McDanel
Growing up in southwest Virginia, I developed a love for seafood. In fact, I was hooked the first time my grandma walked me through those blue doors and up to the counter of the Long John Silver’s on Williamson Road. The smell of the fryer, the grease clinging to
the wallpaper, the sticky plastic squirt bottles of cocktail and tartar sauce topping the booth tables; the ambiance was second only to the beguiling seafood. Faced with the choice of chicken or fish, my six-year-old self often picked the combo basket that came with a piping hot fish plank, chicken plank, french fries and “crispies,” i.e. the drops of fried batter that had splattered off and into the fryer. (As a side note: my culinary career began with me reheating the crispies in the microwave after school one day and topping them with cinnamon and sugar—and to this day the thought of it still brings a physical shudder to my body.) My grandparents had it right, I thought, enthralled with the yellow slickered captain and his rowdy crew. I soon graduated from fast food seafood to a more refined palate when my “rich aunt” began taking me out to dinner at Parker’s Seafood Restaurant. In a dining room adorned with faux marlins and fish tanks, I read my vinyl menu carefully before selecting the house delicacy that sat in front of most of those 4:30 p.m. diners: popcorn shrimp. Within that slightly crisp exterior, were itty-bitty pockets of
Ghost Tours of the Outer Banks
sweetness that served as a vehicle for the finest Heinz Ketchup. A side of coleslaw, hushpuppies and a baked potato rounded out the plate, and so began the refined pescatarian palate of a little girl from landlocked Roanoke, Virginia. Like most people who exclaim, “Oh, I love Italian! Olive Garden is my favorite restaurant!” I had lived a sheltered life when it came to seafood. Not that I don’t love fried shrimp anymore, it’s just that after living on the Outer Banks for nearly 20 years, I now know a little bit more about sustainable, fresh and local seafood. My culinary chops came from the school of hard knocks in the kitchen, a LOT of the Food
{
The best education for me, though, comes from sitting down at a restaurant and devouring a meal with both my taste buds and my brain.
Network, and poring through many cookbooks and the trial and error that brings. The best education for me, though, comes from sitting down at a restaurant and devouring a meal with both my taste buds and my brain. What type of batter did they use? Are they using beer as their
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secret ingredient? How in the world did they get that tuna to melt on my tongue? Mmmmmm…. I highly recommend you visit our local restaurants to enjoy their ever-evolving selection that extends beyond pre-breaded popables and seafood planks, but I offer you one of my favorite seafood recipes. I picked up this recipe while traveling to the Dominican Republic about 10 years ago. Sauntering up to an open-air beachside restaurant in Cabarete on a perfectly moonlit night, I noted the sign “La Casita de Don Alfredo.” It was there that I had my world rocked beyond fried crustaceans by a French man named “Papi.” Browsing the menu, which was mostly in Spanish, my husband and I resorted to asking for the house specialty, “Camerones a la Papi.” Within 30 minutes, a sizzling cast iron pan of head-on, enormous shrimp arrived at our table swimming in an intoxicatingly fragrant sauce. Armed with a crusty baguette and multiple napkins, we dove into the dish with a fervor usually reserved for a last meal. It was one of those moments that I knew I’d remember forever: the moonlight, the wine, the aromatic pan brimming with an exotic combination of spices and seawater. To date, it has gone on my little yellow Post-It I use to record the best meals of my life. While it’s a far cry from the sticky vinyl booths of my childhood, I’m proud to say my love of the sea and its bounty has carried on. Cheers to you, Captain Silver!
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Camerones a la Papi 1 pound of whole unshelled shrimp (approximately 16) 3 minced shallots 4 tablespoons of butter 1 tablespoon of curry powder 4 tablespoons Pernod (or other Anise flavored liquor) 1 cup heavy cream Salt and pepper Chopped parsley for garnish Crusty baguette Wash those lucky, local fresh shrimp. Melt the butter in a wide pan. Toss in the shallots and let them sweat until almost translucent. Add the curry powder and cook until fragrant – about 1 minute. Add the shrimp and cook for a minute or so on each side, just until they are pink. Do not overcook! Add the Pernod and using either a lighter or the gas flame, light the edge of the liquid with the flame as you stand back. Be sure to stand back! You like your eyebrows, don’t you? Once the shrimp are flambéed, slowly add the cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Remove from the heat. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve immediately with crusty baguette for sopping up the incredible sauce. Your fingers will smell of the intoxicating sauce for hours, but try not to eat them.
Amanda McDanel has lived on the Outer Banks for over 15 years, is married, has two beautiful daughters and a dog that walks backwards. A collector of the unique and different, she has an MS in Child and Family Development, has taught cooking classes and loves to create new recipes.
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35
SHORE SCIENCE
Creepy Crawlies of the Outer Banks By Michelle Wagner
The Outer Banks certainly has its share of those that would fall into the creepy crawly sect. After all, we live interspersed among
rolling dune grass, marshlands and the thick canopy of maritime forest. Mother Nature is all around us and so are her critters. So along with the joys of living in such a natural environment, we’ve also become quite accustomed to seeing things move that have six legs (or no legs at all), beady eyes or scaly skin. Most of the time we can take this in stride – that is as long as they stay outside and are respectful of our personal space. We’ve learned to live in harmony with them. We don’t stay out of the woods just because of the ticks. We still let our children stomp through the swamp despite what may lurk beneath the surface, and we just watch where we step when we explore the sound’s shorelines to avoid surprising that cottonmouth resting under the rock. But sometimes, like when a black widow has lost its way and is hanging around on the kitchen wall, or a snake has made a home in the shed, it can be hard to keep our cool. The creepy crawlies on the Outer Banks are certainly plentiful. They slither and slide into our backyards, spin webs in our doorways, or buzz in our faces and swarm us as we try to enjoy a walk. Some can even deliver a serious bite, but the good news is that most don’t. A lot are even fun to watch, like the “writing” black-andyellow garden spider whose web can be two-feet-wide and have a zig zag-like design of thick white silk in the middle or the snake that basks in the sun along the edge of the sound. But it's good to know what to steer clear of during outdoor adventures, so here are some facts and a quick cheat sheet on some of the “creepies” that should really creep you out. The good news is that while we do live among some poisonous creepy crawlies, most are not. And the ones that do deliver a painful bite are typically shy creatures who tend to mind their own business. Luckily, these critters seem to understand the idea of respecting personal space and we can easily and happily return the favor. 36
NORTH BEACH SUN FALL 2016
Wolf spiders (left) and black widow spiders (top) can be found locally. Brown recluse (above) are less common and are often confused with other harmless spiders.
Water mocassins (top) are often confused with water snakes (above).
Agile Arachnids
Slithering Snakes
According to the North Carolina State University’s Cooperative Extension Service, most spider bites are insignificant, but like bee or wasp stings, could cause an allergic reaction in some people. Still, there are only a few spiders in North Carolina that can cause serious injury. Two of particular note are the black widow and brown recluse. While the brown recluse can be found in North Carolina, it is not common. In fact, the extension service reports that it is highly unlikely you would find a brown recluse in North Carolina. So that spider that you’re sure must be a brown recluse probably isn’t. Black widow spiders are usually found in dark and damp areas inside and outside, often in out-of-reach places such as under rocks, in crawl spaces, under appliances and in sheds. They also like to nest in electrical, water and telephone equipment boxes. Female black widows are about 40 millimeters long with outstretched legs and a black body, according to extension center literature. They are marked with a red or yellow hourglass shape on their underbelly. Males are smaller and lighter in color with a red or brown stripe down the middle of their back. The females are more venomous than the males. The brown recluse spider is typically identified by the fiddle-shaped mark on the top of its body. Another identifying feature is that it has six eyes in an arrangement of three pairs, according to the extension service. There are several spiders in North Carolina that resemble the brown recluse, so knowing how to identify one is important. Brown recluse spiders are nocturnal and their hiding places can be bathrooms, attics and other storage areas of the home. People who are bit by these spiders typically encounter them when putting on stored clothing or shoes. A few other spiders common in our area are the southern house spider, wolf spider, jumping spiders, fishing and grass spiders and golden silk spider.
There are a lot of snakes on the Outer Banks but like spiders, only a few are venomous and they definitely don’t want to be around us anymore than we want to be around them. “The appropriate response to encountering a snake is to simply walk away,” according to information provided by the extension service, which states that North Carolina also has the most venomous snake bites of any state in the United States. “Do not attempt to capture or kill it, as 70 to 80 percent of bites occur in this manner.” The water moccasin or cottonmouth is common on our islands but can be easily confused for the non-venomous brown water snake. The cottonmouth swims with its head above the water and has a stripe along each side of its head. Its eyes do not protrude from the top of its head like water snakes. Mature water moccasins are dark olive or black in color while younger ones have a noticeable banding pattern. Water moccasins are not aggressive but will stand their ground if threatened. They are nocturnal but are often seen basking in the sun on rocks, logs or branches near the water’s edge during the day. Use caution around these snakes as their venom is more toxic than a copperhead. Copperheads are also found on the Outer Banks but are not as common here as in other parts of the state. Rather than try to escape like other snake species, copperheads are known to strike when they feel threatened. Copperheads prefer wooded and rocky areas near water. They live in compost piles and other sheltered areas. During cooler months they can sometimes be spotted sunning themselves. Pigmy and timber rattlesnakes can also be found on the Outer Banks, primarily in wooded areas near marshes. Pigmy rattlesnakes are small but fat snakes. Timber rattlers are very long and can be dark brown, yellow or gray with a cross-band pattern. Non-venomous snakes that can be found on the Outer Banks include the eastern hognose snake, the black racer, corn snake, king snake, brown water snake, northern-banded water snake and ribbon snake.
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board banter
Professional surfer Jeff Myers enjoys another day at the office.
Photo by Jon Carter Photography / Story by Jeff Myers
the life after I believe sometimes you interviewed, you get to travel the world surfing exotic (and choose a career, other times some not-so-exotic) locations shooting for surf films and magazines. a career chooses you. Living a jet set life where you’re paid to travel the world As children, we all dream of what we want to become in life and ultimately choose a career path. We decide on a trade we excel in, educate ourselves accordingly, and for some a passion turns into a career where you actually get paid to pursue the one thing in life you love the most! Thankfully, I am extremely blessed to still pay my bills as a professional surfer; however it is quite obvious to me that I am simply buying time until my good fortune runs dry and I have to adapt to the reality of what comes next in my personal and professional life. There are several reasons for this, but first it’s important to understand how one becomes a professional surfer. As with most sports, you have to start early. You begin by competing in local surf competitions as a youngster (or “grommet” as we refer to it in the surf world). Once you excel at the top of your age bracket you qualify to compete against the best surfers in your region, then advance as a top qualifier and compete against the best on the entire East Coast. If you are fortunate enough to further excel here, you go on to compete against the best in the United States. You are not paid as an amateur, but you will more or less be given travel funds to help support your campaign, incentives for photos in both print and internet media, media advertising benefits, contest entry fees and more free gear than you can shake a stick at. It is at the upper tier that surf industry folks might seek you out for amateur sponsorships, or you can grow your personal competitive resume with quality results and eventually pursue them. Once in the bigger leagues, there are two roads: make your living as a competitor chasing ratings and points on a number of professional surfing circuits, or, if you get extremely lucky like myself and the two local legends I 38
NORTH BEACH SUN FALL 2016
that I would give would be to make yourself well-rounded and be really versatile in as many areas as possible within the industry,” he said. “If you do this, it will help extend your career as a professional surfer." When I asked if this transition into retirement was his idea, his sponsors or if the decision was a mutual agreement, Noah responded thoughtfully. "Momentum Fitness has been something that I have been slowly brewing on the side of things with my sponsors,” he said. “They've always been super supportive. So I would have to say a little bit of both, but more on my side." As for any regrets about his pro career, Noah said, "I wouldn't call them regrets, but there are those moments I wish I would have taken a little more advantage of. For me, it
on a sponsor’s dime can be great, but it can also have a short shelf life. When I sat down with former local pro surfer Jesse Hines to pick his brain about the things today’s youth should know before pursuing a professional surfing career, he was brutally honest. "It is not a permanent job or even lifestyle, for that matter. If you do really well, it may last ten years. My advice is to really soak in every moment that you can call it your job. It is an amazing opportunity to learn about life through travel and even about business through self-promotion and planning. But never count on it. Companies that pay Planning ahead is key because tomorrow isn’t a guarantee in the you only want to make world of professional surfing—or any career for that matter. more money, and if you’re costing them more than they’re making, they will not hesitate to end even the lon- would've been the competitive side of things." gest of relationships. That’s business in general though, so Though Jesse and Noah’s transitions to life after proyou can't take anything personally. Just appreciate every fessional surfing appear almost seamless, they continue opportunity that’s presented to you." to work hard and enjoy a lot of support from their friends I asked Jesse if he missed traveling and competing or if and the local community. Their success has even inspired he was more content being home with his family and grow- me to concentrate on my future by partnering with Legend ing his business. (Jesse and his lovely wife, Whitney, own Nano Gallery and to continue to provide local surf classes Surfin’ Spoon, a frozen yogurt shop in Nags Head.) Jesse re- through Southern Sunshine Surf Lessons. Ultimately, planplied, "I was terrible at competing, so I definitely do not miss ning ahead is key because tomorrow isn’t a guarantee in that, but I loved traveling. Since having our business and our the world of professional surfing—or any career for that son, I don't miss it though. We are so busy, I don't even have matter. time to. I do love surfing big waves and the adventures of At the end of the day, Jesse, Noah and I all realize what traveling, but I am happy to be at home with my family and an absolute blessing it’s been to visit the places we have, ride waves here whenever I can." where we’ve been able to share the sights and the surf with Noah Snyder is another well-known local who recently our incredible friends and family—knowing all the while retired from professional surfing. He now runs his own busi- that we also have the unconditional support of our amazness, Momentum Fitness. "Probably one piece of advice ing community here on the Outer Banks!
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outdoors
At the Edge of the World By Amelia Boldaji
“Keep your head up,” says Heather McLay, co-owner of Skydive OBX, as she executes a near-perfect bow pose on a small padded area just outside their headquarters at the Dare County Airport on Roanoke Island. “And kick your feet back. This is your yoga portion of the day,” she adds with a laugh. More precisely, this is our demo portion of the day, and what Heather’s demonstrating is the “exit position” that my cohort and North Beach Sun photographer, Kati Wilkins, and I will need to assume very shortly. At 9,000 feet in the air. Right after we jump out of a perfectly good airplane. I should probably be clear from the beginning that, unlike Kati, I am not a self-proclaimed thrill-seeker. In fact, I would describe myself in exactly the opposite way. Staunchly risk-adverse probably covers it nicely, and even that might be an understatement. And yet (somehow, inexplicably) I’ve agreed to test my limits — and all my instincts toward self-preservation — to participate in what most people describe as the experience of a lifetime: a first-time tandem skydive. I attempt to concentrate as Heather very kindly and patiently walks us through the remainder of our instructions and describes what we can expect once we’re up there. But as she straps me securely into my harness, the thing that’s foremost on my mind is simple disbelief: for all my attempts at outward bravado, I can’t quite believe that I’m actually going to do this. Luckily, I’m not given too much more time to dwell on these thoughts, because before I know it Kati and I are squeezing into a small airplane on the tarmac with our tandem instructors, Pete Schwartz and Sven Jseppi. Moments later we’re aloft and climbing…and climbing. It takes about 15 minutes to reach our target altitude, which means that we have to fly in one large northbound 40
NORTH BEACH SUN FALL 2016
What goes up, must come down (Photo by K. Wilkins Photography).
loop before circling back over the airport to our jump site – the air is remarkably colder up here, and two, I am, undenimere feet from where we originally took off. Though, strict- ably, getting ready to jump. Out of (and this seems to bear rely speaking, I can’t claim that my nerves disappear during peating) a perfectly good, moving airplane. the flight, I do try to practice some yogic breathing as the While I understand that some people live for this moment, I am not one of them. (Like most people, I have a buckground shrinks beneath us. Oddly enough, our growing vantage point only serves et list too; this was just one thing I never put on it.) And alto heighten the details below while simultaneously mak- though I haven’t spent any time standing on the edge of a ing them appear less real — and I’m torn between deciding skyscraper and looking down, much less with the intention which version I prefer. Either way, I have to admit that the of jumping off it, that’s what I imagine this feels like — times, view is truly breathtaking. As we pass directly over Jockey’s oh, quite a bit of distance. (To give some context, the tallest Ridge and the Wright Brothers National Memorial we can building in the world is just shy of 3,000 feet, and even the see the delicate, narrow shape of the Outer Banks from Empire State Building is only 1,250 feet high.) Oregon Inlet to Duck before some low-lying afternoon Somehow I manage to convince my feet to inch their way clouds on the horizon block our sight. Sven even points out to the small rectangular ledge under the plane’s wing. I wish I the unmistakable shadow of the triangle shipwreck that lies could take credit for the next part, but by mutual agreement off the coast at Second with Sven beforehand, Street, and a number he’s the one who actually To some extent, my body, and all the of other topographical takes the leap. At this point sensations that go along with being features I might never I’m just along for the ride. have noticed before. I polled dozens of peophysically present in the world, ceases to ple before this moment, At one point Colington exist for the next 30 seconds. and they all told me that Island looks like a the feeling is indescribfire-breathing dragon, but from a different point of reference it looks like a camel’s able. That there’s no comparable word in the English lanhead. It’s like a game of finding shapes in the clouds, only in guage that adequately compares to the sensation of freefalling from a plane. Perhaps that’s really why I’m here right now; reverse order. But here’s the thing: this joyride is only part of why we’re in a state of hubris I thought I could prove them all wrong. As it turns out, they were right. This is nothing like fallup here. Eventually we have to get back down, and the only ing, or floating, or flying, or any other term you might try way to do that is to jump. As we approach 9,000 feet, Sven begins to attach his to attribute to a physical act that seems as though it might harness to mine (cue more yogic breathing), and once we’re apply. The best way I might personally describe it is by saying securely connected he rolls up the garage-style door direct- it involves an acute awareness of hurtling through space. To ly beside us. Though I’ve been trying to block out several in- some extent, my body, and all the sensations that go along ternal monologues about the advisability of my most recent with being physically present in the world, ceases to exist for life choices, this is when several things hit me at once. One, the next 30 seconds.
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Inset left: Amelia and her tandem instructor, Sven Jseppi, on the plane ride up, then screaming through freefall. Inset above: Kati Wilkins and instructor Pete Schwartz soar through the air (photos courtesy OBX Skydive); once back on the ground, the author, quite literally, cannot believe she just did that (photo by K. Wilkins Photography).
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BREAKFAST WEEKENDS 8-11 A.M.
252.491.8100
But if I was forced to pick only one word to describe the act of freefalling, I think I would say it’s transcendent. Simply put, that just means that it lies beyond the limits of how we ordinarily experience things. As Kati would later say, to her it felt like an out of body experience, of being uniquely (and fleetingly) positioned to look out over the edge of the world. However we may choose to describe it after the fact — perhaps it’s a lack of bodily sensations, perhaps it’s too many of them coming at us all at once — freefalling, at approximately 120 miles per hour or 174 feet per second no less, is loud. Until, almost miraculously, Sven deploys our parachute at 5,000 feet and about 1,000 feet later we’re jolted into a vertical position, dangling in relative silence under the canopy. “It wasn’t that bad, was it?” asks Sven as I try to catch my breath (and still my rapidly beating heart). “How do you like the view from my office?” It’s spectacular, and I tell him so, but oh my goodness, I still can’t completely wrap my head around the fact that I just did this. Under his expert supervision, I take the toggles and gently steer our parachute from side to side before letting him twirl us full circle for yet another panoramic view of the land below — a sight that I’m incapable of fully taking in even though I know I’ll never entirely forget it either. Contrary to all my expectations, we land so gently that I’m already having a hard time remembering why exactly I was so anxious about this excursion. Truth be told, I’m wondering if there’s still time to go up for a second round, but it’s late in the day, and my immediate willingness to test my boundaries once again can probably be chalked up to an uncharacteristic surge of adrenaline. Regardless, I feel as though I’ve conquered something personally significant, and for the first time I understand how much it means to willingly risk facing that edge. “Thanks for taking me skydiving,” says Sven as we give each other a congratulatory high-five. “Now you know why we do this.” NORTHBEACHSUN.COM
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EVERYTHING ELSE UNDER THE
Sun
Off the beaten path
Fall Fests
Hang 10.
Surfalorus Film Festival September 15 – 17
Cool surf films and fun aquatic activities (like a surf craft exhibit at the Dare County Arts Council gallery in Manteo) are the perfect combination for fall fun on the OBX. This collaboration between the DCAC and Wilmington, N.C.’s Cucalorus Film Festival is in its fifth year and the surf is totally up! Family friendly and FREE, the festival features international, regional and local surf films at different locations on the OBX. Screening locations and times will be released soon. For more information about Surfalorus, call (252) 473-5558 or keep an eye on the websites: darearts.org and surfalorus.com.
Go Fish. Day at the Docks
September 15 – 17 Head to Hatteras Village and spend a couple of days celebrating all things fishy. Spend some time with the folks that work on or near the water, the Hatteras watermen. Eat great seafood, check out seafood cooking demos, have a look at fishing boats and gear, enjoy fishing industry skills (last year there was a fish toss competition!), live music and games for the kiddos. There’s even a Fishy 5K fun run and, of course, the blessing of the fleet. It’s absolutely worth the drive down south. Get the latest schedule of events at hatterasonmymind.com or find them on Facebook at Day at the Docks-Hatteras Village, N.C.
Crabdaddy – A Currituck Crab Feast September 24
Ah, fall on the OBX.
Cooler temps and less crowded conditions seem to put a smile on everyone’s face. The pace slows, and visitors and locals alike find themselves with just a little more free time. So what to do? Luckily, fall is when festivals are abundant and the choices are as varied as they are many! Lists and calendars abound (there’s one at the front of this paper), so let’s check out a few that are newish or a bit off the beaten path.
By Dawn Church
Kick Off.
Bluegrass at Island Farm
September 20
We’ve all heard about the Outer Banks Bluegrass Island Festival, but this tasty little event at Island Farm is brand new for 2016! This kick-off event will benefit the nonprofit Farm, and features all-star bluegrass bands Sideline and Nu-Blu. The show runs from 6 to 8 p.m., and you’ll want to bring your own lawn chairs or blankets for a picnic complete with awesome bluegrass and yummy food from Darrell’s 2 BBQ and Seafood. If you have a good time, you can check out the rest of the Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival, held September 21 – 24. Tickets are $25 and are available at bluegrassisland.com.
Dare 2 Care OBX Shred Fest October 1
Hidden Outer Banks is the lovechild of longtime local Dawn Church. She reminds locals and visitors alike to explore the rich history and local color that exists beyond the bright lights of the Bypass. Find HOBX at hiddenouterbanks.com and facebook.com/hiddenouterbanks.
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NORTH BEACH SUN FALL 2016
This brand new festival will feature seven (!) live bands along with demos from professional skateboarders and BMX bikers at the Outer Banks Event Site on the soundside in Nags Head from 2 to 9 p.m. This event is a fundraiser to help bring awareness, support and healing to local area veterans and special needs communities. They’ll have a silent auction, an art vendor village, local food, a kid zone and a showcase of area nonprofits. General admission tickets are $20, veterans and students (ages 6-18) are $15, and kids five and under are FREE with a ticketed adult. Find out more at dare2careobx.com.
Shred.
Head back across the bridge to Sanctuary Vineyards next to The Cotton Gin and spend the day picking crabs, chowing down on local tapas, stomping grapes and grooving on live music. Oh, and you can count on wine and hayrides, too. Tickets are $30 per person or $50 per couple and include a souvenir wine glass, local beer and wine sampling, and two food vouchers. More info can be found on Sanctuary Vineyards' Facebook page.
Get Crabby. Jam On. Hatterasity
October 6 – 8 The coolest little festival on the Eastern Seaboard rides again! It’s a three-day bluegrass block party with local food; regional and national bands such as Special Consensus, Blackwater Tradition, Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass, Crop Circle Agents and more; tours of Hatteras Island; kids programs and late night jams. The main event is held at the Hatteras Village Civic Center. Tickets are $25 per day or $50 for the weekend and are half price for hardworking Hatteras Island locals. Check for schedules, tickets and updates online at hatterasitybluegrass.com.
NORTHBEACHSUN.COM
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It's ALL Good! Open Year Rou nd
ner in D & h c n u L Serving
Mile
9.5
World Famous Fish Tacos
Milepost 9.5 • Highway 158 in KDH • 252.441.7889 • MamaKwans.com
Open For Lunch & Dinner (We’ll Be Closed Mondays After Labor Day)
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Captain Gr
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LOcals Summer: Laid Back At Bonzer Shack!
Stop By And See Your Friends. Follow the Fun on Facebook! 44
MP9 on the Beach Rd. • Kill Devil Hills • BonzerShack.com • 252.480.1010
NORTH BEACH SUN FALL 2016