North Beach Sun Holiday 2016

THE WORLD’S

OYSTER FARME D ON THE OUTE R BANKS

FREE!

HOLIDAY 2016 | VOLUME 119 NORTHBEACHSUN.COM

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2016

‘Tis the season for chocolate… famous chocolate covered

HOP best ICE CRoElAamteS shop best choc

caramel marshmallows, chocolate dipped cherries, peppermint patties, and chocolate covered Oreos. Local chocolatiers and owners of Big Buck’s Homemade Ice Cream Shop, Belinda and Juraj Pleva, make it all, right here and by hand on the Outer Banks. After years of study in Europe, they’ve perfected their recipe by merging different cocoa percentages to create their own utterly amazing blend of creamy, full-flavored and smooth Belgian chocolate.

Order your chocolate gift boxes online!

Whether it’s custom corporate gift boxes for employees or clients, a jaw-dropping chocolate station for holiday parties, a mouth-watering treat for those on Santa’s nice list, or a delicious hot fudge sundae and the best hot chocolate on the beach for your elves, Big Buck’s Homemade Ice Cream Shop has all of your holiday needs covered.

Give the gift this year that everyone will love… chocolate!

Now accepting chocolate station bookings for holiday parties and 2017 weddings.

Customize your own station, or let us create one for you.

Come visit our booth at the 2017 Outer Banks Wedding Expo.

Our new ice cream shop & coffee house location!

Waterfront Shops Manteo 252-423-3118

Buccaneer’s Walk MP 4.5, Kitty Hawk 252-715-0779

Timbuck II Corolla 252-453-3188

106A Sir Walter Raleigh St. Manteo 252-423-3400

bigbucksicecream.com • distinctdelights.com

ORDER ONLINE!

Like us on Facebook for updates, store hours, specials, and more.

2016

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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.

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NORTH BEACH SUN HOLIDAY 2016

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In a hurry? Get it to go for a delicious meal wherever your day takes you!

MANTEO WATERFRONT

The Waterfront Shops, 207 Queen Elizabeth Avenue, Manteo 252-423-3133 • hungrypiratecafe.com

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28 22 h o l i d ay 2 0 1 6

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BUT FIRST...

8 fall EVENTS CALENDAR

community 10 a century By the sea

St. Andrew's By-the-Sea marks 100 years 12 this town's got heart

Adoption rates soar at the Outer Banks SPCA 14 exceptional students / exceptional athletes

Six of the best from two local high schools

food & beverage 16 amanda's kitchen

Recipes for peace

REAL ESTATE outdoors 17 board banter

Hurricane Hype 18 the world's oyster

Farming for oysters in local waters 4

NORTH BEACH SUN HOLIDAY 2016

lifestyle 22 the thrill of history

The search for ancient arrowheads 24 b.s. in parenting

Outtakes make life beautifully imperfect

folks 25 in the wink of an eye

Wink's market has everything you need 26 behind the glass

Manteo's foremost framer/museum curator Hubby Bliven

arts & entertainment 28 artists of a feather

The feather works of Red Tail Arts

everything else under the sun 30 so what do y'all do in the winter? about the cover: Pat Leonard holds up a locally farmed example of Bodie Island Oysters. Photo by Cory Godwin Productions. this page: Photos clockwise from left by Cory Godwin Productions, courtesy of John Graves, Cory Godwin Productions, K. Wilkins Photography.

Discover What’s New at the Cotton Gin

Est.1929

cottongin.com

Awarded 2015 NC Wine Grower of the Year Free Tastings • Free Tours

Cotton Gin & Sanctuary Vineyards

6957 Caratoke Hwy. • Jarvisburg, NC (winery at 7005 Caratoke Hwy.) • 252-491-2387

Cotton Gin

789 Sunset Blvd.

Corolla, NC 252-453-4446

Cotton Gin

1185 Duck Rd. Duck, NC 252-261-2387

Cotton Gin

5151 S. Croatan Hwy. Nags Head, NC 252-449-2387

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117 SUMMER 2016 | VOLUME

MAGAZINE INSIDE!

REMEMBER

WHALEBON JUNCTION E ALL THE

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SMALL THINGS VISIT

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ODDITIES

THE

OF ALL

Publishers Adam & Cathy Baldwin EDITOR Cathy Baldwin Art Director Dave Rollins Graphic Design Adam Baldwin Writers Cathy Baldwin Amelia Boldaji Dawn Church Lindsey Beasley Dianna Katrina Mae Leuzinger Amanda McDanel Jeffrey Myers Kip Tabb Michelle Wagner

GRAPEVINES

COPY EDITORS Amelia Boldaji Michelle Wagner

ON ROANOKE ISLAND 400-YEAR-OLD VINE FLOURISHES

Photography Cory Godwin Productions Patti Harrell Photography Ryan Moser K. Wilkins Photography Sales Manager Helen Furr

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NORTH BEACH SUN 115 West Meadowlark St. Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 252.449.4444 phone 252.715.1303 fax

Account Executives Sue Goodrich Tori Peters Distribution Bob & Glen Baldwin

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Casual Outer Banks Dining LOCATED IN HISTORIC LIFESAVING STATION # 6

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NORTH BEACH SUN HOLIDAY 2016

In the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew, the Outer Banks community came together to help one another. Family members and friends (from left to right) Acra Styron, Leanne Robinson, Jessica Delosreyes and Nikki Deane clean out the flooded Hatteras Village home of Mary Styron (far right). Photo

by Patti Harrell Photography.

BUT FIRST...

The Next Leader of the Free World (As Seen Through the Eyes of Local Kids)

From the Publisher

As the North Beach Sun winter issue goes to the press, we are just days before the election that decides America’s next president. No matter what side of the party lines you sit on, most can agree that this presidential race hasn’t been pretty. So, in an effort to remind us what really makes America great (hint: it’s not a candidate), we caught up with local elementary school children to find out what they want in our next president—whoever he or she may be.

Writing is a lot like giving birth: it’s uncomfortable, you feel naked and exposed, and you just want the whole thing to be over. But—after all the agonizing—when it’s finally done, there’s the sweet

sense of relief and (hopefully!) pride in what’s been created.

That “birth” moment always gives me amnesia. I forget how hard it was and how long I struggled. I’m just grateful for the end result. Often, I’m just grateful it’s over.

This is the 20th issue Adam and I have published since taking over the North Beach Sun five years ago, which means I’ve felt this roller coaster of emotions 20 times. There have been plenty of late nights, weekends, growing pains, and even a flood that forced us to relocate. I have new gray hairs that I absolutely attribute to quarterly deadlines. But, in spite of it all (or maybe because of it, since we’re a stubborn group), we’ve churned out 20 magazines.

We started this endeavor at a time when people said print was dying—or dead, even. But, thankfully, we haven’t found that to be true. In fact, we’ve continued to hold strong in an age that values click-throughs and Google search engine rankings.

In the beginning, I used to worry that we’d run out of story ideas. After each issue I’d panic and wonder what in the world we were going to write about in the next one. But I underestimated our community and our slogan: “Good News for the Outer Banks.” It just so happens, there are tons of stories out there because there are plenty of good people doing good things every day.

It’s our mission, really, to focus on the positive and shine a light on those who are making a difference in our community. “Good News for the Outer Banks” isn’t just our tagline, it’s our philosophy. And maybe that’s why we’re still relevant and you’re still reading. Thank you for that.

Here’s to the next 20! May they be overflowing with good news.

-Cathy Baldwin

I want a leader that makes America a better place to live.

– Gray (age 8)

Probably ilary cliton (spelled as spoken), because she’s for the children. I heard that on t.v. Also, I want a woman president because they are the nicest.

– Foz (age 6)

I want the president to give Mom and Dad more money.

– Grayson (age 5)

The next president needs be kind, safe, special, nice, helpful and loving and also make school buses safer because they need seatbelts.

– Harbor (age 6)

I want a president who lets us play video games at school!

– Cole (age 9)

I think the sun has a lot of energy and our president should use it to shine brighter and make things move and do good things for the earth.

– Mayla (age 4)

I want the president to be helpful and respect themselves and others.

– Finn (age 6)

I would like the president to give us more play time at recess.

– Ryan (age 6) NORTHBEACHSUN.COM

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Events Holiday 2016

Get more info on events at

northbeachsun.com

Calendar

21st Annual Advice 5K Turkey Trot November 24

WinterLights Grand Illuminations November 25

Kick off the holiday season with the Grand Illumination of WinterLights, a million-light winter wonderland at The Elizabethan Gardens that runs through January. Check the website for dates and times. elizabethangardens.org

Start your Thanksgiving off right by burning calories in the annual 5K Turkey Trot in Duck. Proceeds go toward the Advice 5K Turkey Trot Charitable Endowment. advice5.com Thanksgiving Day 5K November 24

Begin Thanksgiving Day with a 5K at historic Whalehead in the shadow of the Currituck Lighthouse. theobxrunningcompany.com Outer Banks Running Club Gobbler 5K and Fun Run November 24

The Gobbler 5K takes runners on a course through the Village of Nags Head on Thanksgiving morning. outerbanksrunningclub.org

Hanging with Santa November 25 – 26

Take the kids by Kitty Hawk Kites across from Jockey’s Ridge in Nags Head on Friday or Saturday for a visit and pictures with Saint Nick. kittyhawk.com Book Signings November 26, December 2

Join local authors for book signings at Downtown Books in Manteo. duckscottage.com

Pictures with Santa November 26, December 3, 10, 17

Stop by The Cottage Shop on one of the Saturdays between Thanksgiving and Christmas for a photo op with St. Nick. cottageshop.com Gingerbread Decorating November 29 – 30

Join families at Argyle’s Restaurant for its long-standing tradition of gingerbread house decorating. icingonthecakes.com Christmas Arts and Crafts Fair November 26

The Outer Banks Woman’s Club sponsors this annual arts and crafts fair with more than 40 vendors at the Baum Center.

Kites with Lights November 26

Watch the night sky over Jockey’s Ridge as enormous kites with festive lights soar above. kittyhawk.com

The Big Curri-shuck November 26

First Friday December 2

Enjoy all-you-can eat local steamed oysters from I Got Your Crabs restaurant, bar-b-que, local wine and live music from 12 to 5 p.m. at Sanctuary Vineyards in Jarvisburg. sanctuaryvineyards.com

Downtown Manteo comes alive on the first Friday of each month through December from 6 to 8 p.m.

Manteo Christmas Celebrations December 2 – 3

3rd Annual Beach Food Pantry Holiday Chefs Challenge December 1

Watch the boat parade and Grand Illumination in front of the historic Manteo courthouse during First Friday, and then enjoy the Christmas parade through downtown Manteo on Saturday. townofmanteo.com

Top local chefs compete against each other to raise money for the Beach Food Pantry. Enjoy an evening of delicious food, live music, prize baskets, raffles and more at the Hilton Garden Inn in Kitty Hawk. beachfoodpantry.org

The Night Before Christmas December 3

28th Annual Outer Banks Hotline Festival of Trees December 1 – 3

Rainbow Puppet Productions presents The Night Before Christmas at the Indoor Theatre at Roanoke Island Festival Park. roanokeisland.com

This three-day event at the Outer Banks Brewing Station includes a visit with Santa, activities for children, a holiday social, and an auction of donated and decorated Christmas trees. The Festival of Trees is a fundraiser for Outer Banks Hotline, a local nonprofit organization that aids victims of domestic and sexual abuse. obxfestivaloftrees.com

12th Annual Holiday Tour of Homes December 3

This home tour put on by the Manteo Preservation Trust begins at Outer Banks Distilling on Budleigh Street.

(252) 473-7336

features our same world famous

seafood buffet

$27.99

seven days a week

Dec. 1, 2016 - Feb. 28, 2017

705 S. CROATAN HWY | MP 8.5 | 252.480.6677 WWW.CAPTAINGEORGES.COM Book your special events with us!

REHEARSALS • BREAKFASTS • LUNCHES • DINNERS • MEETINGS

G E A R S A L E KAYAKS • SURFBOARDS • PADDLEBOARDS • BIKES • ACCESSORIES

Choose from our wide selection of kayaks, surfboards, stand-up paddleboards, bikes and other great equipment.

Best selection of oysters on the beach Full service lunch & dinner Award winning crabcakes, steaks, and Outer Banks Catch Don’t forget our Half Price Wednesday Oyster Special.

Check us out on Facebook for more Winter Specials!

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NORTH BEACH SUN HOLIDAY 2016

C OROLL A • DUCK • NAGS HEAD • RODANTHE Coastal Provisions Oyster Bar & Wine Bar Café 1 Ocean Blvd. Southern Shores CoastalProvisionsOBX.com • 252-480-0023

K H S U R F. C O M

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Holiday Feast & WinterLights Combo December 3

Tour the festive WinterLights and enjoy a delicious holiday feast at the The Elizabethan Gardens. elizabethangardens.org Duck’s Yuletide Celebration December 3

Enjoy live music from Just Playin’ Dixieland and carols from the First Flight High School choir while waiting for Santa to arrive by fire truck and light the town’s Crab Pot Tree on the Duck Town Green. townofduck.com 3rd Annual Light Up the Night Glow Run December 9

Run, walk or ride through downtown Manteo's beautiful Christmas lights.

(252) 305-8343 Wings Over Water Encore Session December 9 – 11

This encore session of the Wings Over Water festival focuses primarily on migratory birds and waterfowl. wingsoverwater.org

Free Fall Saturday Red Wolf Howling December 10

Meet at the Creef Cut Wildlife Trail on the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge to hear red wolves in the only place in the world where they still exist in the wild.

(252) 216-9464 Christmas Past at Island Farm December 10

St. Nicholas arrives on an ox-drawn wagon to visit and take pictures with children at the farmhouse. theislandfarm.com 113th Annual Celebration of the Wright Brothers First Flight December 17

This milestone will be celebrated at the Wright Brothers National Memorial, the same place the very first flight occurred. firstflight.org 4th Annual Outer Banks Festivus Road Race 5K/10K, Jingle Jog 1 Mile, and the Little Elf ¼ Mile December 18

The OBX Running Company hosts this oceanside run through Southern Shores that includes a morning photo op with Santa. theobxrunningcompany.com

Women of the World February 18

2017 Wedding Weekend and Expo January 14 – 15

Meet local wedding professionals, take a tour of venues and restaurants and register to win wedding giveaways, including the chance to win a Dream Wedding, at this two-day expo at First Flight Middle School and First Flight High School. obxwa.com Donald Sinta Quartet January 21

Enjoy the harmonious sounds of this award-winning acapella quartet at First Flight High School’s auditorium. outerbanksforum.org March of Dimes Signature Chef’s Auction February 26

Top local chefs compete and offer live auction packages in this black tie optional fundraiser for the March of Dimes at Duck Woods Country Club from 5 to 9 p.m. sbaker@marchofdimes.org Mardi Gras Gala March 4

This internationally-renowned saxophone quartet is guaranteed to mesmerize at First Flight High School’s auditorium. outerbanksforum.org Frank Stick Memorial Art Show January 28 - February 24

Local art, ranging from conceptual to realistic, will be on display for the public to view at this month-long show at Glenn Eure’s Ghost Fleet Gallery.

(252) 473-5558

Enjoy a New Orleans-themed buffet and live music during this gala to benefit the Children at Play Museum at Sanctuary Vineyards in Grandy. childrenatplayobx.com 28th Annual Kelly’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade March 12

OBX Taste of the Beach March 23 – 26

This four-day event sponsored by the Dare County Restaurant Association features tapas crawls, wine tastings, cooking classes, brewery tours and much more. obxtasteofthebeach.com Barefoot Movement March 25

Savor the sophisticated sounds of this energetic Nashville-based group at the First Flight High School auditorium. outerbanksforum.org Outer Banks Wedding Meet & Greet April 1

Sanderling Resort hosts this wedding meet and greet for brides and local wedding vendors. weddings@sanderling-resort. com Flying Pirate Half Marathon & First Flight 5K April 22 – 23

Take part in the largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the state, complete with floats, marching bands and live music. kellysrestaurant.com

Run 13.1 miles through the Outer Banks on this fun, pirate-themed half marathon that culminates in a Pirate Jamboree in Nags Head. flyingpiratehalfmarathon.com

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9

community

A Century b y th e S e a

By Amelia Boldaji

There is a panorama — possibly taken in the 1920s with a $2 Kodak camera — that depicts old Nags Head from sound to sea.

It shows a virtually barren landscape that’s dotted with a handful of structures lining the far eastern and western sides of the island. In between the two is a dune that’s hard to identify by name so many years later, and a stretch of sand that appears completely uninhabited.

But pictures tell stories. And if you look long or hard enough, you can just make out the faint impression of a tiny chapel that’s firmly rooted in that seemingly desolate space. Taken out of context, it might easily be dismissed as an apparition, but it’s not. This is one of the few historic images of St. Andrew’s By-the-Sea — as it once was, and in many ways, how it continues to live on today. And this is only a small part of its story.

In the Beginning The Outer Banks has been considered a summertime vacation destination for much longer than many people realize. Wealthy families from nearby counties such as Perquimans, Chowan, Pasquotank and Bertie were drawn to this area in the early 1800s because of a widespread medical belief that breathing salt air and bathing in the ocean conferred health benefits — a particularly appealing notion since bouts of malaria regularly plagued inland communities during the hot, humid summer months.

Francis Nixon, a Perquimans County planter, is often credited as one of the first people to bring his family to Nags Head to escape the malarial season, and it’s said that others — or at least those who could afford it — quickly followed suit.

Traveling to the Outer Banks was no small endeavor at the time however. Those early visitors routinely arrived on large steamers that also carried everything from household slaves to livestock such as horses, cows and chickens. Even though the houses they constructed here were no match for the vast estates they left behind for a few months, it seems as though they tried to replicate all the comforts they enjoyed at home as much as possible.

That included constructing a small Episcopal chapel called All Saints House of Prayer in 1849. Though the exact location of the original All Saints is still unknown, it was reportedly in the vicinity of the soundside docks and Nags Head’s only hotel at the time. Perhaps even more importantly, the chapel was primarily used and

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NORTH BEACH SUN HOLIDAY 2016

maintained by those summertime visitors. When the season ended, the chapel also closed its doors until its congregation returned the following spring.

Wartime Changes While early documents may remain spotty, it’s safe to say that many things changed on the Outer Banks with the advent of the American Civil War. Though it might seem odd to think about this area as a strategic military location in modern-day times, that’s exactly how these barrier islands were viewed once the war broke out and both Union and Confederate forces battled for access to all-important coastal shipping routes.

Within the first year of official hostilities, Confederate troops claimed the old Nags Head Hotel as their headquarters. That success was fleeting, however, as Union General Ambrose Burnside’s forces quickly gained the upper hand on nearby Roanoke Island. In an effort to hinder Union forces, the Confederates burned down the hotel before retreating.

The Nags Head Hotel wasn’t this area’s only structural wartime casualty by any means. By the time the war ended in 1865, All Saints (which would barely have been more than a decade and a half old at the time) had also been completely dismantled in order to construct houses for liberated slaves who increasingly sought refuge in Roanoke Island’s Freedmen’s Colony.

Reparations and Rebuilding The families that frequented the Outer Banks during the antebellum era might not have been quite so prosperous after the war, but that didn’t stop them from eventually returning to their favorite resort town. And even though the physical location of All Saints was long gone, they continued to hold summertime services in the newly rebuilt Nags Head Hotel or in private residences for almost a half century.

All that changed once again when Congress finally approved wartime reparations in 1911. A petition for “a church at Nags Head” was approved, which awarded the Protestant Episcopal Church of East Carolina $856 – though when all was said and done, approximately $700 was available to rebuild the chapel.

At the time, the Reverend Dr. Robert Brent Drane, rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Edenton, regularly summered in Nags Head with his congregation.

Not only did he apparently relish the idea of rebuilding

Courtesy Outer Banks History Center Courtesy St. Andrew's / Outer Banks History Center

Courtesy St. Andrew's / Outer Banks History Center

Photo by Ryan Moser

it easier for parishioners to access the chapel’s front doors from the road, it was also rotated 180 degrees so that the altar faced west for the first time.

And there were other surprises in store. Almost miraculously, the large cast iron bell that once belonged to the original All Saints chapel was located on a farm in Nixonton, N.C., and returned to the Outer Banks. While it’s still a mystery how the bell was preserved for so long and ultimately ended up so far northwest on the mainland, such a remarkable find inspired the St. Andrew’s congregation to construct a chapel belfry while other repairs were being made after the move.

Twine, of course, oversaw those repairs and renovations as he always did. Almost two decades later he also made some other additions to St. Andrew’s, including new living quarters for visiting clergy (which unfortunately required covering up a large Gothic-style glass window behind the altar) and two large porches on the south and west sides of the chapel. In 1977 Relocation and Renewal St. Andrew’s, and many of the That might have been the original Unpainted Aristocracy end of the story, but the Outer cottages Twine constructed, Banks has historically been subofficially became part of the ject to all manner of storms that Nags Head Cottage Historic have shaped — and reshaped District when they were placed — this area, and St. Andrew’s fuon the National Register of ture wasn’t exempt from those Historic Places. changes.

While St. Andrew’s has Like many other structures, continued to grow over the the chapel weathered a number decades, the chapel largely reof storms over the years, but a mains the same as it was a cenparticularly damaging storm in tury ago. Year-round services 1933 left St. Andrew’s in a low-lyThe recovered bell hangs in the church are now held there each week ing swale that made it increasbelfry.

Photo courtesy of Dave Huff in a space that can only be deingly difficult to get to, parand St. Andrew's. scribed as peaceful and cozy, ticularly when the chapel was with a vaulted ceiling that disurrounded by standing water rects the eyes upward.

But perhaps Florence Nash, and congregants were swarmed with mosquitoes.

Drane’s granddaughter, said it best as she looked back Inconveniences aside, Virginia Dare Trail (otherwise known as the beach road) was also constructed on the years she spent growing up by the sea in the at this point, which effectively encouraged people to shadow of St. Andrew’s: “Across the road behind the cottage, in a surround relocate to, or build on, the eastern side of the island in larger numbers than ever. With all these factors in of low dunes, sat St. Andrew’s By-the-Sea, plain as a seashell. Its walls were unpainted pine, fragrant in the sommind, Drane proposed moving St. Andrew’s entirely.

His proposal was unanimously approved in 1935. nolent air that came through the open windows with During the winter of 1937, Twine supervised the chap- the glare off the dunes and the occasional faint hum of el’s move approximately 680 feet southeast to its a car along the beach road. The altar vases were filled present location on the beach road — a feat likely ac- with sea oats. Sitting in that clean, quiet space, washed complished with Twine’s preferred moving method of and dressed and momentarily subdued, we were on sticking black-gum rollers under buildings and working comfortable terms with God and Jesus and underwith a crew to hand roll them over the sand. To make stood the meaning of blessings.” the old chapel, he also contracted the well-known builder and Elizabeth City native, Stephen J. Twine — a man who was locally, and affectionately, known by many as “Old Man String.”

Twine’s reputation preceded him both then and now. In the early 1900s Twine had already begun to build a number of architecturally distinct cottages in Nags Head that he designed to weather the unique local elements, including a number of oceanfront cottages that still stand there today and are known informally as the “Unpainted Aristocracy.”

Twine hand drew plans for the new chapel according to Drane’s specifications, and by August of 1915 a contract was signed which stated that Twine would be paid $327.50 for his labor — plus an additional $6 for the chapel’s privy.

Less than a year later the chapel was complete. It was consecrated on August 6, 1916, but this time it bore a new name: St. Andrew’s By-the-Sea.

The relatively newly built St. Andrew's chapel at its original location (top). St. Andrew's after its 1937 move to the beach road (middle left). St. Andrew's today (middle right). The chapel (circled) can barely be made out in this old Nags Head panorama, circa 1920s (below, photo merging and cleanup courtesy of Ray Matthews).

NORTHBEACHSUN.COM

11

This town’s got heart

Danielle Vale, the Outer Banks SPCA's lead animal care technician, spends some quality time with Linda. Photo courtesy of John Graves.

Furever Friends

The Outer Banks SPCA became home to seven new dogs in October.

Once bound for a dog meat farm in Jeonju, South Korea, these canines were given a second chance at life.

Scout, Betty, Linda, Luna, Buddie Girl, Sandy and Bailey were among 31 dogs rescued by Humane Society International. The dogs have gone from being destined to become someone’s dinner, to being loved, cared for, and thoroughly spoiled by the staff and volunteers at the SPCA while they await adoption.

While these pooches made headlines, most of the other dogs, cats and sometimes goats the SPCA cares for usually have somewhat less exotic origins.

“We usually get 50 percent owner surrender and 50 percent stray,” says Director John Graves.

Graves has been working in the animal welfare field for 10 years, and has been director of the Outer Banks SPCA for the past three. He has nine dogs and many cats himself, and sports a large tattoo proclaiming: “Spay/neuter saves lives.”

To say that animal welfare is an issue near and dear to his heart is undoubtedly an understatement. That may be why he’s worked so hard to make life better for the animals at the SPCA. In addition to expansions like the new dog runs in the backyard, adding a “catwalk” (high shelves for the cats to climb on), and an isolation area for sick cats, he and his team have been working to increase enrichment opportunities for 12

NORTH BEACH SUN HOLIDAY 2016

the animals such as taking them to play in the YMCA’s pool at their annual Splash and Play event.

But the biggest change has been a dramatic and highly successful push to increase adoptions. Since 2012, pet adoptions have increased from 400 to more than 800 annually. Along with giving much of the credit for that to his crew, Graves says that most of the difference has been in making adoptions more accessible and educational. Anyone who’s ever adopted a pet knows the screening process prospective pet owners must go through. Some rescue groups can be incredibly strict on their requirements, excluding people who work long hours, don’t meet certain income criteria, or don’t have a fenced-in yard. The Outer Banks SPCA screens potential pet owners, but they’ve eliminated a lot of those strict provisions.

“Someone who works a lot or doesn’t have a lot of money can still be a great pet owner,” says Graves, who stresses that in most cases, any pet placed with a family is going to be in a better situation than a pet that’s stuck at the shelter.

They also do everything they can to make sure new pet owners have all the tools they need to take care of their new furbaby. The pets at the SPCA come spayed/neutered, micro-chipped, evaluated by a veterinarian, vaccinated, and with 30 days of health insurance, all for a very small adoption fee that’s quite frequently waived or reduced by promotions.

They offer new dog owners behavior modification classes to train their pups with the hope that better education will encourage pet retention.

Adoption Rates Soar at the Outer Banks SPCA

By Katrina Mae Leuzinger “If you have any behavior issues, you can come back to us.

We become a resource. You can call us,” says Graves.

There are still many ways you can help, even if you don’t have room for a new pet in your home.

“Anything you could possibly want to do to help animals, you can do here,” stresses Graves. That includes everything from working directly with the animals to pet photography and clerical work done in the comfort of your own home. The SPCA is also always looking for more people to come take the dogs for walks or hang out with the cats.

Its foster program allows potential owners to take a pet home for as long as a few months or as brief as an afternoon at the beach. At the time of this writing, when Hurricane Matthew was bearing down on the Outer Banks, the SPCA was looking for “storm fosters” to take animals home during the weather-related chaos. It’s much less glamorous, but they also desperately need volunteers to clean cages and litter boxes. And in addition to cash donations, they could use plenty of old blankets, bleach, dog food, cat and kitten food and lots of kitty litter.

The current batch of staff and volunteers is working hard to take in every animal and make their lives as good as possible. Graves himself says he works nine to 12 hours a day, six days a week.

“It’s a lot of work for not a lot of money with not a lot of staff. It gets overwhelming at times, but it’s definitely worth it,” says Graves.

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Manteo High School students Shumure Flowers, Lindsey Jones, and Chandler France (left to right).

EXCEPTIONAL

STUDENTS First Flight High School junior Alex Rodman remembers as a child racing the boys on the blacktop during recess—and winning. Classmate Braxton Hughes recalls playing a sport from about the time he was able to walk and throw a ball.

And for Manteo High School senior Lindsey Jones, her first memory of soccer is playing goalie in second grade and watching every single ball go by her.

Like Rodman, Hughes and Jones, many of Dare County’s stellar student athletes have memories of how they first fell in love with the sports they now excel in, stories of coaches who encouraged them and examples of how they’ve come out ahead. But regardless of their sport, the athletes in this group also seem to have something else in common. Some focus on one sport, many on multiple sports, but whatever these students do, they are exemplary whether on the playing field, in the classroom, or out in the community.

Alex Rodman began running for the First Flight Middle School track and field team in seventh grade and found she exceled in the mile and 800-meter events. “In ninth grade, I was asked to join the cross country team,” says Rodman, who has played soccer since she was young and is now the captain of First Flight’s varsity girl’s soccer team.

In February of 2016, Rodman won the 1,000-meter event at the NC 2A Indoor Track State Championship in Winston Salem with a time of 3:02, smashing her previous personal best of 3:11. She also earned her State Ring.

“I like the competition and I like winning,” Rodman says.

“I also love being in shape and love the team atmosphere.

Being on a team is an experience everyone should have in high school.”

During the spring, Rodman plays varsity soccer and is a member of the track and field team. Last year, she was part 14

NORTH BEACH SUN HOLIDAY 2016

of the four by 800-meter relay that placed third at the NC 2A Outdoor Track State Championship.

Rodman was also a regional cross country champion during the fall of 2015.

She stays busy off the track as well. She is Junior Class President at First Flight High School and a member of the environmental club, the Phytofinders Club and the Nighthawk News school newspaper.

Her advice to incoming freshmen: “Don’t be afraid to test yourself.”

“You have no idea what will happen,” Rodman says. “I never guessed I would win the state championship. I didn’t even know there was such a thing, but it will probably help me get into college.”

FFHS Athletic Director Ray Scott says Rodman excels in whatever she does. “Alex is probably one of the most talented female athletes we have. She runs long and short distances and is an exceptional soccer player,” he says.

Braxton Hughes, a FFHS junior, is not sure what sport he’d like to pursue in college. He has his pick.

In the spring, Hughes plays for the school’s baseball team as catcher, third base and outfield. During his sophomore year, he was chosen for the All-Conference Team and was the recipient of the Nighthawk Award his sophomore year. The award is given to an athlete who demonstrates

exceptional leadership skills, sportsmanship and team work.

Hughes also plays quarterback for the FFHS football team and center for the basketball team. He received the Most Improved Player award in both basketball and football while at First Flight Middle School.

Hughes says football coaches Jim Prince and Tommy Rhodes have been instrumental in helping him in the sport.

Off the field, Hughes taught himself Spanish so he could talk with his friends and classmates. He’s now learning Italian. He also spearfishes, surfs and plays piano.

His advice to incoming freshmen is to work hard in whatever you do. “And don’t take your high school years for granted,” says Hughes. “Enjoy it for as long as you can.”

Scott calls Hughes “a very coachable young man.”

“I’ve noticed this since he was in ninth grade. He’s smart and is probably one of the hardest working athletes we’ve had at this school.”

Hunter Crook, a FFHS senior, swims for the Nighthawk’s swim team as well as the OBX Swim Club. In March of this year, he qualified and competed in the NCSA Junior National Championships in Orlando, Fla. and earned his personal best times in the 1,000-yard, 1,500-meter, and 500-meter freestyle events.

The Junior National Championships is the competition just shy of the Olympic Trials.

“It’s always been a goal of mine to make it to Junior Nationals,” says Crook, who practices in the pool three hours a day. Crook was eight years old when he joined a neighborhood swim team in Charlotte, but began swimming competitively in 2010 when he became a member of the OBX Swim Club.

community

EXCEPTIONAL

ATHLETES

First Flight High School students Hunter Crook, Alex Rodman, and Braxton Hughes (left to right).

Photos by Ryan Moser / Story by Michelle Wagner “Hunter is a highly driven athlete who puts in a lot of work,” says First Flight Swim Coach David Elder. “He enjoys swimming hard and being part of a team.”

Crook is looking at a few colleges, including Queens University in Charlotte, N.C., Seattle University, Cleveland State University and Florida Atlantic University. “I’m waiting to see what I’m offered as far as scholarships and how I fit into the team,” says Crook.

Outside of the pool, Crook competes in local half marathons and triathlons, and as part of an internship, he works with English as a Second Language students at First Flight Elementary and First Flight Middle schools. He says he hopes to eventually go into the Peace Corps.

Shumure Flowers is a senior at Manteo High School and has been playing basketball and football since he was in fourth grade. Coming from an athletic family, he says his parents always encouraged him and his siblings to play sports.

He continued playing football in high school and has excelled, leading the team in tackles. “I always loved playing football because I could get all my energy out and football is different every week. You always have to go at it using different strategies.”

Flowers also excels on the basketball court, playing forward for the high school’s varsity team. He is a member of the school’s Friends of Rachel and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Flowers plans to attend either Appalachian State University or N.C. Central University where he hopes to continue to play club sports.

Flowers says he would encourage freshmen to play a sport every year. “If you didn’t play the year before, you will

regret it. During every game, they remind us as seniors how many games we have left.”

MHS Athletic Director Alfie Wheeler says he has had Flowers in the classroom for the past three years. “He is one of the hardest working young people I know, both in the classroom and on the field. The kids look up to him.”

Lindsey Jones, a MHS senior, plays center mid or striker for the Redskins women’s soccer team. She also plays for the tennis team and is considering going out for basketball this year as well.

Jones was captain of the varsity team last year and hopes to be again. She led her team to win the conference as a freshman and then again as a junior. While she wants to continue playing soccer in college if she gets a scholarship, Jones plans to focus on her academics and pursue a career in graphic design. Savannah College of Art and Design and Appalachian State are among the colleges she’s interested in.

“Soccer was an easy way to get daily exercise and I found that I had a talent in it,” says Jones, adding that one of her most inspirational coaches is Erin Groat of OBX Storm Soccer. “She’s the first female coach I’ve had, and I’d rather have a woman’s point of view as far as the sport.”

Jones says she also admires Megan Rapinoe of the National Women’s Soccer League.

Her advice to incoming freshmen would be to have respect for their coaches. “When I get mad out on the field, it’s at myself,” says Jones. “But I’ve learned confidence in myself and what I do out on the field, and that’s a big issue in women’s sports.”

Jones is MHS’s spirit chairman and has applied to be a

member of the National Honor Society.

Wheeler says Jones is extremely motivated and has taken on leadership roles on and off the field. “She leads by example,” says Wheeler.

MHS senior Chandler France remembers watching his father and grandfather play golf when he was five or six years old. “I just started playing around and got hooked,” France says.

By the time he got to middle school, he was winning awards, earning Most Valuable Player during seventh and eighth grade. He was named most improved in ninth grade and MVP again in eleventh grade.

“I’d like to keep playing as a hobby when I graduate,” says France. “I like it because you have to be mentally tough. Golf makes you think strategically.”

The coaches who have inspired him most are Bud Hendrix and Eddie Francis. But golf isn’t the only sport France plays.

He has also played basketball for MHS since his freshman year and earned Most Improved Player last year. France is member of the National Honor Society and hopes to attend UNC Chapel Hill next fall.

“Chandler is a great role model. He’s a good athlete and a good person,” says Wheeler. “He does tremendously well in the classroom.”

France says he would encourage students to appreciate their high school years. “Enjoy every moment and embrace it because it flies by.”

And for these Dare County athletes, there’s no doubt they are doing just that.

NORTHBEACHSUN.COM

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In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Stir in all the milk slowly so that lumps don't form. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.

Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately. Garnish with shredded cheese, green onions and sour cream.

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2 cups milk (2% or whole milk work best)

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5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

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5 tablespoons butter

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1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste

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½ teaspoon salt, or to taste

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OFFICIAL BALLOT * * * * *

3½ cups chicken stock

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OFFICIAL BALLOT

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¾ cup diced cooked ham

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3½ cups peeled and diced potatoes

Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and chicken stock in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

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PORK CANDIDATE

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HILZ Ham & Potato Soup

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Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 6 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in the bell peppers, salt and other spices. Sauté 1 minute.

Add rice; sauté 1 minute. Stir in broth and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add turkey and sausage; cover and cook for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with green onions.

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2 tablespoons sliced green onions

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6 ounces andouille sausage, chopped

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2 cups shredded cooked turkey

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1 (14.5-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained

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2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

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1 cup uncooked long-grain rice (white or brown both work)

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OFFICIAL BALLOT

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½ teaspoon black pepper

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NORTH BEACH SUN HOLIDAY 2016

¼-½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (depending how spicy you like it)

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½ teaspoon dried oregano

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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.

½ teaspoon salt

Optional: shredded cheese, green onions, sour cream

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MAKE A ER ICA TASTE GREM AT AGAIN

2½ teaspoons paprika

cup finely chopped onion

OFFICIAL BALLOT

TURKEY

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

cup diced celery

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turkey, grandpa carves the ham, sister brings the pumpkin pie, mom makes the Jell-O mold, and there’s not much variety from year to year. I’m not trying to rock the Thanksgiving, Christmas or Hanukkah boat; I’m simply inviting you to reconsider the reinvention of the feasts' remains: the leftovers.

One of the benefits of hosting a holiday meal is that while you slave over the stove for hours or days on end, not only are you rewarded with the gathering of family around your table, you are blessed with the holy grail of leftovers from the meal.

Often people can survive for days after a family feast without turning on a single appliance, save the microwave. Men have been known to wax poetically about the first turkey sandwich after the meal as even more exquisite than the meal itself, especially if it’s served couch side with football on the tube and followed by a tryptophan-induced nap. So while I won’t challenge your tried and true

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matters like these: it can be polarizing, spark furious debate and divide families. Yet this time of year, it must be discussed. *Deep breath.* Are you a turkey or ham person when it comes to holiday meals? There, I said it. The healing can now begin.

Most families have traditions when it comes to holiday meals: dad makes the

1 cup chopped green bell pepper

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During this election year, I want to talk about something very serious. Normally I tread lightly when it comes to

traditional family recipes this year, I will offer some suggestions on how to remake that turkey or ham into something entirely different.

It turns out, you’re either a leftover person or you’re not. Personally, I cook for about six to eight for my family of four because I hail the ease and goodness of leftovers. Whether for lunch or the next night’s dinner, it takes the pressure of preparing one more meal off my plate. My best friend on the other hand, will not even eat day-old pizza. She cooks very small portions, only enough to be consumed with 15 minutes of preparation, and starts over for the next meal.

The funniest part? She hates to cook.

In an effort to remedy both situations and bring turkey vs. ham and leftover vs. non-leftover eaters around the table in peace, I’m offering two simple recipes this month. When someone tells me they don’t like leftovers, it usually means they don’t like the exact same meal twice. If it’s not boredom and repetition, maybe the chewiness, off-texture or toughness registers as unappetizing to them. Both of these recipes remain wonderfully flavorful, use handy ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry, and are complete reinventions of your leftover holiday meats.

So carve up an extra large turkey or ham this holiday season, knowing that you can invite some fellow Outer Bankers to your dinner table to share in all of the blessings and send them home with doggy bags to feast on the following day. Tear out a copy of this article, staple it to a paper bag and send your guests home with whatever meat they side with—be it turkey or ham—and create a little more harmony and love during this election year. You’ll be sure to win, hands down!

1 teaspoon minced garlic

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1½ cups chopped onion

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By Amanda McDanel

*If you have leftover okra and/or shrimp, they make a delicious addition to this recipe!* 1 tablespoon olive oil

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Bringing Both Sides to the Holiday Table

POULTRY CANDIDATE

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Recipes for Peace

TRUMPed Turkey Jambalaya

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amanda’s kitchen

Hurricane Hype

board banter

To say we are vulnerable to our surroundings on the Outer Banks would be an understatement. With the sound to the west

and the sea to the east, we truly are one storm away from a community disaster.

That being said, aside from the headache of constant beach erosion, we have been extremely fortunate that Mother Nature has spared us a direct hit for some time now.

But every once in a while certain predictions will spur us into action. Businesses are boarded up and closed down, evacuations are made and sheer panic ensues at local grocery stores. And then, of course, there are all the headaches that come with all the rental cancellations at realty offices.

Business owners can literally watch numbers decline daily as a storm churns closer to our coastline.

Sounds like a complete nightmare, right?

Well, it sure is…unless you’re a surfer!

You see, living here on the East Coast, especially on the Outer Banks, we surfers start licking our chops as we see the tropics light up with any sort of promising storm activity.

The thoughts of mass destruction, flooding and electrical outages are all buried deep in the back of our minds during this season. Work gets neglected, girlfriends become jealous of our obsession, and wives build forts on couches that double for what most married folks know as “the dog house.”

We study the weather religiously, often jinxing our own campaign with onshore winds. Truly, the anticipation of the track is almost as fun as the actual surf we score from these radical weather patterns. We compare notes with friends,

By Jeffrey Myers

siblings, wives, children, coworkers, fellow surf acquainBusinesses reopen, visitors flood back in, yard work contances, our grocery store clerk, bartenders and even total sumes us and depending on the storm’s track, we all get back strangers. to living.

We completely obsess at this time of year.

But surfers possess that itch we cannot scratch as we What most may not know, and I can vouch for as I have continue to obsess about future storms since we still have a spent the last 20 years traveling the globe in search of per- few months to host world class surf in our backyard. If condifect surf, is that once the conditions come together on the tions are right, surfers from all over the world fly in hoping to Outer Banks, it gets as good as any beach break worldwide. catch classic Outer Banks conditions. Filmmakers and phoPerhaps it’s not the most consistent spot in the world, but it’s tographers also arrive to document these epic swell events among the top three on the East Coast. And when the winds as the East Coast becomes a media darling for all of the realign properly with the groundswell produced by these gional, national and international surfing publications and storms, there’s quite honestly no other place in the world I websites.

There is a small window in which even the local folk can would rather be.

But once these beasts pass, the aftermath can be brutal. catch the wave of his or her life, have it documented by a We endure massive beach erosion, roof and siding destruc- world class photographer and end up in one of the better tion from heavy winds, intense flooding, spoiled goods from known surf publications, maybe even on the cover. Retired power loss, and the list goes on and on. professional surfer and Outer Banks legend Jesse Hines After the storm, surfers are left to pick up the pieces of landed on the cover of Surfer magazine getting barreled in our personal lives due to the hiatus we all shared before, his own backyard. Making it on that magazine’s cover is conduring and after the storm. We’ll buy flowers for our wives or sidered one of the biggest accomplishments achievable girlfriends, tear down the dog house on the couch, order new in the surfing world, and something all of us surfers have surfboards to replace the ones we snapped during our surf dreamed about since we were little surf grommets.

I bid you all a very safe season and give proper thanks to binge, and pop aspirin for the muscles we tore during those four-hour sessions. We’ll peel from the sunburn we took on, Mother Nature for keeping life exciting on the Outer Banks, pick up shifts to make up for the void in finances during our both in and out of the sea! “sick days” and, well, just entertain normality as a Jeffrey Myers is a professional surfer who has spent the last 20 years circling whole after sharing what the globe in search of perfect surf. He divides the remainder of his spare time we all live for—even if it between freelance writing and co-running two fine art/photo galleries that are was only for 72 hours at located in Santa Fe, New Mexico and Kill Devil Hills. best.

Monster waves pound the beachfront at Tateway Street in Kill Devil Hills. Photo by Bob Hovey.

NORTHBEACHSUN.COM

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outdoors

The World’s

Oyster Three local oyster farms are opening up a world full of possibilities

By Amelia Boldaji

18

NORTH BEACH SUN HOLIDAY 2016

“Why, then the world’s mine oyster,” Shakespeare famously wrote in his play, The Merry Wives of Windsor. “Which I with sword will open.”

It is perhaps one of his most well known quotes (although it isn’t always correctly attributed to him). And plenty of other literary giants have followed in his footsteps by writing — often rapturously — about the joys of oysters. From Jonathon Swift to Jules Verne, Lewis Carroll, Ernest Hemingway and Anne Sexton, many have gone to great lengths to describe such a seemingly simple creature — particularly the exquisite pleasure of consuming them.

But it seems fitting to begin with Shakespeare because over the years the sentiment behind those few simple lines has been reinterpreted to invoke the idea that life is full of nearly endless possibilities and opportunities. And today, more than 400 years after Shakespeare first penned those words, that sense of unlimited potential might be the best way to describe the current state of oyster farming on the Outer Banks.

Changing the Tide The road to Bodie Island Oysters in Wanchese is literally off the map. Pavement ends and gives way to a winding gravel pathway that’s patched with small mounds of sun-bleached oyster shells. And if you happen to time it just right, that’s where you’ll often find Joey Daniels, the man who’s made a passion for oysters his life’s work.

“You couldn’t have picked a better day,” Joey says as he steers his boat away from the docks and out into the Roanoke Sound. In almost no time his nine-and-a-half-acre oyster lease is in sight. Bordered by the pristine banks of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore and within what almost feels like arm’s reach of Bodie Island Lighthouse, Joey’s open-water lease is also only a short distance from Oregon Inlet — making it prime real estate for oyster cultivation due to the regular influx of fresh saltwater from the ocean and its remote, undeveloped surroundings.

Joey is by no means the first person to see the potential in harvesting North Carolina oysters. Early colonial records indicate that wild oysters were once so plentiful across the whole Eastern Seaboard that many considered them an inexhaustible resource — yet when Virginia and Maryland’s massive oyster beds were virtually depleted by the late 1800s, the industry turned to North Carolina to keep up with demand.

According to government records, N.C. oyster harvests peaked at slightly more than 800,000 bushels in 1902. That number steadily declined from there, and even reached a record low of 35,000 bushels in 1994.

But the tide may be changing, and people like Joey are the reason behind it. And that, in short, is because he’s not simply relying on wild oyster populations — he’s raising his own crop of them.

Joey, a fourth-generation waterman, became interested in the concept of oyster farming several years ago. After doing quite a bit of research he became convinced that he could make a go of it, so he pitched the idea to the board members of Wanchese Fish Company, a business his great-grandfather started 80 years ago in 1936.

Once Joey was given the green light, he hit the ground running, and it quickly paid off. About a year and a half after planting his initial oyster seeds, Bodie Island became the first cultivated oysters grown on the Outer Banks. Three years later it’s now one of the biggest oyster producers in the state.

At last count they had about 1,200 off-bottom cages out in

the water that were collectively holding between three to with various oyster-growing techniques that include everyfour million oysters. thing from cages to floating bags and a few other things that “We’ve definitely grown into that,” Joey says with a laugh. lie somewhere in between — such as Fletcher’s personal fa“And there’s still plenty of ways to expand. I’d like to see the vorite system of using extra-large off-bottom wire cages that Outer Banks become known for its oysters. People just need are designed to hold mesh bags within individual vertical to see that it works.” compartments.

While having the backing of Wanchese Fish Company was Unlike the others, Fletcher has only been in the oyshelpful (the startup costs involved in opening an oyster farm ter business for little over one year. Last summer he put his with large-scale distribution can sometimes be prohibitive), first 100,000 seeds (otherwise known as “spats”) in the Joey is a hugely enthusiastic supporter of several other local water, which allowed him to begin officially distributing marentrepreneurs who are starting smaller but also looking for- ket-sized oysters about six months ago. But don’t let his relaward to a growing future — including Pat Leonard and Bob tive newcomer status fool you: Fletcher (who’s often assisted Howell, two of Joey’s longtime crew members who have al- by his 12-year-old son, Brandt, on afternoons and weekends) ready secured and seeded their own lease near Bodie Island has high expectations for the future, and that includes adding and plan to begin harvesting Lost Colony Oysters this coming 10 more acres to the original five-acre Devil Shoal lease. spring.

“By this time next year I hope to have a million out there And they’re not the only ones. Slightly farther south in about ready for market,” he says. “I’ll do whatever I can to stay Buxton you’ll find Bill and Ryan Belter, the father and son team out on the water.” responsible for Hatteras Salts oysters, which they harvest At the end of the day statewide oyster harvest numbers under the business name Cape Hatteras Oyster Company. are still low, but they are slowly starting to rise. (According to Prior to starting their business, Bill was a contractor in the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, which continues to list Norfolk, but he had a deep, longstanding connection to this oysters as a “species of concern,” the 2014 N.C. oyster harvest area and the water. After relocating to Hatteras with Ryan in was approximately 137,000 bushels — almost quadrupling 2010 they began harvesting some wild oysters, and that eventually sparked a mutual interest in pursuing other options.

“Joey was a big mentor for us from the beginning,” Ryan says. “But it still started slowly — it took us three years to get approved for a lease.”

Once their one-acre lease was finally approved in 2014, they didn’t let anything slow them down, and they began distributing their oysters last year both within the state and to locations as far away as Texas, Missouri and New York. And while they still run their entire operation as a A fresh batch of Bodie Island Oysters (left). Joey Daniels and his crew out two-man team right now, they on the water (above). Photos by Cory Godwin Productions. have every reason to continue thinking bigger and better. They anticipate being approved for an additional four acres by the end of this year, and the historic 1994 low for the first time in two decades.) A large according to Ryan, that should allow them to at least double factor in this upswing can certainly be attributed to this growtheir annual yield, which averaged about 200,000 oysters ing interest in oyster farming as a sustainable industry on the over the course of their first year.

Outer Banks and far beyond.

“I’ve pushed myself hard all my life,” Bill says with a good-natured smile as he describes the 90 to 100-hour work An Ode to Oysters “Oysters are what we call a keystone species,” says weeks the two of them routinely put in, especially during summer months. “I don’t see a vacation in my immediate future, Erin Fleckenstein, North Carolina Coastal Federation’s Northeastern regional manager. “They’re an indicator of and honestly I’m fine with that.”

That’s a viewpoint that likely resonates with Fletcher water quality, or what we like to call the canaries of the sound.”

The bottom line is that healthy oysters aren’t only importO’Neal, the man behind our area’s newest mariculture venture — at least as far as oysters are concerned. Called Devil ant ecologically speaking — they’re vital. Not only do they Shoal Oyster & Clam Company, and located even farther provide an essential habitat for a number of other aquatic south on Ocracoke Island, Fletcher’s oyster business is ac- species, but they also do a tremendous job of filtering water tually a joint enterprise with fellow Ocracoke native Arlene (one oyster alone can filter up to 50 gallons of water a day as it Burley who’s already been harvesting clams there for two feeds on algae or microscopic phytoplankton).

That’s good news, but it also means that they need to decades.

“There’s a lot of work to it,” says Fletcher who used to be be grown and harvested in clean water. Luckily, N.C. is a prea commercial fisherman before turning to oyster cultivation. mier location for that type of water quality, and the Coastal “I’m out there six days a week, sometimes seven, and there’s Federation in particular has long championed a wide array of always something to do.” efforts to keep our state waters healthy.

Like Joey and the Belters, Fletcher has been experimenting But there’s still plenty of work to be done moving forward.

NORTHBEACHSUN.COM

19

A Bodie Island crewmember checks the oysters before they’re run through a tumbler (photo by Cory Godwin Productions).

One of the things that’s been holding N.C. back from keeping up with states such as Virginia (where oyster farming has been thriving exponentially over the past decade) is at least partially the fact that the procedure for obtaining a lease in this state has involved a somewhat labyrinthine — and often lengthy — series of bureaucratic hurdles.

“The regulatory process for getting an oyster lease has been pretty cumbersome, so we’re working with state agencies to try and streamline that,” Erin says. “For us it’s a winwin situation to advocate for, and work with, the local farms.

It’s a truly green industry that also supports the Outer Banks’ economy and culture.”

The Coastal Federation is even currently going through the lease process themselves as part of a joint initiative with N.C. Sea Grant that’s designed to establish a demonstration lease near its Wanchese offices. The goal for this project is to provide a space where new or aspiring oyster farmers can go to learn more about the different growing techniques and see them put into practice.

Because, ultimately, the prospects for this state’s oyster farm industry are enormous. As of September 2015, only 1,931 acres of water in N.C. were being used for shellfish leasing. As Erin points out, that’s less than one percent of our waters that are capable of supporting shellfish growth — and it’s a far cry from Virginia where about 125,000 acres are now in use. “The numbers in North Carolina are just a drop in the bucket,” Erin says. “But it shows you the potential we have here.”

Chuck Weirich, a marine aquaculture specialist with Sea Grant, agrees. “In 2015 the revenue from farmed oysters in North Carolina was $480,000,” he says. “By comparison, Virginia’s revenue was more than $16 million. Our industry is still in its infancy.”

Clockwise from middle left: Father and son team Bill and Ryan Belter in Buxton (photo courtesy of Cape Hatteras Oyster Company). A feast of oysters at Coastal Provisions in Southern Shores. Fletcher O’Neal working in the water at his Ocracoke lease (photos by K. Wilkins Photography).

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Farm to Plate Beard award-winning author Rowan Jacobsen says in his At Coastal Provisions in Southern Shores, chef and seminal book, A Geography of Oysters, these bivalves in parowner, Dan Lewis, expertly shucks several different varieties ticular have a “somewhereness” to them that’s virtually unof oysters — from West Coast Kumamotos to Maine’s rare matched by any other delicacy.

“Oysters are creatures of bays and tidal pools and river Belons, numerous offerings from the Chesapeake Bay, and, of course, the Outer Banks’ first three homegrown offer- inlets, of places where marine and terrestrial communities ings. It’s a pretty typical night at this popular local oyster bar collide. While they are creatures of the sea, they draw their where they routinely serve a wide selection of about 1,500 uniqueness from the land and how it affects their home waters,” Rowan writes. “In a mass-produced society where oysters a week, year round, to residents and visitors alike.

What’s not so typical is the fairly recent shift that restau- most food doesn't seem to be from anywhere, this makes rants in this area have seen in terms of their ability to serve them special…. Think of an oyster as a lens, its concave shell up local oysters. “Most of what has been available to us in focusing everything that is unique about a particular body of water into a morsel of flesh.” this region has been Virginia’s farmed Not everyone loves oysters. But oysters purely because of how many "In 2015 the revenue from there is, as Rowan also points out, there are,” Dan explains. “But it’s a great farmed oysters in North an art to them. From the year (or day when more than half of our selection is from North Carolina.”

Carolina was $480,000. more) of tending them, to the rituIn an age when there’s increasing By comparison, Virginia’s al of opening one and experiencing first briny taste of the sea that’s concern over sustainable food sourcrevenue was more than that so perfectly encapsulated in a single es and people are making more of an effort to reduce their ecological foot- $16 million. Our industry mouthful, it’s not hard to see why so many have gone to such great is still in its infancy.” prints, farmed oysters reign supreme lengths to describe these creatures — especially when they’re cultivated — and so many others are now practically in our backyards. And even if -Chuck Weirich, marine working hard to ensure that they’re you leave all the facts and figures aside, aquaculture specialist widely available for generations to there’s a value there that goes far become. yond economics.

Because ultimately, like oys“It’s about community,” Dan says.

“It’s about knowing and supporting our local farmers, hav- ters, we’re all part of an interconnected web that isn’t easiing a face-to-face relationship with those who are growing ly mapped out or broken. And if the current state of oyster farming on the Outer Banks is any indication, a bright, and our food, and understanding where and how it’s grown.”

That may be especially true with oysters. As James potentially limitless, future still lies ahead.

Twelve-year-old Brandt O’Neal helps his father hand sort a basket of oysters at Devil Shoal Oyster & Clam Company (photo by K. Wilkins Photography).

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21

lifestyle

The Thrill of History Photos by K. Wilkins Photography Story by Kip Tabb

We walk upon history—literally.

Hidden beneath the soil is a remarkable tale that extends back in time 5000, 10,000 and perhaps even 15,000 years ago.

Before the first European explorer set foot on the shores of North Carolina; before the British and the Spanish fought skirmishes, battles and wars over who would control North America; before the Outer Banks rose from the sea, there were Native Americans living where our homes and towns are today.

To Michael Williams, that history is real and as he combs fields, streams and beaches for that evidence, a story unfolds of the culture and lives of the very first immigrants to come to North Carolina.

“I like to artifact hunt more than anything else,” explains Michael of his passion for searching for Native American arrowheads, tools and jewelry.

According to Michael, the first artifacts he found were arrowheads and it was all his sister, Karen Frey’s, fault.

While visiting his parents in Lee County, Michael and his brother-in-law, Ted, were looking for something to do. Karen told them to go out to the field by the house and see what they could find.

Half a dozen arrowheads later, Michael was hooked.

He has searched for Native American artifacts all over eastern North Carolina, and as his collection has grown a

Michael Williams with his arrowhead collection (right). A small sample of the collection (top and bottom).

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The extraordinary variety of arrowheads is fascinating, remarkable narrative emerges telling the history of the earlibut equally as compelling is the image that begins to emerge est people to inhabit the coastal plain.

The collection is housed in glass display cases within a of the culture, history and everyday life of the people who safe. As Michael pulls out each case, he tells the story of where lived here.

The more recent arrowheads do not appear to be as comhe found each artifact and its history.

He points to a fairly short projectile point. “That’s a Clovis plex as some of the older ones. To Michael, that makes sense point,” he says. “It’s at least 10,000 years old.” because the first people to come to North Carolina were There is a small arrowhead with slightly rounded sides and nomadic hunters. “They were following the game,” he says, two small tails coming out of the base. “That’s a Hardaway- pointing out that they had to put their energies into creating Palmer. It’s 9,000 to 10,000 years old.” the best tools for the job.

At one point he comAs the Native Americans moved from being nomadic ments that many of the to semi-nomadic and finally artifacts he has predate the Outer Banks, and The Outer Banks rose from the sea between settled into villages, the use of recognizable tools emerged. that’s an accurate state4,000 and 5,000 years ago, and some of his Michael points to miniature ment. The Outer Banks collection is far older than that. teeth. “Those are fossilized rose from the sea besharks' teeth,” he says. “They tween 4,000 and 5,000 would use those as drill bits.” years ago and some of There are conch shells in his collection, which were also his collection is far older than that. The Clovis point is considered the first of all projectile points on the North American used as drills.

Michael has found jewelry from these tribes as well. He continent, and the oldest examples date back 15,000 years.

He points to an arrowhead with a slightly flared base and indicates two oblong stones, clearly worked into shape, with notches at the end. “That’s a Dovetail,” he says. “They’re not holes drilled into them. “Those are gorgets. They would have supposed to be as far east as this.” The arrowhead is 8,000 to been worn for decoration,” he says.

There’s a small stone that almost looks like a miniature axe 9,000 years old.

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that he found in mainland Dare County. “No one knows what this is,” he says. “I think it’s a kid’s toy.”

He has come to understand how and where the people lived by searching where hills and streams meet. “They were living next to springs with clear water on high ground. They would want a swamp right next to it for the quantity of game that lives there.”

When he can find that type of environment, he knows there is a good chance that he’ll find something.

Although much of Michael’s collection includes arrowheads, there are other extraordinary finds as well—and some of the most remarkable discoveries were made locally.

“Currituck County is where I’ve found my best stuff,” he says.

Almost reverently he brings out a case with two beautiful carved or shaped stone pieces. “These are bird stones,” he says. “Normally they’re three to four inches. These are seven to seven-and-a-half. No one has ever seen anything like them this far east.”

There’s also the axe he found in Dare County, a groove cut in the haft and the blade still sharp.

Michael is still looking for more, the joy of discovery pushing him to see what may lie beneath his feet. He’s become an archeologist and a historian along the way, yet there is still something that remains of his first day and that first discovery. “The best part about it is picking it up,” he says.

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b.s. in parenting

The author takes a moment for a selfie to commemorate the loss of the family minivan.

mothership, and the following day we had about 30 minutes' notice to clean out our minivan/mobile home before it was hauled to the junkyard unceremoniously. Obviously notebooks were in the console, flip flops and water bottles were stuffed under the seats. “Important papers” were shoved in visors and sweatshirts were draped across the backs of car seats and randomly scattered about.

Being exiled in Virginia for days threw us off more than usual for our morning routine, so now we have some new games to play to put the puzzle pieces back together. “On your mark, get set…” This is the signal for the race to hunt down our morning outfits. Every item of clothing is clean, but since the housekeeper I don’t have never shows up, the items are strewn about as if the hurricane came directly through the house. The first to locate their complete outfit gets whatever “prize” I can dream up—a Skittle, being in control of the radio on the way to school, or other awesome incentives, like not being partially naked in school.

While negotiating with the youngest terrorist as to how many snuggle buddies she can drag with her “good arm” into the car, I glimpse at the clock. Damn it, late again! I call a spade a spade and demand that someone locate a crayon or marker and something to write our tardy note upon. I hope that someone is saving those notes, because they are probably worth an article of their own.

Believe it or not, I am grateful every single day for these insane moments and the tiny humans who live with me—grateful, every damn day. A dear friend sent me this quote by Sigmund Freud to start off my day the following morning: “One day, in retrospect, the years of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful.” Freud had some interesting perspectives, that’s for sure—but even in the midst of chaos I can see the beauty and the humor, and I hope you can, too.

Outtakes Make Life Beautifully Imperfect

By Lindsey Beasley Dianna

When we have beautiful moments that we don’t want to forget, we often plaster them all over social media to show ourselves and the rest of the world, “Hey, this one thing went perfectly today!” And that’s great, but oftentimes the outtakes shown after the movie is over are my favorite part of the story. They are real, they are hilarious and they are perfectly imperfect. I, for one, would like to see way more of those; the more outtakes I see instead of highlight reels, the easier it is to find the humor in everyday mishaps, breakdowns and everything else that goes awry. So as a public service to you, the readers, to feel better about all of the things that go wrong that you DON’T want to publish on social media or talk openly about, I offer you free tickets to just a sampling of our epic and ongoing Sh*t Show, with the hope that we can remember to laugh our way through this struggle together.

In order to even complete this article well before Halloween, I found myself in the dark listening to Sinatra’s Christmas album at 10:34 p.m. on a school night while whispering words into my phone using the dictation feature. I am not a fan of pushing holidays or seasons well in advance, but this was necessary for two reasons. One was that my youngest (who had a freshly broken elbow) requested it, and two, it was Frank Sinatra. You wouldn’t dream of saying no to Old Blue Eyes—neither Frank nor the youngest imp with the dreadlock rasta hair and cherub cheeks jabbing me rhythmically to "Jingle Bells" 24

NORTH BEACH SUN HOLIDAY 2016

with her pretty new purple cast. Our past few weeks have gone down in the history books with some very memorable moments that were mostly not at all funny while we were experiencing them. But even a day or two, or talking to the right person, can give you the perspective of humor. And humor saves lives, people.

Let me just invite you into my kitchen on a recent (yet laughably typical) school morning: I have just tripped on a Furbee (thank you SO much Heather for passing that old school gem down), and then all three children jump on my back and begin singing “Unsteady” by X Ambassadors. I fall. Now we’re all singing, we’re laughing, and the kids begin taking bets as to which family member will be the next to break a bone. While down on the floor, I begin to scavenge through memories of our beloved minivan that drowned in Hurricane Matthew for the pieces of our lives.

The people at the rental car companies sent us on a wild goose chase that ended in Virginia to await a rental car that never came. After four hair-raising days, I gave in and dragged the whole pitiful lot of us to Carmax to purchase a new vehicle, wearing nothing but pajamas and weary glimmers of hope.

My heart said, “electric engine VW Bus,” but the selection available and never wanting to get stuck in the wrath of our unpredictable weather again said, “gas guzzling ginormous Suburban with light-colored interior that shall promptly get destroyed by my spawn.”

We drove home victoriously in our new

Lindsey Beasley Dianna is a full-time mom to three who currently resides in Kitty Hawk.

She’d like to be a writer when she grows up.

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There’s a shallow cardboard box behind the counter of Wink's in Kitty Hawk that’s filled with old keys. Most are still attached to key chains marked with numbers or family surnames. One advertises a long-defunct Esso Service Station (with a surprisingly quaint four-digit phone number to contact), while another guarantees postage if the key is dropped in any mailbox. One simply says it belongs to “A Summer Place.”

The individual stories behind these keys might be lost, but Ann Greeson, who now co-owns Wink's with her husband, Danny, keeps them because they’re a large part of the history behind this small, local grocery store. “People used to come in and sign for their house keys and whatever groceries they needed,” Ann explains as she points out a post in the middle of the store that’s studded with nails. “At the end of the week they’d settle their bill and hang their keys up here until next time.”

While those types of traditions have inevitably been replaced with more modern conveniences such as a credit card machine and an onsite ATM (not to mention keyless entry systems at many rental houses) the Greesons still run Wink's in some ways that might seem like a throwback to 1953 – the year that Miles “Wink” Davis Sr. opened the doors of his first family business at milepost 2.5 on the beach road.

For starters, the Greesons still offer an array of basic grocery items – from chips, coffee and candy to bug spray and laundry detergent – and those who live or vacation within walking distance continue to swing by on a near-daily basis to pick up a newspaper, chat about the weather, or even drop off their mail (which Wink's manager, Jan Magee, takes to the Kitty Hawk post office on her way home each evening).

That’s not to say that the fate of Wink's was always so secure however. Over the years, Davis opened two other locations in Duck and Corolla, and when he finally retired he gave each of his three sons one of the businesses. The original Kitty Hawk location went to Miles Davis Jr., who ran the store until he also decided to retire in 2010. According to a local news report, more than 75 people gathered to say a sorrowful goodbye to a nearly six-decade-old landmark.

But that’s when the Greesons came in. Ann, who has been in the restaurant industry since she was 18 and has lived and worked on the Outer Banks for most of her life now, approached Davis Jr. about keeping the operation alive. After a brief hiatus for some necessary renovations, Wink's reopened its doors under the Greesons’ care in 2011.

“We were on the same page with Miles about [Wink's] future,” Ann says. “Now it’s still old school with a little new school thrown in.”

And the Greesons have taken this charge seriously from the very beginning. When Hurricane Sandy hit in 2012, they not only refused to close shop as the water rose at an alarming rate around them, they also donned hip waders and began distributing bread and eggs (and everything in between) out of the store’s side window.

“It was a little scary to be honest,” Ann says with a laugh.

“There was about a foot of water in the store – with all that

FOLKS

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electricity – and we couldn’t even open the front doors. The plan was that if things got too bad we’d flip the breakers and go out the window. Good thing it didn’t come to that.”

Storms aside – though it’s worth noting that Wink's also survived the historic Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962 – the Greesons have ultimately kept the lights on by diversifying. While longtime patrons might feel as though they’re stepping back in time when they walk through the front door, others may be pleasantly surprised by that mix of old and new school that the Greesons are still striving for.

That mix includes everything from items such as t-shirts, patterned pants and bathing suits to temporary tattoos, jewelry, gemstones, shells, postcards, old-fashioned signs, DVDs, local honey, handmade magnets, toys, books, souvenir mugs, fishing tackle and a variety of jams, jellies, hot sauces and drink mixes – not to mention a few other oddities that speak to Ann’s interest in what she calls “old stuff,” such as an antique cast-iron apple butter cauldron that’s more than 100 years old. “It’s my hobby,” Ann explains.

“I say buy what you like because you might be stuck with it forever!”

Those looking for more entertainment on a rainy day also love Wink's new game room (which includes nostalgic go-tos such as air hockey, pinball, and – yes – crowd favorites such as Donkey Kong and Frogger). But ultimately, one of Wink's biggest “newfangled” claims to fame among residents and visitors alike is its deli section that includes Ann’s daily homemade desserts and sides, plus a famed yearround Friday night prime rib special. Supplies are limited based on availability, and those in the know place their end-of-the-week orders by Wednesday at the latest. “I always come early on Fridays,” whispers a regular customer at the salad bar. “It’s the only way to beat the crowds.”

So while their iconic logo might remind you of an emoticon, don’t forget that the yellow smiling face that greets you at the Kitty Hawk Wink's has been around much longer than our now ubiquitous means of social communication – by, oh, several decades. And on the Outer Banks, that kind of time can often seem to pass by in a wink.

Dan Greeson shares the story behind Wink's box of old keys (top). Ann Greeson is ready to take your order (middle). The sign may be weathered, but Wink's iconic logo has been greeting customers for decades (bottom).

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25

FOLKS

Behind T H E Glass Manteo's foremost framer/museum curator

Hubby Bliven

Photos by K. Wilkins Photography Story by Amanda McDanel

I also imagine it is the way quite a few people have come Carrying four rolled-up prints that upon his home and the Roanoke Heritage Art Gallery & I need framed, I tread lightly across the Military Museum. I think this because since then I have given yard and knock on the front door. The big

beautiful white house stands before me but no one answers .

After a few moments, I walk around the side of the house and look out back for the shop. I’m wading through tall grass and peeking into windows when a man appears around the corner and asks, “Can I help you?”

Startled, I jump at his voice, drop all my prints and stare at the man.

“Ummm…I would like these framed. I was told that you frame things,” I say as I reach to the ground and gather up my fallen prints. He looks at me quizzically and then laughs, “You must be looking for Hubby Bliven. He lives down the road around the bend.”

Yes, about that. I went down the road and around the bend. But no one could tell me exactly which road and which bend to turn on: “You can’t miss it.” “On the right before the tree.” “House out back.” These vague directions eventually led me to this mysterious stranger’s house who thankfully pointed me in the right direction instead of pointing something else at me for peeping in his windows. Classic Outer Banks. Classic Manteo, in fact. This is the story of how I met Herbert "Hubby" Bliven about 10 years ago.

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the same directions to friends who I have sent his way: “You turn left after the big brick church. It’s either there or the next left—I can’t remember—and you go down around the bend, and he’s on the right.” When you do arrive, you’ll see the gallery sign hanging out front along with a sign advertising buoys and driftwood for sale.

I must say that the journey to get there is much like Hubby himself: part folklore, part word of mouth, ever humble and unassuming. Yet once you peek into the museum and into the man himself, the quiet treasures that lie beneath tell stories for themselves.

Hubby insists his story has been told. He was reluctant to have another article written about him because everything had been covered: the artwork, the museum, the framing business. Yet just like the items he displays, every person has an untold story. With Hubby, his began around the time he was 16 when he and his brother used to ride bikes to the west side of Roanoke Island to find old arrowheads, bullets and bottles along the shore. The collection grew as he got older and his finds became more extraordinary.

From bullet shells, pottery and old bottles to cannons, guns and coins—the collection spans the gamut.

Almost everything in the museum Hubby found himself.

Using underwater metal detectors, special prods and sticks and a keen eye for the land, he continues to add pieces to the collection when he has time, depending on the tides, weather and his workload. I’m particularly drawn to the clay pipe collection and its intricacies as he points out forgotten details like an eagle claw gripping the bowl of the pipe. One particular pipe showcases a buck deer on one side and a cannon on the other, which he says represents Buchannan, Va., near where I grew up in Southwest Virginia.

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Hubby Bliven in his backyard workshop (left).

One of many rooms that make up the Roanoke Heritage Art Gallery & Military Museum (below).

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You can tell he takes great pride in the building, its contents and his work . Moreover, you can see it as he describes how he wants these pieces displayed and shared with Outer Banks residents and visitors. And visit they do, often bringing gifts. When a loved one dies and leaves behind war memorabilia such as guns, knives and more, people don’t often know what to do or how to honor it. So they bring it to Hubby, who finds a place for it in his collection, which ensures that it has a place in history.

While the museum and its collection reside in Manteo, you can find pieces of Hubby himself all over the Outer Banks and beyond. In the back of the museum is his workshop where he paints mostly acrylic illustrations for his son Jeremy Bliven’s children’s novels Captain Stumpy the Pirate Cat. It also serves as his framing studio. When asked how he got into the framing business in the first place, he describes a one-man art show years ago. “I had 41 paintings to showcase and I couldn’t afford to frame them so I taught myself. During that art show, I sold two paintings and $600 worth of frames.”

It seems it just continued from there. Now he has families who come down for vacation and drop off 40 to 50 pieces of artwork to be framed that he has ready for them at the end of the week. In between framing, Hubby also greets the guests who come to tour the museum.

“I’m blessed to do something I love,” he says. Those blessings show up all around the Outer Banks in the form of his art and framing work, but be sure to turn left by the church, go around the bend and stop in.

You never know what stories Hubby Bliven has left to tell.

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27

Arts & Entertainment

Photos by Cory Godwin Productions Story By Katrina Mae Leuzinger

In the category of unusual medium choices, “acrylic wash on turkey feather” ranks pretty high. The feathers only allow room for the

Amber Roth concentrates on another piece at her home studio in Frisco. At right is a sampling of the work done under her moniker Red Tail Arts.

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smallest of portraits, require the lightest of touches to avoid splitting the individual strands, and can only sustain so many layers of paint before the weight of it destroys the feather.

But that hasn’t stopped Amber Roth of Red Tail Arts in Frisco from creating these beautiful works of art. If anything, she seems to enjoy the challenge.

“I attribute it to stubborn ambition,” says Amber. “A lot of people will say, ‘That must take patience.’ No. It’s stubborn ambition. It’s saying, ‘I will get this done and you will do what I say, paint.'"

She points out that the paint does not usually respond to being bossed around.

“But I do it anyway. I figure one of these days maybe it will listen.”

Her process starts with just a spritz of spray-on matte finish on the backside of the feather to help hold it together. Even still, the feathers move as she paints so she has to be careful about the direction of her brush strokes. After a lot of experimentation in the beginning, she settled on acrylic wash as the superior choice for painting on feathers.

“It’s like watercolors and acrylics had a baby.

They’re really, really fluid, but they blend like watercolors. Normal acrylics aren’t highly pigmented. So to get say, yellow, like what’s on that octopus, that would take five or six coats of yellow. The heavier the paint, the more likely your feather is to split. But the acrylic wash is thin and really highly pigmented, so if you put a thin line of yellow, it looks yellow,” says Amber.

While she paints, she finds music or conversation too distracting so she listens to audio courses

Artists of a

Feather

ranging from biology to world religions. And occasionally her partner, Branden Kadunce, who is also an artist and understands how absorbing a project can be, reminds her to eat and sleep.

Amber uses very small brushes, sometimes even ones she’s made out of feathers using a technique dating back to medieval times.

Depending on how well it’s going, a single portrait will take her anywhere from five hours to three days. She paints wolves, pelicans, hawks, sea turtles, foxes, eagles, hawks, spiders, snakes, cats, dogs, a blue-ringed octopus, and much more. A great deal of them are custom requests.

“People have a favorite animal, one that they’ve rescued, or a pet that has passed away,” says Amber.

She also occasionally paints portraits of people, like a recent portrait of David Tennant as the 10th Doctor from the Doctor Who television series, or David Bowie as the Goblin King in Labyrinth.

“I don’t do many of those. They’re usually a lot more taxing. With animals there’s wiggle room. If you have a fox and the coloring is supposed to be so far up the nose, and instead you do a little bit farther south, everybody still knows it’s a fox. With people, if I was to paint you and I get your eyes just a little bit too wide, it won’t look like you anymore. It takes more time,” says Amber.

Thanks to the Migratory Bird Act, there’s a curious amount of legality that dictates which feathers she can use. Out of concerns over poaching, possessing or selling the feathers of many birds like hawks, owls, eagles, raptors, or even seagulls is illegal, even if it was simply found on the ground. That leaves Amber working with mostly turkey feathers she’s either purchased or bribed a turkey farmer out of, though she’s also used other legal domestic

or game feathers like peacock and macaw. The legal quandary can sometimes be difficult to explain to people who want to pay her to paint on feathers they already possess.

“Most of the time people have found something and they don’t realize it’s illegal. Some people get really upset and take it as a personal attack when I tell them I can’t do it. They say, ‘But I just found it. Don’t you believe me?’” says Amber.

But most of the people who purchase her work are far more gracious, and Amber is quite pleased with the positive responses she’s received.

“The more that I put them out there, the more people just fell in love with them,” says Amber.

Though anyone can see that she is obviously quite talented, Amber credits hard work and practice far more than some innate skill. Before she began painting on feathers, Amber had never painted before.

“I started on little tiny chicken feathers. I went from doing tiny little flowers and very, very basic shapes to getting turkey feathers and trying to make them as realistic as possible,” Amber recalls.

Her advice to anyone who’s thinking about painting is to not be too scared to try.

“A lot of art is just learning that you can do it.

There’s this weird notion that artists are born that way. You just have that bone in your body. No. All of us still put in a lot of practice. None of it comes easy.

It’s that stubborn ambition. Decide that you want to do it and keep working toward it. Try a bunch of things. Don’t give up just because it’s not right the first five times that you do it. Keep going.”

You can see more feathers and Amber and Branden’s other work at RedTailArts.com.

NORTHBEACHSUN.COM

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EVERYTHING ELSE UNDER THE

Sun

“So, What Do Y’all Do in the Winter?”

When the weather turns cooler and the crowds have thinned, most Outer Banks locals find themselves with a bit more spare time on their hands. So just what do we DO on this glorious sandbar in the off season? We posed this question to some local friends and discovered a few common threads.

By Dawn Church

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 HOLIDAY 2016

Biking the beach road and stopping at our favorite restaurant for drinks and food on the deck. And beachcombing!

– Imogene Hunting, fishing, biking, boating and socializing. Pretty much the same all year round except with more clothes.

– Kevin

Star gazing at night is perfect this time of year.

Less bugs, less people and the skies are clear of that haze we always seem to have in the heat.

– Windy

All the carnivals, festivals, and events at the schools.

Oh, and Theatre of Dare shows, too. Live, local theatre in the dead of winter!

– Jessica

I like to go to oyster roasts—good friends, a grill, fresh oysters, cold beer and a nip in the air—doesn't get any better.

– Phyllis

Biking around the Outer Banks. My favorite places to ride are Lindbergh Street in Kitty Hawk, Ocean Boulevard in Southern Shores north of the split and the beach road.

– Lee

Th e ki ting is EP IC !

– Dimitri

Visiting the Little Red Mailbox and leaving a note of hope. Or stopping by the little bench by the sea on Pea Island along the Charles Kuralt trail.

It’s a beautiful spot especially when there are ducks, geese and swans all over the place!

– Sue

Getting into s ome establishmen ts at night to he ar local musician s, some of which are too crow ded during the su mmer.

– Cliff

ther to play Getting toge friends and h it w ic s u m skills! The w e n g in rn lea reat time to g a is r e t win s and start take classe projects.

– Shelli That's when we hit the stuff with the kids that's a bit crowded in the summer like the Aquarium, The Elizabethan Gardens and Fort Raleigh.

– John

I enjoy bowling in a league and date night with my hubby.

– Cheryl

Watching the surf while I'm wrapped up in my grandmother's old quilt.

– Toni

I like to ride to Duck and Carova to see the horses and go to Ocracoke for beachcombing—it’s all about enjoying the Banks at a slower pace.

– Lisa

h miles of beac I love having self, singing out y mostly to m ing if I feel the c loud and dan lous therapy! u urge. It’s fab – Diane

Get stupid barreled all day, then cook out and have a drink with the crew!

– Anthony

THEY SPENT THE WHOLE WEEK HERE AND NEVER VISITED YOUR BUSINESS. WE’LL HELP YOU GET NOTICED. graphic design branding printing promotional items signage advertising

accessdesignandprint.com • 252.449.4444 • 115 W Meadowlark St, Kill Devil Hills

NORTHBEACHSUN.COM

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It’s Always Sunny at Mama’s! sunday Game day!

It's ALL G ood!

nFLket

sunday tic

13 tV's

mama's award i Winning chiLL n & Fried chicke

Wednesday

Kwan’s

authentic

Pad thai

Serving Lunch & Dinner Daily All Winter!

available all day!

World Famous Fish Tacos

Milepost 9.5 • Highway 158 in KDH • 252.441.7889 • MamaKwans.com

Rocket Reboot: Ok We’re Tuning Up The Bonzer Kitchen This Winter!

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ET ME AT TH

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The Shack is Wide Open Until Sunday, Nov. 27th We Will Re-Open On December 27th Bonzer Shack will take a short break to re-charge our batteries and remodel our kitchen. We will be closed Mid-January to February 1, 2017.

Watch For Our Opening

Live Music

Party!

Lunch Specials $9.99

Saturday Nights!

Captain Grit Cake

Bonzer Breakfast Sundays

11:30 am to 3 PM

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NORTH BEACH SUN HOLIDAY 2016

MP9 on the Beach Rd. • Kill Devil Hills • 252.480.1010 www.BonzerShack.com