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summer 2020 6
FROM THE DESK
7
BUT FIRST... ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
10 A LIFE OF FANTASY The magical art of Alyse Stewart COMMUNITY 14 HOW THE OUTER BANKS HELPS Community virus relief efforts OUTDOORS 22 A WORLD ABOVE The future of dark sky tourism
10 14
26 WHERE’S THE REEF? Creating a new artifical reef off the coast LIFESTYLE 28 SKY HIGH Flying with Powells Point’s HQ Kites THE LOCAL LIFE 30 ELISABETH SILVERTHORNE Executive director, Beach Food Pantry REAL ESTATE 32 SUN SALUTATIONS 34 FIVE FACTS Things you didn’t know about Frisco’s Futuro House
ABOUT THE COVER: The Milky Way shines brightly over Jockey’s Ridge in Nags Head (photo courtesy of John McCord). THIS PAGE: Photos courtesy of Ryan Moser (top), Stephanie Hall (lower right) and John McCord (lower left).
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B E ACH SU N | 5
F R O M T H E DE S K
staff PUBLISHERS Adam & Cathy Baldwin EDITOR Amelia Boldaji ART DIRECTOR Dave Rollins A socially distant North Beach Sun staff meeting of the minds (left to right: Dave Rollins, Cathy Baldwin, Amelia Boldaji and Helen Furr).
Taking a leap of faith. THE PAST FEW MONTHS HAVE FELT LIKE A ROLLERCOASTER – and even that’s an understatement. From ever-shifting headline news to more personal sacrifices, we’ve all experienced the effects of negotiating a tremendous amount of change in what has often seemed like radically unfamiliar territory. And we’re still figuring things out, of course. Even here at the Sun, where we don’t really have “typical” days to begin with, our routines and deadlines have been upended in ways we truly couldn’t have prepared for. Like so many other businesses around the globe, we shut our doors for a time, and tried to work through a frustratingly complex number of hypothetical scenarios remotely, while also doing our best to stay safe and take care of our families. All of which are things we’re still doing now, to one degree or another. Our first steps toward trying to find our “new normal” in the face of a great deal of uncertainty involved a lot of phone calls and socially distant staff meetings held weekly on our front lawns. And it also involved reevaluating an idea board of summer themes and storylines that had mostly been selected well before our lives were largely put on pause. In practical terms, that meant taking into account the fact that we could no longer foresee what this coming season would look like, both as a business and as longtime members of this community. Things as seemingly straightforward as printing a calendar of events – something we’ve routinely done for almost a decade now in each issue – simply wasn’t feasible anymore. And as strange as it might sound, even the act of writing this letter the evening before going to press felt somewhat like taking a leap of faith. But perhaps that’s exactly what we’re all being asked to do, repeatedly, during these uncertain times. Take leaps. Have faith. And be prepared to land as gracefully as we can, even if we don’t wind up in precisely the spot we anticipated. So, as always, we hope you enjoy this issue. It was a labor of love in more ways than usual, because ultimately, we realized that this whole volume is our letter to you – our reminder that no matter what the future may bring, we’re all doing our best to navigate this moment in time. And that we have been, and will continue to, do exactly that together.
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Adam Baldwin Dylan Bush WRITERS Cathy Baldwin Amelia Boldaji Steve Hanf Lexi Holian Katrina Mae Leuzinger Arabella Saunders PHOTOGRAPHERS Benny Baldwin • Cory Godwin Stephanie Hall • John McCord Ryan Moser Outer Banks History Center Carrie Roen • Wes Snyder Kati Wilkins SALES MANAGER Helen Furr ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Faith Turek DISTRIBUTOR Aaron Caswell The North Beach Sun is published quarterly by Access Media Group. All works contained herein are the property of the North Beach Sun and/or its contributors. Opinions, responses, and inquiries are always welcome.
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6 | SU M M ER 2020
but first... A Welcome Sight THE FIRST BRIDGE CONNECTING THE OUTER BANKS
to the Currituck mainland was a three-mile-long wooden toll bridge that opened to the public in 1930 – and paved the way for new era in the barrier islands’ then-fledgling hospitality industry. While this was the initial sight that greeted people as they entered the Outer Banks on the south side of the bridge, the wording on the opposite side of the decorative arch also reminded departing visitors that they were “Always Welcome.” Photo courtesy of the Outer Banks History Center, circa 1931.
WHEN IT FELT AS THOUGH THE WHOLE WORLD
had suddenly stopped this past spring, two professional photographers in Needham, Massachusetts, launched The Front Steps Project with one simple idea: In order to foster a sense of community while maintaining quarantine precautions, they’d snap quick pics of area residents on their front porches in return for a suggested donation to a local nonprofit.
Home, Sweet Home
After they posted their first family portrait on March 18, the idea quickly went viral and hundreds of photographers from around the globe joined in to replicate the project in their own towns – and the Outer Banks was no exception. Over the course of a couple weeks, a number of local photographers volunteered their time to offer mini, socially distanced photo sessions to individuals and families from Corolla to Hatteras Island, and the results were nothing short of spectacular. “People really wanted to be a part of the project,” says Kill Devil Hills photographer Kati Wilkins, who personally received more than 100 photo session requests. “And it kept growing, so we just ran with it.” continued> N O RT H B E ACH SU N | 7
To date, the project has collectively raised almost two million dollars for various organizations and nonprofits worldwide. And here on the Outer Banks nearly $3,000 was donated directly to the Beach Food Pantry by participating residents. “Sometimes it was emotionally hard being behind the lens, but it was beautiful, too,” Kati adds. “Even in those uncertain times I was filled with reminders of how much we’re all in this together.” More photos of the local project can be found under #obxfrontstepsproject. Photo collage courtesy of Kati Wilkins and Carrie Roen.
Did you know? If you jumped into the ocean at Jockey’s Ridge and swam due east, where do you think you would hit land? Well iIf you headed due east from Kill Devil Hills, you would eventually make landfall in Europe at the southern end of Spain. But drive a short way down the bypass and make your easterly swim from Whalebone Junction and you would hit an entirely different continent. Your landfall would be in Africa and the northern tip of Morocco. That’s because Jockey’s Ridge sits at the same parallel (35.96°) as the Strait of Gibraltar. So if you swam due east from our great sand dune, you’d end up a very tired swimmer sitting on the shore of Algeria by the Mediterranean Sea! 8 | SU M M ER 2020
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A RT S & E N T E RTA I N M E N T
Fantasy A LIFE OF
Alyse Stewart details a work in progress in her Manteo studio.
For one young artist, a passion for mythical worlds is providing some amazing real-world opportunities. P HOTO S BY RYAN M O S ER / S TO RY BY L EX I H OL IA N
At
18 years old, Manteo local Alyse Stewart already feels as though she’s been an artist all her life – but it wasn’t always clear to her what she would do with her craft. Her impressive, award-winning artwork leans toward realism, and for a while, she thought comics might be her calling. But then she saw the character art depicted in fantasy games like Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering. “You see a person and think that’s almost a photograph,” she says. “But it’s actually a person from another world. It’s got a realistic quality mixed with the fantastic elements.” The recent high school grad creates using oil paints, watercolors, digital mediums and charcoal and has been recognized locally and nationally for her compelling artwork. She’s had a talent for drawing from a young age, and her style was partially born of her fascination with board games, books and movies such as Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and films by Guillermo del Toro. Two of her favorite games are Dungeons & Dragons, a fantasy tabletop role-playing game, and Magic: The Gathering, a trading card game in which players cast spells and summon creatures depicted on the cards. In both games, character art is at the heart of the experience. Magic is a must-play in the Stewart household, and after spending some time with the cards, Alyse began researching the artists behind the characters. She was immediately captivated by the work of artists such as Ryan Pancoast, Scott Fischer and Matthew Stewart.
“That was it,” she says. “I was like, that’s what I want to do.” Each piece begins with researching the subject and gathering references. Alyse has an abundance of history books, art books from masters like Rembrandt and Salvador Dali, and books on topics such as the artistic process behind the characters for the band Gorillaz. “If it’s supposed to be a dark piece, maybe I’ll watch Pan’s Labyrinth or something that’s got an edge to it,” she says. “Or I’ll read some Clive Barker, or look at paintings from H.R. Giger to get into the right headspace and have that visual library in my brain. It’s all so that when I do the piece, I have the correct lens.” As the daughter of the artist/owners of Silver Bonsai Gallery in Manteo, art has long been a constant in Alyse’s life. “Growing up, it’s just what I saw,” she explains. “My parents making art in their own way and being surrounded by it daily.” She began studying art seriously in the seventh or eighth grade when she started taking anatomy and drawing classes. A quick painting today may seem effortless, but every work of art has years of experience behind it. She encourages anyone who is intimidated by art to take time to hone their skills, even if they think they don’t have talent at first. “I was blessed with a gift, that I could draw from an early age,” she says. “But where I am right now isn’t all about talent. Talent gives you a head start, but it’s really the work you put in behind it.” Beyond artwork, Alyse has a passion for music, having played the piano and cello for many years. Art is her form of creative expression, but it’s also her job, so music continued on page 12
10 | SU M M ER 2020
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provides the opportunity to step away from a piece before going back to it with new eyes. “It’s that breath of fresh air,” she adds. In recent years, Alyse’s artwork has been recognized in numerous competitions. She’s even been awarded several scholarships, including one from the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary for a piece inspired by patriotism that earned second place in a nationwide competition. Having graduated high school this past June, Alyse has also been accepted to the Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art (LAAFA) – a highly prestigious art school that gives out only 10 fulltime Bachelor of Arts degrees each year. Given the current atmosphere surrounding Covid-19, LAAFA won’t be bringing any new students into the program in 2020, so Alyse will attend starting in 2021. That hasn’t stopped her from setting up a mentorship with one of LAAFA’s professors in the meantime, though. Artist Ron Lemen and his wife, Vanessa, are well-known in the illustrative world, with Ron having created artwork for Magic: The Gathering. This year, the Lemens have an online mentorship program that Alyse will be taking part in before she goes to LAAFA. One medium she’s looking forward to learning more about from the Lemens is working in 3D, which includes physical and digital sculpting using programs such as ZBrush and Blender. She’s primarily focused on the 2D until now – the opposite of her parents – but is quick to point out the benefits of 3D. “For 2D artists, it’s very important to know the 3D, because if you’re going to paint something 2D, you still want it to have dimension,” she says. “You want to know the form all the way around, not just what’s being seen, or else an image can look flat.” This summer, Alyse is working locally on artistic projects with The Lost Colony and The Elizabethan Gardens. She’s also painting a mural for the Magic tournament room at Super Galactic Games ‘n Comics in Kitty Hawk and working on her personal artwork for future portfolio reviews. Though it’s an idea that’s still in progress, she’d like to start submitting work as well to Wizards of the Coast, the publisher of Dungeons & Dragons and Magic, as she continues to take classes and refine her skills. “Right now, the dream is to be working for companies like Wizards of the Coast,” she says. “It’s simple, but I really want to be able to play some Magic and pull one of my cards from the deck someday – or be able to see a new D&D manual come out with my work on the cover.” But potential fame isn’t what drives Alyse in the slightest. “That art is what inspired me,” she explains with a smile. “So I want to be able to do that for somebody else, too.” Both finished pieces and initial outlines in a variety of mediums adorn18-year-old Alyse’s home studio.
12 | SU M M ER 2020
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C O M M U N IT Y
How the Outer Banks
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but for all the hurricane seasons we’ve weathered, the past few months have still presented us with a variety of unique challenges. And the good news? We rose to meet those challenges as a community, as we always do. Because if there’s one thing we’ve learned over the years, it’s that we’re ultimately, and always, stronger together.
WE’RE NO STRANGERS TO UNCERTAINTY HERE ON THE OUTER BANKS,
School spirit! Educational systems the world over were forced to adapt to changing circumstances on the fly – and graduating seniors in particular made the best of things when it came to celebrating their achievements at the end of an unprecedented school year. Outer Banks families and friends made cheering on the class of 2020 a priority from the northern beaches to Ocracoke by putting on special parades, hanging commemorative banners and hosting socially distant ceremonies like this one held on the athletic field at First Flight High School. Photo courtesy of Benny Baldwin. 14 | SU M M ER 2020
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Going above and beyond. Business disruptions had far-reaching implications for nearly every industry on the Outer Banks – and making the best of things often involved coming up with inventive solutions to unforeseen shortages and other obstacles. The folks behind Outer Banks Distilling in Manteo were one such group who temporarily suspended their normal rum-making operations in favor of brewing up hand sanitizer for residents in need, and local wedding photographers did their best to give couples their big day – even when it meant donning marital masks before sealing things with a kiss. Photos courtesy of Matt Newsome (above) and Ryan Moser (bottom).
16 | SU M M ER 2020
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Coloring inside the lines. As spending more and more time at home became part of our daily routines, finding creative ways to beat the boredom and reduce stress became increasingly important – with added bonus points if said activities were able to foster a sense of community even in the midst of isolation. And the Outer Banks delivered, with things such as live-streamed musical events, drive-by birthday parties and some wholly original projects like the variety of free coloring pages Hatteras Island artist Stephanie Kiker began offering to her social media followers – inspiring both residents and nonresidents alike to share their own colorful versions of her creations. Photo courtesy of Stephanie Kiker. 18 | SU M M ER 2020
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All together now! Confronted with long lines, lists of essential items, food needs and the changing face of the Outer Banks’ retail and hospitality industries, coming together (while staying safely apart) has meant making some sacrifices while also supporting each other on a frequently bumpy road of ups and downs. But at the end of the day, the Outer Banks stepped up to the task, and our frontline workers have been everywhere – from medical professionals to grocery store clerks, community volunteers and service industry experts. To the endless list of workers who still continue to meet these new challenges on a daily basis, thank you from all of us here at the North Beach Sun. Photos courtesy of Stephanie Hall. 2 0 | SU M M ER 2020
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OU T D O O R S
A WORLD
Above The night sky sparkles above Bodie Island Lighthouse. Photo courtesy of John McCord.
The dark sky could bring tourists from all over to enjoy stargazing and animal watching along the Outer Albemarle Peninsula. BY ARABELLA SAUNDERS
E
astern North Carolina is home to vinegar-based barbeque sauce, boiled peanuts and – somewhat lesser known – some of the darkest skies on the entire East Coast. In 2018, North Carolina Land of Water (NC LOW) and the nonprofit A Time for Science Learning Center joined forces on a new initiative called the Night-Scape Resource Project in order to better understand the night skies and the nocturnal environment of the four counties – Dare, Tyrell, Hyde and Washington – that make up the Outer Albemarle Peninsula (OAP).
Led by East Carolina University professor and NC LOW chair Dr. Stanley Riggs, the study concluded that the OAP is the largest area of public lands – approximately 758 square miles – with the darkest night skies between Boston and Miami, making it ripe for ecotourism opportunities. FROM JULY 2018 THROUGH MAY 2019, Stanley and a team of Coastal Studies Institute-affiliated scientists, staff and student volunteers surveyed sites in the region on 11 new and 11 full moon nights. Altogether, the researchers made 250 visits to 83 sites. Kira Foster is an Outer Banks local and an environmental studies student at Appalachian State University. In the summer of 2018, Kira volunteered with the study and often drove from her home in Southern Shores to the woods in East Lake, where she helped record observations such as wind speed, barometric pressure, brightness, noises from wildlife and the positions of the stars. “It was rewarding because I had been to all those places before, but I had never thought to go there at night,” Kira says thoughtfully. “I felt like I was doing something good in my field because I was helping the area where I grew up in an environmental way.”
CONTINUED ON PAGE 24
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N O RT H B E ACH SU N | 23
As lead investigator for the project, Stanley feels similarly. Already an internationally recognized geologist, Stanley has been researching the coastal environment of eastern North Carolina for more than 55 years – and when he’s not busy studying the natural world, he’s out enjoying it on his boat. But it wasn’t until a few years ago that he pulled his focus from the water and the lands he’d been writing about for his entire career and decided to spend some time looking up. “It dawned on me that this is a natural resource for this region that we take for granted,” Stanley says. “Everybody knows it, but we don’t think about it. There’s actually a large business in astronomy – and the public is interested in the night sky.” On April 3, Stanley and four co-authors published their 156-page report entitled “Night-Scape Resources: Northeastern North Carolina Coastal System.” The team concluded that this region is an exceptional nightscape resource for four main reasons: 1) the expansive area of public wetlands are remote and subject to minimal human activity; 2) the darkness of the night sky is tourism-worthy due to the increasing presence of light pollution throughout other areas in the country; 3) the 360-degree view of the horizon is ideal for viewing sunsets and sunrises; and 4) there’s a vast array of nocturnal wildlife. “There’s the astronomical and the ecological,” Stanley explains. “The sunsets, the sunrises and the moonrises are phenomenal, but the sounds of all the animals that are out carousing in the swamps at night are really spectacular, too.”
“It dawned on me that this is a natural resource for this region that we take for granted... There’s actually a large business in astronomy – and the public is interested in the night sky.” -DR. STANLEY RIGGS
ECOTOURISM IS TOURISM DIRECTED TOWARD
A vast landscape of stars shine brightly at Coquina Beach, which is part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore – and a location that might one day be designated an International Dark Sky Park. Photo courtesy of John McCord.
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natural and oftentimes threatened environments that’s intended to support conservation efforts. And since the OAP is one of the only starry vistas left on the Eastern Seaboard due to increasing light pollution, Stanley thinks it’s the perfect attraction for visitors from bustling cities. While the nightscape report lays the groundwork for potentially earning this region the designation as an International Dark Sky Park, Stanley acknowledges that the official process for that could take years and would require a community-wide effort from county officials, business owners and residents. Still, it’s something worth bearing in mind, and Stanley ultimately hopes that the study will serve as a resource for those looking to responsibly incorporate the OAP’s dark skies and nocturnal environment into a variety of ecotourism programs. Because not only can the region provide visitors with clear views of the constellations, but the area’s diverse nocturnal wildlife – including bears, packs of coyotes and the rare red wolf – is tourism-worthy as well. “In the winter, there’s hundreds and thousands of tundra swan and geese in the air, and it’s an incredible sound,” Stanley says. “In the daytime you can see them, but at night you can sit back and hear them.”
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N O RT H B E ACH SU N | 25
OU T D O O R S
WHERE’S THE REEF? Sometimes that sinking feeling is a good thing, like when it results in the long-awaited construction of a new artifical reef. BY LEXI H OLIAN
IN A PLACE WHERE FISHING IS A WAY OF LIFE, the opportunities for near-shore fishing have always been perhaps surprisingly limited. Anglers can cast lines in-shore or head more than 20 miles offshore to reel in the day’s catch, but the sandy ocean floor surrounding the Outer Banks doesn’t have the right structure to support complex marine habitats within a few miles of land. But that’s beginning to change this year with a new project backed by the Outer Banks Anglers Club. In an effort to create more near-shore fishing, the group has worked with the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries to design an artificial reef about seven miles from Oregon Inlet. “The purpose of artificial reefs is to create a habitat and to create opportunities for anglers and divers,” says the Division of Marine Fisheries’ Artificial Reef Coordinator, Jordan Byrum. “That’s why we build artificial reefs here in North Carolina.” Part of the state’s Department of Environmental Quality, the Division of Marine Fisheries has created 43 offshore reefs and 25 estuarine reefs over the years, some of which are oyster sanctuaries. The offshore reefs are located anywhere from a half mile to 38 miles from shore and many can be reached from major inlets. Along with providing new habitats for marine life, they can attract fishermen, divers and other types of ecotourism. Formally known as site AR-165, the new reef near Oregon Inlet was born when the Outer Banks Anglers Club – and within that, the Oregon Inlet Artificial Reef Committee – decided to pursue a new fishing spot. “The Outer Banks has long been known as having world-class offshore fishing,” explains Dick Parker, chairman of the Oregon Inlet Artificial Reef Committee. “People come here from all over the country to fish in our nearby Gulfstream waters. With the addition of AR-165, our near-shore fishing could very well be as spectacular as our offshore fishing.” Members raised funds through revenue generated from fishing license sales and local donations, including a generous $20,000 donated by T.W.’s Bait & Tackle. They then began coordinating with the Division of Marine Fisheries in 2016 to choose a location for an artificial reef and work through the lengthy federal permitting process.
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“These are great places for folks to fish and dive,” Jordan says of the new reef and four other artificial reefs in the area. “And they’re close enough to Oregon Inlet that even small boats can get out on a pretty day. You don’t have to go far.” AR-165 is 162 acres in size, so there will be plenty of room to add to the reef over time. (If you’re trying to visualize it, think of a circle with a 1,500-foot radius.) The water depth is about 65 to 68 feet, and there’s a good hard sand bottom. In the future, spring at the reef could entice species such as bluefish, cobia and Spanish mackerel, while winter might bring in black sea bass, sheepshead and red drum.
The project really kicked off with a bang this past January when the first of three retired, ocean-going tugboats was sunk with much fanfare at the site of the future reef. Many members of the Outer Banks Anglers Club watched the sinking avidly, having spent years – and hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant money – working toward that moment. About 4,000 tons of concrete pipe came next, followed by a second massive tugboat in April. The initial construction of the reef will be complete later this summer or early fall after a third tugboat and another 3,250 tons of concrete pipe go into the reef. “It’s very deliberate,” Jordan says of the tugboat sinking process in particular. To start, marine contractors anchor the boat and use gasolinepowered pumps to begin filling it with water. They also cut holes in the sides of the hull called soft patches – as the boat sinks, the surrounding water eventually reaches those holes and comes rushing in. The sinking is almost immediate after that. Concrete pipe, on the other hand, is dropped so that the pipes are stacked on top of one another. Those pipes will eventually become completely covered in growth which will attract a multitude of fish – and Jordan’s personally visited some artificial reefs in North Carolina with comparable pipes that have held up well for more than 30 years. “We want something that’s biologically suitable,” Jordan explains. “In addition to being durable and lasting a long time, we also want something that’s tall enough – that when sand moves around it, it’s not going to get covered up. Large concrete pipes and heavy steel boats are good materials for that.” And it doesn’t take long, either. When asked whether there are fish at AR-165 after the deployment of the first two tugboats, Jordan admits that he isn’t sure. But he does note that when a similar tugboat sunk at site AR-320 off Pine Knoll Shores in North Carolina, there were already fish around the boat 30 or 40 minutes after it hit bottom. “I’m sure at this point, with the warm water there and the cobia around this time of year, there are some fish at AR-165,” he says cheerfully. It may remain to be seen. But even now, fishermen, divers and other watermen can set their coordinates for 35° 41.672’N, 75° 26.313’W and find out for themselves exactly what lies beneath.
One of the retired tugboats just before it was sunk at site AR-165 in order to create a new artificial reef near Oregon Inlet. Photo courtesy of Jason Peters with the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries.
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L I F E ST Y L E
SKYHIGH
How an international kite and toy manufacturer came to have its American headquarters based in Powells Point
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BY STEVE HANF
hris Shultz still remembers the first time he flew a kite on the Outer Banks. On a visit from Ohio to see his aunt and uncle, he got a cheap plastic Gayla kite called “the bat” from Kite Kingdom at the old Sea Holly Square in Kill Devil Hills. That kite is long gone, but remarkably, Chris still has the nice wooden spool his family splurged on at the time. Chris also still remembers the first time he flew a kite on Jockey’s Ridge as part of a summer job with Kitty Hawk Kites. His friend from Manteo High School handed him a stunt kite, the infamous Outer Banks winds did their thing – and Chris was pulled face-first into the sand. That summer job is long gone, but just as remarkably, Chris still has a career in the kite industry more than 30 years later. “One thing I know about people who fly kites is they can be reserved – I wasn’t a super outgoing guy – but I liked flying kites and the attention it drew,” Chris says. “Kites can do that. They can be very expressive depending on what you’re flying or how you’re flying it.”
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Decades later, Chris now helps put kites of all shapes and sizes, plus a whole lot more, into people’s hands throughout North and South America. He serves as vice president of HQ Kites & Designs USA, which is a significant sales and distribution subsidiary of Invento GmbH, a German-based company that specializes in kites, lawn spinners and outdoor accessories, plus a variety of toys. But for all their international reach, the global company is proud to have a permanent state-side address in Currituck County. Products initially get delivered to a relatively nondescript warehouse space in Powells Point, off the beaten path of Caratoke Highway not far from the water park, then packaged and shipped for distribution to numerous retail stores. The journey from concept to production to sales that stretches from Germany to Asia to Currituck seems about as meandering as a kite dancing in the wind – and Chris’s own unlikely path. In addition to young childhood memories, he mostly recalls getting hooked on kites during his first three summers working at Kitty Hawk Kites, when he regularly traveled from East Carolina University to be part of a daily spectacle on Jockey’s Ridge. To his delight, Chris literally got paid to fly kites those summers. The job offered minimum wage and maximum fulfillment. “People drive by, and it’s like you’ve got this big billboard of kites,” Chris explains. “But we were just showing people how fun this stuff is.” Chris went on to manage the Nags Head store and eventually became a kite buyer, where he learned even more about the industry and made contacts with other companies. It was a uniquely specialized background that allowed him to get a job with a kite supplier, which introduced him to the wholesale side of things. That sent Chris to Washington and then Austin for a time until HQ Kites brought him on board. The owners of HQ – which stands for high quality – started their business in Germany in 1993 when they couldn’t find the types of performance kites they wanted to sell in their retail store. But greater demand soon grew, and HQ was born, with their American subsidiary opening in upstate New York before moving to Chesapeake.
For one Germanbased international company, the Outer Banks is the ideal spot to showcase – and experience – the power behind a variety of their highperformance kites. Photos courtesy of Chris Shultz.
Then, when HQ’s five-year lease was coming due in Chesapeake, Chris had an idea: Would anybody mind if he looked for a new warehouse space near the Outer Banks? In December of 2009, HQ Kites settled into its new home in Powells Point: twice as much space, better facilities for shipping, same price as the old lease – and a whole lot closer to home. For Chris, that is. “We’re closer to Kitty Hawk Kites, which is a big customer of ours, but we’re also in an area where we can truly showcase a lot of the products that we build,” Chris says. “And the quality of life down here is good, so the location is perfect.” Flip through the company’s catalogs and you can see why the Outer Banks is such a great fit for the business. Shot after shot includes happy kite flyers underneath picturesque blue skies at Jockey’s Ridge – imagery that’s comparatively hard to capture in Germany. Big kiteboarding groups will even rent several houses and demo some of HQ’s gear at Kite Point on Hatteras Island. And just about any time there’s a large kiting event, HQ is there alongside a variety of other local vendors. While “kites” is prominently featured in the company name, Invento also offers an everexpanding catalog of intricate toy models made of wood or metal with moving parts, remote-control vehicles, even high-end models of the solar system Chris Shultz tests a kite in that get sold at museum gift shops and in mail-order Jamaica. catalogs. Despite his background in kites, Shultz has found himself heading to toy trade shows from New York City to Nuremberg, always looking for that next interesting item that takes his imagination to new heights. But, above all, Chris continues to have a special place in his heart for all things kites – and he’s currently on a kiteboarding kick. He’s been to the Vegas desert and ridden three-wheeled carts at 50 miles per hour as they’re pulled by kite sails. And he loves flying single-line kites in unique places, like from the stern of a high-speed boat. “I’ve been lucky enough to have done pretty much everything,” Chris says of his career in kites. “And I think it’s the romance of flight and all that people are mesmerized by. It’s just like eye candy.” N O RT H B E ACH SU N | 2 9
THE LOCAL LIFE
Elisabeth Silverthorne EX ECUT I V E DIR E CTO R , B E ACH FOOD PANTRY
Photo by Cory Godwin Story by Amelia Boldaji
How did you begin working with nonprofits?
THE SHELVES ARE STOCKED AND NEATLY
I was at American University in Washington, D.C. when I decided to go to law school, and they had a Community and Economic Development Law Clinic that allowed me to get practical training working exclusively with nonprofits. I saw it as a way to marry my business background with community service and then adding that law piece in – which really appealed to me. It let me bring all of my knowledge with me, but still keep getting better and better…while also doing good in the world.
ORGANIZED according to the official government MyPlate nutritional guidelines – grains to the left, with veggies, fruits, proteins and dairy farther toward the back. At the Beach Food Pantry in Kitty Hawk, helping people navigate a client-choice-based selection of food in times of need is about understanding both their individual health needs and tastes. Or as Executive Director Elisabeth Silverthorne puts it, “We call it shopping, because it is – you just don’t have to pay at the end.”
And being a part of one of several local pantries that’s committed to alleviating temporary food insecurity, feels somewhat like a calling to Elisabeth, whose background is a bit of a winding road that seems to have slowly brought her to the exact place she was meant to be.
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What sort of work did you do when you first moved to the Outer Banks? I graduated in 2003 and moved here in ‘04 to study and take the bar exam – I thought I was only going to be here three months, but now it’s been 16 years! [Laughs] I found a job at a law firm and started doing some work as a contract attorney, but it got to the point where I was traveling all week and only coming home on the weekends. So I kind of put it out to the universe and made a deal: I said, the first job I get, I’m going to take it. Turned out it was with the Dare Education Foundation as their executive director.
How did you wind up at the Beach Food Pantry, and is it a good fit? For me, education changed the entire trajectory of my life, because in the end it’s all about opportunity – but after seven and a half years with Dare Education it was time for a change. Then the Beach Food Pantry board called to see if I was interested in a position here, and I’ve just loved it. We’re an emergency support net, and I encourage people to call the office for any reason at all – even if it’s not food related, or we’re busy, I want to help. Law is a long game, but with this, you know you’re helping, you see it every day.
What’s your favorite part of being here at the Beach Food Pantry? I’m the queen of asking people to help someone else, and I think when you do that and it works out, it reaffirms our connection. I always say that we don’t make or sell anything here – if something’s on these shelves, our community provided it. And that just reminds you how good people are. So I really and truly love the people here all the way around – the donors, the clients, the volunteers…it’s extremely humanity affirming. Because it may sound simplistic, but we all need hope. We’re all pilgrims traveling together on this journey, and if there’s hope for tomorrow or a better day – and I absolutely believe there always is – you keep moving and you find a way to push through. It’s all about how we care for one another.
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N O RT H B E ACH SU N | 31
R E A L E STAT E
sun salutations Brindley Beach Vacations and Sales Brindley Beach Vacations and Sales would like to welcome the four newest members of the sales team: Nathan Beasley, Victoria Brown, Landry Brown and Gabe Stabley. We are very excited to have them on board! An Outer Banks native, Nathan grew up in Southern Shores where his father was the chief of police for 20 years. He earned his brokers’ license in 1996 and has proven himself to be a dedicated sales professional over the past 24 years. Nathan enjoys fishing and surfing, and he is a proud single dad to two teenagers. Nathan can be found in the Duck office or by email at natebeasley@ymail.com. Victoria Boston moved to North Carolina from Ohio in 2002 as a military wife stationed with her family at Fort Bragg. After many years of supporting Special Operations soldiers through eight deployments, she moved to Southern Shores. Victoria has spent the last six years raising her three children and adapting to a much slower and relaxed way of life. Victoria can be found in the Duck office or by email at victoria@brindleybeach.com. Landry Brown is a native North Carolinian with a passion for everything Outer Banks. His focus for 23 years has been to provide clients with positive, life-changing experiences, whether working in the hospitality industry or operating his own businesses. Landry enjoys spending time with his wife and three children at the beach, on the boat fishing and going hunting. Landry can be found in the Kitty Hawk office or by email at landrybrownobx@gmail.com.
Heather Sakers, along with team members Charles Gill and Ann Taylor Lusk, earned the prestigious International Sterling Society Team award in 2019. This award is based on adjusted gross commission income and is awarded to the top 15 percent of all teams of three worldwide. Team leader Heather can be reached at heather@cbseaside.com or (252) 599-6814. Sunny Berle Awarded Coldwell Banker International Diamond Society Award Sunny Berle, a sales associate with Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty has earned membership in the company’s International Diamond Society, a level achieved by only the top 15 percent of all Coldwell Banker sales associates worldwide. The award was presented earlier this year at the company’s annual awards ceremony held at the Duck Woods Country Club. Sunny can be reached at (813) 480-0445 or sunny.berle@gmail.com. Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty Welcomes Tricia Driscoll to the Kill Devil Hills Location
Gabe Stabley graduated from Temple University and started out his career in molecular pharmacology. He later successfully ran his restaurant, Outer Banks Taco Bar, for 12 years in Kitty Hawk before he took his passion for interacting with customers to the world of real estate. Gabe can be found in the Kitty Hawk office or by email at gabe@brindleybeach.com.
Tricia Driscoll has joined the Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty sales team at the Kill Devil Hills location. “With a background in construction and investment property, my education and experience combine to share with you all the tools needed to make informed decisions,” she says. Tricia is also licensed in Virginia and can be reached at tricia@cbseaside.com or (252) 404-2195.
Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty
SAGA Realty & Construction
Beth Garcia Earns Coldwell Banker International President’s Circle Award
SAGA Realty & Construction is pleased to announce Martha Hathcock has joined the growing sales team. Martha has worked in private and public sector industries as a recruiter for technology companies, assisted in the start-up of a new technology consulting company, and supervised customer relations for an agency with the Commonwealth of Virginia. She and her husband Charlie realized their dream of living on the Outer Banks in 2018. Martha is committed to helping her clients accomplish their goals, whether buying, selling, building or investing in the beautiful Outer Banks.
Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty congratulates Beth Garcia on earning the prestigious International President’s Circle award in 2019. This award is based on adjusted gross commission income and is awarded to the top five percent of all agents worldwide. Beth, along with her husband, Zak, and mother-in-law, Debby, has earned an International Award every year for the past 15 years. Beth can be reached at (252) 207-4484 or beth@ cbseaside.com. 32 | SU M M ER 2020
The Heather Sakers Team Earns Coldwell Banker International Sterling Society Award
SAGA Realty & Construction is pleased to have Sarah Pritchard who knows the Outer Banks well! She is a native of Manteo, and her family has lived on the Outer Banks for nine generations. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in journalism. Her experiences have led her to work with many people of different backgrounds and to listen to her client’s different wants and needs. Holly Britt joins SAGA Realty & Construction and offers more than 25 years of experience in the Outer Banks real estate market. Her professionalism and superior level of service is second to none, along with her approach to a win-win negotiating style that continues to earn her high marks and respect. From the northern beaches of Corolla to Hatteras Village, clients count on her for all their real estate needs. SAGA Realty & Construction welcomes Dave Hoare. From Canada to the Outer Banks, Dave has been a top producing realtor for more than 40 years and a resident of the Outer Banks for 28 years. His wide range of experience have also included being on the ethics and arbitration committee for the Toronto Real Estate Board, the largest real estate board in the world. Real estate is truly Dave’s passion. Â
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Jessica Arnett joins SAGA Realty & Construction as a high-energy sales and customer relations professional who’s well-versed in communicating with different individuals and negotiating successful sales contracts. She’s been a sales professional for more than 15 years while focusing on building relationships and business development. She prides herself with integrity, understanding her client’s needs and attention to detail.
Sun Realty Jackie Ricks Sample was named Sun Realty’s Agent of the Month for April. Jackie has been with Sun Realty since the first day in business, and now has more than 40 years of real estate experience on the Outer Banks. She strives to provide the highest level of service and is well known for working diligently and honestly for all parties. Jackie works out of the Kill Devil Hills location, but happily covers all of the Outer Banks. Sun Realty’s top May agent was Joe Staten. Joe works out of the Duck office and is experienced in residential, commercial and business properties. Joe grew up in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C., but has made the Outer Banks his home for more than 10 years. His experience in real estate investment and development, along with a strong work ethic and drive to succeed, gives his clients a real advantage whether buying, selling or leasing property.
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sales@carolinadesigns.com 800-368-3825 N O RT H B E ACH SU N | 3 3
F I V E FACT S
THE FUTURO HOUSE
Photo courtesy of Wes Snyder / Story by Katrina Mae Leuzinger
ALIENS LIVE AMONG US. At least, that’s what you might believe
if you catch a quick glimpse of the building known informally as the “Frisco UFO” on the drive south to the Hatteras ferry. Ever since it “landed” on Hatteras Island 48 years ago, the shiny silver flying saucer with plush aliens peeking out of its windows has been the subject of much curiosity, photographs and double-takes. But it didn’t come from a galaxy far, far away – instead, this strange little structure is actually a Futuro House, one of about a hundred built (firmly on land) in the ‘60s and ‘70s.
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Back to the Futuro
The Futuro House was designed in 1968 by Finnish architect Matti Suuronen. Suuronen envisioned a lightweight, kit-style home that could be easily transported and assembled anywhere – even at the top of a snowy mountain. In fact, Suuronen designed the single-bedroom homes as private ski chalets, with a flying saucer shape that prevented snow from accumulating on their roofs, held up in high winds, and gave them a whimsical, futuristic look. Playboy magazine advertised them as “portable playhouses” and “the ultimate bachelor pads,” and they came complete with furnishings customized to fit their round shapes. Though they never quite took off (wink, wink), Futuro Houses were built all over the world, from Sweden to South Africa to right here on the Outer Banks.
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Flying saucer furor
Though the records are difficult to trace, researchers estimate that a total of 96 Futuro Houses were manufactured and shipped in the late ‘60s and ‘70s. Over at TheFuturoHouse.com, architectural enthusiasts have devoted a surprising amount of effort to tracking down and documenting each of those 96 houses. Of that total number, 67 have been found intact and 13 have been confirmed demolished. The remaining 16 – a.k.a., “the lost Futuros” – have all been listed and tracked to their last known locations. In other circumstances that might mean the case was closed, but in the world of Futuro House devotees, debates still rage over whether or not the similar, UFO-shaped “Googie Huts” found mainly in Australia and Antarctica count as modified Futuros…or are merely unlicensed lookalikes.
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To infinity and beyond
The Frisco UFO was first built about 50 years ago by Dr. Lee and Mrs. Mary Jane Russo, who wanted a special vacation home away from the bustle of Baltimore. During their search, Mary Jane spotted an ad for the fantastical kit in The Last Whole Earth Catalog and decided she had to have it. When their family expanded and outgrew the compact pad, the Russos donated it to the local fire department on Hatteras Island, who planned to set it aflame for practice. Deciding later they’d rather have the money instead, the fire department raffled off the home. From there the spaceship moved around the island several times, and has since served as The Hatteras Monitor magazine office, a Girl Scout meeting place, the office for the Scotch Bonnet Marina and Campground, and as an Out of This World hotdog stand.
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Take me to your island
Today the Frisco UFO is owned by Leroy Reynolds, and is the subject of some minor local controversy. The county has declared the near half-century-old structure unlivable, and will not allow it to be connected to water or electric. That’s disappointing to Reynolds, who would like to expand on this unofficial tourist attraction by adding an air-conditioned building to use as a souvenir shop. But Reynolds does still pull in a little bit of money from the people who stop to look at the house. During the peak summer season, you can often find him standing outside in a neon green racing suit and a matching rubber alien mask, selling t-shirts that say “Take me to your island.”
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The truth is out there
James Bagwell, the owner of the land the Frisco UFO sits on, likes to claim that the spaceship is the second-most photographed thing on Hatteras Island, bested only by the lighthouse. Besides taking pictures, visitors have also been known to say and do all sorts of things when they come in contact with the house. Previous owners have mentioned people stopping to moon the UFO, strangers knocking on the door at midnight with requests to look around inside, and little boys inquiring after ray guns. But the Frisco UFO’s most colorful visitors are the people who like to compare it to the real UFOs they claim to have seen or even been abducted by. According to them, the Frisco UFO isn’t quite true to life… but it comes pretty darn close.
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THE OBX HOMES TEAM
SPECIALIZING IN LUXURY, OCEANFRONT, AND INVESTMENT PROPERTIES ON THE NORTHERN BEACHES OF THE OUTER BANKS
#1 TEAM IN RESIDENTIAL SALES FOR COROLLA TOP PRODUCERS AT TWIDDY & COMPANY, REALTORS OVER 27 MILLION IN SALES FOR 2019*
HEATHER MCLAY | ASHLEY LADD | MANDI JONES T E A M @ O B X H O M E S , C O M
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W W W . O B X H O M E S . C O M 3 6 | SU M M ER 2020 *Based on information from the Outer Banks Association of REALTORS® MLS for the period January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019.
