North Beach Sun Spring 2021 by North Beach Sun

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A PI E C E OF

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Avenue Waterfront Grille

Spacious indoor and outdoor waterfront dining. Local seafood, all-natural proteins, specialty burgers and pizzas. Craft beers, wine and Outer Banks cocktails. Gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan selections. Come and play Carolina Keno and N.C. Education Lottery with us! 4

Downtown Books

An independent bookstore offering best-sellers for all ages and genres, autographed copies, southern cookbooks, puzzles, greeting cards and select gifts. Stop by April 24 for Independent Bookstore Day! 1

103 Sir Walter Raleigh Street 252-473-1056 • duckscottage.com

Bloom Boutique

A fashion forward boutique offering unique, high-quality women’s clothing and accessories. Pop in for a personalized enjoyable shopping experience. 5

Sam & Winston

A family-owned shop with fine art, books, gourmet kitchen goods and high-design gifts for ladies, gentlemen, children and dogs. 2 108 Sir Walter Raleigh Street 252-475-9764 • @shopsamandwinston

Sisters Boutique & Gifts For your wardrobe + home. 3

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207 Queen Elizabeth Avenue 252-305-8582 • @sistersofmanteo

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The Wheel House Lounge

The newest craft cocktail bar located inside of Outer Banks Distilling, specializing in Kill Devil Rum cocktails. The distillery gift shop is open from 10:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. and the Wheel House Lounge is open from 12:00-7:00 p.m. Closed Sundays and Mondays. 6

510 Budleigh Street 252-423-3011 • outerbanksdistilling.com

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Mermaid's Purse

Offering a variety of unique gifts and treasures for all ages. 7

101 Sir Walter Raleigh Street 252-473-6880 @mermaidspurseobx mermaidspurseobx@gmail.com

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Distinctive clothing by CP Shades and Wilt and many other niche brands. Sophisticated accessories, jewelry and fragrances for you and your home. 10 Magnolia Lane

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The Lost Colony Brewery & Cafe

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Largest growing local brewery on the Outer Banks. Award-winning craft beers and creative cuisine served for more than 20 years. Outdoor, pet-friendly dining available. Dinner reservations accepted.

Celebrating 20 years in 2020! Fashion, sleepwear, jewelry, home textiles and more! It’s a “gotta have it” kind of place. 8

101B Fernando Street 252-475-1971 • Like us on Facebook

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252-473-6666 • lostcolonybrewery.com

Laughing Lollipop

Take a walk down memory lane in this little mom and pop sweet shop! Ice cream, throwback candies, chocolates, homemade cotton candy, fun gummies, bulk candy and more!

Full-service ladies’ boutique specializing in fashions that are traditional with a contemporary flair. Seasonal makeup events with Trish McEvoy and designer trunk shows. Check website for details.

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12 103A Fernando Street

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On the Road to the OBX There are Treasures to Behold

Find yourself here On highway 158, south of the VA/NC line, you’ll find local gems like Sanctuary Vineyards, an award-winning winery offering both tours and tastings, The Weeping Radish, NC’s first craft brewery offering unique farm-to-fork fare, H2OBX Waterpark and more. Don’t let memories you’ll treasure pass you by, on the road to the Currituck Outer Banks.

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2407 N. Croatan Hwy, Suite A 2407 N. Croatan Hwy, Suite A Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 2407 N. Croatan Hwy, Suite A 2407 N. Croatan Hwy, Suite A Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Kill Devil Hills, NCN27948 O RT H B E ACH SU N Shane Cook NMLS# 476328; MD - 42148, NC - I-185225, VA - MLO-12177VA | Rachel Hazen NMLS #1665076; NC - I-193464, VA - MLO-48638VA

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48 24

Spring 2021 V O L U M E 13 5

10 FROM THE DESK 13 BUT FIRST... COMMUNITY

14 FOUR IF BY SEA For the birds 16 SAFE HARBOR The NCDOT shipyard in Manns Harbor ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

19 A PIECE OF HOME Capturing the architecture of the Outer Banks

OUTDOORS REAL ESTATE

29 HOME SPOTLIGHT The Edgecamp Sporting Club in Salvo 32 BUSINESS BRIEFS 34 TOWN REPORT 36 DESIGN SNAPSHOT A seat at the table 38 SUN SALUTATIONS 40 FIVE FACTS Dowdy Park

24 SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW The upcycled art of Mark Wiseman ABOUT THE COVER: Paradise View, painted by James Melvin. THIS PAGE: Photos by Ryan Moser (top left), Elizabeth Neal (top right and lower right) and Cory Godwin (lower left).

43 PROCEED WITH CAUTION Dangerous jobs on the Outer Banks FOOD & BEVERAGE

48 IN FULL BLOOM Asparagus dishes for springtime FOLKS

54 THE BEACH’S BEST Local athletes take their talents to Divison I colleges THE LOCAL LIFE

58 MARC BASNIGHT Former North Carolina State Senator

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F R O M T H E DE S K

staff

A classic Nags Head cottage row home, painted by Marcia Cline.

Anything is possible. THERE WERE PERIODS OF TIME THIS PAST WINTER WHEN IT SEEMED LIKE THE RAIN WOULD

Down it came for days – or weeks – until a brief afternoon respite with the sun even barely poking out from behind the clouds felt a bit like some magisterial revelation of a better future to come. Until it started raining again, that is. But the thing is that while we were slogging through these soggy periods, we actually were moving toward something grander – as evidenced by the first sprouts of newly nourished seeds, and all those other tidings that are typically held up to herald spring. Because, if you think about it, the platitudes used to describe nearly all the seasons exist for a reason – they (at least attempt to) denote change while framing any impending differences in the positive light of forging forward…and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. It can be important to remember, however, that the passage to some new stage – whether seasonal or otherwise – doesn’t always have to be epically grand. Those sprouts, while beautiful, are often more hardy than precious, and the appearance of sunlight after what feels like a long hiatus isn’t revolutionary magic – it’s just how the natural world works. This same logic can be applied in other areas of our daily lives as well. While many of us have grown accustomed to spending long stretches of time at home over the course of this past year, the idea that we should be funneling all of our otherwise untapped energy toward starting (and completing) numerous projects and making exemplary progress on an array of personal goals has taken root in a lot ways – and not without a fair number of downsides. The truth is that not every season has to be one of exponential growth, and not every step has to be a huge one. Or, to put it even more bluntly: Sometimes the dormancy between transitional stages is just, well, dormancy. Perhaps that could be the bigger take-away as we gear ourselves toward spring this year. That new life is indeed growing – as are we – whether or not we take overtly active measures to pursue it. And that, as long as we can try to keep this perspective in mind, virtually anything is still possible. As always, we hope you enjoy this issue – and join us in welcoming the simple pleasures this new season is sure to bring! NEVER END.

PUBLISHERS PUBLISHERS Adam & Cathy Baldwin Adam & Cathy Baldwin EDITOR EDITOR Amelia Boldaji Amelia Boldaji ART DIRECTOR ART DIRECTOR Dave Rollins Dave Rollins GRAPHIC DESIGNERS GRAPHIC Adam DESIGNERS Baldwin Adam DylanBaldwin Bush Dylan Bush WRITERS WRITERS Cathy Baldwin Cathy Baldwin Amelia Boldaji Amelia Steve Boldaji Hanf Steve Haskett Hanf Hunter Hunter Haskett Lexi Holian Lexi Holian Catherine Kozak Catherine Hannah LeeKozak Leidy Hannah Lee Leidy Katrina Mae Leuzinger Katrina MaeMcDanel Leuzinger Amanda PHOTOGRAPHERS PHOTOGRAPHERS Lori Lori Douglas Douglas Cory Cory Godwin Godwin Ryan Ryan Moser Moser Elizabeth Elizabeth Neal Neal Outer Outer Banks Banks History History Center Center Drew Wilson SALES MANAGER Helen Furr SALES MANAGER

Helen Furr ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Faith Turek ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Faith Turek DISTRIBUTOR Aaron Caswell 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.

NORTH BEACH SUN

Publisher

Editor

115 West Meadowlark St. Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 252.449.4444 editor@northbeachsun.com

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Moving on Up

Will Deane is held aloft by his peers after his NSSA win this past October. Photo courtesy of Shawn Deane.

Outshining the Others EVERY SEPTEMBER SINCE 2010, WIKIPEDIA HOLDS AN INTERNATIONAL

to celebrate historical monuments and other heritage sites. Called Wiki Loves Monuments (WLM), the competition is fiercely stiff – in 2011, the Guinness Book of World Records reported that it was officially the largest photography contest in existence, and a whopping 10,700 contestants from 43 countries submitted nearly 277,000 photos in 2016.

PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST

The ranks of WLM hopefuls only grew in 2020, but this time the finalists included one of our own. Coming in sixth place out of more than 6,000 U.S. submissions, Elizabeth Neal of Milepost Living Photography took top honors with this stunning light-streaked image of Bodie Island Lighthouse (above) – a photo which was originally taken as part of a commission for the fall 2019 edition of the North Beach Sun. While Elizabeth acknowledges that there can be an element of luck involved in photography, taking a picture of this caliber undeniably takes a good deal of skill, and sometimes, a healthy dose of patience. “After I got the assignment, I thought it would be neat to have some great clouds in the background,” she explains. “So I waited for summer storms to come through, and went out there twice with no luck – but the third time was a charm.”

Reading Rainbow – just ask any aspiring writer how many unfinished manuscripts they’ve got squirreled away in a desk drawer somewhere. But for North Beach Sun freelance writer extraordinaire (and Kill Devil Hills resident) Katrina Mae Leuzinger, the persistence it takes to get your work noticed ultimately paid off when she recently signed a two-year contract with indie press Dreaming Big Publications to publish her forthcoming novel, The Fairy Thief, in the fall of 2022. MAKING IT IN THE PUBLISHING BUSINESS AIN’T EASY

Author photo of Katrina Mae Leuzinger.

“It only took a year of looking for an agent – and 115 query letters,” Katrina says with a laugh as she talks about her light-hearted urban-fantasy/romance debut manuscript. “I got a lot of rejections, so when I finally got the email from [Dreaming Big], my whole brain sort of fizzled out. Now I’m just working on things with my editor – and planning on a sequel.”

IN THE SUMMER OF 2020, 12-YEAR-OLD

of the North Beach Sun as surfing’s next big thing – and he hasn’t rested on his laurels since then. If anything, Will closed out 2020 – the most successful year of his competitive career so far – with the major win of a national title as part of the National Scholastic Surfing Association’s (NSSA) Explorer competition, which was held at Jennette’s Pier this past October.

WILL DEANE GRACED THE COVER

But going from his home break to his big break wasn’t easy – and the stats bear this out.

By the end of 2020, Will was ranked number one in the NSSA’s 12-and-under Explorer division, and tied for first place in the U.S. Surfing Prime East’s 14-and-under division.

Training for this level of competition isn’t for the faint of heart. As long as the swells are good, Will can train as much as four to seven days a week for two to three hours per day in good weather – and this jumps to seven days a week for six to eight hours per day when he’s traveling for the sport. Speaking of traveling, Will clocked an impressive 11 flights in order to train or compete professionally in 2020 – including one trip each to Carolina Beach, Texas, Hawaii and Costa Rica, three trips to California, and four to Florida – which logged him nearly 21,353 frequent flyer miles. N O RT H B E ACH SU N | 13

F OU R I F BY S E A

For the Birds The story of a wayward pigeon that stole hearts at one local watering hole By Amanda McDanel

a cold winter night, several friends gathered in a secluded corner of Avalon Pier to tell a few tales. This sort of comradery isn’t unusual on any given night, as the pier’s bar often draws a colorful crowd who like to belly up for But the Davises made some cold brews in the company of kindred spirits. Akin sure Charlie wouldn’t forget to the Island of Misfit Toys, the pier beckons to a variety his forever home at the pier, too. of castaways – and there’s always a seat at the bar for In light of pigeons’ internal homing those salty enough to seek it. ability, Aubrey made sure to carefully place In August of 2019 this held even more true, as Charlie in a cage to make a trip to the pier every day in an inebriated pirate (of sorts) stumbled into the bar order to acclimate him to the local landscape. clasping a plucky creature that had just been discovered And slowly but surely, Charlie became not only the underneath the pier. Only days old, the strange looking pier mascot, but also a valuable member of the Avalon pigeon had fallen from his nest and Pier crew. Upon entering the pier, a plummeted into an entirely new place hand-painted sign read “Beware of to call home. the Friendly Pigeon” to announce Rescued initially by the bartenders, Once, Charlie even stood Charlie’s presence to newcomers. whose animal-loving instincts told in for security when a Fully recuperated and growing at a them that this was a special bird, the rapid rate, Charlie could now make pigeon dubbed “Charlie” was quickly patron indulged too much the trip to the pier from the Davises the subject of a frantic phone call to and tried to take a nap by flying solo as well, and he used Aubrey Davis, a Kill Devil Hills resident those visits to satisfy his craving for who liked to frequent the pier after under the pier – incensed, human interaction. work. From pigeons to pelicans, Charlie flew down and Whether he perched atop the Aubrey – a brewery owner by trade mechanical Pirate Zoltar to watch landed on the gentleman’s as people’s fortunes were dealt or – had long since earned a reputation as a local rehabber of the winged set. ankle bracelet in order to he descended down to the beach to Unable to resist, Aubrey peck him awake. mingle with families sunning in the immediately took Charlie home sand, he was a consummate ham. He to nurse him back to health. With especially liked to pose for pictures the help of his wife, the couple fed with the ladies – though it was most Charlie with baby food syringes, took him on daily walks often while sitting on their heads. with their three dogs, and provided him with a his own The bartenders treated him like a fellow barback, special perch right inside their home. teaching him how to fling coasters at customers and 14 | S PR I N G 2021

training him to collect bills and punch (or, in his case, poke) holes in drink cards during special “Wednesdays with Charlie.” Once, Charlie even stood in for security when a patron indulged too much and tried to take a nap under the pier – incensed, Charlie flew down and landed on the gentleman’s ankle bracelet in order to peck him awake. By October 2020, Charlie had built up some extra winter weight and his new full stature was catching the eyes of several feathered females – leading Charlie to do what any young adolescent male naturally does: He started bringing his girlfriends home from the pier for dinner with the parents. The Davises continued to put out food for him and his feathery flavor of the week in hopes that Charlie would indeed (and quite literally) spread his wings to fly. Alas, Mother Nature had other plans for our hero. After enjoying a routine afternoon snack at the Davises, Charlie fell victim to a Cooper’s Hawk that was searching for a snack of his own. The neighbors who witnessed Charlie’s unfortunate ending could confirm that all that remained were a few feathers on the driveway and a hole in the heart of a rowdy group of comrades. While the pier crew at Avalon may never be the same, a memorial celebration is planned post-pandemic to honor the memory of what was, essentially, a wayward seagull who captured the true spirit of our local shores.

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C O M M U N IT Y

When North Carolina’s many car ferries need a little TLC, they come to Manns Harbor. PHOTO BY RYAN MOSER STORY BY HANNAH LEE LEIDY

nyone who travels to Ocracoke knows that the ferry ride there is often one of the main highlights of the journey. It enhances Ocracoke’s remotedestination vibe, and the prospect of travel that necessitates a boat holds a certain appeal for many passengers. (Just think about how many photos people snap with their phones en route!) Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Ocracoke ferries operating out of Hatteras Island, Swan Quarter and Cedar Island get the bulk of attention here on the Outer Banks – but they only make up a portion of the fleet that services North Carolina’s waterways. The collection 16 | S PR I N G 2021

Safe Harbor additionally includes the ferries from Currituck to Knotts Island, Bayview to Aurora, Southport to Fort Fisher and the ferry route from Cherry Branch to Minnesott Beach. A United States Coast Guard mandate also requires that each of these state ferries undergo routine inspections and maintenance twice every five or so years. And while 22 ferries operate across North Carolina’s coast, few know that these inspections and scheduled maintenance happen right in our own backyard. The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) State Shipyard in Manns Harbor, just west of Roanoke Island, conducts regular inspections, upkeeps and emergency repairs for the entire N.C. fleet. In short, this isn’t your typical small-town shipyard. With four different departments humming under the energy of the shipyard’s 78 employees, efficiency

and utility prevail as the state shipyard’s hallmark features. Between the hull (or welding) department, paint department, mechanics department and docking department, the operation’s facilities and employees’ expertise equip them to conduct any and all repairs of the state’s ships – in house, no less. “This is an essential facility so that we [at the NCDOT] don’t have to take our boats to Norfolk,” says Jed Dixon, the shipyard’s deputy director. And their prime location in Manns Harbor is a crucial piece of the picture. If one of the ferries experiences any damage, such as a failed motor or broken propeller during its route, a team of technicians can often conduct what’s called an emergency haul out. During this process, they’re uniquely positioned to race to the ferry’s location and conduct any necessary repairs on the spot.

One of the state ferries undergoes an inspection at the NCDOT shipyard in Manns Harbor.

If you’ve driven across the Virginia Dare Memorial Bridge toward Manns Harbor, you’ve likely glimpsed the shipyard’s towering lifts and other elements of its 17-acre facility. They use their 86-foot lift to haul the ferries from the water and inspect the vessels’ hulls on their credited dry dock. Additionally, the shipyard includes a paint building large enough to house the ferries as they undergo the painting process. Another key feature that makes the shipyard a true asset on the East Coast is their giant warehouse full of ship parts and equipment ranging from basic nuts and bolts to massive propellers and generators. “A lot of these parts are manufactured overseas, and having them right here lets us make a pretty quick turnaround with repairs,” Jed explains.

Expertly inspecting, repairing and returning the state’s ferries and other vessels to the water is a point of pride within the establishment. Completing the Coast Guard-required maintenance and upkeep takes about four to six months – starting with a boat’s initial survey, then replacing corroded material around its hull, repairing interior and exterior pieces, stripping away any old paint in order to replace it with a fresh coat, and giving the finished product its final safety inspection. The process begins with an initial survey when a boat arrives at the dry dock. The docking department must first lift a ferry from the water, which takes a few hours, before they can strip away the boat’s dry wall. Coast Guard representatives then arrive and conduct a comprehensive hull exam with an ultrasound-like machine in order to determine how much metal the hull

lost during the boat’s operation. Ultimately this allows them to make a prognosis about how much – and what kind – of work the ship needs. At any given time, the shipyard will have seven to eight vessels in various stages of the maintenance process. Once all the repairs have been completed, the Coast Guard returns not only for a final inspection, but also to train crew members in order to ensure optimal safety. “Then we send it back out with a clean bill of health,” Jed says proudly. The scope and coherence of the shipyard’s operations also distinguish it nationally. “When you see the scale of what we have to do, it’s really rewarding,” Jed adds. “I’ve been around shipyards all over the country, and ours definitely holds its ground with the best of them.” N O RT H B E ACH SU N | 17

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A Piece of Home

A RT S & E N T E RTA I N M E N T

Part of our coastal landscape that can sometimes get a bit lost amid images of water and wildlife are the houses, cottages and other buildings that so often inform our daily lives here. For a number of local artists, however, capturing the essence of the Outer Banks includes documenting that architecture – and the many different shapes of all the places we’ve come to call home. BY AM EL IA BOL DAJ I

Whether she’s walking or biking around a local neighborhood, Barbara Noel finds inspiration everywhere – and she’s particularly drawn to bold, bright colors…and the ability to incorporate water somewhere in her frames. Often using whatever canvases she has on hand, Barbara also tends to work from photographs with a water-soluble oil paint that lets her freely practice her art while her dogs rest by her feet on the kitchen floor. “There are only about four old Nags Head oceanfront houses that still have those original swings, and I’m simply obsessed with them,” she says about the pictured image (above). “That one little area just seems frozen in time, and it’s majestic.” N O RT H B E ACH SU N | 19

After spending years in the sign painting business, it merely made sense that Bobby Wiltshire found architecture a natural fit for his watercolor brushes. The above image, entitled Route 158, depicts one of the more colorful historic cottages lining the beach road in Nags Head – a structure which was originally built in the 1900s by Stephen J. Twine, a carpenter who’s largely credited with pioneering the distinctive features that still adorn many local homes to this day. “His houses are so dimensional,” Bobby says. “I love the shutters, the cedar shakes, the history…and that moment when the shadows come off them just catches my eye.”

More often than not, Marcia Cline’s favorite place to paint is outdoors – which is why her point of view can sometimes depend on where she can find a place to perch. While she describes her oil paintings as a product of her personal eye rather than being classic portraiture, the scenes she captures – including this oceanfront home on the beach road in Kitty Hawk – instantly evoke a certain amount of character. “It’s had a lot of different lives,” she says of the house (left), adding that it once also had yellow shutters to match the door. “And I spend a lot of time being aware of what’s happening on the beach – that’s why I live here after all.”

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Although James Melvin’s first trip to the Outer Banks in 1981 was also his first time visiting the coast, he immediately felt a deep connection to this area. He and his wife made a permanent move to the beach from Fayetteville, N.C., shortly thereafter, and that also marked the start of his fulltime career as an artist. Since then, James has made a local name for himself in everything from coastal-inspired canvases to book illustrations, but what ultimately drives his work the most is a sense of peace and serenity. “Your art is a sketch of you, and I like to think that I’m a peaceful person,” he says while discussing the above image, entitled Paradise View, which depicts one of the historic cottages in Nags Head. “And I always feel at home here, too.”

For watercolorist Meg Rubino, certain places are deeply connected to memory. While many of her delicate house images are done on commission – including ones that some realtors give as gifts to new homeowners, such as the painting of this house (right) in Kitty Hawk – Meg also enjoys depicting a variety of iconic local places, including the piers, certain restaurants, and buildings like the old Wee Winks grocery store in Kitty Hawk, which closed its doors in 2018 after being in business for more than six decades. “It’s the little things that make you thankful to be here,” she says of her architectural images. “And every artist has their own take on things.” 2 2 | S PR I N G 2021

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hen someone first sets eyes on Mark Wiseman’s brightly colored wooden and fabric fish, he likes to watch them make the initial connection: That the curve of each fish’s body used to be armrests, and that the canvas fabric fins once stretched across an aluminum frame. From discarded beach chairs to sustainable art, Mark has captured a piece of the Outer Banks in his upcycled fish – one that stands out to an increasingly environmentally conscious audience. And it’s not just broken chairs that he uses as part of his craft. Beach tents blown over by the wind, fishing nets, rope and bottle caps have all found a place in Mark’s workshop as he creates ocean-inspired pieces from waves to steampunk-style marine life under the Salty Art Upcycling name. His versatile pieces hang in cottages all over the Outer Banks and have been shipped as far away as Australia. “If someone came to me and said paint me a picture of a mermaid or a fish, I couldn’t do it,” Mark says. “But if I can cut, hammer and screw it together, I can make something that people recognize. I just see shapes and forms in everyday junk.” According to Mark, he simply fell into Salty Art Upcycling. Five or six years ago, he and his wife, Nicole, were shopping for art and realized they couldn’t afford some of the pieces they really liked. Nicole suggested that he try his hand at creating something, and the upcycled result – a red drum – still hangs in their home today. For the body of that fish, Mark used wood from a barn that was being torn down in Manns Harbor. Flattened bottle caps and metal siding from an above-ground pool turned into scales and fins. “Everything I used was discarded,” he explains. “When I first started doing art shows, I called it junk art. Then there was this sweet old lady who said, ‘It’s not junk – you’re upcycling.’” Mark was actually in the process of tearing down an old beach chair when he first noticed the resemblance between one of the wooden armrests and the shape of a fish. He ended up throwing the chair out anyway, but when he saw another C O N T I N U E D O N PAG E 2 6

Old SSom om ethi ng Ol S A LVAG E M E E T S ST Y L E I N T H E U P C YC L E D A RT OF M A R K W I SE M A N

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A RT S & E N T E RTA I N M E N T

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The work Mark creates as part of Salty Art Upcycling includes his signature local fish made from otherwise unusable beach chairs and a number of other durable pieces forged with discarded objects such as tent poles, license plates and aluminum pool siding.

Customers who have purchased his art even take the time to tell him where he can pick up material, and during the bulk-item trash pickup in the spring and fall, there’s plenty of stuff to choose from.

scrapped beach chair on the side of Highway 12 during a daily run, he decided to carry it home on his back. “Everyone who saw me running that day thought I was crazy,” he says with a laugh. “But I experimented with that chair and perfected it until I was able to make some awesome local fish.” Mark jokes that his neighbors still look at him a little sideways when they see him running down the street with his arms full of trash. But he ends up using all of it or recycling what he can’t use, so very little gets thrown away. A body piercer on the Outer Banks for 28 years, Mark makes the drive from Kill Devil Hills to Manns Harbor each day to go to work at Vertigo Tattoo, and he spends that drive scouring the highway for discarded remnants left behind at beach accesses and cottages. As friends and family have become familiar with his artwork, Mark has started finding broken beach chairs at his house when he gets home from work, too. Customers who have purchased his art even take the time to tell him where he can pick up material, and during the bulk-item trash pickup in the spring and fall, there’s plenty of stuff to choose from. “I can get really creative with the beach chair fish that have weird arm rests,” Mark adds. “I call them steampunk fish – I’m working on one now that’s got a couple of

2 6 | S PR I N G 2021

pieces of license plates as fins. I have a box of junk, and when I make a fish like this, I dump everything out on the table and spread it out. Eventually I’ll see something I can add to give the fish a unique character.” That might be a license plate or some metal rings of unknown origin or another piece of artwork that was broken and thrown away. A humidity gauge becomes a fish eye. An old bell can be repurposed as the lure of an anglerfish. “I keep myself surrounded with junk,” says Mark. “I have cast nets that I’ve collected in Manns Harbor and Wanchese that I use for jellyfish. But everything I make has something to do with the ocean and living on the coast.” He creates in his garage-based workshop or – preferably – outdoors when he can. Local galleries including Over the Moon in Ocracoke and the SeaDragon Gallery in Duck have started carrying Mark’s creations, and he recently shipped a beach chair fish to Hawaii. The customer was a former resident of Virginia who wanted a fish – a red drum, as it turns out – created with a hibiscus-print pattern she had seen on the Salty Art Upcycling Facebook page. “More and more people are becoming environmentally conscious in their everyday lives,” Mark says thoughtfully. “They’re realizing that taking something out of the trash and turning it into art that hangs in your home can be part of that. It’s what I love most about it.”

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HOME SPOTLIGHT

SET OVERLOOKING THE PAMLICO SOUND ON

Edgecamp Sporting Club blends contemporary style with the indigenous architecture of the Outer Banks – and don’t worry: You can’t miss it. The 14-bedroom retreat was designed to showcase the natural beauty of the island while serving as a backdrop for activities such as kiteboarding, yoga and other coastal experiences. One of the only large homes along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, it stands out for its size, but its flat roof and cedar shakes still mesh nicely with the fabric of Outer Banks architecture. “I wanted to build a house around community and create memorable experiences,” says owner Richard Fertig, noting the home’s many gathering spaces and easy access to adventure activities. By design, the location is ideal for kiteboarders in particular, with the courtyard providing ample space for setup and launching. “Richard wanted a more contemporary look and feel for the home,” adds Chris Nason, lead architect and owner of Beacon Architecture & Design. “He wanted

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Images from both inside and out at Edgecamp Sporting Club in Salvo reveal thoughtfully placed décor, modern decks with distinctive cable rails and tons of oversized windows that maximize the views of the surrounding area’s spectacular beauty.

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something different – and at the same time, we worked really hard to be both contemporary and contextual.” Encompassing a stretch of coastal wetlands, the site played a big part in the design of Edgecamp Sporting Club. The northern arm of the home is taller with fewer windows to block the northeast wind. The southern arm, on the other hand, is lower so sun can reach areas that would otherwise be shaded. The white roof is reminiscent of classic Outer Banks flat tops, many of which were constructed on the northern beaches throughout the ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s. “I’m a resident of Southern Shores, and I really love working on flat tops,” Chris says. “Flat roofs are just a natural fit – but down in Hatteras, you don’t see very much of this.” The retreat’s woven cedar shake corners and the absence of trim boards are other design elements one might expect to see in very traditional coastal homes. Edgecamp’s distinctive use of cable rails, though, adds a more modern touch, which noticeably opens up the views from the house’s decks and interiors. “On the Outer Banks, you see a lot of homes that are completely shrouded in decks, which can block the views,” Chris explains. “We tried to minimize that by using cable rail – or even just by eliminating the decks altogether.” A few small decks and a screened porch can still be found on the front of the house, while the back is all thoughtfully placed decks adorned with cable rail – which appears nearly invisible when set against the surrounding scenery. On every level, windows showcase the expansive Pamlico Sound. “The sound view is spectacular,” Chris says. “Up on the top floor, it’s like being on a boat. There are water views everywhere. That was intentional.” Indoors, the spaces feel somewhat industrial with a chic, backpacker aesthetic. The angles preserve light in the gathering areas, and artwork is limited because the point of Edgecamp’s design is to showcase as many aspects of Hatteras’ natural charms as possible. “That’s what we want people to be surrounded by, so that’s what we built,” Richard says. “At every turn, we tried to elevate the game – and not to do so from a sense of luxury and prestige, but rather by letting the beauty of nature speak for itself.”

N O RT H B E ACH SU N | 31

R E A L E STAT E

business briefs COMPILED BY C ATH ERI N E KOZ AK

Real Estate

market snapshot Iconic Downtown Manteo Inn Sold The Tranquil House Inn, a sprawling 25-room inn situated along the Manteo waterfront, has been purchased by Carolina Retreats, a specialty lodging and vacation rental management company based in Surf City on Topsail Island, N.C. In an announcement published on its website, the company said it plans to make unspecified improvements to the property over time, including upgrades to its rooms. There will be a future announcement about plans for the former 1587 Restaurant that had been located inside the inn, the statement said. Carolina Retreats was established in 2015 by CEO/owner Mike Harrington, who was formerly the CEO of Resort Realty on the Outer Banks. Fishing Industries Suffer Some Losses Covid-19 shutdowns had a major impact on Southeast commercial fisheries and recreational charter/for-hire industries, according to a recent National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) report. The updated NOAA assessment, released in January 2021, showed a decrease in charter boat revenues from North Carolina to Mississippi of $142 million, or 24 percent, from January through June. Head boat revenue in the region – from North Carolina to Texas – fell 34 percent as well. Landing data for federally managed species in the Southeast also showed a sharp decline of 36 percent from March through May, with April spiking at 48 percent below the 2019 catch. Landings in additional high-value Atlantic migratory species fisheries, such as bluefin tuna and swordfish, dropped precipitously as well, with overall revenue down 36 percent from April through June compared with 2019. With more than 70 percent of seafood typically consumed in restaurants, the report stated, even strong gains in grocery sales could not offset these steep losses. 32 | S PR I N G 2021

More Accolades for Basnight Bridge Dare County’s new 2.8-mile bridge over Oregon Inlet has garnered another prestigious award, adding to several others since opening two years ago. This past January, the Marc Basnight Bridge was named 2020’s Bridge of the Year by American Infrastructure magazine, an industry publication. In an article about the award, the magazine applauded the project as “an impressive feat” and complimented the engineering design, calling it “a visually superior replacement” to the old Herbert C. Bonner Bridge. Previous honors for the Marc Basnight Bridge include a Project of the Year award from the American Society of Civil Engineers, an Award of Excellence from the American Segmental Bridge Institute, and a Sustainable Design Award from the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute.

The December year-end report from the Outer Banks Association of Realtors proves that 2020’s through-the-roof real estate activity was a record-breaking – and unexpected – flashback to the peak local housing boom in the mid-2000s. In fact, the year-to-date (YTD) sales shot up 44 percent over 2019, resulting in 3,742 properties sold in 2020 compared to 2,606 in 2019. According to the statistical report by MLS Director Dan Sutherland, 2020’s stunning sales total of $1.57 billion has not been seen since 2004, when 3,747 properties sold. Residential sales in 2020 jumped $302 million, totaling $1.47 billion versus $1.16 billion in 2019. Other jaw-dropping figures in the report revealed that sales in December 2020 were not only five percent higher than the previous month, they were 78 percent higher than the previous December. The median sale price also rose 31 percent to $485,000 over the previous year – a $114,000 increase. Sales totals soared the most in Corolla, with an increase of 129 percent over December 2019 sales. The biggest leap in median price was seen in Nags Head, from $399,900 in December 2019 to $480,000 in December 2020 – a 20 percent increase. But Corolla beat other towns for the highest median sale price locally in December 2020 at $560,000 – which was $70,000 higher than December 2019.

New Target Store Still on Target Although no activity has been evident all winter at the old Kmart building off U.S. 158 in Kill Devil Hills, the Target Corporation is still planning to open a location at the site, according to Aryn Ridge, a spokeswoman for Target. “We’re excited to bring an easy, safe and convenient shopping experience to guests in the community with this new Target store,” Ridge said in a February email. The store will be about 80,000 square feet and be tailored to the needs of its coastal location, Ridge stated. No further information about the project, including its grand opening date, was made available as

of press time, but Ridge promised that “more specific details” will be shared closer to its expected opening. RPC Contracting Company Sold After more than 30 years serving construction industries in northeastern North Carolina, RPC Contracting, Inc. was sold to Construction Partners, Inc. (CPI), an Alabama-based civil infrastructure company, this past December. According to its website, CPI has acquired 24 businesses in the Southeastern U.S. since its inception in 2001. RPC owner Robbie Parker and his team at offices in Kitty Hawk and Elizabeth City have been integrated into the CPI company.

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town report R E A L E STAT E

What’s happening in your town? Here’s a report from all over the Outer Banks.

Kitty Hawk

COMPILED BY C ATH ERI N E KOZ AK

Currituck County Construction of three new walkovers to replace deteriorating infrastructure at the Barracuda, Perch and Sail street beach accesses on Lighthouse Drive began this past January at the Whalehead subdivision in Corolla. The project is the first phase of the county’s multi-year replacement of 13 public beach walkovers. Another infrastructure improvement in Corolla also began in January, with an upgrade to the raw water main line that serves the reverse osmosis treatment plant. The project, which involves the installation of a new 16-inch pipe to increase flow from the county wells to the Southern Outer Banks Water Plant, will be located within the transportation right-of-way off N.C. 12 and Albacore Street from the water plant to Corolla Drive. The project is expected to be completed by May. As of February 3, the Historic Jarvisburg Colored School Museum was also reopened to the public for three days a week. The restored two-story museum, which captures the history of the area’s Black community between the late 1800s through the mid-20th century, is the oldest standing colored school in North Carolina. Currituck County partnered with the nonprofit Historic Jarvisburg Colored School Association in the restoration of the building, which opened as a museum in 2014.

Duck More than six months after the resignation of former town manager Chris Layton, the town of Duck announced in January that it has hired Drew Havens to fill the position. Havens, who started work on February 15, previously served 3 4 | S PR I N G 2021

According to a press release posted on the town’s website, Havens earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1984 from Syracuse University and a master’s degree in public administration in 2009 from Walden University. During his earlier career, he also worked as a police officer and a firefighter.

Development of a trail connecting Kitty Hawk Park off West Kitty Hawk Road to a 1.8-mile trail in Kitty Hawk Woods was approved this past February by the town council. According to Town Manager Andy Stewart, combined grant funds from the Outer Banks Tourism Bureau and the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund totaling $117,000 should pay for much of the project. The town approved a bid of about $130,000 from LSI Marine Construction to develop the connector trail, which is expected to be completed this summer.

Southern Shores

Kill Devil Hills

In ongoing discussions about funding the proposed 2022 beach re-nourishment project, Southern Shores is considering establishing Municipal Service Districts to provide targeted tax revenue. In addition to defining boundaries for the districts, the process involves determining the tax rate for property owners within those districts.

Construction of a proposed cluster home project was approved in January by the Kill Devil Hills Board of Commissioners, allowing SAGA Realty and Construction to start moving forward on plans to develop 14 detached single-family houses, each 2,500 square feet or less. The plans show that the homes would have shared driveways and parking located under each house, as well as covered decks and pools.

as the town manager in the Wake County suburb of Apex since April 2016.

A draft report that includes maps of two proposed municipal tax districts will be the subject of public hearings held before the plan is finalized. With funding from the Dare County Beach Nourishment Occupancy Fund still uncertain, Town Manager Cliff Ogburn explained at a December town council meeting that the tax rate can be applied after the districts are established. The town has hired Coastal Planning Engineering of North Carolina to do the design and permitting work for the proposed project, which would place 591,000 cubic yards of sand on the town’s entire 3.7 miles of ocean beach, with the fill dredged from an offshore borrow site in federal waters. Ogburn said that the town expects a need to generate $1,224,775 annually for five years to cover its portion of the estimated $16 million project.

Nags Head This past February, Nags Head town officials agreed to consider amending its Unified Development Ordinance to make it easier for nine older non-conforming motels and hotels in the town to secure conditional-use permits in order to make necessary improvements. The issue is expected to be discussed in the near future by the town’s planning committee.

Manteo Two newly rechartered panels were organized early this year to address two important town issues: policing and special events. At their organizational meeting in February, the Community Police Advisory Board, with six volunteers appointed by the Manteo Board of Commissioners, discussed a review of

current policing activities, community outreach and feedback options, according to the town manager’s weekly newsletter. The new Special Events Committee held its third meeting in February, reviewing projected Christmas events and a year of limited activities because of shutdowns resulting from Covid-19 – which includes plans to resume the July Fourth fireworks in 2021, virus concerns permitting. The town has also announced that recycling pickup is no longer provided as part of the residential trash service as of this past January, although a subscription-based service is available through Bay Disposal for $11.35 a week. Residents can also drop off recycling at the Dare County Recycling Center at 1018 Driftwood Drive in Manteo.

Dare County In partnership with the towns of Duck, Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head and Manteo, Dare County has implemented a new mobile alert system for emergency and other local notifications. The new platform with Rave Mobile Safety, which has been providing primarily opt-in emergency alerts since 2017, has been expanded and rebranded as OBX Alerts. In addition to alerts about severe weather, public safety, county evacuations and other emergency-related notices, the mobile service will also deliver routine information such as changes in trash pickups or meeting delays, as well as distribute media releases and other non-emergency information. The county’s previously used system expired on February 28, and sign-up information for the new system can be found on the county’s official website. In other news, the Dare County Board of Commissioners approved a new cluster home development in Frisco this past February. The project, called Maritime Ridge, is planned to be built off N.C. 12 and is expected to include four 900-square-foot buildings.

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DE S I G N S NA P S H O T

A Seat at the Table

3 5

SOMETIMES A PICTURE IS WORTH MORE THAN A THOUSAND

– and for local interior designers such as Nicole Peters of Modern Beach House Interiors, that’s especially true. From original inspirations to placing the final touches, the process of bringing a room to life doesn’t necessarily take a straight line…and the end result is often much more than the sum of its parts.

WORDS

COMPILED BY AMELIA BOLDAJI PHOTO COURTESY OF RYAN & RACHEL MOSER 3 6 | S PR I N G 2021

3 CERAMIC VASES

1 ACCENT WALL The idea behind this newly constructed second home was to create a modern/coastal vibe with carefully placed splashes of color, but Nicole initially envisioned painting this dining room wall a solid white. After consulting with the owners and Neal Contracting, however, the decision was made to go with a cypress accent wall – and the end result wound up informing everything else in the room. “One of the reasons I love this project, is that it was a true collaboration,” Nicole says. “I had to switch gears and rethink the aesthetics – which pushed me out of my comfort zone – but then it all just came together.”

2 CERAMIC BELLS “I found these ceramic bells in New York way before we started working on the house,” Nicole says. “So I know it sounds crazy, but I kind of worked backwards from there.” With the cypress wall as a backdrop, these two stylish bells provide a subtle textural contrast – while also invoking the coast by hanging from thick, rugged rope that’s reminiscent of fishermen’s buoys.

While Nicole regularly focuses on local artisans when she’s working on a design project, she’s also happy to admit that she gets a lot of inspiration from the Big Apple. These domed ceramic vases were another NYC find made by artist Michele Quan – but the accompanying greenery is still 100% Outer Banks. “I foraged it myself,” Nicole says with a laugh.

4 PENDANT LIGHT The owners wanted something artsy, yet simple, when it came to overhead lighting, which led Nicole to select this open-weave pendant. Inspired by paper lanterns, this pendant both complements the ceramic bells hanging in the background and adds a fresh and airy touch.

5 TA B L E & F LO O R As is often the case, the physical shape of the room had an impact on the overall vision of this space. Working with an open floorplan that included the living room, kitchen and this area (which was initially more of a hallway), the owners asked Nicole to incorporate a defined space they could set aside for family dinners. With those constraints in mind, Matt Steed of Woods Road Furniture constructed a custom-made oak dining room table that was longer – and narrower – than most readily available pieces. In keeping with this theme, the flooring – laid by Brendan Strum of Wise Flooring – utilized Malibu oak, which gives the space a wholly unified feel.

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HOMES FOR A VISIT

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Joe & Lori McGraw We are a locally owned and operated full-service building contractor specializing in custom residential homes, renovations and light commercial construction. Let us help you transform your dreams and vision into a custom-built reality.

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R E A L E STAT E

sun salutations Beach Realty Beach Realty Recognizes 2020 Agent of the Year Ilona Matteson, associate broker for Beach Realty & Construction / Kitty Hawk Rentals was named the company’s agent of the year for 2020. Ilona also earned agent of the year honors in 2012, 2015 and 2016. Along with her successful career in real estate sales, Ilona offers training and coaching to the sales team at Beach Realty & Construction. You can reach Ilona at ilonamatteson@gmail.com.

Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty The VanderMyde Group Named Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty’s Top Producing Team of 2020 For the fourth consecutive year, the VanderMyde Real Estate Group earned the Top Producing Team Award at Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty. The team led the firm in all categories, including sales volume, units sold and listings. Heather VanderMyde, along with team members Kiirsten Farr, Will Gregg, Kasey Rabar and Trish Berruet, have also earned the prestigious Coldwell Banker International President’s Premier award, presented to the top three percent of all teams worldwide. Contact Heather at (252) 202-2375 or hvandermyde@gmail.com. Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty Announces Sunny Berle as 2020 Agent of the Year Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty is pleased to announce Sunny Berle as the Top Producing Agent for the firm, based on closed sales volume for 2020. Sunny was also awarded the Coldwell Banker International President’s Circle award, presented to the top five percent of all agents worldwide. Contact Sunny at (813) 480-0445 or sunny.berle@gmail.com. Brad Beacham Group Named Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty’s 2020 Team of the Year for the Kitty Hawk Office Brad Beacham, along with team member Cameron Griggs, earned the firm’s Top Producing Team Award for the Kitty Hawk location. In addition, the team has earned the prestigious Coldwell Banker International President’s Elite award, presented to the top five percent of all teams of three worldwide. Contact Brad at (252) 202-6920 or brad@bradbeacham.com. Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty Announces Joanna Kane as the Top Producing Agent for the Kill Devil Hills Office Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty congratulates Joanna Kane on earning the Agent of the Year for the Kill Devil Hills office. This award is based on closed sales volume 38 | S PR I N G 2021

for 2020. Joanna covers both the Outer Banks and the Elizabeth City market. “To be named Agent of the Year after only three years into my real estate career feels like a dream,” Joanna says. Contact Joanna at (252) 333-9442 or joannakaneobx@gmail.com. Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty Welcomes Tiffany Day to the Kitty Hawk Office Tiffany Day has joined the Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty sales team at the Kitty Hawk location. “With a background in design and home furnishings, I believe that one of the most important things we can do is love our surroundings,” Tiffany says. “I strive to help my clients reach their unique goals with individualized attention, excellent service and cutting-edge marketing technology.” Contact Tiffany at (252) 202-8769 or tiffanyday@cbseaside.com.

SAGA Realty & Construction Jeffrey Robinson and Christian Lawrence Join Real Estate Sales Team SAGA Realty & Construction is pleased to announce that Jeffrey Robinson has joined the real estate sales team. Jeffrey has spent the past 15 years working in the Outer Banks’ tourism and property management industry. He has a B.S. in business administration with a concentration in finance from the University of North Carolina Wilmington, and a master’s degree in project management from the University of Uppsala in Sweden. Call him at (252) 339-5595 or email jrobinson@icrsaga.com. SAGA Realty is excited to announce the newest member of the growing sales team, Christian Lawrence. As a life-long resident of the Outer Banks, Christian is very familiar with the area’s residential, commercial and luxury properties, allowing him to expertly assist buyers, sellers and investors. He has an Associate of Arts degree from the College of the Albemarle and a communication studies degree from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Call him at (252) 489-3987 or email clawrence@icrsaga.com. SAGA Realty & Construction Debuts New Sales Office SAGA Realty & Construction is excited to announce a new sales office for the growing real estate sales team. Record market growth, along with unprecedented interest in new home construction, have allowed SAGA Realty & Construction room to expand the team. The new sales office is located at the base of the Wright Memorial Bridge in Kitty Hawk. The company is currently interviewing professional agents ready to take their career to the next level. Interested agents should call Debbie Gabbert at (252) 305-3090 for a confidential interview.

Southern Shores Realty Mike Ross Named Agent of the Year for the 11th Time For the 11th time, Mike Ross, associate broker for Southern Shores Realty, has earned the Agent of the Year award. Mike has been at Southern Shores Realty for 33 years. His dedication and devotion are demonstrated by his consistent achievements. In Mike’s years at Southern Shores Realty, he has been involved in an astounding 930 successful real estate transactions. David Watson, brokerin-charge at Southern Shores Realty, says, “Mike’s listings sell! He has a very high percentage of sales due to his knowledge of the inventory and great marketing.”

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Sun’s Top Performing Agents of 2020 Sun Realty recently held a virtual annual sales awards recognition ceremony to acknowledge the top performing agents of 2020. They are pleased to announce that Hugh and Gerri Willey earned recognition as Sun’s 2020 Agent of the Year. The Willey Real Estate Group can be reached at (252) 489-8491. The Agent’s Choice Award, selected by his peers, went to Richard Hess. Richard was honored for going the extra mile to help his clients and fellow realtors achieve their goals. He can be reached at (252) 441-8011. Rolling into 2021, Sun is also happy to announce that the first Agent of the Month for January is Joe Staten. Joe is a pro in both the residential and commercial real estate world and works out of the Sun Realty Duck office. Call Joe at (252) 261-4183.

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Michael Davenport Awarded Outer Banks Association of Realtors Realtor of the Year Sun Realty was also excited to learn that its very own Michael Davenport was selected as the Outer Banks Association of Realtors Realtor of the Year. Congratulations, Michael!

Twiddy Premier Sales Twiddy Announces Sales Agents’ Successes Twiddy Premier Sales is thrilled to share Carolyn Bibeau’s success since she joined the firm in May 2020. Her happy clients and 36-days-on-market average make her a true pillar of hospitality and a joy to work with. Kim Endre joined Twiddy Premier Sales in January 2020 and quickly became a strong, successful and independent agent – nearing $9 million in sales! Twiddy is thrilled to announce her continued dedication to helping buyers and sellers make the most of their investment. Twiddy Premier Sales would also like to extend a big congratulations to Steven Gross. His “million a month” in 2020 was an incredible personal record!

N O RT H B E ACH SU N | 39

F I V E FACT S

DOWDY PARK

BY K ATR I N A MAE L E U Z I N GE R

IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER, DOWDY PARK HAS BEEN A

FIXTURE in Nags Head for nearly six decades. From the five-acre property’s not-so-humble beginnings when it opened in 1962 as Dowdy Amusement Park – a carnival complete with go-carts, a Tilt-A-Whirl and a Ferris wheel – named after owner, Joe Dowdy, to today’s open playground and community gathering place, one thing remains consistent: It’s always been a place for people to come together and have fun.

THE PERFECT STORM

During the amusement park’s early days, some folks had to learn the hard way that it was best to get your candy apple after riding the Tornado. That little steel roller coaster was reportedly designed by Italian-born Antonio Zamperla back in the ‘70s when his fledgling amusement ride company was still getting off the ground in the U.S. These days, Zamperla’s company designs attractions for Disney World, Universal Studios and Six Flags – and he’s also credited with creating one of the first rides designed with handicap accessibility in mind. In 2019, he joined the ranks of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Hall of Fame, alongside legends such as Walt Disney and P.T. Barnum.

BURN, BABY, BURN

Zoning changes and increased operating costs eventually led to the closure of Dowdy Amusement Park in 2006. The rides and surrounding buildings sat empty for years, even showing up on a few blogs for abandoned amusement park enthusiasts. As plans began for the site to be converted to a public park and playground, the distinctive purple arcade building was offered up to local school kids, who created a mural of what they hoped the new park would be. But in 2015, after determining that the building was too damaged to repair, the town found another use for it. On a Sunday in May the Nags Head Fire Department set it ablaze, spending the day doing training exercises – and giving the last vestiges of Dowdy Amusement Park a chance to go down in a blaze of glory.

BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE

The town intended for the new Dowdy Park to be exactly what the community wanted – but in order to figure out what that was, they had to ask. Planning started with an eight-person committee, four men and four women, who were all citizens of Nags Head from different walks of life. That committee created a survey that went out to Nags Head and the surrounding areas. They got more than 700 responses, and used those to develop a picture of what the people wanted: open space, public events without a rigid programming structure, a farmers’ market and park facilities that could be enjoyed by everyone. When the revamped Dowdy Park officially opened on May 13, 2017, they got everything on their wish list.

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Above: A worker checks a cable on the Tilt-A-Whirl at Dowdy Amusement Park before it closed in 2006 (photo courtesy of the Outer Banks History Center/Drew Wilson Collection). Below: The newly revamped Dowdy Park officially opened in 2017 (photo courtesy of the Town of Nags Head/Benny Baldwin).

FOR ART’S SAKE

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

One almost entirely unexpected result from that public survey? What the people wanted most of all in their park was art. With nearby Gallery Row, art is an integral element of the community, and that’s why Dowdy Park’s 2017 grand opening was held in conjunction with the 28th annual Artrageous Kids’ Art Festival. There was art for sale, craftsmen and women demonstrating their skills at painting, blacksmithing and fiber arts, and tons of creative activities for the kids. Even the ceremonial ribbon cutting incorporated the arts, with a ribbon designed and decorated by Nags Head Elementary School students. In order to memorialize the moment, those first park goers were also invited to paint the peek-a-boo wall that still adorns the park to this day.

Thanks to a grant from Trillium Health, the playground at Dowdy Park also includes one other extra special amenity: A platform that’s designed for wheelchairs to roll right onto it and safely swing back and forth. And that’s not the only piece of the park planned with accessibility in mind. In addition to other wheelchair-accessible features, the wavy design of the sidewalk (while also being aesthetically pleasing) was chosen for the way it can stimulate adults and children with cognitive disabilities – and each of these features was selected with care so that Dowdy Park could truly be a park for everyone.

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People on the Outer Banks aren’t strangers to taking on work that few others can – or even dare to. But for the handful of folks who regularly tackle challenges that defy all norms (not to mention the standard 9-to-5), a job well done is just business as usual – whether the obstacles they encounter are found by air, land or sea.

o n d ry l an d

mark seaman ranger

story by hunter haskett • photo by lori douglas

YOU’RE WALKING DOWN THE BEACH with your morning cup of coffee, enjoying the tranquility of the quiet Hatteras seashore when you stumble upon what looks like a large object with barnacles growing on it. Not sure what it is, you walk closer to inspect what’s washed ashore. Suddenly you realize that what could have been simply a log, is, in fact, made of metal. On the Outer Banks – and Hatteras especially – it’s not uncommon for strange things to wash ashore. From ancient fossils to old coins and that one time in 2006 when the Frisco beaches were briefly littered with thousands of bags of Doritos after a cargo container went astray, it can take a lot to ruﬄe a local beachcomber’s feathers. But who do you call when you discover something that could potentially be explosive? Mark Seaman, a visitor resource protection ranger on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore since 2013, responded to a call just like that this past fall. Unsure of what exactly had been found, John Connor of the Buxton Volunteer Fire Department was also first on the scene in case it was a more commonly found object such as a flare. “I couldn’t find it at first, and I started walking south when I saw John,” Mark says. “I got about 20 feet away when I saw it, and thought, ‘That’s not a flare.’” Mark then took pictures of the washed-up ordnance with his phone to alert headquarters.

While a visitor resource protection ranger is trained in many different areas, including firefighting, law enforcement, search-and-rescue and emergency medical assistance, they aren’t necessarily prepared to disarm a 100-pound bomb dating back to World War II. “Headquarters contacted the Navy Emergency Ordnance Disposal up in Norfolk,” Mark says. “They got here at about three o’clock that day, and as soon as they saw it, they said, ‘That’s a bomb, and we’re not going to transport it.’” Once they determined that the ordnance was live, Mark explains, the Navy disposal group decided that the best plan of action was to detonate the bomb right on the beach where it had been found rather than risk moving it to a different location. “A couple of them went out there and dug a four-foot hole to drag it into,” Mark says. “Later, they came back and blew it up.” The ordnance detonated just as the disposal group had hoped it would, but with older explosives you can never be 100% certain what the outcome will be. “I asked one of the Navy personnel if it was still a hazard since it had been underwater for a while,” Mark says. “And he said, ‘We don’t know, and we’re not willing to take that risk. Say it’s been underwater for 50, 60 years – as it dries out, it can become unstable, and it could just spontaneously blow up.’”

Discoveries such as these on the Cape Hatteras seashore are often attributed to the ships and submarines that sank off the coast of the Outer Banks during World War II and other local bombing practices throughout the years – including the use of 176 acres on the northern beaches of Duck for naval training practice maneuvers from the 1940s to the ‘60s. “The ocean does weird things,” Mark explains. “You know, we can see coconuts [on the beach] – even though we don’t have any coconuts around here. All sorts of stuff can just wash up.” So while responding to a potential ordnance call isn’t by any means one of their daily duties, dealing with those calls is definitely something that the rangers don’t take for granted. “It’s kind of like being the canary in the coal mine,” Mark says good-naturedly. “Somebody’s got to go out and see what it is to figure out if we need to activate our emergency response plan. Usually, it’s one of us who gets called – there’s really no other way to do it.” According to Mark, a new drone program is currently being developed in order to help them respond to future ordnance calls, however. “We can send a drone over the dunes and take a good picture without exposing anyone,” Mark explains. “Then we can take a look at it to see if it’s something we need to deal with right away.” While an old World War II relic, seaborn mine or flare washing up isn’t something you see every day – even in Hatteras – Mark urges visitors and locals to remain cautious when it does happen. “If you see something, say something,” Mark says. “If you think it’s a bomb, call 911. If you’re not quite sure and you just want somebody to know about it, there are nonemergency numbers you can call, and we’ll come check it out. But you never know what you’re going to find out here, so we should treat everything with respect.” N O RT H B E ACH SU N | 4 3

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u n d e r th e s e a

marc corbett diver

story by steve hanf • photo by cory godwin

MOMENTS AFTER PLACING A DIVE ANCHOR on the E.M. Clark shipwreck in about 250 feet of water off Hatteras Inlet, Marc Corbett was annoyed to discover he had a practical joker tugging on his fin. “And then I realized, ‘Wait a minute, there’s nobody down here with me,’” Marc remembers thinking. Turns out he was partially correct. There wasn’t another person in the water yet – but that sand tiger shark was no figment of his imagination. “He grabbed my fin and started thrashing me around like he was a pit bull. I kicked out, and he took off,” Marc says. “I did my job, and then I sat there for a few minutes just huffing and puffing – freaked out most definitely. That was one of the most bizarre experiences I’ve had in the water.” Marc first got his diving certification in 1991, but mostly spent time snorkeling on near-shore shipwrecks until about 2009, when he returned to his scuba gear on a more regular basis. Marc now works with Captain Dave Sommers of the Lion’s Paw with Dive Hatteras and also does private dives with people looking for shipwrecks. When folks learn that Marc is a diver, their curiosity is piqued – and they almost immediately ask a lot of questions about how dangerous it is. “You know, I don’t really think of it as being terribly dangerous, but then again, I grew up riding skateboards and surfing,” Marc explains. “It’s kind “When you’re diving, of weird: When you’re diving, stuff happens fairly slowly under water. stuff happens fairly And I’m used to surfing, where stuff slowly under water. happens pretty fast. So, reducing the dangers of diving seems pretty easy. And I’m used to When you’re in a bad situation, usually surfing, where stuff the answer is to just stop, calm down, figure out what you need to do, and happens pretty fast.” then do it…which is not how it goes with skateboarding and surfing.” Using those activities as an example, Marc adds that one bad experience on a great big vertical ramp can scare people off skateboarding forever. “But it can take people years to fail at diving because they don’t figure out that they’re scared of it for a long time,” he says with a laugh. Encounters with sea life offer a variety of dangers as well, of course. In addition to his tussle with a tiger shark, Marc was also once stung by a venomous lionfish during a dive at the E.M. Clark. But Marc maintains that probably the most dangerous aspect of diving on the Outer Banks is the strong currents of the Gulf Stream. “If you throw a bottle into the ocean off the Diamond Shoals, it doesn’t go to shore. It’ll end up in England,” Marc says. “We’ve had situations where divers got into a lot of trouble with the current and drifted away from their boat. We’re constantly having to educate divers on how to properly go down and come back up in the current.” Though it may seem counterintuitive, near-shore diving can actually be more dangerous than deep dives because there’s little to no support system available if something goes wrong.

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“If you get entangled in something, you’re going to have to cut yourself out. There’s no divemaster who’s going to come and help you,” he says. “This isn’t something you learn all at once. It’s all a series of small steps. If you try to skip a whole bunch of steps, you’re liable to end up in trouble.” But Marc values all the lessons he’s learned over the years, because he has lots and lots of dives planned ahead of him. He’s always been fascinated by history, and not that long ago he decided he was going to try to find as many near-shore shipwrecks as possible. That includes both known and unknown wrecks, and after his first summer of sleuthing, Marc estimates that he found 11 new wrecks. At that point, he started to get “a little bit obsessed with it.” He’s done extensive research of maritime records, talked to people in person and online who are Outer

Banks diving enthusiasts, and eventually began charting a course toward writing books on near-shore and offshore wrecks. “It’s a big goal of mine to dive every known wreck off the Outer Banks, from just north of Cape Lookout to the Virginia border,” Marc says. “I’m really into underwater photography, so I’m trying to document all these wrecks visually as I go, too.” The infamous Graveyard of the Atlantic has been a dangerous place for centuries, but for an experienced diver like Marc, it’s all about relying on years of experience and sticking to the tried-and-true routines of his profession. “You try to mitigate everything as best you can, so you don’t end up in difficult situations,” Marc adds. “We go to a lot of trouble, actually, to not get into trouble – or, at least the divers that live to be very old do.”

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u p i n th e ai r

jenny hawk pilot

story by hannah lee leidy • photo by ryan moser

IT’S NOT HARD TO SEE WHY AERIAL BANNER TOWING is considered such an endearing advertising medium. The little plane! The flag-like banner for all to see! It takes publicity to a whole new level of charm. Banner towing occurs regularly on the Outer Banks throughout the summer, and there’s always that convivial moment where beachgoers briefly pause and glance skyward. The puttering plane and its subtle suggestion of a business – be it an oyster bar or nature tour – is done with minimal fanfare. It preserves the beach’s tranquility, but often sticks in everyone’s minds as they resume sun bathing, surfing or sandcastle building. Still, it can be easy to underestimate the precise marksmanship and timing that aerial banner towing requires. Without it, the risk of damaging equipment and other accidents runs high. “Most people assume the plane starts out already attached to a banner on the ground,” Jenny Hawk says. Along with her husband, Robby, she’s the owner and founder of OBX Airplanes – a commercial business for plane tours, a flight school and aerial advertising. In short, if you’ve seen a plane flying a banner around town, chances are it’s one of theirs. “Banner towing has different hook releases,” Jenny adds. “And there’s an element of danger because you’re flying close to the ground with a number of these hooks hanging out of the airplane.” After a pilot takes off, they deploy a hooked tow line from the window while flying another from the door. They then circle around the airfield, angle downward, and barrel toward a

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clothesline-like structure on the ground. The hooks dangle from the airplane as it approaches the target (and subsequently, the ground). The pilot positions the plane just close enough to hook the line as they barely avoid grazing the posts on either side. But snatching the banner is only half the challenge. “You then have to climb pretty aggressively to get the banner off the ground,” Jenny explains. If the plane doesn’t get the banner airborne in time, it can drag into the roads surrounding the airport. And once it is in the air, the banner must extend past the tail end of the plane or else it can get tangled in the propellers. After both the plane and the banner have reached an appropriate altitude, the pilot then begins flying northward. Routes usually run from south Nags Head to Kitty Hawk, or sometimes Corolla, before returning south to the airport in Manteo. Back at the airport, the plane releases its hooks and drops the banner before repositioning itself to pick up the next one. It’s a drop-hook-climb sequence. Without stopping, the pilot embarks on the circuit once again. OBX Airplanes operates three it can be easy to to four Citabria planes (which is underestimate the “airbatic” spelled backwards) as part precise marksmanship of its banner flying division every day during the height of the summer and timing that season. Each pilot has a list of banners to tow on a given day, and aerial banner towing when it’s busiest, that can tally up to requires. as many as seven or eight banners. “It’s hard work, and our pilots often have long days during the summer,” Jenny says. The nonstop workday and unwavering expertise is far from the gig’s only challenge. Like most outdoor occupations on the Outer Banks, the weather can always make or break a day’s plans. The weighty banners already put significant resistance on the planes – that’s why they fly so slowly (not, actually, to make sure everyone gets a good look at the advertisement). On particularly hot days, the temperature increases the air density, which slows the planes even more and makes the engines work that much harder. The planes can also encounter bad weather, like a surprise summer thunderstorm. If this happens when a pilot is farther north on their route, they may even be forced to land at a different airport in Kill Devil Hills or Currituck. Another major concern for these pilots is kite fliers – because an activity as innocuous as kite flying can cause serious damage to planes and banners. When people tie multiple lines together and send their kite soaring high overhead, they can potentially enter the planes’ airspace. “I don’t think the public really understands this,” Jenny says. “Especially when the winds are strong, it can be dangerous for us and really, really dangerous for helicopters.” Essentially, she explains, those lines can act like a knife in a banner’s path – but this type of damage, while inconvenient, pales in comparison to the risks helicopters face. If a helicopter flies into a kite line, pieces of the aircraft can become entangled and cause serious harm. These elements, though, don’t phase Jenny or her crew much. “I really don’t know how to answer that,” Jenny says when asked if she can identify the scariest part of her job. “The Outer Banks is a stunning place to see from the air. If people have any anxiety, they usually forget about it by the time they’re up there.”

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FOOD & B E V E R AG E

In Full

Spring is here, and the fields are filled with…asparagus.

Though you might be used to seeing this popular vegetable in your regular grocery store nearly year-round, the local season for this special crop in eastern North Carolina only lasts a mere two to six weeks each spring, depending on temperatures and rainfall. So before you get your grill out, it may be time to up your game – and explore some of the nontraditional ways that this perennial power food can let its flavors fly.

o Blo m

Photos by Elizabeth Neal / Styled by Chef Dan Lewis

Look before you eat.

When shopping for fresh asparagus, keep an eye out for firm stems and tightly compacted tips – while also being mindful that local asparagus will often be a brighter green and slightly more irregular in size. This attention to detail will pay off in the end, with a burst of flavor you can’t get with most commercial-grade varieties. Just don’t forget that larger asparagus can take longer to cook than some other vegetables – so when you’re planning to mix it with items such as julienned onions, it’s best to briefly blanch your asparagus in salt water before setting it aside. When it’s time to turn the heat up and fry everything together, it’ll be ready to go. Pictured here: An asparagus stir fry with toasted cashews, onions and red bell peppers, tossed with a Chinese black bean sauce.

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Sometimes simple is simply the best.

Asparagus is absolutely packed with low-calorie nutrients, including being an excellent source of antioxidants, fiber, folate and vitamins such as A, C and K. And truly fresh asparagus is so tender that you can easily take a peeler to it in order to make thin strands of all but the tougher lower part of the stem that was once underground – just be sure to place the peeled strands into a bowl of ice water to retain their crispness as long as possible. While it’s a slightly more timeconsuming technique initially, it’s also a dish best served cold – so you never even have to turn on the oven. Pictured here: Thinly peeled asparagus slaw tossed with a dressing of rice vinegar, pickled ginger and toasted sesame seeds.

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Don’t be afraid to mix it up. Asparagus has been a staple in many cultures for ages – including Southwest Asia. But it’s not a crop for the impatient. It can take three to four years to go from seed to first harvest…although once a crop has been established, those familiar spears can reappear annually for decades. In order to take advantage of asparagus’ vibrant spring-signaling shoots in soups, however, you may need to put in a little extra legwork. The key is to cook the stems in a broth of your choosing while reserving the tips – which you can later add as a puree with other items such as cilantro stems in order to enhance that final emerald-green hue. Pictured here: Crab and asparagus egg-drop soup garnished with lump crabmeat, blanched asparagus tips, sliced red chili pepper and cilantro.

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FOLKS

LAUREN MONTGOMERY

TYLER SYLVIA KATHERINE SCHUSTER

THE BEACH’S BEST These student athletes look to change the game after signing on to Division I college programs.

Photos by Lori Douglas Story by Steve Hanf

ATHLETIC DIRECTORS LEAD NOTORIOUSLY

running sports programs at high schools across the country. Yet every director looks forward to being especially busy on the first Wednesday of November for national signing day. That’s when high school athletes across the country sign their National Letter of Intent to compete for college teams. Most years at most schools, those days come and go with little fanfare – only about two percent of high school athletes earn college scholarships, after all. But at the November 2020 signing day, First Flight High School (FFHS) Athletic Director Chad Williams watched with pride as not one, not two, but three Nighthawks signed National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I scholarship offers. “For a school our size to have three Division I athletes in one year is a very cool accomplishment, and the fact that they come from three different sports speaks to the success of all the athletic programs we have at First Flight,” Chad says, counting only a handful of other Division I signees in the ranks since FFHS opened in 2004. “It’s inspiring for the athletes in our other sports, and their teammates, too.” Lauren Montgomery heads farthest from home to join the Ole Miss soccer team. Tyler Sylvia paints things purple as he joins the East Carolina University (ECU) track and crosscountry squads. And Katherine Schuster looks to continue her celebrated amateur career with the Clemson University golf team. The recent socially distanced signing events with masked teammates, coaches and family members – at FFHS for Lauren and Tyler and on a golf course for Katherine – were each a celebration of years of endless workouts, practices and travel to special events. And in an irony not lost on the trio, all the hard work “then” is paying major dividends now. “All my friends are like, ‘You’re so lucky, you decided sophomore year where you’re going, and you don’t have to worry about it,’” Lauren says. “It does take that pressure off your shoulders a little bit.” BUSY LIVES

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From left to right: Lauren Montgomery, Tyler Sylvia and Katherine Schuster will be representing FFHS’s Nighthawks in their respective sports after signing on to Division I college programs starting this fall.

“Freshman year, my fellow students were focused on their hobbies while I was focusing on a college, and now the roles have switched,” Katherine adds. “Now they’re filling out applications, and I’m just enjoying the ride. But I can’t wait to see where everybody else goes, and where our paths kind of split.”

from the program, Shea O’Malley, committed to the Rebels as a freshman and encouraged Lauren to check it out. “January of my sophomore year I went to an ID camp there with her,” Lauren says of the showcase events for potential recruits. “After doing that, they showed some interest in me, so I started talking back and forth with the coaches, and that’s how I got my connections.” Lauren was part of the Nighthawks’ state championship team her freshman year and saw last spring’s major contender lose its title shot thanks to Covid-19. She now plays soccer for a club team in Virginia, traveling there three days a week for practices. And at her house, she’s also ever-present in the yard practicing kicking against the wall her dad built for her. Beyond the field, Lauren’s interested in pursuing both journalism classes and forensic psychology, hoping to have a career that lets her focus on writing. And, of course, she’s looking forward to four more years of the sport she started playing as a four-year-old at Parks and Rec. “I knew that I wanted to keep playing in front of big crowds of people cheering,” she says. “It’s just so much fun. The environment’s something you really want to be in.”

KATHERINE SCHUSTER HAS BEEN A HOUSEHOLD NAME on the Outer Banks Tyler Sylvia made his mark as part for years. She won the Drive, Chip & Putt national title at the famed Augusta National of the decorated FFHS cross-country and track and field teams. Now, he follows in the Golf Club her freshman year. She’s captured three straight N.C. High School Athletic footsteps of recent college-bound runners such as Zach Hughes, Joseph Davidson and Association 1A/2A state championships. Top tournament victories include the 2019 Alex Rodman. Women’s Dixie Amateur against an all-ages field and the 2019 Arizona Silver Belle Tyler starred on cross-country teams that finished second in the state his first three against top prep and collegiate players. years. In December, the Nighthawks placed fourth, but Tyler recorded an all-state Just about every college golf program wanted her time of 16 minutes, 17 seconds in the 3.1-mile race, for fifth place overall. rising talent, but after narrowing the field to Clemson “Everyone who I As a sophomore, Tyler earned a pair of state championships during the and Duke, Katherine verbally committed to the Tigers ever talked to about indoor and outdoor track seasons as part of 4x800-meter relay teams with Zach, during her sophomore year and made it official this college said, ‘You’ll get Joseph, Warner Campbell and Aidan May. past November. “That was probably the biggest highlight,” Tyler says. “It was like all the hard “Clemson was the first team to reach out to me,” a feeling, you’ll know work paid off, because we got second at cross-country as a team three years in a she recalls. “Everyone who I ever talked to about when it’s right.’ And I row. So winning the relay was definitely very rewarding.” college said, ‘You’ll get a feeling, you’ll know when it’s was like, ‘You’re crazy, The hard work continues, of course – runners don’t get many days off, after right.’ And I was like, ‘You’re crazy, there’s no such thing’ there’s no such thing’ all. When he’s not in season, Tyler runs 50 miles a week over the course of six – but when I stepped foot on the campus it just felt like – but when I stepped days, allowing himself one recovery day. During college, he estimates that figure home.” foot on the campus it will be anywhere from 50 to 90 miles a week. Katherine likes the coaches, the facilities and the just felt like home.” Tyler considered the programs at University of N.C. Wilmington and N.C. alumni she’s met during other tournaments. She also State, but grabbed a spot on the ECU team after developing a strong bond with likes the academic side of things, and despite wryly - Katherine Schuster Pirates coach Josey Weaver. Tyler plans to study exercise physiology or nutrition, admitting to flip-flopping on majors “every week” so (Clemson bound) hoping to plot a career path that lets him work with athletes. far, she’s been accepted into the business school and is After all, he’s been an athlete himself for a long time now. likely to start there. “I definitely thank my parents for getting me into running when I was really No matter what, her competitive fire will be on full young. I think I ran my first 5K when I was 11 with Go Far,” Tyler says. “I stopped playing display during the next four years at Clemson – especially since golf is one of those soccer and basketball to focus on it, and I’m very glad that I did.” unique team sports that’s made up of individuals. The Tigers have about 10 women on the team, five of whom travel and four whose scores count in tournaments. THE BIGGEST QUESTION LAUREN MONTGOMERY HAS GOTTEN over the past “Five girls are going to stay home, so it’s going to be a good competition to try three years is, “Ole Miss?” to get on the travel team,” Katherine says. “It’ll be cool because we’re all going to be “A lot of people were surprised because Mississippi is like 14 hours away, and they butting heads [for a travel spot], but we’re also going to be a family.” think that’s kind of random,” she says with a laugh. “But I knew I wanted to be kind of far The ultimate goal for Katherine remains earning a spot on the Ladies Professional away from the Outer Banks, and I just tell them about the campus, the coaching staff Golf Association tour following her college career. And after trying a variety of sports as and how Oxford’s really pretty.” a small child, she’s glad her dad put a golf club in her hands when she was 10. Her path to the University of Mississippi – more commonly known as Ole Miss – can “I would go to Duck Woods Country Club with my dad, and I was determined to get be traced to her club soccer days. Lauren has been a rising star in youth soccer for that golf ball off the ground,” she says. “So I just kept hitting and hitting and hitting… years, including time in the N.C. Olympic Development Program. One of her friends and, well, here we are.” NO STRANGER TO THE AWARDS PODIUM,

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THE LOCAL LIFE

Marc Basnight Former State Senator, North Carolina 1947 - 2020 BY AMELIA BOLDAJI

it would be hard to overestimate the impact Marc Basnight had on North Carolina during his 26-year career in state government. So it was perhaps unsurprising when it was announced that the new replacement bridge spanning Oregon Inlet would be named after the former state senator.

BELOVED BY MANY,

“You gather here today to honor me,” Marc wrote in a letter read by his daughters, Vicki and Caroline, at the April 2 dedication in 2019. “But this naming belongs to many. Bridges bring people together and never divide.” After a long battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Marc passed away surrounded by his loving family members at the age of 73.

Long days on the roads of northeastern North Carolina were standard procedure for Marc. Here he is prepping for a full day of meeting constituents with a pre-dawn stop at the Alligator River Store in 1989. Photo courtesy of Drew Wilson.

Manteo was Marc’s hometown – and he never forgot it.

Many remember Marc as one of the most accessible figures in N.C.’s political history.

When Marc was growing up in the late 1940s and throughout the ‘50s and ‘60s, the Outer Banks was a vastly different place than it is today. In fact, it was considered such a remote destination that the U.S. military briefly determined that the barrier islands would be the perfect site for testing atomic weapons in 1949. Keenly aware of the challenges his neighbors faced, Marc was named the first chairman of Dare County’s fledgling tourism board when he was only in his 20s, and he later went on to champion key issues such as highway infrastructure and protecting clean water, which deeply affected the Outer Banks’ economic development.

You don’t have to look far to find someone with a personal memory of Marc – and it could be argued that a good part of Marc’s political strength was related to how effectively he communicated with people from all walks of life. During his weekly 190-mile commutes between Manteo and Raleigh, Marc regularly made it a point to stop at gas stations and other shops in order to introduce himself to his constituents and learn more about their daily lives and the issues they were facing. Beyond that, his “downtime” was often spent working at his family’s restaurant, Basnight’s Lone Cedar Café, on the Nags Head causeway – where he enjoyed chatting with guests from both near and far.

With little more than a high school diploma, Marc rose to become the longest-serving N.C. Senate leader.

Marc’s legacy still lives on.

Though Marc once told reporters in 2012 that he “never wanted to be a leader,” he did an outstanding job of it during his time in office. After graduating from Manteo High School in 1966, he chaired the Dare County tourism board for two years from 1974 to 1976, and was appointed to the Board of Transportation by then-governor Jim Hunt a year later. He went on to succeed his cousin Melvin Roy Daniels, Jr. as a senator for N.C.’s first district in 1984 – and including his 18 years as president pro tempore, Marc ultimately served a record 13 terms for his district. 58 | S PR I N G 2021

While the full extent of Marc’s impact on the state over the course of his lifetime can be hard to quantify, one of his most enduring legacies lies in public education. A steadfast proponent of higher education, Marc played a large hand in developing the University of North Carolina (UNC) system – and he was particularly proud of his role in a $3.1 billion higher education bond package that was approved in 2000. When his wife, Sandy, passed away in 2007 from cancer, Marc also created a $50 million University Cancer Research Fund and was instrumental in establishing a new UNC Cancer Hospital and the Biomedical Research Imaging Center in Chapel Hill.

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North Beach Sun Spring 2021

Articles inside

The Local Life: Marc Basnight

FIVE FACTS

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Welcome to the Club

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW

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