OUTER BANKS MILEPOST: ISSUE: 12.2

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HOW LAZY CAN ONE BEACH TOWN GET?

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Let’s see. At last count, you can pay someone to provide any of the following services: drop ice at your house on a daily basis — or start a cozy bonfire on a nearby beach. Haul carloads of luggage to the top floor of your McMansion — or stuff its oversized kitchen full of groceries. You can even hire someone to roll out your trash can, scrub-up your grill, or pick up the dog turds from your yard. (See page 43.)

outthere gohunt rearview

But there’s still one thing you can’t pay a stranger to do: you can’t pay them to attend municipal meetings and influence your elected officials on community issues.

Of course, you’d never know that from the chatter online. Check the various social media feeds or digital news sites, and it sounds like there’s a local’s lobbying firm called “Somebody, They & Whoever.”

Every day, another post screams, “Somebody should’ve stopped Wawa from building next to that neighborhood!” Or, “They need to outlaw Airbnbs!” Or, “Whoever allowed those 20-bedroom, oceanfront eyesores is a friggin’ idiot!”

But you want the truth? There’s only one pronoun running this place — and that’s “You.” You choose to vote for the

candidates — or to not run for office. And — more importantly — You attend the meetings where all these local decisions get made.

Or, more likely, you don’t. Which is sad. Because if you had, you’d understand why a lot of these problems aren’t so simple to solve.

For example, you might find out that Wawa’s stretch of KDH bypass has been zoned commercial since 1979 — well before the neighborhood got its first house. Or that it’s state law — not local ordinance — that keeps municipalities from limiting the number of bedrooms. Or that you can’t just ban Airbnb by name, you’d have to do it by “permitted use” — which means kicking out all the locally owned short-term rental companies, too. (Which is a sticky proposition for an economy built on weekly vacations.)

More importantly, you might be able to influence certain decisions before they become problems — which is always easier than reversing them after they happen.

Just ask the poor folks in Wanchese. It’s been four years since the county amended zoning in unincorporated Dare,

specifically to allow for more cluster homes — but residents didn’t realize it until the bulldozers came knocking earlier this spring. They rallied in time to prevent future high density neighborhoods, but not in time to stop the very project that riled them up.

Truth is, a lot of the problems we’re dealing with today were set in motion years, if not decades, ago. Back when nobody could foresee 20-room houses and 12-month seasons. And when residents were willing to live next door to a bustling business, because they knew the hassle only lasted three months — and they were happy to have every penny to get through winter.

But that doesn’t mean today’s Outer Bankers are off the hook. The pressure to grow will only continue. The profiteers and carpetbaggers will never cry uncle. And as much as the old saw “you can’t go

home again” may ring true, there’s another saying that’s equally valid — and even more frightening: “Things can always get worse.”

That’s why it’s up to “You” to get involved now — so our community doesn’t suck for decades to come.

But it doesn’t have to be just you. It could be Y’all. Find two friends and split the calendar to attend four meetings per year. Hell, find a dozen and attend one apiece. Just put Somebody’s ass in a seat each time these boards and committees convene. (Even better, get to know your planning board and commissioners ahead of time, so they know you’re engaged.)

You better do it quick. Because, you know who does go to meetings and schmooze decisionmakers? Greedy developers hoping to turn our housing woes into future high-rises. Oceanfront owners with deep pockets who see privatized beaches as a positive asset. Outside entrepreneurs who’d willingly slaughter our last vestiges of smalltown charm just to fatten their wallets.

They’re more than happy to put in the time and energy to achieve their vision. And they’re counting on the fact that “You” won’t. — Matt Walker

Thank you for reading Outer Banks Milepost. We hope you enjoy it. If not — before chucking this issue into the nearest dumpster — please consider one of the following equally satisfying ways of expressing your disgust: run it through a paper shredder, then weave the trimming into a three-man hammock; light up a grill — or pick up a turd… or...or…aw, f$#k-t. Just toss it on that six-month stack of newspapers you’ve yet to recycle. (Trust us, you’ll feel better.) Then, send any and all feedback — positive, negative or just plain confused — to: editor@outerbanksmilepost.com. We promise to find some way to re-purpose them.

Hugging the sand is not the same as protecting your beach.

Photo: Daniel Pullen

“

THERE’S ONLY ONE PRONOUN RUNNING THIS PLACE — AND THAT’S “YOU.”

Discover What’s New at The Cotton Gin

“Laziness has become the chief characteristic of journalism, displacing incompetence.” — Kingsley Amis “Nobody reads it anyway.” — Anonymous

Issue 12.2

Summer ’23

Cover: Lay-Z-Girl

Photo: Katie Slater

Reader You

Brushes & Ink

Carnell Boyle, John Butler, George Cheeseman, Marcia Cline, Carolina Coto, Kim Cowen, Cloey Davis, Michael J. Davis, Fay Davis Edwards, Mary Edwards, Laine Edwards, Marc Felton, Travis Fowler, Adriana Gomez-Nichols, Amelia Kasten, Chris Kemp, Nathan Lawrenson, Dave Lekens, Tim Lusk, Elisa McVearry, Ben Miller, Dawn Moraga, Ben Morris, Holly Nettles, Stella Nettles, Rick Nilson, Barbara Noel, Holly Overton, Stuart Parks II, James Perry, Charlotte Quinn, Willow Rea, Meg Rubino, Shirley Ruff, Noah Snyder, Rob Snyder, Janet Stapelman, Alyse Stewart, Kenneth Templeton, Stephen Templeton, Shane Thomas, George Tsonev, CW, Christina Weisner, Chris Wheeler, John Wilson, Mark Wiseman, Bri Young, Mike Zafra

Lensfolk

Nate Appel, Matt Artz, Chris Bickford, Russell Blackwood, Mike Booher, Don Bower, Aycock Brown, Mark Buckler, Jon Carter, Garnette Coleman, Rich Coleman, Marc Corbett, Kim Cowen, Chris Creighton, Mere Crockett, Jason Denson, Amy Dixon, Susan Dotterer Dixon, Lori Douglas, Julie Dreelin, Tom Dugan/ESM, Roy Edlund, Bryan Elkus, Ben Gallop, Cory Godwin, Chris Hannant, Katie Harms, Bryan Harvey, David Alan Harvey, Ginger Harvey, Bob Hovey, Biff Jennings, Jenni Koontz, Daryl Law, Mike Leech, Anthony Leone, Jeff Lewis, Jared Lloyd, Matt Lusk, Ray Matthews, Brooke Mayo, Mickey McCarthy, Nic McLean, Roger Meekins, D. Victor Meekins, Richard L. Miller, Dick Meseroll/ESM, David Molnar, Rachel Moser, Ryan Moser, Elizabeth Neal, Rob Nelson, Candace Owens, Anne Snape Parsons, Crystal Polston, Daniel Pullen, Ryan Rhodes, Terry Rowell, Cyndi Goetcheus Sarfan, Katie Slater, Tom Sloate, Wes Snyder, Aimee Thibodeau, David Thomas, Ed Tupper, Eve Turek, Chris Updegrave, Dan Waters, Kati Wilkins, Cyrus Welch, Jay Wickens Penfolk

Ashley Bahen, Madeline Bailey, Sarah Downing, Laura Gomez-Nichols, Jim Gould, Steve Hanf, Dave Holton, Sarah Hyde, Catherine Kozak, Katrina Leuzinger Owens, Dan Lewis, Michelle Lewis, Terri Mackleberry, Fran Marler, Amanda McDanel, Matt Pruett, Mary Ellen Riddle, Peter Graves Roberts, Arabella Saunders, Corinne Saunders, Sandy Semans, Shannon Sutton, Kip Tabb, Kathleen Wasniewski, Hannah West, Clumpy White, Sharon Whitehurst, Natalie Wolfe, Michele Young-Stone

Pointing/Clicking

Jesse Davis Sales Force Laurin Walker

Big Mouth In Chief

Matt Walker Blame It All On Suite P Inc. PO Box 7100 • KDH, NC 27948 Office: 252-441-6203 • Sales: 949-275-5115

editor@outerbanksmilepost.com • sales@outerbanksmilepost.com

Outer Banks Milepost is published quarterly (sorterly) by Suite P Inc. All contents are the property of Suite P Inc. and do not reflect the opinion of advertisers or distributors. Nor do their contents reflect that of the creative types (who would never, ever sell out). Comments, letters and submissions are usually welcome. Please include SASE for return delivery of all snail mail, however, Milepost and Suite P Inc. still aren’t responsible for any unsolicited materials. And don’t expect much else to move much faster than IST (Island Standard Time). Oh yeah: if you reprint a lick of this content you’re ripping us off. (Shame on you.) To discuss editorial ideas, find out about advertising or tell us we blew it – or just find out what the waves are doing – call 252-441-6203 or email: editor@ outerbanksmilepost.com; sales@outerbanksmilepost.com.

Art: James Perry www.outerbanksmilepost.com

gokite

“Intimation”

By Suzanne Scott Constantine www.edgewiseart.com

“This piece is part of our exhibition, ‘Awaiting Further Transformation.’ It reflects the mythological rising of the phoenix — the idea of going through some horrible process and rising out of the ashes to become our most beautiful, radiant selves. Some of the feathers are real, some are drawn, and some are made out of stiff paper. But the mythic bird has risen, and now it’s floating in the imaginary atmosphere. And frankly, all of our work — Lynne’s and mine — ends up looking at some of the worst things we do to each other, and to Earth, as human beings. And yet, we still end with the idea that there is always hope for a brighter future. And that hope is relentless. It is insistent. And it is inevitable. If we’re open to it.” —Suzanne

Scott Constantine

03 StartingPoint

The cost of doing nothing.

06 UpFront

Longterm tourism, wartime technology and lazy-ass habits.

18 QuestionAuthority

We ask Outer Banks Forever how they help National Parks. (And they ask us the same.)

22 Larger Than Life

We come to praise Delbert, not to bury him.

29 One Lazy Summer

You say “slacktivism” like it’s a bad thing.

40 GraphicContent

We have no words for this issue’s artwork.

43 Dirty Work

“Blood, sweat and tears” meets “Trash, poop and grease.”

50 Digital Discovery

A treasure chest of local knowledge is right at your fingertips.

62 FoodDrink

A three-course tour.

64 ArtisticLicense

Conscious, creative Constantines.

67 SoundCheck

The little music fest that could.

69 OutThere

Bronzing for dollars.

70 EndNotes

The business end of our busiest season.

SHIFTING GEARS?

The Outer Banks’ new, long-term tourism plan marks a change in direction.

For more than half a century, the Outer Banks’ approach to tourism was “the busier the better.” It began in the 50s, when Aycock Brown started priming the pump via nonstop national press releases, beach and bikini shots, helping rebrand our string of sleepy fishing villages as a sexy vacation destination. The strategy carried on through the 80s and 90s, as the building boom supported more new businesses — and brought even more numbers. Even just a decade ago, the late Warren Judge, our indefatigable Dare County commissioner, loved to espouse, “I want every weekend to be like the Fourth of July!”

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But lately, that attitude’s changed. While Dare County’s annual tourism payload may exceed $1.8 billion, its negative impacts are also booming. Traffic is nuts. Longer, crazier seasons are harrying overworked entrepreneurs and employees. For the first time ever, tourism leadership is changing tacks from “full speed ahead” to “let’s pump the brakes.”

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Or, at least, “let’s take a much better look at where we’re headed.”

“[For years] we were coming at it more purely from the economic side — the jobs, the tax relief, the spending, the business support,” says Lee Nettles, executive director of the Outer Banks Visitor’s

Bureau. “We’ve started thinking about how we can direct the power and influence of tourism to do more tangible good in the community beyond the big economic numbers.”

As a result, the bureau’s spent the past year developing a long-term tourism plan. One that looks beyond the yearover-year returns on occupancy, retail and restaurants, and asks a larger question: what do we want the Outer Banks to look like 20 years from now?

Nettles believes that trying to answer that question can help avoid future pitfalls by creating intersections between the community, the environment and its visitors, that are rich, authentic and sustainable. That, by preserving the culture and natural resources of the Outer Banks, we can improve the quality of life for year-round residents, as well.

“It really fundamentally changed how we’re thinking about this business and what we’re doing,” says Nettles.

Despite a common local perception that the bureau wants to cram people into every inch of space in the summer, Nettles

insists that the focus has for years been on shoulder seasons.

“[Overcrowded beaches] don’t produce good experiences for the visitors and certainly not for the people that live here,” he says.

In fact, Nettles says they were already investigating a more holistic approach to year-round tourism before COVID hit. But when the pandemic supercharged visitation for two straight years, he says it emphasized the need to move quicker.

“When all the people came in, it just heightened the urgency and need to plan and to try and step in and manage the negative impacts,” Nettles says.

In September of 2020, the bureau created a task force representing a cross section of the community — business, educational, environmental, governmental, healthcare — to frame out ideas. Last June, they hired a consultant — MMGY NextFactor — to help develop a 20-year plan for Outer Banks tourism, with the help of lots of public input.

In November, they distributed an online survey for residents to complete. Then, in January, they held two workshops in Kill Devil Hills and on Hatteras Island, where locals could share both their visions for our growing community — and their fears of what may happen without any action.

Both meetings were well attended, Nettles says, with numerous people saying they welcomed the dialogue. Furthermore, the online survey yielded 4,500 responses.

“That’s more responses than they received from Los Angeles,” says Nettles. “So, it says to me, and the consultants, that people that live out here obviously care tremendously about the place.”

In April, the board got its first peek at a

long-term strategy that calls for a number of steps to protect our culture and economy for years to come. It includes: strengthening continued resident and visitor engagement; having an integrated and broad approach to stewardship of the Outer Banks’ environment; supporting infrastructure development that benefits the vitality of the community for residents and visitors; and fostering collaboration between public and private players to address more complex issues, like improving workforce housing and residential homeownership, as well as increased workforce mobility.

Nettles says they are already pursuing some of the steps. For example, the latest advertising reflects more stories of the Outer Banks through the experiences of different enthusiast groups, like birders, surfers and fishers, who follow their passions no matter the time of year.

Nettles says longtime enthusiasts tend to be respectful and appreciative of the specialness of the Outer Banks’ outdoor appeal. He also believes that encouraging new participation in such pursuits will better connect visitors with the Outer Banks’ community and its environment. That will increase their understanding of its strength and its fragility, Nettle says.

The bureau has also begun partnering with non-profits to encourage more volunteer participation from non-residents and vacationers. Visitors are always seeking authentic experiences with locals, Nettles says, and community events and volunteer opportunities can give them “a greater sense of ownership and shared responsibility.”

“So, it makes our visitors more conscientious and better stewards while giving them a better experience, too,” he says.

But Nettles says it’s just as important to consider year-round residents. For instance, why can’t the Soundside Event Site in Nags Head accommodate more community sports or concerts? Likewise, linking local students to workplaces via internships helps them learn frontline skills.

Still, Nettles recognizes that meeting these goals isn’t as simple as writing them out. And he warns that some specific concerns, such as improving workforce housing or adding public transportation, are more difficult and require a community-wide solution, since the county tourism board has limits under the law.

“Some of these other ones are bigger issues that are very much tourism-related,” Nettles says. “But, you know, the visitor’s bureau and the tourism board can only do so much [on their own].”

Of course, it’s not just the Outer Banks facing these issues. Tourism worldwide has been under duress from similar forces — too many people, not enough workers, and

too much unpredictability from weather or supply chains.

Famous destinations like Venice, Italy, the Louvre in Paris, and Yellowstone National Park have had to put controls on the number of visitors to protect their resources. (The closest the Outer Banks has come to putting controls in place is the once-controversial ORV permit system for driving on the beach in Cape Hatteras National Seashore, and in Corolla, which in recent years has limited the number of permits to park on the beach and to conduct off-road wild horse tours.)

At press time, the board was scheduled to meet in late May to finalize and ratify the long-term plan. At that point, the real trick will be turning those ideas into concrete action.

But Nettles notes that none of these steps are set in stone. It’s more of a “living document.” One that requires constant attention from tourism leaders and elected officials — as well as the business community and general public — if we truly want to safeguard the Outer Banks’ future while still paying the bills.

“Folks were turning out for planning processes and we want to keep that momentum and dialogue going,” Nettles says. “I think it’s one vital step in managing tourism over the long-term. Just kind of getting people talking to one another and looking for ways that we can help one another — and do it without burdening this little thin strip of sand.”

— Catherine Kozak

“ THE REAL TRICK WILL BE TURNING IDEAS INTO CONCRETE ACTION.

STATE OF SHOCK

Whether it’s the oil industry’s “seismic blasting” or a future wind farm’s “sonar surveys,” beach communities have always been leery of offshore experiments. But it’s not just energy exploration that rattles coastal residents. Sometimes it’s our own military.

In 1972, the US Navy’s EMPRESS project began simulating the electromagnetic pulses made by nuclear weapons and testing their impacts on its ships’ electronic equipment. Experiments were conducted in the Chesapeake Bay from a new facility near Solomon’s Island, Maryland.

In time, the Navy needed to test the pulses on its larger aircraft carriers and destroyers that were unable to easily maneuver in the narrow channels of the Chesapeake, so a new project — EMPRESS II — was crafted to send the pulses from a transmitter aboard a barge.

EMPRESS II had the capability of emitting electric pulses of up to 7 million volts from

a 130-foot tower. But when the plan was announced in 1984, the effects that the magnetic shocks would have on marine life, computers and airplanes in the vicinity of the tests came into question.

Initial trials were to take place in 1987 near Bloodsworth Island in the Chesapeake, roughly between the Maryland communities of St. Mary’s City on the “mainland” and Princess Anne on the Eastern Shore. But delegations from Maryland and Virginia, led by Senator John Warner and backed by watermen, environmentalists, and those interested in keeping the Port of Baltimore free from closures, successfully banned EMPRESS II testing in the estuary.

The following year, the Navy moved to a spot in international waters, 35 miles south of Virginia Beach and 15 miles east of Corolla. Currituck officials worried about possible side effects on anything from pacemakers to emergency communications equipment to fish and wildlife; local

Local protesters were not “empressed.”

Photo: Drew Wilson/Virginian-Pilot/Outer Banks History Center

When the Navy’s EMPRESS II project rattled coastal residents.

residents echoed those fears along with more long-term concerns.

As Manteo’s Michael Egan wrote to the Coastland Times on behalf of the organization Peaceworks: “[While] we object to being human guinea pigs in the Navy’s nuclear war test laboratory…Our greatest fear is that…the U.S. Navy may come to a false sense of security that their ships are invincible [to nuclear attack].”

To put Egan’s statement into context, at the time the Berlin Wall still divided Germany and the Iron Curtain divided Europe. The Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, although waning, was still very real, which made attacks a tangible threat.

Petitions against EMPRESS II also collected signatures from Corolla to Wanchese. Meanwhile, Debbie Marchitelli and two more Kill Devil Hills women staged a daylong protest atop Jockey’s Ridge.

Undaunted by the day’s driving rain, the

women steadfastly held signs disparaging the EMPRESS II and its possible effect on the environment.

“I was disappointed by the turnout,” she said recently, “but there was a lot of honking going on from the cars driving by. A television crew from Virginia even came down and did a story.”

However, all grassroots efforts failed, and in June of 1988, the Navy began emitting the pulses, with plans to continue testing off the North Carolina coast in the spring and summer for the next 24 years.

But that didn’t stop the resistance. In October 1988, the Albemarle Regional

Come Tye Dye Yourself Before Or After The Beach!

Commission, an economic development organization, along with the Washingtonbased Foundation for Economic Trends, filed a lawsuit to stop the tests.

“EMPRESS II poses a grave potential risk to the environment and public health, and we intend to shut it down until the Navy conforms with federal laws governing environmental safety,” said Economic Trend’s chief Jeremy Rifkin, whose organization was instrumental in banning some of the EMPRESS I test sites.

Rifkin stressed the unknowns of the project, including possible interference with wire bank transfers, pacemakers, and other electronic equipment.

“It poses unanswered questions about marine life, birds, animal life, and humans. It’s a whole new area of electronic pollution that’s not well-understood.”

After testing off the North Carolina coast for several summers, the Navy eyed

a winter site off Alabama. Gulf Coast residents also began bristling at the idea of EMPRESS II. But before testing could begin, things forever changed in Europe.

In 1989, the Berlin Wall came down. The following year, Germany reunified. And, in 1991, the Soviet Union officially dissolved. Finally, in 1992, with the Cold War over and cuts to the Navy’s budget, the EMPRESS II was “postponed indefinitely.”

But the project still had one last death rattle: a final test was performed on the cruiser USS Anzio off the Virginia Capes in June 1993, after which EMPRESS II was dismantled. — Sarah Downing

Sources: “Environmental Group Files Challenge to Offshore Test,” New Bern Sun Journal, Oct. 25, 1988; “Navy Tests Not Risky Study Says,” News and Observer, Dec. 13, 1988; “Navy’s Electromagnetic Testing Program Opposed,: Charlotte Observer, Oct. 23, 1988; “Peaceworks Group asks Opposition to EMPRESS II,” The Coastland Times, June 23, 1988; “Proposed Navy Tests Generate Safety Fears”, News and Observer, May 28, 1988

“ THE PROJECT SIMULATED PULSES MADE BY NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

WE STAND CORRECTED!

Normally, we hate being wrong. But we couldn’t be happier to report that we greatly exaggerated the demise of Manteo’s century-old Pioneer Theatre. Shortly after we went to press last issue, news broke that two local families had purchased the iconic film house with plans to retool it in numerous ways, from adding concerts to celebrating sports acheivements. One facet that will remain fully intact? A mission to keep the community connected for another 100 years.

CLEARCUT SOLUTION?

Measure twice — cut none. That’s the message behind Nags Head’s strengthened live oak ordinance. In an effort to crack down on overzealous developers

bulldozing whole lots — and new arrivals killing old growth — the town’s raised fines to $500 for unnecessarily chopping down any tree that’s two inches or more in diameter. (Depending on the location and health of the tree, of course.) Some say the penalty isn’t painful enough, but we reckon any attempt to stop razing our natural neighbors — while raising awareness about their long-term benefits — is worth taking a whack at.

THERE FLOATS THE NEIGHBORHOOD

In big cities, folks flock to “Millionaire Row” to see wealthy mansions “reach toward the sky.” In Rodanthe, we wait for big storms to wash rental homes into the sea. It happens so often that, in Feb., the Threatened Oceanfront Interagency Work Group gathered to discuss options for removing future coastal hazards before they can fail, from finding ways for owners to collect insurance ahead of time to asking government agencies to just bail them out.

Sadly, the group of state, local and federal experts adjourned with no path forward except a promise to keep meeting. Two weeks later, another house hit the water, scattering debris — and leaving the public to pick up the pieces.

RED CUP DISTRICT?

Amsterdam may have the hookers — but Downtown Manteo’s got the hooch! That’s right, as of March, a newly approved “social district” makes it perfectly legal to stroll around with a Kitty Hawk Blonde. There are some limits, however: no glass, just cups that hold no more than 16 ounces and say where the person purchased the booze, plus a couple “drink responsibly” messages. And while some critics fear a bunch of swilling streetwalkers will kill the family vibe, most literally cheered the move.

PHENOM OF THE OPERA

How do you get to the Met? Practice, and a whole lotta community support. Just ask

upfront sound Elevate Your Day

check

Tshombe Selby. Manteo’s talented tenor left nearly a decade ago to study at NYC’s Metropolitan Opera, with the help of the Roanoke Island Historical Association, Elizabeth R. and Company, and countless generous individuals. This April, Selby scored his first solo part, performing as “Mano” in The Champion. (PS to hear his big voice, just head to June 19’s Juneteenth celebration at the Pea Island Cookhouse.)

KEEPIN’ IT REAL (ESTATE)

Props to Southern Shores for preserving a piece of architectural history. In April, the town announced they were purchasing the Outer Banks Community Foundation’s former HQ — a 50s-era flat-top designed by legendary founder, Frank Stick. Even better, they’re gonna use it as temporary housing to attract new police officers and other necessary hires, making sure this beloved property continues its long tradition of community service.

JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT IT WAS SAFE TO GO BACK IN THE WATER

Shark research giant, OCEARCH, spent the back half of April circling Cape Hatteras and “seeing white sharks every day.” The good news? The scientists were gone by early May. The bad news? Their prey stick around “in significant numbers” well into June, “taking advantage of the ample food supply to fuel their migration to summer feeding grounds.” Keep them feet up, Cap’n Quint.

DISHONORABLE DISCHARGE

As if pilings and plumbing weren’t bad enough, the Park Service and various local officials reported finding a different kind of coastal debris in April — mostly small numbers of plastic, textiles and metal. After several days of collecting jetsam from Nags Head to the Tri-Villages, and communicating with Coast Guard officials, they zeroed in on a nearby Navy vessel as the possible culprit. At press time, an

investigation was underway. Hopefully, they find the scurvy dogs responsible and keel-haul the lot! (Or at least give them the old heave-ho.)

GRAND SLAM RETURN

Guess who’s sliding back into home? The Outer Banks Daredevils! That’s right, after a three-season absence, everyone’s favorite collegiate summer baseball team will play again, beginning in June. This time, home games will be at Manteo High School’s Coy Tillett Sr. Memorial Field. Even better, Dare County gets to host this year’s all-star game. (And the crowd goes wild…)

For detailed reports on these stories — plus plenty of local discussion — visit www.outerbanksvoice.com, www. islandfreepress.org, www.obxtoday.com, and www.thecoastlandtimes.com

While on the bike path communicate to others as you approach to avoid collisions or unsafely startling someone.

Turn off your outside lights and any unnecessary inside lights at night; this will make star gazing better. It’s safer for the turtles, too!

If our roads are flooded, slow down, don’t make a wake, and watch for ditches when turning onto side roads. The water is mixed with saltwater which is very damaging to vehicles.

Please pay attention to the 35MPH speed limit, the road, crosswalks, and sidewalks.

Non-street legal Golf Carts are NOT permitted to run along Highway 12 (on it, nor next to it). It is illegal, and highly dangerous.

SLOW DOWN, RELAX, BREATHE IN THAT SALT AIR, AND REMEMBER - THAT’S WHY YOU’RE HERE.

252.987.2097

WHADDYA RECKON?

We got questions — you got answers.

What hated task would you rather pay someone else to do?

“Can I pay someone to wait in line at the DMV for me? I have to go back in a few days, and that place is the worst!”

gosurf

“I have a bad back, and I can’t buy the big jugs of water anymore because they’re too hard to carry. I’d pay someone to bring those into the house for me.”

“I want someone to come and cook homemade meals for me. Finding the time is hard, and paying someone would be easier.”

“I’d pay someone to drive for me, so I don’t have to deal with this traffic. It’s not even summer and I’m already over it.”

“I would pay someone to be a stand-in for me at work on the days I know it’s going to be terrible. That would be awesome.”

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“I want someone to go buy dog food for me! The small bags only last like two days and the big bag lasts maybe two weeks. I feel like I’m always buying dog food.”

“I’m really introverted, so I’m not into chatting a whole lot. If I could just have someone talk for me sometimes, I’d be happy.”

“I’d really just like to have someone to clean my house.”

Jamie Duff, 58 Professional Axe Sharpener Kill Devil Hills

Sam Richardson, 34 Convenience Store Countess Kill Devil Hills

Cullen Murphy, 54 Dashing Haberdasher Point Harbor

Paige Reibel, 16 Candy Crusher Manteo

Mark Lizana, 19 Dudes’ Duds Distributor Manteo

Linda Saunders, 62 Seller of Summertime Sundries Kill Devil Hills

Beth Saunders, 42 Purveyor of Holiday Cheer Kill Devil Hills

Jonnie Roughton, 20 Caffeine Slinger Kill Devil Hills

Interviews and images by Tony Leone

The Outer Banks Hospital and Medical Group is now Outer Banks Health.

Our new name reflects two decades of growth and innovation in meeting the changing health needs of everyone on the Outer Banks. As your needs evolve, we will continue to innovate, we will continue to expand our services, and we will continue to attract the best and brightest medical professionals. In fact, that work is already underway with our new state-of-the-art cancer center, an expanded hospital laboratory, and our reinvestment in programs focused on community wellness. Because with each new day, your health is our highest priority. Together, our future is bright. OuterBanksHealth.org

Reaching new horizons in health.

upfront soundcheck

Figure out this miniature mind scrambler — win a free oversized Nags Head Hammock!

Eeeny, meeny, miney, moe — what’s this teeny beanie, yo?

A racing helmet for flathead snakes? A pintsized hockey puck for goodness sakes?

A button on a field of snow? An action figure’s UFO?

Not even in the ballpark, bro!

So, we’ll give three hints but then no more:

1. You always find them near the shore…

2. They help make life feel more secure…

3. Sometimes, the cure for boredom is one more bore…

Think you’ve latched onto the right answer? Send your guess — along with a name and phone number — to editor@ outerbanksmilepost.com by July 24.

We’ll chuck all the correct ones in the shorebreak and see which one floats farthest up the beach. That lucky so-and-so will score a free Double Hammock from Nags Head Hammocks!

(PS: Congrats to April Ortega for winning last issue’s puzzler: a drive-thru car wash.)

Italian, Seafood, Steaks & Prime Rib

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Entertainment & Karaoke Nightly

Serving Breakfast (until 2pm)

Lunch & Dinner 365 Days A Year

$5.99 Breakfast Special Daily

Dine In & To Go (Family Pricing Available)

Big Parties Welcome

Cheryl

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THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND

Outer Banks Forever’s Jessica Barnes explains how “friends groups” support our National Parks — and why everyone should be happy to help.

Swells’a Brewing always knew they wanted to do more than just sell beer. They also wanted to make a lasting difference for their Outer Banks community. That’s why they joined “1% for the Planet,” a program that allows businesses to kick back a portion of profits to an environmental cause. In March, the KDH brewery had a check ready for $11,550. The only question: Who to make it out to?

“We wanted to support our national parks, because we feel they’re the last places on the Outer Banks that keep everything natural and remind people of why we live here,” says co-founder Sam Harriss. “And Outer Banks Forever provides the mechanism to help them more directly.”

Launched in 2019, Outer Banks Forever is the official non-profit partner of NPS’s

Outer Banks Group. Often called “friends groups,” at least half of America’s 422 national parks have one to help perform myriad tasks. Some handle educational tours and direct volunteers. Others simply promote educational awareness. Nearly all perform one primary function.

“Most friends groups do some form of fundraising,” says Outer Banks Group’s director, Jessica Barnes. “National Parks can’t ask for donations — if they need funding for a specific project, they can’t go to the public or to a foundation or to a business and ask for money.”

But Outer Banks Forever can. And they do, tapping everyone from weekend visitors to longtime local businesses to federal grant programs.

Furthermore, they often find ways to get around red tape that bogs down most

government bureaucracies, helping make improvements that might otherwise take years, whether it’s installing the first handicapable kayak launch on Hatteras Island or adding a mile of multiuse path to a busy Buxton thoroughfare.

“Our Pathways to Your National Parks campaign will connect Route 12 to the Old Lighthouse Beach site and to the current Lighthouse,” says Barnes. “That project has been on the park’s wish list since 1984. And they just didn’t have funding or the capacity to be able to make it happen. And this year, we are going to be giving the parks about $400,000 for the Pathways Project and several other smaller projects.”

We asked Barnes to better explain how friends groups work and — more importantly — why folks should help.

— Matt Walker

Thanks to Outer Banks Forever, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse has a webcam to inspire...

MILEPOST: Can you explain why we need a non-profit to fund public lands? Because I think most people assume that’s the job of the federal government.

JESSICA BARNES: Well, particularly in the past five to 10 years, our national parks have seen huge increases in visitation. But just because we have more visitors doesn’t mean that the parks get more federal money, unfortunately. So, really, they’re having to manage those increases with the same amount of funding year over year. And that’s a challenge when you sometimes have several hundred thousand more visitors at a park, but not more staff to manage everything from mowing the

Gotcha. So, basically, not only can you ask for money, you can get around some of the red tape and then help implement ideas.

Yeah, exactly. But right now, a lot of the support that we’re providing is either funding support, or volunteer support, or, really, marketing support — you know, telling the stories of our parks and getting people interested in all the different aspects of our parks, because that’s not really what the Park Service does.

For example, I think that

Those are the roles that Outer Banks Forever is here to play — kind of filling that gap and helping our parks adapt to new challenges. We’re never going to replace their budget. It’s really just to allow them to access additional funds when they need it.

part-education garden to show the importance of agriculture on Roanoke Island, specifically for the Native Americans that lived there, the English colonists, and the Freedmen’s Colony. So now we have a unique way to tell that story.

“

“THIS YEAR, WE ARE GOING TO BE GIVING

COROLLA • DUCK • NAGS HEAD • RODANTHE • HATTERAS

And we recently partnered up with the Outer Banks Visitor’s Bureau and Surfline. com to start “Views from our Parks.” We put a webcam up on the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, so people can see the view from the lighthouse wherever they are. And we’re working on two more for Fort Raleigh and the Wright Brothers Memorial, so you can see from up on top of the monument and look out over the sound.

Over the next couple of years, we’re going to be working pretty extensively on a couple projects at Wright Brothers National Memorial, like helping put a new multi-use path around the property.

And First Flight High School is working on a new class where the kids will build a FAAapproved airplane at Wright Brothers. So, we’re working to get some funding to help them launch that program. And we’d love to see a true education building, so they could do larger school groups and have weather-protected programs.

gosurf

But it’s always changing. There’s always new challenges, new opportunities and more things that our visitors want to see when they come to national parks. So, we’re trying to just help them work through and prioritize those projects and see what we can help with.

What about the pathway in Buxton?

The goal right now is to have the fundraising campaign and the design finished in May, so that the park can then go to contracting in June. It’s quite a lengthy process, but our goal is they will start construction in early 2024.

upfront soundcheck getactive startingpoint roadmap gokite milepost graphiccontent outthere gohunt rearview

What percentage of these projects would have been funded if you guys didn’t exist?

I think these types of projects get funded down the line; it’s just that, sometimes, it can take a lot longer if they don’t have a group like us to find the additional funding that they need. For example, with the pathway in Buxton, the park was able to get a $1.3 million grant from the Federal Highways Commission. Then we stepped in to raise about $350,000 for that project to get us to the finish line. So, I think we accelerated the timeline and the feasibility of actually making them happen.

So, what are the limits? Let’s say I’ve got tons of dough. And I’ve got an idea called — I don’t know — “Lanai at the Lighthouse,” so people can find shade between surfs. Can I just say, “I want to do this” and fund it? Or is there some sort of approval process?

We certainly want to hear ideas from people in the community, but there’s definitely a process. A donor can’t just say, “Yeah, here’s exactly what I want. And here’s the money for it — you need to make it happen.” We work very closely with the Park Service to prioritize what’s realistic, what’s going to be used most widely by all the park’s visitors, and what still protects the resource.

But, conversely, say the Wright Brothers runway needed to be replaced. The park service can’t go to Boeing or Delta and say, “Hey, guys would you be interested in funding a project?” But you can.

Yes. Exactly. And that is certainly something that’s on our radar to do.

What about volunteerism. Can you rally the troops for the next time you have to pick a house up off the beach?

It’s something that we’re still growing, but we do have a volunteer list on our website so folks can sign up. Because, whether there’s a house that’s fallen or not, there’s still something to be cleaned up almost everywhere. I will say it’s about a 50/50 split on our volunteer list between locals and visitors. And we get quite a few requests from people on vacation who just say, ‘Hey, my family is in town next week — is there anything that I can do to help the parks?”

Cool. So how can people help? Are there boxes scattered around each park?

We have at least one electronic donation box that’s set up inside the Wright Brothers’ visitor center. But going to our website is the first place to start. We’ve got lots of great information there about upcoming events and projects and behind-the-scenes stories. If you sign up for our email list, we send out a monthly update with interesting stories and behind-the-scenes looks at the parks. And that’s also where we’ve gotten most of our individual donations.

So, why do it then? What do you say to the person or business who says, “I already pay my taxes, these are public lands — why should I give you any money at all?”

Well, I guess I’d say that, to have three national parks in a community our size, is pretty unique. A lot of people come back every year just to visit the seashore or hear the stories of the Wright Brothers and Fort Raleigh. So, they are one of the main drivers of tourism. But they also provide a main part of the experience of what we love about living here. Even though there is so much development happening, these three national parks are part of the history and culture of the Outer Banks. And that’s what our donors say: they just want to see these places continue to be protected.

This interview was edited for length, clarity and flow. To learn more about how Outer Banks Forever operates — from raising awareness to recognizing donors — go to www.outerbanksmilepost.com.

“ TO HAVE THREE NATIONAL PARKS IN A COMMUNITY OUR SIZE IS PRETTY UNIQUE.

...And coming soon, a multi-use path will help runners safely perspire.

Photo: Daniel Pullen

Art by James Perry

If you don’t have a Delbert Melton story, you know someone who does.

For many, Delbert epitomized the rough-andtumble, ocean loving lifestyle that drew most “old school” Outer Bankers here, which is why our shitty little rag took more than a few opportunities to cement his legend as a good-natured outlaw, starting with our very first issue. Just flip to the centerspread’s “Graphic Content,” you’ll find a tongue-in-cheek board game called “Going Local,” where “Dropping in on Delbert” is literally the worst thing you can do.

Not that you ever would in real life.

A former college football star, Delbert cut a massive figure. When an injury ended his future pro career in the mid-70s, he committed his life to surfing the Outer Banks, where his powerful physique, booming voice and boisterous personality quickly swamped lineups from Buxton to Kitty Hawk.

Over the next four decades, he became a coastal icon known for a “surf first, work maybe” mentality and an ability to play the system that some folks found endearingly devilish — and others found downright infuriating. (Ask anyone who begrudgingly hired the hulking Huck Finn to bang nails or mow lawns — only to have him play hooky with King Neptune instead.)

But love him or loathe him, by the time he passed on March 15, 2023, Delbert was synonymous with Outer Banks surf culture, with a reputation that stretched from the Garden State to the Golden State. “One time in California I told this girl I was from Nags Head,” recalls long-time local, Frank Russell. “First thing she said was, ‘You know Delbert?!’”

How could you not? Delbert made himself known wherever he went.

In the water, he barked orders at strangers, divebombed friends, and doled out any number of insulting-yet-endearing nicknames. (“Junior Leaguer!”; “Yellow Man!”; “Tattoo!”; “Pop Tart!”)

Yes, he was known for plowing over anyone who got in his way. But he also took young grommets under his wing and helped rookies reach the outside on days when they couldn’t muster the strength — or the courage. Later on, when his body gave out, his voice carried the torch from the First Street

crossover, where he flamed riders and cracked wise — usually with a cold beer in hand.

On land, he was equally outgoing and outlandish. Somewhat abrasive — and semi-divisive. If Delbert felt like doing something and it caused no real harm — he did it, whether it was swiping a Bud out of some beachgoer’s unattended cooler or rolling a joint from the roaches left in your ashtray.

And, if he felt like it was nobody else’s business, he did it proudly.

Ride around town with a lawnmower strapped to his roof? Sure! Tick-and-flea bathe his dog in the summertime swash zone? Why not?! Clear out every toothpick tray in the whole Harris Teeter — hey, the sign clearly says, “Free samples.”

If you were shaking your head, then you were the one with the problem.

Nowhere were these iconoclastic tendencies more evident than with his longstanding battle with the Town of Kill Devil Hills over the state of his property.

By the mid-90s, Delbert had bought a couple acres of commercially zoned land and proceeded to fill it with every manner of potentially reusable refuse. Lumber and steps that he’d salvaged off the beach after big storms. Old resin barrels filched from Fatboy’s glassing bay. Piles of bottles and tons of cans. Tires. Cars. Parts. Metal. Plus, an endless supply of cats, dogs and who knows what other critters.

It was a veritable Pandora’s dump — to the neighbors, at least. When they rallied the “powers that be” to crack down, Delbert begrudgingly began organizing the messy maelstrom into neater, smaller piles.

The process was famously captured by noted local filmmaker Nic McLean in his very first documentary, “Delbert Metamorphosis.” You can still YouTube it today. Should you care to know the man, it’s worth a watch, as Delbert exemplifies a struggle every Outer Banker knows all too well. (Or at least they used to).

“I want to have my own thing going, so that I don’t have to depend on other people,” he explains.

“Finally get myself a little business going here. And then I don’t have to worry about where I’m gonna

find a job. Or, in wintertime, what are you gonna do when you’re not building houses? That’s the whole purpose behind [all the stuff I’ve collected]. And it’s my dream.”

Or, for a look at his lighter side, scour Facebook and Instagram for any number of his “Big D by the Sea” updates, where Delbert freestyle riffs on the current conditions or reflects on golden sessions gone by. Like the time he chased a lost surfboard halfway to Diamond Shoals — or didn’t bother to pick up his hammer for 10 full days because a hurricane swell just wouldn’t quit.

“I lost two jobs in…that one swell,” he guffaws. “One I lost before I even went. But f#$k a job. I don’t live here to work.”

Or, just read the following pages to hear from the many surfers whose lives he touched — from longtime Hatteras locals who experienced stories firsthand to Delaware rookies who only met him once. Even then, you’ll still only understand a fraction of his impact.

“Delbert left a mark on everyone he met — sometimes literally,” Whalebone Surf Shop founder Jim Vaughn says with a giggle. “There will never be another like him.”

Delbert didn’t care about money. Or status. Or rules. He just loved this place and all its raw energy. And as our ragtag community keeps losing saltboxes and live oaks, while adding seven-figure houses and Targets and Wawas — not to mention all those shiny Benzes and BMWs that couldn’t carry a longboard much a less a lawn mower — it feels like a metaphor for all the change that’s come to pass.

The fact is, Delbert simply wasn’t made for a modern, more civilized Outer Banks. So, rather than think of him as a fallen figure who “passed away,” we’ll prefer to picture him as something more like the Lorax. A larger-than-life, mythical hero who suffered through decades of “progress” that built up — and chopped down — everything around him, until he just couldn’t stand it. So, he lifted himself up by his own beltloops and flew off to someplace better — except Delbert surely had a board tucked under his arm.

Wherever he is, we’re sure you can hear him before you see him. And that, when you get there, he’ll be running the show. (Just don’t let him mow you down before you reach the lineup.) Matt Walker

“F#$k a job. I don’t live here to work.”

BEAR OF THE BANKS

There were just five of us at the Lighthouse that day. My girlfriend, me, and three strangers who were there to ride what looked like waisthigh waves that peeled off the jetties. It was beautiful for late March, with an intense sun and an air temperature that had already pushed past the 70-degree mark. Despite these summer-like conditions, I worried that my new wetsuit might not be up to the job of keeping me warm in the 45-degree water. It worked fine — only my arms weren’t up to the job of getting me to the lineup.

That “waist-high” swell? It more than doubled in size once I got in the ocean. After a half-hour of battling the relentless whitewater, I retreated back to the beach. As I flopped onto the sand like some kind of neopreneskinned mutant seal, my girlfriend pointed out two more waterlogged figures down the beach who washed ashore well before I did. I was disappointed more than humiliated. Having the Lighthouse beach pretty much to ourselves, we were content to hang out and enjoy the sunshine. Then, while watching one of the

bigger sets of the day, something larger moved into the periphery of my vision. Turning my head, I saw a burly figure making his way down the beach and heading our way. I could feel my mouth go dry the closer he got, for I assumed I was in for a first-hand lesson in heavy localism.

When he finally stopped walking, I looked up and realized that was the second time that day I’d underestimated size at a distance. The man stood well over six-feet tall, dark hair falling to his muscular shoulders, while a barrel chest challenged the limits of the wetsuit that clung tightly to his body. A bushy beard and a determined squint accented his dripping dishevelment, summoning visions of Blackbeard reincarnated. My ears went red and began pulsing a cardiac code of distress.

Until he spoke up.

“How y’all doin’ today?” he said with a characteristic Carolina coastal drawl, and a gruff tone that was way friendlier than my fear predicted.

I don’t know if my relief was audible, but my Northeastern cynicism wondered what his angle was. Key

In 1981, Delaware surf scribe Earl Shores crossed paths with Delbert at the Lighthouse. He immortalized the encounter in his 2016 book, Surf Lessons.

Photo: Tom Dugan/ESM

chain beach pictures maybe?

“I see you had a little trouble gittin’ out,” he continued, “I wanna’ go back out, but these other guys — well, they say they’re done for the day. I don’t like surfin’ by ma’self, so if you’re up for it, I can git’ you out.”

My brain whirred and clicked on his offer. Was he for real? “Southern Hospitality” was only a term from trashy romance novels, right? Finally, with the glow of a schoolboy who’d been picked to run the filmstrip projector, I said, “Sure!”

“Great!” he said, and a wide smile parted the dark thicket under his nose. He held out his hand.

“I’m Delbert – you know, like Delbert McClinton the singer,” he said, referencing an artist who recently had a Billboard Top 10 single.

Delbert still had a head on me when I stood up, and his hand swallowed mine in a modest grasp.

“My friends call me Bear.”

I didn’t have to ask why. Reality seemed a little distant as we headed down toward the shorebreak, but when he stopped to reassure my girlfriend with model “southern gentleman” gentility — “Don’t worry ma’am, I’ll take good care of him” — a chill rippled through my wetsuit. I waited for a diabolical baritone narrator and eerie dissonant music.

“Presented for your approval, a young surfer who wanted nothing more than to catch a wave…”

“Where y’all from?” asked the Bear. “Huh?” I sputtered, startled.

“Where y’all from?” He repeated.

“Oh, uh, Delaware,” I answered.

“Oh yeah? We do work off a’ there.”

“Work?”

“Yeah, fishing mostly.”

“Do you live around here?”

“A mile or so down the road.”

“Nice.”

“It’s interesting, that’s for sure.”

The small talk ended at the waterline. I listened closely to his instructions.

“We’re going to head out on the south side of this jetty here. We can float in the rip without even paddling. Then at the end there’s some deep water where we can sit ‘til we get a lull. It’s easy today because the swell is small.”

“Small?” I asked He looked at my incredulous expression and re-evaluated.

“Well…I mean, it’s a fun day for here. You understand what we’re doin’?”

I nodded, and we waded into the rip, floating out effortlessly alongside the jetty just like the Bear said.

I kept looking over at my giant new companion, unsure if it was the current or the Bear’s aura that pulled me along. I seemed reduced to monosyllable responses in his presence. Not that I felt threatened in any way. The fact was, I felt oddly and totally secure, even though we’d only shaken hands five minutes earlier.

My well-trained skepticism was about to tackle this conundrum, when the Bear looked over, held both hands out of the water, and let his giant smile once again cut the through the dripping brush on the bottom of his face.

the shortest route to the lineup, which was straight ahead. With not a set to be seen it was a dry-hair paddle out. Was there ever any doubt?

I sat catching my breath, looking twenty yards south to where the Bear sat. I wanted to paddle down and thank him, but I knew my energy was limited. So, I waved and gave him a lobster claw thumbs-up. He smiled, returning my wave, then fixed his gaze on the undulating horizon.

After two nice rides I came in to watch the Bear ride his homebreak. He toyed with several overhead waves, surfing with expected power, but also a surprising grace as he easily found the pocket on each wave. He really made it look easy.

I walked down to meet the Bear when he came in.

“Did you git’ some waves?” he asked. “Yeah, I got two. Thanks a lot, I woulda’ never made it out today.”

“Oh, you’re welcome. Glad I could help. You come back after lunch and it’ll probably still be good. Tide’s gonna change – might even pick up some.”

That was a daunting thought, especially since cold water fatigue was starting to settle into my muscle fibers.

“Yeah, we’ll stop back up. See ya’ then,”

“See, I’m keepin’ right up with ya’,” he said, as the current carried us along.

“Uh-huh,” escaped my mouth before my brain found something intelligent to say. But my skepticism now retreated like a scolded puppy.

We reached the end of the jetty and paddled in place for a few moments as the Bear carefully watched the horizon. He turned and grinned, “Let’s go!!”

With long powerful strokes he quickly left me behind, and I felt like maybe I was in over my head. Then I worked my arms furiously, and could hardly believe it when they responded. The Bear angled to the south, while I took

I said, unsure if I was being completely truthful about my intentions.

“Okay, y’all take care now,” the Bear replied.

My girlfriend and I did go back later, but the beach was completely empty. The wind had gone onshore, turning the once glassy swell into a foaming crumbling mess, and I shivered easily as the chilly ocean air pierced my sweatshirt. It was hard to believe how pleasant it had been earlier, and even harder to believe the events of the morning. But I’ll always be grateful for the friendly stoke — and the unforgettable session I shared with a gentle, generous giant. — Earl Shores

“I see you had a little trouble gittin’ out... I can git’ you out.”

“ONE STEP AWAY FROM SAINTHOOD…”

He was furry. He was funny. And he was flawed. But the miracle of Delbert Melton had nothing to do with modeling perfect behavior. It was about one man’s unshakeable faith in his own beliefs — and his uncanny ability to connect a community.

“In 1976, I helped Delbert get a job restoring the Hatteras Lighthouse. He lasted about two weeks, because Delbert, he — you know — worked by his own rules. Every morning, I’d show up, and the boss would be like, ‘Where’s your friend at?’ I’d run over the dune, and he’d be out surfing. So, I’d wave him in. And he’d go right back out at lunch break, and as soon as we got off, he’d go back out again. The final straw, I guess, was when we were painting the inside one day. When it came time to knock off, I ran my roller on an unfinished section to remove the excess paint. Delbert thought it would be funny to paint a big Gerry Lopez-style Lightning Bolt on the red foundation outside. [Laughs] This was before we’d sandblasted and repainted it, but it didn’t matter. They were looking for a reason to part ways, and that did it.”— Don

Bowers

“I lived next door to Delbert in 1981. And Delbert — just like you, me and everybody else — was not a perfect human being, no matter how big of a heart he had. I remember, one time, I’m getting ready to go surfing and I can’t find my wetsuit boots. I’m looking everywhere. Finally, I walk next door, there’s my boots on his deck all full of urine and saltwater. That stuff happened all the time. And Delbert got a reputation that, if it wasn’t nailed down, chained down, or in a safe, he viewed it as a gift for the cause. And some people despised him for that for ‘playing the system.’ But I’ll tell you, we have a lot of local politicians and developers and real estate moguls here — people who fancy themselves the upper echelon of Dare County — who would give anything to get the same accolades as Delbert when they die. I think Michael Halminski said it best. He said, ‘The internet has canonized Delbert.’ That means he’s one step away from sainthood. I love that.”

— Russell Blackwood

“I accidently met Delbert in the mid 80s. I was delivering two pizzas for Daredevil’s. I found the house and knocked, and this big, burly, hairylooking guy with a huge beard opens the door. I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s Rasputin!’ [Laughs] He saw my pizzas and said, ‘Come in! You want to sit down and have a slice?’ And I said, ‘Sure!’ So I sat down, and we ate a whole pizza, like, pronto. And then I said, ‘Thanks, I have to go get back to work.’ And he said, ‘Anytime you wanna bring pizzas by, please do.’ And I said, ‘Wait a minute, didn’t you order these pizzas?’ And he said, ‘No!’ [Laughs] Years later, he moved into my neighborhood. There was something of a domestic dispute going on. The girlfriend threw the guy’s whole surfboard collection out onto the driveway and began running them over with her car. First, I heard this large commotion and crunching and what not; the next thing I hear is Delbert, who’s run out of his house screaming, ‘Save the longboards! Save the longboards!’” — Kevin

Zorc

“Delbert was clever, man. riff and come up with nicknames on the spot. I went down south one time. Delbert was being his typical loud self, and you could see the out-of-town guys were already a little rattled. This was during the 90s when wetsuits were starting to get a little color again. So, this one guy was in a superbright green fullsuit. Delbert saw a set coming and starts screaming, ‘Yo, Green Lantern! Paddle! Paddle!’ Then another guy — he had super long hair and a goatee; the whole grunge look — Delbert sees him and yells, ‘Go, Jesus! Go!’ And the next hour and half it was, ‘Go Jesus! Go Green Lantern!’ I swear, a couple people spit water they were laughing so hard.”

“He called me ‘Pop Tart.’ He called all the bodyboarders ‘Pop Tart.’ I guess because the boards are small and rectangular and come in fruity colors. He also called us ‘Booger-boarders.’ One day, I paddle out next to him, and he goes, ‘Ryan, you know why I call it booger-boarding?’ And I said, ‘Why’s that Delbert?’ He takes his index finger and wipes it under his nose real fast like he’s full of snot and says, ‘Because it’s snot surfing.’ [laughs] I thought that was pretty clever. And a lot of people were afraid of him, but I don’t think Delbert would hurt anybody. And I don’t think he ever let anybody get hurt in front of him. Even as a bouncer. I was moshing at the Atlantis one time, and he picked me up by the armpits, put my ear right close to his mouth and whispered, ‘Calm down.’ Then he just rested me back on my feet.”

Ryan Rhodes

“The first time I met Delbert, I was very intimidated. I was just learning to surf. I remember he pulled on his leash and there was a six-pack

Sequence: Tom Dugan/ESM Art by Chris Kemp

momentum especially once he got older and had to ride that big SUP sitting down. For me, that was the hardest part: seeing him have to stop standing up and surf on his knees and then use a paddle. Realizing how difficult it is to age and not be able to do the stuff you love to do. But he never lost his love for the surfing. He’d show up at First Street just to feel the ocean. And I always loved seeing his friendly face.”

Dawn Moraga

“In the 80s, we used to play volleyball behind the Atlantis. Delbert didn’t play, but he would always hang out. One day, these two big dogs started ripping into each other. Blood’s flying. People are screaming and throwing shit at ’em but nobody was jumping in there. They’re just about to kill each other when Delbert walks up and breaks them apart. They’re still barking and squirming, trying to get at each other — and Delbert’s got each one by the collar, holding them up in the air like nothing. One girl says to Delbert, ‘Sir, you are so brave.’ And Delbert says, ‘Ma’am, I’m not scared of anything — except work.’”

— Frank Russell

“We were surfing Nags Head pier together once. When we went in, he asked me if I wanted a beer. I said, ‘Sure!’ So he walked over to this family that had a huge cooler full, reaches in, grabs two and says, ‘Mind if I have these beers?’ [Laughs] And of course they said, ‘Go right ahead’ because he’s this huge man. But he really was a gentle giant. And he told the best stories. So, we cracked those beers, and I just listened — and laughed.”

— Chad Davis

“Delbert borrowed my flatbed trailer one time. I said, ‘Make sure you bring it back…’ A week went by. Then two weeks. I go to his house, and my trailer is buried in like 78 junk

tires. I’m like, ‘Delbert, I need that thing!’ He’s like, ‘Okay help me move them.’ So, I had to unbury my own trailer to steal it back. [Laughs]. But I figure everyone on this beach chipped in somehow to help Delbert along.

Everybody. I remember, when the church group came and helped clean up his yard, it took like 17 of those big-ass dumpsters. They ordered all these pizzas for the volunteers, and Delbert creeps up, picks up like five pizzas, and makes a break for his house. [Laughs]” – Herman

Hall

“Delbert: Metamorphosis was a project for film school. The deal was I basically helped him clean up the property for a chance to shoot his story. And, I’ve never shot anybody like Delbert since. You could say anything — personal, political, waves, whatever — and he’d bust out these rapid-fire one-liners. Or he would talk about ‘The Delbow’ this elbow-shaped groin design he said would save the Lighthouse so they wouldn’t have to move it. Everything about him was a bit of a spectacle all you had to do was roll the film. And, yes, he maybe took advantage of certain situations. And, yes, he collected a lot of stuff. But he also gave away a lot. He made you laugh. He would tell you to go on a wave whether or not you wanted to. And they say the good test of a friendship is if you can go somewhere and be quiet. With Delbert, you didn’t have to say anything. He was constant entertainment. He was like a big, towering radio station — you just had to be an antenna.” — Nic

McLean

“Delbert is the star of my one and only surfing story. That’s because it ended so painfully. I wiped out in the shorebreak and smashed my face in the sand. I come up, dazed and scraped, and Delbert’s standing there. He said, ‘Girl, your titties are out.’ I looked down and said, ‘Yessir. Yes they are.’” [Laughs]

— Lara Shiner

“Everything about him was a bit of a spectacle.”

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one LAZY sUMMER

Five seasonal scenarios where doing less is doing good.

Photo: Daniel Pullen

We get it.

There’s so much consumer waste these days. Landfills are overflowing and microplastics fill the sea. And there has to be a way to recycle that yogurt tub or single-use utensil set, right? Well, the sad fact is there’s not — despite what that triangle of three arrows might say.

“The chasing arrows have been a misconception for people for a while,” says Kathy Russell of Chesapeake’s TFC Recycling, which services curbside recycling programs in Duck and Nags Head. “They think if it has the chasing arrows, it’s recyclable.”

The truth? Barely six percent of U.S. plastic gets recycled. That means almost all number 1 or 2 products — think water bottles and milk jugs — do. But there is basically no market for numbers 3 to 7. (Think PVC, food wrappers and newspaper bags, and butter tubs.)

Still, some people think if it’s got a hint of plastic, it must be able to be repurposed somehow. There’s even a word for it: “Wish-cycling.”

Russell regularly witnesses the results of idealistic dreamers. She’s seen clothing, buckets, Styrofoam cubes, speakers, chaise lounge cushions, infant crib bumper pads, bags of yard debris, vacuum cleaners, booster seats — even chemicals. Smaller offenders are restaurant-related — straws, plastic utensils and to-go boxes.

Not only can these extra items potentially contaminate a batch of otherwise usable items, but some can also cause real harm. Plastic bags get caught in sorting machines, sometimes damaging them. Chemicals can be flammable. But a lesser-known menace is lithium batteries, like you find in cell phones and laptops.

Lithium batteries have sparked fires across the country, and yet they remain one of the most common nonrecyclable items, says Jeremy Savage, Outer Banks site manager for Bay Disposal & Recycling, which services curbside programs in Southern Shores and Kill Devil Hills, as well as Dare County facilities.

“Putting them into a truck with all kinds of other materials causes some serious problems,” Savage says.

Another common item that should

always be trashed, Savage adds, are greasy pizza boxes.

Clean cardboard, however, is a precious commodity — and one with real local benefits, according to David Overton, Dare County’s sanitation and recycle supervisor. Thanks to a modern online economy where “everybody’s shipping things,” the county can sell the boxes it collects to a buyer in Suffolk, and the money earned helps bolster the county budget.

Glass, too, goes a long way toward helping neighbors.

At the Dare County Public Works Compound, the county’s main facility in Manteo, a machine crushes glass into either decorative pebbles or sand, which county residents can procure at no cost. The compound also accepts used tires, motor oil, appliances, and metal, since the county has direct markets for those, in addition to the paper, bottles and cans that Bay Disposal hauls from there to RDS, a recycling facility in Portsmouth, Virginia.

word for it: “Wishcycling.”

So, what should you pitch — and what should you try to repurpose?

The following are easily recyclable: rinsed out plastic milk jugs; steel and aluminum food and beverage cans; emptied water and glass bottles; clean cardboard, newspapers, magazines, and loose paper.

Meanwhile, broken beach chairs, bubble wrap, greasy to-go containers, and packaging foam, are slam-dunks for the garbage.

Too much to remember? Russell can break down the rules into three failsafe categories — and an unforgettable catch phrase.

“Paper, bottles, cans,” she says. “And, when in doubt, throw it out.”

— CORINNE SAUNDERS

There’s a

That 10-room beach rental sure looks tasty.

So does the pantry full of uneaten food. So, as long as you and your extended family are living the good life, and sharing the larder, why not throw some crumbs — or crumb cakes — at the folks who keep this community afloat year-round but also struggle to buy food from day to day?

“In Dare County alone, 12.3 percent of people are food insecure,” says Elisabeth Silverthorne, the executive director of Beach Food Pantry. “And the food assistance leadership is telling us that we should be prepared for even more people in coming months. They’re actually calling it a ‘Perfect Storm’ situation.”

What’s driving the tumult? A whole bunch of financial turbulence, from expected cuts in Food and Nutrition Supplement Benefits — commonly known as food stamps — to families losing their expanded child tax credits, to the resumption of student loan payments, to 40-year-high inflation. And that doesn’t include local factors like tourist town pricegouging or a housing crisis that’s pushed beachside rents through the roof — assuming folks can even find a year-round lease.

“That’s why we started serving people who live or work in Dare County,” says Silverthorne. “We realized people were getting pushed out of the county, but they were still working here, and that assistance could help the businesses keep employees. It’s really everybody taking care of everybody.”

So why not join the cause and come off some grub? Especially when it’s easier than ever. In fact, depending on your rental company, it’s as simple as moving boxes and cans from the cupboard to the countertop.

“Seaside Vacations is the leader on this,” says Silverthorne. “Their houses actually have branded bags that folks can leave non-perishable items in. But Beach Realty, Village Realty, Southern Shores Realty, and Brindley Beach Vacations will call us when folks leave stuff behind. And Twiddy will also bring us toilet paper, paper towels, dish detergent, pet food — which are also a huge help to needy households.”

Renting through VRBO or AirBnb? You can always leave items in one of several strategically placed drop boxes, from Corolla to Nags Head. (Find a current list at www.beachfoodpantry. org.) Or swing by the Beach Food Pantry’s Kitty Hawk HQ right off the bypass any weekday from 8:30am to 5pm to donate refrigerated and frozen items.

“For refrigerated items, call us ahead of time just to make sure we can be there,” says Silverthorne.

So, what’s best to leave? While they’ll literally take anything unopened and unexpired, they encourage folks to offer up something nutritious — something new.

“In summer, it’s great because we have clients with dietary concerns and get quite a bit of gluten-free and vegan stuff,” says Silverthorne. “But we’ll also take ramen; anything is appreciated.”

So there’s your choice: you wake up an hour earlier, pack every canned good and condiment in a bulky box and carry it down three flights of steps, fill a 50-pound Yeti with frozen hamburger, and haul it all the way back up I-95. Or! Just leave it here and let the Food Pantry do the heavy work of helping families and lifting spirits.

“We’re a crisis and emergency provider,” says Silverthorne. “So, we see a lot of people who lose a job unexpectedly or get diagnosed with a terrible medical situation. It’s the worst moment in their life, and we give them some breathing room where they don’t have to think about where their next meal is coming from. And a month later, they don’t need us, but at the time they’re so grateful. And we’re honored to be there for them.” — SHARON D. GRUBB

take anything unopened and unexpired.”

Let the door slam behind you.

Or Dear Abby. Or any Southern grandma (coastal or otherwise). But come summer, you must suppress the urge to politely hold the door for others — unless it’s your date and they’re literally lock step. Because, standing there with the entrance agape while your party of 20 crosses the parking lot, is actually not polite — it’s literally the rudest thing you can do.

“It’s weird to say, but it’s a real problem,” says Buddy Falzon, owner of KDH favorite, Food Dudes. “Especially when we’re full. Because people will see the crowd and just stand there holding the door open while they wait for someone to tell them how long the wait is, or what have you. And it gets hot in here. Fast.”

Granted, Food Dudes is one of the beach’s cozier restaurants — Falzon jokingly calls it a “hole in the wall”— one where every diner sits within 20 feet of the entrance. But it’s a problem for the big boys, too, as larger parties stack up at the hostess stand…then linger in the foyer…then stretch into a line out the front. Every second, the door is ajar doesn’t just waste precious freon — it lets in nasty pests.

“Not only does the cold air get out — flies come in, too,” says Falzon. “So, it’s a constant issue.”

Some might even say it’s a global issue, as every commercial business loses in terms of wasted energy, which means the planet takes a hit in terms of increased carbon dioxide emissions and stress on the power grid.

In fact, according to Grist.com, in New York City, “air conditioning in commercial spaces accounts for about 10 to 20 percent of all of the energy used…and up to 10 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions released each year.” That’s why the Big Apple passed a law in 2015, requiring all businesses to keep their doors closed while running the A/C.

And, in 2017, the clean energy non-profit Generation 180 sparked a “Keep it Cool” sticker campaign to encourage every American business to clam up, stating that, “Each store with an open door wastes about 4,000 kilowatt hours of electricity over the summer. This generates two tons of carbon dioxide — the same amount of pollution produced by a diesel truck driving from New York to Miami.”

The nation-wide initiative never took hold. But it continues here on the Outer Banks. Only, instead of slick branded decals on every door, you’ll see an array of hand-made messages stuck to the glass saying things like, “Please shut the door.” Or, “Close Me! The A/C Can’t Keep Up!” Or, “Please send in one-person per party.” But what they really mean is:

“Shut the f@#kin’ door!” laughs Falzon. “Just kidding. I’ve never said that. But I’ve definitely thought it.” — DORIS ZIPLOCHT

It’s not what Ms. Manners would recommend.

“Not only does cold air get out — flies come in.”

Photo: Daniel Pullen

Weekend summer traffic is

nobody’s jam.

And we’re sure some app’s telling you to take a certain Southern Shores short cut. But have you considered how you’d feel if your sleepy neighborhood turned into a bypass every weekend, putting kids, pets and pedestrians at risk? Or that you might just find yourself creeping slower — and cursing more? — as thousands of cars routinely clog this crowded artery, despite years of attempted solutions, from roadblocks to awareness campaigns.

As Town Manager Cliff Ogburn notes, “There have been many educational efforts, which will continue to encourage travel on NC 12 and NC 158 rather than the narrow, winding neighborhood streets…[but] summer traffic is an Outer Banks community problem — not just one town.”

Which is why just about every town tries to reduce potential hazards by reducing speeds. Already, Southern Shores, stretches of Duck and Corolla, and the Hatteras Island villages have knocked 10 mph off of NC 12 through mid-September. And, last year, Nags Head went so far as to enact a 20 mph speed limit on every street west of the bypass.

“We have gotten some increased level of concern over pedestrian safety,” says town manager Andy Garman. “Obviously, if a vehicle is going slower, it gives the driver — and the pedestrian — more potential reaction time. And, if there is an accident, the injury will be exponentially less severe.”

So how much difference does a few miles make? According to studies, going 20 mph instead of 30 mph puts an extra 35 feet between your front fender and that cute little puppy or — God forbid — kid playing ball. And while 25 mph may be what’s written on the sign, we all know some drivers like to push limits.

“That’s why we put in speed cushions on Soundside Road,” says Garman. “Because large numbers of vehicles want to access the Jockey’s Ridge sound access. And it’s a long, straight road where people can go

faster and not even realize it. But that’s an unusual situation for Nags Head.”

Not so much for KDH, where roads like Ocean Acres lead to lots of houses with zero stop signs. Or, further north, where Bay Drive and the bypass run parallel, offering multiple short cuts for would-be Mario Andretti’s.

After a few years of complaints, KDH spent this spring debating but stopped short of taking hard action.

“We looked at the data [from the west side],” says commissioner Ivy Ingram. “And 85 percent of people do the speed limit. Another 10 percent go five over. And then roughly three percent go crazy fast. Those people are gonna speed no matter what the sign says.”

Instead, KDH plans to strategically place more digital speed display boxes around town in the coming months. Their hope is by gathering more numbers, they can make better decisions — and hopefully drivers will, too.

“It’s a way to collect information, but it’s also a way to correct citizen behavior,” says Ingram. “I’ve had one on my street for three weeks, and, holy moly, it works. People see it, and even if they’re a little bit over, they slow down.”

At least that’s the hope. If not, they might take further steps. Nags Head may even ramp up enforcement, if need be. Meanwhile, Ogburn says Southern Shores will continue to spread the word via “communication through the property managers, message boards, working through the traffic apps, et cetera.”

But if you must leave the Big Road, at least be a good neighbor and “pump the brakes.” It won’t just save you some stress — it might save a life.

— SLOAN DePACE

1171 Duck Road

Duck, North Carolina

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dig smaller f-in holes already.

You there!

Crossing that dune with an armload of shovels and commercial grade Kubota! Hold on a second while we bend your ear…

Now, we know the ocean gets chilly and the red flags may be flying. And we understand you’re on a mission to keep the whole fam busy — and maybe buy yourself a little peace and quiet. But before you start tunneling all the way to Beijing, ask yourself the following question: are you willing to put back every single shovelful? Or — more tragically —are you prepared to dig out a loved one when your Grand Canyon caves in?

“We’ve had a few close calls where people have attempted to connect two holes, or carved out the side, and it’s collapsed,” says Kill Devil Hills’ Ocean Rescue’s Dave Elder. “In 2014, a man visiting Cape Hatteras ended up suffocating. It took less than 15 minutes.”

Then, just this May, tragedy struck again when a 17-year-old boy accidentally buried himself behind the dune line in Frisco.

But it doesn’t take a fatality to ruin a day. Unattended holes can roll a morning jogger’s ankle — or a lifeguard’s ATV. They also can make things harder for wildlife. (Think mama sea turtles who want to lay eggs, or their hatchlings who need to reach the sea.) Or just buzzkill local officials.

In fact, KDH held a cautionary press conference last May, after some overly ambitious excavators left behind a seven-foot trench for Elder’s team to fill in.

“How nice of those fine people to leave us an opportunity to sweat more,” Elder deadpans.

But it’s no laughing matter. In fact, such pitfalls have become so widespread in recent years that last summer, municipalities from Currituck County to Oak Island passed resolutions asking the state to address the issue. Then, this March, Nags Head took it a step further by passing a second one, specifically requesting that legislators “enact a law creating

a severe criminal penalty for leaving hazardous beach holes.”

If it passes, any NC beachgoer who digs a sizeable hole without filing it back in is subject to a Class 2 misdemeanor. (State law says punishment is 1-to-60 days of active, intermediate, or community punishment, with the maximum penalty being 60 days in jail and a fine of $1,000.)

“But it’s not a penalty for digging a hole,” says Nags Head Mayor, Ben Cahoon. “It’s a penalty for leaving a hole unattended and unfilled.”

And it doesn’t have to rival the Marianas Trench, either.

The proposed law stipulates a hazard begins at roughly 18 inches deep by 12 inches wide, or 12 inches deep by 24 inches wide, because — as Cahoon notes — “it doesn’t take a waist deep hole to impede a sea turtle or turn over a four-wheel ATV that might be responding to a call.”

But Cahoon insists they’re not looking to use the measure to penalize people. They really just want a means of raising awareness that even small holes can lead to grave consequences. So, every scoop that comes out must go back in.

“We’re not trying to keep people from having fun,” says Cahoon. “We understand the ocean is rough, your children are small, and it’s entertaining to dig a hole. But you can’t leave it as a hazard for someone else. So don’t dig a hole and walk away from it — that’s the key.”

Ya dig?

— PHILLIP ALDER-PITTS

“In 2014, a man visiting Cape Hatteras ended up suffocating.”

Photo: Benjamin Battaile

11.

PICTURE THIS!

Words can be so hard sometimes. Do the visual math to determine each local town.

Art by

1. 2. 9. 10.

ANSWERS:

1. Kitty Hawk

2. Stumpy Point (stump + pee + point)

3. Hatteras (hat + oar + ass)

4. East Lake

5. Frisco

6. Chicamacomico (chick +ammo +comic + hoe)

7. Corolla (car + roller)

8. Manteo (man + tea + ho)

9. Ocracoke (okra + coke)

10. Duck

11. Kill Devil Hills (kill + devil + heels)

3.

4.

DIRTY WORK

They may not be filthy rich — but they ain’t just scraping by, either. Meet three local bizzes who turn hated chores into healthy careers.

WORDS BY TERRI MACKLEBERRY • PHOTOS BY RYAN MOSER

& DANIEL PULLEN

BEERS BURGERS BEATS

YOU BURN; HE SCRAPES.

PHOTO: DANIEL PULLEN

COLD CHARRED CASH

NO ONE GOES ON VACATION TO CLEAN A GRILL. (Heck, most people don’t even bother to at home.) That’s why Zach Edwards has a job. As the Outer Banks Grill Doctor, he makes his living off a dirty task that no one wants to do.

“I don’t blame them, because I wouldn’t want to clean it either,” Zach laughs. “But if you let all that gunk build up for two, three weeks like some people do — you know, that’s how a lot of house fires start. So, cleaning your grill is protection for your home.”

It’s also a health issue. Built-up grease and burnt food can harbor germs and bacteria and attract rodents, which track in disease. So, early in the mornings on weekends from April through December, the 29-year-old Kill Devil Hills resident heads off in his orange VW Westfalia, making house calls from Corolla to South Nags Head.

“Essentially, what I tell my homeowners is, I’m like a pool boy for the grill.”

Zach bought Outer Banks Grill Doctor from Alvin Glatkowski, best known as the Duck Santa, who founded and ran

THIS PROPANE PRACTITIONER BRINGS

FAILING BARBECUES BACK TO LIFE.

Zach found his number and called him up. Glatkowski said, “Can you start tomorrow at 6 am?” Zach learned the ropes and “scrubbed in.” Five years later, he services 60 grills a week.

Some look barely used. Others, like they’ve been drenched in BBQ sauce and napalm.

Zach says he can usually tell what he’ll face by the number of cars in the driveway.

“Some 12-bedroom houses have cooked like 48 cheeseburgers, 48 steaks, dozens of hot dogs and chickens,” Zach says. “So, the grills can get really nasty.”

Of course, the good doctor knows how to make each operation go smoothly. He’s also a dealer for Wilmington grills, which almost all of his customers use. That allows Zach to easily swap a dirty grate for a clean one with every visit.

When Zach pulls up to a house, he takes the dirty grates off the grill and stores them in the back of the van. Then he cleans the drippings and debris from the pan and flavorizer bars, degreases and sanitizes inside, outside, and any utensils, then polishes everything clean. Lastly, he pops in fresh, clean grates and moves on to the next house.

“It’s basically like getting a new grill every week,” he says.

fancy — just brushes, scrapers, scrubbers, gloves. I don’t use any chemicals. I use Dawn soap for everything. But even after the steam and power-wash, they’re still black and have chunks on them, so we do a lot of scrubbing.”

Not every procedure always goes to plan. Zach’s cracked grill lids to find roasted mice that came for the tidbits too soon, ghost crabs torched by cruel sickos — even spent fireworks. But his biggest foe in the business is “sauce-happy” chefs.

“People get cooking and pour it all over the grates, the shelves. Maybe they’ve had a couple of drinks and they’re just happy and throwing stuff around. I mean, I will scrape off cakes of debris every week. But I don’t blame them; I know they want it to taste good. So, everybody, please do it. That’s what my service is for!”

At press time, Zach was trying to get to 75 clients; that’s where he says he’ll stop taking new patients.

“That’s what we can handle,” he says. “I like doing the route on my own, so I can make sure it’s done correctly. And if a homeowner calls me, I like being the one who did the work.”

the business for eight years. Glatkowski was in his 70s and looking to get out of the physically demanding job; at the same time, Zach was looking for the flexibility of being his own boss. While working at Coastal Cravings in Duck, Zach overheard Glatowski talking about selling the business.

The hard part happens behind his house back in Kill Devil Hills. With the help of right-hand man, Zach Best, the duo will steam, power wash and hand scrub every grate.

“It’s pretty primitive,” Zach says. “It’s all by hand with basic tools — nothing

While Zach enjoys the job, what he really appreciates is the flexibility of having his own schedule, which allows time to teach surf lessons at Outer Surf, gives him the winters off to travel, and chase waves in his vintage VW.

“That’s a great thing about the Outer Banks,” Zach says. “I feel like there are so many niches here. If you can find one, you can do really well. You just have to be willing to stick with it.”

His biggest foe is “sauce-happy” chefs.

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Body Repair: (252) 441-8050 Service Repairs: (252) 441-8051

1202 Swan Street • Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948

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GAIL AND TERRANCE REDEFINE “ROLLIN’ IN IT.”

PHOTO: RYAN MOSER

NO WASTED MOTIONS

CAN YOU PULL THREE TOWNISSUED GARBAGE CANS TO THE STREET AT ONE TIME? All while riding a scooter? The staff at Trash Detail can. As professional can rollers, their mission is to keep one step ahead — and one step behind — the solid waste disposal truck. And in the process, make the Outer Banks even more beautiful.

The Driver family — Chris, Gail and their daughter, Caitlan — and Terrance Riddick, all from Elizabeth City, started Trash Detail on the Outer Banks six years ago. The idea emerged when Chris and Terrance were running a freight business together and making deliveries on the Outer Banks. They noticed that overflowing trash cans were a constant, unsightly problem that cluttered bike paths and streets. They also would spill over and spread refuse on windy days.

“I’ve been coming here since the 60s and 70s, and I just fell in love with it,” Chris says. “You see this level of little things that you can do to make a difference. One day Terrance and I said, ‘We could change the way this looks.’”

THIS GARBAGE DETAIL HAS CURBSIDE SERVICE DOWN TO A SCIENCE.

quickly took off from there. Over the past six years, Trash Detail has grown to include 15 different HOAs in Southern Shores, Duck, and Corolla. The Town of Nags Head has since signed on to cover the beach road, adding the annual fee to the home’s tax bill. Today, Trash Detail handles thousands of Outer Banks homes —1,100 houses in Nags Head alone — plus more in Elizabeth City.

At first it was just the Drivers and Terrance; now, in season, they have more than 15 employees, many of them student football players at First Flight and Pasquotank high schools. Some use the scooters; others prefer to walk the route or, on the northern beaches, drive it in a golf cart.

The other key piece of tech? Airpods.

“They cover up the sound of the plastic wheels grinding the driveway,” laughs Chris. “I swear I hear that noise in my sleep.”

“Renters get really excited,” Caitlan says. “They look out and their trash can is at the street, and they wake up the next day and the can is back under their house. They say, ‘It’s the trash fairies!’”

Terrance says the rollback is the part that strikes people the most, because that’s the most rewarding part of the job, visually. But he adds that rollout is actually a bigger deal, because, without that, you’ve got cans underneath houses for days at a time, which can make for some nasty surprises.

“Yep, you could walk up and it smells like really odd,” Caitlan says. “Or the trash can just weighs too much. I just roll it and mind my business.”

“The worst and funniest thing I’ve ever witnessed is a possum jumping out of a can,” Terrance adds.

But, Chris notes, it’s the people who exhibit the oddest behavior. Like their tendency to fill every can only half-way.

Turns out a trashcan rollout and rollback service was exactly what this place needed. Not just for the folks who can’t physically do it — but especially for vacation rental homes, where the tenants can’t be relied upon to keep up with the trash schedule.

They started with the Four Seasons community in Duck, and business

Trash Detail typically works Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday in season, as well as some holiday weekends. The day before trash day, they show up and wheel full cans from the houses out to the street, making sure they’re facing the right way and spaced correctly for the trucks’ mechanical arms to grab them. The next day, the crews follow the garbage trucks along their routes, usually from around 4 to 9am, wheeling the cans back to the house the moment they’re emptied. Lastly, they lay the cans down so they don’t blow away in a thunderstorm or heavy winds.

“If you give them 12 cans, they will fill up 12 cans halfway, instead of filling up six all the way,” he says. “But we just do our jobs with a smile on our faces. We just get out and have a good time and do the best we can.”

And the more they do, the more their phone keeps ringing. They’re growing and want to add other communities, maybe expand to Wilmington, where Chris and Gail’s son lives.

“Good ideas come from anywhere and everywhere,” Chris says. “And this one has been a good one for us. We are just working hard to move it forward. We have a goal to make things look as good as they possibly can. And every little bit we do makes a difference.”

They handle 1,100 houses in Nags Head alone.

BUCKS BY THE BUTTLOAD.

PHOTO: DANIEL PULLEN

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS

“THE WORK JUST KEEPS PILING UP, DON’T IT?” “Don’t hurt yourself lifting that heavy load.” “Same shit, different day, eh?”

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Don’t bother. Brice Harrington has already heard all the jokes about his “crappy” job. And he couldn’t care less. As the beach’s pedigree dog poop scooper, he sees only positives in handling other folks’ doggy business.

“I’ve always wanted to work outside,” says the owner of Scoopin’ Poop OBX. “And this job is rewarding, because I know that I am helping improve the water quality of our sounds and ocean and contributing to the cleanliness of our valuable coastline.”

Sure beats his previous gig working for Richmond’s Chesterfield County Public Schools, where he taught history online and still had to do a bunch of other BS.

“I always had side jobs, all kinds of gigs — delivering pizzas, working weddings, that kind of thing,” Brice says. “So, I was always brainstorming ideas for a business

Now all he needed was a job. Brice knew he was done with fluorescent lights and pixelated screens. And he’d always wanted to work for himself and help Mother Nature. So he Googled “poop scooping services.” While he found a lot of businesses all over the country — including a big, heaping franchise on the West Coast — nobody was actively filling the feces removal niche on the Outer Banks.

So, in 2022, Brice made it official by registering his biz, then he bought all the necessities, from extra-large dustbins to branded shirts to the essential insurance.

“It’s similar to the insurance a landscaper would have,” he says. “I can’t really see me messing up too much, but, you know, there are dangers with this business, like accidental damage or spreading diseases from yard to yard.”

That’s right: dog poop isn’t just gag-reflexinducing gross — it’s an EPA-classified pollutant, where a single gram can contain 23 million fecal coliforms, like E. coli, plus harmful bacteria like salmonella, canine parvovirus, and intestinal parasites like giardia, roundworms and hookworms. These can be transmitted to humans and other pets, and when it rains, all this contamination washes into waterways and leaches into the soil and groundwater.

FROM YOUR DOG.

just busy — nurses, restaurant workers, new parents. They don’t have the time. And I take care of a lot of senior citizens. Or people who are physically unable to get out and do this.”

Certainly not the way he does. There are no garden hose spray-downs or chucking turds into vacant lots. At each yard, Brice slips on a new set of disposable blue booties, then puts a plastic bag over an open-faced dustpan and uses a kid’s rake to haul in the poop. He even soaks the rake in a bucket of bleach between jobs.

“I’m extremely careful about not spreading contaminants between yards,” Brice explains.

It’s an important rule, considering he services clients from Manteo to Corolla.

Occasionally, he gets a call for a one-time cleanup. But most houses are regulars. Some he visits every week, others several times a week, others monthly. Many are rental homes, since de-pooping yards is not a service that house cleaners provide in pet-friendly homes. He also offers a deodorizing and sanitizing service that can clean up bacteria, contaminants and pet urine smells from porches, decks, pool decks, patios, and more. He can even sanitize grass and sand to eliminate all traces of pets’ prior eliminations.

of my own. One day a fellow teacher said, ‘You know, my neighbors pay a kid down the street $40 to pick up after three dogs.’ And I was thinking, that’s actually a great business model.”

Then came the pandemic. Brice’s online history workload increased tenfold as he had to train colleagues new techniques. After 16 years, the burned-out educator resigned and moved to the Outer Banks with his wife and two daughters in 2020.

Furthermore, while a single dog can excrete up to 275 pounds of poop per year, it’s estimated that 40 percent of Americans do not clean up after their pets. Do the math, and it adds up to a potential mess of money for an enterprising entre-poo-neur.

Still, Brice insists his clients aren’t just inconsiderate slackers.

“I know people think that my clients are lazy,” he says. “But I don’t see them as lazy at all. I have a lot of clients who are

But the job’s real joys happen between scoops. Like when he takes a minute to play with the dogs or feed them a treat. Plus, there’s no taking crap from work home with him — literally and figuratively. At the end of each day, Brice carries it all to the dump. And he’s ready the next morning for a full day of duty.

“Part of the beauty of this job is that it’s such a simple business,” he says with a sly grin. “And — hey business is always picking up.”

One dog can excrete up to 275 pounds of poop per year.

BRICE HARRINGTON IS PERFECTLY HAPPY TO TAKE CRAP

DISCOVERY

DARE’S ONLINE MAPS PUT THE WHOLE OUTER BANKS AT THE

Words by Kip Tabb

MILES OF BEACHES AND BOATLOADS OF SOUND ACCESS.

Deep history and sunken shipwrecks. Tight communities and helping neighbors. You can’t pin what makes the Outer Banks special on any one thing — much less put it all in one place. Or maybe you can — if you have the skills to pair an interactive aerial map of our home with an intuitive interface, then connect important locations to tons of useful and surprisingly entertaining information.

That’s what Dare County’s Geographic Information System [GIS] Team has been doing for nearly three decades. It started in 1995, when they first put property and land parcel data online, sharing images along with values, taxes and related info for prospective buyers and sellers.

“We were the first county in North Carolina to offer anything like this,” says Greg Ball, Dare’s GIS Coordinator.

Over the years, computers got better. Download speeds became faster. Smartphones took over the planet. And people grew more curious about what this technology could really do. People like GIS Specialist Kristen Stilson.

When Stilson came aboard in 2018, with her background in marine science, geology and GIS technology, she helped the team realize these maps could do more than list property values. They could point people toward community resources, convey the past, and connect people to today’s Outer Banks. That there were so many ways to make the information not just more useful — but more engaging.

“We do it as a way to show people what we can do,” she explains. “So, it’s not just stuffy maps all the time.”

Today, you can find maps that tell you where to find a kayak launch — or pay your water bill. Maps that show your lot’s original value — or future flood risk. Maps that tell you when to put out the garbage — or email a politician. Maps that bring local history to life in

ways adults can only wish had been available back in high school. There’s even a map that will pinpoint every duck blind by latitude and longitude.

So how do they do it? The key, says Greg, is they do all the hard labor inhouse, instead of hiring third partycontractors.

“There’s always some company out there trying to sell you some product,” Greg says. “They’re going to make it so easy for you, but then you give up all control. You can’t customize, you can’t make changes in a day.”

But Dare can. And they do. Especially each November 15, when they celebrate National Geographic Information Systems Day by revealing a new application. Past favorites include a map that marks coastal shipwrecks — and a “Days Gone By” retrospective of iconic gathering spots.

Still, not every idea makes the cut like plans for a hurricane map of previous storms.

“I found these really cool glowing lines I could use,” says Kristen. “But Emergency Services didn’t want people comparing [current risk] to past hurricanes because every storm will be different.”

Seems like a valid concern. But there’s no harm in sizing up boat launches to see which one has more parking. Or seeing which library’s closer. Or just comparing photos from a Carolinian deck party to an Atlantis concert poster. It’s all there waiting at everyone’s fingertips, whether you’re looking to do a marathon day of property research — or a ten-second traipse down memory lane. And all of it is designed for maximum use and updated for ultimate accuracy.

“My perspective is it’s all public information,” says Greg. “Let’s serve it up so it’s easier for the public to digest.”

Read on to see how this digital resource can reveal hidden secrets — or even impact your daily life…

TIPS OF YOUR FINGERS.

“We were the first county in North Carolina to offer anything like this.”

Treasure Legends in Corolla.

Ready To Explore Corolla, NC

The Currituck Beach Lighthouse

A beacon helping guide travelers for well over a century, the Currituck Beach Lighthouse towers over the Outer Banks landscape. For a small fee, visitors can climb the winding staircase for a wide-open view of the Currituck Sound and the Atlantic Ocean.

Whalehead in Historic Corolla

In the heart of Historic Corolla, you’ll find the Whalehead Museum. This restored 1920s era Art Nouveau architectural masterpiece is an Outer Banks icon with an intriguing past that is steeped in the roaring ‘20s lifestyle of its original owners. Events are often held on the property, and tours are offered throughout the week.

The Currituck Maritime Museum

Located just across the park from Whalehead, the new Currituck Maritime Museum tells the integral story of the history of wooden boats on the northern Outer Banks and their craftsmen through interactive exhibits and artifacts.

OBX Center for Wildlife Education

The Center for Wildlife Education houses exhibits on both natural and wildlife history and offers free educational programs.

This summer, head north up Hwy. 12 to Corolla, best known for its awe-inspiring remote beaches. The legendary Corolla Wild Horses, iconic historical sites and fun weekly events in the Historic Corolla Park are also here for you to treasure on the Corolla Outer Banks.

FIND THE CLOSEST BEACH ACCESS

— OR THE COOLEST MUSEUM.

LOVE THE OUTDOORS? Need

a good dose of local culture? It’s probably part of Dare County’s Recreation Map.

Freshly launched in 2022, this onestop shop for cool things to do can point you toward the closest hiking trail, campground or boat launch — or push you to find hidden attractions like Kitty Hawk’s Centennial of Flight Monument or Chicamacomico’s Historic Lifesaving Station. It can even tell you how to get there, thanks to an easy-touse interface where users can type-in their address or select a town — or just leave it blank — then start pointing and clicking to narrow down choices.

“It has a drop-down menu so you don’t have to scroll,” says Stilson.

“You can go right to the one you’re looking for.”

Seeking the perfect beach day for your family? Find the “Ocean Accesses” icon to the left of the aerial image, select “beach or sound,” and a series of light blue dots will run north to south, from Duck to Hatteras Village. From there, a series of sliding bars lets you filter down for any number of preferences, from ORV access to lifeguards, bike racks to handicap ramps to viewing platforms.

Ready to hook a big one? Select the fish symbol, and everything from fishing piers to crabbing docks are a click away, with another toggle that pares

down boat launches from public use to kayaks.

Rather trudge through the woods? Click on the pic of a dude sporting a backpack, then “All Trails & Boardwalks.” Instead of blue dots, you get green and white dashes, marking everything from the 82.1 miles of Mountain to Sea trail that runs through the county to the Duck Boardwalk. Here, special filters range from degree of difficulty to pet friendly to ADA compliant.

Or, if it looks like rain, just select the camera and let the computer show you a range of indoor attractions, from

the NC Aquarium or Frisco Native American Museum to the Pea Island Cookhouse Museum. Categories range from “educational” to “interactive” to plain old “lighthouses.”

Then, when you’re ready to go, click the right dot and directions from whatever address you entered appears like magic — distance, of course, included.

It literally could not get any more userfriendly. Maybe…

“There’s other things that I’ll add on eventually to make it even easier,” says Kristen.

Discover the Recreation map directly at play.darecountync.gov.

It literally could not get any more user-friendly.

The Recreation Map features a full spectrum of coastal resources. Photo: Cory Godwin

REPORT A WILD ANIMAL

OR EMAIL A COMMISSIONER.

ONCE UPON A TIME, DARE’S RECREATION MAP AND COMMUNITY MAP LIVED AS ONE. But apparently, there is such a problem as “too much of a good thing.”

“In the beginning, I found some open source software that can show you the routes to the beach or library using whatever layer you want,” says Stilson. “But it just became information overload. So we just split up the services between a community map, and the more fun recreation map.”

Okay, so the Community Map may not help you go all Ferris Bueller while playing hooky from work. But it will help you get down to business when it comes to real life. In fact, it might be the most important resource of all, especially if you just moved to town.

Start by providing an address, then use the list of icons to the left to ferret out all sorts of essential info. Next, click on the dot and get directions — or just call the phone number.

Want to know what school your child will attend? Or just need a safe place to study? Click the icon with a house and a heart, and a list of sliding selectors reveals a full range of local resources, from libraries to meeting rooms to the nearest fax machine. (They still have those?)

Looking for the closest police station or fire house? Just select the badge with a star and a list appears with town, county and state services. (Even better, each entry features hyperlinks to the respective spot, so you can get a sense of everything in each building.)

Curious about which streets are maintained by the state — and which are the town’s responsibility? Click on the road icon, slide the bars, and the map lights up in two kinds of neon. You can also find evacuation

routes, ferry schedules, traffic cams, and EV charging stations. It even lets you report a pothole to the proper authorities.

And should you see a stray pet or roaming coyote while tooling ’round town, or an injured pelican on the side of the bridge? Click on the dog and a full range of links appears, with contacts for every species of animal rescue service. Got opinions on a pressing community concern — or just want to meet your elected officials? Select the dude with a suit, and you’ll find names and email links for every representative, from town councils to county commissioners to US Senators. And if you don’t like the answer you get, it’ll even tell you the right polling station so you can vote ’em out of office next term.

And yet, of all these potential uses, one application tops the heap: the trash map. Clicking on the recycling icon, you’ll get all the details about curbside pick-up days, bulk drop-off centers, and where to deliver all those empty beer cans after a big weekend. (It’s such a popular addition, they’ve created a direct link to an OBX Trash Map.)

Offseason, the resource gets about 200 hits a week. During the summer, the numbers pile even higher. It’s also the one that requires the bulk of Stilson’s attention, as keeping up with all the town’s different refuse schedules requires frequent refreshing.

“If anything’s off on the trash map, the towns make sure I know,” Stilson laughs. “Instantly.”

Find the Dare County Community Map at community.darecountync. gov. The OBX Trash Map waits at gis. darecountync.gov/OBXTrash.

It even lets you report a pothole to the proper authorities.

OR RELIVE THE GOOD TIMES. DISCOVER OUR EARLIEST ROOTS

WHOEVER SAID THE PAST IS OLD NEWS HASN’T DONE A DEEP DIVE ON THE GIS HISTORY MAPS.

Since 2019, Stilson and company have found cool ways to give the good old days a brand-new twist.

It started with the Look Back map, which lets users compare modern aerial images with photos from a much-lessdeveloped 1996. Next came OBX Shipwrecks, which turns hundreds of lost vessels into little blue dots, giving would-be divers a general idea of what lies beneath (though not the actual coordinates to go look themselves.)

But the most addictive are the Dare County 150th Anniversary Timeline Map and 2022’s Days Gone By Map. Partly, it’s the content, as both maps pair compelling history with classic images, as well as weave a rich tapestry of pinnacle moments with plain old nostalgia. The other key is the interface. Where the Community and Recreation maps are designed to

pinpoint information, these historical resources maps let folks scroll down memory lane and stumble across cool new surprises, each one illustrated with an informative blurb and at least one classic photo.

“We got a lot of the ideas from the Outer Banks Vintage Scrapbook Facebook page,” Stilson says. “And our own memories.”

Some are memories of great significance.

(Such as the first meeting of the county’s Board of Commissioners on March 28, 1870, a Titanic transmission in 1912, and the 2019 opening of the Basnight Bridge). Others are sports highlights. (The 1970 ESA Eastern Surfing Championships and First Flight’s state soccer title in 2016). And let’s not forget any number of brushes with fame. (The filming of Nights in Rodanthe in 2008 or Andy Griffith’s

cameo in Brad Paisley’s video for “Waitin’ on a Woman.”)

Likewise, the OBX Days Gone By map takes users on a journey back through our more recent past — but with an emphasis on the Outer Banks’ good-timing reputation. It revisits all the favorite lodging, dining and entertainment options that put our fun-loving community on the map — but, sadly, no longer exist. The map even shows you exactly where these iconic structures used to stand, from the Nags Head Hotel — which opened its doors on the sound behind Jockey’s Ridge in 1838, to the old Mex-Econo’s, all the way to Frisco’s UFO House, which burned down just last year.

Of course, each link comes with a compelling bio and an even more robust collection of images — in some

cases , three or more — letting folks digitally flip from Louis Armstrong playing the Nags Head Casino to a mosh-pit moment from inside the Atlantis.

And while computers may have handled the tech side, the real magic stems from the devoted Outer Banks community, who made sure every forgotten haunt feels like its old human self.

“I reached out to hundreds of people,” says Stilson. “‘I saw you had this picture. I wanted permission to use this.’ And then other people messaged me. ‘Hey, what about this place?’ People even sent me their family vacation photos — things I didn’t ask for. They were more than willing to help.”

Find Dare’s 150th Anniversary Map at timeline.darecountync.gov and the Days Gone By Map at gis. darecountync.gov/gisday/2022.

Both maps pair compelling history with classic images.

FInD FUn FRIEnDS AGAIn THIS SUMMER.

SEEK OUT AN EMPTY LOT

OR SNOOP ON YOUR NEIGHBORS.

THIS

IS WHERE IT ALL BEGAN —

THE

DARE

COUNTY GIS PARCEL MAP. Back in the pre-internet dark ages, a property search almost always included a trip to the local courthouse or wherever the Register of Deeds was located. Not very convenient for a resident of Hatteras Village, or even Duck. So, in 1995, the county decided to create a map of all the property parcels in the county with relevant data — who owned the property, tax values, when any buildings were built, even transfer history.

“We’re definitely the smallest county that does this online,” says Greg. “But the geography of Dare County made it difficult for people to get to Manteo to do their research. So we wanted to make it available as a source of public information.”

It’s also a very convenient and fun way to digitally snoop on your neighbors.

Wanna know what Gladys Kravitz

forked over for that dilapidated beach box? Or what Thurston Howell paid for his oceanfront mansion? Just type in their address, click “land transfer” and up pops the whole history including how much the previous owners paid (and therefore pocketed).

Curious as to just how many rentals a certain big wig might pimp? Type in a name and scroll a full list of properties.

See an empty lot you’d like to bid on? Search it out on the map, click on the parcel, and find the right name and address to send a pleading letter to. You can also see what they paid for it, and then dig around for a more recent comparison before making a bid.

the street level view. (Filming began earlier this spring.)

And should you decide to buy or build, find the Flood Zone Swipe Map for a sense of what your actual risk is of being inundated with water.

Wanna know what Thurston Howell paid for his oceanfront mansion?

Born in the wake of 2020’s FEMA flood map updates — which were widely panned for reclassifying thousands of properties as low-risk, even as scientific data predicts more coastal flooding — the county asked the GIS team to design a way to show homeowners a more realistic assessment in hopes that they would still insure properly.

instead of looking at geography and topography and assessing what’s actually possible.”

Now any homeowner can compare the two numbers and make their own decisions.

Just type in an address and swipe back and forth to see what’s changed.

When it first launched, the site saw 4,000 hits a month, thanks to a countywide awareness campaign. Today, it gets a maybe a couple a day. But Greg says the info is still useful for new buyers.

“Some people might still choose to buy insurance when it’s not required,” he notes. “Those new flood maps are pretty…let’s say…optimistic.”

Coming soon, there will even be a 360-degree panoramic angle to replace

“From what I remember,” says Greg, “the new maps looked at the historical data and said, ‘It probably won’t flood,’

Find the Dare County Parcel Map at maps.darecountync.gov and the Dare County Flood Zones at gis. darecountync.gov/floodzones.

Discover the tax value of your neighbor’s million-dollar view with the Parcel Data Map. Photo: Cory Godwin

TEST YOUR LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

— OR LEARN SOMETHING NEW.

SO, YOU’VE DONE YOUR DUE DILIGENCE. You devoured every map, from community hyperlinks to history blurbs. You can say what sports await at KDH Rec Center — and where freed slaves first found solace here during the Civil War. Or maybe you were born in the Dare County records office, raised by a park ranger and can spit facts and data like an Outer Banks Alex Trebek. Either way, the OBX Trivia Map is here to test the true depths of your local knowledge. But be warned: it’s not as simple as you might think.

The first question you must answer when you load up the screen is “easy” or “hard.” From there, a series of 15 questions will appear, covering everything from geography to history to a ‘potpourri’ of outdoor attractions. Might be a no-brainer like, “In 1903 two brothers changed the world forever, where did they do this?” Or it could be a head-scratcher like, “Where

could you spend aluminum money known as ‘pluck’?” Where it ends up has a lot to do with how deep they decided to dig — and where it lands on the actual map.

“Some are obviously harder than others, like the currency question,” Stilson says.

“Most of the easy questions are either common knowledge — or it’s like a lighthouse question, which really only has three options to click on in Dare County.”

But knowing the correct answer is only half the battle. You also have to be able to locate it on the map, many times pulling it from a field of other blue dots. Click the right one, it moves onto the next query. Click it wrong, you gotta keep guessing.

It’s enough to stump the savviest of longtime locals. But don’t worry: there’s a “hint” button that really narrows things down.

Or you can always click “show me,” where the response will include a more in-depth — and often entertaining answer. (“[The Century of Flight Monument”] also has a time capsule of messages to be opened in 2103 by the people of the next century.”)

But even if you’re totally clueless, it’s still super cool to click around, as each selection is a learning opportunity.

In fact, the map serves as sort of a shortcut to all the cool stuff the Outer Banks has to offer. One where you could spend a whole week chasing down adventures just by finding each

blue dot in real life, whether the answer is “Oregon Inlet Marina” or “Casey Logan Memorial Disc Golf Course.”

So, what can we expect for the next GIS Day? Stilson is somewhat coy with her answer. Maybe OBX Days Gone By: Part Two; maybe something looking at pop culture on the Outer Banks. Might just depend on what crazy digital application pops up to spark her fancy.

“The trivia map was created after I found the watercolor background,” Stilson says. “It couldn’t really serve a purpose on any of the governmental maps, but I knew it would be fun for the community and for GIS Day.”

Whatever happens, tune back in on November 15. You can bet Dare’s GIS team will keep plundering a trove of local info and brand-new tech to create new digital treasures.

Find the OBX Trivia Map at gis. darecountync.gov/gisday/2021.

Questions cover everything from geography to history.

The OBX Trivia Map is a dizzying display of wild facts and good times.

Photo: Drew Wilson/Virginian-Pilot/ Outer Banks History Center

JUST ADD SALT

Meet Manteo’s most immersive waterfront dining experience.

A private table for two. A savory tray of fresh charcuterie. Plus crisp refreshments and a gorgeous sunset. It all sounds deliciously romantic. But what sets this evening truly apart is the gentle rhythm of waves rocking the hull, a light breeze fluttering the sails, and an endless supply of salt — from here to the horizon.

“The coast and the water and being on it is what feeds our souls,” says Coastal Sols’ chef, Jill Thompson. “And that’s what we want to share with people.”

abroad, we found ourselves working corporate jobs in D.C. It eventually just became too much. We bought a sailboat in Norfolk, sailed it back to Maryland, got marina jobs, and began living on that first boat.”

Little did the duo know that this was only the beginning of a life aquatic. In 2017, they took a job aboard a 50-foot catamaran in Grenada. Working as a two-person crew, they did the cooking, cleaning, entertaining — all of it.

Thompson and her husband, Ryan, first began their one-of-a-kind take on waterfront dining last summer by offering a range of dinner cruises. Jill runs the galley, serving up inventive dishes; Ryan is the master captain who mans the helm of their 35-foot sloop, Pelican. But their love of the sea goes back as far as either can remember.

“We both grew up sailing in Maryland,” Jill explains. “After college and our adventures

roadmap gokite milepost graphiccontent outthere gohunt

“It was absolutely crazy,” Jill laughs. “We worked 15-hour days for three seasons. We had fun — there was definitely never a dull moment. At one point the boat even got struck by lightning!”

gosurf

After that, the couple was all fired up to crew a 77-foot catamaran from the Mediterranean to San Francisco — a yearand-a-half journey across the high seas. Then COVID struck, and the whole plan dissolved. Instead, they decided to sail

Why set one course for adventure when you can have three?

Photo: Naomi Culley

their boat south to Shallowbag Bay.

“We always knew we wanted to spend more time here,” Jill says. “So, with COVID still going full force, we decided to stay on the boat and begin exploring the area.”

Then, just as Ryan and Jill were falling in love with the Outer Banks, they got another call from the French yacht folks. Plans had changed — now they were headed to the Gulf of Mexico.

“They wanted us for two, two-week stints,” says Jill. “We’d have a month off by ourselves in between.”

The family was nice. The setting, sublime. At times, it felt like “self-quarantining on a floating condo.” But even a job filled with fresh fruit and champagne can lose its fizz.

So, in 2021, Jill and Ryan flew home to Maryland with plans to end up in Manteo. Still, they had no idea of what they’d do for a living — until they stumbled across the perfect vessel while walking around their marina.

“There was never any plan to turn a boat into a business,” Jill says. “But the moment we laid eyes on this 35-foot Hinckley, the boat kind of presented the idea to us.”

Built in Maine in 1964, only five of its kind were ever produced. And this one was even more unique — a boat so special it’s got its own memoir.

“One of the previous owners, Howard Joynt, was a famous D.C. restaurateur,” says Jill. “His wife didn’t know he owned the boat until he died and left her with millions in debt. She wrote a book about it called Innocent Spouse.”

Tantalizing to say the least. But before Jill and Ryan could even begin to think about adding to the boat’s fabled tale, it needed a refit.

“It was literally just a hull,” Jill recalls. “We needed a mast, steering, batteries, bathroom, paint, cushions — you name it.”

They began work in March of 2021. By May of 2022, Coastal Sols was ready to hoist its sails. Jill and Ryan spent last summer

offering private cruises filled with creative cuisine and complimentary drinks, all with a focus on freshness and sustainability.

“I love having a rotating menu,” says Jill, who developed her cooking skills while traveling abroad in New Zealand. “It allows me to offer seasonal, locally sourced items.”

The fanciest option pairs a private sunset sail with three courses of coast-to-table fare. It starts with a voyage to some quiet part of the sound, where Ryan quietly drops anchor, pours some libations and puts on some music. Meanwhile, Jill prepares a hand-crafted board of meats, fruit and cheese, followed by anything from filet mignon with nasturtium chimichurri to local fish wrapped in a fig leaf, served with fig and herb salsa. And everyone shares colorful company — and 360 degrees of gorgeous backdrop.

“It’s amazing,” Ryan says. “Most of our first bookings were all local folks. It’s a great way to get to know the people in your community.”

This summer, they hope to offer more new adventures. From different flavors — a “Taco Tuesday” sail features seasonallychanging Mexican fare — to a chance to actually learn the ropes via a two-day workshop.

“We really want to share this amazing experience,” says Jill. “To help people appreciate our natural world and bring them into the present moment.”

And what better way than sharing a platter of palate-tingling delights against a picturesque setting — while savoring every delicious second? Fran Marler

“

EVERYONE SHARES COLORFUL COMPANY —AND 360 DEGREES OF GORGEOUS BACKDROP.

ncaquariums.com/roanoke-island

252-475-2300

Advance registration required

10:00

Friday, 30 June

REMINDER

Reserve your time to DISCOVER

“For both of us, taking the wall works and finding a way to turn them into something that can be a shared experience in the moment — as in theater — it’s just very important to us,” Lynne says.

The Constantines live in a near-constant state of self-expression. Their home serves as an eclectic gallery, where colorful works in various mediums — theirs, friends’ and former students’— adorn every wall and hallway. They converted a former dining room into their dedicated writing space; upstairs is a shared art studio. There is much going on beneath the surface, or even out of view, so each piece requires closer inspection. And no work is complete until an audience comes into the picture and shares their perspective.

“I want my writing and my art to be seen,” says Suzanne, noting that they routinely welcome visitors by appointment. “But I also really, really like to talk about it, because I usually have something significant to say about the process, as well as the outcome.”

Both women have backgrounds in theater, writing and interdisciplinary art — as well as multiple master’s degrees — including MFAs in interdisciplinary art from Goddard College in Vermont (which they hail as their favorite educational experience).

They’re also both former college professors at Virginia’s George Mason University, where they worked for nearly two decades. They even designed and taught a course together, combining art, literature, theater, and women and gender studies into a class called “Art as Social Action.”

They had plenty of source material to pull from. In fact, the couple’s first legal union was a performance piece.

When Vermont became the first state to legalize same-sex civil unions in 2000, a “Take Back Vermont” campaign arose in opposition; in response, the couple decided it was time to show public resistance. They got their license, then exchanged their vows in a community garden “in order to make our stand with Vermont real,” Lynne says.

They titled the performance, “Civil Union Disobedience.”

In 2009, same-sex marriage became legal in Vermont. So, in 2014, the couple returned to the state to cement their vows — even though the practice remained illegal in Virginia, where they lived at the time. (The next year, the U.S. Supreme Court would legalize same-sex marriage nationwide.)

In 2018, the couple retired from GMU and moved to Point Harbor. Within a year, they revealed their first Outer Banks art show. And they’ve created a new one every year since.

“Fault Lines, Through Line,” their 2021 show at Duck Town Hall, dealt with the relationship between destruction and growth, and featured lichens, which are among the first organisms to grow back after natural disasters. The women had been learning about the ways trees communicate with each other, and the connections between the natural and human world — between all living things — inspired them.

“It’s not just this romanticized thing,” says Suzanne. “We really are connected, and our livelihoods matter to each other.”

In 2022, Suzanne and Lynne expanded on the idea by connecting with five more local artists for a brand-new exhibit: “Awaiting Further Transformation: A Performance for Seven Voices.”

The couple hung each of their respective works on one side of the wall that became the performance backdrop, then shared the stage with five Outer Banks creatives for a 45-minute mix of readings and music. Suzanne Blackstock played flute, while Suzanne and Lynne, along with Lynne Francis, Linda L. Lauby, Mary Ann Remer,

and Eve Turek, performed spoken word.

Suzanne and Lynne’s spoken pieces alluded to their self-portraits, centered on the wall, as well as to their other displayed work. For the show, they had asked each performer to consider what transformation means. Each came back with a “profound meditation on the subject,” says Lynne.

“These people reached down,” Lynne says. “They gave us their heart.”

The participants were equally moved by Suzanne and Lynne’s mentorship.

“They’re a creative tour de force,” Lauby says. “They’re highly intelligent, they’re accepting, they push us creatively. They’ve been very nurturing.”

“They had this assurance from having done this before with students — if we trusted the process, it would morph together,” Turek explains. “We sort of flung ourselves into their assurance.”

The show first opened last August at the Dare Arts Gallery, before moving to Moyock’s Currituck Arts Gallery in March, where one awestruck attendee called it, “Way deeper than I expected.”

“We really had no idea whether it would work,” Lynne admits. “It was a grand experiment — we felt so lucky because it just fell into place so seamlessly.”

“Awaiting Further Transformation” dives into heady territory, as 30 wall works question what happens in the wake of our world being presumably forever changed — by COVID, by racist violence, by political turmoil. Each woman contributed exactly half of the show.

Lynne’s self-portrait, “Now What?,” involves digital images of her face, where she appears to be in the process of getting wrapped up by a tree. In ancient Greece, she said during the performance, nymphs turned into trees “all the time.” Now, in this

state of being “half woman, half wood,” she said, “What happens next?”

Suzanne’s self-portrait, “Creating,” is a fiery acrylic painting whereby a fully grown woman explodes out of an egg. Her series of paintings follows a woman interacting with the mythological phoenix.

“From destruction, we can rise from the ashes,” she said in the show. “Death after death changes the landscape. A single feather floats to the ground — a covenant that hope leads me.”

The show’s premise was so moving, it received a North Carolina Arts Council artist support grant. And the couple recently received a second grant for their future show, “Not Even Past.”

Scheduled to open at the Museum of the Albemarle in September of 2024, the show examines how we view history as a culture, and the mistakes we make with our assumptions.

“Our goal is to create conversations about our American narratives that are far more complex than we like to think,” says Suzanne. “Artistic expression is a way of dealing with history’s persistence in the present. And can, perhaps, give hope for the future.”

Obviously, its mixed media approach will be enriched with a performance aspect, and an interactive component called “Postcards to the Future.”

“We’re making our own patterns out of historical events, personal and communal,” says Suzanne. “So, we’re giving the audience an opportunity to do the same thing — to write hopes for the future or say how they’ve been affected by their own pasts — to let those people have a voice.”

And the transformation continues.

— Corinne Saunders

Ed. Note: See examples of Lynne’s and Suzanne’s work — along with other local LGBQT+ artists — when Dare Arts presents “Outside Straight Lines: A Visual Arts Exhibition Featuring Queer Artists,” June 3-30.

“

“IT’S NOT JUST THIS ROMANTICIZED THING. WE REALLY ARE CONNECTED.”

IT’S ALWAYS THE ONE YOU LEAST EXPECT

Shake Hatteras is summer’s sneakiest musical surprise.

Festival Park has Joe Russo — and Travis Tritt. The Brewing Station’s got Andy Frasco — and Collie Buddz. And that’s just a tiny fraction of the big league bands swinging through town this summer.

So why all the local buzz about a far-out, bohemian shindig down Hatteras way? Is it the backyard “slip and slides” and soundside cannonballs? The DIY “shakedown street” of artisan vendors or the tasty new taco cookoff? Or is it just the mad diversity of rising musical talent? After three ever-evolving incarnations, founder and Hatteras musician Barry Wells can sum up Shake Hatteras’ appeal in two simple words: “grassroots” and “community.”

The whole idea began in Wells’ backyard as a good, old-fashioned throwdown. A kind of “Hatteras Holiday” for hard-working residents to blow off steam at the end of a hectic season. That’s why it’s always on a Monday.

“We can’t have it on a Friday or Saturday night, ’cause we’ll all be working!” Wells laughs. “Monday is the locals’ weekend.”

It’s also great timing for snagging top touring acts between gigs. Past years drew regional players, like Asheville’s Abby Bryant & the Echoes and Dr. Bacon, Maryland’s Joey Harkum, and Greenville rockers, VSTLTY (pronounced “versatility”). Not to mention Zack Mexico, The Hound Dogs Family Band, and all the other hot local bands who grind

daily from June to August, but still never miss a chance to mix things up with some fresh creative energy.

“Making new friends and musical connections is what Barry’s festival is all about,” says local percussionist Josh “Marty” Martier. “Last year, someone’s drummer couldn’t make it in time. I had about five minutes to meet the other guys and get a gist for the music. But those kids ripped! It ended up being one of my favorite sets.”

This year’s lineup was still filling out at press time, but, so far, it features Raleigh’s JULIA. and Absent Lover, plus local standouts like Kill Devil Disco, The Carolina Sweaters, After School Surf Club, Anchor Blazer, and The Sofa Kings. Plus, Yacht Dogs frontman, Harry Harrison, will deliver a one-of-a-kind HH Goat performance, while headliner, Summer of Snakes, shuffles a returning crowd pleaser into strange new forms.

“It’s Zack Mexico’s guys, but it’s [guitarist] Matt Wentz’s project,” says Wells. “So it’s a really cool, different sound.”

There’s also a taco cook-off, thanks to Alyssa Crespo of HennaVibe. And, of course, they are setting up the slip-and-slides for kids of all ages. It’s such a fun, cruisy event, they don’t even sell tickets. But they do take cash donations — might we suggest $20-a-head? — to cover the bands and help benefit the Chicamacomico Banks Water Rescue team.

So, what’s Wells’ big dream for the future?

“I want to bring back The White Stripes for a one-off reunion!” he laughs. “That would be a game, set, match for me personally! But I keep telling myself to just take it one year at a time.”

—Peter Graves Roberts

“ IT’S SUCH A FUN, CRUISY EVENT, THEY DON’T EVEN SELL TICKETS.

Barry makes a Billy Clams sandwich; shake it, don’t break it; VSTLTY adds versatility.

Photos: Ed Tupper

Ed. Note: Shake Hatteras II happens Monday, August 7, 1ish-10ish, at 27306 NC Hwy 12, aka “Tina’s Tavern,” in Historic Downtown Salvo. It’s an all-day affair, so bring a full cooler, lots of cash for food and art, and plenty of positive energy.

I never set out to become a professional tanner. I was just lazy. Let the others run wild at the beach, chasing waves and chucking frisbees. My only goal was to lay on my beach towel.

But it turns out I had a gift for catching rays. And as I learned to love the look of bronze, I grew increasingly competitive about my complexion.

Lying back, I’d see the other ladies from the corner of my eye, heat waves rippling off their lounging limbs, and think “I can do better.” As summer passed, I’d show up earlier, stay later. And day-by-day, minuteby-minute, I poured extra energy into achieving a more golden glow.

I applied the perfect coating of coconut oil; timed each side to the second. Splayed the legs just so. Arched my butt just enough to eliminate all traces of shade below my cheeks. No winking white flashes when I walked — no, siree. I was a beautiful, bronze statue, from behind my ears to between my toes.

GO FOR THE GOLD

Of course, I documented my transformation via social media, racking up “likes” with my solar-panel abs and savage posterior. Soon, I had my first sponsor — an upstart lotion brand looking to sell my ready-baked look. Then an aloe-company. Next, the big bikini and eyewear makers came a’calling. At my peak, I promoted a Caribbean nudist commune.

That’s how I spent my twenties as a bonafide “tan-fluencer.”

Greasing myself in a full coating of Crisco, I’d find a secluded piece of Pea Island, then spend the day doing difficult poses, from head stands, leg splits — my Parivrttaikapada Sirsasana was picture perfect — making sure every square of inch got a healthy dose of Vitamin D. Then I’d shoot selfies from late afternoon into sunset.

You might say I basked my way all the way to the bank.

But the sun isn’t the kindest boss. Each little beam left tiny whiplashes that built-up over

time. And as my skin changed, so did my clients. I offloaded the eye candy brands and moved into anti-aging products. Wrinkle creams. Afterburn remedies. Microderm scrubs. The occasional coastal retirement home for frisky 50-somethings.

These days, I work mostly for plastic surgeons and clinics who use my freckles and moles to shill miracle cures. But I’m no dummy. I know that can only last so long, so I’m in talks with a couple of funeral homes who’ll pay for the chance to knock 20 years off my corpse — and cover all burial costs as a bonus.

Now I just need an in-coffin webcam to document my decay for scientific research. Bury me naked; there’s probably an Only Fans market for rich necrophiliacs.

I’ll make money forever without moving a muscle. — C.

White

“

AT MY PEAK, I PROMOTED A CARIBBEAN NUDIST COMMUNE.

Art by Katie Slater

townofduck.com

252.255.1234

endnotes

The tropical season’s no time to slack. Gather your plywood, propane and PBR well before the official June 1 start date — or you’ll be the one spinning when a named storm comes near. Find a full hurricane prep page at www.noaa.gov as well as a more local tack by Dare Emergency Management at www.darenc.gov • Then prepare for a tsunami of summer events, beginning with the Town of Duck’s Memorial Day Concert on May 29, where the Heritage Brass Band will honor fallen soldiers with musical military precision at 6pm. From there, the town returns to its strict regimen of 7:30am workouts, like: Mon.’s Yoga with a Lifeguard (June 5-July 24); Tues.’ Yoga on the Green (May 30-Sept. 26); and Wed.’s Dynamic Flow on the Green (May 31-Sept. 27). All are totally free and open to the public. Learn more at www.townofduck.com. • Salute the dawn while stretching your limbs when Jennette’s Pier hosts Outer Banks Health’s Namaste at the Beach every Tues. morning, May 30-Sept. 12. 7:30-8:30am. Channel the details at www.outerbankshealth.org. • Then spend Thurs. mornings striking poses in Corolla, June 1-Sept. 7, as Whalehead’s Yoga In the Park offers guided meditation, breathwork and a series of seated and standing postures from 7:30-8:30am. (Please bring a yoga mat or beach towel, and plenty of water and sun protection.) Or just run laps around Corolla Historic Park when the 12th Annual Lighthouse 5K/1 Mile Series loops back every Wed., from now ’til Sept 13. 8am start. Find greater enlightenment at www.visitcurrituck.com. • Think an 86-year-old can’t stretch their limits? Wait ’til you see The Lost Colony’s newly enhanced direction and dynamically stunning choreography. Shows run Mon.-Sat., June 2-Aug. 26. 8:30pm starts. Live here? Wait for one of three Dare Nights — June 9, 16 & 23 — when locals get in for free just by bringing at least two non-perishable items for local food banks, along with an ID, power bill or other proof of residence. Just plain cheap? Attend June 1’s Preview Night for just $20. Find more pricing, details and in-depth experiences — including Backstage Tours — at www.thelostcolony.org. • Meanwhile, on Hatteras Island, Dare Arts’ 11th Annual Rock the Cape delivers two days of musical and visual creations, June 1-2. On Thurs., be at Kitty Hawk Kites’ Waves Village Resort in Rodanthe from 2-7pm, as they fill the parking lot with inspired artists and live bands. Then, come back for Friday Arts on the Island, where participating galleries invite folks on a DIY tour to curate their private collections. Get all the colorful details at www.darearts.org. • That evening, head to Downtown Manteo for June 2’s First Friday, where the streets brim with smiling families and Dare Arts hosts a 6-8pm reception party for two new exhibits, as Tyson Andrews trims The Vault with hand carved woodwork, while a collection of queer creators celebrate Pride Month by coloring Outside Straight Lines inside The Courtroom. Just be sure to skip outside to hear live performances by The Storyweavers, Tripp Harrison and the First Flight High School Jazz Band, all posted in key places around town from 6-8pm. Full sched at www.darearts.org • You can’t do First Friday without popping by Downtown Books’ latest book signing. This time, it’s Marjorie Hudson autographing copies of Indigo Field and Searching for Virginia Dare. Come back June 3 for a veritable scribblefest, as Authorpalooza! brings Alicia Bessette, Nancy Gray, Clark Twiddy, and Jeff Hampton under one talented tent for Dare Days. More

questionauthority upfront soundcheck getactive startingpoint roadmap

Photo: Cory Godwin

presents

at www.duckscottage.com. • What’s Dare Days you ask? Only our county’s favorite, four-decade-old celebration of the Outer Banks’ diverse culture and unique history. On June 3, be at Manteo’s George Washington Creef Park for a vibrant collection of vendors, music, food, and activities from 11am-7pm. Then, on June 4, head to the Pea Island Cookhouse for a relaxing, spiritual communion among family and friends — and a gospel concert by Grace Lutheran Church, Roanoke Island Presbyterian Church, and Ascension Music Academy plus an old-fashioned lemonade stand and sensational local sweets. 3-5pm. Find the latest at www.manteonc.gov

• And the strumming good times continue just a ferry ride south, as June 2-4’s Ocrafolk Festival composes three days of magical storytelling, coastal artisans, culinary concoctions, and more than two dozen top music artists, including local faves, like Mercy Creek, Coyote, Ballet Folklorico de Ocracoke, and the Aaron Caswell Duo. Get the full score at www.ocracokealive.org • Want your boat rocked without leaving town? Head to Duck’s Roadside Bar & Grill any Fri. from 7-10pm, now ’til mid-Sept. and hear arguably the beach’s most talented litter of musical mutts, The Yacht Dogs. Then keep howlin’ at the moon when they play three 10pm shows at KDH’s Jack Brown’s: June 24, July 26, and Sept. 2. Follow their social feeds for updates • The not-so-high seas of Albemarle Sound beckon all summer thanks to the Colington Yacht Club’s Full Moon Sails (June 2, July 3 and Aug. 9); June 21’s Solstice Moonlight Sail; and a series of weekend and Wed. races. Get the full scoop for your sloop at www.colingtonyachtclub.com

• Navigating the tumult of a loved one with dementia? Let Gentle Expert Memorycare’s Harmony Café take the wheel for a couple hours by providing arts, crafts and music that keep aging minds agile: June 3 at Kitty Hawk United Methodist Church; June 10 at the Baum Center; and June 23 at Dare County Center. Find times and details at www.gemdayservices.org. • On June 4, tack up to Duck’s Nor’Banks Sailing & Watersports for Savor the Sun Fest. From 2-9pm, enjoy 12 local vendors, live tunes by DJ Omon Ra, The Ramble, and Hot Sauce —not to mention tasty vittles from Cousins’ Oysters and Village Table & Tavern — plus a 6:30pm paddleboard race and a silent auction fundraiser for Outer Banks Relief Foundation Bring your own reusable cup and carpool if possible. Follow their social feeds for specifics. • Say a fond farewell to everyone’s favorite star — while having fun with the fam — every Mon.-Fri. when Kitty Hawk Kites’ Sunset Festivals deliver themed outdoor activities at their Jockey’s Ridge location, Jun. 5-Aug. 11. Concepts include Mermaid Monday, Kite Lessons Tuesday, Wildcard Wednesday, Light Night Thursday, and Family Festivities Friday. Go to www.kittyhawk.com for complete descriptions. • Then spend Sat. morning purchasing sundries when Wanchese’s Secotan Market puts the ripest produce, locally baked items, farm-raised meats, and handmade goods under one giant tent, 8am-12pm, all the way through Sept. (Find a list of vendors at www.secotanmarket.com.) • Shop quick and you’ll still be able to make it to Town of Manteo’s Downtown Market, where the outdoor shelves overflow with everything from CBD balms to seeded breads to salad greens to serious art. 9am-1pm. Now through Sept. 16. More at www.manteonc.gov • Feast your ears on fine tunes in Manteo’s Dare Arts Courtyard, every Wed. from 11:30am-1:30pm, now through Sept., as Live At Lunch fills the air with musical chops by the likes of Steve Hauser (June 7), Sam On Sax (June 14), and Bill Rea (June 21). The summer lineup awaits at www. darearts.org. • Or sip on some sweet vino while savoring sick sounds when Sanctuary Vineyards’ Acoustic Sunset WineDown returns every Thurs. through Sept., featuring acts like Lucky 757 (June 8), Mercy Creek (June 15), Hard Knox Bluegrass Band (June 22), and the Paul Urban Band (June 29). 5:30-8:30pm. See www.sanctuaryvineyards.com for participating food trucks and other specs.

• Wanna take the helm? Better learn the ropes of maritime etiquette on June 10, when the OBX US Coast Guard Auxiliary’s Boat America Boating Safety Class returns to Southern Shores Volunteer Fire Department and satisfies all NC boat operator requirements in a single day. $35; $25 for each additional family member. Go to CGAUXOBX.org for more.

• Back on land, Outer Banks Health is pumping out their summer Blood Connection Drives. Just head to Outer Banks Family

Juneteenth

Presented

June 19 at 5:00 p.m.

Pea Island Cook House Museum, 622 Sir Walter St. ▪ Manteo NC 27954

9 th Annual Surf and Sounds

Chamber Music Series

Piano Quintet

Tuesday, August 22 7:30 p.m.

All Saints Episcopal Church

Southern Shores

Wednesday, August 23 7:30 p.m.

St. Andrews By-The-Sea

Episcopal Church

Nags Head

String Quartet

Thursday, August 24 7:00 p.m.

Free Events

Cape Hatteras Secondary School, Buxton

Friday, August 25 7:00 p.m.

Dare County Arts Council Manteo

The Photography Of Ray Matthews A Retrospective

September 12 – October 7

Glenn Eure’s Ghost Fleet Gallery, Nags Head NC

Opening Reception: September 12, 5 -7 p.m. Gallery Hours: Tuesday -Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

More

Our endowment managed by the

endnotes

YMCA on June 10 and Aug. 5 (10am-3pm) or Outer Banks Hospital on July 12 (8am1pm). Plus, a June 14 Medicine Drop at Southern Shores Pitts Center will let folks safely dispose of unused and unwanted prescription meds from 9am-12pm. (PS: stay tuned for an Aug. 31 Manteo drop-off at a TBD location.) For more information, call 252-449-4529. • Get your fix of the great outdoors this summer via a range of Alligator River and Pea Island National Wildlife Refuges interpretive programs. From June 13 to Aug. 11, head to Pea Island Visitor Center’s free Turtle Talks (Tues. & Thurs., 2-3pm) and Bird Walks (Fri., 8am). Both don’t require reservations. Manteo’s Coastal NC National Wildlife Refuges Visitor Center’s Pre-School Program runs free each Fri. from 10-11am. And be at Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge Creef Cut Trail parking lot for Mon.’s free 5pm Bear Necessities Tour; Wed.’s Open Air Tram Tour (9-11am; $10); and Thurs.’ Canoe Tour (9-11am; $35) and Van Tour (8-10am; $30). All those require advanced registration. Learn more at 252-216-9464. • First the bad news: Hatteras’ Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum remains closed through summer as they make room for brand new exhibits. But you can always check out the Frisco Native American Museum & Natural History Center any Tues.-Sun., where the nature trail is always free and the $8 admission gets you inside all week long. ($5 for seniors, youths, & college students with ID.) Plus, summer programs run every Fri., June 9- Sept. 1. For details go to www.nativeamericanmuseum.org. • Meanwhile in Nags Head, Dowdy Park’s puttin’ forth a range of weekly ways to wind down — or get loose — June 13-Aug.

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20, including: Yoga Tuesdays (7:30-8:15am); Wed.’s Concert Series (6:30-8pm); Thurs.’ Summer Markets (9am-1pm); and Fri’s. Primal Yoga Flow (7:30-8:15am). Plus! Come out for Family Fun Night every third Tues., (June 20, July 18 & Aug. 22; 6:30-8pm.) Find their Facebook page for updates. • On June 14, spuds get extra special treatment at Island

Farm’s Tater Day. From 9am-3pm, help costumed interpreters harvest potatoes 1850s-style, then race to the cookhouse for some fresh kettle chips. (Stay tuned for more programs that highlight local historic food culture.) And come back any Tues.-Fri., 9am-3pm, for tours of the 19th century homeplace, hearth cooking and blacksmithing demos, farm animal meet-and-greets, and much more. For pricing and details visit www.obcinc.org • Meanwhile, youths 16 and under get hooked on our most timely coastal tradition, when June 14’s Fritz Boyden Memorial Youth Fishing Tournament blitzes the Outer Banks Fishing Pier, Nags Head Pier, Avalon Pier, and Jennette’s Pier for a catch-and-release competition that baits anglers with cool prizes — but emphasizes camaraderie. 8am-12pm. Follow their Facebook page for more. • Up in Whalehead, it’s the 21+ crowd’s turn to party, as Corolla Cork & Craft returns every Wed., June 14-Sept. 13. From 3-6pm, enjoy local wine & beer, live music and curated creators while basking in the breathtaking setting of Historic Corolla Park. (Admission is free, but bring money for art and alcohol.) Between tossing back drinks, toss a few bags at Wed.’s Corolla Cornhole Tournaments, where each week’s winners and runners-up receive a prize from Currituck Travel & Tourism. 3-6pm. Double elimination format; 16 team limit; $20 per team. Register in advance by calling 252-453-9040. • And Town of Duck keeps tykes transfixed with a wide range of morning programs, such as OBXTreme Magic Shows at Duck Amphitheatre (June 14, Aug. 23, & Aug. 30 at 9:30am; June 21, July 5, July 12, July 19, & Aug. 16 at 9:30 & 11am), and Thurs. Story Time & Chalk Art at 9:30am, June 15-Aug. 31. Meet undersea critters inside the amphitheater via the NC Aquarium Live Animal Program (June 20, Aug. 1 & Aug. 8; 10am) and experience jugglers, hypnotists, magicians and more via a range of Variety Shows (June 27, July 11, July 25, Aug. 2, and Aug. 22; 10am). Or let a Nature Out Loud! Children’s Concert serenade

you with stories of squishy cnidarians and other species (June 28, July 26, Aug. 29; 10am). And the whole family will appreciate evening events, like Concerts on the Green (every Thurs., June 15-Sept. 14 at 6:30pm) or Movies on the Green, which streams flicks like Jaws (July 11), Up (July 25); Moana (Aug. 8); and Finding Nemo (Aug. 15), starting at sunset. Complete deets at www.townofduck.com.

• Back in Nags Head, the 12th Annual Outer Banks Sunrise 5k/1-Mile Beach Race Series rotates between Jennette’s Pier and Epstein St. every two weeks from June 15 and Aug. 24. Check in and late registration is available onsite, from 6:50-7:45am, for an 8am start. For pricing and pre-registration, go to www. obxrunning.com • Stroll, bend and stoop! That’s the workout routine behind June 17’s NCBBA Beach CleanUp. From 7:30-11:30am, go snag a garbage bag at any of Cape Hatteras National Seashore’s ORV Ramps 2 through 55, or Ramp 70, then spend a few hours making your favorite piece of coast look perfectly fit for future use. More information at www.ncbba.org.

• Or just show stray pets some love by punishing your liver at Swellsa’ Brewing’s Mutt Mondays, where a portion of every beer sold flows back to the Outer Banks SPCA. (Well-behaved bow-wows are welcome barflies to boot.) Follow their social media feeds for the hairy deets.

• On June 16-17, nerdy inventors enjoy their moment in the sun — literally — as Kitty Hawk Kite’s 41st Annual Francis Rogallo Kite Festival celebrates NASA scientist and godfather of flexible wing sports such as stunt-kiting, paragliding and kiteboarding. Head to Jockey’s Ridge for two days of first-hand lessons and kitemaking fun while huge,

30- to 100-foot kites soar overhead. Higher knowledge awaits at www.kittyhawk.com. •

Beneficial bugs set your heart a’fluttering? Don’t miss Elizabethan Gardens’ Pollinator Week, June 19-23, when daily activities and guest speakers highlight how butterflies and other insects help the planet. While you’re there, sign the rug rats up for Camp Discovery, where every Mon.-Thurs., between June 26-Aug. 3, features different activities for ages 5-12 to dig, splash and explore nature. (Check the website for age breakdowns per week.) Adults can also get a natural education via a series of 1pm workshops, including June 21’s Field Sketching with Kitty Dough; June 24’s Make a Butterfly Garden; July 15’s Organic and Biological Controls of Pests and Diseases; and Aug.12’s Hypertufa Workshop. Find times, pricing and other deets at www.elizabethangardens.org. • On June 19, come to Manteo’s Historic Pea Island Cookhouse and join the “oldest known celebration honoring the end of enslavement in the United States” when the Pea Island Preservation Society and Don & Catharine Bryan Cultural Series team up to host Juneteenth: The Sounds of Freedom. Festivities include a concert by Manteo native and Metropolitan Opera singer, Tshombe Selby, as well as powerful readings and other performances. 5pm start. Learn more at www.peaislandpreservationsociety.com • Then get an education in our future environmental battles when the Town of Duck’s Bias Speaker Series hosts the Coastal Studies Institute’s Dr. Reide Corbett for a June 20 presentation titled, North Carolina’s Changing Coast: Past, Present, and Future. 7pm in the Paul F. Keller Meeting Hall. Get

“You’re gonna need a bigger screen…” Jaws hits Duck’s Movies on the Green, July 11.

endnotes

Make Extra $ on the Weekends

We’re hiring vacation rental home housekeeping teams, inspectors, & outdoor cleaners. We’d love to hear from you!

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a full sched at www.townofduck.com. • Wanna lower your carbon footprint while consuming fresh items? Shop local at KDH’s 2023 First Flight Summer Farmers Markets Just head to Aviation Park any Tues., June 20-Aug. 15 (except July 4), for a variety of healthy goodies and locally made goods. 10am-2pm. Follow the Town of Kill Devil Hills Facebook page for more.

• Further north, the Under the Oaks Art Festival will spend June 20-21 filling Historic Corolla Park with paintings, prints, photography, pottery, jewelry, woodwork, and much more. Free to attend, food and concessions available for purchase — plus a silent auction to keep things interesting. 10am-5pm. Find the colorful deets at www.visitcurrituck.com.

startingpoint roadmap gokite milepost

• And just then when you thought it was safe to sit on the beach and do nothing, Nags Head’s new Soundside Market will offer four more opportunities for local farmers and free-thinkers to sell their one-of-a-kind wares — June 21, July 5, July 19, Aug. 2, and Aug. 16 — so shopping addicts can spend dough and kill time beside a breathtaking backdrop. 10am-2pm. Learn more at www.soundsidemarket.com. • Meanwhile, over at Roanoke Island Festival Park, the Vusic OBX Summer Concert Series keeps putting the “sound” in “soundfront” with a non-stop selection of top national acts. It all starts June 20 when Lettuce, Steel Pulse, and Makua Rothman deliver a onetwo-three punch of funk, reggae and acoustic aloha. And, just two days later, the Cali-fied riddims of Rebelution’s Good Vibes Summer Tour 2023 lights up the high season with the help of Iration, The Expendables, Passafire, & DJ Mackle. Get tix, times and details at www.vusicobx.com • From there, things start to get weird at the Outer Banks Brewing Station. On June 22, it’s the return of Harrison & Wentz Presents: A Bewitching Night of Mystic Tropicalia. This Vaudeville inspired variety act blends live music, sketch comedy and game shows into a trippy experience that must be witnessed to be believed. (Come back for three more, 100% original performances on July 20, Aug. 24 and Sept. 7.) Or enjoy a streamlined — dare, we say “micro-dosed”? — version titled Harrison & Wentz, The Duet, every Thurs. at Sweet T’s; each Mon. at Village Table & Tavern; and select Sat. eves at Manteo’s Kill Devil Rum, including June 10, 17, & 24; July 8, 15, & 29; and Aug. 12, 19 & 26. Follow social media feeds for updates. • Meanwhile in Avon, the 2023 Koru Beach Klub Concert Series will crank out top-tier cover bands all summer long, starting when Bring Out Yer Dead twirls into town on June 22. Then The Dave Matthews Tribute Band crashes into the stage on June 29. Tix, deets and $140 season passes at www.koruvillage. com. • Lose the dancing shoes and lace up your sneakers when the Village Realty Road 5k/1 Mile Road Race Series loops around Nags Head, June 22, with two more runs on July 20 & Aug. 17. Starts at 8am. For more details and to register go to www.obxrunning.com. •

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gosurf

Get on the bus with Big Daddy Love at the Outer Banks Brewing Station, June 29.

Wanna see a band work up a bigger sweat than the crowd? Be at the Outer Banks Brewing Station, June 24-25, when infamous festival wildman Andy Frasco & the UN will tear the roof off this mothersucka, with some help from Kind Heated Strangers. $25. (Get tix now at www.obbrewing.com.) And come back June 29, when longtime local faves — and Appalachian standouts — Big Daddy Love return with their own high-octane blend of rock, bluegrass, southern soul, and psychedelic moonshine. Tix are $10 at the door. • As long as you’re bleeding rock n’ roll, pop into Jennette’s Pier’s American Red Cross Blood Drive on June 28 and share a pint or two. (Just make sure you detox first.) 10am-3pm. More at www.jennettespier.net • Then, on June 29, swing into Duck Woods Country Club for the 15th Annual Interfaith Community Outreach Golf Classic Charity Golf Tournament, where 4-person teams help local families in crisis with every killer drive, perfect putt — or total whiff — and everyone gets a little faded at the awards dinner afterparty. 1pm tee-off. Go to www.interfaithoutreach.com for a full description. • Feets don’t fail us now! The Run Hatteras 5k Series does laps around Avon every Fri. morning from June 30-Aug. 18. Find details and register at www.obxrunning.com. • Livers and ears get a combined workout, July 1, when Colington’s infamous dive bar, the Blue Crab, screams “happy birthday” to founder-and-favorite-bartender, Argie Shultz. Party starts at 4pm; Hot Sauce pours on the spicy, live jams from 7-10pm. Find their Facebook page for deets. • Hungry for more music and meat? Sneak over to Jack Brown’s, where Anchor Blazer plays somewhere “between rock and a jam space” from 10pm on, and the late-night burgers sizzle all night. Follow their social media feeds for more. • And the Outer Banks Brewing Station provides an endless buffet of tasty tunes through July, from reggae staples like Collie Buddz (July 1) and Pepper (July 6), to favorite covered classics like New Potato Caboose (July 28) and Red Not Chili Peppers (July 29). Tix at www.obbrewing.com. • Come July 2, help make the Jockey’s Ridge Soundside Beach Access shine when Kitty Hawk Kites and Outer Banks Surfrider team-up for a clean-up. From 3-5pm, they provide the gloves and bags — you bring the elbow grease and eagle-eyes for cig butts, plastic caps, balloons, fireworks, and other leading local litter offenders. More at www. kittyhawk.com. (PS: please park at Nags Head Church — and come back for a second cleanup on Sept. 3) • Just can’t wait to light the candles for America’s birthday? Head south to the Ocracoke Island Independence Day Celebration, where fireworks start on July 2 and the party rocks on through July 4, with a square dance, sand sculpture contest, old-timey parade, and more. See www.visitocracokenc.com for specifics. • Or get a head start on the party at July 2’s Independence Day Beer Mile. Just blaze to the Outer Banks Brewing Station, where folks rocket down 10oz. beers between 1/4-mile dashes, while sporting a patriotic display of star-spangled attire. 11am start. More at www.obbrewing.com. •

Lengthen the distance and lose the suds — but keep the spandex — and you got the recipe for another July 4 running favorite: 11th Annual Freedom 5k. Starts at 7:30am. Get the full scoop at www.obxrunning.com • Prefer to start July 4 by pretending you’re storming a sandy foreign shore? Be at Jockey’s Ridge at 8am for the Killer Dunes 2-Miler. This annual slog up the East Coast’s tallest dune also features a 1/4-miler for wee ones. And every penny benefits Friends of Jockey’s Ridge. Get timing, deets and more at www.obxse.com. • Or march north to the Town of Duck 4th of July Parade & Community Celebration, where residents and visitors strut their stuff from Scarborough Lane to Pamela Court starting at 9am — before heading directly to the Duck Town Park for an afterparty and awards ceremony. Find the full parade route at www.townofduck.com • Then herd the family up to Historic Corolla Park’s Annual Independence Day Celebration, for food trucks, fun activities and live tunes by the Black and Blue Experience from 5-9pm — followed by the largest pyrotechnics show on the whole Outer Banks. No coolers, alcohol or on-street parking. Well-mannered dogs are

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permitted on leashes. More at www.visitcurrituck.com.

• Meanwhile, on Roanoke Island, The Town of Manteo 4th of July Celebration will fill downtown with music, games and family activities — before marching over to Roanoke Island Festival Park for a free concert starring the 82nd Airborne Band & Chorus, capped by plenty of “rockets’ red glare” over the sound. Find times and details at www.manteonc.gov. •

Stapler Duo (July 27). Find more delicious deets at www.sanctuaryvineyards.com

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Down on Hatteras Island, Koru Beach Klub’s July 4 Party will spend the day awash in festive activities before showering Avon Pier in sizzle and flash come nightfall. More at www.koruvillage.com. • And that just leaves the Town of Kill Devil Hills Fireworks Show and The Town of Nags Head Fireworks Spectacular. So what’s the difference? Basically, one’s at Avalon Pier and the other’s at Nags Head Pier. Otherwise, they’re both equally mindblowing. As is the traffic and parking. So be prepared to show up super early or walk a fair bit ahead of time — or sit in a while after. Follow the towns’ Facebook pages for updates.

• We said “launch” not “lunch!” Aw well, you can still enjoy some blazing musicianship when Dare Arts’ Courtyard’s “Live At Lunch” Music Series continues every Wed. from 11:30am-1:30pm, with Julien McCarthy (July 5), Mary Joy McDaniel (July 12), Ruth Wyand (July 19), and Scott Franson (July 26.) Digest further info at www.darearts.org • Keep savoring live tunes, tasty vino and trippy horizons every Thurs. at Sanctuary Vineyards’ Acoustic Sunset WineDown. From 5:30-8:30pm, enjoy the likes of Trae Pierce & The T-Stones (July 6), Broughton’s Wine Country All-Stars (July 13), The Mo-Rons (July 20), and Red

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• All of Downtown Manteo will be rockin’ July 7 when the latest First Friday fills the streets with afterhours shopping and musical shenanigans by the Rea Family Band, Sam on Sax, and The Kill Devil Kats. Just be sure to head inside Dare Arts’ Courtroom Gallery between 6-8pm to see the opening reception for a new group show where noted surfers/artists electrify wood (Noah Snyder), capture life (Daniel Pullen), and carve foam (Mike Rowe). Show sticks around ’til July 29. Drop into www.darearts.org for more. • Of course, Downtown Books’ First Friday festivities also include an author signing — this time it’s Sheila Turnage scribbling secret notes inside Island of Spies. Come back July 14, and John Haiir will scrawl bloody murder all over North Carolina Shark Attacks. And any day’s a good reason to chase red-and-white sweaters around Manteo retailers, as the Find Waldo Scavenger Hunt runs all of July. See www. duckscotttage.com for updates. • Down in Avon, Koru Beach Klub’s Summer Concert Series continues to bring classic rock icons back from the beyond with On the Border: The Ultimate Eagles Tribute (July 13); Tuesday’s Gone: The Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute (July 20); and Southern Accents: The Ultimate Tom Petty Experience (July 27). Tix, times and deets at www.koruvillage.com. • If you think kites are a religious experience, head to Wright Bros. National Memorial from July 14-15 for Kitty Hawk Kites’ 45th Annual Wright Kite Festival. Explore the hallowed grounds where Wilbur & Orville made aviation history in 1903 — and maybe build and steer a few kites of your own — all while

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Fireworks light up Manteo’s waterfront, July 4.

Photo: Wes Snyder

30- to 100-foot stretches of flying fabric soar overhead. Regular park admission is required, but participation in the festival is free. More at www.kittyhawk.com • Shorebreak stunt pilots steal the show when the OBX Skim Jam posts up at Jennette’s Pier, July 22-23. This is the East Coast’s largest, annual skimboarding competition and sees top riders from up and down the coast perform crazy acrobatics in a battle for prizes and bragging rights. Get a full sched at www.skim-usa.com. • Yee-hah! Looks like Festival Park’s goin’ country as the VusicOBX Summer Concert Series lassoes Jake Owen, Niko Moon and Cooper Greer on July 22, followed by Travis Tritt and Chase Matthews on July 27. Two days later, they swap the mullets and sequins for bangs and black eyeshadow, when July 29’s OBX Is For Lovers brings nine emo acts to the stage, including Thrice, Bayside and Hawthorne Heights. Times and tix at www.vusicobx.com • Better hustle if you wanna catch Tansy O’Bryant’s brushwork inside Duck Town Hall’s Rotating Art Show, as her watercolors only hang around ’til July 26. After that, OBX Creative Souls’ Carol Twigg Anderson will swap in her photos from Aug. 5-Oct. 25, with a special opening reception on Aug. 9, from 3-5pm. Both shows are wide open every Mon. to Fri., 9am-4:30pm. (Holidays excluded.) More www.townofduck.com. • Celebrate two decades of maritime merriment, June 29, when the 20th Annual OneDesign Regatta throws Optimist 420, Sunfish, and Topaz captains to the wind while spectators cheer from George Washington Creef Park. Call 252-475-1750 for details. • Back on land, Dare Arts’ Courtyard’s Live At Lunch series mixes snack-and-stroll with rock-and-roll, every Wed., thanks to Bill Rea (Aug. 2), Ruth Wyand (Aug. 9), Devin Frazier (Aug. 16 & 30), and Steve Hauser (Aug. 23). 11:30-1:30pm. Tune into www.darearts.org for the latest. • Been a long time since you rock’n rolled? Head to Koru Beach Klub on Aug. 3, where the next top-notch tribute is The Led Zeppelin Experience. Then step-by-step

back on Aug. 10 for the New Kids’ Superfly 90s Tribute Band, before closing out the season with Aug. 17’s End of Summer Bash with After School Surf Club, a community fundraiser for the Hatteras Island Rescue Squad. Learn more at www.koruvillage.com •

On Aug. 3, smashing fruit in your face helps save some pour cyclist’s melon when Kitty Hawk Kites’ 17th Annual OBX Watermelon Festival raises funds to support the Outer Banks Bicycle & Pedestrian Safety Coalition. From 10am-4pm, visit the store at Jockey’s Ridge Crossing for food, face painting, tie-dye shirt making, and classic competitions like seed spitting and watermelon eating. Free to attend, but you gotta pay to play and eat. More at www.kittyhawk.com. • Fine guitar playing, fermented grape juice, and rolling food gourmets also make for great fundraising fodder at Sanctuary Vineyards’ Acoustic Sunset WineDown Come out every Thurs, 5:30-8pm, for tasty acts, such as: Pier Pressure (Aug. 3); One Culture (Aug. 10); SoulOne (Aug. 17); Stereo in Words (Aug. 24); and The Tommy V. Band (Aug. 31). And every date helps feed a fresh local charity. Savor www.sanctuaryvineyards.com for greater informational nourishment. • Or enjoy a sweet weekend on a whole different island, when the Ocracoke Fig Festival spends Aug. 4-5 transforming everyone’s favorite newton-filler into tasty new concoctions, from preserves to entrees to baked goods. Between bites, enjoy cooking demos, local vendors, live music, and square dancing. You can even enter your most creative confection in the Fig Cake Bake-Off, where judges include renowned southern chef and author Bill Smith, who also hosts a private Higo Latino Dinner on Aug. 2. (Tix go on sale July 1.) Consume more tasty info at www. visitocracokenc.org

• On Aug. 4, enjoy a free stroll around Wright Brothers Memorial, when the National Park Service celebrates the Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act by waiving the admission fee. Then do it all over again on Aug. 19, when

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they tip their wings at National Aviation Day by dropping all charges. Land at www.nps.gov for the latest. • That evening, Aug. 4, kick your heels around Downtown Manteo for the First Friday outdoor lineup, featuring the likes of Justin Trawick and the Vinny Blues Travelin’ Roadshow; 6-8pm. Just make sure to step inside the Dare Arts gallery, where an opening reception welcomes rockin’ new exhibits by coastal photographer David Huff and impressionistic painter, Jackie Koenig. Both shows will hang through Aug. 26. Hit www. darearts.org for updates. • Wanna run poolside without getting yelled at? Sign up for Aug. 6’s H2OBX Dash & Splash, where competitors get to weave in and out of oversized slides — and tromp through the lazy river — for a refreshing take on themed races. More at www.obxrunning.com •

That evening, work up a sweat, as Aug. 6’s Dirty Heads’ Island Glow Tour — featuring Upe Fiasco and Bikini Trill — lights up Roanoke Island Festival Park. Need a miracle? How ’ bout the fact that Joe Russo’s Almost Dead resurrects and re-energizes the best jam band compositions ever on Aug. 10. Tunes for tots? Try Kidz Bop’s blend of crazy costumes and highenergy covers on Aug. 15. And come Aug. 18, it’s a double-header of hiphop infused rock, reggae, soul, and blues, as G. Love & Special Sauce shares the stage with Matisyahu. It’s all part of Vusic OBX’s Summer Concert Series, and it’s all described in full detail, with tix, at www.vusicobx.com

• Come Aug. 7, Salvo’s Shake Hatteras

II Music and Taco Festival celebrates our grassroots community with a mix of backyard slip’n slides and top regional and local bands, like Summer of Snakes, HH Goat, Carolina Sweaters, JULIA., Kill Devil Disco, After School

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Surf Party, The Sofa Kings, Anchor Blazer, and more. As usual, there’s no tix or cover charges — just the collective understanding that only a total dick would show up empty-handed. (And that a real music fan will cough up at least $20.) Follow ’em on Facebook for updates. • Might as well keep on rockin’ the week away, as the Outer Banks Brewing Station lines up standout shows, like jazzy jam-masters Animal Liberation Orchestra (Aug. 9-10), followed by Bumpin’ Uglies’ mix of punk and reggae (Aug. 11), while Thurston Howell gives music loveys a 3-hour tour of 70s yacht rock on Aug. 12. Tix and deets at www.obbrewing.com • Jam over to Nags Head’s Kitty Hawk Kites, Aug. 9-10, for the Annual Outer Banks Pirate Festival, where tykes can meet scurvy swashbucklers and shoot selfies with shimmering mermaids — then head to Scallywag School to learn all that it takes to join Blackbeard’s crew. Buccaneer classes cost $10 bucks and start at 11am, 1pm & 3pm. Register in advance at www.kittyhawk.com • Baited hooks help bring families together when the 10th Annual Town of Manteo Kids Fishing Tournament fills downtown docks and boat ramps, Aug. 12. You don’t have to be a resident to participate, but you do have to be between 4 and 17 years old, with those who are 16+ holding a current NC Saltwater Fishing License. More at www.manteonc.gov. • Then it’s the big boys and girls’ turn to tangle when the Pirate’s Cove Tournament Week 2023 runs Aug. 12-19. It all starts with Aug. 13’s 34th Alice Kelly Memorial Ladies Only Billfish Tournament — where the fairer sex rocks-and-reels to

fund ICO Cancer Outreach. Then, from Aug. 15-18, the 40th Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament sees boats land giant species in a battle for big foam checks. And stick around for one last event on Aug.19: the 6th Annual Sheep Dog Veterans Challenge, a fun-day on the high seas to celebrate vets, active-duty military and first responders. Find out how to register ahead of time — and when and where to party afterward — at www.pcbgt.com • On Aug. 15, support the Outer Banks’ favorite sandy feature — and salute its most fierce protectors — when Jockey’s Ridge State Park and the Friends of Jockey’s Ridge co-host a Dune Day Celebration. From 4-7pm, activities include a birthday cake for Carolista Baum and a How to Disable Bulldozers Workshop. (Just kidding.) Get the real dirt over at www. friendsofjockeysridge.org • Then help Island Farm blow out the candles for a beloved bovine, Aug. 17, when Roxie’s Birthday Party invites all the animals to share a cow-safe cake, while the kiddos learn about a dairy farm’s historic uses. 1pm start. Find pricing and deets at visit www.obcinc.org • On Aug. 19, fly over to Dare County Regional Airport for the First Flight Society’s National Aviation Day Celebration, where the festivities include airplane displays, exhibitors and food trucks — plus the Capital Wing of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) offers warbird rides in its 1945 General Motors TBM Avenger torpedo bomber. 10am-3pm. More at www.firstflightsociety.org. • Think that’s “the bomb”? Wait ’til Aug. 22-25, when Bryan Cultural Series’ Surf and Sounds Chamber Concerts drops a four-day assault of free classical hits. First up, it’s a piano quintet quaking seats with an Aug. 22 show at Southern Shores’ All Saints Episcopal Church, with a follow-up assault on Aug. 23 at Nags Head’s St. Andrews By-The-Sea Episcopal Church. (Both at 7:30pm.) Then it’s the String Quartet’s turn to blow your hair back on Aug. 24 at Cape Hatteras Secondary School and again on Aug. 25 at Dare Arts in Manteo. Both shows at 7pm. Get the score at www.bryanculturalseries.org. • Come Aug. 3031, The OBX Arts & Craft Festival lights up the Hilton Garden Inn with 24 local artists featuring painting, pottery, jewelry, photography, glass, fiber arts, collage, wood, and more — with a portion of artists’ fees benefitting N.E.S.T. and Beach Food Pantry. 10am-5pm. Find their Facebook page for a list of participants. • Dip over to Downtown Manteo, Sept. 1, when Dare Arts unveils two new exhibits from 6-8pm: Caro Meese’s fiber works fill the Vault Gallery while Lynn Nash’s mixed media makes over The Courtroom. (Both exhibits will stay on display through Sept. 30.) Meanwhile, Delta Blues, Brooke & Nick, and Stereo in Words will adorn the streets with sweet tunes. More at www.darearts.org • And finally, experience the artform that is high-caliber surfing when the Wave Riding Vehicles Outer Banks Pro posts up at Jennette’s Pier, Aug. 30-Sept. 3. This annual favorite draws local standouts and international talents as they chase valuable points to climb the World Surf League ranks. Can’t make it to the beach? Watch the action live at www.wrvobxpro.com. Just wanna party like a surf star? Stay tuned for nightly, cerveza-soaked fiestas at various local watering holes, hosted by Pacifico.

Party wave! Enjoy Jackie Koenig’s festive collection of coastal scenes at Dare Arts in Manteo, Aug. 4-26.