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4 Friday, November 6, 2020 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
8
EATING IN Cozy up with these killer smoked ribs.
9 THE SANDBAR A cocktail to celebrate the changing seasons.
table of contents
12 INNER BANKS After a health scare, a couple took their weight loss journey together.
14 It’s the hike of a lifetime for a North Carolina woman who trekked 1,200 miles.
18 Looking back to the storied and treasured Sound Side Folk and Ale House.
22
COVER STORY The enduring legacy of the U.S. Life-Saving Service architecture.
PHOTO COURTESY N.C. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Drones to help N.C. inspect bridges By Jeff Hampton Staff Writer
Drones will be able to buzz around Outer Banks bridges in hard-to-see places thanks to a new federal ruling. The Federal Aviation Administration approved a waiver Friday that allows North Carolina to operate drones out of sight from the operator during bridge inspections statewide, according to a release from the state’s Department of Transportation. North Carolina is the first state to get the waiver, the release said. The state has already been using drones regularly for its inspections since 2016, but only when they’ve been in sight of the pilot, which is federal law. Bridges must be inspected at least every two years. Several high-traffic bridges span wide waterways in the Outer Banks. Strong currents and storms with winds full of sand and salt are harsh on the structures. The new Basnight Bridge over Oregon Inlet has columns that rise 70 feet off the water, which are among the
highest in the region. When its regular inspections begin, drones will be able to fly high for close looks at the support structures and bearings under the road bed, said Pablo Hernandez, the state engineer who oversaw construction of the span. The state will use Skydio drones powered by onboard artificial intelligence that allows the craft to fly in hard-to-reach places and take high resolution photos even where the GPS signal is unreliable, the release said. The inspections will go more quickly and traffic lanes will not have to be closed as long, Ben Spain, the state’s unmanned aircraft systems manager, said in the release. Without drones for the out-of-sight spots, inspectors have been repelling over the side of bridges or riding the bucket of a ‘snooper’ truck that sends a boom over the side and underneath, said highway department spokesman James Pearce. Jeff Hampton, 252-491-5272, jeff.hampton @pilotonline.com
CORRECTION
■ A caption that ran on page 26 of the Sept. 4, 2020, Coast was incorrect (‘Sisters’ of the water reunite). Pictured from left are mate John Booth and Capt. BC and members of the Hopewell Saltwater Anglers Club: Buzz Ford, Elroy Phillips, Bruce Clark Sr. and Dan Aldridge (holding fish). ■ An incorrect street address for the Pink Ribbon Resource Center in Moyock appeared on page 28 of the Oct. 2, 2020, Coast. It is located at 113 Baxter Lane, Suite 8.
JENNETTE’S PIER
COROLLA • DUCK • NAGS HEAD • RODANTHE • HATTERAS
HELP SPREAD THE POWER OF OPTIMISM
PHOTO COURTESY SAMMY THORNTON
Jesse Edelmayer of Mooresville caught and released this bonefish — a rare catch in these waters — while bottom fishing with shrimp in the surf zone at Jennette’s Pier recently.
ABOUT COAST For more than 30 years, COAST has been the go-to source for information about the people, places, and things that make the Outer Banks one of the top destinations on the East Coast. The publication shines a spotlight on locals who are making their mark, and it provides current information about the latest happenings that should not be missed — from music and art, to food, festivals, fishing, and more. COAST. All local. All the time. EDITOR Victoria Bourne, victoria.bourne@ pilotonline.com, 757-222-5563 LOCAL EDITOR
Dave Fairbank davefairbank100@ gmail.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS James Charlet, Jeff Hampton, John Harper, Sam Harris, Maggie Miles, Mary Ellen Riddle, Megan Scott, Scott Sechman, Jessica Taylor
the public, or an idea for a story? If so, we’d like to know. Contact victoria.bourne@ pilotonline.com.
ADVERTISE WITH US Find out how you can engage more readers with an integrated marketing program. John “Ski” Miller, media sales manager, ski.miller@virginiamedia.com; Elizabeth Cato, senior account executive, elizabeth.catoe@ virginiamedia.com
THINGS TO KNOW During the summer season (May-August), when Coast is a weekly publication, information must be submitted at least 10 days in advance of an event. During the shoulder season (September-October), when Coast is a monthly publication — with the exception of November-December and January-February, when two months are combined — information must be submitted at least 14 days in advance of an event.
HOW TO GET YOUR NEWS OR EVENT IN COAST Do you have an event coming up that’s open to
WANT TO KNOW MORE? For more information, visit coastobx.com; facebook.com/CoastOBX
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6 Friday, November 6, 2020 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
BEYOND THE MUSIC
Have guitar, might struggle: The return to work By Scott Sechman Correspondent
A couple of weeks ago I got a call from a venue that I’ve played in the past. It was never a weekly job, but a one-off, private gig. I haven’t played in public in months because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but given we are now into Phase 3 of reopening in North Carolina, I decided to give it a shot — despite being in the most at-risk demographic. Plus, I really needed to scratch my itchy trigger fingers. As I negotiated the details, I needed assurance that it was outdoors, the size of the group would be small, and that the protocols for protection against the coronavirus would be adhered to by the venue. Not only do I want to be as safe as humanly possible, but I also wanted to make sure that attendees would be protected from me. Let me be clear: I have never been tested for COVID-19. My allergies present what could be construed as COVID-like symptoms, (headaches, cough, runny nose, etc.), and I operate under the assumption that everybody has this virus. Even me. If I look at it in that manner, I’ll be extra diligent about wearing my mask, washing my hands and physically distancing myself from everyone. In the entire world. After assurances that I would be sufficiently distanced from my audience, I booked the job. I started to get excited as the day approached. It had been since early May when I last performed in public. I thought, “This is going to be fun.” Yet, as the date approached, a sense of trepidation overwhelmed me. Why? I’m a professional. I’ve been doing this for 50 years. It should be a piece of cake. Like riding a bike, right? Well, given that I have been a milkweed farmer for the better part of six months and my last performance was a Dare
COURTESY PHOTO
Scott Sechman plays a set at a venue a few weeks ago. Taking care to ensure COVID-19 precautions would be in place, he took to the stage feeling a little rusty but now he’s ready for his next gig.
County Courthouse Sessions livestream from home at the end of May, I was seriously out of practice. Sure, I’ve noodled around on my guitar for a little while and maybe vocalized while I was crushing those nasty little aphids that were attacking my plants, but I hadn’t leaned into a serious attempt at singing. And the fingertips on my left hand had nary a callous — they were soft as a baby’s bottom. So, two days before the gig, I started rehearsing. If you’ve heard me sing, you know I have a growly, raspy voice that I can pull out on demand. Not anymore! I may as well have been Josh Groban. And after rehearsing three songs, my fingers were throbbing. How did I come to this? I started channeling that old Karl Malden American Express commercial: “What will you do?”
Come the day of the gig, I decided that it is what it is. Go set up and hack your way through it. I arrived at the venue, unloaded my vehicle, placed my components in my designated spot and moved my car to the parking lot. Upon my return, I discovered there was only one electrical outlet. No worries. I’m like a Boy Scout. I have extra power strips. Power on. Then I looked at my pile of gear and realized I couldn’t remember the system I had devised over many years to set up as quickly as possible. Because often, I’m late. My setup is not terribly complicated, but when you don’t do something for a long time, skills atrophy. And I was running a bit behind. I put the stool, speaker, mic stand and my pedalboard in their places and
began connecting cables. To test the system, my looper always has the last song I played at the last gig I played. I looked down from my perch on the stool, saw the green light flashing, indicating I had a loop saved, pressed the button with my foot and eureka! It worked. The chords for “Mustang Sally” began to play. Phew. Then I tapped my microphone. Nothing. Rechecked the connection. Right place. Still nothing. Oh no. My cord is relatively new, and the mic is a Shure. Is one of them bad? Couldn’t be. I moved the connection to another input on my mixer. Tap, tap on the mic and it works. Another phew. But why wasn’t it working in the regular channel? I moved the connection back. Nothing. I was about 10 minutes
from my scheduled start time. I’m obsessive about things being how they should always be. I’m not going to use a different channel on my mixer just because it works. That’s crazy. Troubleshoot, Sechman. Quickly. I looked at the problematic section of the mixer and everything matched the working portion. Except I had accidentally engaged the mute button while setting up. Phew, yet again. Five minutes to spare. Went to the restroom to wash my hands and grabbed a drink on the way back. Tuned up my guitar. Checked to make sure everything still worked. All systems go. Started the first song and I was off and running. So far, so good. What about the voice? Josh Groban or Joe Cocker? Well, my first song starts off with a Grobany vocal. Clean. Silky smooth. But
come the chorus, the Cocker is supposed to kick in. So, I reared back and … phew! As things progressed, I did OK. I made it through, thanks to the Super Glue I coated my fingertips with and an 800 milligram dose of Ibuprofen. Like many performers, I’m my own worst critic. I wasn’t as strong as I used to be, but overall, I wasn’t as weak as I feared. But I’m ready for the next gig, knowing that I can’t take my skills for granted. It IS a little like riding a bike. Phew. Transplanted to the Outer Banks from the wilds of the L.A. area, singer-songwriter Scott Sechman has shared stages with Bill Medley, Tom Rush, Al Wilson and the Grass Roots during his ongoing music career. He has also contributed to Mojo and various online outlets.
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THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT Friday, November 6, 2020
S U R F
8 Friday, November 6, 2020 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
EATING IN
PHOTO COURTESY OF LAURA WAYLAND
Smoked Elderberry Pork Ribs are the epitome of fall cuisine and feature the Elderberry Balsamic Vinegar from Outer Banks Olive Oil Co.
Fall-inspired smoked ribs and a wine pairing from Outer Banks Olive Oil
PHOTO COURTESY LAURA WAYLAND
Laura Wayland owns Outer Banks Olive Oil Co. in Duck, Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head with her husband Phil Wayland.
Smoked Elderberry Pork Ribs
By Megan Scott Correspondent
2 small racks of pork ribs
Firing up the smoker and cooking something low and slow for a few hours seems like the perfect activity for a late fall afternoon, especially when we’re talking about pork ribs coated in a rich elderberry balsamic glaze. This recipe comes from Laura Wayland who, with her husband Phil, owns Outer Banks Olive Oil Company in Duck, Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head, as well as Chip’s Wine & Beer Market in Kill Devil Hills. Laura and Phil’s stores are like heaven on earth for foodies. Their newest location in Nags Head is home to a huge variety of premium extra virgin olive oils and balsamic vinegars, as well as naturally infused artisan varieties, and some pretty enticing gourmet chocolates and cheeses. The elderberry balsamic vinegar featured in this recipe is one of the newer products available from the Wayland’s three shops. You may have heard of elderberry for its antioxidative powers and immune-boosting properties, but its bright, tangy sweetness also pairs perfectly with barbecue. Pairing flavors just so hap-
Kosher salt Fresh ground black pepper ½ cup of Elderberry Balsamic Vinegar 2 tablespoons of Honey-Ginger Balsamic ¼ cup of beef or chicken broth or stock (your choice) 1 tablespoon Butter Infused Olive Oil
■ Season the ribs with salt and pepper to taste and refrigerate them overnight.
■ The following day smoke the ribs at 225 F for three
MEGAN SCOTT/FREELANCE
This recipe for Smoked Elderberry Pork Ribs uses Elderberry Balsamic Vinegar from Outer Banks Olive Oil Co. and is the perfect cozy dish for fall.
pens to be one of Laura’s specialties; she has a background in wine and her stores carry a wide selection of bottles from all over the world. While beer is often the obvious beverage of choice to serve with ribs (and the Nags Head Outer Banks Olive Oil shop has an entire wall of amazing craft beers to choose from), Laura says this recipe begs for a fullbodied red wine. She recommends trying a Michael David 6th Sense Syrah and, honestly, the pairing is right on point. The jammy notes of the wine elevates the complex flavors of the el-
derberry-glazed ribs and truly enhances the smokiness. In all, this meal epitomizes the beauty of fall on the Outer Banks. The time it takes to cook the ribs is your opportunity to kick back, take a breath, and relax into the crisp autumn air. It might just be the perfect chance to enjoy a cigar from Outer Bank’s Olive Oil’s humidor if that’s your style, too. Bottom line, this quiet moment outdoors is a mustdo and this recipe is a must-try this season. Megan Scott is co-owner of The Spice & Tea Exchange in
Duck. You can check out her food blog at www.servingtonight.com.
Outer Banks Olive Oil Co.
What: Premium extra virgin olive oils and vinegars, gourmet foods, wine, beer and cigars Where: Duck, Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head. Visit www.outerbanksolive. com for details.
hours, uncovered. Then, wrap the ribs in foil and smoke them for another 2 hours, or until they reach an internal temperature of 200-208 F. The meat should shrink back from the thin end of the bone about an inch and the whole rack should bend at the center when you pick it up.
■ While the ribs are smoking, prepare the sauce. To a saucepan over medium heat, add the Elderberry Balsamic Vinegar, Honey-Ginger Balsamic Vinegar, and broth or stock. Cook until liquid is reduced by half, then add the Butter Infused Olive Oil. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and emulsified. Set aside.
■ Once the ribs are cooked, brush them with the sauce until thoroughly coated and return them to the smoker for a few more minutes until the glaze is sticky. Slice the ribs between the bones, into individual sections, and brush with more sauce if desired. Serve and enjoy! Notes: If you don’t have a smoker or are in a hurry, don’t worry — there’s a workaround. Just wrap the salted and peppered ribs in foil and bake them in the oven at 350 F for a 1 ½-2 hours, until tender. Then, throw them on the grill for a minute or two to impart a bit of charred smokiness. Baste the ribs with the sauce and return them to the oven or the grill for a few minutes until the sauce is sticky. The intense, fruity flavor of that sauce is going to win your heart either way, so don’t get too hung up in the cooking method.
By Sam Harriss Correspondent
North Carolina seems a state created in an artist's mind, full of changing colors in our oceans and our trees — but the autumn season is when the state really shines. It only makes sense to start every day complimenting the weather when summer goes shuffling off into hibernation. Like clockwork on the equinox, a truce is called between the sun and moon’s fight for time, peacefully dividing our light with darkness. Then magically we all turn the A/C off and open the windows. I like to believe everyone that has lived here long enough shares a deep romance with fall on the Outer Banks, when beach driving is legal, oyster season is open, beach towels become blankets around bonfires and the local spirit is lifted with the northwest winds. It’s an unspoken tradition to meet up on the beach in the early evening and build a pit fire for roasting oysters. Maybe throw the trout rod a few times, catch the day’s last surf and watch all our local mongrels smile hap-
pily at the sandy freedom before them with no leashes holding them back. Of course, a few icy beers go hand in hand but every so often a bottle of bourbon comes to light and is graciously passed around. No single aroma or taste beckons my memories of fall more than bourbon — well, possibly with the exception of pumpkin pie. To personify the aged oak beauty would mean to make her fierce and strong, a bold woman that moves like wind and wave. There’s nothing quite like it, that ‘ol gem of Kentucky, and like good craft done right, it rarely needs a drinking partner.
But because this is a cocktail column I will gladly oblige to a drink other than an old-fashioned. This one was dreamt up in a late thunderstorm, when we were still hanging onto summer’s end but awaiting fall feels. It’s the perfect balance between seasons and makes the switch a little less hostile for the unweathered. Sam Harriss is the owner/ founder of Camp Cocktail, a mobile bartending business on the Outer Banks. When she’s not slinging drinks from the window of her remodeled 1969 Shasta camper trailer, you might find her nose-deep in a good book, a sleeping dog by her side.
Old World Glass Byers’ Choice Carolers Possible Dream Santas Ginger Cottages
Christopher Radko Snowbabies Jim Shore Fontanini
Karen Didion Originals Hollywood Nutcrackers Disney Ornaments LED Lights
Spirit of the Equinox 1 ½ ounces bourbon 2 blackberries
• Remember your visit to the Outer Banks with a personalized ornament
dash of aromatic bitters 1 sugar cube sprig of Thai basil
• Browse among our Thousands of Ornaments Table Top - Home Decor
orange zest In a mixing glass, muddle the blackberries and bitters into the sugar cube until the sugar is somewhat dissolved. Add bourbon and fill with ice. Stir until mixing glass becomes frosty on outside, strain over ice and add sprig of Thai basil and twist of orange zest.
• Jewelry - Engraved Gifts Halloween Haunted House SAM HARRIS/FREELANCE
The spirit of the equinox cocktail is best enjoyed on a sandy beach.
On the way to the NC Aquarium, Festival Park & Lost Colony. Hwy 64 in Manteo on Roanoke Island
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THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT Friday, November 6, 2020
Capturing the spirit of the equinox in a cocktail
OUTER BANKS ORIGINAL CHRISTMAS SHOP...SINCE 1967
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THE SANDBAR
10 Friday, November 6, 2020 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Mustang Outreach Program needs helping hands By Scott Sechman Correspondent
Want to help?
The widespread negative economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are touching one of the more endearing programs for young people on the Outer Banks. The Mustang Outreach Program is a nonprofit organization that teaches local children the benefits and joys of playing, composing and performing rock ‘n’ roll music. Founded by local music promoter Mike Dianna, it’s funded largely from private donations and two festivals he organizes annually, both of which were cancelled this year — the Mustang Spring Jam and more recently the Mustang Rock & Roast Festival in mid-October. “The safety and wellbeing of our fans, musicians and staff is our top priority, and unfortunately things
Those interested in supporting the Mustang Outreach Program can donate online at MustangOutreachOBX .org or at MustangMusicFestival .com.
COURTESY OF GEORGE WOOD
The annual Mustang Rock & Roast music festival, held in October, was cancelled because of COVID-19. The festival is a major part of the growing Outer Banks music scene.
did not improve enough for us to hold the event we had planned,” Dianna said in a news release about the cancellation of the fall festival. Both festivals are a major part of the growing Outer Banks music scene, drawing fans from all over North Carolina and southeastern Virginia by presenting topdrawer regional, national
and internationally known performers. The influx of visitors to the area was a boon to the economic bottom line of Dare and Currituck counties. The cancellation not only adversely effects peripheral businesses such as food, beverage and realty companies, but musicians and festival workers are also
among the hard hit. Since the Mustang program was founded in 2012, more than 80% of the funds needed to sustain it have come from the festivals and community concerts. That fundraising source dried up due to this year’s cancellations. “We are looking forward to hosting our Mustang
events in 2021 with hopes of gathering people together again,” said Dianna, also head of Bearded Face Productions, “but right now we ask everyone to show some love to the Mustang Outreach Program.” Dianna asked those who had planned to attend the Mustang festivals to consider donating their ticket cost or a portion of their ticket cost to the program. “Your generous donations will save this special program and allow us to help the kids keep making
music,” Dianna said. The Mustang program recently moved into a brickand-mortar location at the Seagate North Shopping Center in Kill Devil Hills, next to Jubilee Music, where participants can go for instruction, rehearsals and other events. Since the program’s inception, its students have performed at the Mustang spring and fall festivals, their annual Spring Concert Fundraiser, as well as various other events. “We believe that musical education is critical to all children’s growth and development,” said program music director and administrator Ruth Wyand, also an internationally acclaimed blues woman and performer. “Since we started the Mustang Outreach Program in 2012, hundreds of children have learned to play instruments, compose songs, improvise, work together and jam.”
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INNER BANKS
One local couple’s weight loss journey By Maggie Miles Correspondent
In August 2018, Rachel Moser had a health scare. She was suffering from depression and anxiety and knew she needed to lose weight, so she started one diet after another only to fall off them. And then one day, her anxiety got the best of her. “I thought I was having a heart attack,” says Rachel, 36. She wasn’t, but her husband Ryan convinced her to go to the hospital to get checked out. “I was scared of doctors because I knew I was overweight and I didn’t want to hear the hard truth of ‘You need to lose weight,’” she says. It turned out to be a severe panic attack. But that was the moment she realized she had to make a change. According to Moser, she was fit growing up — she played sports. And then, like many of us, she and her husband got married, got comfortable, and had busy, stressful jobs. They turned to what many of us do – convenience. “Trash man, trash,” is how Ryan, 33, describes what their diet was like in those days. Lots of drivethru meals, pizza three times a week, sushi, Thai food. Ryan is Italian and did most of the cooking, so that meant lots of pasta and carbs. “We ate really bad,” Rachel says. “I could say, ‘Oh woe is me, I got huge.’ But we did it to ourselves.” “You don’t realize how bad you feel,” she adds. “I ate like crap and I felt like crap.” So, Rachel started researching how to eat healthier. She started low carb, “dirty keto” as she calls it, using artificial sugars such as Maltitol and lots of deli meats and cheeses. She made treats like what she would have eaten before, but she made them with ketogenic diet friendly ingredients — almond and
PHOTOS COURTESY OF RACHEL MOSER
A before and recent picture of Rachel Moser. Her weight loss journey started after a health scare in 2018.
Ten tips from Rachel and Ryan ■ Allow yourself a “treat” day, but plan for it — put
Ryan and Rachel Moser have collectively lost 210 pounds on a keto-inspired diet that they started two years ago.
coconut flour instead of regular flour, stevia sweetened chocolate chips, etc. — and to her and Ryan’s amazement, they were just as good. “It’s not Atkins. Yes, you have to get your fat content, but you don’t have to get that from pork rinds and that sort of thing, you can get that from coconut oil and avocado oil. On your salad, you can make your own dressing and make it fatty,” says Rachel. “Everybody thinks fat is bad – it’s really everything else. Sugar is terrible, at least with my body and the way my body works.” According to Rachel, it’s been easy because the food is awesome. She can have
things that taste good. “I don’t even say diet anymore because it’s really not a diet; it’s just living that lifestyle and saying I can’t have that kind of food anymore,” says Rachel. And it wasn’t long before Ryan, her Italian, carbloving, veggie avoiding husband caught on. “I was like, ‘You can have this?! It tastes so good!’” he recalls. “And I was like, I might as well just do it, see what happens.” His wife and already lost 30 pounds, after all, so something was working. Their latest favorite is a cabbage noodle dish where the cabbage is sautéed in a pan with meat sauce and let simmer until the vegetable
resembles a pasta noodle. “I’m weird about a whole meal centered around a vegetable and that’s literally what this dish is,” says Ryan. “And every time I see it being put together I’m like, nooo, I don’t want to eat all of that cabbage, and then I taste it and I’m like, damn this is so good.” They’ve gone through a lot of trial and error, and before quarantine they hit a plateau. They now realize that was probably from going a little too hard on those keto treats, or eating way too much of one thing, like when they realized they were eating thousands of calories in macadamia See WEIGHT/Page 13
it in your calendar. Be intentional about it so that you stay on track and have something to look forward to. Ryan and Rachel treated themselves once every two weeks to an acai or rice bowl. ■ Avoid going out to eat as much as possible. Buy good stuff, such as organic and grass-fed butter and free-range eggs, and make meals at home. ■ You don’t have to eat meat and protein all the time — there is vegetarian keto. And you also don’t have to consume enormous amounts of fat to be keto, either. ■ Pay attention to what you’re eating. At first Ryan and Rachel thought a lot of things they enjoyed were keto that weren’t, such as Imitation crab and oysters. ■ Use natural sweeteners like monk fruit, stevia and erythritol to ween yourself off regular sugar. ■ Modify your favorite things to make them keto, especially when starting out. ■ Moderation is key. Even too many keto treats could stall weight loss if you are eating them all the time. ■ Meet yourself where you are in terms of exercise: Rachel started out walking because that was all she could do, then she transitioned to yoga and then kickboxing. ■ For the holidays: Bring your own keto dish to share if you gather with friends and family. If you plan to treat yourself, one piece of pie isn’t going to kill you but know your limits. Rachel didn’t cheat at all at holiday parties her first couple of years because she knew she wouldn’t be able to stop at one. Now, she knows she can enjoy one and be done. ■ Don’t get stuck on one diet for life. When Rachel hits her goal weight, she plans to incorporate sweet potatoes and other foods back into her meals to have an overall healthy, balanced diet.Note: You should always check with your doctor in all things related to your health.
13 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT Friday, November 6, 2020
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COURTESY OF RACHEL MOSER
Rachel Moser says she's exercising more as part of her weight loss regimen.
WEIGHT Continued from 12 nuts. Or when they realized how one or two White Claws on the beach can really add up. “It’s a learning experience for sure,” says Rachel. After that plateau she ended up dropping another 60 pounds during quarantine solely from not being able to go out to eat. They cooked all their meals at home and fasted intermittently, where they only eat during certain hours of the day. Rachel added yoga and eventually kickboxing to her regimen. She says exercising has become a big part of her life now. And she cut out alcohol and caffeine. The couple says cooking and losing the weight together has been therapeutic. “I know its cliché, but it’s
“I was scared of doctors because I knew I was overweight and I didn’t want to hear the hard truth of ‘You need to lose weight.’”
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— Rachel Moser really made us closer,” says Ryan, who is now down 60 pounds. Rachel has lost 150 pounds total and is 10 pounds away from her goal. She’s no longer pre-diabetic, she no longer suffers from depression, and she hasn’t had an anxiety attack in two years. She’s openly shared her weight loss journey on Instagram and, according to Ryan, has helped inspire friends and family to lose weight as well. “I think there are a lot of people out there that are going through the same thing I went through — am still going through,” Rachel says. “We’ve had infertility
issues and different things like that and I want people to know they’re not alone because I thought for a long time that I was and the anxiety was so rough and being overweight is rough. … I want everyone to know, you’re normal. Being this way is normal. Feeling this way is normal.” She says she wants to show people that they can drop the weight naturally, without resorting to surgery. Ryan says if they can do it, anyone can. “It’s the easiest thing I’ve ever done,” he says, grinning, “mainly because all of the food is so good.”
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14 Friday, November 6, 2020 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
1,175-mile journey across the state lands woman in record books PHOTO COURTESY TARA DOWER
Tara Dower hiked much of the trail alone and along isolated routes.
By Maggie Miles Correspondent
Tara Dower was standing on the side of a country road in the middle of nowhere in western North Carolina. She’d just come dangerously close to getting clipped by a car and was on the phone with her husband and parents. “I don’t know if this is worth the risk,” she told them. Dower, of Hot Springs, North Carolina, was on the
first stretch of a journey she began Sept. 1 to become the fastest known person to complete the Mountain-toSea Trail by foot. The hiking trail stretches almost 1,200 miles across the state from Clingmans Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains to the sand dunes of Jockey’s Ridge on the Outer Banks. Clocking in at 29 days from start to finish, it’s a goal she would ultimately achieve, but not without some hardship along the way.
She’d already endured many painful, physical injuries. Five days into her journey, on her birthday no less, Dower developed fat deposits in her ankles and knees. Everything from her knee down was swollen, she said. She experienced piercing pain that exploded down one leg and up the other. She ran like that all day. “It felt like someone was shooting me. Probably the worst birthday I ever had,” joked Dower, 27.
According to Ryan Thomas, Dower’s support crew lead, who is making a documentary about her hike, that was the stuff they were prepared for. They all knew Dower had the physical capabilities to complete her goal; it was the unexpected, unseen challenges that really took a toll. “She would have blisters, shin splints, bursitis, cuts and bruises from falling – I would physically be pulling See JOURNEY/Page 16
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JOURNEY Continued from 14 toenails from her toes — and she would come back and say the hardest part was being alone and the mental space that she was occupying,” Thomas said. “I just thought, ‘How was that the truth? How is that worse than the brutally painful torture you’re putting yourself through?’” Dower was often isolated, running or walking hundreds of miles of winding country roads with barely a shoulder to speak of by herself. Sometimes people pulled over to ask her weird questions. Other times, drivers swerved, pretending to try to hit her, she said. She described one moment when a carload of four men came dangerously close, then laughed as they drove away. “That was super disheartening and I actually cried for a long time after that,” she said. She was almost hit so many times she gave herself the trail name “Roadkill.” She felt incredibly vulnerable out on those country roads, Dower said. Her mother drove out to make sure she was safe, and her friend Megan Wilmarth joined her for moral support. “I completed 375 to 400 miles with her — I didn’t even get half — and I was tired and exhausted and irritable, so I can’t even imagine what was going on in her head every day,” Wilmarth said. “We would talk about it, and she would cry but I still don’t fully understand, and nobody ever will other than the people who do crazy (stuff ) like that.” According to Wilmarth, one really hard thing was that Dower usually had her husband, Jonathan, now in basic training in the military, with her during these kinds of adventures. “So, it was cool to see her learn to trust herself and know that she can do it – and it was a whole process,” Wilmarth said. “And as a single woman myself, it was really inspiring to see that and be like, ‘OK, I can push
PHOTOS COURTESY TARA DOWER
Tara Dower of Hot Springs, North Carolina, spent the month of September hiking the 1,175-mile-long Mountains-to-Sea Trail.
myself farther than I ever thought I could push myself.’” A lot of planning went into Dower’s effort, Wilmarth noted – spreadsheets of information, mileage, places to stay. Dower put her life on pause. She saved up a lot of money, she sacrificed. “There is no guarantees in these,” Wilmarth said. “She could have gotten hit by a car; she could have broken an ankle. So, just the fact that she got out there and did it is incredible.” Thomas said the real key was Dower’s perseverance. “Even in the times when emotions were running high and maybe her mind was racing and things weren’t working out as we had expected from the start, and even when the trail didn’t feel like she wanted it to feel that day, there was a persistence that there was always a next day.” Dower and her team set small goals and checkpoints, things for Dower to look forward to — a resupply stop, for example, or a chance to overnight with friends — to get her through to the end. That worked for a long time. And then, with one week left, severe malnutrition hit.
Tara Dower completed the Mountains-to-Sea Trail in 29 days, 8 hours and 48 minutes, the fastest known time.
Fancy a hike? To learn more about North Carolina’s Mountain-to-Sea Trail, visit mountainstoseatrail.org, and follow Tara Dower on Instagram to see photos from her hike across the state.
“I couldn’t complete sentences. My brain felt like scrambled eggs. My body was shutting down. I couldn’t eat,” Dower said. “I would work so hard to eat food and then I would throw it all up. I wasn’t really there. I was not present. I asked my mom, ‘Am I dying?’” Dower decided to walk the rest of the way and took advice from her nutritionist sister-in-law, who could tell based on Dower’s complexion on a Zoom call that she had extreme iron deficiency and recommended Dower eat whole wheat bread, spinach and easily digestible foods like baby food. And then, on Sept. 29, after days of waking up at 3 a.m. and running, walking or hiking an average of 40 miles a day, Dower crossed the “finish line” at Jockey’s Ridge State Park in Nags Head. Her friends and family were there to cheer her on. Her official and fastest known time to com-
plete the 1,175-mile-long trail: 29 days, 8 hours and 48 minutes. “It was a huge relief,” Dower said. “It was kind of like freedom finally, because for a month I was stuck – I wouldn’t say I was stuck, but I had this goal in mind and I couldn’t do anything but walk, eat and sleep for a month.” She passed campsites with families enjoying each other’s company around a fire and wished she could do that, but she couldn’t. She walked 90 miles of beach and saw people enjoying vacations she couldn’t take. All of it helped set her mind on finishing the remaining trail ahead of her. Dower said she felt a mix of emotions at the end: a sense of accomplishment after all of the trials and tribulations; and gratitude to her support crew and most of all for the lessons she learned from the expe-
The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse was one of the sites along Tara Dower's hike across the state.
rience; but she was also wistful. “I feel like I have this secret to living fully,” she said. “In society we’re trying to do everything to live as comfortably as possible, and that’s not doing us a favor. I
lived so uncomfortably for a month and I miss the way I lived and the way I felt. It’s really odd that I miss it.” Because she said despite it all, she never felt more alive than when she was on the trail.
17
OBX dolphins spend winter in Beaufort, N.C. By Jessica Taylor Correspondent
I recently finished downloading dorsal fin photos from a group of dolphins we sighted in Roanoke Sound. These images will allow us to identify individual animals through the distinctive markings on their fins. This is likely to be one of the last sightings that I download for this year. Although the Outer Banks Center for Dolphin Research will continue our monitoring surveys through the fall, we typically see less dolphins in the sound as the months go on. Bottlenose dolphins are very seasonal in Roanoke Sound. During the summer, they are drawn in by the warm waters boasting an abundance of prey fish and minimal predators, such as sharks. In the fall, many dolphins leave the sound,
likely due to the cool waters and lack of prey. One of my biggest questions when I started studying dolphins on the Outer Banks was, where do they go when they’re not here? For the past 12 years, the center has completed photo-identification monitoring surveys in Roanoke Sound to learn about the dolphins locally but also to gain a greater understanding of their movement patterns along the East Coast. By contributing our research data to a master catalog curated by the Duke University Marine Lab, known as the Mid-Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin Catalog, and collaborating with other photo-ID researchers, we’ve learned exactly where some of our local dolphins go and when. Scientists have found that some marine animals are shifting their ranges
COURTESY OF OUTER BANKS CENTER FOR DOLPHIN RESEARCH
The distinctive dorsal fin of a dolphin named Onion.
north and some northern animals travel further south than usual, such as the seals that are a common sight on our beaches in January. We investigated whether our dolphins travel further north. Over the past four years, we collaborated with researchers in New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. Through countless hours of comparing dorsal fin images to northern catalogs, we found that
although these dolphins are known to range as far north as Virginia Beach, Virginia, in the summer, some are straying into northern Virginia and as far north as Maryland! Perhaps they take a short break from their journey by ducking into Roanoke Sound for a snack, then they continue north; however, this still doesn’t answer the question of where our dolphins go in the winter. During the 1990s, a very distinctive dolphin was sighted near Beaufort, North Carolina. He was a frequent visitor to winter time Beaufort waters, but his summer time residence was a mystery. In 1997, on the maiden voyage of the Nags Head Dolphin Watch, a local eco-tour and collaborator of the Outer Banks Center for Dolphin Research, Rich and Kate Mallon-Day saw the animal,
known as Onion, in Roanoke Sound. The Onion sighting provided an important key to our summertime dolphins’ winter whereabouts. When we compared our Outer Banks catalog to photo-ID catalogs near Beaufort, we found many of our “regulars” were seen near Beaufort during winter. Our matching studies are continuing this fall, and we are still finding new dolphins that travel between the Outer Banks and Beaufort. Roanoke Sound is an important summertime habitat for dolphins as some of these regulars, such as Onion, have frequented our sound for more than 20 years. As the sound waters cool, the days get shorter, and we move deeper into fall, we will continue to survey until the waters are still and there are no dorsal fins breaking the surface.
And sometime this month, there will be a message from our collaborators in Beaufort saying that Onion’s group has arrived. Biologist Jessica Taylor is president of the Outer Banks Center for Dolphin Research. She has a Bachelor of Science in marine science from Rutgers and master’s degree in environmental management from Duke University. She has participated in field research studies of bottlenose dolphins, humpback whales, Steller sea lions and predatory fish in Florida, South Carolina, New Jersey, Alaska and Australia. In 2008, she incorporated the nonprofit Outer Banks Center for Dolphin Research, which is dedicated to conservation of bottlenose dolphins on the Outer Banks. For more info, visit obxdolphins.org.
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THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT Friday, November 6, 2020
NATURE WISE
18 Friday, November 6, 2020 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Remembering a
magical
venue that was ahead of its time PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAVE MENAKER
By John Harper Correspondent
Mention the Sound Side Folk and Ale House to people of a certain age on the Outer Banks and you’re likely to hear a sigh. From 1976 to 1985, the venue was a communal space for locals and visitors, both of its time and slightly ahead of the curve. It offered healthful food, a 1960s-ish coffeehouse atmosphere and a lineup of superb, mostly acoustic musicians (more on that later). The Sound Side, as most people called it, had a stunning location on Kitty Hawk Bay where West Avalon and Bay drives meet in Kill Devil Hills. A onetime marina, it was a half-mile off the U.S. 158 Bypass and was the only commercial property in the neighborhood. “You had to know where it was to get there,” says Richard Brown, 75, who worked at the venue as a bartender in the early ‘80s. “It was all word-of-mouth back in those days.” Probably the venue’s most attractive feature was the deck over the Bay, which merges with the Albemarle Sound. A daily ritual, which involved mostly locals, was the toasting the sunset to celebrate another day of
living on the Outer Banks. Jazz and folk music played on speakers, providing a soundtrack for the laid-back crowd. “You met some interesting people,” remembers musician Shelli Gates, 59, of Nags Head, who spent summers on the beach in the early ‘80s. “It felt like a mini-Key West party.” The beginnings of the Sound Side resemble a plot for a TV reality show. In 1976, New Jerseybased musicians Dave Menaker and his then-wife Denise were traveling along the East Coast on bicycles with trailers for their gear, picking up work on their way to Florida. The duo — Denise on flute and vocals and Dave on guitar and vocals — stopped in Kill Devil Hills, where they landed a five-night gig at The Jolly Roger Restaurant. And then they were off, stopping first in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. A series of unfortunate incidents there, including both Denise and Dave getting hit by a car, gave the couple pause. After acquiring a Volkswagen bus, the acoustic duo, who played originals and cover tunes, headed back to the Outer Banks. The Menakers and some partners bought the Holiday Marina. With the help
Sound Side Folk and Ale House was christened with a “soft” opening in March 1976. After that, it operated from April 1 to Halloween every year.
“We came in like a fool and went out like a monster.” — David Menaker of hometown friends Butch and Lucy LaFountaine, it was transformed into the Sound Side Folk and Ale House. The married couple served as co-managers for the club’s entire run. Barn timbers from Jersey were used to build out the A-frame structure. “It was recycling before it was cool,” says Lucy LaFountaine, 63, of Kitty Hawk. “We even had a tree stump as a table.” The new club was christened with a “soft” opening in March 1976. After that, it operated from April 1 to Halloween every year, when the tourist season was much shorter than today (the freewheeling, closing costume parties became legendary). “We came in like a fool,” says Dave Menaker, 73, who now works as a contractor in Raleigh, North Carolina. “And went out like a monster.”
The Sound Side Folk and Ale House, which operated from 1976 to 1985, was a communal space for locals and visitors.
In the early days, overhead fans and open screened windows kept the place cool. A heating and air-conditioning unit was installed in the ‘80s. Beer, mostly draft served in pitchers, and wine were the staples, as were progressive food items, for the era. Choices included a daily quiche, a shrimp club on pumpernickel, a Mozzarella Melt and the Turkey Alladin, which was hot turkey on wheat bread with
mushrooms, avocado, melted cheese, a tomato and sprouts. Teetotalers sipped on iced mint tea or water. Lunch and dinner, as well as late-night appetizers, were served. The cooks (Chris Campbell, Speight Lilley and Nancy Aycock) were like mad scientists in the lab, working out of a tiny kitchen. “It reflected the lifestyle,” says Lilley, 66, of Nags
Head, of the menu. “And it evolved over the years.” But quality, eclectic acoustic music was the Sound Side’s calling card. “We wanted to do something different,” says Menaker of the club’s direction. “Rock ‘n’ roll was pretty well-covered then (in 1976).” Genres ranged from bluegrass to jazz to folk to blues and reggae, with a See VENUE/Page 19
19 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT Friday, November 6, 2020
COURTESY OF LUCY AND BUTCH LAFOUNTAINE
Quality, eclectic acoustic music was Sound Side's calling card.
VENUE Continued from 18 little rock and pop mixed in. Venue capacity was between 75 and 100 people. “The stuff we offered was golden,” says Menaker. “Our club took on a life of its own.” Sound Side operated seven days a week. It was part of a circuit that included the Cellar Door and Blues Alley in Washington. D.C., and The Jewish Mother in Virginia Beach, Virginia. A crisp sound system, good acoustics, appreciative audiences and a comfortable stage didn’t hurt when it came to booking top-tier talent. And the Menakers, fine musicians themselves, were discriminating. For the most part, the Sound Side was a “listening room.” Club-hoppers, mostly locals, breathed the varied sounds. “We just took it all in,” says Beth Storie, 63, of Manteo. “I can’t even remember all the great bands I heard.” The list of high-quality musicians who played the Little Club That Could is staggering. Over the years, folks boogied, grooved and listened to, among hundreds of others, Grammy-winning bluegrass-folk guitarists Merle and Doc Watson; jazz master guitarist Charlie Byrd; jazz pianist Mose Allison; legendary Richmond-based
singer-songwriter Robbin Thompson; singer-songwriter Mike Cross; jazz guitarist Herb Ellis and singersongwriter Jonathan Edwards, known for his 1971 hit “Sunshine.” "I didn't play the Carolinas much," says Edwards, 74, who lives and records in Portland, Maine. "But I remember the crowd there was enthusiastic, very warm and gracious." He's released a dozen-or-so fine albums since performing at the Sound Side in the late '70s. Nashville-based singersongwriter-autoharpist Gove Scrivenor was a regular. Other favorites included the Winged Heart Band, Blue Sparks from Hell, Counter Clockwise, Mike’s Towing Band and the Bill Blue Band. It wasn’t unusual for other musicians to join the featured performers on stage. “I kept harmonicas in my waitress apron,” says local player MaryAnn Toboz, 63, of Nags Head. “We just waited for our chance to jump up and jam, maybe add harmonies.” On Thursdays at 10 p.m. in the late ‘70s, the Sound Side Players took the stage and proved to be a big hit. Four men, including host Rick Ostlund, a local tennis pro and musician, performed a series of “Saturday Night Live”-type comedy skits. “People waited in line to see us,” says Ostlund, 71, of Southern Shores. “Sound
COURTESY OF LUCY AND BUTCH LAFOUNTAINE
A preserved T-shirt from Sound Side glory days.
Side was just a one-of-akind place.” There were also jamaudition nights, and people could play games, including backgammon, chess and checkers. “We just wanted to be a hang-out,” says Butch LaFountaine, 65, of Kitty Hawk. “And be a little different.” That mission was accomplished for nine years. But in 1985, Dave Menaker, citing burnout, called it a day. The Outer Banks venue that could bring sunshine on a cloudy day shut down on Halloween. On reflection 35 years later, Menaker has no regrets. “It was the age of innocence, maybe,” he says. “It was real; it was honest.” “We knew all along it was magical.” For those who want more information on the venue, there is a Facebook page called “Remember the Sound Side” (MaryAnn Tobaz is the administrator).
COURTESY OF DAVE MENAKER
MaryAnn Toboz (then Welch) performs at Sound Side with singer-songwriter Jonathan Edwards, known for his 1971 hit “Sunshine.”
20 Friday, November 6, 2020 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
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THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT Friday, November 6, 2020
Avon, North Carolina
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Hatteras Island
The perfect place to start or end your day!
22 Friday, November 6, 2020 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
THE ENDURING LEGACY OF
LIFE
SAVING
SERVICE ARCHITECTURE ON THE OUTER BANKS By James D. Charlet
23
Life-Saving Service Architecture on the Outer Banks Nationally, there were 42 different styles of station design built from 1871 to 1915. On the Outer Banks, however, the styles were limited to eight: the 1874-type, 1876-type, 1878-type and 1882-type,
as well as the Quonochontaug-type, the Southern Pattern, which was exclusive to North Carolina, the Chicamacomico-type and the Chatham-type. Most stations had at least two different buildings of different dates on the site. These were replacements for the original structures, 20 to 30 years apart. The older one, in turn, was often re-purposed, usually as an additional boathouse. The giants of national and North Carolina Life-Saving Service station architecture were J. Lake Parkinson (designs from 1876-1882), George R. Tolman (1882-1894) and Victor Mendleheff (18871918). Mendleheff was by far the most prolific, with 95 station designs to his credit constructed in 14 states across the country. By 1905, North Carolina had 29 lifesaving stations spread between the Virginia and South Carolina state lines. They averaged about 6 to 7 miles apart, so were a far more common sight than the few lighthouses. The average citizen was therefore very familiar with Life-Saving Service architecture, which featured watchtowers of various sizes, dormers, rafter tails and Gothic board and batten upper wall siding. 1874-type The seven original Outer Banks stations, Jones Hill (later renamed Currituck Beach), Caffeys Inlet, Kitty
Hawk, Nags Head, Oregon Inlet (on the south side), Chicamacomico and Little Kinnakeet were all built in 1874 and are examples of that era’s architectural design aesthetic. The latter two are still standing in Rodanthe and Avon, respectively. Distinguishing features were the arches around the gable ends of the roof, eave supports known as rafter tails or corbels and brackets, intricately cut Gothic board and batten upper wall siding, and an open watchtower on the roof. The design was from a government committee “set of standardized plans,” says Life-Saving Service expert Wick York, and not from architect Francis Chandler, as frequently attributed. The Conner’s Supermarket’s storage building in Buxton was inspired by the 1874-type architectural design of the Oregon Inlet station, according to family patriarch John Conner Sr. The Hatteras Island supermarket has been a family-owned icon since 1960. The adjacent storage building was built by Conner and is still family-owned but is now rented out. In 1959, Conner says his family got a National Park Service concession at the Pea Island Campground. “I was 10 years old and – being 15 miles from the nearest child my age – the men who worked on the ferry and the U.S. Coast Guard men were my friends,” Conner recalls. “I spent many hours at the Oregon
Opposite page: A close-up look at the Gothic board and batten upper wall siding decorations of the 1874 Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station in Rodanthe. James Charlet photo. Above: The old Oregon Inlet Life-Saving Station, left, inspired the design of the Conner’s Supermarket’s storage building in Buxton. Photos courtesy U.S. Life-Saving Service Heritage Association and John Conner, Sr., respectively.
THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT Friday, November 6, 2020
T
he United States Life-Saving Service was the 19th century precursor to today’s U.S. Coast Guard. The service existed on all of America’s coasts – Atlantic, Gulf, Pacific and Great Lakes – from 1871 to 1915. Over the course of those 44 years, the surfmen braved tumultuous seas to save more than 177,000 lives out of the over 178,000 to which they responded – an incredible success rate. In 1915, the service merged with the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service to create a new organization: the United States Coast Guard. The Life-Saving Service’s history is all but gone and forgotten – their medals stored away in private enclaves, their uniforms moth-eaten and many of their wooden stations long decayed. Almost nothing remains except the legacy of their stations’ architecture, which has inspired contemporary examples that can be found up and down the Outer Banks among local businesses and homes.
By 1905, North Carolina had 29 life-saving stations spread between the Virginia and South Carolina state lines. The average citizen was therefore very familiar with Life-Saving Service architecture, which featured watchtowers of various sizes, dormers, rafter tails and Gothic board and batten upper wall siding.
24 Friday, November 6, 2020 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Inlet station. I have always loved that building and its architecture, thus the style of the warehouse.” 1876-type Stations built in 1878 actually used the 1876-type design, which displayed motifs nearly identical to the 1874 style, except for an enclosed watchtower and small exterior pantry/storage additions to the sides. Examples of this architecture were found among the Wash Woods, Pennys Hill, Poyners Hill, Paul Gamiels Hill, Kill Devil Hills, Pea Island, Gull Shoal, Big Kinnakeet, Creeds Hill, Durant and Bodie Island life-saving stations.
Top: Cape Hatteras Life-Saving Station (1882). Courtesy National Park Service, Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Bottom: Midgett Realty’s Rodanthe office is beautifully inspired by the 1882-type lifesaving station. James Charlet photo.
1882-type Cape Hatteras, New Inlet, Ocracoke, Cape Fear, Oak Island and Cape Lookout life-saving stations were built in 1882. Their distinctive features, designed by J. Lake Parkinson, include a two-story, rectangular shape with smaller first-floor additions, a larger, square watchtower on an extreme end of the roof, and – the most copied design element of all – the straight crossshaped brace on all gables. This motif is found extensively throughout
contemporary Outer Banks architecture. Midgett Realty’s Rodanthe office is beautifully inspired by the 1882-type. The business is owned by an especially famous Life-Saving Service name from Hatteras Island. Dozens of Midgetts were in the service and later Coast Guard. Best-known are Little Bannister Midgett III, Rasmus Midgett and John Allen Midgett Jr. “The Midgetts are big around here,” says principal owner Tim Midgett. “We built the current version of our Rodanthe office building in 1987. We worked closely with a gentleman named Greg Hamby from here on the Outer Banks to design our take on a traditional Outer Banks style Coast Guard station look. Given the Midgett family name and the long Outer Banks heritage associated with that name, Midgett Realty has strived to include a similar ‘look’ in many of our office/commercial buildings.” The Quonochontaug-type One of the most readily identifiable styles, if not easily pronounced, is the Quonochontaug-type station design. (The name, QUAN-no-CHAWN-tawg, derives from an Algonquin tribe in Rhode Island and translates to “black fish.”)
25 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT Friday, November 6, 2020
Top: The Bodie Island Life-Saving Station and boathouse. Lower left and right: George R. Toleman designed the Portsmouth Island Life-Saving Station, which was built in 1894 and known as the Quonochontaug-type. Captain George’s Seafood Restaurant in Kill Devil Hills displays a similar design aesthetic. James Charlet photos.
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North Carolina stations of this design by George R. Toleman were Portsmouth Island (1894), Core Banks (1895 and later called Atlantic), Currituck Beach (1903), Caffeys Inlet (1898) and Oregon Inlet (1898). They were large, rectangular structures that appeared to be one-story but were actually two with an unmistakable watchtower integrated into a large sloping roof with dormers. Captain George’s Seafood Restaurant in Kill Devil Hills is an example of a contemporary building exhibiting a similar design aesthetic. Southern Pattern There were only four Outer Banks stations exhibiting the Southern Pattern design that was exclusive to
North Carolina: Little Kinnakeet, Ocracoke, Fort Macon and Bogue Inlet. All were built in 1904 by architect Victor Mendleheff. They featured a very typically southern (but atypical for lifesaving stations) porch, and large, two-story, square watchtowers. Chicamacomico-type Again, only four, all exclusive to North Carolina and built from 1911 to 1913 by Mendleheff: Chicamacomico (1911), Kitty Hawk (1911), Nags Head (1912) and Poyners Hill (1913). This style has become synonymous with Outer Banks lifesaving station architecture because examples of it still exist in Rodanthe and Kitty Hawk. Many of their features – the watchtower, dormer windows, Greek porch columns, cedar
siding and roof – have been copied throughout the area. The Pea Island Art Gallery in Salvo is a very faithful replica of the 1874 Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station and was based on its original blueprints, according to owner Kim Robertson. “The decision was deeply intuitive, and I loved it.” Robertson says. “One of the things that was really important to me is that it would visually age fairly quickly with the cedar and look like it had been here for a very long time.” Robertson says many are drawn to the gallery just because of the architecture. “They think it is a really old building and want to know more about the history and inspiration.” Keeper’s Galley at Haven on the Banks in Nags Head is a stunning enlarged replica of Mendleheff’s 1911 Chicamacomico-type style and the newest example of the architectural legacy of the Life-Saving Service on the Outer Banks. Completed this year as a major events center, Keeper’s Galley can be seen from some distance as one travels U.S. 158 and is the centerpiece of a cottage complex called Haven on the Banks. “Our vision with the entire project was to honor the local heritage of the Outer Banks, focusing on the lighthouses and related structures such as the lifesaving station,” says co-owner and developer Tara Wilkins. “We thought that the Keeper’s Galley, which stands like a beacon and is a central gathering place, should be designed tall and strong, emitting a feeling of safety,” adds Wilkins. “People are intrigued by the
entire concept of Haven on the Banks and Keeper’s Galley. They love the feeling of safety and appreciate the integration of heritage and history into modern day structures.” Chatham-type The North Carolina editions that exemplified more Mendleheff design motifs were: Cape Lookout (1916), Creeds Hill (1918), Cape Fear (1918), Wash Woods (1919), Bodie Island (1925) and Big Kinnakeet (1929). They looked like a plain two-story house of the time but had a roof and cupola similar to Mendleheff’s Gulf-type stations that he designed in Texas and Louisiana from 1903 to 1923. Remaining historic Outer Banks life-saving stations There are several U.S. Life-Saving Service stations remaining on the Outer Banks in some form or another. Restored or reconstructed, highly modified and modernized are: Wash Woods (1933), now a vacation rental; Caffeys Inlet (1899), now the Sanderling Resort’s Lifesaving Station restaurant in Duck; Kitty Hawk (1874), now home to the Black Pelican restaurant; Kitty Hawk (1915), a vacation rental; and the Pea Island station (1932), a Salvo business and residence, and the station’s formerly adjacent 1932 cookhouse, which is now a Manteo museum devoted to preserving the legacy of the only lifesaving station in the U.S. to have been manned by an all-Black crew. The 1918 Creeds Hill station, now a privately-owned vacation home, is completely faithful to the original on its exterior, but its interior condition is unknown. The exterior of the old 1898
27 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT Friday, November 6, 2020
Oregon Inlet station has been partially reconstructed but is now abandoned. The 1888 Cape Lookout station is not only abandoned, but also unrestored and unprotected. It will not remain much longer as is. The National Park Service’s 1874 Little Kinnakeet station was beautifully reconstructed, but is not open to the public; however, the adjacent 1904 station is sadly neglected. On the other hand, the park service’s 1894 Portsmouth Island station has been gorgeously restored and is open to the public; it is well worth the arduous trip getting there for a visit. . The park service also owns the 1879 Bodie Island station and its 1916 boathouse, as well as the 1925 Chatham-type station, which were moved from nearby dunes and relocated at the entrance to Bodie
Island Lighthouse. And last, but not least, one of the best complete restorations is exhibited in the 1911 Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station’s eight-building complex in Rodanthe, which operates as a nonprofit museum. James D. Charlet is a local historian, author and public speaker who is better known as Keeper James. Charlet, of Hatteras Island, was the site manager of the Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station Historic Site & Museum for a decade and is a member of the U.S. Life-Saving Service Heritage Association. His book “Shipwrecks of the Outer Banks, Dramatic Rescues and Fantastic Wrecks in the Graveyard of the Atlantic” debuted this year.
Opposite page, upper left: The restored 1919 Wash Woods Life-Saving Station, an example of the Chatham-type station design. Photo courtesy Twiddy & Company. Upper right: Little Kinnakeet Life-Saving Station has the large porch of the Southern Plantation type. Photo courtesy National Park Service, Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Lower left: The Pea Island Art Gallery was built based on the original blueprints of the 1874 Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station, according to the gallery’s owner. Photo courtesy Kim Robertson. This page, top: The 1911 Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station in Rodanthe. Bottom: Keeper’s Galley at Haven on the Banks in Nags Head is a stunning enlarged replica of architect Victor Mendleheff’s 1911 Chicamacomico-type style. James Charlet photos.
Gifts from the coast
Friday, November 6, 2020 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
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COASTAL CULTURE
By Mary Ellen Riddle Correspondent
The Outer Banks is a magical place – a respite for vacationers and a beloved home for locals. It’s common to hear residents exclaim: “Another day in paradise!” With the holiday months upon us, why not consider giving a bit of that paradise to those on your list? As you ponder “just the right gift,” consider the work of these seven Outer Banks artists.
Raffaele Paglia
Raffaele Paglia has been busy making butterfly shadow boxes. His inspiration was the Valley of Butterflies on the Greek island of Rhodes, which he visited 30 years ago, he says. To craft his three-dimensional work, Paglia starts with paper, professional markers and colored pencils to create, cut out, and hand-shape a variety of butterflies, including swallowtails, monarchs and long-tail skippers. Several species of the butterflies he crafts, such as crystal skippers, are native to the Outer Banks. Paglia glues specific species together and inserts them into shadow boxes that range in size from 11-by-9 inches to 15½-by-7 inches. Some of his boxes are singular, while others are diptychs and triptychs – two- and three-piece creations designed to be displayed together. Prices range from $165-$285. They are sold at the Silver Bonsai Gallery in Manteo. Paglia is available to do custom work. Contact him at cbboards@yahoo.com or call 910-616-5624.
Julie Moye
COURTESY OF SEASIDE ART GALLERY
Artist Raffaele Paglia draws inspiration for his butterfly shadow boxes from the Valley of Butterflies on the Greek island of Rhodes, where he visited 30 years ago.
Julie Moye, an eclectic artist who runs KDH Cooperative Gallery and Studios in Kill Devil Hills, creates brilliantly colored ornaments from aluminum cans fashioned into shapes of various sea life and land animals. The choices include dolphins, horses, dogs, crabs and sharks – a total of 44 designs. “My primary reason for working with cast off material is my ongoing battle with our society’s throwaway mentality,” Moye says. She creates the ornaments by cutting the cans apart, flattening the metal and cutting the designs with dies created for each shape. Moye began embellishing the aluminum with alcohol ink as an See CULTURE/Page 30
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CULTURE Continued from 28 experiment and found the glowing colors attractive. The multicolored hues draw gallery goers to the work. When observers discover that the ornaments are made from recycled materials, Moye says, their interest deepens. It thrills the artist to turn trash into treasure that, in turn, attracts buyers. She enjoys figuring out the designs for the ornaments and how to construct them. Working with recycled materials is not new to the artist who has crafted art from broken mirrors and dishes, tin, clothing, building detritus and bottles. The ornaments start at $12.95 and are available at KDH Cooperative Gallery and Studios, Tar Heel Trading Company in Corolla and Duck and Luckydogstudio on Etsy.
Randi O’Sullivan
Randi O’Sullivan calls herself the mermaid with a paintbrush. The Rodanthe artist has a self-professed love for bold colors, whimsy and detail. Her goal is to spread awareness, joy and love through her colorful art that celebrates life, nature’s beauty and imagination. O’Sullivan is adept at painting magical, intricate designs – mermaids, seascapes and mandalas, to name a few. Her inspirations include island flora and fauna, the sea, sunsets and sunrises, salt air, motherhood and music. Her designs appear on a variety of goods such as stickers, beach bags, canvases, clothing and hats. Each hat is custom ordered, painted by hand and oneof-a-kind. Prices: $70 and up. Contact her at www.randiosullivan.com. She is also available at www.facebook.com/randiosullivan, and Instagram: @randiosullivan_art.
E.M. Corsa
E.M. Corsa stays abreast of the times — hers and the world’s. Her recent creations came about as she struggled to find a way to
COURTSY OF THE ARTIST
Julie Moye creates brilliantly colored ornaments from aluminum cans fashioned into shapes of various sea life and land animals.
navigate the current state of affairs. “Whether it be a turbulent sea, a forbidding wood or an invisible virus, the task was daunting,” Corsa says. “Because I always turn to my art for answers, I began creating compass roses to give me direction and bring a bit of joy to the weary traveler.” Corsa creates her compass rose designs using transparent watercolor and colored pencils. Each fanciful composition features a variety of creatures and images — sea life, birds, suns, foxes, bugs, stars and telescopes, portholes and musical instruments. The colorful creations include, of course, directions – north, south, east and west. There are 18 prints from which to choose that come matted and measure 11-by-14 inches. The cost is $55, which includes shipping. Corsa also offers custom designs. Price and details are available upon request. She asks for a two-week lead time to complete a custom work, but often can finish it
COURTESY OF THE ARTIST
Randi O’Sullivan calls herself the mermaid with a paintbrush. Her designs appear on a variety of goods such as stickers, beach bags, canvases, clothing and hats.
within a week. Contact Corsa at 252-480-0303, by email: ofcorsa3@gmail.com, or facebook.com/emcorsa, and online: emcorsaart.com.
Vicky Lowe Vicky Lowe, an Avon artist/designer, spent the See CULTURE/Page 32
COURTESY OF THE ARTIST
Artist E.M. Corsa creates compass rose designs using transparent watercolor and colored pencils.
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COURTESY OF THE ARTIST
Vicky Lowe, an Avon artist/designer, has an Outer Banks-inspired, locally-based line of home goods called A Good Catch. She creates her designs in watercolor, which are then printed onto high quality linen/cotton with eco-friendly inks.
CULTURE Continued from 30 first 20 years of her career working in textile and dinnerware design in London and New York. Her creations have been picked up by Target, Crate & Barrel, Williams-Sonoma and Pier 1 Imports, and have been printed onto high-end dinnerware by brands such as Lenox. She has an Outer Banks-inspired, locallybased line of home goods
called A Good Catch. Swell Art Gallery in Buxton carries her beautiful and fun tea towels. She creates her designs in watercolor, which are then printed onto high quality linen/cotton with ecofriendly inks. The printed fabric is turned into tea/ dish towels, table runners, pillows, aprons and prints with a variety of seasonal items in the mix. Her tea towel designs include birds, boats, fruits, florals, surfers, swimmers, lighthouses and crabs. Even
one well-placed tea towel enlivens living spaces much like a painting. Lowe’s whimsical images present fresh colors and flowing watercolor strokes. They not only have the look but also the spirit of the coast, a true celebration of the Outer Banks. The tea towels cost $24. Lowe also is available for commissions and pet portraits. To see her work visit www.theswellartgallery.com/shop/vickylowe/61 or call Swell Gallery at 253-995-5181. The gallery
offers free local delivery.
Lori Twohig
Lori Twohig specializes in creating miniature decorated trees using colored glass and shells. The Outer Banks artist was inspired to create ocean art after being rained in for a week with five kids while on a vacation in the early 1980s. The gang settled in to make art crafted from sand, shells and driftwood. “After moving to the Outer Banks, my art flourished,” Twohig says. She
takes advantage of the shells and treasures that wash up on the shore to handcraft her ocean-inspired art. “This unique coastal environment leaves unusual finds for my work; (it’s a) plentiful and a neverending inspiration for my art.” Most of the shells she uses come from the Outer Banks; some are ordered from around the world. She uses manufactured tumbled glass for its consistency of color and thickness. The trees are magical,
featuring carefully layered glass and/or shells, often a starfish topper and graced with miniature starfish, umbonium, or button top snail shells, and pearlized beads. The trees come in a variety of colors including green, white, teal and purple – the most popular being a blend of sea foam, periwinkle, yellow and teal. Sizes range from 4 to 20 inches. Her work is available at Roanoke Island Artisans in See CULTURE/Page 34
33
Veteran Turns Hearing Loss into Business Win Nova Hearing Centers delivers affordable audiology to Currituck County people’s lives every day through the gift of better hearing. What are the biggest challenges? Getting people into the doors is difficult and expensive. The best way we have found to grow our practice and serve more members of our community is through exceptional service and guaranteed care for life for our patients along with a 30-day trial period of a pair of premium hearing aids for any individual with hearing loss. What are the biggest rewards? Restoring someone’s ability to hear is by far our biggest reward. What sets you apart from other similar businesses? John Schaeffer (back right) is the founder and president of Nova Hearing Centers in Moyock, NC. He’s been a resident of Currituck since 1999. Can you describe the business? Nova Hearing Centers is an independent, locally-owned audiology practice. Our specialists are licensed in VA and NC, allowing us to help people on both sides of the state line. Our goal is to provide affordable premium hearing solutions without the standard markup of “big box” retailers. Many hearing aid centers throughout Hampton Roads and Northeast NC have to significantly mark up their hearing devices to pay for franchise fees, provider networks, corporate overhead and more. As an independent hearing aid practice, we have none of those costs, and can pass the savings on to you.
“First, he served as a combat medic, then as an EMT. Now... he’s able to improve people’s lives every day through the gift of better hearing.” Why start the business? John has hearing loss as a result from his time served with the Marines in Iraq. His father, also a veteran, has hearing loss that was caused from a service injury as well. John’s experience with his own hearing loss, and seeing what his father faced, inspired him to find a way to make things better for people with hearing loss. The more he learned about the hearing industry, the more he saw ways to improve patient care and value. John has been involved in medicine for his entire professional life. First, he served as a combat medic, then as an EMT. Now he’s able to improve
All hearing aids come with a 30-day trial period, lifetime aftercare, and a worldwide warranty. We are a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business and receive a discount from the manufacturers. We pass that discount down to our customers, saving them an average of 20% over other hearing aid providers. Any advice for someone starting a business in Currituck County? It only takes one customer who got all the help they needed from you, to turn into many customers. Focus on serving the community, and building customer referrals and reviews. Nova Hearing Centers 257 Caratoke Hwy #103 Moyock, NC
www.novahearingcenters.com Read the full interview at
www.ThinkCurrituck.com
Larry Lombardi, Director (252) 232-6015 M: (301) 237-8951 Larry@ThinkCurrituck.com www.ThinkCurrituck.com
THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT Friday, November 6, 2020
CURRITUCK COUNTY Small Business Spotlight
34 Friday, November 6, 2020 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
COURTESY OF THE ARTIST
Stephanie Kiker’s muse is the environment. Her eye-popping coastal images such as sea life and surfers are printed on a wide variety of surfaces, including wood, tile, notecards, mouse pads and decals.
CULTURE Continued from 32 Manteo and Kitty Hawk and The Gourmet Olive in Manteo. She also sells her work at OBXshesellsseashells.etsy.com on Etsy. You can view her work on Instagram: @Obxsaltshellsandglass and Facebook: @Obxshesellsseashells.
Stephanie Kiker
Stephanie Kiker’s muse is the environment. “I find my inspiration in my surroundings,” she says. The ocean supplies the Buxton artist energy, exhilaration and
peace. She incorporates nature’s movement, patterns, shapes and colors in her bold, graphic designs. The eye-popping coastal images such as sea life and surfers are printed on a wide variety of surfaces, including wood, tile, notecards, mouse pads and decals. It wasn’t easy choosing what to highlight among her smile-worthy offerings, but her wood art featuring fish, turtles, dragonflies and surfboard shapes called out from the useful and decorative pieces that make up her body of work. The wall art is made from ¼-inch thick birch wood imprinted with her designs and completed with a satin
finish. Wood grain shows through the lighter colors. A piece of wood is fastened on the back of her pieces that makes the art appear to float on the wall. The best part: she has 50 designs from which to choose, including a hibiscus-covered turtle. Price: $59. Her work is available online at stephaniekiker.com and in multiple galleries and shops on the Outer Banks. Mary Ellen Riddle has been writing the Coast’s art column for more than 27 years and brings to her work a BFA in painting from East Carolina University and a profound passion for the role the arts play in society.
COURTESY OF THE ARTIST
Lori Twohig specializes in creating miniature decorated trees using colored glass and shells.
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More evidence of Lost Colony in Bertie County Researchers find 1580s English pottery, indicates settlement By Jeff Hampton Staff Writer
Archaeologists researching the country’s mysterious first settlers known as the Lost Colony say they’ve uncovered a second location in Bertie County where at least one English family lived among the natives. The new dig site, dubbed “Site Y,” has yielded English pottery pieces that date from the 1580s, according to a release from the First Colony Foundation, the nonprofit organization doing the work. The pieces come from jugs and pots used for food preparation, consumption and storage, indicating long-term habitation. On property owned by Bertie County, the area is roughly one acre and includes 72 dig locations that are 5 square feet apiece. Evidence recovered at the site indicates about a dozen people from at least one family from the Lost Colony lived there, and possibly some servants, said Phil Evans, president of the First Colony Foundation. One competing archaeological group, however, says it’s unlikely that Lost Colony members lived in Bertie County and that the English pottery could have ended up there from trading with the natives. The Lost Colony was a group of more than 100 English settlers who disappeared from Roanoke Island in 1587. Historians and archaeologists have been trying to determine what happened to them since. Included among theories posed over the years: they were killed by a hostile tribe, disease or storms; or they relocated. Some archaeologists initially zeroed in on Bertie County because a map from the 1580s appeared to show a fort there. They found one site that revealed English
COURTESY PHOTO
Fragments of early English pottery were found in Bertie County by archaeologists with the First Colony Foundation.
artifacts from early settlers, then discovered the second location nearby with the help of ground-penetrating radar. The First Colony Foundation is a nonprofit group made up of a team of archaeologists and historians researching Sir Walter Raleigh’s attempts to establish the English settlement in the New World. The Site Y artifacts add another layer to sometimes conflicting theories on what happened to the colony. Weeks after the group arrived in the New World, the colony’s governor, John White, left to get more supplies from England. However, a war between the English and Spanish prevented White from returning for three years. When he got back, the colony had disappeared. One of the clues left be-
hind was the letters “CROATOAN” carved on a palisade post, a possible reference to the friendly Croatoan tribe that lived about 50 miles south on what’s now Hatteras Island. White had told the colony to leave a message if they needed to leave. He never found the colony, returned to England and died a few years later. Researchers disagree on what happened to those he left behind. The First Colony foundation contends that White’s group must have dispersed into smaller ones. A single area or tribe could not have supported an additional 100 or so English people, its experts say. “Possibly, a small group went to Croatoan Island in the fall or winter of 1587 to wait for John White to return while the remainder
moved inland to the mouth of the Chowan River and Salmon Creek,” First Colony board member James Horn said in the release. Another research group, the Croatoan Archaeological Society, disagrees, contending the entire colony assimilated with the Croatoans on Hatteras Island. This Spanish olive jar is from Jamestown. Archaeologists with the First Colony Foundation uncovered in Bertie County fragments of a similar piece that may have belonged to members of the Lost Colony. This Spanish olive jar is from Jamestown. Archaeologists with the First Colony Foundation uncovered in Bertie County fragments of a similar piece that may have belonged to members of the Lost Colony. “Bertie was the heart of enemy territory,” Scott
Dawson, who founded the Croatoan Archaeological Society said in an email. “It is the last place they would go. The colony literally wrote down they relocated to Croatoan.” Dawson has written a book called “The Lost Colony and Hatteras Island” that gives compelling archaeological and historical evidence that the group moved to Hatteras Island. The First Colony Foundation began focusing on Bertie County in 2012. It excavated a small area there, found English and native artifacts and named it “Site X.” The organization’s work at Site X led researchers to Site Y, located nearby in a field on higher ground and with more fertile soil better suited for settlement. Site X pottery indicated a short-term stay, while Site Y
yielded pieces of a Martincamp flask and a Spanish olive jar, among others, that reveal a longer habitation, Evans said. They matched items found at Fort Raleigh Historic Site on Roanoke Island where the Lost Colony first landed, he said. They are also similar to items found in Jamestown. Archaeologists also have uncovered artifacts that indicate the location of a native village near both dig sites. They believe it is Mettaquem, a native town identified on early English maps. Site X and the native village site lie within a state park of about 1,000 acres set on Salmon Creek, a tributary of the Chowan River. Site Y sits within 137 acres of county property. Jeff Hampton, 252-491-5272, jeff.hampton @pilotonline.com
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Tours
Featuring live performances on Whalehead’s original Steinway piano as well as refreshments, these immensely popular holiday tours are limited and available by advanced reservation only. Tours begin at 5:30 pm, $20 entry (non-refundable).
Nov. 27-28 • Dec. 4-5, 11-12, 18-19 Reserve Your Tour Today: 252.453.9040 • VisitCurrituck.com/Events
THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT Friday, November 6, 2020
Whalehead’s
38 Friday, November 6, 2020 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Welcome to the Coast’s coloring page! No matter your age, coloring is a great way to relax and unwind. Use whatever color palette you like to make this beach scene your very own.
39 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT Friday, November 6, 2020
Follow the Legends to Where the Roads End.
Find Yourself Here With the holidays upon us, many families are looking to get outdoors and reconnect with nature. It is nice to know that Historic Corolla Park, The Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education, miles of remote beaches and the legendary wild horses of Corolla await you here, only a short drive away, in Corolla on the Currituck Outer Banks.
Call 877.287.7488 for more information, driving directions or your free visitor’s guide
Corolla • Carova • The Mainland
Visit us online at CorollaNC.com
40 Friday, November 6, 2020 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Discover What’s NEW at the Cotton Gin
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789 Sunset Blvd., Corolla, NC • 252-453-4446
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1185 Duck Rd., Duck, NC • 252-261-2387
Nags Head
5151 S. Croatan Hwy., Nags Head, NC • 252-449-2387