May 7th, 2021

May 7, 2021

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Friday, May 7, 2021 | The Virginian-Pilot | Coast

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Female Lorna surfaces with her calf during the summer of 2020. Lorna is distinguished by the wide scoop at the top of her dorsal fin. COURTESY PHOTO

NATURE WISE

How center tracks OBX dolphins Photographing, cataloging their unique dorsal fin markings is key to ongoing research

By Jessica Taylor

Correspondent

With the return of spring, the Outer Banks Center for Dolphin Research is switching gears from lab work to field work. The lab work that takes place during the winter while the dolphins are gone may not be as exciting as spending the day out on the water, but is integral to our research and to the conservation of the dolphins.

The center is a nonprofit organization.

All of our field research is based upon the mark-recapture technique using photo identification. Individual bottlenose dolphins have distinctive markings on their dorsal fins that serve as a natural ID tag. By photographing and cataloging the dorsal fins we see, we’re able to track individuals over time and gain valuable insight into the local dolphin community. Several dolphins, including Onion, Fatlip and Skylar, have been tracked in Roanoke Sound for more than 10 years using photo identification.

However, an efficient and effective cataloging system is key to collecting long-term data on the dolphins.

After incorporating in 2008 and receiving a federal permit to study the dolphins shortly thereafter, the next step for the center was to acquire a catalog system. At the time, there were several photo-identification programs available. The original computer-assisted versions were based off human fingerprinting software. All of these programs were designed to speed up the process of matching dolphins to a catalog; however, many of them lacked the ability to account for other information about the animals. Our search for the optimal photo ID program concluded with a program called FinBase. FinBase was developed by a scientist, Jeff Adams, at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. It was the only program that let us match dorsal fins to our catalog and include information about the dolphins, too. It has been a magical tool for building our photo-identification catalog.

Photo identification requires patience and attention to detail. Many people would enjoy a sunny day out on the water with dolphins, however, it is a special person that can sit at a computer for hours screening fins, grading their photo quality and matching them to a catalog containing approximately 1,200 dolphins. And FinBase brings up just four photos at a time to compare. A few years ago, volunteer Barb Clark stepped up to the challenge and has been integral to processing photo IDs. FinBase also requires someone to verify all matches. She has spent countless hours organizing, or sorting, dorsal fin photos, rating the focus and quality of each photo, and matching hundreds of fins to our catalog. Summer interns that come to the Outer Banks also learn to use FinBase, processing data that will be used to answer future research questions and adding knowledge of this matching tool to their research repertoire.

It’s true that the life of marine biology is not always as glamorous as it seems, but

photo processing is a key step to transform images and datasheets into meaningful information. As we look forward to our upcoming field season, warmer weather, and long days out on the water with the dolphins, it is exciting to think about who we will see return “home” for the summer and what new dolphin visitors we will be cataloging next winter.

Biologist Jessica Taylor is Executive Director of the Outer Banks Center for Dolphin Research. She has a Bachelors of Science in marine sciences from Rutgers University and a Master’s in coastal 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 the conservation of bottlenose dolphins in the Outer banks. For more info, visit obxdolphins.org.

3 Coast | The Virginian-Pilot | Friday, May 7, 2021

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Locally Sourced Seafood Steamer Dinners Salads, Sides, and Dips Steamed Shrimp & Crabs (252) 441-8808 | 101 Grey Eagle St. | Nags Head whaleboneseafood.com

The meaning behind those purple seahorse decals How the Dementia Coalition is working to make the Outer Banks friendly to those with dementia and the people who care for them. PAGE 6

Red Drum Pottery owners open yoga studio in Manteo OUTER BANKS VACATION RENTALS & REAL ESTATE SALES

Husband and wife see the studio as a living organism and are planning new classes such as pilates and dance, and workshops on topics such as nutrition. PAGE 8

Celebrating the marvels of the purple martin

Beach life is the

The Outer Banks hosts, in season, many varieties of birds. But the king of the acrobatic air is the purple martin. No bird has more fun flying than these guys. PAGE 14

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.

Whether you are listing a home for sale, looking for an investment property or seeking the perfect Outer Banks beach house to call home, we offer unprecedented service in making your experience the best it can be.

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.

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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.

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Members Dianne Denny, from left, Laura Alvarico, Anne Kelleher, Jan Collins, Lynne Raisor, Katie McCarron and Kaye White participate in the Dare to Discover event. COURTESY OF DIANNE DENNY

Small sticker, big mission Dementia Coalition working to make the Outer Banks friendly to those with dementia and their caregivers

By Hannah Lee Leidy Correspondent

Perhaps you’ve seen the small purple seahorse dotting the doors and windows of restaurants and businesses around the Outer Banks. The subtle decal identifies dementia-friendly businesses where staff members are trained to identify individuals with dementia and foster compassionate and supportive environment for them and their caregivers.

Don’t be deceived by the small sticker. It represents an ambitious push to make the area the first demen-

tia-friendly community in North Carolina, spearheaded by the Outer Banks Dementia Friendly Coalition.

The movement began in 2014 by the Outer Banks Dementia Task Force, now the Outer Banks Dementia Coalition, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. A community assessment conducted by the hospital and health department that determined the area suffered from a dearth of services and support for people living with dementia and their caretakers.

“On the beach we don’t have the same services

as they have in bigger cities,” says the coalition’s chairman and co-founder Dianne Denney. “Oftentimes, the caregiver is forgotten, and they need assistance.”

“We formed to be helping hands for caregivers,” Jan Collins agrees, member and other co-founder of the coalition.

The coalition’s group of volunteers, hospital personnel and representatives from community sectors (including the police, social services and business owners) collaborates to create and implement strategies that make

the Outer Banks a safe, accepting and supportive community for people living with dementia and their caregivers. They conduct staff trainings at local businesses; offer educational programs, support groups and one-on-one counseling for caregivers; advocated for a dementia specialist on the beach, and started the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s.

“Our biggest goal is to educate the public at large that caregivers can get support,” Collins says.

Denny and Collins know about the value of support-

ing caregivers from firsthand experience: Collins comes from a nursing background, and she spent 10 years caring for her mother, who had Alzheimer’s.

Denney worked in senior living for 30 years, witnessing dementia’s effect on residents and their loved ones. In 1995, her own father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

“It’s funny how you get put in a certain place so that you can help those that need help,” she says.

The coalition’s first goal targeted the Outer Banks Hospital. They trained practioners, nurses, admin-

istrators, first responders and anyone who comes into contact with patients.

They show them how to interact with patients with dementia in a way that made them feel safe, cooperative and comfortable.

Patients’ rooms have that signature purple seahorse posted outside the door as an indicator to staff.

The coalition’s work resulted in the Outer Banks Hospital becoming North Carolina’s first dementia-friendly hospital.

“The dementia-friendly designation is one that the Turn to Dementia, Page 7

7 Coast | The Virginian-Pilot | Friday, May 7, 2021

Dementia from Page 6

hospital is pioneering and sharing with other health systems across the country,” Denny says.

This laid the groundwork for the coalition’s efforts to turn the Outer Banks into a dementia-friendly community at the larger level.

“You must look at shops, restaurants, markets and streets through the eyes of a person with dementia. Then do everything possible to make it a place where those with dementia can continue to live as independently as possible,” Collins says.

Their next step, and perhaps most publicly visible, targeted local restaurants. Restaurants earning their dementia-friendly designation have Collins and Denny conduct training with staff. They hand out booklets, give a presentation, and educate through different role play scenarios.

“For example, if you bring out someone’s food, and a person with dementia says ‘Well, I didn’t order that,’ simply lower your voice and say, ‘I’m so sorry, I’ll be right back.’ Take the food back to the kitchen and come back to the table.

Ask the patient again what they’d like for lunch, the chicken or the ham? When they say, ‘The ham,” go get their plate and bring it back to them. They’ll more likely remember ordering it,” says Collins. “This and other examples show ways of diffusing a situation while keeping everyone’s dignity intact.”

Employees then take a short quiz, and everyone receives a certificate showing they completed the training. The coalition’s dementia-friendly trainings are free to all restaurants interested in participating.

Collins hopes that collaboration with the Outer Banks Restaurant Association and individual business owners will eventually lead to 50% of the community’s restaurants sporting the purple seahorse sticker.

“The key is publicity and getting the public aware that there is a demen-

& Jan Collins presents the Dementia Friendly designation seahorse sticker to Dawn Kiousis at Stack’em High Pancakes.

COURTESY DIANNE DENNY

Find the Purple Seahorse here: Restaurants Barefoot Bernie’s Tropical Grill & Bar Basnight’s Lone Cedar Café Black Pelican Oceanfront Restaurant Blue Moon Beach Grill Blue Water Grill & Raw Bar Duck Woods Country Club Henry’s Restaurant It’s All Gravy Italian Eatery Jolly Roger Restaurant The Kill Devil Grill Mako’s Beach Grille & Bar Mulligan’s Grille in Historic Cottage Row Pamlico Jack’s Restaurant Sanderling Resort Sandtrap Tavern Stack’Em High Pancake House Steamers Sugar Creek Waterfront Restaurant Businesses Dare County Department of Social Services Dare County Transportation Outer Banks Hospital Seascapes Vacation Rentals Southern Bank — Kill Devil Hills Sunshine Family Pharmacy

tia-friendly coalition. We need the public to know who we are and how we’re available to them,” Collins says, emphatically.

She and Denny envision an Outer Banks where the purple seahorse appears at the entrances of not only small businesses, but also chain restaurants, grocery stores and pharmacies.

“The biggest thing would be reaching the grocery stores and the corporations,” Collins says. “Imagine what we could bring to attention not just on the Outer Banks but nationally if we got the Harris Teeters and the Food Lion all

dementia-friendly certified at the corporate level!”

For the time being, though, they hope caregivers and families will seek out the coalition’s resources. Their support groups performed strongly, though have since paused due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“At one meeting a caregiver said, ‘It helps me so much to just sit here and listen and hear that it’s not just me who has these challenges,’ ” Collins says. “We want to people to talk about it and know that there’s no stigma associated with Alzheimer’s and dementia.”

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Friday, May 7, 2021 | The Virginian-Pilot | Coast

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INNER BANKS

Community Yoga owners open Manteo studio

By Maggie Miles

Correspondent

Some people might be nervous to open a business during a pandemic, but not Wes Lassiter and Rhonda Bates, owners of Community Yoga, located in the Waterfront Shops in downtown Manteo.

“It was actually one of the reasons we did it, because we knew things were going to get better and had faith things were going to get better,” says Lassiter.

Since he was new to running a yoga studio, he says he didn’t mind if things were a bit slow while he learned the business. It’s that entrepreneurial spirit that has allowed the couple to have many successful projects and businesses during their more than 20 years together.

Sharing a mutual love of fine art, Lassiter and Bates also own Red Drum Pottery together, where they sell their pottery, jewelry, and paintings, and serve organic coffees and healthy toasts and spreads. They also run three Airbnbs in Frisco and one in Manteo, and form the band Banjo Island. It’s an incredible number of passions and projects for one couple.

“Well, we certainly don’t want to just sit in a chair and watch the world go by,” says Lassiter, saying they aren’t stressed at all.

Lassiter and Bates, both in their 60s, say they are feeling pretty good and credit yoga. They fell in love with yoga a few years ago when Lassiter suffered a heart attack. He started going to a gym in Frisco that had yoga classes. Soon enough Bates joined in, and they started going on “yoga dates” together three or four times a week.

“We’ve really enjoyed what it’s done for us personally and what it’s given us personally — through stress, medical issues, we work really hard to live well, eat well, that sort of thing,” says Lassiter.

Owners of Community Yoga, husband and wife Wes Lassiter and Rhonda Bates, also own Red Drum Pottery and play in the band Banjo Island.

A yoga class takes place in the Community Yoga studio in the Waterfront Shops in downtown Manteo. PHOTOS COURTESY OF LASSITER AND BATES

“It’s a lifestyle for us.”

When Village Yoga closed their location in the couple’s downtown rental because of the pandemic, and after not finding a good fit to take its place, Lassiter and Bates decided to give it a go. Bates had just gotten her yoga teacher certifi-

cation and with Lassiter’s business experience and a group of teachers was ready to join the team.

Lassiter is enjoying learning the ropes and coming up with trainings and programs, but he says he really loves joining everyone on the mat.

If you check out a class at Community Yoga, there’s a good chance you will find him enjoying the class alongside you.

Bates adds that yoga is what has given them a sense of community, hence the name of their studio.

With their busy schedules,

they didn’t have a huge friend base. Yoga has given them that.

“Yoga brought us a social life, people to be around, so we’re making new friendships all of the time,” says Bates.

Sure enough, it turns out that their clients at Community Yoga have had that same experience at their studio. Bethany Cunningham and her fiancé Wes Snyder keep a busy schedule with their photography business, and their time at the yoga studio has given them a chance to get to know people better.

“We run into a lot of people at Community Yoga. … It’s been a great way to tie into the community and get to know our neighbors a little better,” says Cunningham, 43, of Manteo.

And it’s also helped them escape the stress of life. A couple of weeks ago, their

home was being reroofed and after a few days of the noise they were ready to get out of the house.

“We went to the restorative class on Thursday night and it completely relaxed our minds and bodies and really took us to that place of yoga where we could really relax and forget about the stress from home,” says Cunningham.

Lassiter and Bates see the studio as a living organism and planning new classes such as pilates and dance, and workshops on topics such as nutrition.

But what Lassiter, Bates, and Cunningham all say sets the studio apart, is the breathtaking view.

“We are really enjoying that its right down on the waterfront, with the view of the Elizabethan II, the horizon and a little bit of Nags Head,” says Cunningham. “It is amazing.”

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ON THE TOWN MAY 12, 19, 26

The Billy Clams The duo – Kip Germscheid on clarinet and vocals and Harry Harrison on acoustic guitar, six-string banjo and vocals – makes you want to party like it’s 1899 to 1949.

And they really don’t sound like anybody else on the Outer Banks. The Clams play every Wednesday, starting May 12, at Sweet T’s Coffee Beer and Wine in Duck.

Their 60-song repertoire includes respectful remakes by, among others, Eddie Cantor, The Ink Spots and Jelly Roll Morton. If the names aren’t ringing a bell, perhaps a few of the numbers on the duo’s hit parade will: “Makin’ Whoopie,” “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter” and “Hello My Ragtime Gal.” “We pick songs that lend themselves to two-part harmonies,” says Germscheid of one of the hallmarks of the genre.

The Clams’ originals, which include “You Float My Boat” and “Slow Parade,” mirror the sound of the classics.

For performances, the two musicians, dressed in era-appropriate cloth-

Tim Haas plays Adam and Beth Egbert plays Eve in Theatre of Dare’s“The Diaries of Adam and Eve.” COURTESY OF KEVIN T. PIGOTT

MAY 23

‘Stand By Me’ The Billy Clams play every Wednesday, starting May 12, at Sweet T’s Coffee Beer and Wine. COURTESY PHOTO

ing, share a single vintage microphone, which only adds to the authenticity.

The style revolves around simple jazz meets E&B meets ragtime melodies and mostly sentimental lyrics about love and life.

Friends and musical collaborators (they’re also members of The Yacht Dogs and The Hound Dogs Family Band) since 2013, Germscheid, 55, and Harrison, 30, discovered early on they shared a deep appreciation for the music

of a bygone era. “It just worked,” says Germscheid, who plays saxophone in his other bands. “And it’s been a blast.” He adds: “It’s not just music, it’s a show.

We probably tell 150 jokes a night.”

When: Wednesdays, start-

ing May 12, from 6 to 9 p.m.

Where: Sweet T’s Coffee Beer and Wine, 1211 Duck Rd., Duck Cost: No cover Info: The Billy Clams on Facebook

Sure, Stephen King (“Carrie,” “Cujo,” “The Shining””) can scare the pants right off you. But the author is no one trick pony; he’s also a brilliant storyteller, and under perceptive directors, that transfers well to the big screen.

Case in point: the charming, reflective 1986 film “Stand By Me.” It was based on King’s short story “The Body,” one of four in the 1982 collection “Different Seasons,” which also included “The Shawshank Redemption.”

To celebrate the 35th anniversary of the film’s release, Fathom Events is

bringing it back one-dayonly to theaters, including KDH Movies 10 in Kill Devil Hills.

If you missed it the first time around, “Stand By Me” is a coming-of-age story about four 12-yearold boys who go on a search for the body of another kid.

Though the subject matter is somewhat grim, the little film touches the head and the heart. Wil Wheaton, Jerry O’Connell, River Phoenix and Corey Feldman play the main characters.

The movie also features a glorious soundtrack, with tunes by, among others, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis and, of course, Ben E. King, who croons the title ballad, “Stand By Me.” When: 3 p.m. May 23 Where: KDH Moves 10,

1803 N. Croatan Highway, Kill Devil Hills Cost: $12.50 Info: fathomevents.com MAY 8-9, 15-16

Theatre of Dare: ‘The Diaries of Adam and Eve’ Sound the trumpets.

For the first time in more than a year, Theatre of Dare will be performing on a

stage with an audience.

The community theatre will offer “The Diaries of Adam and Eve” on the lawn (weather permitting) at The Elizabethan Gardens in Manteo. Based on the writings of Mark Twain and adapted for the stage by actor David Birney, the two-act play imagines the relationship between Adam and Eve, essentially the first-ever love story.

“It’s just two people trying to navigate a lot of unknowns,” says Tyler Hudson, 27, who’s directing his first play for the local troupe.

Tim Haas plays Adam and Beth Egbert plays Eve in the production. “It’s sweet, humorous and sentimental,” says Haas of the play.

And the masterful Twain is uncannily insightful about affairs of the heart.

As Eve states: “This love is not a product of reasoning and statistics/This love just comes and cannot explain itself/And doesn’t need to.”

Take that, Dr. Phil.

When: 2 p.m. May 8-9, 15-16 Where: The Elizabethan

Gardens, 1411 National Park Drive, (Fort Raleigh National Historic Site), Manteo Cost: $10 Info: theatreofdareobx.com

MUSIC CALENDAR MANTEO Mimi’s Tiki Hut: May 7, 14, 21 – Q & Kerry; May 8, 15, 22 – Randy Burton and Friends; May 9, 16, 23 – TBA; May 13, 20, 27 – Gypsea Souls NAGS HEAD Fish Heads (OBX Fishing Pier): May 19, 26 – Jeremy and the Generations KILL DEVIL HILLS Jack Brown’s: May 7 – DJ Mattie D; May 8 – The Ramble; May 14 – Graham Outten; May 15 – Trickfly; May 21 – Jonny Waters

Jolly Roger: Karaoke w/ Hambone nightly

Shipwrecks Taphouse: May 13, 20, 27 – Phil Watson

Outer Banks Brewing Station: May 21 – Graham Outten; May 22 – Doc Perkins; May 23 – Monte Hooker; May 24 – The Wilder Bros.; May 25 – Phil Watson; May 26 – Stephen Brown Band; May 27 – Natalie Wolfe

DUCK Aqua: May 7, 14, 21 – Monte Hooker; May 8, 15, 22 – Phil Delpierre; May 9, 16, 23 – Kamea Blake; May 12, 19, 26 – Graham Outten; May 13, 20, 27 – Bobby Soto

Secret Island: May 10, 17, 24 – Frozen Head and the Squirrels live band karaoke

Cravings Tap Shack: May 21 – Ruth Wyand and the Tribe of One

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Roadside Bar and Grill: May 10, 17, 24 – Marc Murray; May 18, 25 – Tommy V and the Boys; May 19, 26 – Cole and Marianne; May 20, 27 – For-

Longboards: May 7, 21 – TBA; May 8, 15, 22 – Karaoke; May 14 – Jonny Waters

mula; May 21 – Yacht Dogs Village Table and Tavern: May 8, 22 – Phil Watson COROLLA Sundogs: May 7, 12, 14, 19, 21, 26 – Karaoke AVON Froggy Dog: May 7, 12, 14, 19, 21, 26 – Kim Kalman Turner’s High Moon: May 15 – Brian Surratt BUXTON Café Pamlico: May 11, 18, 25

– Brian Surratt; May 12, 19, 26 – Rory Kelleher; May 13 – Lisa Cooper; May 20, 27 – Mary Joy McDaniel Swell Motel: May 8 – Brian Surratt HATTERAS Breakwater: May 12, 19, 26 – Brian Surratt Hatteras Sol Deli and Café: May 7, 14, 21 – Brian Surratt OCRACOKE Coyote Music Den: May 11, 18, 25 – Marcy Brenner and Lou Castro livestream on

Facebook; May 12, 19, 26 – Martin Garrish and Friends livestream on Facebook Dajio: May 7, 27 – Ray McAllister Band; May 8, 15, 22 – Kate McNally; May 12, 19 – Barefoot Wade; May 13, 20 – Raygun Ruby MAINLAND BJ’s Carolina Café (Jarvisburg): May 19 – Steve Hauser

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Coast | The Virginian-Pilot | Friday, May 7, 2021

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12 Friday, May 7, 2021 | The Virginian-Pilot | Coast

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Friday, May 7, 2021 | The Virginian-Pilot | Coast

14

PURPLE MARTINS The Outer Banks’ Blue Angels

Purple martins perch on a birdhouse on the William B. Umstead Memorial Bridge in Manteo, North Carolina, in 2018. Thousands of the birds will start roosting under the bridge as they prepare to start their migration to Brazil. ALEX DRIEHAUS/STAFF FILE

By James D. Charlet

Correspondent

One of the most fun, entertaining, enlightening things to do on the Outer Banks, especially Hatteras Island, that will keep a smile on your face, has nothing to do with the beach or the ocean. It is sitting on the deck around sunset watching purple martins.

They start arriving in January and February.

You will see them darting about almost any time of the day during the summer, mid-July through August, but my favorite time is at the end of the day, an hour or so before sunset. This is the time I call “the shank of the day.” That is when the air suddenly becomes sweeter and a little cooler.

The bonus here on the

Outer Banks are the worldclass sunsets almost every evening. The clouds light up in a kaleidoscope of ever-changing colors.

Now add to this wonderfully pleasant setting the antics of purple martins.

No bird has more fun flying than these guys. Martins love to fly all day long, and since they are highly social, they fly in groups, but not like flocks. If they did fly in formation, they would be the Blue Angels of the bird world.

Another bonus is that other members of the swallow family are out soaring at the same time.

The Outer Banks hosts, in season, tree swallows, bank swallows, barn swallows, rough-winged swallows and chimney swifts. But the king of the acrobatic air is the purple martin.

Watching them fly is mesmerizing. They are master gliders; Wilbur and Orville would be proud of them. They fly so fast at times that they are hard to follow. They will dive from great heights then pull up dramatically into the wind and almost hover. They skim over treetops and cut around obstacles with precision accuracy, much like the F-18s. They swoop down in subdivisions to follow the clear runways over the streets. They buzz and dart and just keep flying.

As a casual observer, it seems to me that most backyard songbirds have short, purposeful flights unlike the charming house finches which change their mind and direction every five seconds! On the other hand, flocking birds fly for

greater distances and they all fly together in close proximity and in the same direction. Neither so for the free-for-all purple martins.

Their flights seem to be entirely recreational, except for the fact that they do feed on the wing by snatching flying insects.

So, they even have fun playing with their food.

They fly for long periods, covering a large area of sky, but seem to stay within a certain perimeter, tacking back and forth. Each bird has its own roller coaster flight plan. Occasionally, those paths coincide, and they will briefly fly together before darting off in their own way.

All the while, adding sound to sight, they have a constant series of short chirps and clicks. You will probably hear those soft

Where else to see them For years, thousands of purple martins have roosted on the west end of the William B. Umstead Bridge, locally referred to as the Old Mann’s Harbor Bridge.

So many, in fact, that in 2007 the NC Department of Transportation instituted flashing lights and a 20-mph speed limit around sunrise and sunset during those times. Previously, there had been numerous bird-car fatalities. The Coastal Carolina Purple Martin Society (https://www.purplemartinroost.com/) was a primary advocate for the NCDOT action and they report a dramatic decrease in Purple Martin losses since then.

The Society also built the“BeBops Memorial Pier”on the west banks specifically as a safe place to view the amazing sight of 100,000 Martins all flying at once. The head boat Crystal Dawn from Pirates Cove in Manteo provides sunset cruises to the bridge. See their website, https://crystaldawnheadboat.com/ for details.

pleasant sounds before you see them. I sense that they like to see you admiring them and will pass by close to give you a good look.

Then, the curtain call.

Just like that, at sunset, they disappear from the sky, returning to their roost for the night. They sleep, rest and re-energize for tomorrow’s air show.

15 Coast | The Virginian-Pilot | Friday, May 7, 2021

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Friday, May 7, 2021 | The Virginian-Pilot | Coast

16

THE PATH

TO PRESERVING

JOCKEY’S

RIDGE

BEGAN WITH A

WOMAN IN FRONT A

BULLDOZER

By BEN SWENSON Photography provided by NC PARKS AND RECREATION

17 Coast | The Virginian-Pilot | Friday, May 7, 2021

T Above:Boardwalk leading to the great dune at Jockey’s Ridge State Park, Carol M., 1946. (Courtesy of The Library of Congress)

here are some people who take a stand in life.

There are others who take distributor caps.

Carolista Fletcher Baum took both.

Baum is one of the primary reasons that today’s visitors to Jockey’s Ridge State Park can scale the East Coast’s largest living sand dune. Last year, the state park welcomed a record-setting 1.9 million visitors. Baum could not have imagined such popularity on the day back in 1973 when her kids scrambled down the sand to tell her a bulldozer was starting in on her beloved Jockey’s Ridge.

For centuries, Jockey’s Ridge has been a curiosity, a quirky natural feature that was part of the landscape. Geologists believe that it formed some 3,000 to 4,000 years ago. The dune slowly amassed to more than 100 feet, making it one of the Outer Banks’ highest points. Seafarers once used Jockey’s Ridge as a landmark, and the constantly moving mound of sand has covered a mini-golf course, a hotel, and houses over time.

But something had changed by the 1970s that put Jockey’s Ridge, residential development, and Carolista Fletcher Baum on a collision course.

The Outer Banks was no longer the remote and difficult-

to-access destination that had largely kept residents and vacationers at bay. Development in the town of Nags Head began to creep closer to Jockey’s Ridge, alarming the locals who understood what a natural treasure they had on hand.

Baum refused to see part of Jockey’s Ridge destroyed when there was ample room to grow elsewhere. And that’s why she placed herself in the path of the bulldozer that fateful summer day.

“We were playing on the dunes that day, just like we did every day,” says Carolista’s daughter Ann-Cabell Baum, now a Raleigh Realtor. Carolista also had one other daughter and a son. “And, lo and behold, one day there was a dozer. We reported back, and our mom marched over there and stood right in front.”

The heavy equipment operator abandoned the day’s work.

That evening, Baum took the distributor caps from all the earthmoving equipment, rendering them inoperable. This led to many subsequent successes that ultimately climaxed in a resounding series of victories.

The bulldozer incident ignited a fire in Baum, according to Joy Greenwood, superintendent of Jockey’s Ridge State Park, and similarly affected other conservation-minded locals, too.

Friday, May 7, 2021 | The Virginian-Pilot | Coast

18

“One day there was a dozer. We reported back, and our mom marched over there and stood right in front.”

– Ann-Cabell Baum

Above: Jockey’s Ridge State Park, Highsmith, Carol M., 1946. (Courtesy of The Library of Congress)

“There was a lot of interest in preservation in this community in the 1970s,” Greenwood says.

Others who recognized the worth in setting aside Jockey’s Ridge for future generations included then-mayor of Nags Head, Carl Nunemaker, former North Carolina Governor Luther Hodges, and respected author and historian David Stick. Their goal eventually became protecting Jockey’s Ridge through government backing.

Among them all, Baum “was the squeaky wheel who could get the grease,” Greenwood says. Headstrong and persuasive, Baum launched into all the laborious but necessary requirements for policymakers to take notice. Namely, preserving Jockey’s Ridge needed money and attention. She organized a group called People to Preserve Jockey’s Ridge and served as the president.

Within two weeks of launching the campaign, backers had collected some 25,000 signatures in support of saving Jockey’s Ridge, largely thanks to Baum’s grit. The population of the northern Outer Banks was only around 6,000 at the time. “She drove all over eastern North Carolina collecting signatures,” Greenwood says. “This was long before the internet, where you could click a button.”

The group also needed funds to purchase the threatened acreage and protect it from destruction. For the fundraising effort, Baum devised a plan that gave donors and other stakeholders a sense of ownership of the massive dunes.

“BUY A PIECE OF THE RIDGE,” encouraged a hand-painted sign that stood outside a hot-pink hut that was the pulsing heart of the drive. “For a $5.00 donation, you can be an honorary owner of a square foot of Jockey’s Ridge and receive a commemorative certificate and gift.”

People gladly bought their own little honorary piece of the landmark, and with it, bumper stickers and T-shirts that pleaded with observers to save the sand dune.

Baum made phone calls and penned letters. When the General Assembly of North Carolina met, she drove from Nags Head to Raleigh every day for three weeks. Ultimately, People to Preserve Jockey’s Ridge delivered 50,000 signatures and a respectable amount of money that helped offset the purchase of the land.

In 1975, state legislators agreed to purchase 152 acres to create Jockey’s Ridge State Park. It has since tripled in size to 426 acres. Today, it’s the Tarheel State’s most visited state park.

Although Baum died in 1991, park officials pay homage to her remarkable achievements at the Visitor Center, at the northeastern foot of Jockey’s Ridge. A framed, painted portrait of her hangs inside. The original sign encouraging people to pitch in and buy a piece of Jockey’s Ridge is on display.

Even the road leading to the Visitor Center is named Carolista Drive.

The Visitor Center will close for renovation from late May through Spring 2022, which will incorporate a few more Baum mementos when it reopens. And that’s appropriate, because like the wind and waves that created Jockey’s Ridge millennia ago, Baum had an outsized influence on this tiny piece of the world.

“Our mom was a real bulldog when there was something that needed attention,” says Baum. “Her preservation of Jockey’s Ridge was a hard-fought victory, and she was proud to be a part and have the gumption to get it done.”

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20

CURRITUCK COUNTY Small Business Spotlight

Growing a Greener Gift Shop in Grandy

Nuts & Buds offers sweet relief with local-made treats and NC-grown CBD per appealing to me, and at the same time has the flow through traffic of potential customers for us to reach.

What are the biggest challenges?

One of the biggest is finding employees. I’m very fortunate that I have some great employees, but finding them has been a challenge.

What are the biggest rewards?

When someone uses our products and gets relief from pain, stress or other conditions. When our customers tell us that our CBD and hemp products work and that they like our customer service and they appreciate the information that we share with them.

Ryan Howell (right) is the owner of Nuts & Buds in Grandy, NC Can you describe your business?

Nuts & Buds is a unique store that offers top quality, local CBD and hemp products as well as locally produced peanut products. We also carry several types of gift items and gourmet foods.

Talk about why you made the decision to start your own business.

I have been growing hemp since the pilot program began and knew that I wanted to learn to process hemp into a consumer-ready product.

Working with chemists in the hemp industry, we were able to formulate our own brand (DRx CBD Oil) of oils, lotions, salves and other products.

There are a lot of CBD and hemp products on the market, but I wanted to offer customers a top quality product from a local, trusted source.

“I enjoy the growing side of the business... but being able to take that plant and make a product that has the potential to help people... brings me great satisfaction.”

Why do you do what you do?

I enjoy the growing side of the business. Watching a plant grow from a seedling to a full grown, fruitful plant is amazing. But being able to take that plant and make a product that has the potential to help people with their daily stresses, aches and pains —without potential negative side effects— brings me great satisfaction.

Why did you choose Currituck?

Currituck County offers a great location, between Virginia and the Outer Banks - with the potential to capture not only locals, but also the influx of seasonal travelers. Currituck County is still a semi-rural area, which is su-

What sets you apart from other similar businesses?

Top quality customer service. We hear this daily. Our customers tell us that we give them not only a family friendly store to shop in, but also helpful information and knowledge about our products. Our employees are well-trained and our customers appreciate that.

Any advice for someone starting a business in Currituck County?

Talk with the county officials and get on the “right page” from the start.

From the county economic developer, the planning board and inspections department, to the county Chamber of Commerce... they all have valuable information that will help you start your business and grow it.

Nuts & Buds 6511 Caratoke Hwy, Grandy, NC www.nutsandbuds.com

Larry Lombardi, Director (252) 232-6015 M: (301) 237-8951 Larry@ThinkCurrituck.com www.ThinkCurrituck.com

21 Coast | The Virginian-Pilot | Friday, May 7, 2021

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Friday, May 7, 2021 | The Virginian-Pilot | Coast

22

Jennette’s Pier has been a Nags Head attraction since 1939. COURTESY OF JONATHAN CLARK

Ready for a fresh start Jennette’s Pier team in Nags Head welcomes new facility rental coordinator

By Daryl Law Correspondent

Jenny Ash has hit the ground running in her first spring season as the new facility rental coordinator at Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head.

As a triathlete and former marathon race director, she thrives on fast-paced workouts and high-energy work environments.

Currently, Ash is methodically rebuilding a program deeply impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

But as the pandemic rules continue to loosen up, the rental department will slowly get back to operating normally for all the couples who want to celebrate their weddings days in the glorious Oceanview Hall.

“It’s been a great first week and a half, I’m speaking with a lot of excited couples and a helpful staff,” she said. “Spring and fall dates for our venue are filling back up as well as dates in 2022.”

Ash is thankful to have a fresh start on

the 2021 season and to get to network with wedding vendors.

Ash resides in Duck with her family. She’s often swimming laps, running long distances and riding her bike.

“I’m looking forward to getting outdoors for road bike season,” Ash said.

In other news, on May 21, Jennette’s Pier reaches its 10-year anniversary since reopening in 2011 as part of the North Carolina Aquariums division.

Known as “the place to be” in Nags Head during the summer season, anglers catch a wide variety of fish, while sightseers can watch brown pelicans overhead or bottlenose dolphins swimming in the sea.

Surrounded by beautiful, clean beaches, the pier’s public beach access draws hundreds of thousands of visitors from near and far.

Jennette’s Pier has emerged as a “must-see” place for schools to visit on the coast. In the past decade, it has averaged around 8,000 to 10,000 North Carolina students a year.

Pier staff also keep busy with two important conservation organizations: the Marine Mammal Stranding Network and the Responsible Pier Initiative, which promises to help protect sea turtles.

Jenny Ash is the new facility rental coordinator at Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head. COURTESY OF DARYL LAW

23

to Where the Road Ends.

Find Yourself Here With spring upon us, many great families are simply planning to head north and find their way here. It is nice to know that the legendary Corolla Wild Horses and iconic historical sites like Whalehead, the Currituck Maritime Museum (opening in June) and the Currituck Beach Lighthouse await you in Corolla, NC.

Corolla • Carova • The Mainland

Find your Corolla Wild Horse tour guide and more information on Corolla attractions at VisitCurrituck.com

Coast | The Virginian-Pilot | Friday, May 7, 2021

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Friday, May 7, 2021 | The Virginian-Pilot | Coast

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