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A day in the life of an Outer Banks musician
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Coast | The Virginian-Pilot | Friday, August 13, 2021
AUGUST 13, 2021
Friday, August 13, 2021 | The Virginian-Pilot | Coast
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3 Coast | The Virginian-Pilot | Friday, August 13, 2021
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Friday, August 13, 2021 | The Virginian-Pilot | Coast
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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
Dolphins hunt soniferous fish, meaning they track them by sound. JESSICA TAYLOR
Michael Franti and Spearhead to raise spirits in Manteo Big names will headline an upcoming concert at Roanoke Island Festival Park. PAGE 6
Brewing beers and community New brewery brings people together and gives a nod to the old Outer Banks. PAGE 14
We could all use a little
beach time.
OUTER BANKS VACATION RENTALS & REAL ESTATE SALES
Whether you are looking for the perfect place to vacation or seeking to invest in your own Outer Banks beach house, we offer unprecedented service in making your experience the best it can be. Kick off your shoes and stay a while!
What’s for dinner? What do dolphins have in common with people on the Outer Banks? Their taste for a seafood dinner. PAGE 18
ABOUT COAST COAST covers the people, places and characteristics that make the Outer Banks a beach destination for families, surfers and anglers from around the world. For more than 30 years, this publication has featured individuals making a difference in the community, highlighted the latest happenings and shared events that shouldn’t be missed – from live music to theatrics, food festivities, art shows, fishing, surfing, and more. All local. All the time. This is COAST.
joelambjr.com • joelambrealty.com • 800-552-6257
EDITOR Kari Pugh karipugh@icloud.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dave Fairbank, John Harper, Daryl Law, Hannah Lee Leidy, Maggie Miles, Scott Sechman, Jessica Taylor 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 Catoe, 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. WANT TO KNOW MORE? For more information, visit coastobx.com; facebook.com/CoastOBX
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OUTER BANKS ORIGINAL CHRISTMAS SHOP...SINCE 1967
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Visit Our General Store Candy, Fudge, Coffee & Delights Galore • Remember your visit to the Outer Banks with a personalized ornament • Browse among our Thousands of Ornaments Table Top - Home Decor • Jewelry - Engraved Gifts Halloween Haunted House On the way to the NC Aquarium, Festival Park & Lost Colony. Hwy 64 in Manteo on Roanoke Island
252.473.2838 • OuterBanksChristmas.com OPEN DAILY AT 9:30 A.M.
Coast | The Virginian-Pilot | Friday, August 13, 2021
Seasonal Nightly Entertainment!
Friday, August 13, 2021 | The Virginian-Pilot | Coast
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TOP 10 EVENTS AUG. 13-19 Literary: A Reading and Conversation with Angel Khoury | Aug. 13 Local author discusses new book“Between Tides;” Dare County Arts Council, 300 Queen Elizabeth Ave., Manteo, 6-7:30 p.m. Tickets $24.95 www.facebook.com/manteoreads/ Music: Phil Delpierre | Aug. 14 Aqua Restaurant & Spa, 1174 Duck Road, Duck, 5:30-8:30 p.m. www.aquarestaurantobx. com Shopping: Manteo Downtown Market | Aug. 14
Fresh produce, baked goods, local vendors; George Washington Creef Park, 207 Queen Elizabeth Ave., Manteo, 8 a.m.-Noon www.outerbanksthisweek. com/events Nightlife: The Weekly Spin w/ DJ Ohkay | Aug. 16 Dance party with prizes; Secret Island Tavern, 504 S. Virginia Dare Trail, Kill Devil Hills, 9 p.m.-1 a.m. www.facebook.com/SecretIslandOBX Shopping: First Flight Market | Aug. 17 Local vendors, foodstuffs, arts and crafts, jewelry, food trucks; Aviation Park, 103 Veterans Drive, Kill Devil Hills,
Angel Khoury presents her new novel“Between Tides”at Dare County Arts Council.
Folks gather in the backyard at Art’s Place for Open Mic Night. SCOTT SECHMAN
DOWNTOWN BOOKS
Uncle Ike’s Sandbar & Grill, 1159 Austin St. #111 AB, Corolla, 6-9 p.m.
10 a.m.-2 p.m.
www.uncleikesobx.com
www.kdhnc.com/908/FirstFlight-Market
Music: Edgar Scrubbs and Co. | Aug. 18
Music: Scott Sechman | Aug. 17
Neptune’s Kitchen and Dive Bar, 24394 N.C. Highway 12,
Rodanthe, 6-9 p.m.
www.duckroadside.com
www.facebook.com/NeptunesKitchenNdivebar
Music: Jazz Night | Aug. 19
Music: Cole and Marianne | Aug. 18
Musicians TBA;, Art’s Place, 4624 Virginia Dare Trail, Kitty Hawk, 7-10 p.m.
Roadside Bar and Grill, 1193 Duck Road, Duck, 7-10 p.m.
www.facebook.com/artsplaceobx
ON THE TOWN
Michael Franti and Spearhead headline in Roanoke Island Festival Park By John Harper Correspondent
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 18
Michael Franti and Spearhead, with Of Good Nature
Michael Franti and Spearhead bring their positive, worldbeat/bossa-nova sound to Roanoke Island Festival Park. COURTESY PHOTO
One of the least classifiable musicians working today is Michael Franti. The Oakland, California-based singer-songwriter’s music is rooted in hip-hop and reggae, but he’s also keen on folk, rock, pop, jazz, funk, worldbeat and bossa nova. Franti and his band, Spearhead, perform Wednesday, Aug. 18, at Roanoke Island Festival Park’s outdoor venue in Manteo. And while his sound is a unique hybrid, the 54-yearold singer-songwriter’s message is singular: He fully believes love makes the world go ‘round, and uplifting jams can raise the roof and consciousness at the same time.
Consider the words of Franti’s 2003 song “Everyone Deserves Music.” He sings, “We got shame/we got pain/we got blame/ we all a little bit insane/so that’s why I sing this song/ you know because everyone deserves music/sweet music.” Franti and Spearhead have released a string of impossibly catchy tunes with positive lyrics since forming in 1994. Among them are “Once a Day,” “Say Hey (I Love You),” “I’m Alive,” “I’ll Be Waiting,” “The Sound of Sunshine” and “Life is Better with You.” His concerts are often described as “lovefests.” He’s joined by Of Good Nature, a Charlotte, N.C.based quartet that merges pop, rock and reggae. Time: 6:30 p.m., with gates opening at 5 p.m. Cost: $30 in advance, $35 at the door Where: Roanoke Island Festival Park, 1 Festival Park, Manteo Tickets: etix.com Info: Vusic Fest on Facebook It’s lawn seating, so bring a
blanket or low-back chair. Outside food and beverages are not allowed. You may also want to bring bug spray. SUNDAY, AUG. 15
‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’ When the movie was released in 1971, it was a blip on the radar screen, grossing about $3 million. The plot centers on five children from around the world who win a contest to visit Wonka’s chocolate factory. Radio listeners were aware of the musical, however, because the infectious tune “The Candy Man” from the soundtrack was turned into a No. 1 record by singer Sammy Davis Jr. (he wasn’t in the movie). The critics generally loved it. The esteemed, Chicago-based movie reviewer Roger Ebert said of Wonka: “It is everything that family films usually claim to be, but aren’t:
delightful, funny, scary, exciting and, most of all, a genuine work of imagination.” Over the years, the musical found fans who appreciated its sweet (pun intended) nature and sense of wonder and adventure. In 2014, “Wonka” was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the film’s release, it will screen Sunday, Aug. 15, in hundreds of theaters in the U.S., including RC Theatre Movies 10 in Kill Devil Hills. The late Gene Wilder is perfection as the title character. When he sings the magical tune “Pure Imagination,” don’t be surprised if smiles light up the room. Time: 3 p.m. Cost: $12.50-$21 Where: RC Theatres Movies 10, 1803 N. Croatan Highway, Kill Devil Hills Info: fathomevents.com
7 Coast | The Virginian-Pilot | Friday, August 13, 2021
Oceanfront & Open Year Round at 11:30 AM
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The Bird Store
The Outer Banks Wildlife Art Gallery We carry over 75 artists, and specialize in Outer Banks wildlife! Pelicans, shorebirds, herons, ducks, songbirds and wildlife carvings, seashore paintings and prints, lighthouse art, gifts, cards, and all styles of decoys - antique and decorative. Our 35th year!
252.480.2951
Angel Khoury has invented an incandescent language and fluid point of view all her own to write this century-spanning story of passion and betrayal, memory and consciousness, love and longing … Brilliant, ambitious, and enthralling, Between Tides is a totally original work of art." -Lee Smith, New York Times bestselling author
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Friday, August 13, 2021 | The Virginian-Pilot | Coast
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A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN OUTER BANKS MUSICIAN
Writer and local musician Scott Sechman gives readers an inside look at the nitty-gritty, notso-typical-day in the life of a musician on the Outer Banks. SCOTT SECHMAN PHOTOS
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A typical day in the life of a musician on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Now … What would I know about that? When I took on this project, I wasn’t sure how to approach it. What would be my “angle?” Should I relate my own experiences? Reach out to my many colleagues and get their take on it? Or, should I just make up stuff to give you all something really interesting to read? This is what’s known as a quandary. As I was assigned this heady mission fairly late in the game, I was concerned about reaching out to the other players on the Banks because quite a few of them work four, five, six or even seven nights a week. The last thing they want
to do is tell me how tired and burnt out they are at this point in the season when they know that I already know what it’s like. The majority of musicians on the beach have “day jobs.” They do things like cleaning pools, managing a pizza parlor, working as HVAC technicians, slinging burgers, selling items on eBay, running nonprofit organizations, nursing in our local hospital, doctoring and tending to the sick, working retail, tending bar, serving food, teaching, cleaning rental houses and hotel rooms or working in a music store selling and repairing instruments. Some of them even supplement their music income by writing articles or columns for local newspapers and magazines. Good luck to them.
And many, if not most, are also engaged in the hardest job in the world: parenting. Nothing is typical about a typical day in the life of any musician, no matter where they reside and ply their trade. My “typical” day started well over 50 years ago when I decided that I wanted to sing, write songs and perform. I decided to be a Beatle. Every musician’s day is rooted in that decision. For years, they learn, study, practice, make fools of themselves at times, network, listen to better musicians, listen to worse ones. They practice. They try to find work in a world where millions of other musicians are looking for the same work and face rejection. They keep practicing. The persistent may eventually make
“When things are going good, folks are listening and responding. You know you’re connecting with them.”
the grade and score some kind of “gig.” And if you have a gig tonight, you’ll first need to know the downbeat (where it is and what time it starts). Most gigs here are at restaurants and usually occur during evening and nighttime hours. You’re either playing inside (if you’re lucky) or outside, attempting to entertain folks waiting to get out of the heat and humidity to get seated at their tables … inside. But before you throw your axe in the car, you have to ensure you’re represented on social media, primarily to inform your local listeners. I post every gig I have on my Facebook Band/Musician page. The rest of social media is extraneous. Turn to Page 10
Coast | The Virginian-Pilot | Friday, August 13, 2021
By Scott Sechman
Correspondent
Friday, August 13, 2021 | The Virginian-Pilot | Coast
10 from Page 9
Once you’re posted, take a shower. Get clean, and if it’s not an impossibility, get “purty.” That’s hard work for me. The next step is the Idiot Check: Have I ever gotten halfway to a gig only to realize I don’t have a guitar in the car? Yes. So, Idiot Check. My list includes phone, guitar, picks, cash (tip the bartender!), Laughing Cow cheese, Super Glue on my fingernails (my strumming hand only) and car keys. Next is getting to the scheduled venue. I lived in the Los Angeles metro area for 36 years. I know traffic. Therefore, I have a close relationship with profanity of the highest order and the precise location of the car horn. In LA, I expected traffic. My first sojourn up Duck Road from Chicahauk on a Saturday for a 6 p.m. downbeat transported me from N.C. to LA: 5 miles in an hour and a half. My subsequent trips to work began much earlier. Just bring a decent playlist and rock out as you sit. Upon arriving at your destination, the work begins. Take the gear out of the vehicle and get it to your stage area. Setting up inside requires a dolly or cart. I’ve learned to get everything the former Boy Scout in me needs in one load. Outside gigs can prove more difficult, and the degree of difficulty is directly related to the “Feels Like” temp on your phone’s weather app. That said, I look at this portion of the gig as the part I am paid for. I view it as “I play for free. … I am paid to deal with the unpacking, moving, setting up, tearing down, moving and reloading of my equipment.” Then, Idiot Check No. 2: Tune my guitar, ensure everything is working and within arm’s reach, and I take my seat on my stool. As a youngster, I used to eschew the stool and stand all night. The vigor of youth. How sorely it is missed. I should clarify that even though musicians “play” music, it’s an extremely physical act. Especially singing. Playing guitar on top of that compounds the workload. But it’s where the ultimate joy lies: When things are going good, folks are listening and responding. You know you’re connecting with them. The job becomes all the harder if this is not the case. Let’s say it all goes swimmingly, musically. The next step is reversing the process. Tearing down, loading up, getting paid, some food to go — if it’s part of the deal (Taco Bell’s dollar menu if not) — and driving home. There you have it. An Outer Banks musician’s typical day is atypically typical. But when you love the work, as challenging as it may be given all of the potential variables, you embrace it. Those decades of hard work without the promise of any financial return aren’t really ever paid off. … until a listener takes the time to tell you how much a certain song or performance means to them. Then the blur of the years suddenly comes into focus. No, you won’t ever be The Beatles. But you just may end up being you.
Major and the Monbacks play at the Mustang Music Festival in Corolla. BIFF JENNINGS/SHOOTERS AT THE BEACH; INC.
Playing outdoors can present unique challenges on the Outer Banks. SCOTT SECHMAN/COURTESY
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INNER BANKS
By Maggie Miles
Correspondent
Fact: You can find an alcoholic beverage at pretty much any restaurant or bar on the beach, but what if you aren’t in the mood for alcohol? Maybe you simply want to enjoy time out at your favorite bars and restaurants with friends without the risk of drunken regrets or tomorrow’s fuzzy head. Perhaps you’re refraining for health reasons or because you’re the designated driver, pregnant, part of the “sober curious” movement or just aren’t into drinking. This beverage-happy beach town has plenty of refreshing and creative imbibements for you. Below are a few places where flavorful sipping comes into the limelight and booze takes a backseat, so you can kick back with a cold bevy, no ID required.
Avenue Waterfronte Grille
The mocktail at Basnight’s Lone Cedar Cafe comes garnished with fresh, locally sourced watermelon. VICKI BASNIGHT/COURTESY
Avenue Waterfront Grille, located at the waterfront shops in Manteo, is a go-to spot for healthy vegan and vegetarian options. Owner Maria Williamson, who owns the restaurant with her husband Chef Thomas Williamson, is also a well known yoga teacher on the Outer Banks. She has an affinity for gluten-free and healthy cooking. Their health-conscious, fresh options don’t stop at the food menu. They offer a couple of great mocktail options, including a lavender lemonade made with Meyer lemons, sugar and a house-made lavender tea, pomegranate soda and ginger soda, all finished off with a splash of lime. They also have sparkling adaptogenic water with herbs that include muscle relaxing and stress relieving properties!
float that is layered ever so beautifully and garnished with orange slices and a cherry. They also do a great virgin mojito that manager Mike Midgett says is a favorite of soon-to-be mothers. He highly recommends their virgin agave margarita, which features muddled lemons, limes, oranges, agave syrup, lime juice and is topped off with soda water instead of tequila. Midgett says this is the most refreshing drink for a hot summer’s day. They can also do a virgin version of any other drink on their menu, as well, just ask!
Tr3s Tequilas
Trio Restaurant & Market
Don’t eschew going to an intimate, cosmopolitan wine bar if you’re not planning to partake in their extensive wine and beer list: Trio has taken you into consideration as well, with an amazing variety of alcohol-free cocktails, wines and beers that are just as tasty as the real stuff. Try their grapefruit and rosemary spritzer, made with nonalcoholic chardonnay, freshsqueezed grapefruit and rosemary simple syrup, or their lemon lavender and blueberry fizz, which has fresh lemon juice, house-made blueberry-lavender simple syrup and tonic water. Even the Ritual gin and Fever-Tree light tonic is completely alcohol free; it’s just botanicals, cucumber, juniper and a touch of spice. If you aren’t in the mood for a cocktail they have an amazing Giesen sauvignon blanc and a variety of beers, including a delicious N/A Hazy IPA from Athletic.
Trio’s Grapefruit Rosemary Spritzer combines tart and savory elements into a refreshing, alcohol-free beverage. HALEY WINSLOW/JENNYCROFTONPHOTO
Basnight’s Lone Cedar Café Miller’s Waterfront Basnight’s is a local staple and another Restaurant restaurant that makes it a priority to offer
locally sourced, healthy options, from fresh-caught local fish to veggies grown on local farms, and they don’t stop with their food options either. In fact, they offer a nightly mocktail special for their patrons, depending on season and availability. Right now they are offering a mocktail with lemon sparkling, Barritt’s ginger beer, and blueberry syrup over North Carolina-grown watermelon ice-cubes. When strawberries were in season, they made the strawberry mojito with North Carolina-grown strawberry ice cubes.
Miller’s Waterfront Sunset Bar and Grille, their open air bar located around the back of their traditional restaurant upstairs on the sound side, is a locals’ favorite for enjoying a cocktail while watching the sunset over water. Fully open to the sound, their large windows offer a new twist on open air dining, allowing you to feel the coastal breezes while enjoying your mocktail with a view. They offer a few fun alcohol-free cocktails, including the Virgin Island paradise, made with orange juice, pineapple juice, a grenadine
Tr3s Tequila’s is one of the Outer Banks’ newest restaurants, opening their doors in June of 2021. Offering an array of Mexican food and a full bar, they’re mindful of those who want to sip a fruity drink without the spirits — just check out their full virgin daiquiri menu. It offers an endless list of flavors from passionfruit to mango, guava to watermelon and plenty more. We hear the banana daiquiri is to die for. They are frozen, blended and great with chips and guac after a hot day at the beach. I recommend splurging on the jumbo size! These aren’t the only places either. Outer Banks Distilling in Manteo and The Blue Point in Duck will make mocktails upon request. Bad Bean’s house-made margarita mix is amazing without alcohol, and Swells’a Brewing in Kill Devil Hills has some healthy-ish canned sodas that look like craft beers along with kombucha on tap. These places make it easy to have an evening out with the entire group, and your body will still thank you the next day.
Coast | The Virginian-Pilot | Friday, August 13, 2021
A mocktail guide for the sober curious
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12 Friday, August 13, 2021 | The Virginian-Pilot | Coast
15 + varieties of New York Bagels
Hatteras Island Pirates ~ Puzzles ~ Games ~ John Deere
Homemade soups and lunch specialties Cakes, cupcakes, cookies, pastries, and more Cozy coffee shop Custom cakes and pies
Salt Water Taffy ~ Truffles ~ Fudge ~ Chocolates Monday - Saturday 10 am - 5 pm, Sunday 12 pm - 5 pm Hwy 12 in Buxton right before the turnoff to Cape Hatteras Lighthouse 252-995-7171 • 46928 NC 12 Buxton NC
Build your own breakfast sandwich
A Hatteras Island Tradition
ALL MADE FRESH DAILY
Avon, North Carolina Dine-in Seating (Including Larger Patio) or Carryout! Ice Cream & Coffee Drinks
We offer a great family friendly dining experience, lively pub and unforgettable food from our scratch-made kitchen. Our patio is dog friendly! Our private dining rooms are perfect for large parties, special events and wedding receptions!
3 pm - 10 pm daily
Hatteras Island’s favorite brunch - Sunday’s from 10 am - 4 pm
Hawaiian Shaved Ice • Italian Ice Shakes • Sundaes • Smoothies
252-995-5550 • www.froggydog.com Open Year Round
Custom Ice Cream Cakes!
Call (252) 986-5109 | Open 6 AM - 4 PM
40146 N.C 12 in Avon
Coast | The Virginian-Pilot | Friday, August 13, 2021
The perfect place to start or end your day!
13
12 Friday, August 13, 2021 | The Virginian-Pilot | Coast
15 + varieties of New York Bagels
Hatteras Island Pirates ~ Puzzles ~ Games ~ John Deere
Homemade soups and lunch specialties Cakes, cupcakes, cookies, pastries, and more Cozy coffee shop Custom cakes and pies
Salt Water Taffy ~ Truffles ~ Fudge ~ Chocolates Monday - Saturday 10 am - 5 pm, Sunday 12 pm - 5 pm Hwy 12 in Buxton right before the turnoff to Cape Hatteras Lighthouse 252-995-7171 • 46928 NC 12 Buxton NC
Build your own breakfast sandwich
A Hatteras Island Tradition
ALL MADE FRESH DAILY
Avon, North Carolina Dine-in Seating (Including Larger Patio) or Carryout! Ice Cream & Coffee Drinks
We offer a great family friendly dining experience, lively pub and unforgettable food from our scratch-made kitchen. Our patio is dog friendly! Our private dining rooms are perfect for large parties, special events and wedding receptions!
3 pm - 10 pm daily
Hatteras Island’s favorite brunch - Sunday’s from 10 am - 4 pm
Hawaiian Shaved Ice • Italian Ice Shakes • Sundaes • Smoothies
252-995-5550 • www.froggydog.com Open Year Round
Custom Ice Cream Cakes!
Call (252) 986-5109 | Open 6 AM - 4 PM
40146 N.C 12 in Avon
Coast | The Virginian-Pilot | Friday, August 13, 2021
The perfect place to start or end your day!
Friday, August 13, 2021 | The Virginian-Pilot | Coast
14
Right at home at Swells’a Brewing
The bar inside Swells’a Brewing leads into the spacious backyard. Need a refill? Grab a drink at the window. HANNAH LEE LEIDY
Everything about the tasting room is local, including the decor By Hannah Lee Leidy If the Outer Banks had a living room — a place where all the island’s children, artists, surfers, freaks, geeks and leaders could gather and feel at home — it would be at Swells’a Brewing. Barely open a month, the brewery and tasting room immediately established itself the local spot to see and be seen. On a given evening, patrons surround the bar to assess the rotating beers on tap, young
adults congregate on the rooftop deck and the lush backyard welcomes families with children and dogs. “Everyone’s come in,” Sam Harriss says, “The community response has been unbelievable.” Harriss owns the brewery along with her partner Brad Fitzgerald (the head brewer) and their friends Alex and Laura Wolcott. Fitzgerald and Wolcott’s dream of opening their own a brewery dates back more than five years. Both hail from beverage backgrounds — Fitzgerald a passionate homebrewer for years and Wolcott an original partner at Back Bay Brewing Co. in Virginia Beach and a partowner at Bottlecraft, also in Virginia Beach. Together, they divide their atten-
tion between the front-of-house bar — a spacious, airy setting with a vaulted ceiling, warm, Spanish mission tiled floors, a fireplace and mezzanine tasting room — and the adjacent brewing system, where the stainless-steel barrels stretch the height of the building. A few anxieties rested on Fitzgerald during the brewery’s construction phase back in the spring of 2021. “It’s a little intimidating,” he said in March. “There will be more people involved, so the consequences are bigger.” Now, he sizes up the brewing system with the gleeful look of a kid in a candy store. “It’s perfect,” he says, proudly. “It’s like a little playground.” Harriss agrees. “It’s fun for Brad to keep
experimenting, which keeps it fun for locals.” And experiment he does. Just like the ocean’s unpredictable conditions, the taps at Swells’a feature an ever-changing selection: Eight showcase Fitzgerald’s various concoctions, with IPAs and other hoppy brews in heavy rotation, along with wild cards, such as their watermelon-lime Sweltzer. They always feature four local/ guest breweries, like Haypoint Farm’s kombucha and 1718 Brewing in Ocracoke. Swells’a’s space eschews the stereotypical steampunk aesthetic of most breweries. Instead, it presents a homey atmosphere to socialize and sip — the sort where you Turn to Page 16
15 Coast | The Virginian-Pilot | Friday, August 13, 2021
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The upstairs mezzanine at Swells’a Brewing. HANNAH LEE LEIDY from Page 14
and friends could easily while away hours around the sturdy driftwood tables or curl up with a beverage in the mezzanine as you watch a storm roll in over the ocean. The building’s design pays homage to the beach boxes and cottages of the old Outer Banks. The cedar-shake exterior fills the space with a warm, woodsy scent and juniper panels brighten the interior. “We designed Swells’a to show the Outer Banks the way it used to be,” Harriss says. They even give a nod to landmark businesses: Nags Head Hammocks provided the retro captain’s chairs on the rooftop
“We designed Swells’a to show the Outer Banks the way it used to be.” — Sam Harriss, co-owner of Swells’a Brewing
deck, and even the front sign is styled after the original sign from the Sea Kove Motel in Kitty Hawk. The all-local theme dictates the brewery’s furnishings and décor, which come from local makers and artisans: Driftwood
tables from SeaGreen Gallery, benches furnished with cushions Harriss tie-dyed herself. A tree removed at a lot on Martin’s Point supplied wood for the upstairs coffee tables, merchandise case and beer taps (crafted by Alex Wolcott’s father). Visitors can even nosh on freshly baked oversized pretzels from Gutsy Grain. “We’re trying to be mindful of our footprint,” Harriss says of their focus on repurposing materials and sourcing close to home. “We want to pave the way for more thoughtful spaces on the beach.” It feels designed by the local community, for the community, and Swells’a has already established itself as a choice locale.
It hosts recurring weekly performances from area musicians and bands. A local yoga instructor leads Wednesday morning yoga classes in the backyard. As the off-season approaches, the owners look forward to growing Swells’a relationship with various makers, businesses and organizations. As Harriss and Fitzgerald excitedly talk of plans for winter oyster roasts and Hop-vember Fest (not sure entirely what it is, but I’m already in), it’s like listening to long-time friends plan dinner parties and cookouts. It feels familiar and inviting, and it transports you away from a business, right into home.
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Coast | The Virginian-Pilot | Friday, August 13, 2021
FAMILY FISHING PROGRAM
18 Friday, August 13, 2021 | The Virginian-Pilot | Coast
Dolphins hunt soniferous fish, meaning they track them by sound. JESSICA TAYLOR PHOTOS
NATUREWISE
What’s for dinner? By Jessica Taylor
Correspondent
As any visitor and local knows, the Outer Banks has amazing seafood. Local restaurants offer fresh shrimp, fish, crabs and scallops prepared in a myriad of ways: broiled, fried, on sandwiches or as entrees. However, we aren’t the only ones who enjoy the area’s abundance of local seafood. Bottlenose dolphins frequent the Outer Banks’ ocean beaches year-round but move into the Roanoke Sound from April through October to feast on the summer fish. In fact, the Roanoke Sound is considered an important foraging and nursery area for dolphins due to its plentiful food supply and shallow waters free of predators. Bottlenose dolphins are known to be opportunistic in terms of their food and the ways they catch it. Even though they almost always feed exclusively on fish, they’re resourceful when it comes to getting a meal. Hungry dolphins have learned to herd
fish against structures, flip fish into the air with their tail flukes (a behavior known as fish whacking), strand themselves temporarily on the beach to eat the fish that wash up with them and even carry marine sponges on their rostra (noses) to dig in the sand to search for fish. Many of these behaviors are learned and complex, which leads us to believe that mothers pass the techniques on to their calves as a form of tradition and culture. The Roanoke Sound is so special for hungry dolphins due to the type of fish in the sound. Bottlenose dolphins may be opportunistic hunters but prefer specific species of fish. Living in the water, dolphins are very acoustically oriented and focused on sound. They seem to prefer sound producing (or soniferous) fish. A hungry dolphin is more likely to catch a fish it can hear; they use a technique called passive listening to more easily sneak up and catch these fish. During the summer, Roanoke
Sound teems with loud and noisy fish, such as croaker and spot. Although we see lots of feeding behavior in the Roanoke Sound, it is very rare to see a dolphin capture a fish. The water in the Roanoke Sound is shallow but not very clear, so underwater video is not much use for seeing a dolphin in a successful pursuit. The Outer Banks Center for Dolphin Research (OBXCDR) conducts boat-based dolphin surveys in the Roanoke Sound and uses photo-identification to monitor the identities and behaviors of the dolphins. During our surveys, we can observe feeding behavior and habitat use, but it is difficult to see in the field exactly what the dolphins are eating. In order to learn more about their foraging ecology, we collaborate with the North Carolina Marine Mammal Stranding Response team. The team responds to stranded marine mammals, such as dolphins, whales or seals, that wash up on the beach. Even if a stranded dolphin has died, there is still a
What’s for dinner? Like many diners on the Outer Banks, this dolphin has seafood on the brain.
wealth of information that can be learned, including its diet. The stranding response team may conduct a necropsy (an animal autopsy), which includes an analysis of the stomach contents. Dolphins have three stomachs, and the majority of the prey contents can be found in the first stomach, the forestomach. The last part of a fish to be digested is the ear bone, also known as an otolith. Different types of fish have different looking otoliths. Scientists can identify the fish species a dolphin was recently eating by finding these otoliths. The OBXCDR is also collab-
orating with the stranding response team on new ways to learn about what dolphins eat. For example, UNC doctoral student and OBXCDR summer intern, Meggan Alston, is examining whether the prey remains contained in dolphin stomachs is a useful way of determining what dolphins are eating. The more we understand what dolphins eat and when, the more scientists will learn why the Roanoke Sound is important to dolphins, especially from April through October. If your food migrated, wouldn’t you follow your food, too? Better understanding dolphin feeding patterns benefits people, too. Dolphins are important indicators of environmental health, and their presence or absence gives us insight into how healthy the fish populations are in an area. Since people and dolphins may be interested in catching the same types of fish, it’s possible for dolphins to be attracted to fishing gear. If you are ever fishing and dolphins approach your line, it is best to pull your line in and fish somewhere else. Although they may not broil or fry their food, we know these creatures enjoy the summer seafood offerings of the Outer Banks just as much as we do. The more we study the dolphins, the more we’ll know how precise their menu really is.
Friday, August 13, 2021 | The Virginian-Pilot | Coast
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CURRITUCK COUNTY Small Business Spotlight
Dedicated to Raising the Next Generation
Brooks Family Childcare provides a safe place for kids to play and learn Shortly after becoming pregnant, the pandemic hit and it became impossible to plan for the future when the day to day was so unknown. We realized there was a greater demand for childcare now more than ever and that was the push we needed to take the first (of many) steps to opening Brooks Family Childcare—a small, safe place for kids to play and learn. Are you from Currituck? Technically from Camden, but at this point I’ve lived in Currituck for just as many years, if not more. What are the biggest rewards? One of the greatest rewards about working with children is forming the relationships with the child and their families. Studies have proven that a positive, healthy relationship between the caretaker and parents improves the child’s social and emotional well-being. Jenn Brooks is the owner and care provider at Brooks Family Childcare, located in Currituck, NC How long have you been in business in Currituck County? Opening August 2021! Can you describe the business? Brooks Family Childcare is an inhome daycare serving children from birth to 5 years. We are open Monday to Friday from 7:30am to 3:30pm.
“As I new parent, I know the importance of picking the perfect person to care for your child.” Talk about the decision to start your own business... Before I became pregnant, I was a teacher and I truly believe it’s my calling. Teaching is very fulfilling to me but I’ve always had the dream of opening up my own childcare service in a smaller, more intimate environment.
What sets you apart? As a new parent, I know the importance of picking the perfect person to care for your child. It can be scary and overwhelming. My promise to families is to provide the highest quality care to your child, care for your child as my own and to partner with you to ensure the overall healthy development of your child.
Brooks Family Childcare Currituck, NC (757) 355-0482
READ MORE SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT STORIES AT
www.ThinkCurrituck.com
Larry Lombardi, Director (252) 232-6015 M: (301) 237-8951 Larry@ThinkCurrituck.com www.ThinkCurrituck.com
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COROLLA CORK &CRAFT Weekly Wine, Beer & Craft Mixer
WEDNESDAYS, ALL SUMMER LONG In Historic Corolla Park
LOCAL WINE & BEER, CRAFT ARTISANS, FOOD TRUCK & LIVE MUSIC: June 16 June 23 June 30 July 7 July 14 July 21 July 28 August 4 August 11 August 18 August 25 September 1 September 8
Mercy Creek Phil Watson Steve Hauser Doc Perkins Troy Breslow & the Company Band Mercy Creek Bobby Plough Doc Perkins Mercy Creek Scott Sechman Phil Watson Bobby Plough Steve Hauser
3 – 7 pm. Every Wednesday, June 16th through Sept. 8th • $1500 to Enter • For More Info. Visit CorollaEvents.com
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Join Us at Whalehead for
Friday, August 13, 2021 | The Virginian-Pilot | Coast
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Carter Armstead, left, marvels at his nice sheepshead while volunteer Rick Probst helps him. DARYL LAW PHOTOS
Students fish on field trip at Jennette’s Pier By Daryl Law Correspondent
On July 30, a hot, balmy Friday afternoon, a charterbus-load of students from Gates County had the time of their young lives while bottom fishing at Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head. “I think it’s a great experience,” Principal Shawn Wilson said. “We’re from a rural area, and a lot of them haven’t seen the beach before; some have never fished.” The Gatesville Elementary students rotated through two stations including the pier’s basic fishing class on the pier and
a squid dissection program upstairs in the Oceanview Hall. “They’re catching fish left and right!” Wilson said as she watched. “The kids are very excited. It’s hot, but they’re still patient.” No matter the heat and humidity, Wilson was happy being in the middle of the big bite with the youngsters. She’s excited about the initial visit as well as future field trips to Jennette’s. Funding from the N.C. Aquarium Society and its Aquarium Scholars program makes it possible for Title 1 school groups, such as Gatesville
Instructor Meredith Fish smiles while she assists with a sheepshead catch at Jennette’s Pier on a field trip.
Elementary, to visit these state-owned and operated facilities and experience
their educational programming. The pier buzzed with
activity as the students hooked fish: blues, spots, croaker, sea bass and even a decent-sized sheepshead, distinguished by its blackand-white vertical stripes. Retired veterans Rick Probst and Ken Partlow were helping along with pier instructor Meredith Fish and junior camp counselor Tenzin Robisch, a rising senior at First Flight High School. Justus Beaman, 7, caught two black sea bass, and then Carter Armstead, 7, hooked the sheepshead. The rising second graders fought each fish hard and were both happy to get their photos taken.
Maxine Austin, 8, a rising third grader said fishing is “okay” as long as they don’t get too close to her. “It felt … pretty good,” she said. “I like to catch fish, see what type they are, and I like to reel them in. … I don’t like it when it flops around and gets water on me. In general, the field trip to the Outer Banks has been a good one. Applications for the 2021-2022 Aquarium Scholars may be submitted through Sept. 8. For more information or to contribute, visit www. ncaquariums.com/aquarium-scholars.
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Historic WOODEN
BOATS of the CURRITUCK OBX
HEAR the STORIES of Boats and Life on the Water In Historic Corolla Park • CurrituckMaritimeMuseum.com
Coast | The Virginian-Pilot | Friday, August 13, 2021
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