Lost & Found
This remarkable, carefully curated, and meticulously maintained estate offers an unforge able coastal experience and a profitable investment opportunity combining luxury living, breathtaking natural surroundings, and promising revenues for the savvy owner.
▪ Palmer's Island Opulence in Duck, North Carolina
▪ OBX Parade of Homes: Judges Award of Excellence and People's Choice
▪ Built in 2018
▪ Panoramic vistas on every 1evel, from ocean to sound
▪ 9,651 Heated square feet
▪ Twelve luxurious ensuites
▪ Three exquisite living areas
▪ Two fully equipped breakfast/lunch bars
▪ Theater with balcony overlooking the sound
▪ Top floor pub with 180° ocean to sound view, wrap-around balcony
▪ 24' x 50' heated pool
▪ Access to private boat dock for kayaking, crabbing, and fishing
Explore an elegantly eclectic emporium filled with treasures for you and your home.
Clothing & Accessories
-Hats & Handbags -Frank + Eileen, CP Shades, Matta, Nina Leuca, Juliet Dunn, as well as other niche brands
Put
yourself at the top of the list.
AS SUMMER SLOWLY WINDS DOWN, and our thoughts turn to fall festivities, many of us feel a slight sense of relief. But maybe that’s true of any major seasonal change: You turn a corner, mark another milestone off the books, and pivot toward future possibilities.
Or maybe there’s a bit more to it? Even if summer is the season you live for, there’s something almost relentless about it – the long hot days, the traveling and out-of-town family visitors. The barbeques, fireworks and sunscreen in near-countless different denominations.
Perhaps the trickiest thing about summer is that it’s supposed to be fun. Every day. At all times. Oh, and ideally? That fun should at least appear effortless.
Your best hair is “beach hair” (don’t care), to pair with a breezy, blockbuster “beach read.” Boho is back, and crochet is cool again – ditto on the colorful sundresses. And you’ll want, of course, to sport a sun-kissed glow (but don’t forget to slather on the sunscreen).
Maybe summer isn’t inherently relentless, after all, it’s just the seemingly inescapable lists of summertime trends – most of which encourage us to live our best lives by doing the bare minimum (though not really).
Sure, every season has its quirks (pumpkin-spiced latte, anyone?), but somehow summer just seems to run that extra mile with it. It’s the only season that embraces “endless” as a positive adjective and co-opts other seasons’ features to bring us hybrids like “Christmas in July” without any sense of shame whatsoever.
Summer is brash, big and beautiful – and, let’s face it: There comes a time when that can start to feel just a little exhausting. We all have reserves of energy and patience, and they’re certainly not endless – no matter what time of year it is. Everyone needs periods to pause and replenish, to take stock of where we are and where we might be going next. Or even just to savor something as simple as an early afternoon nap.
There’s a reason why putting your own oxygen mask on first is such a popular metaphor for self-care – when we’re frazzled and running on fumes, the odds that we can cultivate compassion for others aren’t all that great.
So maybe it’s time to throw out all those top-trending lists – or, better yet, to rewrite them. This time, we might even consider putting ourselves right up there at the top, in whatever way feels most meaningful. Sick of scrubbing pots and pans? Run that dishwasher twice. Stuck on the first chapter of that true crime-inspired “easy” read? Break out your Jane Austen bucket list.
Only you know what you need most right now to make yourself the first priority during this transitional time of year – and it almost certainly won’t be found on a generic to-do list full of lifehacks for finding summer lovin’. And that’s more than okay. To be honest? It may even be the best way to mark our current seasonal milestone with true thankfulness – and to forge a pure sense of gratitude for all that’s yet to come.
As always, we hope you enjoy this issue!
PUBLISHERS
Adam & Cathy Baldwin
EDITOR
Amelia Boldaji
ART DIRECTOR
Dave Rollins
CONTRIBUTORS
Cathy Baldwin
Emmy Benton
Amelia Boldaji
Lori Douglas
Cory Godwin
Steve Hanf
Catherine Kozak
Amanda McDanel
Maggie McNinch
Ryan Moser
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Dylan Bush
SALES MANAGER
Helen Furr
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Faith Turek
The North Beach Sun is published quarterly by Access Media Group. All works contained herein are the property of the North Beach Sun
The views expressed in the articles contained herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, editor or Access Media Group. The published material, advertisements, editorials and all other content is published in good faith. Access Media Group and North Beach Sun cannot guarantee and accepts no liability for any loss or damage of any kind caused by errors, omissions or the accuracy of claims made by advertisers.
NORTH BEACH SUN
editor@northbeachsun.com
but first...
Not Just a Phase
FORGET THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON – the light is where it’s at. But talking about Earth’s only natural satellite in terms of its relative visibility isn’t anything new: In addition to the common lunar phases we observe each month, the brilliance of a true full moon has evoked awe from indigenous cultures for millennia – and that reverence has led to numerous monikers for the 12-13 full moons we experience annually.
Though many ancient full moon nicknames have faded from regular usage (think March’s “worm moon” or November’s “beaver moon”), the timelessly poetic “harvest moon” – which is the full moon that falls closest to the autumnal equinox – still reigns supreme. Earning its title long before the advent of electricity, the exceptional brightness of the harvest moon gave farmers the unique opportunity to tend to their crops later in the evening than usual – which was a particularly welcomed prospect right before the first official frosts of fall.
Apart from relatively rare “blue moons,” there are typically 12 full moons in a calendar year – each of which have been handed down their own distinct (and wildly colorful) names.
Cran-tastic
WHILE THE OUTER BANKS IS BEST KNOWN for its contributions to the fishing industry, seafood isn’t the only harvest that’s made a splash in our local waterways. According to old newspaper accounts from the late 1800s, crops of native cranberries were once easily plucked from the bogs and swamplands surrounding today’s Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge – and their naturally occurring abundance may have even resulted in their commercial availability across regional grocery stores during the early part of the 20th century. (Pictured here, Thomas Midgett harvesting wild cranberries on the Dare County mainland near Manns Harbor, circa 1952. Photo courtesy of the Outer Banks History Center’s Aycock Brown Collection.)
Spill the Tea!
LONG BEFORE EUROPEANS FIRST ARRIVED on the Outer Banks, there was a bustling trade network for yaupon holly among various Native American tribes. Originating on and around North Carolina’s coastal plain, where the shrub grows natively, demand for this plant stretched as far west as Illinois – and its popularity only skyrocketed further when it was introduced to early colonists in the 1500s.
Much of this fervor can be chalked up to the fact that yaupon holly is the only native North American plant that contains caffeine – and its leaves were used to brew up an earthy tea that colonists quickly dubbed the “black drink.” As an alternative to Asian teas – which were much more expensive to import, and virtually impossible to source during Civil War-era blockades – yaupon tea
processing plants flourished (especially on Hatteras Island) through several other periods of economic hardship, including the Great Depression and World War II.
Post-WWII, yaupon’s appeal began to wane nationwide – except on the Outer Banks, that is, where the home-brewed tea was still widely served in local restaurants until at least the 1970s. Though you’re unlikely to see it on a menu today, scientists have now taken up yaupon’s antioxidant-rich cause with evidence that it may be used to combat diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s.
town report
What’s happening in your town? Here’s a report from all over the Outer Banks.
COMPILED BY CATHERINE KOZAK
Currituck County
Development continues apace in Currituck County, with county commissioners approving two proposed building projects in July. Ashbrook Estates, LLC, was granted its request for a preliminary special-use permit for a 52-lot conservation subdivision located on the west side of Maple Road, according to meeting documents. The 130.73-acre property is located in the Barco-Maple area, adjacent to the Maple water treatment plant and the Currituck County Regional Airport. Ashbrook Estates plans to build six residences a year, which will give the county time to complete construction projects in order to accommodate an influx of additional students.
Currituck commissioners also approved a request from the owner of University Park in Harbinger to double the number of townhome units at the community’s existing complex to 78. The amendment to the project’s 2013 master plan would allow for the construction of 39 additional townhomes and a storage building.
Duck
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Resilient Coastal Communities Program (RCCP) awarded $144,000 to the town of Duck in July for a proposed phase four stormwater management project on Teresa Court. According to a division press release, the project goal is to use nature-based solutions to alleviate frequent flooding on the roadway. Remedies include permeable pavers, a central bioretention basin, and a one-foot-deep dry detention area around Teresa Court’s cul-de-sac.
Duck was chosen as one of many NC communities to participate in the RCCP in 2021, according to the town’s website.
Southern Shores
Southern Shores Town Council members added 11 commercial design standards to the town’s zoning ordinance in July, following nearly one and a half years of discussions that began at a November 2022 planning board meeting. Over the months, planning officials reviewed the commercial design standards of Duck, Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head, considered feedback and eventually drafted a proposal for a zoning text amendment. The new commercial design standards – the town’s first – will apply to exterior paint colors, fencing materials, screening of dumpsters and mechanical equipment, architectural embellishments, and building elements that resemble animals, lighthouses, pirate ships or castles, among other things. After more discussion, the council passed the measure three to two.
Kitty Hawk
Owners of nonresidential property in Kitty Hawk will now be allowed to build residential units for workers on their properties, with the town council’s unanimous approval on July 1 of a zoning text amendment. The change allows the construction of a separate unit no larger than 750 square feet on each property, but the total area of housing units cannot be more than 10 percent of the gross area of commercial use. Prior to the approved amendment, an apartment could be built on top of a commercial space only after the town’s approval of a special-use permit.
Kill Devil Hills
A ribbon cutting ceremony and an open house was held on August 5 to celebrate the opening of Kill Devil Hills’ William E. Gard Fire Department Station 14 and the Dare County Emergency Medical
Service Station 1. Situated off the U.S. 158 Bypass in the heart of Kill Devil Hills, the 36,000-square-foot facility’s location is centered in one of the busiest and most densely populated areas of the Outer Banks. “Due to this high demand and need for a rapid response to emergency calls, the replacement of this particular facility has been a top priority,” said a press release for the event.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held at the site of the new facility on May 10, 2023. It is the third and final station included in phase one of Dare County’s multiphase project to modernize the area’s emergency medical service facilities.
Nags Head
Nags Head’s new public services complex on Lark Avenue at the west end of Eighth Street officially opened on June 5. The facility houses six divisions: sanitation, water operations/distribution, facilities maintenance, bulk waste collection, and streets and stormwater services.
The project, which started construction in early 2023, encompasses 35,000-square-feet of indoor space and includes an administration building and a redesigned bulk waste/recycling area, a sanitation and facilities maintenance building, and a water distribution shop, as well as storage, vehicle fueling and cleaning areas.
Designed to last about 60 years, the complex incorporates proactive green technology, including the installation of solar panels, which is expected to create net-zero energy usage. The facility is also equipped with electric vehicle infrastructure for future charging stations, and the adaptability for rainwater harvesting and water reuse.
Manteo
Planning improvements at Cartwright Park across from the Pea Island Cookhouse Museum on Bideford Street are set to begin now that the Manteo Board of Commissioners have approved working with engineering consultants Albemarle & Associates to design upgrades and stabilize the park’s infrastructure. Situated on the grounds of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Cartwright Park is named for the church’s founder Andrew Cartwright who built the first church at the site in 1865. The church leases the land, which is just under an acre, to the town.
The park has a picnic shelter, restrooms and grills, and is adjacent to the Collins Gallop Playground. Manteo commissioners agreed to seek input from the community for proposed improvements at public sessions during the planning process.
Dare County
With erosion happening faster than anticipated on the nourished shoreline in Buxton, the Dare County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously in July to move up a planned renourishment project by one year to 2026. Buxton’s beach was last widened in 2022, and that nourishment project was expected to last about five years.
According to a presentation by Dare County Manager Bobby Outten, the $30.4 project is necessary to protect NC 12, the only highway on Hatteras Island. Parts of the road were lost during Hurricane Isabel in 2003, and again during Hurricane Irene in 2011. Coastal scientists consider Buxton to be one of the island’s most vulnerable areas during storms. Although Avon is not considered quite as high risk as Buxton, Outten said that it would save the county about four to eight million in costs to do both projects at the same time.
business briefs
COMPILED BY CATHERINE KOZAK
Pledging to Preserve the Future
Outer Banks visitors are encouraged to pledge to protect and preserve the unique environment, culture and history of our community for generations to come as part of the Dare County Tourism Board’s new program, “Outer Banks Promise.” Introduced in late June by a special committee working to implement the Outer Banks’ Long-Range Tourism Management Plan, the “destination pledge” is intended to incentivize responsible behavior and inspire awareness and action based on seven core messages rooted in kindness, responsibility, respect and safety.
Promises include staying on designated paths and not leaving any trash behind, and visitors can further individualize pledges in ways that are meaningful to them. Visit OBXpromise.com to make a promise online, download an “I Promise To” card to share, or show support in person at one of the four Outer Banks welcome centers.
New Owners at Historic Inn
After nearly 30 years as innkeepers at the historic White Doe Inn, owners Bob and Bebe Woody sold the bed and breakfast to Tonia and Dave Roberts this past June. Situated near the waterfront on Sir Walter Raleigh Street in Manteo, the inn – which was named in honor of Virginia Dare and the local legend of the white doe – is the largest house in Manteo and is considered one of the area’s most architecturally unique.
The three-story Queen Anne-style structure was built in 1910 for Theodore Meekins and his family by local builders John Wilson and Joe Dailey, and it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. The new owners are originally from Evansville, Indiana, and they worked together in the software industry before moving to Manteo, according to the inn’s website. Tonia, who trained in culinary school, now serves as the inn’s executive chef. Dave, a United States Air Force veteran and technology specialist, serves as the primary innkeeper overseeing operations and guest experiences.
Lunchtime Goes Live
The Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce began a new monthly program in August that features different speakers and will be broadcast for members of the community online over Zoom. Known as “Lunchtime Live” events, each broadcast will be held virtually at noon on the second Tuesday of each month through December. According to the chamber, topics will include “everything pools” with High Seas Pools & Spas, Digital Branding for the Outer Banks with Musika Hospitality, Blue Zone with Outer Banks Health, and Your Dare County Library.
The sessions are free, but pre-registration is required. More information about the program is available on the chamber’s website.
Safer Service with a Blue Envelope
Outer Banks Health has partnered with Dare County and local law enforcement agencies to provide a new communication tool that assists emergency responders and police officers when they’re interacting with people who have conditions such as autism, dementia or anxiety, the heath care provider announced in July.
Known as the “Blue Envelope Program,” the envelopes contain pertinent medical information that an individual can give responders in situations when they could be perceived as uncooperative or combative, according to the Outer Banks Health website. The blue envelopes also include appropriate documents such as vehicle registrations as well as contact information for trusted family members or friends and additional tips for law enforcement.
“We have many community members with a variety of backgrounds who experience communication challenges,” said Outer Banks Health Speech Language Pathologist Kristin Kuhar, who suggested bringing the program to Dare County after hearing about its success in New Jersey. “Communication for these individuals can become extremely difficult in stressful situations. The Blue Envelope Program provides a way to ease stress and increase effective communication for both law enforcement and the individual.”
Blue envelopes are available for free throughout Dare County, including at medical practices, libraries, community centers and high schools. The program is entirely voluntary and selfimplemented.
Real Estate
market snapshot
Rather than analyzing data for the month of June, the MLS report from the Outer Banks Association of Realtors looked at how the market fared in the second quarter of 2024 compared to the year before.
According to the report, the median residential sales price of $585,000 from April through June was close to the record high of $600,000 that was reached in the last quarter of 2023. At the same time, residential inventory has climbed 62% higher than it was last year, with lots/land inventory up 22% and total inventory up 43%.
Out of all the Outer Banks communities, the town of Duck showed the highest year-to-date increase in median residential sales prices, from $730,000 in 2023 to $987,242 in 2024, a jump of 35%. Corolla and Hatteras Island were the only communities to experience a drop in median prices, at a 1% and 5% decrease, respectively.
The town of Kill Devil Hills, meanwhile, was the only area that experienced an increase in total sale numbers, from 131 sales in 2023 to 147 in the same quarter of 2024, a 12% jump. Southern Shores, on the other hand, had the steepest decrease in sales numbers, from 51 to 34, a drop from of 33% from 2023 to 2024.
LOST & FOUND
Making the most of a cozy Corolla cottage.
BY MAGGIE MCNINCH
WHEN NORTHERN VIRGINIA-BASED INTERIOR DESIGNER
LAUREN LIESS wanders through a house with project potential, she gets a feeling. On the outside, she becomes still and quiet. Inside, she is deep in thought – envisioning what the space could be, running numbers on floor plan layouts and construction costs. Sometimes, she even feels a little queasy about the prospect of a new, unknown adventure heading her way.
As a longtime lifestyle influencer and HGTV host, Lauren was struck with this feeling the moment she laid eyes on a certain beach bungalow in historic Corolla Village. She knew it was special and was instantly smitten.
“The massive live oak tree in the front yard was about the most romantic thing I’d ever seen,” Lauren recalls. “The property was a bit overgrown, and I loved it that way.”
There was just one question that nagged at her: How on earth was she going to fit her family of seven (plus three dogs!) into a barely 800-square-foot, two-bedroom beach shack?
In addition to the house’s small size, there were many other renovations that needed to be addressed, including repairing some old water damage, raising the ceilings, installing new decks along with flooring, and more. Despite Lauren’s gut feelings and her infatuation
with the house, she and her husband David initially decided not to make an offer.
But, as Lauren and her family spent more time at the beach, they began to realize why so many people choose to make the Outer Banks home. As they thought about the years they could spend living in their own little coastal paradise, they realized it was one passion project they just couldn’t pass up.
So, they put in an offer – only to find out that two other offers had been made before theirs, and someone else wound up getting the cottage. They were devastated, thinking they had missed out on the perfect beach house.
A few days later, Lauren got a call. The original buyers had backed out – did Lauren and her family still want the house? Luckily, getting a surprise second chance was all the convincing they needed.
“It was actually our ‘Lost Cottage’ at one time – our ‘one that got away,’” Lauren wrote not long afterwards in a blog post. “The funny thing is, I’d named it before we even lost it because it’s kind of hidden in the oaks and feels a little mysterious to me.”
With the nerve-racking bidding process over and the house fittingly named, renovations could finally begin. Not only did almost everything have to be torn out and replaced, they also had to get
Functional style is on full display in Corolla Village’s Lost Cottage. Photo courtesy of Helen Norman.
“This was one of my biggest challenges because I had never designed a home this small for clients or anyone else before – let alone for seven people with pets.”
-Lauren Liess, homeowner
With slightly less than 800 square feet of space to work with, renovating the Lost Cottage for a family of seven was particularly challenging – and it meant making every inch of space count. To that end, Lauren and her husband David focused on using wideopen windows and sliding glass doors to flood the house with light, and maximized leisure space by installing features like bar tops and multiple bunk beds. Pictured to the right, the Lost Cottage is tucked away behind a large live oak tree (photo courtesy of Lauren Liess); all other interior photos courtesy of Helen Norman.
creative about maximizing every square inch of the house for function and storage – all while living in the Washington, D.C., area and only being able to make trips south occasionally.
“This was one of my biggest challenges because I had never designed a home this small for clients or anyone else before – let alone for seven people with pets,” Lauren explains. “Every inch counted, and we maxed out every little corner and wall for storage. We also learned to be more minimalist, which makes laundry and life so much easier.”
Some notable features of the renovated cottage include the 10 by 13-foot bedroom that’s reserved for the couple’s five children with a snug array of bunk beds. The front, side and back decks also serve as the main dining and gathering spaces, with a large pass-through window from the kitchen to a back deck bar top.
Although the kitchen isn’t very big, Lauren still finds it relatively easy to cook in for a crowd. While she wasn’t able to salvage the cottage’s original cabinets, Lauren replaced them with vintage-inspired cabinets from her own popular furniture collection, and she made the most of ample sliding glass doors and windows to let in as much light as possible – while also fostering virtually unobstructed views of the property’s lush live oak trees.
“You can’t see it in the magazine, but the cottage smells so good,” Lauren says enthusiastically. “The walls are cypress, and the ceilings are cedar, and as soon as you walk in you get this beautiful fresh cedar scent. It’s sort of my Pavlov’s dog for arriving at the beach – just inhaling the house makes me happy.”
The prime location of the cottage can’t be beat either – it’s close to the beach and right across the road from Corolla Village’s charming shops and restaurants. Given all of the neighborhood’s perks, Lauren wasn’t expecting to encounter yet another surprise benefit to their locale, however.
“We didn’t know it when we bought the Lost Cottage, but we ended up moving next to an old friend of mine from my days working in Corolla during college,” Lauren says. “He and his wife have since become some of our closest friends. The kids adore them, and we feel so grateful.”
The entire project took about a year to complete, and it gave Lauren and her family the bug to find and renovate more Outer Banks beach houses, including one they’re currently working on that they’ve dubbed the “Seagarden.”
With years of design experience, Lauren understands the difficulty of undertaking big renovation projects – which she’s written about at length in several bestselling books, including her recently released Beach Life: Home, Heart & the Sea. The book features undertakings like her work on the Lost Cottage while detailing her ideas on capturing a sense of coastal flair – and she encourages others to take a similar leap of faith when they find houses that pull at them.
“In the very beginning, know what you’re getting into. Realize that you will probably feel overwhelmed, strapped and exhausted at points,” Lauren recommends. “But remind yourself of all the reasons you wanted to do it in the first place, and remember to be grateful for the opportunity.”
WINDOWS, ROOFING AND SIDING. These core components of a home should be the strongest defenses between you and Mother Nature – and choosing sturdy options can offer peace of mind (plus prevent future headaches) when powerful storms are in the forecast.
One of the most important precautions to take against late-season hurricanes and cool-weather nor’easters is to install shutters. Ian Gale of Hurricane Shutters OBX suggests putting shutters on every window and door if possible. “You need coverage all the way around because you never know which direction a storm might be coming from,” he explains.
The shutters most commonly used on the beach are roll-down shutters, Bahama shutters and storm panels. Storm panels and Bahama shutters are the most affordable options, but they aren’t as convenient as roll-down shutters.
Storm panels are corrugated aluminum panels that homeowners place into tracks on the tops and bottoms of their windows to secure them in place. This sounds easy in theory, but reaching upper windows requires a ladder, making the process complicated if your house has multiple levels or if you live in a single-level home up on stilts.
Bahama shutters tend to be more aesthetically pleasing, particularly in coastal areas, and they’re permanently attached to your home with telescoping arms that allow them to be propped open or closed at any time – but for some, the permanence of these fixtures is a downside, particularly if you don’t get a lot of natural light in your house to begin with.
Roll-down shutters can be manual or controlled by a switch, and they block out a lot of the driving rain we tend to get on the coast. While the electric version can seem the most manageable, they won’t be useful if the power goes out, Ian cautions, so manual shutters are really the better option.
The most important thing to bear in mind is that you should never install shutters that aren’t hurricane rated. Even though do-it-yourself options like securing plywood over your windows might seem wise in a pinch, any holes you have to drill to install them can cause problems with leaks down the road – and taping your windows can do more harm than good because it can cause them to break into larger, and more dangerous, pieces.
But windows aren’t your home’s only potential weak spots during extreme weather. Another important thing to consider is the reliability of your roof. Though shingles can be made from many types of materials, asphalt shingles are the most popular choice, according to Jason James of Albemarle Contracting Services, because of their affordability and their classic look. There are also different grades to pay attention to, ranging from 20-year to 50-year varieties, with the longer rated options costing more due to their increased thickness.
Adding a sturdy underlayment like an ice and water shield can offer another layer of protection if your shingles are blown off, but if you want to splurge on the very strongest defense, metal roofing is the best on the market. The only con? Metal roofing can be three to five times more expensive than asphalt shingles.
“It just depends on the style of your roof,” Jason says of the costs associated with metal roofing. “Hips and valleys and all those things come into play, so there are a lot of variables…but metal is probably the most durable and most storm-resistant.”
Investing in quality siding will also help keep your home in tip-top shape when the weather turns wild. Over the past few years, one of the most popular kinds of siding has been LP SmartSide, a wood composite siding that’s proven more durable than vinyl, wood and fiber cement siding.
Fiber cement siding can peel and flake when it’s exposed to moisture – which is bountiful on the beach – and even vinyl siding doesn’t create an impenetrable water barrier (not to mention the fact that it can blow off in strong winds). If you have the means, Jason recommends sticking with the old Nags Head cottage style by opting for cedar shake siding due to its durability.
“Cedar shake isn’t the most affordable, and neither is smart siding, but obviously you’re going to have some give and take when it comes to durability,” Jason explains. “You’re going to pay more for something that’s going to hold up better.”
As for perhaps the most essential storm prepping tip? Think ahead. Local contractors can get backed up almost any time of year, and customized barriers like shutters can take weeks to fabricate – on top of any initial consultations – depending on the size of your home and the availability of the materials you wind up opting for. And when it comes right down to it, these aren’t things you should save for a rainy day.
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GREAT SHAKES
Local artists shake things up for a common cause with a combination of history and creativity
RYAN MOSER
STORY
AMELIA BOLDAJI
THIS PAST SPRING, artists of all ages and backgrounds were invited to participate in a creative collaboration between Dare Arts and the Chicamacomico Historical Association that blurred the boundaries between the Outer Banks’ storied cultural history and its visionary present-day creators.
In a venture known as the Chicamacomico Shakes Exhibit, community members celebrated the 150th anniversary of the United States Life-Saving Service by decorating wooden shakes salvaged from the Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station’s cookhouse using any medium they desired in order to illustrate the varied ways our past continues to inspire our future.
Nearly 150 decorated shakes lined Dare Arts’ Courtroom Gallery throughout the exhibit’s run during the month of April – with works ranging from seasoned professional artists to enthusiastic newcomers – and the overall effect was remarkable. Visitors were even offered the chance to purchase the shakes for a flat fee of $150, with proceeds being split between Dare Arts and the Chicamacomico Historical Association to further both of the nonprofits’ missions of engaging with the Outer Banks’ community at large.
For the Chicamacomico Historical Association, the funds raised from this event will primarily be used to restore Rodanthe’s Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station – which was one of seven lifesaving stations built on the Outer Banks in 1874, and the very first station to be fully operational along the North Carolina coast.
For more information about this special project or the artwork featured here, please contact Dare Arts (darearts.org) or the Chicamacomico Historical Association (chicamacomico.org).
PHOTOS BY
BY
Help Wanted
A Vacation Advertisement
BY AMANDA MCDANEL
“I JUST DON’T THINK THAT’S GOING TO BE ENOUGH,” said the woman beside me in the grocery store.
“Well, Tom is vegan – plus how much are the children really going to eat?”
“I know, but the recipe calls for 64 ounces, and I’d rather have extra than for anyone to go hungry.”
As I pretended to peruse the pricier meat section in front of us, I silently agreed with the woman advocating for more over her much younger companion’s objections. A wise woman knows that meal options are CRUCIAL, especially when feeding a large family. I considered voicing said agreement out loud, but refrained when her 20-something cohort spoke up again:
“Who is honestly going to eat steak, ribs, steamed shrimp, two smoked chicken legs, potato salad, corn, deviled eggs and watermelon all at the same time?” Touché. Point for the millennial.
As the Outer Banks has moved away from small motels and quaint courtside cottages toward the construction of more massive rental homes, the dynamic of “the family vacation” has evolved as well. Growing up, my family regularly rented what I (then) considered a mansion on the Pine Island oceanfront: three stately floors boasting five bedrooms, which was objectively large enough for my parents, their two siblings with spouses and a total of five children. There was no need for a pool since the ocean was right outside our door, a spacious kitchen provided plenty of room to prepare meals for the 11 of us, and a substantial dining room table was more than adequate for multiple games of gin rummy. There was even a small sitting room for my aunt to escape and play Tetris on her Gameboy undisturbed.
The oceanfront from Hatteras to Corolla is now paved with stately behemoths built to house multiple generations of families, wedding parties or even an entire block of neighbors. There are rentals with steam rooms and saunas, indoor pools and outdoor waterfalls, theater rooms next to game rooms fully equipped with 1990s mall video games, shuffleboard, ping pong and air hockey set ups. Home gyms rival that of corporate hotel chains, while private walkways and gazebos lead to infinity pools that are sometimes flanked by their own miniature golf courses. All the excitement and entertainment you could ever wish for is accessible right within your own private oasis
for any given week at any time of year.
For many families, this provides a priceless ease, especially when traveling with a lot of small children. When your vacation home offers such high-end resort-style amenities, there’s essentially no need to leave. Which brings me back to the tricky issue that plagues at least one family member in these sizable parties – and that usually falls upon the elder (but not necessarily the eldest) women in the group: There is an entire militia of fun-voyagers to feed. Multiple times per day. For a full week.
of family members march through with toddlers, gluten allergies and a requisite thrifty uncle in tow to demand a table for 26, with separate checks, please and thank you. I’ve also experienced the cafeteria line of hungry teenagers who, upon waking at 11 a.m., tear through stacks of pancakes like rabid raccoons let loose on fresh garbage cans. It’s a losing situation either way, especially with the expectations set so enormously high by the financial investment of a family holiday.
One of the largest rental homes on the Outer Banks currently dominates the Kill Devil Hills shoreline – a property which boasts 36 bedrooms, 39 bathrooms and sleeps a whopping 74 people, with every convenience imaginable. Those luxuries can be yours at the peak cost of $64,000 a week – a destination getaway that, perhaps most notably, includes two chefs’ kitchens…but not a designated chef.
Vacation is supposed to be a respite from the daily grind of meal prep, carpooling, work deadlines, field trips, sport schedules and near-endless loads of laundry.
As a restaurant server as well as a mother, I cannot begin to describe the personal hell-fueled whirling dervish this creates in my already exhausted mind. Vacation is supposed to be a respite from the daily grind of meal prep, carpooling, work deadlines, field trips, sport schedules and near-endless loads of laundry.
But the masses still demand to be fed, even in a house that is not one's own. I have seen the horror on many a hostess’ face as a restaurant door opens and a literal parade
What, pray tell, is the solution? I find that a lot of families will divide meal responsibilities by purchasing a plethora of items for self-serve breakfasts, will often eat midday meals on their own, and then reconvene for group dinners that different family members prepare each night. Large frozen lasagnas, breakfasts for dinners, locally purchased steamer pots, pasta or taco bars, salads with fresh steamed seafood, grilled kebabs or hamburgers and hot dogs are popular for good reason. But one person is still ultimately at the helm, more often than not – one who rightly deserves an uninterrupted nap and a meal that’s actually hot when she sits down to eat it.
Dear Reader, I implore you to heed this writer’s seasoned advice: Give mom a vacation as well by hiring a private chef. She may object – and cheap Uncle Frank most definitely will – but trust me that deep down this is the solution to ensure everyone has an enjoyable, restful vacation while remaining sated and happy. With a variety of cooking styles and price points, there are trained chefs available here on the Outer Banks who can accommodate all your needs – even if you only schedule them for dinner service. Lifting this foodie burden allows “fun mom” to come on vacation with everyone else, and it may even prove that “happy wife, happy life” is a motto we should all get on board with…especially when you’re staying in a house filled with 73 other hungry people
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Twenty years ago, a herd of snow-white winged horse statues arrived on the Outer Banks – and it was up to the community to transform them into works of art.
BY STEVE HANF
LLOYD CHRISTENSON WAS CHATTING with a client at his FiberStock offices in Buffalo, Minnesota, when the conversation turned to the Outer Banks. As the client explained how his mom made the trek to the beach from Ohio every year – and came back with photos of the horse statues scattered throughout the area – Lloyd made an unexpected move.
“I walked away and grabbed one of the books I have on our shelves,” Lloyd says as he recalls gifting a paperback copy of Outer Banks Wild: A Winged Horse Extravaganza Pictorial. “I said, ‘Give this to your mom,’ and next thing I knew I got this email from his mom – who I’d never met
– thanking me and telling me just how happy she was. Those horses were important to her.”
Those horses – part of a herd of about 100 – have proved important to lots of folks over the years – from Lloyd and his employees to project organizer Linda Lauby and the countless visitors who have snapped pictures of the statues at various Outer Banks locations since 2003.
Linda laughs as she describes her first conversations with Lloyd. FiberStock, a fiberglass statue company that’s been owned and operated by the Christenson family since 1999, specializes in sculpting all types of models for museums, fairs, retail operations and even specialized
page: The
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advertising concepts, but – for the most part – orders for their horse statues tended to come in one at a time. Linda’s first order was for 25 horses. Then 25 more. And 25 more…
That’s because Linda’s idea for a community-wide art installation caught fire. Heading into the 2003 celebration of a century of flight, Linda remembers meeting with the staff of her publishing company, Outer Banks Press, and commenting that something big should be done to mark the occasion.
Why not a community art project?
“Mermaids on Parade was happening in Norfolk and I had been reading about the Cow Parade in Chicago, so we went down the list of all sorts of animals that we could have fiberglass casts made of, and I decided to go with horses,” Linda explains. “I had been doing volunteer work, publishing and writing for the Corolla Wild Horse Fund for the previous 10 years, and I thought that would be a good way to help them get the word out about what they do.”
Dubbing the project The Winged Horse Extravaganza, Linda set out on a mission to bring a collection of blank life-sized horse statues to the area for sponsors to purchase, decorate and display during the centennial celebrations. Linda remembers some naysayers –neigh-sayers? – including one local official who said she wouldn’t be able to sell a single horse. Undaunted, Linda placed her first order with Lloyd. They sold out immediately as local businesses and other individual families jumped at the chance to sponsor their own unique statue.
FiberStock had one horse mold in stock but added a second custom mold to ramp up production. Lloyd estimates that about four main employees made all 118 statues, with around eight workers contributing to the undertaking in total. Some of the horses were larger than others, and they all had wings that screwed into their withers for a Pegasus effect.
decorating their horses. Some did the work themselves, while others turned to “a stable of artists,” as Linda puts it, to showcase a specific design. Some sponsors even donated their statues to schools so that students could join in on painting them.
One of the project’s first sponsors, in fact, was Jimmy Buffett, whose horse “Captain Sipster” was on display at the Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce.
One by one, the herd took shape, reaching 99 on display on the Outer Banks, a few at private residences, and at least a dozen that ended up off the beach. Some sponsors kept their statues, while others auctioned them off at a charity event in 2004. Proceeds went to the Corolla Wild Horse Fund, Kitty Hawk’s Monument to a Century of Flight, and dozens of other charities chosen by individual businesses.
One by one, the herd took shape, reaching 99 on display on the Outer Banks, a few at private residences, and at least a dozen that ended up off the beach.
“There was no looking back. We hustled, and we just got it done. Linda gave us plenty of time, and once we had 25 – which was the amount that would fit in the semi – we shipped them out and got going on the next 25,” Lloyd says of the more than 20-year-old project. “It’s hard to believe it’s been that long ago.”
When the blank fiberglass statues arrived at the beach, each sponsor then had options when it came to
“I was really humbled and astounded by how it brought the community together,” Linda says.
Linda actually had her eye on a specific horse and instructed her mom to bid on it at the charity auction. Alas, as the price rose higher and higher, her mom got cold feet. The eventual winner?
“Joe Coors, of the Coors Brewing Company!” Linda exclaims with a laugh.
Linda expected most of the horses to be gone and long forgotten in a few years, but while many have indeed been lost to time, around 40 of them still remain as visible reminders of that special project. Among the best-known today are Julie Moye’s glittering statue outside the KDH Cooperative Gallery, the butterfly horse at Donna Designs in Duck, and several others that reside at popular beach road restaurants like the Jolly Roger and Black Pelican.
“It’s kind of like the public won’t let the project go away,” Linda says. “When we had our charitable auction, we all breathed a sigh of relief and said, ‘We are never
looking at another horse,’ but the phone calls kept coming in, and the project remained popular to the extent that I still get random phone calls from people asking about the horses.”
Local filmmaker Benny Baldwin produced a documentary this summer about the original winged horses, and Linda has plans in the works to reinvigorate the idea as WhoaBX, which will introduce a new herd of wingless statues to the Outer Banks on an open-ended timeframe with proceeds going solely to the Corolla Wild Horse Fund.
“Because of the generational changes and so on, it’s kind of funny that people are now making up stories about how the horses got here or why they’re still here, because at one point I think everyone on the island knew why they were here,” Linda says. “It’s just become part of the landscape.”
That’s what Benny enjoyed so much about working on his documentary Winged Horses of the Outer Banks.
“What I’ve run into is that the Outer Banks is everchanging,” Benny says. “You may remember those horses, but you don’t know the whole story 20 years later. You don’t know what Linda Lauby did and why and how. There’s just some fun stuff there.”
Even as memories of the original inspiration for the winged horses has faded somewhat on the Outer Banks, the same isn’t exactly true 1,400 miles away in Minnesota. At FiberStock, Lloyd proudly displays a stack of books and posters about the Outer Banks art project right by his front door – even though he and his family haven’t quite managed to make the 22-hour journey to see the colorful statues in person yet.
“There’s just a handful of states I’ve never been to, and North Carolina is one of them,” Lloyd says, adding that he fully intends to make the trip one day. “The Outer Banks was a project that allowed us to keep growing, so we’re very blessed and thankful for that – and we’re reminded every day how important the project was to us.”
Previous
winged horse
as "Pegasus" recently received an overhaul courtesy of artist Cliff Dunn. The sculpture stands in the gardens outside of Kill Devil Hills Town Hall. Photo by Lori Douglas.
At right: Original fiberglass horse fabricator Lloyd Christenson. Photo courtesy of Benny Baldwin.
The North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island is a proud member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, partnering in AZA SAFE. Your visit supports our work with sea turtles, sharks, songbirds, and monarch butterflies. Reserve your adventure today!
sun salutations
Beach Realty & Construction
Top Agents Year-to-Date at Beach Realty
Beach Realty is excited to announce the three top producing agents for 2024, year-to-date. Congratulations to Ilona Matteson, Jackson Dixon and Joanne Kepler. With their years of experience, exceptional customer service, and their in-depth understanding of the market, they continue to set the standard in real estate excellence. Beach Realty is proud to have them on the team!
Beach Realty & Construction is a full-service real estate company offering real estate sales, vacation rentals and new construction and remodeling. For more information contact salesteam@beachrealtync.com.
Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty
Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty Names VanderMyde Group as Mid-Year Top Producing Team
Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty is pleased to announce that the VanderMyde Group is the firm’s top producing team of the mid-year. This award is based on production from January 1 through June 30. They ranked #1 in listings, sales volume and units. “Heather Vandermyde and her team are absolutely top tier professionals. They know their market and are able to counsel their clients effectively through both the buyer and seller process. I engaged Heather for the buy and sale side of my oceanfront home on Cape Hatteras and would not have considered anyone else. Best in the business!” said a recent five-star review. Team leader Heather VanderMyde can be reached at (252) 202-2375 or hvandermyde@gmail.com.
Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty Names Brook Sparks as Mid-Year Top Producing Agent
Brook Sparks has been named Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty’s mid-year top producing agent. Brook led the way in listings, sales volume and units. This award is based on production from January 1 through June 30. “Brook Sparks made easy work of selling our home after many realtors could not. She went beyond what any other realtor in the area had done for us in the past. We struggled to sell our home until we signed on with Brook. She has a level of professionalism, experience and knowledge that is better than anyone I had worked with in the past. I would 100% recommend her for your needs of buying or selling a home,” said a recent five-star review. Brook can be reached at (252) 619-1177 or brooksparks@cbseaside.com.
Marty Griffin Earns Coldwell Banker International Diamond Society Award
Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty congratulates Marty Griffin on earning the Coldwell Banker International Diamond Society Award, presented to the top 7% of all Coldwell Banker agents worldwide. This award is based on closed sales transactions in 2024. “I have worked with Marty since 2013. He is extremely professional, knowledgeable and always has my best interest in mind. I highly recommend him every chance I get!” said a recent five-star review. Marty can be reached at (252) 207-6448 or marty@cbseaside.com.
Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty Welcomes New Agent Sandra Doherty Healy
Sandra Doherty Healy has joined Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty in the Kitty Hawk location. “I have a wealth of knowledge, organization and determination gained from a 25-year career in the private, government and nonprofit sectors. I bring extensive experience in marketing and sales to the negotiating table. My husband, a career Army officer and aviator, and I have owned multiple investment properties in Nags Head and Kill Devil Hills over the last 20 years. Most recently we built our forever home in Duck,” Sandra said. She can be reached at (917) 449-8485 sandra@cbseaside.com and solitudeobxsales.com.
Pamela Smith Named President of Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty
Gordon Jones, chief executive officer of Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty, recently announced the promotion of Pamela Smith from vice president to president and part owner. “Pamela has been with Coldwell Banker Seaside for 22 years and has been an incredible part of – if not the main reason for – our growth and success. Nobody works harder or is more dedicated to our agents’ success!” Gordan said. “I am fortunate to get to work with the very best agents and management team. We are the best because our agents are the best!” Pamela added. Pamela can be reached at pam@cbseaside.com.
Joe
Lamb, Jr. & Associates
Joe Lamb, Jr. Acknowledges Agents Shelley O’Grady and Bobby Williams
Outer Banks native Shelley O’Grady has more than a decade of real estate experience. With a focus on exceptional service and communication, she’s dedicated to helping clients achieve their buying or selling goals. Contact Shelley at shelley@joelambjr.com or (252) 261-7721.
With more than 40 years of Outer Banks experience, Bobby is your go-to expert for buying or selling property. His deep knowledge, transparency and strong negotiation skills ensure a seamless real estate experience. Contact Bobby at bwilliams@joelambjr.com or (252) 261-7721.
Myra Ladd-Bone Joins Joe Lamb Realty as Premier Real Estate Broker
Joe Lamb Realty is excited to introduce Myra Ladd-Bone as the newest team member. With a career that spans decades, Myra combines profound industry knowledge with an exceptional ability to navigate the real estate landscape. Starting with Joe Lamb Realty in the 1980s, she returns to the team with a reinvigorated commitment to client success. Myra’s impressive background includes founding and selling Atlantic Realty in 2018, demonstrating her unparalleled business acumen. For expert guidance on buying or selling your property, visit myra@joelambjr.com or call (252) 261-7721.
Sun Realty
Sun Realty Honors Agents of the Month: Richard Hess and Paul Sabadash
Richard Hess earned top sales for Sun Realty in April. He made the Outer Banks his home more than 30 years ago and quickly became a leader in the real estate and business community. Working out of Sun Realty’s Kill Devil Hills office, Richard understands the changes and challenges in the industry, and is positioned to stay ahead of the game. His expertise in negotiation and industry knowledge will ensure a smooth transaction. Contact Richard at (252) 256-2112 and put his experience to work for you!
Paul Sabadash earned Agent of the Month honors for both May and June. Paul moved to the Outer Banks in 1988 and has been providing excellent results for buyers and sellers ever since. He works out of the Sun Realty Corolla office and primarily focuses on the northern beach areas. You can reach Paul at (252) 722-3120.
Twiddy & Company
Twiddy & Company Honors Matt Preston for a Decade of Service
Over the past several years, Matt has consistently been one of Twiddy & Company’s top agents, achieving more than $29 million in sales since January 2023. His impressive track record reflects his dedication, expertise and a deep understanding of the market. Matt’s commitment to excellence and personalized service ensures that each client enjoys a smooth and successful real estate experience. Cheers to a decade and many more milestones to come! Contact Matt today at (252) 207-6143 or mpreston@twiddy. com.
Twiddy & Company Celebrates Rob Ladd’s 25th Anniversary
With more than 40 years of experience in the Outer Banks real estate market, Rob is a key mentor to all of the Twiddy & Company agents, and he helps clients have a flawless experience when buying or selling a home. Contact Rob today to help make your real estate dreams come true! Call or text (252) 202-8311 or email rladd@twiddy.com.
Twiddy & Company Honors Ray Meiggs
Ray joined Twiddy & Company in 2015 to lead the creation of the Premier Home Services program, focusing on luxury oceanfront rental properties. Now, as an integral part of the Twiddy & Company’s Premier Sales Team, Ray leverages his enduring passion, extensive experience and profound regional knowledge. Known for his proactive “make it happen” work ethic, Ray enthusiastically looks forward to guiding you through your real estate journey and helping you discover your ideal home on the Outer Banks. Don’t hesitate to reach out to Ray today at (252) 333-5310 or rmeiggs@twiddy.com.
Kitty Hawk Elementary School
PHOTO BY CORY GODWIN / STORY BY EMMY BENTON
THE KITTY HAWK FALCONS KNOW HOW TO SOAR – and they’ve been doing it in some fashion for 100 years now. In 1924, the first Kitty Hawk School opened its doors to students in grades one through 11 at its original location on Kitty Hawk Road. Twelfth grade was added to the curriculum in 1947 when the state began requiring an extra year of schooling, and attendees traveled to the single schoolhouse from as far north as Duck and as far south as Nags Head. For perhaps obvious reasons, the construction of a new Kitty Hawk Elementary School (KHES) focusing on grades one through eight was completed in 1959 along Dogwood Trail – and a version of that structure still stands there today with a motto that continues to inspire future generations: “By reaching high, we fly!”
1 From Old to New
Some may still remember when a small schoolhouse on Kitty Hawk Road sported wooden floors, coal stoves, hand-pumped water and outhouses tucked beside a modest cafeteria. At a time when the Outer Banks was much more sparsely populated, that original Kitty Hawk School was once spacious enough to accommodate students from elementary through high school, with some traveling to their classes aboard a solitary Ford Model-T school bus. The school’s last graduating class of high school seniors earned their diplomas in 1956, after which grades nine through 12 were bussed to Manteo. Only two years later, the Dogwood Trail KHES replaced the old schoolhouse, which was converted into the Judy-Rand Apartments during the 1970s and later became a youth hostel.
2 Getting a Glow Up
Over the years, KHES has changed just as much as the students who enter learning their alphabet and leave middle school ready. The Dogwood Trail school’s original building was completed in 1959, with two more pods adding another 10 classrooms during the 1970s. As the Outer Banks’ population began to surge in the ‘80s, trailers were temporarily brought in to provide extra space until more classrooms, offices, a new library and a new gym were finished around 1990. The last parts of the school’s original structure were demolished to make room for a reconfigured entranceway as well as more parking spaces in the summer of 2003 –which was about the same time KHES leveled up with a second story reserved for fourth and fifth grade classrooms.
3 A Port in a Storm
In addition to being a place of learning, KHES has also served as a community-wide safe haven in other ways. Amid heightened tensions over the threat of nuclear attacks on the U.S. in the early 1960s, President Kennedy urged all state and county governments to develop civil defense plans; a call which Dare County officials answered – albeit, with a twist. In light of the Outer Banks’ unique location, local officials decided that it was more important to develop emergency hurricane plans instead, which included designating strategic evacuation centers. The recently built KHES was selected as one of those hubs – and it quickly proved worthy of the role when it hosted the county’s Civil Defense Committee, the Salvation Army and numerous community evacuees during the Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962.
4 Community at the Core
One thing’s for sure: KHES students and teachers alike know how to have fun. The school’s most longstanding tradition – and their parent-teacher organization’s only fundraiser – is also one of the most anticipated local events of the year: the KHES fall carnival. Typically held in late October or early November, the carnival will mark its 65th anniversary in 2024 as it throws open its doors to the community at large for an evening filled with games, cake walks, bouncy houses, face painting, food and silent auctions. Though it originally started out as a Halloweencentric event in the ‘60s, it’s since grown to encompass all of autumn’s favorite festivities – and it often lures back lots of grownup KHES alums who volunteer their time to raise money for their old academic stomping ground.
5 Famous Faces
The number of students who have walked the halls of KHES is easily in the thousands – and plenty of them have gone on to lead pretty impressive lives in the years since. One of those famous former students is professional golfer Cathy Johnston-Forbes, who was a competitive tour member with the Ladies Professional Golf Association from 1986 to 2008. The Outer Banks’ first professional surfer Noah Snyder also attended KHES before eventually being inducted into the East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame in 2022, and he’s gone on to make a name for himself as a fine artist in recent years – putting him in the company of other KHES alums such as documentary photographer Hunter Barnes, industrial designer and metalsmith Heath Wagoner, and award-winning poet Faith Shearin.
