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Friday, January 7, 2022 | The Virginian-Pilot | Coast
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AIR LAND SEA START PLANNING YOUR NEXT GETAWAY
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3 Coast | The Virginian-Pilot | Friday, January 7, 2022
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OVER 40 DESIGNS OF T-SHIRTS
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COROLLA 812 Ocean Trail Hwy 12 across from Food Lion Center 252.453.9116
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NAGS HEAD 6803 S. Croatan Hwy. Milepost 16 Highway 158 252.441.3977
HATTERAS 58848 Marina Way Ferry Docks in Hatteras Landing
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4 Friday, January 7, 2022 | The Virginian-Pilot | Coast
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
North Carolina Aquariums Director Maylon White gives a thumbs up to fellow volunteers as they test the lights, horn and sirens on this massive fire engine. READ MORE ABOUT WHITE’S OFF-DUTY LIFE ON PAGE 22
What do an old bull, Christmas and the Gregorian calendar have in common?
While the rest of the world celebrates Christmas in December, an age-old tradition continues on Hatteras Island, with some odd characters to boot. Page 8
New lights to protect sea turtles
Life takes you down many paths, but the best ones lead to the beach.
The Town of Nags Head and Dominion Energy have piloted a project to help protect sea turtle hatchlings on Outer Banks beaches. Page 12
Close to home Researchers find local dolphins don’t venture far from the waterways of the Outer Banks. Page 18
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!
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 T. Harper Kip Tabb 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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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, January 7, 2022
OUTER BANKS ORIGINAL CHRISTMAS SHOP...SINCE 1967
Friday, January 7, 2022 | The Virginian-Pilot | Coast
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Art exhibit: Frank Stick Memorial Art Show | Jan. 29-Feb. 27 44th annual show, judged at Dare County Arts Council, 300 Queen Elizabeth Ave., Manteo; Tues-Fri 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 252-473-5558; www.darearts.org/frankstickshow
Theatre of Dare: ‘Five Women Wearing the Same Dress’
Thursday-Sunday, Jan. 6-9, 13-16 The local troupe kicks off the new year with eight performances of the 1993 comedy-drama written by Alan Ball, creator of HBO’s“Six Feet Under” and“True Blood.” He also won an Oscar for his original screenplay for the film“American Beauty.” Set at a posh estate in Knoxville, Tennessee, the play centers on five bridesmaids who take refuge in an upstairs bedroom to escape the proceedings below. The women, including the bride’s sister and cousin, have their own reasons for hiding. But as conversation heats up, they quickly discover a common bond. “Not one of them likes the bride,” says Evan Tillett, 25, who’s directing his first Theatre of Dare production. The five women with disparate personalities spend the afternoon far from the madding crowd talking about myriad of subjects, including relationships, religion, marriage and sexuality. Also in the mix is a charming badboy usher who becomes a love interest of one of the women. “It’s dark, irreverent and sentimental,” says Tillett, who joined Theatre of Dare in 2018 and has performed in eight shows.“And very, very funny. But really it’s about the spirit of women.” A word of caution: The play contains adult language and situations and may not be suitable for all ages. The local cast includes Emmi Franklin, Kim Plyler, Missy Eppard, Alexis Narron, Chelsea Jenkins and James Ulrich. When: 7:30 p.m. Jan. 6, 7, 8, 13, 14 and 15; 2 p.m. Jan. 9 and 16 Cost: $10 Where: Dare County Arts Council, 300 Queen Elizabeth Ave, Manteo Info: threatreofdareobx.com
‘Peace, Love and Time’ EP
everything Singer-songwriter Craig Honeycutt hasn’t played a live gig in more than two years. But the Nags Head-based musician has hardly been slacking. He recently launched a weekly podcast (“The Honeycutt Scenario”) on which he waxes poetic on a wide range of topics (nature, art, music and breathing, among them), all infused with a sense of humor and spirituality. Not to mention he’s always working on new tunes. In the middle of December, his band
The Theatre of Dare performs“Five Women Wearing the Same Dress”through Jan. 16 at the Dare County Arts Council in Manteo. COURTESY PHOTO
Nags Head-based band everything has released a new album,“Peace, Love and Time.” COURTESY PHOTO “everything,” which includes Honeycutt on acoustic guitar and vocals, Steve Van Dam on bass and Nate Brown on drums and vocals, released a 3-song EP titled“Peace, Love and Time.” Known for their funky, alternativerock tunes, including the irresistible 1998 jam“Hooch,” everything, which formed in 1989 at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, goes for a more atmospheric sound on their first record since 2006. The band, originally a quartet, released a half-dozen albums, including one on a major label, before taking a break after the last recordings. They also were a touring machine for a decade and gave dozens of electrifying performances on the Outer Banks, including several rip-roarers at the legendary Atlantis nightclub in Nags Head. “It’s very organic, very mellow,” Honeycutt says of“Peace,” which was recorded at Van Dam’s home studio in Richmond, Virginia. (Brown lives in Charlottesville).“We just wanted to let the music flow, with no expectations. “It was three friends in a room.” “Peace”is as comforting as a warm blanket during a winter nor’easter on the Outer Banks. With Honeycutt’s clear tenor voice upfront, the trio imbues the right amount of dignity and low-fi instrumentation on remakes of Louis Armstrong’s“Wonderful World”and Nick Lowe’s“(What’s so Funny ‘bout) Peace, Love and Understanding.” The latter tune was made famous by Elvis Costello. Brown is equally good as lead vocalist on the everything original called“Time Will Heal Me,” which brings
to mind the terrific Beach Boys music (“Surf’s Up,”“Sunflower”) of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. “We just had moments we had prepared for,” Honeycutt says of the recording process. Info: The EP is available on most streaming services, including Spotify and Apple Music and the website thebandeverything.com.
Trivia Nights
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday The answer is Greg Smrdel (pronounced smur-dell). The question probably is who’s the hardest working man in show business on the Outer Banks? Smrdel, who lives in Manteo, owns and operates a internet radio station (radiofreeobx.com), performs standup comedy, writes books, edits local magazines and hosts four trivia nights every week. For this story, we’ll focus on the trivia. His free games are six rounds, run about 90 minutes and feature questions (mostly multiple-choice) in categories that include, among others, movies, sports, history, geography and music. You can play solo or on a team of up to 10 players. Prizes are awarded to the winners. The games are lively and loose, and that’s when the part-time standup comedian is in his zone. “Some questions are hard, some are easy,” Smrdel says.“But they’re all fun.” The Friday night game at Rundown Cafe in Kitty Hawk, which is on pause in January, will resume at 6 p.m. on Feb. 18. When and Where: 6 p.m. Monday at Shipwrecks Tap House and Grill, 4020 N. Croatan Hwy., Kitty Hawk; 6 p.m. Tuesday at Sandtrap Tavern, 300 West Eckner St., Kitty Hawk; 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Noosa Beach Grille, 2003 S. Croatan Hwy., Kill Devil Hills; and 6:30 p.m. Thursday at NouVines, 105 Budleigh St., Manteo. Cost: Free Info: Greg Smrdel page on Facebook
Food drive: Ton of Love | Jan. 14-Feb. 14 Roanoke Island Aquarium food drive for Roanoke Island Food Pantry — guests who bring bags of non-perishable groceries receive one free admission per reservation. Tickets online only — age 13-61 $12.95, 62-older $11.95, military $11.95, age 3-12 $10.95; 374 Airport Rd., Manteo — 9 a.m.-5 p.m. 252-475-2300; www.ncaquariums.com/roanoke-island Gift shop clearance: Elizabethan Gardens | Jan. 20-23 Fifty percent off all gift shop items, 1411 National Park Dr., Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, Manteo, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. 252-473-3234; www.elizabethangardens.org Music: Phil Watson | Jan. 12-13, 19-20, 26-27, Feb. 2-3, 9-10, 16-17, 23-24 Wednesdays at Capt. George’s Seafood Restaurant in Kill Devil Hills, Thursdays at Shipwrecks Taphouse in Kitty Hawk. Free admission, 5:30-8:30 p.m. www.philwatsonmusic.com Food, music: Cajun Occasion | Feb. 26 Mardi Gras-themed food, music event at Sanctuary Vineyards, 7005 Caratoke Hwy, Jarvisburg, Tickets $30; Noon-5 p.m. 252-491-2387; www.sanctuaryvineyards.com Theater: Five Women Wearing the Same Dress | Jan. 6-7, 8-9, 13-14, 15-16 Theater of Dare production of play by award-winning screenwriter Alan Ball, best known for the movie American Beauty and HBO series Six Feet Under, performed in the Courtroom Gallery at Dare Arts Council, 300 Queen Elizabeth Ave., Manteo. Tickets $10. Jan. 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15 performances at 7 p.m., Jan. 9, 16 at 2 p.m. 252-473-5558; www.darearts.org Food, wine, trivia: Tapas Thursday and Trivia Night | Jan. 13, 20, 27, Feb. 3, 10, 17, 24 Tapas menu, half-price bottles of wine, trivia contest at Outer Banks Brewing Station, 600 S. Croatan Hwy, Kill Devil Hills; food and wine 4:30 p.m.-9 p.m., trivia at 9:30 252-449-2739; www.obbrewing.com Music: Karaoke w/ Hambone | Nightly Karaoke every night at Jolly Roger, 1836 N. Virginia Dare Trail, Kill Devil Hills, 9 p.m.-11 p.m. 252-441-6530; www.jollyrogerobx.com Art exhibit: Gail Midgett | Jan. 7-Feb. 19 Continuation of exhibit began in December, in Dare Arts Council Vault Gallery, 300 Queen Elizabeth Ave., Manteo, Tues-Fri 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 252-473-5558; www.darearts.org/gailmidgettexhibit Movie: Swashbuckler, The Adventures of Robin Hood | Feb. 20, 27 Airing of 1976 pirate movie Swashbuckler (Feb. 20) and 1938 classic Adventures of Robin Hood (Feb. 27), with intro and commentary about scores for both, at R/C Kill Devil Hills 10 Theater, presented by Don and Catharine Bryan Cultural Series. Tickets available online in Feb., 1803 N. Croatan Hwy, Kill Devil Hills, 4 p.m. both start times. 252-441-5630; www.bryanculturalseries.org
7 Coast | The Virginian-Pilot | Friday, January 7, 2022
TOP 10 EVENTS JAN.-FEB.
ON THE TOWN
8
RODANTHE OLD CHRISTMAS
Friday, January 7, 2022 | The Virginian-Pilot | Coast
Keeping tradition going By Kip Tabb Correspondent
T
here is nothing quite like the Rodanthe Old Christmas. There is history, a good portion of downright
contrariness and a wonderful sense of family and community wrapped up in a tradition that is well over 250 years old. Celebrated on the Saturday after the Epiphany — Jan. 8 in 2022 — at some point Old Buck, an age-defying bull, will make his appearance amid steamed oysters, a lot of food, games and music at the RodantheWaves-Salvo Community Center in Rodanthe. There aren’t any records telling of the first time Old Buck decided the place to be 11 or 12 days after Christmas was Rodanthe, but for well over 100 years he has made his annual appearance. According to legend, after escaping from a sinking ship, Old Buck swam ashore, and finding the local cows to his liking, decided Hatteras Island would be his new home. It’s not completely clear what happened to the bull after taking up residence on the Outer Banks, but every year at Old Christmas his spirit — or Old Buck himself — reappears in the form of a bull’s head with a cloth covered body. The history of Old Buck certainly predates even the first English settler in Colonial America. It may not have been Old Buck, but the tradition of parading an animal head seems to have been a part of pagan yuletide rituals in the British Isles before Christianity even existed. Those animal traditions came to the New World; there are a number of descriptions from the 18th and 19th centuries writing about deer horns and horse and bullheads at Christmas. And what they have in common is that they were all British colonies, or were at one time British colonies. Understanding English history also helps to explain the delayed Rodanthe Christmas.
Elvira Payne, an Old Christmas drummer, is seen in 1957. COURTESY AYCOCK BROWN PAPERS
Turn to Page 9
9 Coast | The Virginian-Pilot | Friday, January 7, 2022
Phillip Rono, Chris Edwards and Wayne Edwards shuck and consume oysters during the Old Christmas Oyster Roast on Jan. 3, 1987. COURTESY DREW WILSON COLLECTION from Page 8
In 1751 Christmas in the British colonies was Dec. 25, just as it had always been. At that time, Britain was using the Julian Calendar which had been steadily falling out of sequence with the solar cycles used to mark the passage of years. So in 1752, England adopted the Gregorian Calendar — the calendar we now use — a calendar that accounts for solar cycles more accurately than the Julian Calendar. To align with the new improved calendar, England had to get rid of 11 days, which the British Parliament did by decreeing the dates of Sept. 3 through Sept. 13, 1752 didn’t exist. It’s unclear if, in 1752, the residents of Rodanthe knew about the change. The
Outer Banks was a remote, sparsely populated area at that time and it is entirely possible that word had not found its way to the village. But if villagers didn’t know about the change in 1752, they certainly would have learned about it in the following years. And after learning of the new calendar and the 11 subtracted days, it appears as though they chose to ignore the new way of accounting for Christmas. Although there may have been some plain contrariness in the decision, there is also the possibility that the decision to reject the new calendar was a faith-based choice. Looking back on it from a 21st century point of view, the intransigence of the villagers seems quirky, perhaps illogical. But in 1750 England and its colonies, anti-Catholic
feelings were rampant and strong. And the Gregorian Calendar was a Catholic construct. To understand what was happening requires a short trip into the history of calendars. For thousands of years, calendars used lunar cycles to calculate the passage of time. Convenient and easily calculated — simply looking at the moon. They don’t work particularly well, though, because lunar cycles don’t match solar cycles and the sun determines the seasons. Turn to Page 10 Santa poses at Old Christmas. COURTESY DAVID STICK PAPERS
Friday, January 7, 2022 | The Virginian-Pilot | Coast
10
The Old Christmas Celebration with Old Buck. PHOTO BY CLAY NOLEN, COURTESY DAVID STICK PAPERS
from Page 9
In 46 BCE, Julius Caesar came up with a simple, effective solution. The Julian Calendar with its 12 months including one 28-day month that would have one day added every four years. The problem with the Julian Calendar was that the calculations were slightly off by approximately 11 minutes per year. Inconsequential for the first 200 or 300 years. After 15 or 16 centuries, though, farmers could no longer use the calendar, and more importantly for the Catholic Church, religious holidays were no longer falling where they were supposed to occur. So Pope Gregory XIII created a papal commission to study the problem and the commission recommended the solution suggested by Italian scientist Aloysius Lilius. The Gregorian Calendar was born. Once the new calendar was approved, Gregory moved quickly. In 1582 he ruled that all Christian nations would jump from Oct. 4 to Oct. 15 with nothing in between. Except it wasn’t all Christian nations; it was all Roman Catholic nations, and that was the nub of the problem. In 1582 the Church of England was well-established and England and the country were either at war or about to go to war with almost every Catholic nation in Europe—the Spanish Armada in 1588 is one example of that. The English denounced the new Gregorian Calendar as a Papist conspiracy and continued on their merry way with the Julian Calendar. By 1752 reality had set in. Although the Catholic Church was still dominant in Europe, other religions had taken hold. More importantly, though, English merchants trying to do business on the continent were at a disadvantage. Bowing to the inevitable, the British Parliament mandated the Gregorian Calendar for England and its possessions. The discrepancy between the Julian and
Nora Herbert, John Herbert and Herbert Midgett are pictured Dec. 4, 1967. COURTESY AYCOCK BROWN PAPERS
Gregorian calendars was now 11 days, so Sept. 3-13, 1752 does not exist in British history. Originally the Rodanthe Christmas happened 11 days after the Gregorian Christmas, on Jan. 5. But over time, as people moved away and roads and transportation improved, the date was moved
to the Saturday after the Epiphany to give families a better chance to gather. There have been other changes as well. For some time, Old Christmas was when grudges and resentments built up over the past year were resolved, often, it seems, with a black eye. Supposedly this was when a young lady got to see her possible
husband for the first time; and there was the tradition of men dressing as women and women as men. If those tales are true, the Rodanthe Christmas is certainly not as rowdy as it once was, yet it remains a remarkable journey into tradition, history and community spirit.
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Coast | The Virginian-Pilot | Friday, January 7, 2022
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12 Friday, January 7, 2022 | The Virginian-Pilot | Coast
Hatteras Island
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Thursday - Saturday 10 am - 5 pm Hwy 12 in Buxton right before the turnoff to Cape Hatteras Lighthouse 252-995-7171 46928 NC 12 Buxton NC
Avon, North Carolina Dine-in Seating (Including Larger Patio) or Carryout! 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!
252-995-5550 • www.froggydog.com Closed until January 26th
Salt Water Taffy ~ Truffles Fudge ~ Chocolates
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Coast | The Virginian-Pilot | Friday, January 7, 2022
The perfect place to start or end your day!
13
12 Friday, January 7, 2022 | The Virginian-Pilot | Coast
Hatteras Island
15 + varieties of New York Bagels Homemade soups and lunch specialties
Pirates ~ Puzzles ~ Games ~ John Deere
Cakes, cupcakes, cookies, pastries, and more Cozy coffee shop Custom cakes and pies Build your own breakfast sandwich
A Hatteras Island Tradition
ALL MADE FRESH DAILY
Thursday - Saturday 10 am - 5 pm Hwy 12 in Buxton right before the turnoff to Cape Hatteras Lighthouse 252-995-7171 46928 NC 12 Buxton NC
Avon, North Carolina Dine-in Seating (Including Larger Patio) or Carryout! 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!
252-995-5550 • www.froggydog.com Closed until January 26th
Salt Water Taffy ~ Truffles Fudge ~ Chocolates
Call (252) 986-5109 | Open 6:30 AM - 2 PM Daily
Coast | The Virginian-Pilot | Friday, January 7, 2022
The perfect place to start or end your day!
Friday, January 7, 2022 | The Virginian-Pilot | Coast
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A trip to Weeping Radish can include touring the eco-farm, a flight of German-style beers and a sausage sampler. COURTESY PHOTO
NC microbrewery getting a new owner By Kari Pugh Correspondent
The Weeping Radish, a major attraction on the Outer Banks since 1986, will have a new owner starting with the new year. Sumit Gupta of SAGA Realty & Construction acquired the landmark brewery from owner and founder Uli Bennewitz in a deal that closed earlier this month. In a statement, Gupta said he was thrilled to help preserve the popular brewery, farm, butchery and restaurant, calling the business “so much more than a place to eat and drink.”
The Weeping Radish is North Carolina’s oldest microbrewery, originally operating in Manteo next to the Christmas Shop and Island Art Gallery on U.S. 64. In 2005, Weeping Radish moved 35 miles north to a 25-acre farm in Currituck County. The sale included the building, land and the business, according to a real estate listing posted earlier this year. The asking price was $2.6 million. Terms of the sale were not disclosed. “For over three decades we have pushed the envelope on what was possible for a small business,” Bennewitz said in a Facebook post announcing the sale. “From changing the law allowing brew pubs in
North Carolina, building the first brewery and butchery, using exclusively sustainable local pork in our restaurant, to growing barley for our beer on our own farm, this has been a dynamic chapter in our lives that we will look back on with great pride.” Gupta said when he and his partners first learned the institution was up for sale, they jumped at the opportunity. “It really was a no-brainer for us. Uli is a legend in this industry, and to see this brewery and restaurant still going strong after four decades is so deeply inspiring, and a testament to his incredibly hard work and amazing foresight,” he said in
the statement. Bennewitz will continue to have a hand in the business as a minority partner, the statement said, and Gupta plans to expand on the restaurant’s “farm-to-table” offerings, expand the brewery and build a new beer garden. The restaurant will close Jan. 1, with a “refresh and expansion of the space ... tentatively set for some time in 2022.” The Optimum Group, a Northern Virginia-based hospitality firm, will work with the new ownership on the business expansion. Kari Pugh, karipugh@icloud.com
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Coast | The Virginian-Pilot | Friday, January 7, 2022
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Friday, January 7, 2022 | The Virginian-Pilot | Coast
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Dominion Energy Serviceman Scott Pendil installs an amber LED light at the Gulf Stream Public Beach Access in Nags Head on Nov. 18, 2021. KARI PUGH PHOTOS
Lighting the way for sea turtles By Kari Pugh
Correspondent
A pilot light project of Dominion Energy and the Town of Nags Head aims to make Outer Banks’ beaches more friendly to sea turtle hatchlings. In late November, Dominion crews began installing amber LED lighting at town beach accesses following a review of town lighting regulations requested by the Nags Head Board of Commissioners. “There was general concern about outdoor lighting, protecting sea turtles, staff was looking at all those issues, and this emerged,” Nags Head Mayor Ben Cahoon said. “All environmental issues including lighting are really high priority for our town and our board. So once we became
aware of the possibility, the board was able to give direction and says ‘yes, we want to explore this.’” Outer Banks beaches from the Virginia-North Carolina line to Nags Head usually see about 30 turtle nests each season, with each containing about 100 eggs. Hatchlings will move toward any light once they’re above ground, which means they can head the wrong way toward hotels, homes and streets instead of the ocean. “The thinking is the moon, stars, the downward slope of the beach are all factors,” said John CeCe, president of the Outer Banks Network for Endangered Sea Turtles, known as N.E.S.T. “Light is an important factor for them to get into the water. This is a great first step for us.”
Dominion recently installed a new amber LED light at a public beach in Nags Head to help sea turtle hatchlings.
Accesses with new turtle-friendly lights include Gulf Stream, Gallery Row, Abalone, Blackman, Bladen, Curlew and East Tides Drive. The power company and the town are testing a few different types of lights before choosing the best for the rest of the town’s 42 public beach accesses, said David Elliot, a Dominion technical engineering consultant.
Chief Town Planner Holly White said the officials were already looking at light trespass, glare and “just a general concern about lighting” when Dominion approached the town about the speciality lights. “The town has historically been very committed to a dark night sky,” White said. “This will be beneficial not just for humans but for both nesting turtles and birds.”
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NATUREWISE
Friday, January 7, 2022 | The Virginian-Pilot | Coast
New discoveries still coming after 14 years of dolphin watching By Jessica Taylor
Correspondent
As 2021 draws to a close and we plan for the new year ahead, I think about the discoveries we have made about the Outer Banks dolphins over the years and how far we have come in our quest to learn more about them. The Outer Banks Center for Dolphin Research, a 501 c(3) nonprofit, will turn 14 years old this coming spring. We have discovered that it’s astonishing all we can learn about a dolphin’s life as it surfaces to breathe. When a dolphin breaks the surface of the water and its dorsal fin becomes visible, a brief glimpse can teach us about its identity, habitat use, health, behavior, and even who its best friends may be. Through many brief glimpses over the years, we have made some exciting discoveries about the Outer Banks dolphins. When I first began studying the Outer Banks dolphins in 2007 as a naturalist on the Nags Head Dolphin Watch, I became adept at recognizing the familiar fins of Onion, Fatlip, Rake, and Skylar, some of our most commonly seen dolphins in the sound. Over time, dolphins acquire nicks and notches on their dorsal fins, making them individually distinct. The Outer Banks Center for Dolphin Research uses a technique known as photo-identification to study the dolphins, in which we photograph each dolphin’s dorsal fin, catalog the images, and compile a long-term sighting history for each dolphin in the sound. Over the past 14 years, we have constructed sighting histories for Onion, Fatlip, and nearly 1,100 other dolphins. If you take a trip out on a local dolphin watch next summer, you are likely to see one of the members of “Onion’s group,” a small community of dolphins that consistently return to the Outer Banks every summer. The group is named after Onion, who is one of the most distinctive dolphins in the area. Through comparing notes with researchers further south, we learned that Onion’s group frequents the central North Carolina coast during the winter. As time goes on, the group has appeared to grow, although we are likely just learning that more and more of our dolphins exhibit this seasonal movement pattern of spending their summers in the Outer Banks sounds and winters in the coastal waters of central North Carolina.
Researchers have discovered that local dolphins don’t travel far from the ocean and waterways of the Outer Banks. COURTESY PHOTO
Most of the dolphins we see in the sound seem to be visitors to the sound, perhaps briefly stopping to check out the fish menu, then continuing on their way. However, scientists have noticed that as the climate warms, many marine species have ventured further north, drawn to unconventionally warm waters and potential food sources. Indeed, as I write this in late December, it is 60 degrees outside. We would therefore expect dolphins to venture further north too, however, after years of comparing to northern photo-id catalogs, we have found that Onion’s group does not seem to travel further north than southern Virginia (so far). This important information teaches us more about the movement and ranging patterns of their stock or management unit which is useful to environmental managers for making conservation plans to best protect the dolphins. If you have traveled to other areas along the East Coast, you may find that the Outer Banks hosts a relatively pristine marine environment, free from significant coastal development that occurs in other places. Coastal development can impact the health of the environment if not closely monitored, but there are clues that scientists can use to gauge how healthy an environment may be. Dolphins are known to be important indicators of environmental health and provide early warning signs of problems in marine and estuarine ecosystems. Pollu-
tion can be visible through the health and presence of the local dolphin community. When a dolphin surfaces, not only is its dorsal fin visible but any skin diseases are observable as well. Skin disease in dolphins can be related to environmental stressors such as cold water, fresh water, or pollution. Over the years, we have documented at least six different type of skin diseases on dolphins in the area. We are currently studying the relationship between the dolphins’ skin diseases and environmental factors as dolphins may become stressed by cold fresh water, but the question remains as to whether any of these skin diseases may be related to pollution. Luckily, the fact that we continue to see many healthy dolphins in the sound year after year leads us to believe that the dolphins and the sound environment are likely in good health. In 2007, we knew there were lots of dolphin in Roanoke Sound but we did not know why? Why was the sound a special place for the dolphins and special enough to return year after year? Why not just stay out in the ocean? We still wonder this question after 14 years of research, but we are getting closer to discovering answers. Over the years, spatial analyses have shown us that dolphins like to use the sound for feeding, playing, and traveling activity, and particular areas are popular for certain activities. For example, playing is common near Nags Head but feeding and eating is more likely to be seen closer
to Oregon Inlet. We also see many mom and calf pairs in the sound which tells us that the sound is also an important nursery habitat for the dolphins. It’s possible that one of the most important aspects of the sound may be the food. A significant and predictable food source would be essential to mom and calf pairs, in particular, as females would benefit from having an abundant food supply in the area while she nurses her calf. In the future, we hope to learn more about how the dolphin movements relate to movements of their prey to gain more insight into this important ecological relationship. In the past 14 years, all of our new discoveries and new questions would not have been possible without our volunteers, board members, interns, colleagues, and foundations that have believed in our mission and supported us by dedicating long days out on the boat in the hot sun, spending even longer days at a computer analyzing dorsal fins, or entrusting us with funds to build our research program and public outreach campaigns to promote the conservation of these amazing animals. In 2022, I hope that we discover even more answers about the Outer Banks dolphins and inspire others to take an active role in their conservation. It is exciting to contemplate the new discoveries that may come in 2022! And when you do catch a glimpse of a dolphin this year, think about all of mysteries that glimpse could unravel!
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FROM JENNETTE’S PIER
Driving the firetruck Aquarium director White enjoys serving, connecting with communities By Jennette’s Pier staff Large and in charge, Maylon White whips the massive red 2009 Pierce fire engine around the firehouse like he was driving his own late model Toyota pick-up truck. On tap for this morning? “Preventive maintenance checks every Saturday,” he said. White, the director of the North Carolina Aquariums Division, volunteers for the Southern Shores Volunteer Fire Department in his hometown. He and the other volunteers perform numerous duties — firefighting, equipment maintenance, storm recovery cleanup as well as search and rescue. For him, it’s important to give back to the community, and besides, he has fun doing it. “It’s a good way to engage with the community, make more contacts and represent our department,” White said. He sometimes spends workdays at Jennette’s Pier and the N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island when not in the Raleigh headquarters. He notes that the N.C. Department of
Cultural and Natural Resources encourages employees to help-out in their communities and even awards employees three days of community involvement leave each year. Volunteering was also listed as an overall goal for aquarium employee work plans this year. For White, the motivation runs deep for the people in these windswept, seaside towns. “It’s a great chance to help the community,” he said. “I like being able to help people in need.” At Southern Shores, they keep chainsaws at the ready so they can respond quickly after hurricanes or northeasters to clear roads of fallen trees and such, he said. They also partner with groups such as the Coastal Humane Society and Toys for Tots in Dare and Currituck counties. When it comes to fighting fires, don’t be surprised to see White and Southern Shores firefighting crew assisting in one of the other five beach towns or unincorporated areas of Dare County. “A lot of people may not realize the small towns of the Outer Banks share resources,” he said. “We have mutual aid. We help keep fires from spreading. “If they ask for our help, we will come,” White added.
Maylon White, left, checks over a chainsaw that firefighters keep handy so they can help their community members with emergency clearing of downed trees.
Maylon White flashes a big grin while at the wheel of a 2009 Pierce fire engine at Station 12, Southern Shore Fire Department where he volunteers on Saturday mornings.JENNETTE’S PIER/ COURTESY PHOTOS
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