A Special Supplement to The Coastland Times
Take advantage of your days off By Gregory Clark greg.clark@thecoastlandtimes.com
Living and working on the Outer Banks can mean watching others have fun while you spend your time working. That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the same activities that others travel hundreds of miles to enjoy for their vacation. A key to your mini-vacation is to take advantage of your days off. Turn off your cell phone, this is your time. Think about what you would do if you were on vacation. Then plan a couple of activities that will allow you to enjoy the Outer Banks. The choices are endless. For me, a couple of days off allow me to enjoy a few of things I might do if I had traveled the long distance. Being of a certain age, swimming and fishing no longer interest me as they once did, but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy myself. My first venture would be a stroll down memory lane. Something every family beach vacation included when I was a kid was a trip to a miniature golf course. And there are plenty mini golf courses to choose from. For me it is an enjoyable way to spend an hour, testing my skill against others and the well-placed obstacles in your way. Grab your spouse, a friend or perhaps a neighbor with kids (that’ll provide you with the cover to pretend you are doing it for the kid!) In fact, there is something compelling,
something all-American about playing miniature golf – and it’s fun. Next I’d splurge a little. Book a sunset cruise on the Downeast Rover. The 55-foot sailing boat leaves from the Manteo waterfront and sails Roanoke Sound. When my wife and I sailed on her, we took a bottle of wine and some cheese and crackers. We sat back and enjoyed the summer breeze. The cares of the day quickly left and a sense of relaxation you can only feel under sail carried us toward an Outer Banks sunset. Annie got to steer the boat, conversations with fellow passengers ensued as dolphins frolicked, or appeared to frolic, in the boats wake. An hour on the water is worth every penny. I would complete my mini-vacation with an evening out under the stars. We would head to South Nags Head and a night at Fish Heads on the Outer Banks Pier. Outdoor seating, a shrimp basket and a bottle of a favorite brew as the sound of surf breaking along the shore resonates in the background. The pier is old, Outer Banks old and reminds me of earlier days; why I moved to the Outer Banks and why I never left. This would be my mini-vacation. My staycation. It doesn’t have to be yours. There are so many things you to do on the Outer Banks. My advice is for you to turn off your cell phone, CONTRIBUTED PHOTO pick an activity then go do it. Children descending the steps of the Bodie Island Lighthouse on Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
SUNDAY, JULY 29, 2018
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THE COASTLAND TIMES
Boating heritage in Manteo The Roanoke Island Maritime Museum located in the George Washington Creef boathouse is a working boat shop offering a look at local and regional maritime heritage through displayed watercraft, exhibits, restoration projects and traditional skills workshops. Featured at the museum is the North Carolina shadboat, “Ella View,” built in 1883.
The annual One-Design Regatta is held the last Saturday in July and is open to Optimist, 420, Sunfish (youth and adult division.) On Tuesday evening, weather permitting; the public is invited to join the regatta for a short sail on Shallowbag Bay in traditional watercraft. This is a great way to see Manteo’s waterfront and experience sailing traditional watercraft.
PHOTO BY GREGORY CLARK.
The George Washington Creef boathouse has the region’s maritime history on display, as well as remaining an active working boathouse.
Honoring Pea Island’s black lifesavers
PHOTO BY GREGORY CLARK.
The Cookhouse Museum opened in 2008 to honor and remember the service of Pea Island’s black lifesavers.
The Pea Island Cookhouse Museum is located in the town of Manteo on Roanoke Island. The original cookhouse building was part of the Pea Island Lifesaving Station. In 2006, it was moved to Sir Walter Raleigh Street at Collins Park, a small park a few blocks opposite downtown Manteo. After renovation, in 2008 the Cookhouse Museum was opened to commemorate and remember the dedication and service of Pea Island’s black lifesavers. The original signboard of the E.S. Newman, the ship rescued by Etheridge and his crew in 1896, is displayed at the museum along with a Lyle gun
used by the crew. The museum also contains memorabilia, artifacts, relics, photographs and other records and information about the Pea Island Lifesaving Station and the African Americans who served there. Along the street in the center of a roundabout adjacent to the Cookhouse Museum is a life-sized bronze statue of Richard Etheridge. The boathouse contains a Beebe type surfboat on loan to the museum by the National Park Service. During the summer months, the Cookhouse Museum is open Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Enduring mystery: ‘The Lost Colony’ celebrates 81st season Millions have seen the story celebrating the 117 English men, women and children whose dream still lives on in this American original. There are epic battles and Native American dances. You’ll experience the sorrow and heartbreak of tragedy and loss. You’ll witness the pageantry of the queen and her court and celebrate the birth of Virginia Dare, the first English child born in America. There is music, laughter romance and dance. More than 130 actors, technicians, designers and volunteers gather each spring to begin rehearsals to bring The Lost Colony to life for another summer
season. The production is enormous. The stage itself is three times larger than most Broadway stages in New York City. You will be seated in the center of the action with the show happening on three sides of you and even sometimes right next to you in the aisle. The Lost Colony outdoor drama is produced by the Roanoke Island Historical Association (RIHA), a non-profit whose mission is to celebrate the history of the first English colonies on Roanoke Island and to honor the founders of The Lost Colony symphonic drama through drama, education, and literature.
First staged in 1937, The Lost Colony is the nation’s premier and longest-running outdoor symphonic drama. Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paul Green, The Lost Colony’s 81st anniversary continues through Aug. 22 Waterside Theatre. New for 2018, there’s a special invite to the Queen’s Court. Join the cast Thursday evenings before the show for Royal Tea, a once-in-a-lifetime experience to enjoy tea and sweets with the Queen’s Master of Ceremony and Sir Walter Raleigh. Adult tickets start at $20, children under 5 are free. For more information, see thelostcolony.org.
COURTESY PHOTO
More than 130 actors, technicians, designers and volunteers work on “The Lost Colony” each season. The outdoor drama is celebrating its 81st year.
Your Take: Favorite local eateries
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Raw oysters and beer on the deck at Pamlico Jack’s in Nags Head.
JEWELRY • POTTERY • LINENS • GLASS ART GIFTS • LOCAL ART • HOME & GARDEN
HISTORIC COROLLA VILLAGE
(252) 453-0199 • 1122 COROLLA VILLAGE RD. • COROLLA • SPRYCREEK.COM
We asked our Facebook followers to tell us their favorite Outer Banks restaurants, and the response was huge. Below is a sampling of the recommendations we received. Martha G. Byrum: Tale of the Whale. Food is great! Atmosphere is great! Service is top notch! Love the jewelry gift shop in the lobby. Early bird special. Rhinestone Cowby: Blue point or KDH grill Lauren Daniels Johnson: Basnight’s Lone Cedar Café Justin Bateman: Owens’ Restaurant is the absolute best!! I’ve never had a bad meal there, the staff is great and the atmosphere is perfect. I would eat there once a week if I could afford to! Owen’s is the cream of the crop! Nancy Scarborough: Several on Hatteras!! Sonny’s and Hatteras Sol in Hatteras village!! Tiffany Lynne Bateman: Barefoot Bernie’s and Plaza Azteca are super affordable and always good! Taiko is the top pick for sushi/hibachi! Kimberly Snyder: BK Shuckers ... great food, fun atmosphere with sports, tv’s, special events & entertainment, outdoor (pet-friendly) dining option and affordable ...they make you feel welcome and “at home.” Kimberly Shrout Collier: Hatteras Sol Katlyn Hickman: Tale of the Whale or Mulligan’s - both have great service, nice atmosphere, and great food with lots of choices and specials Denise Swain: South Beach Grill Mary Ann Gouzie Hurd: Black Pelican Seafood
Company Marneen McDonough Gray: Sam and Omie’s for she crab soup. Polly Rollinson: Old Nags Head Cafe!! Awesome barbeque sandwich and love the atmosphere. Gail Layton: Steamers. The food is wonderful, the service is excellent, friendly, welcoming, it’s my go to restaurant. Kelly Malone: Black Pelican, Rundown Cafe, Art’s Place, Owen’s, Sam and Omie’s, Goombays, Jolly Roger. Carol Ann Mason: Gidgets Kathy Heinrich: Take out seafood Austin’s, fish tacos at Mama Kwans, steak JK’s. Chelsea Ann: Steamers! They have amazing staff, high quality food and a great atmosphere! Catered our rehearsal dinner and wedding, they exceeded our expectations. Tracy Burk: We love SmacNally’s on Ocracoke. Some of the most amazing yummy delicious food ever. We also love Pop’s Raw Bar in Buxton. Best shrimp we found on the island good fries good burgers friendly staff ! Then there’s Bros in Avon, you can’t beat Bros food! Kerbi Modr Gontkovic: Hatteras, Sonny’s; Kill Devil Hills, Miller’s, Nags Head-Austin’s. Holly Petry: Pamlico Jack’s Freda Smith: Lucky 12, Tortuga’s, Art’s Place Lisa Woodruff Matthews: Blue Moon Grille. Colington Cafe Jessica Mason-Everett: The Hungry Pelican in Manteo! Perfect lunch spot with the best staff ! You will not find better sandwiches & salads on the
island! Enjoy your lunch at the restaurant or grab it to go and find a shady spot on the boardwalk downtown. Gail Whitney Baird: The Saltbox Cafe Linda Ellis Wilson: Food Dudes Kitchen in KDH; small dining area, but wait is worth it. Grilled tuna, panko breaded potato cake, mahi wraps, crab cakes, and fish tacos are top notch! Shout out to Buddy and the dudes! Lisa Nicholson: The Blue Point for the food, ambiance, and the fantastic staff. Food is always spot on, The Back Bar is a great place to watch the sunset and listen to music, and the fantastic drink and wine menu. Kay Baker Cheek: Goombays! Excellent food, drinks, and service! Bruce Hilpert: Beach Bistro, good food, good prices, deck bar with ocean view and NO WAIT ever! Katie M Johnson: Singlefin!! The staff, the quality of the sushi, great drinks, local as it gets. Jessica Williamson: Buxton Munch for lunch! Becky Hill: Okracoke Oyster Company on Okracoke Island, amazing food and staff. Melissa Lang Marshall: Bad Bean. Chicken tacos and their dip sampler is AMAZING!! Wayne Sober: We live in Corolla and are partial to Mike Dianna’s Grill Room & Cosmo’s Pizza. In the off season when we can leave Corolla we like Art’s Place, Greentails, Pok’s Art and Tale of the Whale (the seafood platter is humongous and the locals discount is nice). We do wish there was one good Chinese place.
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THE COASTLAND TIMES
Forget travel, make a movie
Is this something you’ve wanted to do for a long time? Take a staycation, or maybe more than one, and make a film. Then submit it to the Longleaf Film Festival. The NC Museum of History in Raleigh is officially accepting entries for the fifth annual Longleaf Film Festival, to be held Friday and Saturday, May 10 and 11, 2019. Submissions will be accepted online through March 1, 2019. Submission information is available at LongleafFilmFestival.com. To be eligible for selection in Longleaf 2019 and awards, fi lmmakers and/ or films must have a North Carolina connection and/ or be one of Longleaf’s
former official selection fi lmmakers. Connections may include the fi lm was made in North Carolina; and/or the fi lm’s story or topic or other feature is North Carolina based; and/or the submitting fi lmmaker or other key production member (screenwriter, cinematographer, producer, or lead actor) lives in North Carolina now and/or grew up in North Carolina and/or attended college or university in North Carolina; and/or the submitting filmmaker is a former Longleaf Official Selection filmmaker. Two $500 Judges’ Choice awards will be presented for narrative and documentary fi lms.
Rainy day?
Additionally, a $300 prize is awarded for the Best Student-Made Film in the middle and high school student category. New this year is a $200 prize for best film poster. Additional prizes will be awarded in the festival’s eight main categories, including animated film documentary feature, documentary short, history fi lm, middle and high school student film, music video, narrative feature and narrative short. For additional information, contact Sally Bloom at 919-807-7965 or sally. bloom@ncdcr.gov, or visit LongleafFilmFestival. com. The festival is free to attend.
BY KARI PUGH
Dark clouds gather over Kill Devil Hills before a summer storm.
So, the days for your scheduled staycation turned out to be rainy, soggy and dreary. Here are some suggestions from the folks at Lee Robinson General Store in Hatteras village. “Visit the Graveyard of
the Atlantic Museum!” “Take the kiddos and see the Pirate Display!” “Eat lunch at any of our lovely eateries.” “Check out the sound side.” ‘Take a walk on the beach, buy a puzzle or
a game and enjoy each other. “Eat fudge, take a nap.” “Read a book.” “Cook up something yummy.” “Buy some different brews and taste them.” “Make sangria.”
Discover a new world
Roanoke Island Festival Park in Manteo shows visitors firsthand what life was like for the English settlers in 1585. Historic costumed interpreters are featured through Indian town, the settlement site and the Elizabeth II ship to show and tell how the first settlers lived, worked and played on Roanoke Island. There’s also the Adventure Museum and plenty of interactive exhibits for kids. Throughout the year, the park is a venue for concerts and other events. For more information, see roanokeisland.com
ALL AGES WELCOME FOR SHORTEST TRIP TO BEST FISHING
We provide everything you need to fish Check out our website for upcoming special events
Missoregoninlet.com
252-441-6301 • 800-272-5199
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Good for everyone in party. Must mention or present coupon at time of purchase. Offers cannot be combined and no cash value. Exp. 4/30/19
98 NC Hwy. 12, Nags Head
252-441-6301 Toll Free : 800-272-5199
Group Discount Special Traveling with a group of 10 or more & want to save MORE than 10%? Special savings of $5 OFF per ticket with minimum of 10 tickets purchased
Good for everyone in party. Must mention or present coupon at time of purchase. Offers cannot be combined and no cash value. Exp. 4/30/19 98 NC Hwy. 12, Nags Head 252-441-6301 • Toll Free : 800-272-5199 Discount Rules: **Not valid with any other promotion. **3 & under tickets not valid toward group count. **Cannot be redeemed for cash.
SUNDAY, JULY 29, 2018
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THE COASTLAND TIMES
Go camping: Getting away, close to home By Philip S. Ruckle Jr. philip.ruckle@thecoastlandtimes.com
Getting away from it all can have its advantages, but what are the options when you live at the destination where most people go to get away? For some people, camping out is the way to break the daily routine and enjoy a few scenic wonders of nature. Sitting under a clear star-lit sky next to a campfi re can do wonders for the spirits. And while camping may not be free, unless you feel compelled to have every luxury item available, once you have a few basic camping gear items it becomes a relatively inexpensive escape from home. Although there is no universally approved, nor officially recognized, definition of what is camping, or what is not camping, generally it includes a combination of an intent to experience nature through outdoor activities that involves one or more overnight stays away from home in some type of shelter, like a tent. While tent campers may be considered by some as purists, with trailer and RV campers packing a long list of luxury items that blur the line, at its core camping as a recreational activity with a range of activities and approaches to outdoor accommodation. According to a 2014 American Camper Report published by the Coleman Company, Inc., and the Outdoor Foundation, camping in the United States is gaining popularity. From 2012 to 2013 more than 40 million Americans went camping. Why the popularity? In addition to breaking us out of a sometimes routine and at times hectic lifestyle, studies have shown that there are in fact a few health benefits, including fresh air, less stress, new challenges, restful sleep, exercise, sunshine, good food, improved moods, socialization and less distractions. Camping does not always have to be an intense event, and you do not need to “rough it” out in the wilderness. If you want to camp, but do not want the hardcore experience, there are a variety of accommodations that can accommodate everyone. Using the barest of essential equipment, survivalist campers pack as little as possible, while basic campers have tents, cook stoves and lanterns. Top of the line recreational vehicle travelers often arrive equipped with their own electricity, a/c and heat, and patio furniture. Campgrounds are usually classified by the type of camper accommodation or activity, including tents, trailer or RV campsites, group camping, cabins or equestrian. Many campgrounds have restrooms, showers,
electric, water and sewer hookups and dump stations. Camping is often combined with hiking and other outdoor activities such as canoeing, swimming, boating, bicycling, climbing, fishing and hunting. Camping close to home • You don’t have to leave the Outer Banks to get back to nature. A number of nearby campgrounds offer sites for tens, trailer, RVs and a few even provide rustic looking cabins. Most campers tend to visit less developed areas for their time outdoors, but a camping destination does not have to be in the wilderness. In fact, for those with travel trailers or a larger Recreational Vehicles, a number of campground locations provide enough amenities that campers could have all the comforts of home. A number of coastal campgrounds are within a one- to two-hour drive: Barry’s on Walnut Island - Grandy: Free wifi spots, back in sites, 50 and 30 amp/ 240 volt electric service, water, tenting available 20 amp /120 volt service, Free Boat ramp-Marina, picnic table, grass or gravel surface, fi shing docks, adjoining full service restaurant, sports bar, pool table. Dump station on site. • Bells Island Campground - Currituck: Camping, boating, swimming, fi shing, boat ramp, shaded RV sites with 30 & 50 amp electrical. Both full hookup and water & electric sites, along with tent camping sites. Reservations are encouraged, especially during the summer months. • Camp Hatteras RV Resort - Waves: Family owned campground with more than 400 RV Full Hook Up and tent sites with concrete pads. Paved roads, cable TV and wi-fi , indoor heated and outdoor and kiddie pool, jacuzzi, camp store, clubhouse with kitchen, conference center with kitchen, guard house and security, marina with water sports rentals, tennis, basketball, shuffleboard, miniature golf, playground, bicycle rentals, five bath houses and four laundry facilities, non-denominational worship services, dog park and agility course. • Cape Hatteras KOA Rodanthe: Ocean front campground with 50 amp RV patio sites, tent sites, and camping cabins. Guest House has a store, Internet area with computers, and lounging room with wi-fi, hot tub, water slide for kids. Activities include pool games, basketball tournaments, tie-dying, live skits, live music at the pool, and family movie nights out under the stars. • Cape Point Campground - Buxton: Cape Hat teras Na t i o n a l
Seashore Campground with 202 tent, trailer, and motor home sites. No utility connections. • Cape Woods Campground - Buxton: Appears to be tent and trailer sites. No other information available. Farm Country Campground - Bear Grass: Open year round there are 40 available full hook-up RV camper and tent sites, wifi, fi re-pits and fi rewood, showers/bath house, picnic tables, all-purpose room, camp store, LP gas, shelters, grills, walking and horse trail, open play areas. • Frisco Campground - Frisco: Cape Hatteras National Seashore Campground with 127 tent, trailer, and motor home sites. No utility connections. • Frisco Woods Campground - Frisco: Secluded campsites on the Pamlico Sound with 3050 amp service for tent, pop-up and RV camping. Showers, restroom, a large pool, free wifi, dish-washing areas, coin-operated laundry, free air refi ll, kayak rentals, dumping station and camp store. • Goose Creek State Park - Washington: A small tent-oriented campground offering solitude with eight miles of trails for hiking, fi shing, sandy beach swimming, a boat ramp for motor-boating and separate paddling launch to canoe or kayak. Not all campsites have identical amenities. Park gates are closed and locked at posted closing times. • Green Acres Family Campground - Williamston: More than 150 sites for RV, trailers or tents and 11 tent-only sites. Dump station, emergency phone, 30 and 50 amp electric and water. Also available are cabin rentals, climate-controlled clubhouse, two swimming pools, mini-golf, pedal boats, fi shing, canoes, tennis court, video gameroom, fi re rings, pool table, ping pong, nature trail, horseshoes, basketball, volleyball,
Historic Inn on the downtown Manteo Waterfront 305 Fernando Street, Manteo, NC 27954
252-473-5511 • roanokeislandinn.com
badminton, playgrounds, and seasonal activities. Pets welcome. • Hatteras Sands Campground - Hatteras: Over 60 paved RV and tent sites available. Free cable TV and wifi, air conditioned bathhouse with hot water, Olympic size swimming pool, laundry facility, large clubhouse with lounge and game room featuring pool tables, ping pong, pinball, video games, puzzles and more. Kayak, swim, fish or crab. A pet-friendly park with some exceptions. • Kitty Hawk RV Park Kitty Hawk: RV only sites with water, sewer, cable television and 30/50 amp service available. Pet friendly with restrictions. Pop-ups and tents cannot be accommodated. No bathhouse, no showers, no toilets. • Lazy Days Campground - Salvo: Each of 16 campsites has its own water, sewage, and both 30 and 50 amp outlets, a nearby large handicap accessible bathhouse with six showers and six toilets. • Merchants Millpond State Park - Gatesville: Twenty campsites for tents and trailers offer picnic tables and grills. A washhouse with drinking water, restrooms and showers serves the campground. There are no electrical hookups, water or dumping station. Drive to the family campground, paddle to the canoe camping sites or backpack to the primitive sites. Activities include fi shing, hiking, paddling, canoeing, and a boat ramp for small boats (with trolling motors only). • North River Campground - Shawboro: A full service campground with security gate, convenience store, fi rewood/ ice, laundry room, picnic tables, fi re rings, dump station, LP gas, and bath houses with full showers. Large, full hook-up RV sites w/20-30-50 amp service and separate tent sites. • OBX Campground Colington: Nightly and weekly rates for 56 RV
sites, 30 amp and 50amp electric service. Handicap accessible bathhouse with showers, coin operated laundry facility, full water and sewer hook-up, dump station, cable TV, wifi, playground. No tent sites available. • Ocean Waves Campground - Waves: This family operated campground has 68 full hookup campsites with 30-50 amp electric, paved roads, concrete site pads, shaded and open sites, picnic tables, water and sewer, cable TV, free wifi , swimming pool, flush toilet, hot showers, camp store, ice, gameroom and ocean access. Tent Sites are near the beach. • Ocracoke Campground - Ocracoke: Cape Hatteras National Seashore Campground with 136 tent, trailer, and motor home sites. No utility connections. • Oregon Inlet Campground - Nags Head: Cape Hatteras National Seashore campground with 120 tent, trailer, and motor home sites. Electricity and water available at 27 camping sites, others without. • Pettigrew State Park Creswell: Thirteen campsites in a family campground near 16,000-acre Lake Phelps with tent and trailer camping sites between the park office and Somerset Place. Each site has a picnic table and grill. Water and restrooms with showers are nearby. Some campsites can accommodate RVs. Hookups and dump station are not provided. Campers have 24-hour access to the park. Activities include swimming, hiking, biking, and a boat ramp for shallow draft vessels on Lake Phelps. • Rocky Hock Campground - Edenton: Shaded tent sites, drive-through or back-in RV sites. Clean bathrooms, laundromat and phones. Pet friendly facility. • Rodanthe Watersports and Campground – Rodanthe • Sands of Time Campground - Avon: family-owned campground
within walking distance of the ocean and six miles from Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. A well maintained oasis of grassy sites and beautiful shade trees with 57 Full Service Sites with tent and trailer sites, water and electric, dry sites, cottage rental, hot showers, clean restrooms laundry, lighted fi sh cleaning table, free cable TV. • Sandy Point Resort Campground - Knotts Island: Offers tent sites and full hook-up sites for campers, bathhouse with private hot showers, log cabin, boating, fishing, crabbing, sandy beach, 200 foot dock for fi shing and mooring boats, boat ramp. Areas for water skiing and windsurfing, basketball and volleyball court, children’s playground. • The Refuge on Roanoke Island - Wanchese: A camping community with 14 lots for daily and weekly campers and another 44 available for year round lease. Lots start at 30 feet wide and accommodate 45 foot long vehicles with water, sewer, and 30 and 50 amp electric service. Internet service and cable available. Amenities include picnic tables, pavilion, pool (no lifeguard), coin operated laundry facility, trash and recycling receptacles near a bath house with separate rooms for men and women. Each room has two showers, three toilets and two sinks. • Tranter’s Creek Resort & Campground - Washington: Offering more than 250 full service hook-ups with 20/30/50 amp electric, water, and sewer, tent sites, and creekside cabins. Amenities include wireless Internet, large pool, camp playground, game room, camp store, camp laundry room, large covered pavilion, state-of-the-art handicapped-accessible bathhouses. Activities include fi shing, miniature golf, boat launch ramp and kayaking. • Twin Lakes RV Resort - Chocowinity: RV Resort with 363 sites and cabins.
• Adult Beverage Tasting • Adult Pirate Tales • Historic Homes Tours • Kids/Family Story Tours • Ghost Tours
Manteo, NC • 252-489-5959 outerbankstastesandtales.com
SUNDAY, JULY 29, 2018
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THE COASTLAND TIMES
Free things to do on the Outer Banks See some wild horses. If you’ve got four-wheel drive, head to Currituck’s Outer Banks (take NC 12 north until the pavement ends) to see wild mustangs on the beach. It’s free to drive the beach in Corolla and Carova, but if you want to park, you need to pay for a permit. Take a scenic break at Currituck Banks Reserve, north of the Currituck Beach lighthouse. The spot offers a short boardwalk leading to an overlook along the Currituck Sound. Visit the Whalehead Club in Corolla. The 1920s-era mansion has been restored to look the way it did when Edward Collings Knight Jr. and his wife, Marie Louise, first opened the doors as a hunting retreat in 1925.
Check out the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education. Operated by the NC Wildlife Commission, the center features education exhibits about the animals, natural history and heritage of the region. Go see the Outer Banks lighthouses: Currituck Beach Light, Bodie Island, Cape Hatteras and Ocracoke. You can climb for a nominal fee, but they’re free to see and admire. Bodie Island Lighthouse is open for visitors to check out inside the base, at no cost. Stroll the Duck boardwalk, which meanders nearly a mile along Currituck Sound at the 11-acre town park. The park itself includes trails through the maritime forest and willow swamp, open green space
and soundside views. Visit Aviation Park next to the Baum Center and Kill Devil Hills Town Hall. There’s a skatepark, lake and multi-use trails in a peaceful setting. Right next to the Baum Center is the Outer Banks Arboretum and Teaching Garden, a small and secluded area with a brick pathway that winds through the aquatic, dune and butterfly sections that make up the garden. Hike the trails at Nags Head Woods Preserve. Nearly 400 acres of perpetually preserved coastal plain owned and operated by the Nature Conservancy offers hiking trails through maritime forest along the sound. Climb the dunes at Jockey’s Ridge State Park in Nags Head.
Jockey Ridge is the tallest natural sand dune system in the eastern United States, and it offers a brilliant way to watch the sun set. Crystal Dawn Charters at Pirate’s Cove runs “free for locals” cruises several times a year. All you need to do is pack a cooler and a tip for the crew. Watch the OBX Locals Facebook page for freecruise announcements. Explore Cape Hatteras and take the free ferry to Ocracoke. From seeing the Cape Hatteras lighthouse in the distance as you head south on NC 12, to the chugging ride across the sound aboard the ferry, to exploring the isolated beaches and BY KARI PUGH quirky town of Ocracoke, The Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education features it’s worth every minute real-life exhibits of the region’s animals and cultural re(and doesn’t cost a dime. sources.
BY KARI PUGH
LEFT: Board your car on the free ferry between Hatteras and Ocracoke islands for a scenic day trip. RIGHT: Sunset atop the dunes at Jockey’s Ridge State Park in Nags Head is one of local life’s great pleasures.
BY KARI PUGH
The Whalehead Club in Corolla is a restored luxury hunting lodge built in the 1920s.
BY KARI PUGH
The Bodie Island Lighthouse is one of four on the Outer Banks. They’re all free to visit, and you can climb them for a nominal fee.
THE COASTLAND TIMES www.thecoastlandtimes.com
SUNDAY, JULY 29, 2018
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THE COASTLAND TIMES
History in bloom at historic site The Fort Raleigh National Historic Site on the north end of Roanoke Island protects and preserves known portions of England’s first New World settlements from 1584 to 1590. This site, operated by the National Park Service, also preserves the cultural heritage of the Native Americans, European Americans and African Americans who have lived on Roanoke Island. The grounds of Fort Raleigh National Historic Site are open from sunrise to sunset all yearround. The Lindsay Warren Visitor Center hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week, from the end of “The Lost Colony” outdoor drama season until
the new season. During The Lost Colony outdoor drama season, the Lindsay Warren Visitor Center hours are 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. The Lindsay Warren Visitor Center is closed on Christmas Day. Also on the grounds of the historic site is the 10-acre Elizabethan Gardens. Inspired by the elaborate gardens kept to entertain Queen Elizabeth I during her reign, the Outer Banks attraction was created as a living memorial to the time when Sir Walter Raleigh’s lost colonists lived in that very spot more than 400 years ago. The garden, a project of BY KARI PUGH the Garden Club of North The entryway and gift shop at Elizabethan Gardens, on the grounds of the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site on RoaCarolina. noke Island.
Wright Brothers Memorial: Why Kitty Hawk?
In 1900, the Orville and Wilbur Wright began researching locations from which to begin their flying experiments. Kitty Hawk was a tiny coastal fishing village of approximately 300 people at the turn of the century, and would come to suit their needs. The Wrights desired a number of conditions in order to successfully experiment with controlled flight. First, they needed steady winds. Second, they needed an area with high sand dunes from which to glide. Third, they needed limited obstructions (trees, buildings, etc.) and, lastly, they needed isolation to experiment unencumbered. Kitty Hawk’s average wind speed is 15 to 20 mph, ideal for the Wrights’ experiments. In 1900, the area was primarily sand flats and sand dunes, with only
a smattering of man-made structures (the US Lifesaving Station, a weather station and post office, and a small amount of private homes), making the area ideal for the isolation they desired. In addition, the Kill Devil Hills, located four miles south of town, provided massive dunes from which to glide, and an abundance of sand to act as a cushion for crash landings. Wilbur arrived by small fishing schooner at Kitty Hawk on Sept. 13, 1900; Orville 11 days later. Initially residing with postmaster William Tate and his family (who would become instrumental in assisting the Wrights), the brothers set up their own camp on Oct. 4, half a mile south of town, and began their experiments in earnest. From 1900 to 1903, the
brothers used a group of sand dunes known as the Kill Devil Hills to conduct many of their flying experiments. The largest of the hills, Big Kill Devil Hill, was approximately 100 feet high. In total, the Wrights glided off these hills more than 1000 times, each time walking and carrying their glider up the sandy dunes with the help of locals. When they returned to Ohio in 1902, they felt confident they could achieve powered flight upon their return to Kitty Hawk in 1903. From the hills, they perfected the art of soaring and control of the aircraft; the gliding skills they developed were a crucial component of their invention of the airplane. Steady, often violent winds have consistently altered these hills. The smaller hills, which were only about 40 feet high,
PHOTO COURTESY MELISSA MATTINGLY, WWW.PHOTOSBYMATTINGLY.COM
The North Carolina Air National Guard’s two C-17 Globemaster III aircraft stopped by the Outer Banks to fly over the Wright Brothers National Memorial Kill Devil Hills on their way to their new home in Charlotte earlier this year. The buzz-by was a nod to the Wright brothers’ first flight in December 1903, which took place on the Outer Banks.
were completely swept away in a hurricane in 1912. Wind and weather moved Big Kill Devil Hill 450 feet to the southwest during the 25 years from
the Wright’s first flight in 1903 until the 1920s, when it was stabilized for the construction of the Wright Brothers Monument. The monument, still resting
The Outer Banks
prominently on top of Big Kill Devil Hill, was dedicated in 1932 to memorialize the brothers’ remarkable achievements in the history of flight.
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VISITORS BUREAU
Houseguests? We Can Help! You’ve got enough to keep you busy without having to come up with recommendations for visiting friends and family. Just send them our way. The Outer Banks Visitors Bureau has four welcome centers and a friendly staff that’s really good at helping folks get the most out of their time on the Outer Banks. Your guest are our guests!
Aycok Brown Welcome Center 5230 N. Croatan Hwy. Kitty Hawk, NC
Roanoke Island Welcome Center One Visitors Center Cir. Manteo, NC
Whalebone Welcome Center 2 NC 12 Hwy. Nags Head, NC
Hatteras Welcome Center 57190 Kohler Rd. Hatteras, NC
877-629-4386 OuterBanks.org