Life in the Outer Banks

Make plans to stay or visit the Town of Duck this 4th of July. The 11th Annual 4th of July Parade will be held on Friday, July 3, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. The 4th of July Parade is not held on weekend days due to the changeover of rental properties. Immediately following the parade, join at the Town Park, 1200 Duck Road, for live music from Just Playn’ Dixieland, cold refreshments, watermelon provided by Green Acres, and the awarding of the parade trophies. The one-mile parade route is the same annually and begins at the crest of the hill on Scarborough Lane. The route follows Scarborough Lane towards the ocean, turns left onto Ocean Way, and then heads down Christopher Drive ending at Duck Road (NC 12). No part of the parade takes place on Duck Road (NC 12). Visit www.townofduck.com/duck4thofjuly for more information.

The Herbert C. Bonner Bridge is located in Dare County, and opened in 1963. The bridge provides the only highway connection between Hatteras Island and mainland North Carolina. The Bonner Bridge Replacement Project will replace the existing bridge over Oregon Inlet and provide for the long-term retention of N.C. 12 between Oregon Inlet and Rodanthe. NCDOT and the Southern Environmental Law Center, representing Defenders of Wildlife and the National Wildlife Refuge Association, are currently in active, confidential discussions regarding replacing the aging Herbert C. Bonner Bridge over the Oregon Inlet with a new parallel bridge while continuing to develop a long-term solution to the transportation challenges along the stretch of N.C. 12 south of the bridge to Rodanthe.

Following a complex ruling issued by the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, both sides determined that it was best to move forward with confidential discussions to resolve the bridge dispute. NCDOT and the Federal Highway Administration decided to temporarily suspend work on the permanent Pea Island Bridge construction until those talks and a detailed review of the recent court ruling are complete.

Last week, NCDOT also met with the N.C. 12 merger team, comprised of state and federal resource and regulatory agencies, to give members feedback on the status of the project and on a new concept that is under consideration.“We remain committed to building a new parallel bridge over the Oregon Inlet to ensure the safety of Outer Banks residents and visitors,” said Transportation Secretary Tony Tata. “We have been in conversations with the SELC about the Bonner Bridge project for more than a year and believe these recent proactive discussions are a positive step toward a permanent solution.”

Courtesy: http://www.ncdot.gov  

Barefoot Bernie’s

Barefoot Bernie’s is located at 3730 North Croatan Highway at Mile Post 4 ½. Barefoot’s has a welcoming family environment, and beautiful tropical décor giving diners the sensation of being on a tropical island. Colorful walls and unique light fixtures create the perfect ambience for a tasty meal and a tropical cocktail. Delicious appetizers and a bar with plenty of TVs to keep you entertained. Serving lunch and dinner, Barefoot Bernie’s menu has a variety of Asian and Caribbean, Mediterranean and down-home American taste. They use fresh ingredients with a unique touch. Options for land or sea lovers are available on the menu. http://www.barefootbernies.com/ 

The Black Pelican

The Black Pelican is well known for their fresh seafood, steaks, and wood oven pizzas.  Located at 3848 N Virginia Dare Trail at Mile Post 4, Black Pelican is open year round serving lunch and dinner. There is also a full service bar. The building was constructed in 1874 and used as a United States Lifesaving Station. This restaurant has a quaint rustic charm. The Black Pelican also has a menu designed just for kids, and a specious dining room with great oceanfront views and a back deck. Take a walk through maritime history, and enjoy an unforgettable meal. http://www.blackpelican.com/

Hurricane Mo’s

Hurricane Mo’s is a tropical-themed getaway with an outdoor patio. It is famous for their happy hour deals and delicious seafood entrees. Hurricane Mo’s has great happy hour specials including wings, shrimp, and tacos. Mo’s is conveniently located on 120 W Kitty Hawk Road at Mile Post 4. The restaurant features a top deck view of the ocean. The walls are beautifully painted with sea life and colors. Hurricane Mo’s has friendly and fast service that shows southern hospitality. The food is excellent, and it is a great place for the whole family.

Art’s Place    

Art’s Place is located on the N.C. 12 Beach Road at Mile Post 2.5, and has been the Outer Banks' biggest kept secret for thirty years. Art’s is well known for having the best burger on the beach. And with your delicious burger you will get fresh hand cut french fries. Art’s serves homemade breakfast and lunch meals. Their menu includes happy hour specials, burgers, seafood, and much more. The food is always fresh and delicious.  http://www.artsplaceobx.com/

Josephine’s

Josephine's Sicilian Kitchen is a relaxing, authentic Italian restaurant in the Outer Banks. It is located at 3701 Croatan Highway at Mile Post 4.5. The owner of the restaurant is originally from Sicily. Josephine's passion is cooking, and has plenty of experience, she loves sharing her food with family and friends. Josephine’s has great appetizers, salads, and entrees. Josephine’s is a piece of Italy right on the beach.  http://obxitalianrestaurant.com/

State Department of Transportation engineers were on the scene determining how to fix a 150-yard section of N.C. 12 that was washed out by high surf from the May Day coastal storm. The plan is to have the road reopened to traffic by this weekend, according to Heiss “As of this morning we are working to get repairs started as soon as possible, hopefully before the end of the day,” said NCDOT spokesperson Jennifer Heiss. “Crews have been waiting for the waves to die down before they can begin working.”

The road was closed early Saturday after high tide Friday evening and Saturday morning carved out the sand alongside the roadway to a depth of as much as 8 feet to the beach below. A large gap, or slough, in the underwater sandbars just off the beach at the end of East Kitty Hawk Road allowed the waves to reach the shoreline and eat away at the dunes.

Tides that were higher than normal due to a full moon on Saturday night and Sunday morning washed out the sand underneath the northbound lane, and the pavement fell to the beach below. Waves of up to 8 feet pounded the beaches of the Outer Banks Friday through Sunday. What remained of the dunes to the north and south of the blowout were cut in half, with cliff as much as 15 feet from the peak to the beach.

“For a short-term fix to reopen the road, we will remove all of the damaged pavement in the area, (and) refill the area back up with sand,” Heiss said. “Once the sand is in place, we will then pave the area with no dune so we can immediately restore traffic. We will also be working on getting plans and applicable permits together to reconstruct the dune with a slope to the beach so that it doesn’t immediately wash back out,” but there is currently no timeframe on the dune construction, Heiss said.

A much longer stretch of dune line and N.C. 12 in the same area was washed out by Hurricane Sandy in 2012, and sheet piling was placed against the road bed just north of where this weekend’s washout happened. The dune crossover built by Kitty Hawk Public Works over the winter has help up so far to the pounding waves, but it is closed due to safety concerns.

“We just added additional pilings to the crossover last week (on the seaside),” said Kitty Hawk Public Works Director Willie Midgett. Without the added supports, the original pilings would have been suspended above the washed out sand and the crossover likely would have collapsed, Midgett added. The biggest concern now is how much work can be done before another coastal storm taking into consideration of the fact that the year’s first tropical system is forecast to pass near the Outer Banks this coming weekend.

Courtesy: OuterBanksVoice.com

Kitty Hawk Kites presents the 43^rd Annual Hang Gliding Spectacular. Pilots are invited to participate in one of the world’s largest hang gliding events. The four day competition of world-class hang gliding will take off from the top of the largest natural sand dune on the East Coast. The Hang Gliding Spectacular and Air Show will run from May 16th through May 19^th at 6:15pm with competitions each day. There is an entry fee for pilots, but the event is free to the public. Hang Gliding Spectacular is the longest running hang gliding competition in the world. Join professional hang gliders, fans, and families at Jockey’s Ridge State Park, and make this event an Outer Banks tradition for you and your family.

For more information on this event or to participate visit: www.hangglidingspectacular.com or www.kittyhawk.com/events

Courtesy: OuterBanksThisWeek.com

Celebrate National Running Day on June 3rd. National Running Day is held annually on the first Wednesday of June. It is a coast-to-coast celebration for running. If you love running or you would like to become a beginner you won't want to miss this event. You can pick up a runner's packet on June 2nd at Tri Outer Banks Sports in Kill Devil Hills between 4 P.M. and 7 P.M. The 5K road course begins June 3rd at 6:00 A.M. at the Marketplace in Southern Shores.

 For more information visit: http://www.runcations.com/nationalrunningday/

Leslie Gilmore, Your Agent for Buying and Selling Outer Banks Real Estate

1.    Jockey’s Ridge State Park. Located in Nags Head, Jockey’s Ridge is a 426-acre park that has the largest natural living sand dune on the East Coast. Jockey’s Ridge State Park is great for the kids and the whole family. The views from the dunes are fantastic; the best time to go is before the sun sets, it’s an incredible view. There are two self-guided trails and nature programs available year-round. Jockey’s Ridge has a visitor’s center, small gift shop, museum, picnic facilities and restrooms. A few activities to participate in are hang gliding, kite flying, and hiking.  http://www.jockeysridgestatepark.com/

2.    Wright Brothers National Memorial. The Visitor Center features full-scale reproductions of the Wright 1903 Powered Flyer, and a pavilion exhibit hall with special exhibits including a replica of the 1902 Wright Glider and a multipurpose auditorium. The grounds have historical markers of each attempted powered flight, replica camp buildings and a 60-foot granite monument on top of Big Kill Devil Hill (a 90-foot dune) in honor of the Wright brothers. The park features a replica of the Wright Brothers' plane that visitors can see and listen to an entertaining history of flight. There are group tours and walking tours. Visiting the Wright Brothers Memorial is an exciting experience to take part in, and learn about the Wright Brothers and hear their story. http://www.nps.gov/wrbr/index.htm

3.    Lighthouses. Bodie Island Lighthouse is south of Nags Head, and stands 150 feet high. It flashes its 160,000 candlepower beacon 19 miles over the ocean. Currituck Beach Lighthouse is 158 feet high, and is located in Corolla. Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is 208 feet high making it the tallest brick beacon in the country. Ocracoke Lighthouse is only accessible by ferry, but not available for climbing, but it is North Carolina’s oldest operating lighthouse. The Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse is easily accessible along the Manteo Waterfront. The lighthouse contains exhibits highlighting Roanoke Island’s lighthouse and maritime history.

4.    Nature and Wildlife Tours. Corolla features Wild Horse Adventure Tours, which gives visitors the opportunity to see the wild horses of the Outer Banks and ride through beach, dune, and forest trails with Hummer Adventure Tours. Discover the unique sights the Outer Banks has to offer. The tour guides take you onto northern beaches that are accessible only with a 4x4 off-road vehicle. http://wildhorsetour.com/

5.    4WD, ATV, and Off-Road Tours. Corolla Jeep Adventures and Rick’s Jeep Adventures have Jeep rentals to see the Outer Banks Wild Horses. The Jeep tour will take you across the pristine 4X4 beaches. http://corollajeeps.com/

6.    Piers. The Kitty Hawk Pier was originally built in 1953, and was damaged by Hurricane Isabel in 2003, but has been reconstructed. Avalon Pier is located in Kill Devil Hills, and is a great spot for fishing and popular with locals. Nags Head Pier is regionally known for the amazing oceanfront views out of the dining room. Outer Banks Pier is the last fishing pier north of Oregon Inlet, located at milepost 18.5 in Nags Head. Jennette's Pier is located in Nags Head and newly designed. The pier reopened in the spring of 2011, and is owned by the North Carolina Aquarium Society. http://www.fishing-nc.com/nc-fishing-piers.php

7.    Helicopter and Air Tours. OBX Biplanes and Barrier Island Aviation in Manteo offer plane rides over the beautiful Outer Banks where you can see beaches, lighthouses, shipwrecks and sea life all from an airplane. Coastal Helicopters in Manteo offer air tours and scenic flights over the Outer Banks. http://www.obxbiplanes.com/

8.    Golf Courses. Sea Scape Golf Links in Kitty Hawk has dramatic elevation changes offer ocean views on several holes. The Currituck Club golf course offers basketball and tennis courts, a fitness center, and bike trails. Nags Head Golf Links provides a coastline experience while golfing. If you are looking for a course for the family Professor Hacker’s Lost Treasure Golf in Kill Devil Hills is a quaint miniature golf course has a pirate theme and train cart ride.

9.    The Lost Colony. Located in Manteo, the Lost Colony is an entertaining performance for the entire family. The Lost Colony is the epic story of America's first English colony. Over thirty years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, a group of 117 men, women and children waded ashore on Roanoke Island in July 1587 to establish the first permanent settlement of its kind in the Americas. www.thelostcolony.org/  

10. The Whalehead Club. Historic Whalehead in Corolla was originally built in the 1920s. The residence has been restored to its original grandeur and is open for tours year round. Located inside Historic Corolla Park, the museum is on 39 acres of waterfront property. Features are walkways, a tall bridge, a gazebo with seats, and much more. Open year-round for a variety of tours, and children's activities and park for children all ages. https://www.visitwhalehead.com/

On May 22^nd at 12:30 P.M. Artist Sam Green is going to be at The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras demonstrating the time-worn art of painting decoys. View his authentic decoy constructions and chat with the knowledgeable waterman. Admission for this event is free.

For more information visit: www.ncmaritimemuseums.com.