OBX Blogging

Jennette's Pier Photo Blog Post--Take a Look at the New OBX Pier in Nags Head

2011-06-07T15:44:00.000-04:00

I hope you enjoyed this photo blog post of the new pier, Jennette's Pier, in Nags Head, NC, just before sunset at the beginning of June. Be sure to stop by here on your Outer Banks vacation.

Take care and catch you soon,

Robin, www.obxblogging.blogspot.com

OBX Nags Head Beach Nourishment Video

2011-06-07T13:52:00.002-04:00

View the video clip below to see the current Outer Banks beach nourishment taking place on the beach in Nags Head, NC. This video was shot just north of the E. Gull beach access point on the evening of June 6, 2011, just after sunset.

Take care and catch you later,
Robin
www.obxblogging.blogspot.com

OBX Beach Nourishment Video of Nags Head

2011-06-05T23:02:00.000-04:00

Beach nourishment is in full effect at the Outer Banks. What does the beach at the Outer Banks look like during beach nourishment? Watch my short video clip to see.

Here's a quick video clip from June 5th, 2011, shot from the beach access beside the Islander Motel in Nags Head. In the video, you'll notice that the beach to the north of the access point extends out more. During this video, the dredge is working offshore to the south but within viewing distance. According to another individual at the access point, the dredge works in a location that has sand that is a similar color to the sand in the location that is currently being nourished. He also said that the workers refer to the piece of equipment that you see in the video as "The Crab" and it's used for surveying purposes. (Personally, I think it would be pretty cool to launch the crab from the beach and use it as a fishing platform.)

[Be sure to follow me. I plan to get this blog rolling very soon once I complete a current writing project.]

Take care and catch you soon.
Robin
obxblogging.blogspot.com

Support Troops through Sun Realty with each new Facebook Like

2011-05-05T16:28:00.001-04:00

Hi, All.
I just wanted to post a quick note to let you know that Sun Realty Outer Banks Vacation Rentals will give $1.00 to Give 2 the Troops for each new "like" on Facebook between now and May 30, 2011.

Facebook users, here's the link:http://www.facebook.com/OBXvacation


Image from Sun Realty's Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/OBXvacation

Take care, and "catch" you later.
OBX Blogging

Jetties for Oregon Inlet: My View

2011-04-29T20:58:00.001-04:00

The Outer Banks of North Carolina--a rare gem; an environmental wonder, complete with natural beauty and wildlife. It's a wonder worth protecting. This is true.

Perhaps it's a place where man should pull his hands away and let nature take its course. Perhaps we should protect its natural beauty. Perhaps..Perhaps..Perhaps it's too late for Perhaps.


October 2010 image of Oregon Inlet

Have you noticed that Oregon Inlet is filling up with sand? If you haven't been out in a boat navigating the inlet, then you may not. And, there, my friends (and maybe foes by the end of the post) lies the problem. The inlet is shoaling over.

It's too late for the hands-off approach. It's not possible to let nature take its course.

Why? It's simple: The Hebert C. Bonner Bridge. On the bridge, perhaps some drivers and passengers marvel at the beauty below, missing the significance of the shifting sand. Below, the treacherous inlet is even more treacherous as captains navigate the inlet. The problem: Once upon a time, someone built a bridge with a narrow middle span for navigation. This narrow corridor was set in stone (literally)--it's not moving, but the inlet is. As the sand shifts below, the corridor doesn't. So what happens to the corridor? Where do the boats pass through? What now? you ask.

BUILD A JETTY, I say. Build a jetty and make Oregon Inlet look like the Palm Islands of Dubai if needed. (Yes, I'm using a bit of hyperbole here. I'd even say to build it out of plastic bags if that would work. Yes, more hyperbole and a little bit of local humor.) But there needs to be a jetty built. It needs to be built now. It needs to be built with as little restrictions as possible because, Folks, what good will it be if it's not built right?

Yes, there are studies that claim it will have an environmental impact. Well, we've already got one. We've got an inlet with a man-made bridge over it, an inlet that sustains not only locals but North Carolina and the Federal Government. Hello, we've got a Coast Guard Station in that inlet!

Here's what we don't need. We don't need another environmental study. Yes, this will impact the environment. We all know that.

We don't need another committee. Committees are formed. Committees decide we need more studies. Committees waste valuable time.

We don't need politics. We don't need political parties. We don't need flyovers.

We don't need to waste any more time.

Here's what we need: We need action and we need it now. Put the legislation in action and make that jetty happen before we get to a point where it's just too late.

OBX Blogging
http://obxblogging.blogspot.com

OBX and Plastic Bags--Take the Survey

2011-04-20T21:11:00.000-04:00

A big topic at the Outer Banks deals with the plastic bag ban. To read more about this ban, visit The Outer Banks Voice's post.

I'd like to see what others think about the topic, so I've put together a poll on Facebook. Take a moment to take the poll, and we'll see some real-time results. Here's the link to my OBX Blogging Facebook Page. You can leave a comment here too.

Take care. "Catch" you again soon.
OBX Blogging

OBX Facebook Earth Day Causes

2011-04-20T16:14:00.000-04:00

Hello, OBX Fans and Facebook users! Here are some great ways to celebrate Earth Day and benefit OBX some great Outer Banks causes:

Sun Realty Outer Banks Vacation Rentals will donate $1.00 of supplies to N.E.S.T. for every new like through April 30th. Click HERE.

Seaside Vacations Outer Banks will make a $1.00 donation to the OBX Surfrider Foundation for each new fan. Click HERE.

If you know of more OBX Earth Day causes, add a comment below or use my contact form to contact me. Thanks, OBX Blogging

OBX Endangered Sea Turtles--N.E.S.T.--Earth Day

2011-04-20T13:37:00.004-04:00

Sea Turtle Sightings

I've been lucky to see a sea turtle while out on the water at the OBX--OBX Wildlife at it's best. It's the kind of thing that you never forget. You can also visit the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island to learn more about sea turtles. Operation: Sea Turtle Rescue is slated to open Summer 2011.

N.E.S.T.

Today, I'd like to share about N.E.S.T. This is the Network for Endangered Sea Turtles, Outer Banks, NC. You can call N.E.S.T. at 252-441-8622 to report Outer Banks nesting turtles, turtle crawls, stranded/dead turtles, or hatching events.

For the 2010 season, N.E.S.T. recorded eight Loggerhead nests and one Kemp's Ridley nest. Click HERE to view the data. If you're a teacher, this data will be great for classroom use too, so check it out. You can also visit their Turtle Kids Club to find fun, free resources for students and children including turtle game and coloring projects.

Here's a great nest hatching video from N.E.S.T. too. My son loved watching it.

Like a Facebook Page and Have $1.00 Donated--Details Below

Between now and Earth Day (2011), Sun Realty Outer Banks Vacation Rentals will donate $1.00 of supplies to N.E.S.T. for every new "like" on Facebook. Think, Facebook Clicks for a Cause!


http://www.facebook.com/OBXvacation Facebook Image

I'll "catch" you again soon. In the meantime, enjoy your day.

OBX Blogging

Oregon Inlet Impassable? My View

2011-04-11T14:04:00.003-04:00

Have you ever fished under the bridge at Oregon Inlet? Have you ever taken a boat ride out in the ocean by way of Oregon Inlet? I have. It's absolutely beautiful..at times.

Sometimes the current whips up and there's no way you're going to get the anchor to set on the bottom because the current is too strong. The waves crash around the base of the bridge and the inlet is shut out. You're not going out there, no matter what measures man takes to allow it. The dredge continues.

Sometimes the water is calm, calm enough to spearfish. Clear enough to see fish under the boat. Boats whiz in and out of the inlet.

Still, the dredge continues. It moves sand day after day...until...the money stops. And it sounds like it has.

While the article here isn't too clear on the specifics, I know two things for sure. When I'm fishing under that bridge, there's a nonstop bump, bump, bump of vacationers going over the bridge.

There are inshore and offshore boats taking vacationers out for a day on the ocean.

Without a passable channel, you can just write a check and send it to the state with the next passable channel because that channel brings in a lot more than just boats.

It sounds like political currents, not a hurricane, not natural currents, but political currents are what will make the inlet impassible this time. 4/11/11

OBX Right Whales and Orcas

2011-03-31T15:52:00.000-04:00

Going to the Outer Banks to enjoy the wildlife? (That's wildlife not WILD life.) How about spotting a few whales? While you're not going to see whales cruising by in the ocean every day at the Outer Banks, I have been priviledged enough to see a few whales during my Outer Banks journeys.

My first sighting happened several years ago while trolling for stripers within the three-mile limit. We were headed south towards Oregon Inlet at a slow pace when a pod of dolphins between the boat and the shore captured our attention. The dolphins seemed to play and splash and then to my amazement, right in the middle of the pod was a whale that was longer than the boat. It traveled slowly by and gave a small blow out of its blow hole--it was just enough for me to hear a puff.

I cannot tell you if we caught any fish that day. It really didn't matter. I had seen a right whale--an amazing and rare creation. It was a day on the water that I would never forget. Sometime later, while watching for dolphins from the shore, I saw what could only be another whale migrating near shore.

This February the rockfish were offshore at the Outer Banks and my son and husband headed out for a day on the water. While fishing with his father within sight of the shoreline, my son got to see that same amazing creation--multipled. He watched a pod of right whales--a rarity indeed. I'm sure that even as an adult, this will be one of his best childhood memories--A day out on the water with his father and the opportunity to have a pod of right whales pass by while out on the water. No rockfish were caught this day. It didn't matter. I don't think I could have heard a more excited child telling me the story of his day out on the water.

While I haven't seen any, some pretty hungry orcas have been getting some press lately. This orca pod feed on a tuna that a fishing boat had hooked. How great it is that this was caught on video. Here's the embedded video posted by MikeCisme on YouTube. Enjoy watching the best of the Outer Banks' WILD side!

Talk to ya again soon,
Carolina Girl

The Beginning of the OBX Blogging Journey

2011-03-31T12:57:00.001-04:00

Are you headed to the Outer Banks of North Carolina? Perhaps it is on your list of places to visit. Do you vacation here every year and still want to come back for more?

Welcome to OBX Blogging, where I'll share my OBX secrets, favorites, and must-do list with you. Where to stay? What to do? Where to eat? What's biting? I'll cover it here, complete with my own photographs. Plus, I'll be blogging for the teachers out there too--be on the lookout for educational resources about the OBX.

Relive my Outer Banks journeys with me, and I'm sure you'll enjoy the memories or learn how to make OBX memories of your own. Follow me now and find me on Twitter at OBXblogging and Facebook at OBX Blogging.

I'm just getting started and hope to have plenty of readers, so feel free to comment. What do you want to know? What did you enjoy while at the OBX? What would you like to read?

Enjoy,
Carolina Girl