Milepost

YOU ARE HERE.

Issue 0.1

Jennette’s Pier...

Wide Open

© RAY MATTHEWS

© MICKEY MCCARTHY

Fishing, family and fun

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(252) 255-1501 www.jennettespier.net

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I roadmap dream of Hasselhoffski.

Not really. But when I ponder the whole Milepost motto of “Stuck here on purpose,” I picture my buddy, Lukasz Chrzanowski: lifeguard-extraordinaire turned pool-cleaner turned satellite-dish-installer.

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Not because he’s all bronzed and tan, has a funny accent and spends his days on the beach. (At least he used to.) But because he made the big leap to go local in a way far beyond most transplants. Especially those of us who drifted in from some surrounding state one summer, had a few too many beers beneath the hot sun, and woke up decades later wondering how we still make it happen.

No, Lukasz came all the way from Poland then never looked back. Forget Prague or Paris or London — or any other more cosmopolitan world center that offered who knows what opportunities much closer to home. Something about the Outer Banks struck him as better. He saw. He loved. Then he took three jobs to make sure he never had to leave. So while his background sounds exotic, his mission is as familiar and simple as that of any other longtime resident: plant your flag then find a way to stay put. And that belief — that commitment — is what ultimately binds our community and defines its character.

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plant your flag then find a way to stay put.

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Sure, not everyone is exactly alike. Some are older. They may wear coveralls instead of a Speedo. (Thank goodness.) Some even grew up here — then stayed on the boat or in the kitchen because it was a clear path to posting up permanently. All probably seem ridiculously fortunate to anyone who shows up on a perfect fall day — and just plain nuts to anyone who comes here mid-March. But as our essay on page 18 shows, none of us are lucky. Or crazy. We simply found the place where the people and culture make us happiest and worked hard to stick tight. And by doing so, everybody’s number one occupation here is to save someone’s life — their own. — Matt Walker Thank you for reading Outer Banks Milepost. We hope you enjoy it. If not — before chucking this issue in the nearest dumpster — please consider one of the following equally satisfying ways of expressing your disgust: Fishwrapper. Flyswatter. Shred it for packaging. It even makes a handy liner for birdcages and litter boxes. Or simply add it to that six-month stack of newspapers you’ve yet to recycle. (Trust us: you’ll feel better.) Then send any and all feedback — positive, negative or just plain confused — to editor@outerbanksmilepost.com. Or light us up on Facebook with your opinions and ideas. We promise to find some way to re-purpose them.

Most folks call it the KDH Bath House. Its official name is “Ocean Bay Boulevard Regional Access Building.” Lucasz calls it home. PHOTO: Ben Miller milepost 3

Face it...

Issue 0.1 Fixtures of fall.

Photos: Michelle Conner; Ben Miller

“A journey of 1,000 miles must begin with a single step.”

– Lao Tzu “Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves.”

– Anonymous

we’re All

Reader You

Plum Crazy Boutique

Locals favorite for artful living 1180 Duck rd Duck, NC

252-261-1125

www.ruplumcrazy.com • follow us on

Brushes & Ink Dawn Gray, Ben Miller, Ben Morris, Daniel Pullen, Charlotte Quinn Lensfolk Matt Artz, Chris Bickford, Michelle Connor, Julie Dreelin, Tom Dugan/ESM, Bryan Harvey, Matt Lusk, Mickey McCarthy, Dick Meseroll/ESM, Ben Miller, Crystal Polston, Daniel Pullen, Ryan Rhodes, Patrick Ruddy, DJ Struntz/Surfing, Laurin Walker, David Weybright, Chris Wilson Penfolk Jesse Fernandez, Molly Harrison, Fran Reynolds Marler, Mickey McCarthy, Matt Pruett, Ryan Rhodes, Brendon Riley, Clumpy White Art Director Ben Miller, Bighouse Design

It’s Fall fishing and classic tournaments; it’s seasonal events that bring us back together as a community to celebrate this special time of year. Join us for an evening of great dining, gracious hospitality and well deserved relaxation.

Big Mouth in Chief Matt Walker Blame It All On Suite P. Inc PO Box 7100 • KDH, NC 27948 252-441-6203 editor@outerbanksmilepost.com • sales@outerbanksmilepost.com

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YOUR TABLE IS ALWAYS WAITING.

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Outer Banks Milepost is published quarterly (sorterly) by Suite P Inc. All contents are the property of Suite P Inc. and do not reflect the opinion of advertisers or distributors. Nor do their contents reflect that of the creative types (who would never, ever sell out). Comments, letters and submissions are usually welcome.

Please include SASE for return delivery of all snail mail, however, Milepost and Suite P Inc. still aren’t responsible for any unsolicited materials. And don’t expect much else to move much faster than IST (Island Standard Time.) Oh yeah: if you reprint a lick of this content you’re ripping us off. (Shame on you.) To discuss editorial ideas, find out about advertising or tell us we blew it – or just find out what the waves are doing – call 252-441-6203 or email: editor@outerbanksmilepost.com; sales@outerbanksmilepost.com.

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3 6 milepost 12 15 graphiccontent 16 18 22 outthere 23 24 26 27 29 30 StartingPoint

My name is Lucasz.

UpFront

Civil wars, killer sharks and lethal workouts.

QuestionAuthority

Nags Head’s mayor fills us in on beach nourishment.

GetActive

Feel political? Go digital.

GraphicContent

Roll the dice on local living.

You Are Here.

You’ve always loved the Outer Banks — now find out why.

GoSurf

A whole new meaning to the term “ghost shaper.”

GoFish

What’s better than having fins? Using paddles.

FoodDrink

Do you know where your next meal came from?

SoundCheck Sax on the beach.

ArtisticLicense

We’re ready for our close-up, Mr. Harvey.

OutThere

Tangling lines with Billy Wordsworth.

EndNotes

The last word on things to come.

“After the Rain” by Dawn Gray/Daniel Pullen www.reddawndesigns.com - www.danielpullenphotography.com “On a fading winter day, Daniel Pullen got bored and covered this canvas with residue layers of old house paint and a spray can. I loved the background and wanted to add some brushwork, so I painted the wave and the dripping clouds and then went to town on the patchwork bottom. The crazy colors remind me of a late summer rain when the water stops falling. The hot sun starts to beam. And an oily mist rises into to the air.” — Dawn Gray milepost 5

upfront soundcheck getactive startingpoint

themselves: moving along the Atlantic Seaboard on a seasonal basis, born by news of the occasional sighting or accidental hook. (What scientists call “historical data.”)

Now, East Coast shark experts are finally verifying this migratory pattern with the help of satellite tags — and most importantly — the return of another threatened species.

“By the ‘70s, the North Atlantic gray seal population had been decimated by hunting,” explains Dr. Gregory Skomal, a shark specialist with Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries. “Thanks to the Marine Mammal Protection Act, Cape Cod now has permanent seal colonies where it hadn’t for centuries. That’s drawing How Outer Banks fishermen can help white sharks closer to shore, so we finally have Atlantic white shark research. an opportunity to begin chipping away at what we It’s something every Outer Banks captain rarely know about this species in the Atlantic, which has been sees but instinctively knows. Come fall, great white completely void of any real ecological research.” sharks — the ocean’s most maligned and least understood apex predators — take a little “road trip” past Hatteras for In other words, resident seals bring hungry white sharks. Resident a winter vacation in more southern waters. Every spring, white sharks bring ravenous scientists. In fact, after decades of they cruise back to cooler spots off the Northeastern U.S. TV specials and researchers circling California’s “Red Triangle” For years, this info has traveled much like the creatures and South Africa’s “Shark Alley,” Skomal believes Cape Cod

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WE’RE GONNA NEED SOME BIGGER BOATS

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could be the East Coast’s first “hot spot” — a place where the elusive hunters return each year in consistent numbers. Between 2009 and 2010 his team deployed 10 “pop-up” tags, confirming that the Cape Cod population also travels every winter to a centralized area more than 20 miles off Florida and Georgia.

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resident seals bring hungry white sharks.

Resident white sharks bring ravenous scientists.

So what’s that have to do with Carolina boat captains?

Well, that “centralized area” still represents thousands of square miles of open ocean. With no resident seal populations south of Massachusetts, to continue his research Skomal must examine those past historical records in hopes of determining the most likely place to gather a few fresh firsthand accounts. Or what he calls “data points.”

“The biggest concentration of data points seems to be from roughly Cape Hatteras to Cape Cod,” he explains. “That’s where most of the people are fishing and boating — the most hooks in the water, the

WARNING: White sharks are protected by law.

Fishing for them is strictly prohibited; and if you accidentally catch one you must release it.

Any sightings can be reported to me, Dr. Skomal, at gregory. skomal@state.ma.us or 508-910-6305.

upfront most nets. And Hatteras falls on the superhighway for a number of oceanic species. The nearby presence of the Gulf Stream interacting with cooler water makes it incredibly productive and it makes sense for a white shark to take advantage.”

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STAY FIT. GET HIT. EAT SH...

Don’t worry. The predators mostly follow the continental shelf, scavenging whales and feeding on tuna, smaller sharks or the occasional porpoise. And while random seals have appeared along the Outer Banks beaches in recent winters, it takes a concentrated, year-round population for white sharks to take notice. And they don’t seem to be staying long enough to look around. (Tags show the average travel time between Cape Cod and Florida is less than two months, with individuals spending just 10 days off Hatteras.) All of which explains why there are no documented attacks and only one or two sightings a year.

getactive

Think your spin class is tough? Try rolling with the KDH Derby Brigade.

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“I’ve spent a lot of time out on the water, and that’s still the only one I’ve ever seen off North Carolina,” says Captain Charles Perry, whose 2004 clip of an 18-foot female remains a YouTube favorite. “I just wish I’d followed it. After some scientist friends in Monterey saw the footage they told me it looked like she was ready to spawn. And nobody’s ever witnessed that before.”

Which explains why Skomal is asking fishermen to keep watch ahead of time. The more eyes looking in the magic months between October and December — or March and May — the greater chance somebody will witness something important as they tackle their next objective in the ongoing effort to understanding this mysterious species.

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“At this point, we want to tag whites off the Southeastern U.S.,” says Skomal. “Much depends on whether or not we can find them. But, if we get credible reports, we will mobilize and head south quickly.”

© Conner/ChelleShotsOBX.com

It’s a whirling blur of neon wheels and purple knee socks. Black helmets and blazing tattoos. Hard concrete and brutal heat. There’s laughter. Sweat. A couple coarse words and a few big spills. After an hour of sprints, bouts and “burpees in rollerskates,” all ten women collapse to chug water and check blisters. But this isn’t some new tough-love workout or “boot camp on wheels”; it’s regular practice for the Outer Banks’ latest sporting upstart: the Kill Devil Derby Brigade.

“I wanted to start a team the moment I saw the outdoor skate rink at Aviation Park,” says Willow Lewis — aka “Rollin Bayou” — who played for Seattle’s Rat City Roller Girls before moving to Kill Devil Hills in 2009. “It’s good exercise. It’s super fun. And once you get the bug, it’s almost obsessive.”

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A Taste of the Islands

C ar ib bean Style!

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It’s also come a long way from the “ripped tights, fake fights” stereotype of ‘70s TV. By emphasizing athleticism and camaraderie over theatrics, modern “flat track racing” is an international craze with 117 leagues in the U.S. — including “Roller Girls” outfits in both Cape Fear and Raleigh. And while yesterday’s players tore fishnets, these ladies sometimes tear rotator cuffs.

“That’s why we’re getting the skating skills up to speed before

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DERBY’S come a long way from the “ripped tights, fake fights” stereotype of ‘70s TV.

Continued next page...

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upfront soundcheck ABOUT

FACE

Looking back to when Civil War soldiers clashed and dashed along local beaches

getactive startingpoint Memories of the Outer Banks’ first tourist invasion. Photo: McCarthy

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. Some communities will celebrate historic victories. Others will mourn tragic defeats. Leave it to the Outer Banks to claim a rare mix of “almost won” and “nearly lost” for both sides — a five-day skirmish of mishaps known as the “Chicamacomico Races.”

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With the U.S. Navy seizing forts at Hatteras Inlet on August 30,1861, the Union placed 600 Indiana soldiers at Chicamacomico. On October 1, Confederates learned of “Camp Live Oak” after seizing a supply ship. Within three days, they mobilized their “Mosquito Fleet” from Roanoke Island. The strategy?

To land the 34th Georgia Regiment north — and the 8th North Carolina Regiment to

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the south — ultimately catching the hapless Hoosiers in between. But North Carolina’s vessel ran aground on an uncharted sandbar two miles from their objective.

The Union soldiers fell back on Fort Hatteras — forcing the village’s terrified inhabitants across burning sand. The Georgians followed, firing upon their fleeing prey with volleys of musketry. Around midnight, the exhausted Indiana soldiers made it 20 miles to the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, awaiting an attack that never came. (They woke in their makeshift fortress “feeling like sandcrabs, and ready, like them, to go into our holes, could we find them.”) Equally winded, the Georgians had stopped south of Kinnakeet. When they learned no

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support troops had landed, they started back for Chicamacomico, having killed eight and captured 40.

However, the races were not over. The 9th New York had been marching north from Hatteras since daybreak and caught sight of the Georgians. Now it was the rebels’ turn to run for Roanoke — 16 miles away — with the gunboat Monticello raining shells from off the coast and the Confederate fleet unable to find water close enough to return fire.

Eventually, the Rebels made it back to Roanoke; the Federals withdrew to Hatteras. By February 1862, the Union held both. Today, Civil War history dots the Outer Banks from tiny roadside posts on NC12 to the “Freedmen’s Colony” monument to former slaves at Fort Raleigh.

But the most obvious souvenir is one rarely associated with musket balls or gray uniforms. While shelling over the dunes, the Monticello’s gunboat captain fired a blast near a cluster of buildings — then made the customary mark on his nautical charts. Future mapmakers accidentally repeated the military note as the name of a hamlet: Salvo. — Mickey McCarthy Thanks to the following sources: Ironclads and Columbiads: The Civil War in North Carolina, The Coast by William R. Trotter; “Hatteras Lost - The Hatteras Expedition” and A Day at the Races: A History of North Carolina in the Civil War by Daniel Hill. Find more local Civil War history at www.NPS.gov or www.civilwartraveler.com.

Stay Fit Continued...

we start really knocking each other around,” says Lewis. “But it’s also the perfect time for beginners to get involved.”

So far, as many as 15 women meet three times a week, timing laps and learning techniques. Ages range between 21 and 43 — addresses roam from Rodanthe to Currituck — but they all share the same goals: to train 14 combat-ready players; and expand the team and its fan base while working to meet the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association’s strict competition standards. In fact, they’ve already talked to some VB and Carolina teams about doing a demonstration here in October. It’s hard work, but Lewis believes the team-building process is what makes derby so fun for competitors — and so rewarding for communities.

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‘There’s no prize money, so everything is volunteer-driven,” says Lewis, whose former teammates went from playing airplane hangers to packing Seattle’s Key Arena. “As the league grows, it becomes like a big family. The town’s already been super supportive by letting us use the rink, so it’s really up to the girls to decide how far they want to go.”

For more info and updates on practices, find KDH Derby Brigade’s page on Facebook. milepost

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DARE COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL

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PRESENTS THE

JUST HOW MUCH IS $34 MILLION? SOUTHERN soundcheck For it or against it, the decision to “renourish” ten miles of Nags Head shoreline involves dumping as much cash as sand — exactly $34 million at last count— a sum so large it’s almost impossible to comprehend. (It’ll be even harder if it disappears.) To better picture the number, we offer a range of other ways that money could’ve been spent locally. Some are silly; some make sense. All are guaranteed to last at least one season.

getactive $34 million equals…

A $991.37 local restaurant gift certificate for every man, woman and child in Dare County (34,296 people as of 2009)

startingpoint Another top-ofthe-line pier like Jennette’s ($25 million construction) — plus 10 years of operating budget ($900,000 annually)

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milepost 2.5 years of in-state tuition at

Fourth of July fireworks for the next 1,360 years (at $25,000 a year)

SEPT 17TH / OCT 22ND NOV 5TH / ROANOKE ISLAND FESTIVAL PARK CHECK DAREARTS.ORG OR CALL 252.473.5558 FOR MORE INFORMATION

Free round trip on the Chesapeake Expressway for 2.83 million “weekend” visitors (at $12 each) Two years of funding to dredge Oregon Inlet (at an estimated $17 million a year)

THE ORIGINAL

UNC-Chapel Hill for all 1600 high schoolers (at $20,000 a student) — or a 2003 Ford Mustang convertible

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A full-size replica of the Eiffel Tower

A Festival Park Summer Concert Series starring: Mariah Carey ($1 mil); Nelly Furtado; ($1 mil); Beyonce ($2 mil); Jennifer Lopez ($3 mil); George Michael ($3 mil); Sting ($3.2 mil); Christina Aguilera ($3.6 mil); Elton John ($4 mil); Celine Dion ($6 mil); and the Rolling Stones ($7 mil)

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CIRCUIT FILM TOUR

An extra $8,607.59 for all 395 Dare County public school teachers – for the next 10 years 26 years of budget gap for Dare County Schools (based on projected shortfall of $1.3 million for 2012)

Rentals • Lessons Boards • Wetsuits Surfwear • Sunglasses Sunblock • Sandals T-Shirts MP 13.5 Beach Rd. Nags Head 252-441-7349 milepost 9

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GOODBYE HELLO getactive Fall 2011

GOODBYE:

startingpoint roadmap Open for Lunch & Dinner all Year

milepost T IM B UCK II • C OROLLA

An Upscale Casual

Family Restaurant

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outthere (252) 453-4644 | www.rt12obx.com milepost

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SWEET TEA WILDFIRES BEACH DAYS OVERTIME GRIDLOCK A/C CRABS STARGAZERS WHAM-0TM

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HELLO: SOUR MASH HURRICANES SCHOOL DAYS FREE TIME ROADBLOCKS COOL BREEZE COUGARS SCARECROWS CAMO

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SCHLOCK BUSTER: Southern Circuit Film Tour spotlights independent cinema soundcheck

Sick of sequels? No love for “bromances”? Do high-action blockbusters put you to sleep? That’s why the Dare County Arts Council joined the Southern Circuit Film Tour: to bring one-ofa-kind cinema with DIY spirit — instead of 3D copycats with one-dimensional plotlines. “Unless you want to go to Norfolk or Raleigh, there are no options for independent film,” says Dare Arts Program Coordinator, Lindsay Neilson. “So, we really tried to appeal to a wide variety of interests with dramas, documentaries and biographies.” Look for three fall shows at Roanoke Island Festival Park with three more roaming premieres in early 2012. All will feature a guest director or producer to give local fans the experience of a big city film festival — without feeling like they drove halfway to Hollywood.

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9/17/11: A Bird of the Air: Lost soul chases mouthy parrot and discovers pretty librarian — and her basset hound — in this star-crossed romance based on Joe Coomer’s quirky novel, The Loop. Featured Guest: Director Margaret Whitton.

More info: www.abirdoftheair.com

2/18/12: Barbershop Punk: A music fan sues his cable provider and sparks a free speech debate by asking: who owns the Internet? Officials, lobbyists and punkers Henry Rollins and Ian MacKaye lead the discussion. Featured Guest: director Georgia Sugimura Archer. More info: www.barbershoppunk.com

10/22/11: Louder Than a Bomb: Part Glee. Part 8-Mile. All real. Four high school teams battle each other and their personal struggles while competing in Chicago’s only “poetry slam.” A film fest favorite. Featured Guest: director Jon Siskel.

More info: www.louderthanabombfilm.com

3/24/12: A Gift for the Village: Art professor Jane Vance was finishing a painting for a Tibetan lama when tragedy struck Virginia Tech. By hand-delivering her work, the healing process joins two cultures. Featured Guest: producer Tom Landon. More info: www.agiftforthevillage.com

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11/5/11: Ahead of Time: The world’s youngest PhD at 20, by 24 Ruth Gruber was a foreign correspondent covering the rise of Nazism — and starting a 70-year career defying gender standards. Featured Guest: producer Zeva Oelbaum.

More info: www.ruthgruberthemovie.com

4/21/12: You Don’t Know What I Got: Five women — such as a cop, a guru and Ani DiFranco — speak their minds and hearts in this 2001 documentary with a simple premise: some storytellers are better than others. Featured Guest: producer/director Linda Duvoisin. More info: www.whatigot.com $12 tickets and updates at www.darearts.org; see individual movie websites for trailers and reviews.

R ediscoveR AN OPEN INVITATION:

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F

irst opened in 1965 The Port O’ Call has undergone extensive additions and renovations over the last 46 years.

We have just completed another extensive remodeling this winter.

We invite you to see the many changes in the Restaurant, Gift Shoppe and Bar. A new menu, lower prices and a new chef complete the changes.

Come join us for the Freshest Seafood on the Outer Banks and the best in Southern Hospitality

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OUR OFFER: 12% OFF YOUR ENTIRE CHECK (Separate checks permitted) Includes all beverages.

Regretfully, not valid with any other offer.

Expires: Dec. 31, 2012 Bon Appetit, Frank H. Gajar, Owner

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MP 8.5 Beach Rd. • 504 S. Virginia Dare Tr. • Kill Devil Hills, NC obxportocall.com • Reservations 252-441-7484 milepost 11

questionauthority

TRIAL upfront BY SAND? Nags Head Mayor Bob Oakes discusses the pros, cons and consequences of beach nourishment

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You gotta give Nags Head credit: they sure know how to fill a beach. Calculating a decade of sand loss — then dumping a 16-year supply of matching grain sizes. (Instead of using Oregon Inlet dredge spoil, which would race home ten times faster — and probably look 100 times worse.)

They even got tourists to foot most of the bill by scoring $18 million from Dare County’s Shoreline Management fund. (Of course, that means Kill Devil Hills, Duck and others will be lining up next.) But for many residents the question isn’t how they did it — but why? Why gamble millions on an angry ocean with budgets so tight? Why try at all after the public voted “no”? Mayor Bob Oakes kindly agreed to sit down and offer some answers on how all this sand came to Nags Head. How long it stays? Well, even he admits that’s “entirely up to the ocean.”

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Why gamble millions on an angry ocean with budgets so tight? Why try at all after the public voted “no”?

MILEPOST: This is obviously a polarizing topic. Can you explain how we got here? MAYOR BOB OAKES: Well, there are three typical responses to erosion: hardening, retreat and nourishment. North Carolina won’t let you harden the shoreline because if one guy hardens, the guys on either side suffer — that’s what we’ve seen with sandbags. And the end result of retreat is you go away entirely. So, that leaves nourishment; to add sand to the system and reset the equilibrium between ocean and land a little farther out. And it seems reasonable to draw that line in front of your tax base and infrastructure. Basically we’re buying time.

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You say 10 years, but critics say you’ll be lucky to get three. Is this project ‘trial by sand’? A little bit. But the data is the data. We know we’ve lost between 250,000 and 275,000 cubic yards of sand annually over the past 10 years, including Hurricane Isabel and a number of nor’easters. And we’re putting out 4.3 million cubic yards. Those are facts. The opinion part is “How long is it going to stay?” Nobody can say that. One positive piece of the project is we will finally have factual information. But I’ll be very surprised if we didn’t get six to seven years. We’re paying for it over five. I think that’ll be deemed a success. If it stays for three years, yeah, I’m a dog.

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But even then it’ll be somebody else’s turn to tap the county fund. What if KDH or Duck try after only two years? Well, it will take more than a couple years for anyone to be ready to do anything, just because of the permitting process. With Duck, the bigger controversy is public access. Same for Southern Shores. But any sand to the north of me, I’ll take. It’s coming right here.

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This hot-button issue comes with its own safety warnings. PHOTO: L-Dub

Why not use the money for something permanent at Windmill Point? Or figure out a way to fund schools? What’s more important: a convention center at Windmill Point — or to have a beach for the next 10 years? Go look where the beach has doubled in front of the Surfside Hotel and to me there’s no comparison.

But is now really the time to make that comparison? What if a year later it’s gone? Again, I’m relatively sure if you put out 16 years worth of sand, it’s not going to go away in a year. You know I used to be anti-nourishment; I went to meetings and said, “This is dumb.” But part of it was what they were trying to sell. One guy said there was a1000 times benefit to spending $80 million. I couldn’t make those numbers work. I can make $34 million work. The occupancy tax alone is around $55 million. All those tax dollars are generated by the beach and tourism. If you retreat, that income stream is going to go down. So, I look at it as an investment. You know, Dare County didn’t have these schools 40 years ago. And we wouldn’t today [without] that beach tourism economy.

The loudest complaint is from people who feel like they voted “no” twice.

Can you explain how that happened? Sure. I’ve been elected three times and said the same thing in each election. Our last election had two candidates who were strongly antinourishment and the pro-nourishment ones won. If you keep electing people who say this is the right thing to do, you shouldn’t be surprised when you get it. But the sales tax repeal was all Dare County. And the referendum in Nags Head didn’t have anything coming from occupancy tax.

Still, I’m sure you’ve seen online comments saying, “Vote ’em all out.”

They’ll have some of that opportunity in November. And I think it’s good that people do have the choice. But I think the choices they’ve made in the past have been for candidates who are for nourishment.

How you pay for it has always been the rub.

If somebody else was paying for all of it, I don’t know if it would be an issue.

What about the argument that somebody else does pay for it?

I know a couple that just bought in South Nags Head based on this project. And even the town website says they’ll ask FEMA to cover sand loss in case of disaster. Don’t both examples ask the public to fund someone else’s risky behavior? To a certain extent it’s bailing some guys out.

We’ve also taken legal action to have some houses removed. But South Nags Head has always been the poster child for erosion, so it’s a huge gamble if [your friends] bought based on nourishment.

I wouldn’t buy anything in South Nags Head. What pushed me over the edge was seeing those houses actually in the surf and septic tanks broken up from the last storm. That’s what you had to look forward to with sandbags. And, to me, that’s not the vision we want to have. But we have those other choices. And if this doesn’t work, I’d imagine we will end up retreating.

So what does Nags Head look like Protective barrier — or pipe dream? in 50 years? How much sand is left?

Depends on your perspective.

And how often are we replacing it? I PHOTO: L-Dub think it will be somewhere between 10 and 15 years. My board wants to start putting money away now, but I think if we wait five years we’ll have an awful lot more information based on some actual performance. But all this is such a dynamic area. We can’t move the sand as fast as the ocean can — as people like to remind me [laughs]. And I do understand that Mother Nature is still in charge. But, frankly, you have to put it out there and see how long it stays. There’s no other way to model it.

Ed note: The preceding interview was edited for space, flow and clarity; to request a full version, email editor@outerbanksmilepost.com

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Appetizers Subs • Stromboli Pizza • Beer • Wine Mixed Drinks • Bar Great Fall Specials Open for Lunch or Dinner

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This fall, make Mako Mike’s your place to dine out, and to show our appreciation, we’ll give you a discount card to make it easy to eat here often.

Affordable Fall Specials, something for everyone and casual diningin a comfortable and “very colorful”atmosphere... it’s our way of saying thanks for supportingus at Mako Mike’s. proud purveyors

November 12-13, 2011 Veterans Day WeekenD • outer banks, nc

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getactive

By The Time You Read This, startingpoint It’s Too Late...

Want to make a political difference?

Become part of the process.

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New budgets. Proposed buildings. Public hearings. Every major community issue eventually finds its way into print — usually just in time to do nothing about it. Allow us to offer the following, easy four-step system to stay informed, enraged and locally engaged. (Warning: frequent use may strengthen belief in the political process.)

Step One: Jump Online. Think of the Internet as a gateway drug to becoming a political junkie, full of daily blasts to hook you digitally — everything from balanced reporting to blowhard blogs to Facebook pages. (Try not to confuse them as you check the corresponding resource guide.) And remember: while ranting online may be fun, it’s rarely effective; save your best comments for a clear, respectful email to the appropriate decision makers. No time? Make a phone call. A good staffer can document your position in under a minute.

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Step Two: Join a list. Every official government body has an official website stocked with official calendars. That doesn’t mean you’ll officially remember to check it. The solution? “Call the clerk in your town or county and ask to be put on their email list,” says Dorothy Toolan, Public Information Officer for Dare County. “And if there’s a particular board or committee you’re interested in following — say the Shoreline Commission — you can contact their clerk and ask to be notified, as well.”

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Step Three: Go to a meeting. “No, not that!” Yes, that. They may be long, boring and poorly timed — with enough “ayes” and “nays” to give anyone motion sickness — but speaking directly to the powers-that-be is still the best way to be heard. And to listen.

Each time, you gain a sense of how the process works, as well as each official’s individual take on a variety of topics. (Instead of screaming over hot button votes twice a year.)

You may even find you agree on occasion. And if not, it’s still the best way to monitor scary trends before they become policy.

ONLINE RESOURCE GUIDE: COUNTIES: www.darenc.org www.co.currituck.nc.us TOWNS: www.townofduck.org www.southernshores-nc.gov www.townofkittyhawk.org www.kdhnc.com www.townofnagshead.net www.townofmanteo.com NEWS: www.outerbanksvoice.com www.islandfreepress.org www.obsentinel.com www.outerbanksfreepress.com

VOTER INFORMATION: www.lwvdarenc.org POLITICAL NEWS & OPINION: www.eyeondare.blogspot.com www.obxcommonground.org www.truthordarenc.com www.outerbanksseniors.com FACEBOOK PAGES: OBX Locals Outer Banks Local Group Dare County Democratic Party Dare County Republicans OBX Tea Party Patriots

POLITICAL PARTIES: www.obxteaparty.com www.daredemocrats.com www.dareGOP.com

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Step Four: Vote. In the words of George Jean Nathan: “Bad officials are elected by good citizens who don’t vote.” And that’s exactly what they’re counting on. Show “The Man” who’s boss by casting your ballot each election season, from the Commander in Chief to state senators to town hall. Every seat is a potential ally or enemy for some future issue. So research the range of challengers and incumbents — Dare County’s League of Women voters prepares a voter guide each season: www.lwvdarenc.org — and make sure you register at least 25 days before November 8. Or register and vote the same day via “One-Stop Absentee” from October 20 to November 4. And before you say, “I’m too busy”, remember: a half-hour waiting for a booth this fall might save you years fighting some eyesore or power grab down the road.

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Bad officials are elected by good citizens who don’t vote.

2010’s “Hands Across the Sand” event drew 200 local protesters without printing one word. PHOTO: Julie Dreelin

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Fresh Start!

Dead End?

Get official “OBX” plates.

Move forward one space.

Add OBX sticker.

Move back two spaces.

Demand “Local’s discount.”

Start all over.

Marry a Tillett/Etheridge/ Daniels, etc. Move forward 2 spaces.

Y ROLLING POST BAIL B 4 OR MORE.

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Soft shell season starts. Spend 3 turns working shedders.

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Push summer vacation past Labor Day. Spend next turn lying to parents.

G co Go B

Goi Loc

The Outer Banks lifetime – ye

Rules: Only one. If you ain’ But seeing as you already ro might as well keep trying to ‘g

Get caught with old address at License Check.

Go to JAIL.

Buy house in Colington. Move forward 3 spaces.

Get fishing and driving citation on same day. Move forward 3 spaces.

Striper season!

Go fishing for two turns.

Get your real estate license.

Spend next turn finding second job.

Ask for directions to “‘Nights in Rod-anthony” house. Start over

Earn recurring roll in Lost Colony. Move forward 2 spaces.

Get fired for oming in late. o directly to BEACH DAY!

Order surfboard from local shaper. Move forward 1 space.

Drop in on Delbert.

Start over.

Survive first winter framing houses. Move forward 2 spaces.

Collect unemployment while in the Caribbean. Move forward 3 spaces.

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ks game that lasts a yet never ends.

WORK A DOUBLE! Stay put ’til you roll 2.

Take weekend shopping trip to VB. Stuck in traffic for 2 turns.

Risk driving home after big night out.

Go to directly to JAIL.

Forget to slack tires. Spend next turn digging out.

Open your own restaurant. Spend rest of life at work.

POST UP ‘TIL DARK (OR UNTIL YOU ROLL 6.)

n’t born here, you ain’t from here. olled the dice once by moving you go local’ and see how far can you get.

In-Laws visit unannounced.

Go directly to BEACH DAY.

Bypass Wreck!

Stay put for 2 turns.

Get blown off course kiting.

Spend 3 turns hitchhiking home.

Stiff bartender.

Spend next turn waiting for beer.

Find “Real Job” — then get transferred inland. Start over.

Baby born on island. Move forward 2 spaces.

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Turns out the Outer Banks’ most compelling feature isn’t the beach — it’s the people.

A darkened bar. A single conversation. And two very different people debating trifling matters as a January nor’easter rattles

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the glass and — on the rare chance someone walks in — its small, shivering contents. On one side, sits a dishwasher — basically broke.

The other, a longtime local business owner — basically buying. Yet, both meet eye-to-eye. No self-conscious shame or inflated ego. All perceived social class stripped away by the non-stop harsh weather and a shared belief that only a couple fools would choose to postup in such trying surroundings for six months straight — much less the rest of their lives.

That was 1993. And I was that dishwasher. Clueless enough to move to the Outer Banks in the offseason. But lucky, savvy — no,

Milepost 7 on the Beach Road • Kill Devil Hills

252-441-6001 • goombays.com milepost

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determined enough to figure out how to stick around for two winters. And though I eventually moved away for almost a decade, I always knew I’d return. And clearly I wasn’t alone.

In 1980, 13,337 lived in Dare County full time — come 2008, the number was 33,920.

(By comparison, US Census Data shows the county barely grew from 5115 to 6995 between 1920 and 1970.) That means the vast bulk of our little beach community are former tourists who visited inside the past thirty years then decided to stay put.

But why? Few of us can claim the slightest twig of a family tree that runs to the roots of this barrier island — or even a local address that goes deeper than a generation.

Expenses are high; yet opportunities are few. There are none of the varied career options for young families like other coastal boomtowns. No high-tech computer jobs like Central California, quick commutes to big cities like the Jersey Shore — not even the thriving college scene or military bases of North Carolina’s southern beaches. Even our retirees voluntarily forego Florida’s trifecta of constant sunshine, zero state income tax and endless early bird specials.

Are we all crazy?

“In psychological terms we like to talk about what’s called ‘person-environment fit,’” says Dr. Jason Rentfrow, who Slack? researches behavioral geography at Cambridge University.

No. But “In some places, peoples’ personalities fit the personalities of the people who live there and they enjoy it. In others, we are things just don’t click and so we are less happy and more likely to move away. And our evidence suggests that people are happiest in areas where their personalities fit with the definitely a personalities of the people who live there.” little odd In other words, while we fall in love with the Outer Banks — yet also because of the ocean or beach — perhaps more tellingly the wind, fishing or waves — what convinces us to stick strangely around is the bounty of people who feel the exact same way. The longer we live here, the more we reinforce that similar.

Are we all crazy? Slack? No. But we are definitely a little odd — yet also strangely similar.

local character — and the more the local character influences us. Over time, the land takes on a personality that’s entirely unique and fully recognizable, producing some of the most familiar stereotypes. From New York City — where a large, dense population makes people aggressive one-on-one, yet more tolerant to fringe groups as a whole.

To Southern California, where everyone’s friendly and laidback, yet emotionally aloof — part of living in a place where a constant rotation of transplants fragments social ties.

Islands make for particularly good studies. Places where the geography itself constricts a small group of people to a certain spot with hard limits, shared weather, and less mobility — for long periods of time.

“When you look at this process, you have to say how do these differences start and how are they maintained?” notes social psychologist Sam Gosling. “And in the more narrowly localized areas, they get maintained easier because it helps reinforce these cultures.”

That’s not to say, all Outer Bankers are exactly alike.

Anyone can tell you there’s more daylight between Duck and Hatteras then a couple zip code digits. But we do share certain broad traits: a sincere love of nature; a genuine sense of hospitality; and a clear sense of pride that comes from trading the traditional trappings of success for a distinctive, DIY lifestyle filled with less tangible rewards. Or as C.H. Wiley wrote in 1849: “They are generally a motley collection of idle, roving, harmless creatures, leading an easy, indolent life, free alike from the cruel, murderous and plundering propensities of barbarians and the more Christian vices of polished communities.”

You could say the description still works 150 years later. Except the “easy, indolent” part. From the world’s biggest skeeters each summer to near epidemic unemployment come winter, this sandbar does its best to scare people off. What’s left standing is a toughly framed community who sticks together no matter their differences or flaws. Always willing to hold a benefit for family in need — or just to dig a stranger’s truck out of the sand. A bit weathered and windblown, but still holding in the face of shared adversity— much like those first beach cottages in Nags Head. milepost 19

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And just like those “Gray Ladies”, I fear the local character is equally threatened. Not by erosion or sealevel rise, but by another equally constant force: the pressure to grow. To change. To cash-in on maximum short-term, financial gain without considering the full long-term cost. To adopt those very “plundering propensities” and “Christian vices of polished communities” that we’ve avoided for so long.

The whole reason people connect so powerfully with the Outer Banks is it’s literally like no place on earth.

In Nags Head, they’re filling the beach despite two referendums that said, “please don’t.” (More like, “Hell no.”) In Kitty Hawk, residents hoping to replace an empty building with a farmer’s market were originally told that the council preferred something more “high end.” In Kill Devil Hills, a panel spent eight months debating flexing the hotel height limits — even though 89% of locals and visitors thought they were plenty big already.

(We won’t even begin to talk about the Lowe’s debacle.) And whether it’s dumping sand on the beach like VB or just trying to pave the horizon like Pensacola, I’d argue these growing pains represent an ongoing conflict between two distinct groups: those who flocked here to escape traditional, urban woes — and those who grew up wishing the Outer Banks was more like “the big city.”

Both sides are well-intentioned. Both want “what’s best” for the future. They just have different visions of what that future looks like. The irony? The best way to ever truly gauge any location is from the outside — even if only for a brief time. And while people who’ve been here forever will routinely lament the things they never had, what makes the Outer Banks so loved is all the things it lacks: be it another big box store, an

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oil industry or a string of beachfront skyscrapers. (In fact, surveys show both secondhome owners and visitors rank “conserving the environment,” “preserving the culture” and “friendliness of the people” among their most important issues — in some cases even more adamantly than the year-round population.)

But the debate here goes far beyond local posturing or academic BS. And it’s more than just preserving cute accents or curb appeal. It’s about good business. Sure, offering more retail options and big-name outlets may look impressive in terms of immediate gains like land sales, job stats and tax revenue. Pumping sand and building jetties may make us even feel like we’re staying competitive with other beach towns. But trying to be more like the outside world ignores the most important rule of successful marketing: “Differentiate or die.”

The whole reason people connect so powerfully with the Outer Banks is it’s literally like no place on earth. Every change away from our uniquely rustic brand identity, whether convenient (more drive-thrus) or maddening (more traffic) is another reason for consumers — aka “tourists” — to choose another product — aka “vacation destination.” In other words, nobody’s gonna drive from Toronto or Tuscaloosa — or even Tidewater — for a place as congested, chintzy or machine-fabricated as their own backyard.

And what if they do?

Well, that’s an even scarier proposition. Because once the Outer Banks becomes just a skinnier version of Myrtle Beach or Atlantic City, the next wave of transplants won’t be anything like the ones that slowly influenced its character over the past century.

And that could be the beginning of the end of our community’s, uniquely quirky and tightknit culture, as people see less and less of what drew them here to begin with.

Or, as one New Jersey transplant noted during last November’s hotel debate: “I didn’t move here eight years ago for high rises.”

Now, surely, someone reading this is thinking: “typical anti-growth NIMBYism.” But my argument isn’t that our community should never grow. (On the contrary, it has to.) My argument is simply that it should grow wisely. That when we tally up the jobs some incoming business promises, we also tally how many it simultaneously threatens. (As well as consider the difference between running a hardware store and running it’s floorwaxer.) That when we seek to make anything bigger (be it beach, road or building) or smaller (be they school budgets, lot sizes or permit fees) that we examine not just the physical and financial numbers but it’s psychological impact on the quality of life.

And that when we rush to max-out the number of visitors from May to September, we recognize those who live here January to January will also feel the effects — both positive and negative. And they will react accordingly.

As Rentfrow notes: “If you’re quite similar with the people in the area you live, our research shows you’ll be quite content. Otherwise, it may be sufficient reason to move elsewhere.”

34,296 people -- that was the 2009 census. The most recent put us at 33,920. Whether that 376-person difference is a tiny blip in the long-term uptick or the beginning of a population and personality shift we’ll have to see. In the meantime, I’ll be the one at the bar — and the town hall. Armed with an opinion and the belief that my stake in this town as an individual resident is just as great as any other interest no matter how big, rich or powerful.

There was a time when every person who lived on this ribbon of sand believed that. The question is: has that time already passed? — Matt Walker

Thanks to “Uncle Jack’s Baltimore Blog” for the C.H. Wiley quote from, Roanoke: or Where is Utopia, as well as ECU’s 2010 Dare Co. Tourism Study Executive Summary and the Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce 2009 Dare Survey.

The views of the author do not necessarily reflect those of the photo subjects, who were all selected and shot at random. (So please don’t shoot them again.) milepost 21

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GHOST SHAPER artisticlicense

Add surfboard maker Robert “Redman” Manville to the host of haunting Outer Banks legends April 19, 2011; Harbinger; N.C., 9:30 p.m. A tornado rips though the corrugated aluminum back wall of the Wave Riding Vehicles surfboard factory. After swallowing some 60 uncut “blanks,” the storm spits chunks of white Styrofoam across Highway 168, littering trees like some teenager’s toilet-paper prank and sparking suspicions of a possible, secondary culprit: Redman — aka Robert Manville — legendary craftsman and former employee. The problem? Red passed away on January 24, 2004 — more than seven years prior.

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“In his shaping room, he was at home,” explains WRV Factory Manager Patrick Herrle. “Outside the shaping room, he was very uncomfortable. So he’d work 7 to 5, every day. If his routine got messed up, it would throw him off big time.”

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He handshaped close to 50,000 surfboards and was adamant that was still the best method.

“Thrown off” could mean anything from too many beers to more sinister demons. But he always filled his orders.

When he was diagnosed with a terminal illness, Redman coped the only way he knew how: by shaping surfboard after surfboard, determined to pass down as much insight as possible before he died — and apparently after, as well.

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“Once he learned he was sick,” remembers Herrle, “Red said to me, ‘I’m gonna haunt you guys until the day you die.’

And crazy stuff started right away.”

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“For months, I kept catching something in the corner of my eye,” says shaper Jesse Fernandez, who moved into Manville’s old bay. “Then one day I was in the office saying something about Red — and the vacuum back in the room starts going ‘zzzhhhhhhh…’ That vacuum can only turn on by holding down the planer’s trigger.”

“Weird things started happening almost immediately after Redman died,” insists David Rohde, a fiberglass technician since 1983. “He’s a friendly ghost, but occasionally things start flying off the walls and counters. Either Red wasn’t ready to go — or he wasn’t happy with the last surfboard he shaped.”

Sure, “the Graveyard of the Atlantic” is rife with spooky tales — and, yes, surfboard factories are filled with mind-fogging fumes — but when the whole company claims their workplace is haunted, it behooves us to hear them out. To hear Red out.

After all what is a ghost other than a restless spirit trying to communicate with the living?

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Nearly every WRV worker has a similar story. Lights inexplicably turn on and off. Poorly finished boards suddenly jump off sturdy racks sticky with resin. Creepy chills, odd noises and spooked dogs have become as commonplace as a cold beer after work. Most recently, visiting boardmaker Pat Mulhern claimed he felt Manville’s touch. And the tornado? In some twisted way, it could have been Redman lashing out at surfboard manufacturing’s modern love of digital designs and mass production.

A perfectionist shaper — and polished prankster Born in 1952, Robert “Redman” Manville was an L.A. County — no factory could pick a better poltergeist. surfer, hot rod aficionado and revered production shaper PHOTO: Courtesy WRV. for some of the world’s best craftsmen. Urged by fellow boardbuilder Jim Fuller to come to Virginia Beach, the California-expat enjoyed the Mid-Atlantic’s increasing workload throughout the “Red was never a fan of computerized shaping,” says Fernandez. “He hand-shaped close eighties. He assisted Gurney Collins at Hotline Surfboards for a spell, then drifted to 50,000 surfboards and was adamant that was still the best method. We got our first south, finding a home with WRV, who welcomed his wealth of knowledge and machine last November, and it’s given us more problems than I can count. We’re constantly incredible work ethic. replacing things. And a lot of those busted blanks were about to be milled.”

“Red was a walking encyclopedia,” adds Rohde. “He interacted with legends like Gerry Get the WRV crew together, and the factory’s fluorescent lights feel like an eerie campfire, Lopez, Gary Linden, and Dale Velzy. He brought us hundreds of modern templates kids one-upping each other with another hair-raiser. So what’s Red trying to say? with every possible curve and could translate any idea into foam. We were even shipping boards to Hawaii for guys who swore by his big-wave guns.”

“Sometimes I’ll ask him when I’m shaping,” Fernandez admits. “I’ll say, ‘What’cha think, Red? How’re the rails?’ Meanwhile, I’m looking around for a pencil to fall. But Red was Redman’s hydrodynamic understanding of hollow surf also made him a go-to craftsman such a perfectionist. He always wanted us to get things right. So I don’t think he’s being on our own barrier islands. In fact, he routinely moonlighted for Randy Hall and scary. More instructional. Like, ‘Hey, don’t “f” it up.’” — Matt Pruett Debbie Bell’s Rodanthe-based Hatteras Glass label to keep busy.

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gosurf gofish artisticlicense

WHY KAYAK?

Nine reasons why the world’s smallest boats may be the ultimate Outer Banks fishing machine

Kayak Tip #247: Wear a mask to avoid sunburn. (And to look extra “gangsta” while killing fish.) PHOTO: Rhodes

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Mobility. I used to be obsessed with wading. I trekked for miles around Oregon Inlet and still saw unreachable islands I knew were holding. That’s when I realized, “If I had a kayak, I could get there.” To this day, whenever it’s too shallow for a motorboat or too deep to walk — or if a beach access sign says “No 4WD” — whatever situation says, “You can’t fish there from here” my kayak answers: “Yes I can.”

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Variety. My lifelong goal is to earn a citation for every fish possible. The kayak offers that potential. Some days I’m in the sound chasing red drum or flounder. Others, I’m hovering over a nearshore shipwreck hunting triggerfish or sheepshead. Last winter, I hooked a 25-lb rockfish trolling three miles offshore. This fall, I’m bringing my mask and speargun for diving some structures. And when everything saltwater is blown to pieces, I’m trying to pull bass from some backwater pond just to stay sane.

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Solitude. I’ve never caught a lot of fish standing in a crowd, but if I float off alone or with one friend, that’s when I get the greatest payoff, be it a bigger fish or just a better time. Plus, having no engine lets me sneak right up on the fish — and the occasional bird or snake — making every trip memorable.

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Adventure. Last year, some guys towed their boats out to the Gulf Stream to fish tuna with big rods. Set the drag right, let ‘em run, and you’re off on a Nantucket sleigh ride. I only recently started pushing offshore. Sometimes the beach is so far behind me that the houses look like sand dunes. The real danger is offshore winds, especially when you’re loaded down with a few fish and thirty pounds of gear. So, once the wind gets over 15 knots I’ll do a 100-yard test run before I commit to a couple miles. And I always wear a wetsuit and bring someone else — or at least a radio.

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Challenge. Some traditionalists enjoy alternating between paddling and fishing. I prefer my boat’s foot pedals and rudder system; it leaves my hands free to fish while I fight the current or track an embankment or shoreline. But playing the fish is probably the biggest challenge — even after years of practice on land — because you have to keep constant tension to find that balance. And that’s one of the factors I love most. It’s a daily reminder that life’s a constant struggle to keep balance; to give when something pulls, and pull when it gives.

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no gas bills. No maintenance.

No polishing chrome. My will is my compass.

My legs are my fuel.

Convenience. How easy is it? Easy enough that I’ll paddle miles out into the ocean instead of hopping a ride out the inlet. I’m fishing in 20 minutes instead of an hour.

There’re no gas bills. No maintenance. No polishing chrome. My will is my compass.

My legs are my fuel. Then haul it off the beach, throw it on the truck and head home.

Cost. A new Hobie with the pedal system will run at least $1400. More basic models can be $450. But those sit-on-top surf kayaks are the perfect starter kit. They’re wide and stable, and rental outfits sell them second-hand each fall for cheap. Then go find yourself a milk crate to hold tackle — cut a second crate in half for a lid — screw 12inch PVC on the side for your fishing rods and bungee it on top. I even make my own rod-tethers from old cell phone car chargers and zip-ties. You can be ready to go for under $600. Catch enough fish and it’ll pay for itself.

Fun. Ever see a kid on a Big Wheel? That’s what my kayak feels like. Sure, it helps to have some experience, but I’ve seen total novices have the time of their lives. At the same time I’ve also gone out there with years of knowledge and not gotten a bite.

It’s not magic; it’s still fishing. But I never get bored. And I never come in mad. If I’m breathing fresh air on the ocean, I’m right.

Opportunity. At just 30 years old, modern kayak fishing is still pretty new. Tidewater has associations with hundreds of members and cash-prize tournaments — Florida probably has thousands — but there are only maybe a dozen diehards on the Outer Banks. That gives local anglers first shot at pioneering all the different inshore and offshore opportunities. It’s really a perfect vehicle to push your limits while exploring your surroundings. And to me, that’s what fishing is all about. — Ryan Rhodes

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COOKED TO endnotes ORDER questionauthority

Want more local food?

Then start making demands.

Gathered around our picnic table in the fading sun, family and friends swoon over a late summer meal. Deviled eggs with garlic chives, pickled okra, crab cakes, sliced tomatoes with sea salt and basil, sweet corn on the cob, blueberry-peach cobbler. With each savory bite, I love divulging where I’d foraged these seasonal, local foods. “Foraged” being the key word.

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Finding local items can be a curse for foodies. Manteo Farmer’s Market swears you won’t go home hungry. PHOTO: Crystal Polston

The eggs? Bartered with a chicken-raising friend for teaching her yoga. The crab meat? Freshly picked in the waterside shack at Daniels Crab House. The okra got pickled at the Brine & Bottle. I plucked the peaches off a farm in Elizabeth City, purchased the blueberries at Tarheel Too and pulled the corn from the Manteo Farmers Market. My husband grew the herbs and tomatoes from seed. Even the Atlantic sea salt was hand-culled at Outer Banks Epicurean.

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I believe every meal tells a story. My favorites begin with some neighbor gathering delicious fare from our ocean, sounds and soil. It enjoys a short, sweet life before dying happy on some plate a few miles from its birthplace. Unfortunately, it’s that ending that often proves difficult. Most people don’t have hours to canvass produce stands, farmers markets, seafood stores and specialty shops; it’s simpler and cheaper to stop once at the grocery store. Even with the buying power of owning a restaurant, getting homegrown goods isn’t easy.

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“Lots of farmers are doing awesome things around us,” says Andrew Donovan of the Brine & Bottle restaurant in Nags Head. “But we can’t get it here; shipping costs are so prohibitive.”

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As a result, he and partner Ashley Whitfield must constantly hunt for organic local meats and produce at prices customers can afford. Donovan drives to Wanchese for freshly caught seafood, which would otherwise be shipped away for processing before returning to the beach.

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And they need all the help they can get, as food items follow strict regulations that are surprisingly prohibitive.

“The county has not made it easy,” says Joanne Throne of Coastal Harvesters of Hatteras Island, a group devoted to bringing fresh produce to southern islanders. “We’re the only county in North Carolina that cannot sell fish at a farmers market.”

“

Every meal tells a story. The best TALES begin in our neighboring ocean, sounds and soil.

Meanwhile, the laws surrounding organic certification are so restricting and costly that farmers like John Wright of Sanctuary Vineyards will often follow organic practices — but forgo trying to become “certified organic.”

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“Until I opened a restaurant, I didn’t realize how hard it is to get local seafood and produce,” agrees Amy Huggins of Outer Banks Epicurean. “Every chance I get I’m online trying to find product or build relationships. We need to help farmers and fishermen get their products to us.”

Which brings us to the real culprit. Cost. No matter how far it travels — despite the added dollars in gas and refrigeration — it’s still less expensive to buy from big suppliers. (That’s why your chilled grapes started in Chile; it’s also why so much foreign seafood invades our own waterfront restaurants.) Still, cheap food comes at a price.

“That shrimp from Thailand may be only $3.99 a pound,” notes Huggins, “but it’s been soaked in a bleaching solution and pumped up with chemicals. And while 85 percent of seafood Americans consume is imported, only 2 percent of that is inspected.”

Clearly, buying fresh is better for you. But it’s also healthier for the Outer Banks.

Supporting area fishermen supports our economy; buying from nearby farms maintains green spaces. Both strengthen community relationships. But it does take a little extra effort. And it takes staying informed. So, if you don’t know where your next meal came from, ask. Ask at the produce stand. Ask at the farmers market. Definitely ask at the seafood store. (That’s the whole reason behind Outer Banks Catch.) Tell restaurateurs and retailers that local food matters. Because change won’t happen unless consumers demand it.

“You need to make friends with your vendors,” says Ivy Ingram, a dedicated localvore.

“Talk to them. Let them know you’re interested in buying local.”

The good news? Interest is growing as chefs and shops tap native sources, and fresh produce signs pop up everywhere. Nicole Spruill’s Coastal Farmers Co-Op works with 12 regional farmers, offering veggie boxes at drop-off points in Elizabeth City, Kitty Hawk, Ocracoke and Hatteras. Her take? “The demand has definitely been overwhelming.”

Lucky for residents, demand drops as visitors finish summer vacations — prime time for produce and seafood. So go take advantage of the local bounty. Then go beyond. Eat in restaurants that focus on local fare. Drink locally made beer and wine. Grill regional beef. Lick a locally made Zen Pop. Drizzle local honey. Enjoy knowing the full life story of every meal from beginning to end — then go tell the stories of where these goods came from. — Molly Harrison

PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS

According to the Center for Environmental Farming Systems, North Carolinians spend $35 billion a year on food. If everyone spent 10 percent on local food — $1.05 per day — $3.5 billion would be available to local economies, boosting businesses and creating jobs. Test their theory with the following resources: OuterBanksHarvest.com Ivy Ingram’s freshly updated blog on what’s local and in-season outerbanksharvest@gmail.com Somerset Farm in Edenton Veggie boxes delivered to Hatteras Island Hazel Inglis, hazel.inglis@gmail.com (252) 482-0696 Coastal Harvesters Inc. Veggie boxes, community garden on Hatteras Island Joanne Throne, info@coastalharvesters.org (252) 996-0679 Coastal Farmers Co-Op Veggie boxes to Outer Banks; produce to Carawan’s Seafood in Kitty Hawk Nicole Spruill, coastalfarmers@gmail.com (252) 370-6367

Handcrafted Swedish Clogs & Sandals

From Traditional To Very Modern Create Your Own Look!

Paint Your Own Clog Classes Available At No Additional Charge.

unique • comfortable • woven • painted

MP 10.5 Shoppes • Nags Head, NC • 252.441.2550 • clogs4u.com

Nags Head Produce Farm direct produce stand in Nags Head (252) 441-9154 Outer Banks Farmers Market Farm direct stand at Outer Banks Mall Island Produce Produce stand in Manteo (252) 473-1303 Manteo Farmers Market Through September 10 (252) 473-2133 Beach Organics Local meats, eggs and produce in Grandy (252) 457-0200 Sanctuary Vineyards Farm Small yield pesticide-free farm in Grandy (252) 207-9377

Fast, Reliable Design for Print and Web real

The Outer Banks

ssets

2011 edition

FAll CReek ReTReAT This timeless log constructed home is located eight miles up the Castle Creek Valley. It is nestled in the trees, giving it extreme privacy yet is situated high enough to enjoy expansive views of the Elk Mountain Range. It has the distinct feel of a lodge and is the perfect Rocky Mountain retreat. You can hear the rushing waters of the nearby Castle Creek River. It is located in a small subdivision that is not visible from the road.

OFFeReD FOR: $4,800,000

2:00 p.m.

Exciting Fun Events!

Prizes Awarded!

Tshombe Selby

Apple Pie Contest Bake Your Favorite Pie & Let the Judges Decide

Echoes of Heritage

Decorated Bike Contest

Ray Johnson

Dawn’s Harvest Mart Fresh fruits, homebaked goods and seasonal seafood north of Corolla Light

Weeping Radish Farm Brewery Local meats in Grandy (252) 491-5205

Seaside Farm Market In-season produce, seafood and other local products in Corolla (252) 453-8285

The Brine & Bottle Pickled veggies, small-production items in Nags Head (252) 715-1818

Green Acres Farm Stand Farm-direct produce stand in Duck

Outer Banks Epicurean Local sea salt, honey, foods and ‘Zen Pops’ in Colington (252) 255-0050

The Angry Peach Produce stand in Kitty Hawk Tarheel Too Produce stand in KDH (252) 207-1048

mobile (970) 948-4800 / office (970) 544-5800 scott@zgaspen.com

Decorate Your Ride

Wacky Hat Contest

Popular Karaoke Music

A. SCOTT DAVIDSON | WWW.AA-RG.COM

3:00 p.m.

Festivities kick off with Performances by: Singing the National Anthem Our Local A Cappella Music Group

The Craziest Hat Wins!

6:00 p.m.

After Dark:

Old Enough to Know Better

For more information, call the Town of Manteo at (252) 473-2133 or visit: townofmanteo.com

performance by

FiREWORKS!!!

All performances are on the Historic Courthouse steps in Downtown Manteo.

The times listed for events are estimates. The Special Events Committee does it’s best to offer these events on time; however, times may vary. The judging of the apple pie contest cannot be rushed! It just tastes too good! Sponsored in part by OBVB.

whO?

what?

wHere?

OBX Skate Guide 2011.indd 1

252.305.7865

5/20/11 10:14 AM

jrdavisdesign.com

Tommy’s Market Native beers, wines and sauces plus seasonal produce in Duck (252) 261-8990

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BYE-BYE MARGARITAVILLE getactive

In a music scene known for Buffet covers and karaoke, Joe McGlohon’s sax was pure gold.

Now, he’s saying farewell.

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Every good player wants to play by the ocean. Could be the clean air. The wide stretches of empty sand — or all the skinny potential mates in sexy swimwear — but beach gigs always attract talented musicians. Some are hungry troubadours strumming for tips. Others are national acts, working smaller clubs for a weekend getaway. Not many can say they once played a packed Houston Astrodome for 80,000 fans or graced New York’s Radio City Music Hall.

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“My grandma lived in the city,” says Joe McGlohon, remembering the ‘92 gig with “Queen of Country” Reba McEntire. “We used to go to Radio City to see plays and movies, so when I actually got to walk on stage, it was amazing. Not only did we have the crowd in the building, but the show was simulcast on the Times Square Jumbotron.”

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Not bad for the son of a piano teacher from Greenville, NC. Joe began his quartercentury road career at 18, playing steel guitar for the band, Heartwood. But once he heard the blues and soul sounds of Motown and Memphis — influences like “Big J” McNeely, King Curtis and Junior Walker — he stopped sliding strings and began blasting notes. “‘Shot Gun’ by Junior Walker is what turned me on to playing sax,” he recalls. “That’s what made me say, ‘I want to do that.’”

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For 25 years, McGlohon toured the nation with country and blues giants like Delbert McClinton and T-Graham Brown. In 1989 he joined Reba McEntire, serving as her music director for five years. Still, youthful recollections of coastal summers kept calling him home. With his parents still in Greenville and sister Millie in Nags Head (she settled here in 1973 with husband Jimbo Ward), Joe left Nashville in 2009. He soon discovered another welcoming family among Outer Banks musicians, his sax mixing in like mangos into salsa: making everything spicier, sweeter and — best of all — subtle.

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Like any great conversationalist, Joe knows when to talk, and when to listen. So, while most soloists cram the maximum licks into a small block of time, McGlohon’s mastered the art of fitting time into a choice group of licks. He credits the style to an anonymous bluesman who once told him he “could be twice the player he was, if he could learn to only play half the notes.”

The approach fits most any genre. Besides being an active member of The Crowd, Joe loves to sit in with a range of local acts: backing up bluesy Mojo Collins; jamming with jazz proponents like Joe Mapp and The Coordinates, Wet Betty, or any lineup boasting TR3 drummer Dan Martier or bassist Mick Vaughn. milepost

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His saxophone mixes like mangos in salsa, making any music both spicy and sweet.

“I used to come down to Nags Head when I was in college to check out the Good Humor Band,” says Martier. “So when I finally got to play with him, it was like playing with one of my heroes.”

Of course, a life of cramped vans and nightclubs comes with a few close calls. Joe’s been swung at. Shot at.

A 1977 motorcycle accident wrecked his hand — and his steel guitar career.

But his scariest memory occurred in 1991. Not in some seedy bar, but flying home from a California corporate gig with McEntire.

It wails. It laughs. It even rocks.

McGlohon cradles his baby.

PHOTO: ChrisBickford.com

“I decided to hop on the crew plane, instead of flying with the band,” McGlohon recalls. “The band plane took off, followed by our plane, then Reba’s private jet. When we got to Memphis to refuel, we got word that the band plane had gone down five minutes after takeoff, killing all eight band members and both pilots.”

Twenty years later, Joe still phones the families every March 16 to remind them how special their loved ones were. It also keeps him aware of what’s important.

“That was such a traumatic event,” he continues. “I just had to get through it and keep on making music. But it did bring me to the conclusion that life is short and to make the best of every moment.”

So, if you hear some sultry sax blowing down the beach this fall, make the most of that moment. This October, Joe moves to London to rekindle a 20-year romance and back a Belgian singer through Europe. But as much as the Outer Banks will miss him — and as much as Joe will long for the Carolina coast — every musician knows: it’s not so much where you play, so long as you keep playing. — Jesse Fernandez

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UNDER fooddrink DEVELOPMENT

For filmmaker Bryan Harvey, conveying different cultures is an ongoing process

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“I didn’t plan on making documentaries. It just sort of happened. By osmosis.” What better way to describe a medium that joins two worlds by the thinnest of membranes? Except osmosis is a process of diffusion. And Bryan Harvey’s films are a passion of concentration.

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“The first half of my career I was basically a one-man band,” says the 44-year-old Nags Head resident. “I’d come up with the ideas. Go shoot. Then come back and lock myself in the editing room.”

The son of renowned still-shooter David Harvey, Bryan grew up traveling the globe with National Geographic’s best lensmen, then decided to learn to fly airplanes. In 1993, a friend and wildlife photographer invited Bryan to pilot his “ultralight” into the African Congo. He not only accepted — he brought a movie camera. When the resulting episode of National Geographic Explorer earned “Best Newcomer” at the Jackson Hole Film Festival, Bryan grounded his aviation dreams to pursue filmmaking full-time.

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Since then Harvey’s seen the Himalayas. Chased rodeo clowns. Ridden Harleys across Vietnam with American vets. Now, for the first time since transplanting in 2003, he’s begun focusing on his adopted home. In May, he scored the cover photo of Kiteboarder Magazine.

This fall he begins a surfing/ environmental short for Patagonia. But his next project will require even more commitment, as he seeks to document and reveal the hidden elements that make living here so magnetic.

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“There’s something intangible about this place that gets under your skin,” he explains. “Almost like ions in the air. And that’s what I like about filmmaking and photography: capturing those in-between moments most people never see.”

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MILEPOST: What’s your most memorable moviemaking experience?

BRYAN HARVEY: Probably still that first film, Ndoke. We were in the deepest, darkest jungle to get images of wildlife. We filmed these chimpanzees that had never seen people before — they’re called “naïve chimps” — so they had no fear. And when they rushed in it was like a close encounter. Like two alien species. They were looking at us. We were looking at them. It was amazing. And that experience doesn’t exist anymore because now all those chimps are habituated.

“

Something about living here is very fragile.

That’s what I hope to get across.

How about more recent projects?

Living here, I do a lot of “gun for hire” stuff for cable. I was just with the Texas Rangers documenting the border war for the Discovery Channel. I’ve also been in Mississippi working on a personal film about delta blues and the “juke joint” tradition. There are these hole-in-the wall shacks in the middle of the fields where all the people come and jam and listen to the blues. Only a handful of those old-time blues musicians are left — less than 10 — so I’m running around chasing interviews. But I love shooting down there. Everything’s kind of rundown, decrepit and empty. It’s beautiful.

Almost sounds like parts of the Outer Banks at times.

I do think we have our own exotic ways. It’s a little bit redneck, which I like a lot. Kind of like being in the country and at the beach at the same time. We’ve got great characters.

We’ve got bankers and real estate agents living right next door to commercial fishermen. And the geography is so cool. When you’re going over that bridge to Hatteras Island, it’s like being on the edge of the earth. And everyone is focused on the weather. You kind of get back to the basics of life. You’re out in the elements. There’s something about living here that’s very… fragile. That’s what I hope to get across.

A lot of your projects seem to share a theme of capturing something before it disappears. Is that what you hope to do with this next film?

I can’t say that’s the sole purpose of the project. I just know I’ve been coming here since the ‘70s and — as much as it’s changed — this place has always held the same allure for me. And I hope that never goes away. So, maybe if I put a magnifying glass on those cooler aspects people will want to preserve it. Fight for it. But then films aren’t very permanent either. A photograph, you put it on the wall and it takes on a life of its own; it can even become more famous over time. Video and film get gobbled up. Many times I’ve put weeks or months into a film for TV. And you have your friends and family tune in. A half-hour later, everyone’s like “Oh, that was nice.” And you’re onto the next. — Harold N. Modd

How’s this for an “in-between moment”?

Dimitri Maramenides; frozen by the sun.

PHOTO: BryanHarveyFilms.com

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Indoor & Deckside Seating Island & Coastal Cuisines

Little Pirates’ Menu Deck Parties & Live Entertainment (seasonal)

proud purveyors

Serving dinner nightly 7 days a week open at 4 pm •

252 • 441 • 2637

HOSPITALITY GROUP kellyhospitality.com

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MP 15.5 • 158bypass • 6708 S.Croatan Hwy • Nags Head, NC 27959

The Outer Banks Premier Smoke Shop

Est. 1991

Island Tobacco Co.

Cigar brands including • Top Montecristo, Rocky Patel, Romeo Y Julietta

art from award winning national artists including Darby Holm, • Glass Eric Ross, and Fat Mike

• Thousands of waterpipes and all the accessories you need Shisha, Cigar Wraps, Incense, Herbal Incense, Games, Puzzles, • Hookahs, and more....

Milepost 14 Bypass, Croatan Centre, Nags Head milepost

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(252) 441-1392

outthere

An old man. Sunning himself red beside a billowing dumpster.

A young woman in constant danger of losing her top.

Fishing twine cut and tossed.

Cigarette butts born to fly.

Cans on the ground. Beers by 11. Curses 24-7.

Parking when the sign says “No Parking.”

Surfing where it says “No Surfing.”

Pilings bent however they damn please.

Whatever the world tells you “don’t,” these pier rats do.

Sometimes it’s good. Sometimes it’s bad.

But — in the end — it’s probably for the better.

— C. White

PHOTO: David Weybright

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endnotes Fall rocks. You know it. We know it. Now, prove it this Labor Day weekend when The Beauvilles bring summer to a raging halt at the Outer Banks Brewing Station on Sat., Sept. 3. • Fall also blows. Which is good news for fans of all WGBs (Wind-Generated Boardsports). Start with Kitty Hawk Kites’ Demo Days (www. kittyhawk.com) from Sept. 3-5, featuring top kiteboarders and gear for the tech generation. Then salute windsurfing’s roots on Sept.

14-17 as legends like Robbie Naish go loopy at the Hatteras Wave Jam (www.hatteraswavejam.com).

• Who arted? Painter Fay Davis Edwards and blacksmith Randy Hodges, that’s who. The Dare Co. Art Council (www.darearts.org) brings “Iron and Wine” to Manteo — as well as the watercolors of Raleigh’s Fantastic Mr. Eichenberger comes to Festival Park, Sept 3.

Rosemary Ferguson — with a joint and fun to watch, as they unleash t-shirts, opener on Sept. 2; both exhibits run stickers and beach games galore. Dates and through Sept. 30. And Raleigh artist David locations can change and spots fill fast so Eichenburger gets surreal at Roanoke stay tuned: 949-646-2175 x.6302 • Teach Island Festival Park (www.roanokeisland. a man to fish, he’ll eat for life. Take him to com) Sept. 3-29. • Run! Then bike, then Day at the Docks (www.dayatthedocks. swim, when the Outer Banks Triathlon org), he’ll eat a lifetime’s worth of seafood in strikes Sept. 10-12. (FYI: the correct order is one day. Dig in with Hatteras Village’s charter “swim, bike, run,” but if we need to specify, you should probably watch — or choose the and commercial fleets on Sept. 17. • Then things get real serious Sept. 18-24 for the shortest of three distance options.) Learn ESA Easterns as surfing’s largest amateur more at www.obxmarathon.com. • Less running. More Drivin’ N’ Cryin’. That’s Port championship — and producer of talent from Kelly Slater to Brett Barley — marks four O’Call’s motto on Sept. 10. (Best buy tickets decades of invading Buxton and surrounding early or you’ll be waitin’ n’ weepin’.) • Peg sandbars. (Spectate and freesurf accordingly.) legs are all the rage when the Outer Banks Then cheer in the accent of your choice as the Pirate Festival hobbles through town Sept.

World Championships of Surf Kayaking 15-18. With pictures, reenactments and a (www.worldchampionshipsofsurfkayaking.

Scalawag School for Young Scoundrels, it com) draws paddlers from Japan, England promises rowdy fun and Australia, Sept. 28 - Oct. 10. Visit Real for swashbucklers Watersports in Waves for details on both. • of all ages (or blood Get trashed with Outer Banks Surfrider’s alcohol contents).

“Trashfest” on Sept. 24. It’s all part of NC’s Call 1- 877-FLY-THIS Big Sweep, and it’s easy: pick an access, for details. • What’s fill some bags and a data card, then bring a “Cooterfish”? It’s it all to the Outer Banks Brewing Station at Volcom’s annual KDH noon for your free pass to food, beer and surf contest Sept. 17music. No garbage? Bring cash. (Hey, it is the 18. It’s free to enter

questionauthority upfront

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‘green movement’ after all.) Details at http:// outerbanks.surfrider.org • Green may be a secondary color, but it’s a primary need. Help the Arts Council stock up when KDH Rec Park hosts Artrageous! Oct. 1-2, featuring a Saturday of creative expression for kids and a Sunday evening cocktail party and auction for adults. • Who’s a pro surfer’s favorite artist? Whoever signs the giant foam check at the finish. See who hoists the most zeroes when the WRV Outer Banks Pro returns to Jennette’s Pier, Sept 30 – Oct. 2. • Gotta feel for fabric? “The Art of the Costume” runs Oct. 3-31 at Festival Park, featuring Lost Colony designer Joan Brumbach, mask-maker Nancy Harvey and Genna Miles’ crocheted chapeaus. Meet all three Oct. 7, 6-8pm, then bolt over to the DCAC gallery as it unrolls knitted, spun and woven creations by the Outer Banks Fiber Guild — plus Nancy Pederson‘s stitchwork sticks around for Nov. • Sport kite flyers descend upon the Wright Brothers Memorial for the 25th Annual Outer Banks Stunt Kite Competition, Oct. 8-9. Interested in flying?

Call 1-877-FLY-THIS. Just plain interested?

Come enjoy workshops, demos and kitemaking for kids. • “Jazz isn’t dead, it just smells funny…” So said Frank Zappa. But on Oct. 9, the 5th Annual Duck Jazz Festival is the freshest place for music fans. And it’s free.

Be there at 11am with your own beverages, picnics, chairs, pets, blankets — everything but umbrellas and tents (which stink if you get stuck behind one). More at www.duckjazz. com. • Or maybe you’re in a mood indigo — as in Indigo Girls. In that case, be at Kelly’s on Oct. 9 as the acoustic femme-rock duet comes as close as you’ll get to find ‘em.

• Johnny Cash. Led Zeppelin. The Pixies.

That’s just three bands used to describe The Real Nasty. Draw your own comparisons when the Bay Area power trio brings countryrock to Goombay’s on Oct. 15. • We have no idea why it’s called Cornfest, but we do know East Coast skaters descend upon the Wanchese Bowl along with area parks and drained pools this Oct. 9 as part of an annual fall ritual. So go huck some trucks between shucks. • Got an awesome foursome? Sign up for Kelly’s Hospitality Group Charity Golf Classic (www.kellysrestaurant.com) on Oct. 17

to benefit the Outer Banks Community Foundation. Spots for 36 teams; costs $150 a player. The swinging party starts at Nags Head’s Golf Links at 1pm and concludes with a 19th Hole at Pamlico Jack’s. • On Oct. 21-24, celebrate ten minutes in heaven with Orville Wright. Actually, it was only 9 minutes and 45 seconds, but the world record ultimately gave birth to modern pursuits like paragliding.

“Soaring 100” will commemorate the centennial of this high point with demos, displays, replicas and more. Float over to www.soaring100.com for a full flight plan.

• Jellybeans — or jellyfish? Get both when Trick or Treat Under the Sea comes to the North Carolina Aquarium (www. ncaquariums.com) on Roanoke Island from 6 pm to 8:30 pm. It’s creepy, crafty — and crazy popular. So book your ticket in early Oct. And check www.outerbankschild.com for more family Halloween activities. • Birds, bears and wolves, oh my! On Nov. 8-13, the Wings Over Water Wildlife Festival offers 85 ways to connect with nature, from canoes to kayaks to cameras. See what the flap’s about at www.wingsoverwater.org.

• “Hell, I never vote for anybody, I always vote against.” Make WC Fields happy this fall on Nov. 8. Even if you miss Oct. 14’s voter registration deadline in Dare County, you can use the One-Stop absentee option from Oct. 20 to three days before Election Day. • Not running for office? Try running 26 miles. On Nov. 12-13, the Outer Banks Marathon (www.obxmarathon. com) pushes you to push your limits, all the way from Kitty Hawk to Roanoke Island. Too much? Ease the burn with a half-marathon, 8k, 5k or “fun run.” • Or get dazzled by the Outer Banks Jewelry Expo at Roanoke Island Festival Park on Nov. 12, starring a range of local and regional designers. • Finally, fall’s your chance to hook up a striper — and a local student.

On Nov. 19, the 14th Annual Manteo Rotary Rockfish Rodeo comes to Roanoke Island Festival Park, raising cash for college scholarships and local schools. Go to www. rockfishrodeo.com for full details.

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There’s Only One Brewing Station!

Milepost 8.5 under the WIND TURBINE on the BIG Road in Kill Devil Hills

252-449-BREW (2739) • www.OBBrewing.com

Photo by Ascencion Photography