Cape Hatteras National Seashore and Wright Brothers National Memorial will virtually commemorate three important anniversaries next month, which includes the 150th anniversary of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. The special events will all be available to watch on social media and Dare County’s CURRENTtv. On December 16, 2020, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, in partnership with the Outer Banks Lighthouse Society and Outer Banks Forever, will celebrate the 150th anniversary of Cape Hatteras Lighthouse’s first lighting. The world-famous lighthouse was first lit on December 16, 1870. The special event will begin around 4:50 p.m. with a livestream view of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, followed by a 20-30 minute video broadcast of speeches. The video will feature Superintendent David Hallac, local elected officials, historians, and more. This year also marks the 150th anniversary of Dare [...] Seashore News | Full Article
Hatteras Islanders who prefer to skip the crowds and the stressful scene of a traditional Black Friday will have an opportunity to enjoy an island-style shopping spree this year, thanks to several planned markets that will be showcasing more than 60 local artists and vendors. The Avon Farmers Market, which is a favorite weekly event in the summer season, recently announced that it will be hosting its first-ever Black Friday market at its regular Avon locale, next to Pangea Tavern and the Koru Beach Club. So far, the one-day-only market has attracted roughly 30 vendors, (including familiar faces from the seasonal summertime market), and new vendors are welcome to apply for a spot via the market’s Facebook page, or by email at coastalfarmers@gmail.com. “In these challenging times, it’s really important to support our local artists,” said market organizer Susan Patzer Aliff. “Th [...] Island Features | Full Article
It is hard to know exactly where to start when so many records are being broken in the OBX real estate market. First and foremost, we have surpassed the 2005 record YTD total volume sold, having seen an astronomical $1.18 BILLION. October saw the highest monthly units sold at 456 which is an 104% increase compared to the YTD this time last year. Monthly under contracts were 97% higher than this time last year with 926 under contract. Inventory is down drastically with total inventory dropping 44% to 1,337 units, of which residential dropped 56% to a mere 656 units available. Even lots and land dropped to 627 compared to this time last year! Speaking of lots and land, sales were up a staggering 163% with 84 units sold. That is an increase of 52 lots! Another interesting record breaker deals with distressed inventory. Compared to October 2019, distressed inventory was down 95% to 1 from 20 [...] Real Estate | Full Article
By Robert Michelson Grouper are large, fat-bodied fish with huge mouths and will eat just about anything they can fit in those choppers. While there are several species of grouper off the East Coast, two stand out in North Carolina: gag and red grouper, the most important for North Carolina commercial and recreational fishermen. “Adult gag grouper live in nearshore waters from coastal North Carolina south to Brazil and as well as in the Gulf of Mexico. Red grouper can be found as far north as Massachusetts to southeastern Brazil, (including) the eastern Gulf of Mexico,” said Barry Nash, seafood technology and marketing specialist with North Carolina Sea Grant. Nash said red grouper have an average life span of 30 years and can be as long as 49 inches, while gag grouper can reach 58 inches in length. Red grouper weigh an average of 51 pounds while gag grouper can get as big as 81 [...] Fishing | Full Article
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