?Twas the weekend before Christmas, and all though our land,
The wind was blowing and kicking up sand.
The ocean was frightful, and the waves surged to shore,
Bringing sand and water on the highway once more.
The wind, it shifted from the east to the west,
And the tide started rising, ending many a fest.
Sorry, Island Free Press readers, but I just couldn?t help myself.
And my apologies to Clement C. Moore, the author of one of the most enduring Christmas stories of all time. I was sitting here thinking about my Christmas blog when the first verses I?ve ever written jumped into my head ? or onto my computer screen or whatever.
It has been a cold, wet, windy, foggy fall with coastal storm after coastal storm, sending the ocean over Highway 12 and Pamlico Sound tide into many yards and roads.
The Island Free Press holiday party was just one of many events that were cancelled or postponed on a very blustery and cold weekend before Thanksgiving.
It rained most of Friday and Friday night, Dec. 18. By the morning of Saturday, Dec. 19, the rain had ended, but Highway 12 was closed for several hours after high tide because of ocean overwash from the easterly winds. The new section of roadway, finished just weeks ago, was apparently not damaged.
On Saturday morning, the wind shifted to the west/northwest and the sound tide started rising, rather quickly.
I watched it from my house in Brigand?s Bay in Frisco, coming over the docks and bulkheads and into the yards.
The roads were still passable, but when I looked outside that afternoon, there was water everywhere, as far as I could see.
Okay, I thought, we are Hatterasmen ? and women ? and we can do this. We can have this party anyway.
So I kept on making hors d?oeuvres ? after having friends help me move my vehicles, just to be on the safe side.
But, as the daylight faded, the wind showed no sign of letting up. And I realized that although my road was dry, my guests would need boots or waders to get to the front steps.
So we postponed the festivities until Sunday night.
It was cold ? in the 30s, way below normal ? and the wind was still blowing on Sunday, but the tide was down.
And we all had a terrific time at the party ? finally.
The temperatures are still a good 10 degrees below normal here today, though it was a toasty 48 degrees this afternoon.
By Christmas Day, forecasters say the temperature will be in the low 60s, but, yes, it is going to blow and rain again.
As some forecasters have said, it?s an El Nino year, and it might be a bad winter of northeasters.
Our Christmas wish is that the new roadway stays put, that the sandbags at the S-curves are replaced, and that all the sand from behind the terminal groin on the north end of the island is transported to nourish the beach north of Rodanthe.
And I hope those of us who live on the soundside don?t have to keep moving our vehicles out of the tide?s way every other weekend for the rest of the winter.
But, let me assure you, we wouldn?t live anywhere else!
I thank all of the readers and advertisers who have supported us this year ? and hope you will again in 2010.
We will be posting new stories again next week.
Meanwhile, Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.
I hope you, your wonderful staff and everyone down OBX way have a blessed and Merry Christmas! Thank you for keeping me well informed this past year. I look forward with great anticipation to the upcoming year and what it will bring. Love you guys!
Merry Christmas to everyone at Island Free Press. You have no idea how much
joy you all bring to me all during the year. Your reporting is first class
and you certainly keep up to date with everything on the islands not only
with your articles but pictures as well.
Can always count on you for facts and great coverage,
Happy New Year
Jane
MERRY CHRISTMAS Irene, Donna, Evan, and Jordan??.thanks for the great job all of
you do all year long keeping us posted on all the news on Hatteras Island.
God Bless You!!!
Your friends from Richmond, Virginia
Jim and Liz Geer
Thanks for your good articles and thoughtful editorials. I always look
forward to reading at least part of Island free Press.
Have a Merry Christmas and a good holiday.
Best,
Annie
Thanks for all of the work that you do getting the articles out to us. I
really enjoy staying in touch by reading the news from the Outer Banks.
Merry Christmas.
Janice
Merry Christmas to every one at Island Free Press and thank you for all your hard work to keep us up to date on things and have a wonderful New Year.
Iva Printz
Thank you so much for the updates.
Merry Christmas!
The Robersons
May you all have a wonderful and blessed Christmas and New Year!
Merry Christmas
Thank you for your hard work and let?s all take a minute to say a prayer for those who are not as fortunate as us in this time.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all the staff of Island Free Press.
Your gift of hard work, providing us information through the year is very much appreciated. You have been our eyes and ears of our Hatteras Island Home.
God Bless .
Bill, Jan & Billy McCrystal
Merry Christmas to all at Island Free Press and all who read it faithfully. Storms, natural and political, make life interesting and you write about both with clarity, insight, and facts. Thanks for a wonderful source of Outer Banks news. You have a refreshingly high standard of journalism. We wish there were more like you. The New Year will undoubtedly bring many exciting, action packed events many of us off the islands will want to know about and perhaps even getting with. Thanks for being there.
Best wishes
Mike and Sharon Berry
Chapel Hill, NC
Ditto what Dr. Mike says.
Merry Christmas to the Island Free Press. Thank you for the outstanding reporting of important issues involving our Island. Keep up the good work.
Bob and Joan Keenan (Hatteras Estates)
I second SJ?s motion!
Can we get a third to carry? My guess is a resounding Yes?
Thanks for all that you and the IFP staff continue to do toward Beach Access and the spread of objective Outer Banks Journalism in general. Simply outstanding! Hats off to you all?.
Best Regards,
The Pitt Family
Richmond, VA
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your staff. Thanks for helping me stay connected to my favorite place on earth.
Happy holidays to IFP?.I?m thirding that motion! Thank you for what you do. We can?t ever let our guards down.
Irene Nolan for President of Hatteras Island!!!