N.C. Highway 12 remains open as of Monday morning, but soundside and/or oceanside flooding has been reported in multiple areas, per a 7:00 a.m. update from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), and the roadway may not be passable for all vehicles. Travel is not advised at this time. Conditions along the roadway per […]

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As the weather cools and the crowds start to taper off, there is one contingent of visitors who still frequent the Outer Banks in droves once the off-season is in full swing – the migrating birds at the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. As a result, the rare human visitors who also make a trek […]

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While this Halloween weekend is kicking off with high surf and windy conditions, it is by no means close to what happened three decades ago from Cape Hatteras to Canada. The infamous Halloween Storm of 1991 that would later also be named The Perfect Storm, caused extensive damage and flooding that many said were the […]

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While much of Ocracoke has returned to a new “normal” in these challenging times, Ocracoke School still has a way to go. With a great deal of initial reluctance, Ocracoke School eventually joined about 35 other buildings in Ocracoke village that were torn down due to historic flooding caused by Hurricane Dorian on Sept. 6, […]

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They swell up, they blow up, they puff up. Their unusual defense against predators makes this blowfish a hoot. Northern puffers are found on the Atlantic coast of North America from Newfoundland to Flagler County, Florida, over sand bottom near or in and around seagrass in waters ranging from 3 to more than 600 feet […]

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On October 11, 1896, a most remarkable rescue by the most remarkable crew of the U.S. Life-Saving Station No. 17 Pea Island took place, which became a pedestal of honored U.S. Coast Guard achievements. Etheridge’s Early Years When there was suddenly an opening for Keeper of the Pea Island Life-Saving Station, a surprising thing happened. […]

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The 2021 sea turtle nesting season is winding down, and the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, (which extends from the northern borders of Rodanthe to Oregon Inlet), recently announced that the refuge had a record-breaking year. Per a recent update from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in North Carolina, the Pea Island National Wildlife […]

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Too excited to sleep, we set out in the middle of the night. Our heavy, steel-frame, 10-speed bikes were overloaded—tents, sleeping bags, and too many clothes. But despite the weight, the first few miles seemed effortless. Soon, the city’s streetlights receded and, without headlights, we rode down the dusky center line of the rural road […]

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“What was the worst hurricane in your lifetime?” This is one of the most interesting questions to pose to any Outer Banks local resident, because it will generally clue you in on three things: 1) What section of the Outer Banks they call home 2) How long they have lived on the Outer Banks and […]

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Dare County released the following update for Tuesday, August 24, which provides details on recent Coronavirus cases, vaccine data, and more COVID-19 information. Dare County COVID-19 Case Update Dare County is continuing to experience widespread community transmission of the COVID-19 virus. Dare County is in the red category on the CDC’s Level of Community Transmission […]

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The Division of Marine Fisheries will accept flounder for the Carcass Collection and Saltwater Fishing Tournament (Citation) programs during the upcoming recreational fishing season. The division has also set up a one-stop source for information about the 2021 recreational flounder season, which begins Sept. 1. Carcass Collection The division has set up five temporary locations, […]

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I am reveling in our “Salad Days,” certainly not in the Shakespearean sense of youthful exuberance, but rather in the joy of the abundance of colorful, flavorful, summer produce. It is liberating, especially after the past 18 months of always being at the stove. In this heat, it is refreshing to eat light and cool […]

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Dare County released the following update for Tuesday, August 17, which provides details on recent Coronavirus cases, vaccine data, and more COVID-19 information. Dare County COVID-19 Case Update Dare County is continuing to experience widespread community transmission of the COVID-19 virus. Dare County is in the red category on the CDC’s Level of Community Transmission […]

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By Sara Teaster Last year, a group of concerned Ocracoke residents began discussing affordable housing.  After two meetings of the Affordable Housing Coalition, one Ocracoke family found a home as a result. Then COVID-19 hit, adding a new set of challenges to our community, making the old problem of lack of housing much worse. As […]

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Microplastics are everywhere. “It’s in our water, it’s in the ocean, it’s in the animals, in the air, even in space,” Ana Zivanovic-Nenadovic, North Carolina Coastal Federation assistant director of policy, said recently during a virtual forum on microplastics. Since the mass production of plastics began in the mid-20th century, plastic has permeated our lives, she […]

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The Outer Banks is breaking records when it comes to visitation, and this is a trend that has been going strong for months. The first six months of 2021 saw the highest number of visitors to Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands since data started being collected decades ago, and this popularity shows no sign of slowing […]

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The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries is accepting proposals for the Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) Program for federal fiscal year 2022. The FY 2022 Request for Proposals is published on the division’s BIG webpage. BIG is a grant program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that reimburses up to 75 percent of costs for […]

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By Alana Harrison I read an article published this past week, “Ditch of Death: Navigation Dicey in Hatteras Inlet … again.” It tells of the recreational fisherman’s influence on Hatteras Village’s economy and how our Island’s commissioner worries about the “shoaling issues scaring away out-of-town vessels coming in for tournaments.” But you failed to cover […]

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By Coastal Carolina Fisherman We’ve all lost a fish from time to time. Some due to a smart fish biting the line or breaking it off around a structure. Also, there is the fish that throws the hook in the middle of the fight. Then there are the dumb things we do to lose the […]

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Ocracoke got a step closer to the return of the passenger ferry this summer when the N.C. Senate today passed a bill that includes funding for this service between Hatteras and Ocracoke. Although a start date has not been set, the breakthrough came today when the Senate passed Bill No. 241 — a bill to […]

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A broad array of provisions aimed at flood prevention and resilience continues to move forward in this year’s session of the North Carolina General Assembly. Last week, a House committee approved the latest version of a long-term effort to address the growing risk of widespread flooding. Although driven by catastrophes like Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane […]

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While a dip in the ocean is one of the many joys of summer, beachgoers should be cautious of dangerous rip currents, which cause more than 100 deaths in the U.S. each year and 80% of lifeguard rescues, according to the U.S. Lifesaving Association. Rip currents are the No. 1 public safety risk at the beach […]

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For 2021, a likely range of 13 to 20 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which 6 to 10 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 3 to 5 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher) is expected. NOAA provides these ranges […]

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The first loggerhead sea turtle nest of the 2021 season was found roughly a mile north of ORV Ramp 70 on Ocracoke Island on Friday morning, per a recent update from the Cape Hatteras National Seashore (CHNS.) This timeframe is similar to last year, when the first sea turtle nest, (also a loggerhead nest), was […]

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Sometimes to change your beachcombing luck, you have to change your perspective, and discover new hunting grounds for shell and seaglass finds. This past week, a couple of shelling colleagues and I did exactly that, by embarking on an inshore shelling trip with Family Water Adventures. Inshore trips that focus on other activities besides fishing […]

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It seems like every few years, the islands are presented with a big initiative or change that naturally inspires debate, simply because it’s an endeavor that is potentially landscape-altering, and has never been introduced before. Do a search in our IFP archives, and you’ll find tons of stories that fit this description. Notable examples include […]

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In 1942, more than 65 German U-boats waged a withering campaign along the nation’s eastern seaboard against Allied merchant vessels and their military defenders to disrupt or entirely sever transatlantic supply lines fueling the war effort in Europe. In just half a year, 397 ships were sunk. Nearly 5,000 people, including many civilians, were burned […]

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As an avid seaglass huntress on the Outer Banks for the past decade, I am always on the lookout for my next “prized” find, and for me, the chunkier the seaglass, the more cherished it becomes. Seaglass is a new creation that is loved by many in these modern times, but comes from something disregarded […]

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Dare County Board of Commissioners (BOC) Chairman Bob Woodard summarized the highlights of an otherwise bleak 2020, and touched on projects that the county is focused on in the months to come, in the annual State of the County presentation on January 27. Held virtually with just a handful of Dare County Commissioners in attendance, […]

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Coastal Review Online is featuring the research, findings and commentary of author Kevin Duffus. Last of three parts “Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink.” Who knows how many of General Ambrose Burnside’s more than 10,000 officers, soldiers and sailors could recite the words of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s epic 1798 poem, “The Rime of […]

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Coastal Review Online is featuring the research, findings and commentary of author Kevin Duffus. Second of three parts “Never has any expedition in the history of the world had to pass through a severer ordeal; everything seemed to conspire against it —Nature with her storms, and human nature with her villainy.” So reported a correspondent […]

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Coastal Review Online is featuring the research, findings and commentary of author Kevin Duffus. First of three parts It was not Shakespeare but Pythagoras who likely first imagined the world as a stage “whereon many play their parts.” No more often am I reminded of this proverb than when I am traveling across the inlet […]

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The first few days of 2021 have certainly felt like a chaotic continuation of 2020, with record-breaking COVID-19 numbers, political turmoil, and even a small coastal storm to boot, but there is ample reason to believe that there are bright spots in the future. From a vaccine that is already being administered on a county […]

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As locals know, one of the best aspects of combing the Cape Hatteras National Seashore beaches in the wintertime is the prospect of spotting a seal that has popped up along the shoreline. And although beachgoers may initially be concerned that the lounging seal is in trouble, the seals are actually just “hanging out” for […]

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Dare County released the following COVID-19 update for Friday, December 11, which details the county’s most recent active cases, testing efforts, and additional community information. Dare County COVID-19 Case Update The number of positive COVID-19 tests in Dare County is 1,236, of which there are 85 active cases among residents of Dare County. Of the 1,236 […]

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Per a 3:00 p.m. update from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), N.C. Highway 12 on Ocracoke Island has reopened to traffic in between the Hatteras Ferry Terminal and the NPS Pony Pens, with sand and water on the roadway. Per NCDOT, it is possible that the road will need to be closed again at […]

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3:00 P.M. UPDATE: Per the North Carolina Department of Transportation, N.C. Highway 12 on Ocracoke has reopened to traffic in between the Hatteras Ferry Terminal and the NPS Pony Pens, with sand and water on the roadway. Per NCDOT, it is possible that the road will need to be closed again at or before tonight’s high […]

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N.C. Highway 12 was closed on Ocracoke Island at approximately 8:00 a.m. on Monday between the ferry terminal and the NPS Pony Pens, due to severe ocean overwash. Ocean overwash is expected to continue on Ocracoke throughout the day today, especially at high tide. The next high tide is around 7:30 p.m. N.C. Highway 12 remained […]

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Severe weather forecast for Sunday night and Monday could lead to minor beach erosion, rough surf, and potential coastal flooding, per a Sunday morning briefing from the National Weather Service (NWS) Newport / Morehead City Office. Strong southerly winds with gusts up to 45-50 mph could result in coastal flooding on Monday, particularly for the […]

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Coastal Review Online is featuring the research, findings and commentary of author Kevin Duffus. Second of two parts — read Part 1 Popular culture’s embrace of the adventure and romance of piracy has hidden the true reasons for Blackbeard’s demise at Ocracoke. After many years of research and study, my analysis is that Blackbeard was merely […]

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Polls opened at 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday, November 3, in an unprecedented election that is already breaking records for voter turnout. As of Tuesday morning, 63.1% of eligible Dare County voters have already cast a ballot, while across the state, 62.2% of North Carolina residents have taken advantage of the early voting period as well. […]

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The Outer Banks real estate market is hot. It’s part of a national trend, but what is happening locally goes beyond the strong national trend. What realtors with experience in the Outer Banks market and longtime observers of local conditions are seeing exceeds anything they have seen before. “It’s been absolutely nuts,” said Jeff Scott, […]

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  by Mark Hibbs and Jennifer Allen Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., announced this week that President Trump had agreed to prevent drilling for oil and natural gas off the North Carolina coast, but the president has yet to speak publicly on the matter, and his administration says it is still moving forward with permitting for seismic […]

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Significant ocean overwash was reported with Monday morning’s high tide on stretches of Hatteras and Ocracoke islands that have already been battered by coastal flooding over the weekend. Per an update from the National Weather Service, the high tide late on Monday morning will bring the highest water levels of the week, coinciding with the […]

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Not many fruit trees are grown on the islands, but one that thrives here reigns supreme! The glorious honey-sweet fig weathers the storms like a true local, and just keeps going. Huge fig trees are groaning under the weight of their fruitful abundance in August, and that means deliciousness, both sweet and savory. Figs are […]

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While 2019 was a record-breaking year for sea turtle nesting activity within the Cape Hatteras National Seashore (CHNS), 2020 is shaping up to be a solid year for sea turtles as well, with a total of 193 nests recorded so far along the National Seashore beaches. Per http://www.seaturtle.org/, which has monitored sea turtle nesting activity […]

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After Gov. Cooper announced on July 14 that schools could reopen in August provided that extra safety precautions were in place, (and after surveying local families to garner their input), Dare County Schools posted the following FAQs for parents, students, and families on what the new restrictions could entail. The school administration will present five […]

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Dare County Schools on Wednesday released the results of staff and parent surveys regarding the start of the new school year next month, and the results showed 29 percent of parents prefer the year to begin with remote learning. The Dare County Board of Education will meet Monday afternoon to discuss options under Gov. Roy […]

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Supt. details choices in lengthy message to families (Dare County Schools) One day after Governor Roy Cooper announced his decision to re-open schools next month under a “Plan B” mix of some in-person and some remote learning, Dare County Schools Superintendent John Farrelly sent a very detailed and lengthy email to school families. Among other […]

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The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries is accepting proposals for the Boating Infrastructure Grant Program (BIG) for federal fiscal year 2021. BIG is a grant program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that reimburses up to 75 percent of costs for projects that construct, renovate, or maintain tie-up facilities and related amenities for recreational […]

Fishing |  Full Article