Welcome to the vibrant summer issue of Outer Banks This Week! It’s time to embrace the warmth of the sun, the return of our summer visitors, those cooling dives into Mother Ocean and all the hot-weather fun we’ve put off all winter and spring. And we’re happy to bring you stories and advertising that capture the essence of life on our beloved shores, especially our feature story that chronicles the history of surfing here.
The beginning of this summer feels particularly poignant to me, as it arrives on the heels of a significant loss in the music world. The very first concert I went to (at 11 years old!) was Sly and the Family Stone. I can’t remember how I learned about their music at that age, but I loved it. Their song, “Hot Fun in the Summertime” had come out that year, and I couldn’t wait to hear them sing it. So Sly’s recent passing really took me back to that era in my memories – Woodstock, the Vietnam War, the rise of a new way of thinking in these United States and, for me, a coming of age summer where music started to play as a soundtrack to each age. Their music has been part of the soundtrack for many of us, I’m sure.
So, let’s start this season with the first line: End of the spring, and then she comes back ... hi, hi, hi, hi there ... them summer days, those summer days.
We’re here, y’all! Summer has returned, and if those initial piano chords in that song bring you right back to the summers of your youth ... well, I’m right there with ya. Thanks, Sly.
We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our incredible advertisers in this summer issue. Your support not only makes this publication possible, but also plays a crucial role in sustaining the local businesses and culture that make the Outer Banks such a wonderful place to live and visit.
And to our visitors, especially those who share our commitment to preserving the beauty of our coastline, thank you. We see you picking up trash, respecting the dunes, bringing your tents and chairs off the beach at night, treating our community with kindness and sharing the locals’ love for this place. When you are here, you are part of this community, and it is our sincerest hope that, as Sly would say, you have most of your fun nights while you’re here.
Them summer days ... those summer days.
Beth
VIEW A DIGITAL VERSION OF THIS ISSUE
Make a Day of It at Oregon Inlet Fishing Center
Decades of Style, Wine & Community
Creation, Connection, Community
Endless Summer Fun at H2OBX
