There is one perk to hurricane season on the East Coast - waves. Hurricane Katia passed offshore, between North Carolina and Bermuda, and the wind conditions were just so that surf was incredible. And it looks like a similar thing might happen again with Tropcial Whatever-it-is Maria. * I'm not a surfer myself, but it was fun to see the surfers in the water when I was running on the beach and to hear their enthusiastic banter all over town. Surf-widows griped on Facebook, and everyone from dishwashers to attorneys was regaling anyone who would listen with stories of their wave-riding escapades. My favorite barista stopped in the midst of her busy frothing to tell me, quite dreamily, how many times she had surfed last week. The hard cores boated over to Hatteras Island, the road being closed and all, and crossed from the sound side to the ocean on land, boards in hand...
Of course, that offshore storm also caused dangerous rip currents. The lifeguards were pulling people right and left last weekend, and the waves caused some nasty overwash on N.C. 12 on Hatteras, putting more sand where it was definitely not needed or wanted. * Speaking of that road to Hatteras, construction is already under way on the temporary bridge over the inlet formed by Irene. The governor says it will be completed within a month. * While Irene caused a major hassle with the new inlet at the S-Curves north of Rodanthe, she actually did a little good at Oregon Inlet. The storm performed some free dredge work, making the channel a little deeper and more navigable than it was before the storm. What humans work for months (years!) to accomplish, Mother Nature does in a few hours...
Up here on the northern Outer Banks, things are getting back to normal, though the stories of our misplaced friends and neighbors are heartbreaking. Help is still needed for many families, so don't think the effects of this storm have gone away...
If you're up for a little fun this weekend on the Outer Banks, the Outer Banks Pirate Festival starts Thursday. (This is where one would expect a witty bit of pirate jargon but I ain't doin' it, and I must stand my ground.) The four-day event features happenings all over town. A group of pirates will descend on local restaurants and stores on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. At Kitty Hawk Kites in Nags Head on Saturday the pirates will set up camp for the day, and the kids can go to pirate school, play pirate games, use pirate weapons, learn to talk like a pirate and more. Call (252) 441-4124 or go to www.kittyhawkkites.com for a schedule...
On the complete other end of the event spectrum, on Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. The Elizabethan Gardens is hosting a workshop for adults: Host the Perfect Garden Party Workshop. Learn how to design, host and survive a garden party without spending a fortune. Tastings are included. The price is $15 or $20, depending on your membership status. Call (252) 473-3234...
Not one but two FILMS can be seen this week on the Outer Banks (this is saying a lot because we only ever get anything that could be considered a movie, not a film). The Dare County Arts Council is presenting the first of its three-part Southern Circuit Film Festival Tour on Saturday at Roanoke Island Festival Park. The film is called A Bird of the Air, and it features a sassy parrot and a free-spirited librarian who upend the well-ordered life of a solitary man. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased at www.darearts.org/film-media. Show time is 7 p.m. Call (252) 473-5558. * The other film is an award-winning documentary, presented by the Outer Banks Peace and Justice Interfaith Coalition. This one is called The Economics of Happiness, which lays out a powerful strategy to repair our fractured world ecosystems, our societies and ourselves by going local, not global. It's showing at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, September 20 at All Saints Episcopal Church in Kitty Hawk...
So, there was supposed to be some good stuff happening down Hatteras way this weekend, but they've all been cancelled. Unfortunately, one of them was Day at the Docks, a celebration of Hatteras Watermen. Also, the Hatteras Wave Jam, stop four of the American Windsurfing Tour, was cancelled.
The Eastern Surfing Association's Eastern Grand Finals, which were supposed to be held at Cape Hatteras, have been moved to Jennette's Pier in Nags Head. The contest starts Sunday, September 18 and runs through Saturday, September 24. The entry deadline has passed, but watching it should be a lot of fun, especially from the pier (don't forget to make your donation when walking out on the pier)...
Got some kids to entertain this week? Take them to the N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island for a special program like: Behind the Scenes Tour, Breakfast with the Rays, Fish Printing, Happy Otter Hour, A Nocturnal Beach Walk, Snack with the Sharks or a Wetlands Walk. All those programs are going on this week, for a fee. Call (252) 473-3494. * At Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education in Corolla, there are free programs like Kayaking, Fishing the Sound, Swish Like a Fish, Nature Photography, Crabbing, Sea Turtle Jeopardy and many more. Call (252) 453-0221...
Going out this week? The Whalehead Club Wine Festival is still happening on Wednesdays from 4 to 7 p.m. Mike Dianna's Grill Room in Corolla has music on Wednesday and Thursday; Aqua in Duck has music nearly every night; Blue Point has Laura Martier, Dan Martier and Ruth Wyand on Sunday; Comedy Club in KDH has Gregg Lausch and Tom Holaday on Friday; Brewing Station has DJs on Tuesday and Wednesday, Matt McGuire on Thursday, Soul One on Friday early and The Former Champions on Friday late; Peppercorns has The Wilder Brothers on Thursday, karaoke on Saturday; Port O Call has Shoot to Thrill on Friday, Monkey Booty on Saturday; Ocean Boulevard has its Endless Summer Party on the Patio on Saturday; Poor Richard's in Manteo has Phil Chestnut on Friday, The Zen Monkeys on Saturday; Kelly's has Rich Whiskey Audition on Friday and Saturday, along with pirate festival events...
There are also lots of high school sports events, which are listed in our By Day and By Night listings, plus so much other stuff is going on. Look around the site, then get out there and have some fun. And get in the ocean while it's still warm. * If you can, help out your storm-weary neighbors. If you know of a good way to pitch in some help, or if you know of a good place to donate time or money, leave us a comment below...
About the Author Molly Harrison
Molly Harrison is managing editor at OneBoat, publisher of OuterBanksThisWeek.com. She moved to Nags Head in 1994 and since then has made her living writing articles and creating publications about the people, places and culture of the Outer Banks.
