OBX ocean illuminated with bioluminescent light show! The plankton rolled in with the surf this weekend and for two nights there was a light show in iridescent blues and greens that reminded us all that the beauty of nature exceeds any work of art by human hands. The scientific term is bioluminescence; the effect is one… Continue reading when mother ocean puts on a light show
Author: Kip Tabb
taking the ferry to portsmouth island
A Family Legacy of Journeys to Portsmouth Island The Austin family has been taking visitor from Ocracoke to the deserted village on Portsmouth Island for over 40 years. As the brothers who have made the journey a part of their family heritage age, writer Lane DeGregory looks to the future in her article for Our… Continue reading taking the ferry to portsmouth island
german sub found off ocracoke!
Remains of U576 are submerged in depths off Ocracoke On her fifth tour of duty, U576 met her doom, inexplicably surfacing in the middle of a convoy after firing four torpedoes, sinking one ship and damaging two others. There were no survivors and the crew, as Michael E. Ruane writing for the Washington Post discovered,… Continue reading german sub found off ocracoke!
kelly’s closing would be the end of an era
The iconic Kelly’s Outer Banks Restaurant and Tavern may close by the end of the year. Ending months, or even years of speculation, Outer Banks restauranteur Mike Kelly confirmed to Russ Lay of the Outer Banks Voice that he may be selling the Nags Head property that houses his iconic Kelly’s Outer Banks Restaurant & Tavern.… Continue reading kelly’s closing would be the end of an era
hermine leaves her mark on the obx
Hermine may just be a tropical storm, but she sure has packed a wallop on the Outer Banks. Kip Tabb writing for the North Beach Sun took his camera out this morning, got some pictures and put his thoughts down about the storm. Reports are rolling in now from Hatteras and Ocracoke that aren’t great– lots… Continue reading hermine leaves her mark on the obx
irene: 5 years gone but not forgotten
No OBX local could forget that Hurricane Irene rolled over the Outer Banks in August of 2011. TD8 probably wouldn’t have any significance attached to it under most circumstances… a minimal tropical system just off the OBX that’s not even going to make landfall—but this is the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Irene, a storm many… Continue reading irene: 5 years gone but not forgotten
wanchese village: a trip back in time
A fishing village and a place where the traditions and history of the Outer Banks are part of everyday life, the village of Wanchese is special. Michelle Wagner has written a beautifully evocative piece for the Coast about life away from the fast lane. “There’s a place on the Outer Banks where time has somehow managed to stand… Continue reading wanchese village: a trip back in time
day of the doritos: an obx wreck busting tale
Living on the Outer Banks has always had its challenges, especially back in the day, and Bankers tend to be opportunists as a result. For over 300 years, a ship ashore was a ship to be salvaged, in short order. Hatteras Island native and historian Danny Couch tells a delightful tale of the history of this tradition… Continue reading day of the doritos: an obx wreck busting tale
waterspouts 101
Beautiful to some, certainly dangerous and generally misunderstood, waterspouts are fairly common on the Outer Banks. We love this great piece by journalist D. Creeksong for the Ocracoke Observer, that shares one visitor’s encounter with some wiley waterspouts. It’s full of great info and reminds us just how little is known about these open water phenomenon. “Visiting photographer Summer Brown… Continue reading waterspouts 101
tales from the graveyard of the atlantic
The seas off the coast of the Outer Banks are among the most treacherous in the world, fully justifying the title “Graveyard of the Atlantic.” In this blog from Carolina Designs, Kip Tabb tells the tale of two tragedies–tragedies that ultimately led to the creation of the United States Coast Guard. “The winter of 1877-1878… Continue reading tales from the graveyard of the atlantic