Outer/Inner Banks Paradise Places to Go

01/01/2025

Safe passage for NC wildlife secured!👏🎉

The Federal Highway Administration awarded $25 million to North Carolina for wildlife crossings, making roads safer for wildlife and people. 🚧

This project, which will establish multiple crossings and fencing in key areas, will have a profound impact on many wildlife species, most notably endangered Red Wolves, black bears, and white-tailed deer while also protecting drivers from collisions with wildlife on roadways.🐻🐺🦌

Read more:
https://ncwf.org/blog/crossings/

01/01/2025

When Tina Fielder started thinking about the new mural she was commissioned to paint at Missing Mill Park, she says her goal was to convey a positive message.

01/01/2025

01/01/2025

I thought I’d share some thoughts on the upcoming pattern change. I’ve been out of town over the last week, and it appears the snow hype and panic are alive and well across NC. This morning, I went through some messages and saw folks asking me if we’re getting a major polar vortex next week. Wow. First, let me say: ’tis the season for people to post fantasy model runs to generate likes and clicks.

Snow?
Over the last few days, I’ve received well over 200 messages about snow. At this time, I am not forecasting snow for NC over the next 5–7 days. Many of my long-time followers know that I don’t hype anything—I tell it like it is, without fluff.

I’m sure many of you have seen the wild posts and forecasters hyping up the pattern over the next two weeks. I’m not buying into the snow chances at this point. I do, however, believe the pattern will turn much colder starting this weekend, lasting into next week, and potentially extending further.

How cold it will get remains uncertain, but the Climate Prediction Center is forecasting an 80%+ chance of below-average temperatures over the next 14 days starting Saturday (map below is the outlook cold in the Central/Eastern part of the Country warm in the west) . This could bring highs in the 40s and 30s across most of NC, with some days possibly even cooler. We could also see several days with lows below freezing.

As for the rumors about single-digit temperatures—let me stop you there. It’s far too early to speculate on how cold it might get.

The Bottom Line
I think there’s a good chance it will turn colder starting this weekend, but remember, in NC, it’s difficult to get snow. It could just turn colder and stay dry. I’ll continue monitoring the forecast and provide updates as needed.

For now, I am not forecasting snow for the next 5–7 days, and beyond that, it’s too soon to speculate. Don’t fall for random posts of snow maps showing predictions two weeks out. I mean let’s be clear we can barely get the forecast right sometimes 3 days from now 😂

-Ethan

23/11/2024

The real McCoy...
Well, this is embarrassing... We haven’t even finished delivering our winter ish and we have to issue a massive correction. In our “So Handy” profile series we accidentally misnamed duck decoy craftsman Ben Brown. We won’t bother to go into what we said or how it happened. Instead, we’ll post a corrected piece here before we drop one more stack. (In fact, if you pick up a copy, when you get to page 34, avert your eyes immediately and refer to this page instead.) Now, anyone who’s met the Wanchese native knows that he is about as a fine young man as you’ll find on the Outer Banks. Humble. Polite. And gracious. Still, we when we called to apologize, we didn’t expect the level of grace he showed us. Ben didn’t get mad or make us feel guilty in any way. Nope. His exact words were: ‘Why are you apologizing? You’ve got nothing to be sorry about. I think the whole thing is awesome.” Which is why from now on, we’’ll just call him “Mr. Class.” Anyhoo, sorry — again — to Mr. Brown for the massive f’up. And, more importantly, thanks for letting us off the hook so easy. (PS for a closer look a Ben Brown’s top notch knife-work, check out https://www.instagram.com/ben.brown.decoys/ )

Photo: Ed Tupper/

22/11/2024

The Banker horses are what’s known as a landrace breed. This means that they are unique from any other breed of horse in the world due to the adaptations they’ve developed over the last several hundred years that allow them to survive on the barrier islands of North Carolina. Breed conservation is key to their long term survival. These genes do not, and can not, exist anywhere else because the horses are intrinsically tied to our coastal landscape, culture, and history.

We are tasked with the tricky job of preserving these genetics while at the same time not interfering with the natural course of their lives. Luckily there is a lot of breed conservation work that can happen without being intrusive. In 2020 we undertook an ambitious project to collect DNA from every wild Corolla horse, along with any that have been removed from the herd and are currently living in captivity. From this we can build ancestries, learn more about herd dynamics, movement, ages, and breeding behavior, test for genetic diseases, and build a breed database that will help other managers far into the future.

The farm also provides opportunities for breed conservation. While we have yet to breed any of the captive Bankers, we have plans to do so in the future. We’ve also begun collecting and storing semen from our stallions so that should something happen to them, their genes will be preserved for many years to come.

Your continued support is vital to their survival as well - join us today: https://www.corollawildhorses.com/support-corolla-wild-horse-fund/ Memberships and sponsorships make great holiday gifts!

22/11/2024

Biologists with the NC Wildlife Resources Commission say there’s an annual peak of reported coyote sightings this time of year, typically from people who are concerned about the dangers resident coyotes could pose. But these secretive canines are not generally a threat to humans and the chances are very good that they have been in the area for some time.

Tips to make homes and neighborhoods less attractive to coyotes:
- Always supervise small pets when they’re outside, and especially around dawn and dusk
- Keep cats indoors and poultry in a predator-proof run
- Feed pets indoors or remove all food when a pet is finished eating outside
- Store food waste in secure containers with tight-fitting lids
- Keep birdseed off the ground around feeders, or attract birds with seed-bearing wildflowers in lieu of feeders
- If you see a coyote around your home and feel safe to do so, scare it off by making loud noises, throwing small objects in their direction or spraying it with a water hose.

📸: Matt Knoth

18/11/2024

This is an amazing community of local Artists who love what they do . But they also create to supplement their incomes. Living on the Outer Banks is difficult at times especially during the winter months, when the tourist season comes to a lull. Even regular work slows.

So please visit and do your Holiday Shopping with them. You will find such amazing treasures there.

Have a very Merry Christmas .

Don't miss this year's Hatteras Island Art and Craft Guild Holiday Show. Many of your favorite artists from the Farmers Market will be there as well as others you may see only once a year.
https://www.hatterasislandartsandcraftguild.com/

Please note one change: Booth # 18 will be Sue Sweeney's Painted Hand bags.
Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving at the Cape Hatteras Secondary School, 10-3, both days.

15/11/2024

Debris field after home collapse on Surf Side Drive. Video from An oceanfront home located at 23241 Surf Side Drive collapsed in northern Rodanthe overnight due to an ongoing coastal storm. Additional homes in the area were also inundated with water, and visitors should avoid the sho...

15/11/2024

FNAM - Frisco Native American Museum & Natural History Center . A great place to visit and learn about the local indigenous tribes as well as information about indigenouspeople and their history in America. There is also a nature trail and a educational building for classes offered as part museum admission on selected days . Contact the museum for the schedule.

Located in Frisco

53536 North Carolina Hwy 12, Frisco, NC 27936

(252) 996-4440

20/10/2024

THIS WEEK! Our 11th Annual TINY Art Show will be this Wednesday, 10/23/24. The doors open at 5:30 p.m.

As a reminder, all of the art will be priced at $20 each. The money raised at this art show will be added to the endowment for the Wayne Fulcher Art Scholarship. Whether the original pieces of art were created by professional artists, amateur artists, students, adults or children, all pieces are the same price.

This is the 11th year that we've had this show. Every year after we wrap up one of our Tiny Art Shows, I wonder if there is enough interest in the show to keep having it. But the interest has remained high so far and the TINY Art keeps rolling in.

Want to see the artwork that has come in so far? Take a look at our album on FB. We are adding images of the art to the album as fast as we can in anticipation for next week's show.
Just use this link to see the photos!
👇♥️👇
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=theswellartgallery&set=a.958041396338154

We hope to see you there!