If you have the choice to move just about anywhere in the world you’d like, then it makes sense to choose a place that has excellent activities that you enjoy. Besides the obvious fact that we have great beaches, the Outer Banks is home to many world-class outdoor activities. Here are a few that come to mind:
Off-Shore Fishing
The Outer Banks’ unique location and offshore bathymetry result in excellent fishing. We are blessed to have the Gulf Stream relatively close to the coast. The fishing fleet can leave the docks early in the morning and be in the Gulf Stream in less than two hours. The Gulf Stream is much further from the coast in almost all resort locations north of the Outer Banks. That makes short day trips to the Gulf Stream much harder. The most famous offshore fishing spot on the Outer Banks is called The Point. This underwater hill attracts all kinds of pelagic fish. Depending upon the time of year, you can catch tuna, mahi mahi, marlin, and other warm water species here. Our charter captains are also world-famous. They win a surprisingly large percentage of east coast offshore fishing tournaments.
Action Sports
Among the windsurfing, kiteboarding, and surfing communities, the Outer Banks is known as just about the best place on the East Coast for these activities. On Hatteras Island, there are kiteboarding competitions that attract the best kiteboarders in the world each year. The Outer Banks is also home to the East Coast Surfing Championships. A few surfers who participated in these competitions have gone on to become world champions including Kelly Slater. This Florida native is commonly known as the all-time best competitive surfer ever. Why are these sports world-class here? For kiteboarding and windsurfing it has to do with our consistently strong winds and shallow sound waters. For surfing, it is also the consistency. The continental shelf is closer to the shore here. That means that the waves are more powerful than in other places along the East Coast. Also, our beaches face a few different directions. That means waves can come in from storms located in vastly different locations.
Wildlife Viewing
Dare and Hyde Counties have some of the highest bear populations in the country. It’s common in the evenings for people to see bears crossing the highways between the Outer Banks and Columbia, NC as well as the Outer Banks and Stumpy Point. You can also see them during daylight houses on some gravel roads on the mainland just west of the beach. For at least a generation, this area has also been known for its migratory waterfowl. Many species of ducks and geese call the Outer Banks their winter home. It’s common to see tundra swan feeding in the sound behind the shopping area of downtown Duck in the middle of the winter. Some of these birds come from as far away as the Arctic Circle and Siberia to winter here! Besides bears and ducks,
That small-town atmosphere, (discussed in last month’s newsletter), and world-class outdoor activities are just a couple of reasons why people end up living on the Outer Banks. Next month we’ll look at another reason.