This cormorant was rescued off of Hwy 12 in Salvo by Shiralee Timmons and Richard Roy of Surf or Sound Realty. The cormorant will be taken to a local bird rescuer to see if any treatment is needed and then it will be released to a safe area. Photos by Shiralee Timmons of Surf or Sound Realty.

With 120 teams, this is the premier surf fishing tournament in the United States, and arguably the world.

Action continues around Buxton through Friday afternoon. The individual angler Bob Bernard Individual Surf Fishing Tournament is Saturday.

Anglers compete for points based on catches of various species that meet minimum points requirements. Fish bigger than the minimums earn extra points.

Surf fishing on the island has been good in recent weeks, so teams could put up some pretty impressive numbers

Participants, for a modest cost or even for free, can enjoy multiple Hatteras Island events, and the following list of activities is just a sample of what Wings Over Water has to offer.

•    A beginning photography class designed for children is a great way to introduce kids to nature while allowing them to develop their artistic abilities. The $20 fee covers one adult with up to two children. There are also other photography classes just for grownups.

•    Wild Times at Cape Hatteras Secondary School from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7, is a free event for children. See what’s inside an owl pellet or build a bird-nesting box.

•    Free performance of “Bloody Mary & the Virgin Queen” presented by Elizabeth R and Co. at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7, at the Cape Hatteras Secondary School auditorium. This outrageous musical comedy about Queen Elizabeth and her half-sister Mary is set in London’s Westminster Abbey, where Queen Elizabeth and her sister have been buried in the same tomb for more than 400 years.

•    Learn about America’s forgotten heroes with an overview of the Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station’s history including highlights, stories of heroic feats, and the retelling of the dramatic S.S. Mirlo rescue of 1918. See the actual boat used during the rescue. Cost $20.

•    Join the director of Frisco Native American Museum for a personal tour of the museum. Native Americans have had an intimate relationship with the natural world unrivaled by other Americans. Their lives literally depended on their knowledge of nature. A special program will give insight into the history of this relationship. Cost $20.

•    Explore the natural and cultural history of Portsmouth Island village, established by North Carolina’s Colonial Assembly in 1753 and maintained by the National Park Service since 1976. Although the last resident left in 1971, the village and its remaining buildings, on the National Register of Historic Places, are a living testimonial to a once-thriving and vibrant coastal community.

For a complete listing of birding, paddling, and natural history programs or to get more information on the programs, go to www.wingsoverwater.org, pick up a copy of OBX Wild at the area visitors centers, or call 252-216-9464.

The staff at Surf or Sound celebrating Halloween Hatteras Island Style! Photos by Joy Crist of Surf or Sound Realty.

Children are invited to wear costumes for the parade which starts at 2 p.m. at the North Beach Campground in Rodanthe and passes along Highway 12 to the villages’ Community Center for the party. The party features a costume fashion show, games and lots of fun.
With the cooperation of the State Highway Patrol, Dare County Sheriff’s Office and motorists, N.C. 12 will be closed for a short period between 2:00 and 2:30 p.m. as the Great Pumpkin and The Clown lead the parade.

This is the sixth annual Halloween parade and party sponsored by the villages’ civic association, which invites all children to participate.

In addition, this year the civic association is starting something new. For the convenience of visiting families to the Rodanthe, Waves, and Salvo areas, homes and businesses that welcome trick-or-treaters on Halloween evening will display signs with pumpkins, so trick-or-treaters will know that they can stop by and pick up treats.
 
Folks in Rodanthe, Waves, and Salvo who would like to have goblins visit this Halloween can call 987-1303 or e-mail administrator@rwscivic.org. Association members will place pumpkin signs in yards as a welcoming signal for trick-or-treaters.

All villages on Hatteras Island will be welcoming trick-or-treaters on Halloween evening, and locals and visitors alike are encouraged to stroll the villages and enjoy trick-or-treating island style.

Fergus enjoys playing in the sand on the beaches of the Outer Banks. Hatteras Island is the perfect place for a pet friendly vacation! Photo by Bruce Matthews of Surf or Sound Realty.

The itinerary for this newest national byway features drives along barrier islands featuring national landmarks and coastal villages and two car ferry rides. The byway travels through two national seashores, Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout, and two national wildlife refuges, Pea Island and Cedar Island. Along the byway are four historic lighthouses and world famous stopovers for migrating song birds and waterfowl.

Scattered across this wild and scenic coastline are maritime villages with a common cultural heritage.” Come on down and I’ll tell you a story,” says Allen Burrus, whose family has operated a grocery store in Hatteras village since 1866. “It’s not too hot and it’s not too cold and there’s always room on the porch for sitting and greeting.”

Delve into Ocracoke stories during the third season of Ocrafolk School, Oct. 25 through 30. Ocracoke’s history and seafaring traditions will be explored in one of the school’s classes. Other courses look into ships in bottles, island photography and cooking, exploring songwriting and pottery.

More stories will be told this fall at the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum and Heritage Center on Harkers Island at the southern entrance to the Outer Banks National Scenic Byway.

The museum and the Cape Lookout National Seashore celebrate the 150^th anniversary of the lighting of the Cape Lookout Lighthouse throughout the month of October culminating with a relighting ceremony on Nov. 1. The museum, which celebrates the maritime heritage of North Carolina’s true Down East, opens its main gallery with a two-day festival, Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.

To explore the natural world that created byway stories, Wings over Water offers a six-day celebration of the wild side of the Outer Banks region. The Nov. 3 to 8 celebration features over 100 adventurous field trips, including kayaking at sunrise and sunset, exploring shifting sands, and venturing to the close-by Gulf Stream to view seabirds. www.wingsoverwater.org

For events across the Outer Banks visit www.outerbanks.org.  To learn more about the Outer Banks Scenic Byway with photos and maps, go to  www.outerbanksscenicbyway.org.

Ashley, the daughter of Shiralee Timmons of Surf or Sound Realty loves to surf on Hatteras Island. Bring a surfboard on your vacation or rent one while here and experience the Hatteras waves! Photo by Ann Wood of Surf or Sound Realty.

Fall is a great time to explore the beauty and serenity of Hatteras Island. Photo by Joy Crist of Surf or Sound Realty.

The Parade of Homes showcases the finest properties on the Outer Banks, and the Outer Banks Home Builders Association (OBHBA) is anticipating approximately 1,500 attendees.  The event lasts until Sunday, October 11th, and all 29 homes participating, from Currituck to southern Hatteras Island, are open from 10am - 6pm on all four days.Both Moonshine and Rising Sun will be open for anyone to stop by, not just folks who are registered with the Parade of Homes, and visitors and locals alike are encouraged to come by and view these stunning Saga Construction homes.

For more information on the Outer Banks Parade of Homes, visit the official website.