03/25/13

Coming Soon to a Village Near You! Hatteras Island Ocean Center

Exciting plans are underway to open the first phase of the Hatteras Island Ocean Center this Spring in the former Beacon Shops located on NC Hwy 12 in Hatteras Village. The first phase of this multi-year project includes an interactive information and education center, as well as wetland trails for exploring the unique ecology of Hatteras Island. This series of noninvasive trails will lead to a launching area for kayaks and paddleboards at trail’s end.

The Ocean Center headquarters will house exhibits on the varied components of Hatteras Island’s ecosystem. These interactive exhibits will focus on marine life, shipwrecks, weather, shellfish, salt marsh ecology, and of course, sea turtles! As you enter the Center, a “larger than life” screen will display the underwater photography of local artist, Russell Blackwood. Next, head to the exhibit on sea turtles which will include a machine that simulates x-rays and probes, allowing visitors to learn about the biology of sea turtles while making the connection between sea turtle maladies and the environment’s impact. In addition to playing “Sea Turtle Veterinarian,” visitors will have an opportunity to learn about nesting habits and rehabilitation procedures for the sea turtles of Hatteras Island. From there, visitors can explore a fishing exhibit set up in conjunction with the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum and Captain Ernie Foster of the Albatross Fleet. This exhibit will focus mainly on charter and commercial fishing, with the addition of beach and pier fishing in the future. As you make your way back around to the entrance, take a minute to check out the interactive whiteboard with daily updates on weather, tides, and island happenings. If you’d like to enjoy a Hatteras Island Ocean Center souvenir, choose from a few Ocean Center choice goods and be on your way to explore the wetland trails!

The second phase of the Hatteras Island Ocean Center will include a state-of-the-art pier and pier house located on NC Hwy 12 in the same vicinity as the former General Mitchell Motel in Hatteras Village. The pier house is expected to include a restaurant, other food vendors, a covered playground, an arcade, a public bathhouse, tackle shop, equipment rental, indoor and outdoor exhibits, classrooms, research areas, and a wildlife rehabilitation area. This phase is still in the very beginning stages as funding is being pursued.

Stay tuned for updates and make plans to stop by the Hatteras Island Ocean Center on your next visit to Hatteras Island! Visit www.hioceancenter.org or follow them on Facebook


03/15/13

Hatteras Storytelling Festival: Yarn Tellin’, Foot Tappin’ – Hatteras Style

What exactly is a storytelling festival?
It’s often an annual event that features local, regional, and/or nationally recognized oral storytellers. Each storyteller is allotted an amount of time to share stories with their audience. The featured storytellers are often professional performing artists however; semi-professional or amateur storytellers may also be included in the festival.

What should you expect during the inaugural Hatteras Storytelling Festival?
The first-ever Hatteras Storytelling Festival, May 3rd-5th in Hatteras Village, will be a unique event for the Outer Banks as nothing like this has been done before on such a large scale. The 3-day festival presented by Our State magazine will feature one of America’s most celebrated storytellers, Connie Regan-Blake, as well as many other well-known and local storytellers alike. In addition to yarn tellin’, live music will be provided by Clifford Swain and Banjo Island for foot tappin’ Hatteras style! You will also have the opportunity to explore the quaint village of Hatteras. Make plans to visit local shops and galleries, enjoy Hatteras Island cuisine at local eateries, and mingle with local islanders.

Event Details:
Participating Storytellers include:
Connie Reagan-Blake – one of America’s most celebrated storytellers
Clyde Edgeron – author of 10 novels and numerous short stories including his recently published novel Night Train
Bland Simpson – author, storyteller, professor, and member of The Red Clay Ramblers
Tom Carlson – author of Hatteras Blues
Ben Cherry – AKA Blackbeard the Pirate

Click here for a schedule of events…
**Most events will take place at the Hatteras Civic Center, 56658 NC Hwy 12, Hatteras, NC, unless otherwise noted on the schedule.**

Get your tickets!
Full Festival Weekend, Friday-Sunday: $100
Friday only: $75
Saturday only: $75
Sunday only: FREE! Those with full festival weekend tickets will receive top priority to Sunday’s events.
Click here to purchase tickets…

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to immerse yourself in Outer Banks history and celebrate one of North Carolina’s most beautiful places! Click here to learn more about Hatteras Island…

Stay tuned for updates as the festival quickly approaches! We look forward to seeing you in May!

For more information visit: www.HatterasYarns.com


09/12/12

Let the festivities begin…Day at the Docks kicks off tomorrow!

We are happy to announce that this year’s Day at the Docks festivities will run for 4 days, starting tomorrow, September 13th. Join us to celebrate the spirit of Hatteras and to honor the heritage and living traditions of local watermen!

This year’s event kicks off on Thursday at 4pm at The Seaside Inn in Hatteras with a free public forum, “Talk of the Villages: Fishermen, Fish, Food, and Livelihood.”

On Friday morning, September 14th at 11am, join the National Weather Service from Newport, NC, Dare County, and the Island Free Press for a Hurricane Awareness Town Hall Meeting at the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum. Wind down and gear up for a plethora of Saturday activities by heading down Hwy 12 to Lee Robinson’s General Store for “Taste of NC.” Starting at 4pm, this event will feature tastings of North Carolina wine, beer, and seafood, along with talks from local authors and live music by Banjo Island.

Saturday is a BIG Day at the Docks! The docks of Hatteras village will be teeming with activities and events starting at 10am. Activities for the day include a concrete marlin competition, a survival suit race, and a net hanging competition showcasing this time-honored skill. There will also be several activities and events geared specifically towards children, such as designing a fish print t-shirt, crab races, and a fishing contest. There will also be musicians, poets, and authors performing throughout the day around the docks, as well as free skin cancer screening sponsored by the Hatteras Island Cancer Foundation. Be sure to stop by The Gazebo at Village Marina from 10am-3pm to catch a few local seafood demonstrations and then head on over to the Chowder Cook-off sponsored by the HICF. At 3pm, claim a spot at the Willis Boat Landing main stage to watch two of Hatteras Island’s most popular restaurants and their chefs go head-to-head in an hour long competition to prepare dishes using a local seafood ingredient that will be revealed just as the competition gets underway! There will be an awards ceremony at 4:30pm, followed by the boat parade at 6pm and the solemn Blessing of the Fleet.

Be sure to join in the fun at the Hatteras Village Community Building at 8pm by dancing the night away on the “lawn” in true Hatteras fashion.

On Sunday, September 16th, head over to The Seaside Inn at 1pm for shrimp ‘n’ grits and then head out on the water to culminate a great weekend of celebrating our watermen and their generous contributions to our fragile, island community.

Click here for a full schedule of events!


04/11/12

Hatteras Village's connection to the Titanic

Hatteras Island and the Outer Banks have played a role in many history-making events, but this one might surprise you. Did you know that the first received and recorded distress message sent by the Titanic was received at the Hatteras Weather Bureau Station?

“CQD”, meaning “Come Quickly Distressed” (this was the code used prior to “SOS”), was the telegraph message sent by the RMS Titanic and received in Hatteras Village at 11:25pm on the night of April 14, 1912. Further details in the message included “Have struck iceberg”.

In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, the log page recording of the telegraph message will be displayed for the first time at the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras Village. The log page had been discovered in the walls of the weather station during the building’s renovation in 2005. The building is now being used by the park service and the Outer Banks Visitor’s Bureau as a welcome center.

The log page along with other related items will be on display from April 14 to May 31. For more information about the exhibit, click here to visit the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum’s website.


05/27/11

Picture of the Week


At Hatteras Landing you can enjoy unforgettable views and sunsets, shopping, and the proximity to the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum and the Ocracoke ferry docks. Hatteras Landing is a very special and charming place at the southern end of Hatteras Village. Call us today for a selection of premier homes in Hatteras Landing!
Photo submitted on Facebook by Paul V. Kelley.


05/13/11

Picture of the Week


Sunset view from Teach’s Lair Restaurant in Hatteras Village. Teach’s Lair is a full service marina that can assist you in planning a fishing trip either offshore, inshore or on the sound.

Photo submitted on Facebook by Robbie Luttrell.


08/2/10

Corolla Shipwreck Has a New Home in Hatteras Museum

The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras village has received a very large artifact to add to its nautical collection. The remains of a shipwreck, perhaps the oldest in North Carolina, were moved 90 miles from the town of Corolla in the Outer Banks to its new home at the museum. The shipwreck was moved along Highway 12 in the middle of the night, when traffic was the lightest. Some onlookers stood along the side of the road, clapping, as the large truck hauling the shipwreck passed in the night.

The discovery was made in 2008, when tides and high winds exposed the shipwreck. The frame of the shipwreck was moved off the beach, closer to the Currituck Lighthouse in April of 2010 for protection from the sea.

People walking the beach near the shipwreck found coins and other artifacts that date back to the 17th century, the time of Louis XIII of France and Charles I of England.

The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum plans to lift the shipwreck with a specialized cradle and build a structure around three sides to protect it from the elements. Visitors will actually be able to watch as the archeologists progress with studying the shipwreck.

There is not a time frame for when this plan is to take effect, but the museum welcomes all visitors to see the shipwreck as it is now. The shipwreck is open to the public behind the museum building, resting peacefully in its new home in Hatteras village.

Photos from the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum
For more information about the museum, visit their website at http://www.graveyardoftheatlantic.com/


07/14/09

Jim Cantore visits Surf or Sound Realty and Hatteras Island

It was an exciting couple of days on Hatteras Island as national meteorologist Jim Cantore visited Hatteras Island on Sunday and Monday to film the gorgeous beach weather and fun activities for The Weather Channel series “Why I Love Summer.” Continue reading


06/12/09

Free Things to Do on Hatteras Island

One of the best aspects of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore is that a day at the beach on Hatteras Island doesn’t cost a thing. There are plenty of free public accesses all along the 70 miles of National Seashore, with lots of parking, and even shower and restroom facilities. Most folks can also find free easy beach access right outside the door of their vacation rental home, but no matter where you hit the beach, you’ll never have to pay for a long, sunny day on the sand. Continue reading


05/5/09

Children’s Book Week is May 11-17

The Dare County Library is celebrating National Children’s Book Week from May 11-17 with fun programs for children of all ages.

The regular preschool story times this week will be a special “Teddy Bear Days.” Story time children are invited to bring their favorite teddy bear with them to story time – cute or cuddly, fat or funny, big or little, old or new. There will be a teddy bear picnic, a teddy bear parade and plenty of teddy bear fun.Preschool story times at the Hatteras Library are on Tuesdays for 3-5 year olds from 11 until 11:30 a.m.

Also during this week, a special “American Girl Tea Party” will be held at the Hatteras Village Library. School-age girls can come dressed as their favorite American Girl and/or bring their own American Girl doll. Continue reading