April OBX Park News: Meet Your Ranger, The Wright Flight Academy, Board Member Spotlight, and more!
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CRUISERS NET
Cruisers Helping Cruisers
Comprehensive cruising resource for the Intracoastal Waterways
from Norfolk to the Northern Gulf and Bahamas.
from Norfolk to the Northern Gulf and Bahamas.
FREE to use due to the generosity of our sponsors - please patronize them
Dismal Swamp Canal Now Open! Alternate AICW Route
The Dismal Swamp Route departs the southbound Waterway at MM 7.2. Our thanks to Sarah Hill for this good news from Dismal Swamp Welcome Center, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR! See original LNM: NAV ALERT
Good Monday Morning,
Per the Norfolk District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers the historic Dismal Swamp Canal has reopened to boating traffic and resumed normal operations today, April 8th, 2024!
Lock Schedule : 8:30 & 11am and 1:30 & 3:30pm
We hope to see you soon & don’t forget to stop by and grab the new 2024 #DismalSwamp Boating sticker!
Many thanks,
Sarah
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Off the Beaten Path and Lovin’ It – Albemarle Plantation, Hertford, NC
Albemarle Plantation Marina, a port on the Albemarle Loop and a CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, is located just off the AICW on the northern shores of Albemarle Sound on Yeopim River/Creek.
Your new Inner Banks Dream Home
is closer than you think!Gorgeous, new move-in ready homes by Chesapeake Homes
(with homesites of nearly an acre) means you won’t have to wait to enjoy
Albemarle Plantation’s waterfront lifestyle.Life here is full of pristine, natural beauty, alongside some of the most
charming small towns in North Carolina, like historic Edenton.
And it’s only about an hour to major metros like Virginia Beach!With all your daily needs just minutes from the gates, and every amenity
you’ve dreamed of right out your front door, no wonder so many neighbors are
lovin’ it at Albemarle Plantation!
Discover Albemarle Plantation | Plan a Visit | Contact Us 
128 Lakeside Drive, Hertford, NC 27944 • (800) 523-5958 • (252) 426-4653 The information contained herein is for informational purposes only and may change at any time without notice. AP Realty Company, LLC/Broker
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Albemarle Plantation Marina
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LNM: AICW MM 246, Live Fire Drills, New River Restricted Areas, NC
Click here for SCHEDULED/CAMP LEJUNE MILOPS 01 – 07 APR 24/HAZ OPS/SEC NC BNM 0161-24
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‘Discover the Night’ during the Crystal Coast Star Party, May 3-4, Cape Lookout, NC
Cape Lookout National Seashore is a certified International Dark Sky Park. Photo: Alex Gu/Crystal Coast Stargazers
Click here for ‘Discover the Night’ during the Crystal Coast Star Party
CoastalReview.org
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March OBX Park News: Meet Your Ranger, The Wright Flight Academy, Partner Spotlight, and more
Your March E-news preview: 
Spring is almost here, which means things are changing – the days are longer, the air a little warmer, and our parks are coming to life as they thaw out from cold winter days.One thing that doesn’t change is how each one of us love and support our Outer Banks national parks. Did you know that people like you have played a role in supporting our national parks through donations and other support since they were first thought of as “America’s Best Idea” over 100 years ago?
This year, we carry on that legacy as we celebrate five years helping you support our Outer Banks national parks. A lot has changed in just those five years:- You’ve helped create new ways to experience these special places.
- Our parks have seen a record number of visitors that has only slightly slowed down today.
- Our parks’ budget continues to tighten, making it more difficult for them to keep pace with our community’s needs.
That’s why your support is more important than ever this year. When you give a gift to Outer Banks Forever – whether it’s $50 or $500 – you allow us to help our parks adapt to these changes faster and easier. Together, we can ensure that these beautiful places remain a source of inspiration and wonder for years to come.Donate Today We can’t thank you enough for being part of our Outer Banks Forever family for the past five years and look forward to the amazing work we can do together this year and beyond!See you in our parks,
Jessica Barnes
Director
Outer Banks Forever
Our Meet Your Ranger series introduces you to the many amazing people who support our Outer Banks national parks every day! This month, we’re pleased to introduce you to Robin Snyder, Deputy Superintendent of our Outer Banks national parks!
No two days are alike for Robin as she works closely with the Superintendent and division chiefs of administration, maintenance, visitor services, resource management, and visitor and resource protection to manage park operations for our three national parks!
Meet Robin 
This content is brought to you by our National Park Service partners.Prepare for takeoff and join Wright Brothers National Memorial on an extraordinary adventure in partnership with Dare County Schools with The Wright Flight Academy!Experience the start of something special at Wright Brothers National Memorial with the first installment in a series of videos chronicling the extraordinary work being performed by students from First Flight High School. Over the next two years, 23 students will build their very own, two person “flying machine” (I.e., an FAA-certified airplane) on the same grounds where brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright achieved their world-changing first flight on December 17, 1903!
We hope you’ll follow along and cheer these students on as they carry the torch of the Wright brothers’ legacy in The Wright Flight Academy!
We’re proud to support this program by sponsoring this video series created by Rayolight Productions. As videos are made available, we’ll be adding them to our YouTube channel, sharing them on Facebook, and featuring them in our monthly e-newsletters.
Learn More 
If you’ve spent time in the Outer Banks, then you’ve likely enjoyed a beverage brought to you by our friends at OBX Beverage! OBX Beverage is the only locally owned and operated beverage distributor here in the Outer Banks. When Kiefer and Molly Pirrung purchased the business in 2021, they did so with the mission of contributing to our vibrant community, providing quality beverages and service to locals and visitors alike.
They are also passionate about protecting and enhancing our Outer Banks national parks, and have done so by supporting our Pathways to Your National Parks project! Learn More This content is brought to you by our National Park Service partners.
From 1956 until 2010, Cape Hatteras National Seashore’s Buxton Beach Access, located at the south end of Old Lighthouse Road in Buxton, North Carolina, served our nation as a military base for both the United States Navy and Coast Guard. Due to decades-long military usage and apparently incomplete restoration of the area, samples taken from the Buxton Beach Access beach tested positive in early September 2023, for petroleum-contaminated soils (PCS).
Additionally, due to coastal erosion, abandoned facilities, construction debris, and septic systems associated with historic Navy and Coast Guard activities have been observed along the beach adjacent to the Buxton Beach Access. On September 1, 2023, as a precautionary measure, the beach adjacent to the former military site was closed after experiencing beach erosion from Tropical Storm Idalia and Hurricane Lee. The erosion uncovered potentially hazardous infrastructure associated with the Navy and Coast Guard bases and visitors reported a strong smell of petroleum. The Seashore filed two reports with the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Spill Response Center. Sediment samples taken in early September 2023, by the Coast Guard’s Spill Response staff came back positive for petroleum hydrocarbons with characteristics of light fuel oil, and lubricating oil. Since early September 2023, PCS have intermittently been observed on the beach. On September 25, 2023, the Dare County Department of Health and Human Services, the Seashore, and the Corps, issued a precautionary public health advisory.
On February 9, 2024, Seashore staff noticed a very strong smell of petroleum products and multiple surfers reported that their wetsuits and hair smelled like fuel and noticed a sheen on the water near Buxton Beach Access. A number of reports were submitted to the National Response Center.
Today, it appears that the foundation of the terminal building, including two cable terminal vaults and other infrastructure associated with NAVFAC Cape Hatteras, litter the beach, due to significant coastal erosion over the years. While the National Park Service remains concerned about the remnant infrastructure and PCS at this site, it is also proud that for 26 years, America’s first national seashore hosted NAVFAC Cape Hatteras, a military facility that played an essential role in tracking Soviet submarine movements and provided valuable intelligence to the U.S. Navy.
The Seashore continues to support the military by providing land to the Coast Guard for important operations out of Hatteras Inlet and Oregon Inlet.
What’s next?
- The beach remains closed as a precautionary measure.
- The Seashore will continue to communicate observations and concerns about the existence of PCS and debris to the Army Corps of Engineers and Coast Guard.
- The Corps continues to evaluate the situation and if its authorities will allow for the removal of historic building infrastructure and associated PCS.
- The Coast Guard is conducting a CERCLA investigation at the site to evaluate the presence of non-petroleum contaminants, which is underway and expected to conclude during the summer of 2024. The contract for the investigation is not related to the PCS observations in September 2023.
To learn more about the history and status of this site from our National Park Service partners, click the button below. You can also learn more from our friend Joy Crist, Editor of the Island Free Press, by visiting her Editor’s Blog. Learn More Join us in celebrating the Ocracoke ponies who have March birthdays! Did you know you can help these beautiful and unique ponies by symbolically adopting one or supporting the herd? Your support helps cover the costs of their ongoing care and feeding. When you Adopt A Pony or support the herd with a gift of $50 or more, you will receive an adoption certificate and a picture of your pony or of the herd to keep!
Lawton – March 9 Lawton is a handsome paint pony and is the Ocracoke herd’s only gelding. He is named after the late Lawton Howard, an Ocracoke local who generously loved and supported the ponies.
Lawton enjoys playing with his four half-siblings in the herd and showing off for visitors! He’s also known for his loud, very noticeable snore!
Paloma – March 22 Paloma’s name, which means “dove” in Spanish, was given to her by the students at the Ocracoke School. Paloma’s mother was Spirit, a deeply missed member of the herd, and her father is Wentzel from the Shackleford Banks herd.
She is very inquisitive and is usually the first pony to greet visitors at the Ocracoke Pony Pens!
Rayo – March 26 Rayo is one of the beloved ponies of Ocracoke Island. His name means “lightening” in Spanish, and he is a paint stallion with lots of spunk!
He is Paloma’s brother and is the father of Jobelle and Hazelnut. He is known for being very active and curious!
Adopt A Pony 
Save the date for our favorite week of the year: National Park Week! We’ll also be celebrating our fifth birthday that week! This year, National Park Week will take place from April 20 through April 28. Highlights for the week include Earth Day, a fee-free day at Wright Brothers National Memorial, National Junior Ranger Day, and more! Stay tuned for more exciting details to come!
Photo & Video Credits: Robin Snyder, Rayolight Productions, OBX Beverage, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Wright Brothers National Memorial.Connect With Us!
Copyright © 2024 Outer Banks Forever, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is:
Outer Banks ForeverPO Box 1635Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948-1635
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Hatteras Lighthouse restoration gets underway
Click here for $19.2M Hatteras Lighthouse restoration gets underway
CoastalReview.org by Catherine KozakBe the first to comment!
LNM: AICW MM 46 ICW Light 116 Damaged, Coinjock Bay, NC
GREAT BRIDGE TO ALBEMARLE SOUND LIGHT 116 (LLNR 37615 [36°23.8837N / 075°57.2339W, 36.398061 / -75.953899]) DAMAGED AND MISSING BOTH DAYBOARDS.
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Hertford’s quiet, rural setting, rich history add to its appeal – Eric Medlin
Perquimans County Courthouse in Hertford. Photo: Eric Medlin
Click here for Hertford’s quiet, rural setting, rich history add to its appeal
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Ballance to bring Ocracoke history to Core Sound’s present
Alton Ballance poses with his daughter Emma Reese, 11. Photo: Contributed
Click here for Ballance to bring Ocracoke history to Core Sound’s present
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DNA project links individual female loggerheads, nests on Coastal Review
A loggerhead sea turtle swims just under the water’s surface. Photo: NOAA
Click here for DNA project links individual female loggerheads, nests
Trista Talton at CoastalReview.orgBe the first to comment!
LNM: AICW MM 246, Live Fire Drills, New River Restricted Areas, NC
Click here for SCHEDULED/CAMP LEJUNE MILOPS 12-18 FEB 24/HAZ OPS/SEC NC BNM 0072-24
Click here for SCHEDULED/CAMP LEJUNE MILOPS 05-11 FEB 24/HAZ OPS/SEC NC BNM 0073-24
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Belhaven Marina photo of the week, Belhaven, NC, AICW MM 135, Pungo River
Our thanks to Belhaven Marina for this sunset photo from Belhaven, which sits on the northern shore of Pantego Creek south of the Alligator River – Pungo River Canal, and is A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR!
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LNM: AICW MM 246, Live Fire Drills, New River Restricted Areas, NC
Click here for SAFETY/CAMP LEJUNE OPERATING AREAS/HAZ OPS/SEC NC BNM 0061-24
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Elizabeth City history traces back to early Colonial days – Eric Medlin
Elizabeth City sits at the southern terminus of the Dismal Swamp Canal and has the well-earned reputation of being a transient friendly town with free dockage for 72 hours.
Click here for Elizabeth City history traces back to early Colonial days
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A New Year at the Coast, NC Coastal Federation
Dear Friends of the Coast, It’s the start of a new year with new opportunities to improve the health of our beautiful coast! As you’ll read below, we are proud of last year’s accomplishments and have developed a set of ambitious goals for our work in 2024. To learn more about our plans for the year, be sure to check your mailbox soon for the winter edition of the Our Coast publication.
– Todd Miller
Executive Director
North Carolina boasts a large and productive estuarine system with 220,000 acres of salt marshes that provide vital habitats for fish, improve water quality, and protect against flooding. However, these marshes are threatened, and to ensure their protection, the Coastal Federation is leading a partnership to develop the North Carolina Salt Marsh Action Plan (NC SMAP), a five-year strategy to protect, restore, and preserve these vital ecosystems.
The plan is part of the larger South Atlantic Salt Marsh Initiative (SASMI), which prioritizes protecting and restoring nearly one million acres of salt marshes along the South Atlantic coast. The NC Salt Marsh Plan will serve as the foundation of the Coastal Federation’s New Marsh Program Goal that will focus on salt marsh conservation and restoration, facilitate salt marsh migration, and include our work to advance living shorelines along the coast.
Educating the next generation of coastal stewards is a critical part of the Federation’s work and it’s something our team of educators enjoys. Recently Coastal Education Coordinator, Rachel Bisesi led a lesson on the importance of oysters to a group of students in Carteret County.
“We love partnering with different community groups and were honored to work with Carteret Parks & Recreation at Fort Benjamin to help educate the next generation about the value of oysters and healthy waterways.”
During Rachel’s lesson, students had the chance to build an oyster reef of their own with the help of recycled egg cartons!
Tonight is the highly anticipated Wine & Brine event at Southern Salt in Morehead City and there is still time to grab your ticket!
Come learn about our coastal protection and restoration projects while enjoying great company, delicious fresh oysters from local growers, and expertly paired wines. Wine & Brine will take place on January 19, 2024, from 6 pm to 8 pm at Southern Salt Seafood Company and Waterfront Restaurant in downtown Morehead City.
CLICK HERE TO GET TICKETS 
One of our most popular events of the year is drawing near, the Hatteras Island Oyster Roast that will take place at Oden’s Dock on February 3. Tickets sell out fast but everyone can participate from their home in the online silent auction. This year’s auction includes incredible items like gift certificates to local restaurants and shops, stunning pieces of art, and more!
CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS AND SILENT AUCTION 
As we begin the new year, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. If you’re looking for a perfect gift for your special someone, we’ve got just the thing for you. Adopt an oyster and not only will you get a sweet Valentine’s Day message for your loved one, but you’ll also be supporting the Federation’s efforts to restore oyster populations. Did you know that oysters are crucial to our estuaries because they can clean up to 50 gallons of water per day? They also provide habitat for other creatures and are delicious to eat too!
CLICK HERE FOR YOUR ONE-OF-A-KIND VALENTINE 
Here’s a look at some recent news featuring the Federation:
- Federation founder Miller to step back, Davis new director – CRO
- Founder of North Carolina Coastal Federation moves to new role – WITN
- Where and How to Recycle Your Oyster Shells After Using Them – WWAY
- NCCF Lost fishing gear recovery program underway – Carteret County News-Times
- Restoring a North Carolina Wetland – PBS
- Tickets on sale for Feb. 3 Hatteras Island Oyster Roast – CRO
Want to Read More? Check out our Blog! Keep up with the Coast
Stay up-to-date with the Coastal Review, North Carolina’s only nonprofit news service providing unbiased and investigative reporting on the issues that matter most to the coast. Subscribe.News | Events | Give | Coastal Review | Forward to a Friend JOIN, RENEW OR DONATE North Carolina Coastal Federation
3609 Highway 24 (Ocean) Newport, NC 28570
252-393-8185www.nccoast.org Be the first to comment!
Exciting Discoveries at Hayes Farm, Edenton, NC
A longtime CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, historic Edenton always has an exciting calendar of events and places to visit! Edenton is at the mouth of the Chowan River on the northwest shore of Albemarle Sound.
Hello,
One of the exciting things happening in Edenton is the renovation and preservation efforts at Hayes Farm, once home to North Carolina’s fourth governor, Samuel Johnston.
When the State of North Carolina finalized the purchase of the property in 2022, the Elizabeth Vann Moore Foundation began working with Down East Preservation to revitalize this important piece of history with the goal of transforming it into a 180-acre public park for residents and tourists to enjoy.
We are excited about the many discoveries that have already been uncovered at Hayes Farm, and we invite you to follow along with the renovation efforts either through social media or by visiting Edenton.
You can find out more about Hayes Farm by reading this week’s blog.
Visit our website! 101 W Water St, Edenton, North Carolina 27932
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A Quiet Winter Getaway in Edenton, NC
A longtime CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, historic Edenton always has an exciting calendar of events and places to visit! Edenton is at the mouth of the Chowan River on the northwest shore of Albemarle Sound.
Happy New Year!
We hope you’ve enjoyed a festive and happy holiday season.
Winter has settled in and maybe you find yourself stuck in snow and ice. Are you craving a quiet winter getaway where you can relax and recover from the holidays?
Why don’t you join us here in Edenton? While we do get a few beautiful snow days, they are usually short-lived. In fact, winter in Edenton brings milder temperatures and a peaceful landscape.
So, come escape for a quiet winter getaway in Edenton where you can cozy up to a warm fireplace in one of our B&Bs and indulge in delicious food and drinks at one of our fabulous restaurants.
We can’t wait to see you soon!
Erienne Mizell,
Tourism DirectorVisit our website! 101 W Water St, Edenton, North Carolina 27932
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window Zoomed To the Location of Edenton Harbor City Docks
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Shared Photo – Dawson Creek, NC
Our thanks to Flora Moorman for this shot of Dawson Creek in Pamlico Sound.
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Annual First Day Hike, Jan 1st, Dismal Swamp Welcome Center, AICW Alternate Route
The Dismal Swamp Route departs the southbound Waterway at MM 7.2. Our thanks to Sarah Hill for this invitation from Dismal Swamp Welcome Center, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR!
The Dismal Swamp State Park is hosting their annual First Day Hike on Jan. 1st, 2024 at 10am. Enjoy a relaxing and beautiful 2 mile loop of Supple Jack Trail with Ranger Alan Brown. See the link below for more details & contacts:
https://www.ncparks.gov/state-parks/dismal-swamp-state-park/events/first-day-hike-2024
Thanks,
Sarah
Sarah Hill, TMP
Director, Dismal Swamp Canal Welcome CenterChairperson, Camden County Tourism Development Authority
2356 US Hwy 17 North, South Mills, NC 27976
252-771-8333 | shill@camdencountync.gov
www.DismalSwampWelcomeCenter.com
www.VisitCamdenCountync.com
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