Shooting The Breeze by Irene Nolan

December 23, 2007

By IRENE NOLAN

The Christmas holiday season on Hatteras and Ocracoke has been mild and uneventful – no northeasters to blow us away or send ocean overwash onto Highway 12.

The annual Christmas Parade, sponsored by the Hatteras Village Civic Association, was the best and biggest yet with floats, a marching band, and lots and lots of trucks from volunteer fire departments, rescue squads, and the Cape Hatteras Electric Co-op.

Houses and businesses up and down the island were decked out in Christmas lights, ribbons, and greenery.

Santa visited children in all of the villages. And he made his annual tour of my neighborhood on the Frisco Volunteer Fire Department truck.

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I have to admit that this is my very favorite Christmas tradition on the island. The first Christmas that I lived here was in 1991, and I was surprised by Santa’s visit on the fire truck. Ever since, I’ve been enthralled.

Santa visits with the village children at the firehouse at 7 p.m., but beginning at dark, he travels the roads in the truck – with its lights flashing, horn honking, and siren blaring. And Santa is broadcasting loud and clear on the radio. “Merry Christmas. Ho, ho, ho,” he bellows over and over again as the engine travels up and down the streets.

Folks come out to wave and shout their own Christmas wishes – not just the children but the adults also. About the only Frisco residents who don’t care for the celebrating are the dogs. My Lab, Daisy, is terrified by all the commotion. She will come out on the porch with me to watch, but her entire body shakes as the truck passes our house.

All in all, it’s been a good year for Hatteras and Ocracoke.

There has been some progress on two contentious issues – replacing the Bonner Bridge and ORV use on the seashore beaches. Dr. Beach came to crown Ocracoke’s Lifeguarded Beach the best in the USA. The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum may be finished – finally. Richard Gere came to make a movie. Hurricanes stayed away, but brisk winds and big waves from several storms delighted all the folks who live here and visit for the surfing, kiteboarding, and windsurfing.

Here are the highlights.

Replacing the Bonner Bridge

After nearly two decades of wrangling about replacing the aging Bonner Bridge over Oregon Inlet, Hatteras Island’s only land link, the state Department of Transportation finally announced the alternative it preferred in August – the short bridge option – parallel with the present span -- with a phased approach to the problems of ocean overwash on Highway 12.

Dare County and many islanders are not happy with the other major alternative -- 17.5 mile bridge that would bypass Pea Island, a popular recreational area. They fear that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would not continue to provide the access that folks now have to the refuge.

Meanwhile, environmental groups have lined up to oppose the short bridge and phased approach. They say the solutions to the Highway 12 problems through the refuge are environmentally damaging and that the phased approach is short-sighted and does not deal with Highway 12 problems. They favor the 17.5-mile bridge.

A merger team of 13 representatives from state and federal agencies was charged with reaching a consensus on which alternative was least damaging to the environment and the most practical approach to the growing concern about the safety of the bridge. It has a sufficiency rating of 2 out of 100, though DOT officials say it is still safe to drive on.

Reaching an agreement has been an epic bureaucratic struggle. The merger team couldn’t get there, with USFWS being the most stubborn opponent. The agency has said that the short bridge-phased approach is not compatible with its mission. And that is even though Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne, the department under which Fish and Wildlife falls, has endorsed the short bridge for public health and safety reasons.

After the merger team couldn’t reach consensus again at an Aug. 15 meeting, the decision was sent to a review board of four higher-level officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the state DOT, the Federal Highway Administration, and the state Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

The four officials agreed that the least environmentally damaging and most practical approach would be to build the parallel bridge and later deal with adding shorter bridges over the “hot spots” on Highway 12. That alternative, they said, was the only economically practical one. They did, however, note that permitting the shorter bridges through the refuge could be “problematic.”

Indeed, the very next day, the Southern Environmental Law Center and Audubon North Carolina asked for a federal investigation of the legality of the process.

The groups requested the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to look into whether the process to reach the consensus violated the National Environmental Policy Act requirements.

According to Allen Burrus of Hatteras, vice-chairman of the Dare County Board of Commissioners, DOT is proceeding with plans to build the short bridge. As far as anyone knows, there has been no word from the CEQ on whether it will review the decision process.

A new bridge would not be completed until about 2013. Meanwhile, DOT is proceeding on repairs to keep the bridge open until then.

Hatteras islanders and visitors to the island, meanwhile, are keeping their fingers crossed that the old bridge hangs in there until there is a replacement.

ORV use on seashore beaches

After more than 30 years without an off-road vehicle management plan it has been required to have since the mid-1970s, the National Park Service has finally started the effort to devise a plan to operate vehicles on the beaches of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

A negotiated rulemaking committee with representatives from 30 stakeholder groups will meet in Avon on Jan. 3 and 4 to see if they can reach a consensus on ORV regulations on the seashore. The committee members come from all the groups and agencies with an interest in the regulations – environmental groups, recreational fishing groups, homeowners associations, representatives from county, state, and the federal government, open access groups, and business interests.

At the same time that the negotiated rulemaking committee is meeting to develop regulations, the Park Service is working on options for the plan and an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), as required by the National Environmental Policy Act and other federal laws.

The Park Service has scheduled public information meetings in mid-January, beginning on Jan. 14 in Buxton.

Meanwhile, environmental groups have weighed in on this issue also. The Defenders of Wildlife and the National Audubon Society, represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center, filed a lawsuit against the Park Service in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina in October. The groups claim that the Park Service has failed to regulate beach driving, as is required by federal law. The suit, the plaintiffs say, is aimed at the interim protected species management plan, which will govern ORV and access issues until there is a long-term plan.

On Dec. 14, U.S. District Court Judge Terrence Boyle allowed Dare County, Hyde County, and the Cape Hatteras Access Preservation Alliance to intervene in the lawsuit.

There is much at stake for Hatteras and Ocracoke islanders and businesses and for seashore visitors in this ORV access issue. It has been contentious and difficult to solve, but perhaps there will be progress this year.

Ocracoke is best beach in the USA

In June, the whole world found out what many islanders and visitors have always known – that some of the best beaches in the country are on the Outer Banks.

Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, also known as “Dr. Beach,” named Ocracoke’s Lifeguarded Beach as the best in the United States for 2006.

It took the number one spot on his annual list of the top 10 beaches in America. It was the first time since he started picking the best beaches in 1991 that a beach outside Florida or Hawaii got to the top of the list.

His announcement was made on the Lifeguarded Beach on Ocracoke with much hoopla on a sunny, hot, and very windy day. The event was featured on several network early morning news shows shortly after sunrise that morning. Later in the day, planes and helicopters still circled overhead during a news conference.

Leatherman, a professor of environmental studies at Florida International University in Miami and director the university’s Laboratory for Coastal Research, and his top 10 beaches list is much celebrated in the media and by the areas that surround his picks. Being the top beach – or even making the top 10 – translates into dollars in the highly competitive tourist industry.

Tourism officials think it’s likely that being named No. 1 beach brought economic benefits to Ocracoke – and the Outer Banks -- this year.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Ferry Division has just reported that traffic on the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry set records this year.

Traffic numbers are up along each of the seven ferry routes, with the most significant increase seen at the Hatteras-Ocracoke operation. Crews on the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferries have carried 106,000 more passengers than last year. As of Dec. 1, 982,885 passengers rode on the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferries. The operation also set a one-day record on July 5, carrying 10,231 passengers. The previous record of 9,001 was set on July 7, 1999, during the move of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.

Ocracoke is not eligible for the No. 1 spot again, but other areas have found that getting named the best beach in the USA brings tourism benefits for years to come.

Mixed drinks available on Ocracoke, but Hatteras says no

Some Ocracoke restaurants began selling mixed drinks earlier this year after a liquor by the drink referendum passed in Hyde County in November, 2006.

However, a referendum last month to sell mixed drinks on Hatteras was not approved by voters.

Some Hatteras restaurant owners decided last winter that they needed to offer mixed drinks because, they said, visitors expect to order liquor and because liquor is available in restaurants to the south of Hatteras and to the north on the upper beaches. Being able to sell mixed drinks on Hatteras, they said, would “level the playing field.”

Opponents of mixed drink sales said they were against the move mostly because substance abuse is a problem on the island.

The opposition was led by churches, and “Vote No” signs went up along Highway 12 in all the villages.

Hatteras village was the only precinct on the island to approve the question, though it barely was defeated in Frisco and Buxton.

Museum is closer to completion

The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras village is closer to completion as the year ends.

The shipwreck museum will celebrate the seafaring heritage of the Outer Banks and tell the story of the more than 2,000 shipwrecks in the area off the Outer Banks, known as The Graveyard of the Atlantic.

Hatteras islanders have been working on the museum for the better part of two decades. Construction on the building began more than eight years ago, and parts of the building were opened six years ago. Although it is not yet finished, it is open with limited exhibits and has been popular with visitors.

The General Assembly passed legislation in August to make the museum the state’s eighth history museum. Earlier this month, the museum received $408,700 as part of appropriations in the renovation and repair fund for state buildings. The money is for planning the completion of the museum.

The museum needs utility extensions and site work for erosion control. That plus the planning and construction of the exhibits is expected to cost $2.85 million.

The state acquisition of the museum included $300,000 in recurring expenses for salary. Joe Schwarzer, who has been executive director of the museum for about 12 years, has been hired by the state as executive director. Also to be hired are an office assistant and a maintenance supervisor.

The museum, once fully operational, will be a huge tourism draw for Hatteras and Ocracoke and the Outer Banks. It will also be a place to preserve the historical and cultural heritage of these islands.

Maybe now, after all the hard work by so many volunteers from on and off the island for so many years, the museum will be finished.

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The weather report

Hatteras and Ocracoke were spared hurricanes in the season that ended Nov. 30.

The only tropical storm that even threatened the island was Gabrielle in September.

Gabrielle made landfall about 11:45 a.m. on Sept. 9 near Cape Lookout on the Core Banks with winds of 50 mph. It moved up the Pamlico Sound, west of Hatteras and Ocracoke, during the afternoon. Actually, it was sunny off and on with little rain all afternoon.

The wind did blow about as advertised by forecasters. The highest gust at the National Weather Service’s automated weather station in Frisco was 53 mph. However, we all know that sheltered reporting system never gets it right. Tony Spencer, Hyde County’s emergency manager, reported a gust to 61 mph at Hatteras Inlet.

Hurricane Noel passed several hundred miles offshore of the Outer Banks in early November with steady winds of 40 mph and gusts over 50. There was ocean overwash, of course, at the north end of Rodanthe and on Pea Island, which closed Highway 12 for about 24 hours.

However, the big news on the island was the wind and epic surf conditions. Windsurfers, kiteboarders, and surfers had some terrific days.

Northeasters were troublesome, as usual, with a storm in early May, closing down Highway 12 and causing ocean flooding in north Rodanthe, especially.

The drought, however, has been a bigger story in North Carolina weather this year. Most of the state is classified by the U.S. Drought Monitor as in an exceptional drought. In coastal North Carolina, including the Outer Banks, the drought is severe.

As of Dec. 21, Hatteras had 36 inches of rain this year. That is down 20.16 inches from a normal average rainfall of 56.16.

The islands are very dry. There has been a ban on open fires in the state for several months. Also, the Park Service is prohibiting bonfires on the seashore’s beaches.

And then Richard was here

There are some folks who might say that the high point of 2006 was the filming of “Nights in Rodanthe” on the Outer Banks in May.

The film is based on the bestseller by Nicholas Sparks, a poignant and bittersweet story of love found and then lost in Rodanthe. It is being produced by DiNovi Pictures for Warner Brothers Inc., and is due for release in June.

Last May, the producers brought the cast and crew to the Outer Banks for exterior shots in Manteo and on Hatteras Island. The interiors were filmed in Wilmington.

On Hatteras Island, the cottage Serendipity in northern Rodanthe had a makeover and became the “Inn at Rodanthe” for the film. The crew also shot scenes at other Rodanthe locations, including JoBob’s Trading Post and the Hatteras Island Fishing Pier.

Filming in a location as remote as the Outer Banks wasn’t exactly easy for the company, and an early May northeaster didn’t help. Cosmetic improvements to Serendipity were damaged by surging ocean waters, which closed the highway and set the schedule back a week.

Dozens of Hatteras islanders were hired as extras for various scenes and all had stories to tell. Many more islanders gawked at the filming and hoped for a glimpse of the star – heartthrob Richard Gere. (Actress Diane Lane also stars, but I didn’t see anyone getting crazy to get a glimpse of her.)

A number of women did get pretty excited about getting close to Gere. I was in a group of them at the Hatteras Inlet ferry docks, but, of course, I was there only to write a story.

Richard did smile and wave at us and tell us that he agreed the people on Hatteras are the “best there are.” However, he was pretty inaccessible for most of his stay here and, as far as I know, granted only one interview – with the Associated Press. That interview ended on a less than happy note when the reporter asked Gere about the famous kiss he planted on the mouth of an Indian actress that caused a furor in her country. By all accounts, Gere got up and left the interview, rather than answer the question.

But we all hope he will come back for an Outer Banks premiere of the film.

You can be sure that, Gere or no Gere, the opening of the movie filmed partly in Rodanthe with local folks will be a big story on this island come summer.

Finally, here came The Island Free Press

On Wednesday, Sept. 5, The Island Free Press, Hatteras and Ocracoke islands’ first and only Web newspaper went online.

It’s been almost four months now, and the Free Press has been a great ride for me and for my colleagues – ad manager Pam Stoffel, graphic designer Donna Barnett, and Web site designers Buddy Swain and Jim Boyd of Hatteras Designs, Inc.

We’ve learned a lot about Internet publishing, met great people, and had terrific support from island businesses. But, best of all, has been the reception we’ve had from you, our readers.

We wish all of you a happy and peaceful New Year. Please keep reading and writing to us.

For more information

More information on these stories is available here on the Web site – under local news, commentary, and in the archives. You can also search for a topic on the entire site on the Archives page.