Ocracoke Up Close: A visiting photographer creates a stunning portrait of the island…WITH SLIDE SHOW Some people look at an old, neglected skiff in a yard, and they see an eyesore. Some people see a welcome reminder that Ocracoke is still a quaint fishing village. Photographer George Brown sees the perfect subject for a work of abstract art. Though he’s only been taking photographs for about two years, the retired family therapist and social worker is spending the winter on Ocracoke, compiling a compelling visual feast for his photo blog. Read more  It’s the winter doldrums for surfers….WITH SLIDE SHOW Only the most intrepid surfers have ventured into the very cold Atlantic Ocean this winter. And they are all looking forward to spring and a more welcoming ocean.   Read More It’s time for the annual spring break surfing pilgrimage to Hatteras This spring I'll be one of a multitude of surfers from all over the East Coast to make the time-honored pilgrimage to Hatteras, which has been a spring break surf-trip destination for surfers from New Jersey since long before I first discovered Hatteras more than 25 years ago. Easter week brings quite an array of license plates to the parking lot at the old site of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Buxton, and the beach motels nearby are jam-packed with surfers from up and down the entire coast -- all hungry for the waves that seem to always come.     Read More What the best dressed sailors wear in February, a month of cold water and warming wind Wetsuits, boots, and gloves are a necessary part of winter sailing, but they are huge buzz killers.  Neoprene, the main material used in wetsuit construction, greatly reduces the body’s flexibility and can make simple things difficult while windsurfing or kiting.  A tight or heavy wetsuit, coupled with gloves, can easily cramp the arms, making it difficult to hold onto the boom or bar.  Booties make feet seem really big and diminish the feel of the board-making transitions cumbersome and, for some, can affect balance.  But without them, fingers and toes freeze causing almost unbearable pain.   Here are some pointers for dressing winter sailing.    Read More Some tips for ocean kiting on Cape Hatteras  …WITH SLIDE SHOW Kiting is the perfect match for the waves.   You can get away from the big ones, ride the small ones, stay on the inside, ride the outside, or ride in between on the flat water.  It's amazing how quickly you can switch direction with a kite.  The world becomes three dimensional, interesting as compared to the flat water of the sound.    The waves on Cape Hatteras tend to close out and run close together without predictable periods in between.  The wave pounds as it breaks hard, and there is plenty of current.  They say if you can surf Cape Hatteras, you can surf anywhere.  The same goes for kiting.   That being said, you need to have your kiting skills down before you go in the ocean.   Read More This man of many talents focuses on repairing kites Charlie Kim has lived all over the world, but now has settled in Frisco.  He is a man of many talents and works many jobs to support himself, but his mainstay is repairing kites for those in the ever-growing sport of kiteboarding.   Read More Rules of the road for Kite Point Kite Point, on the soundside of Highway 12 between Avon and Buxton, is usually the kiting spot of a few diehard locals. In the spring and fall seasons, it becomes the kiting site of hundreds.  As many as 60 kiters can be landing and launching from this spot at one time during the season.  Although few or no accidents at Kite Point occur because of kiting interaction, these rules can help to keep everyone safe and happy to kite another day.   Read More Island Cooking:  Savoring the bounty of bay scallops from Pamlico Sound The bay scallop holds a very special spot in our hearts for the pleasure we derive from its lusciousness, especially in the otherwise lean winter months. Now that we can finally harvest these precious sea gems after a hiatus of several years, the wires – and the wireless – are abuzz with recipes and tips for bay scallops that we can harvest until April 1.    Read more Island Cooking: Shrimp boats is a comin’ and there’s dancin’ tonight There is a growing movement all across this country that supports local food producers and seasonal eating habits.  From heirloom apples and tomatoes to boutique butter and cheese to family farm-raised meat and poultry, professional chefs, diners, and home cooks alike are making careful selections based on quality, flavor and freshness.  And they are willing to pay a little more for it. So try North Carolina’s wild, locally caught shrimp, and enjoy this popular seafood with these suggestions.     Read more Island Cooking: From the bottom of the sea comes some of its sweetest treasures Some of the sea’s sweetest treasures come from its depths.  When the water is warm and the currents are right, the “bottom fishing” off our coast produces a variety of excellent food fish.  Read more Island Cooking:  Summer’s bounty We have entered the season of abundance. This time of year the sea provides a bountiful selection of seafood, and our gardens produce fragrant herbs and vegetables. Meals take on not only the flavors and aromas but also the spirit of each special time of year.  Read more Island Cooking: There’s nothing better than bluefish when it’s freshly caught   Since many people do not have the opportunity to eat freshly-caught bluefish, they don’t like it and consider it “fishy.”  One taste of really fresh, well cared for fish and they are converted.  It is a versatile food fish and makes a good choice, not only for its flavor, but also for the ease and swiftness of its preparation.  Read more Island Cooking:  Spring is the time that we wait for our softshell crabs The most eagerly anticipated springtime seafood is the delectable softshell crab that usually begins to appear in April and peaks in May.  This is a life phase of the familiar and tasty blue crab, Callinectus sapidus, whose name means “beautiful swimmer.” Here are some recipes for softshells with suggestions for springtime accompaniments.   Read more Off the Beaten Path 10 lesser known places to visit on Hatteras and Ocracoke.   Read More Visiting the lighthouses of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore There are three historic lighthouses within the seashore.  The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Buxton is open to climbing from April until Columbus Day.  This year, the bases of the Bodie Island and Ocracoke lighthouses are open to visitors, but climbing is not allowed for safety reasons.  Read More Public will have a chance to view state’s ocean policy report Outer Banks residents will have an opportunity to weigh in on a draft North Carolina ocean policy report on Tuesday, March 10, at the Nags Head Beach Fire Station. The report recommends management strategies to address five emerging ocean resource issues – sand resource management, ocean-based alternative energy development, ocean outfalls, marine aquaculture, and comprehensive ocean management.    Read more.... New book weaves Ocracoke history into ghostly tales Since his early childhood, Philip Howard has been captivated by the stories – ghostly and otherwise – told to him by Ocracoke friends and relatives. As a result, he has become quite an authority on the island’s history, as anyone who has visited his shop, The Village Craftsmen, and chatted with him can tell you. Fifteen years ago, it occurred to Philip that Ocracoke’s trove of oral history was in danger of extinction, so he began to collect stories in earnest and to write them down. Last winter he began writing and the result is finally here. His book is “Digging Up Uncle Evans: History, Ghost Tales & Stories from Ocracoke Island.”      ....Read more Diving on sunken German subs off the Outer Banks for history’s sake During the early months of 1942, mere miles off the coast of the Outer Banks, the Germans and the Allies engaged in a continuous and widely forgotten maritime battle, known as the Battle of the Atlantic and also as The Battle of Torpedo Junction. Now, 66 years later, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has launched a multi-year archeological project aimed at researching and documenting the wrecks from the Battle of the Atlantic.    ....Read more Shipwreck salvaging is a time-honored tradition on Hatteras and Ocracoke Shipwreck salvaging, or wreck busting, is a time-honored tradition. It was altogether lucrative during the 1700s, 1800s, and early 1900s, and the largest cash industry on the coast. With large sums of money at stake, it was also intensely competitive. It was not uncommon on Hatteras and Ocracoke for islanders to pull down as much as $800 a pop or for a group of men to split several thousand dollars.   Read more.... PRECIOUS MEMORIES These are podcasts of a series of stories by Buddy Swain, offered by The Island Free Press. In the series, entitled "Precious Memories,"  Swain recounts his adventures as a youngster in the 1940s when he spent summers with his grandparents on Hatteras Island. A podcast is a collection of digital media files that is distributed over the Internet using syndication feeds for playback on portable media players (iPods and other mp3 devices) and personal computers. To hear the audio of this feature you must have on your computer the latest version of Internet Explorer (click here to download the lastest version of Internet Explorer  ) and the latest version of Quicktime (click here to download the latest version of Quicktime ).   Once these have been installed, click on The Island Free Press Podcast logo below to hear the author narrate the story.  This feature also works with the Safari Web browser.  By downloading the story to your portable media player, you are no longer chained to the computer to listen to or read the story.   You can enjoy it while you are walking, jogging, or commuting to work.  If you don't have a portable media player yet, you can read the story on your computer as you usually do or listen to it on your computer while you are doing other chores. Going to Grandmom's:  House Crossing The Pamlico Sound Going to Grandmom's House Driving The Beach Going To The Store Going Clamming Going To The Landing Going To Get Religion Going To Uncle Luther's Going To Bed Going to the Picture Show Going on Vacation Going Visiting Going To Supper Going To Heaven