Category Archives: beach

Grand Finale for 2010

Even during a winter storm, Hatteras Island is a peaceful place to be during the holidays. Over the years, I’ve gone to visit my family in Virginia most of the time. But when I first moved to Rodanthe in 1973, I spent my first Christmas here, away from the family.

Back then there weren’t nearly as many residents as there are now, and the place seemed empty and desolate during the holidays. That Christmas morning 37 years ago, I remember sitting alone on the porch of Valton Midgett’s 2 bedroom rental cottage during a big winter storm. Over the dune tops, I could see huge ocean swells rolling in, and a fierce northwest wind blowing spray off the wave tops, into dark and ominous skies. That image is burned in my mind, and I took no photographs. It was a defining, blissful moment for me.

Although things have changed since then, this Christmas was similar. A lot of locals left to be with loved-ones, and highway 12 was virtually empty and silent. At no other time of year can this be experienced, although hurricane evacuations can come close.

With this recent winter storm in the forecast, I was hoping to see a big snow event here. But all we had was less than a inch of rain, and a light dusting of snow, not enough to blanket the ground.

There were bitter winds coming off the Pamlico Sound. Tides were well above normal, enough to allow sea water to dribble across highway 12 at the S-Curve. With no beach there now, the “renourished” dune line built there by NCDOT is all but gone again. 

I took this photograph from my truck as I drove past the dune at the S-Curve on highway 12.

The old decommissioned Coast Guard Station at Oregon Inlet awaits its uncertain fate. It has been restored and stabilized by the State of North Carolina.

This is the site of a borrow pit at Oregon Inlet, where NCDOT has excavated sand to rebuild dune systems along highway 12.

Those that live here mark storms as a calendar. We associate our memories with certain storms in the past. Even though this one had minor impact for us, it was significant as all storms are.

Each one changes this dynamic barrier island in some way. The beaches and dunes shift about as a result of moving wind and water. The dunes and highway, like many man made artifacts here, are hanging by a thread. None of it is permanent.

 

Soul Surfers

My interest in surfing began in the 60’s, when I saw a Surfer Magazine for the first time. Even though it took me a few more years to actually ride a wave, I was hooked on the beauty and nature of surfing.

As a young college student, I knew it was time to jump ship when I found myself in chemistry class with a copy of Surfer wedged into my textbook. I left and moved to the beach. That was a turning point for me, and life’s path was narrowed down to where it would lead me today.

Louie getting ready for a paddle at the Shoals in Rodanthe, 1974. Back then nearly everyone surfed at the Lighthouse, and bypassed our villages.

I drifted into a network of friends that were also absorbed in the surfing culture. To us, it wasn’t a sport at all, but an almost spiritual way of life. Living carefree and day to day, we were essentially dropouts from what was typical America. Most of us weren’t looking for the two-car garage and the white picket fence dreams of most of our contemporaries. Waves were the most important thing, at times super-ceding jobs and even girl friends.

About 1968, I met Gary Revel at South Side, Indian River Inlet. His surfing took on a dynamic quality. He was among my new found surfing companions and could have easily gone into professional levels, but chose not to. We became life-long friends and still keep in touch. This photo of him cutting back at South Side was taken over 40 years ago, when I was just beginning to hone my photography skills.

Louie Batzler at South Side circa 1970. We surfed and traveled together for many years. As a trained brick mason, he found us construction jobs that provided our income.

Mark Foo was a very young kid, but hung around the older surfers. He was very driven and loved surfing more than anything. He used to wake me up for dawn patrol by tossing pebbles at my bedroom window. He could be a pest at times. Mark went on to the Hawaiian Islands, became a world renown big wave rider, and a highly successful entrepreneur. In 1994, he tragically lost his life while surfing Maverick’s in California.

The gang at Barton Decker’s surf shop circa 1974.

Summer of 1975, we gave these two hitch-hiking surfers a ride, while driving to Cape Hatteras Lighthouse for a big north swell.

Mike Langowski, known as the Polock, rode his long boards even after board designs got shorter. 1977 photo taken at the lighthouse.

Dave Elliot and Jeff Ray checking the waves in the village of Waves. That was the first order of the day, to dictate what you did with your time. No waves, then you do something else, like go fishing or work on your broken down car. Dave was a stylish surfer, especially longboarding. Jeff was also a competent and well-traveled surfer. He later introduced me to Costa Rica in 1982.

Robin, Bryant, Brent and Roger all pitch in to sand a hot coat on a board that I shaped for Roger. We lived in 2 trailers on the oceanfront in Waves. Little did we realize that there would be million dollar beach houses on this property 35 years later…. nor did we care.

Brent Clark on a beautiful Pea Island wave in 1974. This secret spot had a hard bottom well offshore. From the beach, the waves looked much smaller than they actually were. It was a really long paddle, several hundred yards out, and broke like a reef point for about five years. It had some of the largest and best shaped waves that I ever rode, and only about 10 people knew about it.

Classic car collection at the Hatteras Island Surf Shop.

Another classic car ready to roll.

“Holly” waits for the next duck hunting trip, while Robin Gerald sits on his  VW squareback, ready to find the next wave.

TO BE CONTINUED……



Epilogue to Earl

 

The final situation here was not nearly as bad as we were anticipating. Over wash on the oceanside was minimal, as was the moderate 4 foot surge from the sound. Other than some broken branches and debris in the yard, most everything is okay.

Everywhere are signs of the power of nature, and it could have been so much different had Earl been any closer.

Serendipity is still snug on its new location.

Before the storm, these steps at Mirlo Beach were touching the sand.

The oceanfront at Mirlo Beach almost always receives the highest impact. With one of the highest erosion rates in the state, it’s probably not long before these homes succumb to the ocean’s power. Yesterday the county just re-condemned three more properties.

The northern-most cottage, Tailwinds is nearly on it’s last legs.

Looking at the S-Curve area, the scene is not as bad as anticipated.

Two days ago, I would have bet money that this sand fence and dune would be completely washed away, along with some highway pavement. This being intact sums up our good fortune with Hurricane Earl.

NCDOT did not waste any time going to work clearing the highway. This morning at 7 AM, the road was opened to traffic for the big Labor Day weekend.

But be careful about which salt water swimming pool you dive into…..



Aftermath

Things are calming down quickly. The rain has abated, and the sound tide has rolled moderately enough to not flood my workshop under the house. 

The beach was a sight to behold, blown clean by wind and tide. Enormous waves breaking into the offshore wind.

Ray Murray checks the surf after Hurricane Earl has passed.

Morning After

Last night it was good news to hear about Earl’s slight change in course. We checked the S-Curve at sundown, and found the seas just starting to wet the highway. Water was washing up under the houses. The skies looking ominous.

Here’s the S-Curve sand fence again. You can see things are beginning to tighten up. It must have washed away by now.

My brother-in-law Ray Murray is from Missouri, and this was is his first hurricane.

This is the outer edges of the storm thickening. Wind was picking up by the minute.

I was awakened about 5:45 this morning to an abrupt shaking of the house. The winds are picking up from the backside of Earl, shifting northwest. I’m always amazed at the one-two punch of storms like this. You can tell where you are relative to the center of circulation. Straight east of us is due north winds, switching hard to northwest as the storm passes. So far we’ve had about 5 inches of rain here, with signs of it tapering off. I wouldn’t be surprised if, at some point, we had winds in the range of 80 to 90. By the time I had checked the barometer, it had gone up to 990 millibars from what ever it was during the peak.

This is a view from my neighbor’s fish house. The sound tide has risen a couple of feet, flooding highway 12. I’d heard that digital cameras were pretty good in the rain, so decided to put it to the test. Right about this time a serious squall came through. Look how well the marshlands absorb the seas.

Mi Casa during the squall.

Our adopted feral kittens were sacked out in the hurricane hole that we built for them.

Stay tuned.