Monthly Archives: January 2011

After the Blizzard

It’s amazing how snow changes this landscape. It usually doesn’t stay around long either. Now as I write this 4 days later, any remnant of snow is completely gone. Other than during the blizzard itself, there was only one day to photograph it, before most of it had melted.This is the view looking north from Ramp 23, south of Salvo. We had just dug a friend’s car out of the snow, only to find others getting stuck out on the beach. We yanked a big jacked up Tundra, that was buried to the axles in snow and soft sand.

The marsh behind my house became a winter wonderland.

The water temperature in Pamlico Sound dropped to 28, leaving a 6 inch layer of slush ice on the surface.

Meet Hairy. He’s 9 months old. This was his first snow.

As the sun began to set, I ventured out to finish my snow shots.

FINI….

White Out

Visitors to my Outer Banks studio frequently ask about snowfall at the beach. I tell them that it’s not unusual to have a significant snow event every 5 or 6 years. I’ve seen as much as a foot at a time, and it’s frequently accompanied by high winds. Our last big snow was in 2003, so the blizzard that we just experienced on Saturday came in timely fashion.

The local forecast was for us to expect 1 to 2 inches, but once it began to fall and thicken, I had a feeling that it would probably be more. Of course, my agenda then turns to making photographs during that time, but during white out, gale force conditions, it’s not so easy to see what you are shooting.  

The dunes at Pea Island.

Highway 12 looking south in front of my studio.

The driveway to my shop.

Free refrigeration. 

The family car next morning. We ended up with about 8 inches. 

Look for more after-storm images soon.

Another Old Christmas

Our holiday season officially ends with the traditional celebration of Old Christmas. It takes place at our Community Building the first Saturday after the new year begins. This year I had a good time and downed plenty of roasted oysters.

Dave Harvey is shooting a couple of stories for National Geographic, and one of them is about the Outer Banks. I first met him when he was shooting another Outer Banks assignment back in 1986. We attended Old Christmas together back then, so this year was a sort of reunion. Here he works at the oyster shoot. Look for his story in an upcoming issue.

Joey O’Neal demonstrates the fine art of roasting oysters to his son Joey Jr. No doubt, Joey’s dad taught him the same thing. Back on the left, Willy Smith shucks a raw one.

Here comes John Edgar leading Old Buck.

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen anyone mount Old Buck.

Old Buck is led away only to return next year.

When Old Christmas is over, we get one more look at our tree, then take it down.

For more, see my blog entry from the January 2009 Old Christmas.