Happy Thanksgiving and Holiday Greetings from Ball Creek in the Inner Banks of North Carolina

            Nancy and I spent a very nice Thanksgiving at home with friends this past week.  I thought I would send you a few pictures of our day.   Next year we hope you can join us!  As you can see it was a beautiful day on Ball Creek, temperature was in the mid 60’s with a gorgeous Carolina Blue sky.  The day was so nice we spent almost all afternoon on the back porch, eating oysters harvested the prior day from the Neuse River, just off Maw Point and the mouth of the Bay River.  Then we moved inside for a wonderful dinner. 

            We wish you the best for the holidays and the New Year.

                                                         Dock at 181 on Thanksgiving Morning

        Pre-Dinner Oyster Roast, Thanksgiving 2009

                                         Our Special Dinner Guests!

We hope next year you enjoy your Thanksgiving in the Inner Banks too!

Spectacular Waterviews from Dawson Creek Lots

The waterfront lots
boast wonderful homesites, close to the water, on high, solid ground.
The waterviews are second to none, and the wooded lots give each homesite
a truly unique and private setting.

Labels: Dawson
Creek

Tropical Storm Hannah and The Inner Banks, A Review

Tropical Storm Hannah visited the Inner Banks on Saturday morning, September
6, 2008. As with most storms, it did not have a dramatic effect on our area.
I strongly feel that the Inner Banks is much safer than living directly
on the coast. We have most of the advantages, big water, expansive views,
great boating and sailing, wonderful fishing and hunting, but much less
exposure to the ravages of the weather. In Hannah’s case, it came ashore
approximately 100 hundred miles to the southwest, near Wilmington and Oak
Island with winds in the 70 mph range. By the time it traveled to our area
(the center was further to the west), it clocked 30 mph to 40 mph winds
in our area. The creeks and docks, particularly along Bay River, were well
protected. The Neuse, with its much larger fetch was rough, and Oriental
Harbor was really bouncing! All in all, though, it was much better to be
here than on the coast. We did experience some power outage, but it was
generally back in service after a few hours. Our preparation did not take
long, but was the smart thing to do.

Labels: Every
One was Ready For Hannah at the Bean in Oriental

Oriental and The Neuse River during Hannah

Labels: Storms
are more dangerous on the Neuse and the Sound

Ball Creek at Heighth of Hannah, 7am Saturday Morning

Labels: Later
in the Morning on Sept 6th the winds blew the water out of Ball Creek

Bay River Landing During Tropical Storm Hannah

Labels: The
Protection of Bay River and Trent Creek is Superb

Schooner Landing During Hannah

Labels: Community
Dock and Calm with South Winds of Hannah

Timber Point Creek and Dock during Hannah

Labels: Docks
and Creeks on Bay River During Hannah

Labels: Bay
River During Tropical Storm Hannah

Preparation for Tropical Storm Hannah

Tropical Storms and Hurricanes in the Inner Banks

Many times we are asked about tropical
storms and hurricanes in the Inner Banks. Our reply is based on our own
experience over the past 10 years. When we moved here in 1999 we had 4 hurricanes
in the first 90 days, including 2 in one weekend (Dennis 1 and Dennis 2,
it turned around and came back ashore several days after first hitting us).
All in all, we have been thru approx 6 hurricanes (only one of which had
any real effect), and several strong Nor’easters.
With respect to tropical storms and hurricanes,
theThe term “Inner Banks” has real signifigance. If the storms come to our
area, they typically are traveling from the SW to the NE. Accordingly, in
order to hit us, they most likely come ashore in the Wilmington, NC/Topsail
Island area. If they do this, they travel approximately 100 miles before
they reach us. Normally, by this time, they have moderated somewhat and
the major impact is high winds, though much slower than when they made landfall,
and lots of rain. Since we are generally around ocean level with no large
streams, we are not subject to flooding from upstream, but just standing
water in low areas from the intense rains. These waters take a few days
to dissipate if the ground is really soaked.
The other impact of the hurricanes is
that you have to hear about them for weeks at a time. They start reporting
the storms as they organize off Africa, and we start to get daily and hourly
updates from the media. Most of the storms miss us, so some people spend
a lot of time and energy over nothing. Today is Septeber 5, 2008, and we
are preparing for Tropical Storm Hannah. I have been aware of Hannah since
last Saturday when we left to meet our family in Edisto Beach, SC for a
Labor Day vacation. Nancy and I left SC on Wednesday with the feeling that
Hannah was headed our general direction. We did not start to take precautions
until this morning. Since we have been through the drill before it is not
too time consuming or difficult.
Early this morning (see pictures below) I tied up the powerboat and sailboat.
At that time, about 8am, it was partly cloudy and a nice morning. With the
powerboat, I lift it high and tie the supporting beams to the posts so the
boat will not sway with a figure 8 weave. With the sailboat I just double
the lines and add a few additional spring lines. I do move it inward on
the dock because that part of the dock is more protected from the wind and
waves from the north. In this case, Hannah should not, even if it hits us
directly, be much trouble since it is still just a tropical storm with 60
mph winds. However, it could be followed soon after by Ike, which looks
like trouble. It also took me a half hour or so to move chairs/furniture
off the dock and porches. At that time we were basically ready.
11am September 5th – The first band of rain moved through. Nancy returned
from the office and made a store run so we had plenty of mix, beer and wine
and food. The latest update has Hannah going ashore near the NC/SC border
and going between Raleigh and Greenville. If so, it will be very mild for
us. Also, Ike is showing that it is going ashore in southern Florida. Again,
a lot of anticipation for very little real problem. Always better though
to be safe than sorry. I’m planning to leave the boats tied up until I’m
sure about the path of Ike.

Labels: Morning
Sept 5th, Tying
Up the Sailboat Before Hannah

The Waterviews of Bay River Landing

Bay River Landing, A Great New Inner Banks Waterfront
Community

Bay River Landing is a new waterfront community on the Bay River. The Bay
River comes in off the Pamlico Sound, crosses the ICW, and is navigable
and deep all the way to Bayboro, approximately 12 miles along the main channel.
It has numerous bays, creeks and side channels and offers some of the best
recreational boating along the East Coast. Even when the wind is blowing
hard and the Sound is, at best, uncomfortable, the protection of Bay River
allows you to enjoy the natural beauty of the Inner Banks from your home
or boat. When you couple the fishing and boating with the expansive waterviews,
and minimum lot sizes of 1 acre+, you begin to understand why the Inner
Banks offers the best waterfront lots, and at the best value.
In many cases a Buyer makes a choice between a big waterview or a protected
dock site. That is not necessary at Bay River Landing as you can combine
a big view and your dock because you are far enough up the Bay River that
the surge is not a problem. In addition, Trent Creek and the Bay River Channel
offer some of the deepest water in Pamlico County, so we have the lot for
your boat, whether a big sportfisherman or deep draft sailboat, or any smaller
craft.
Give us a call and let us show you the waterfront lifestyle of Bay River
Landing. We’ll help with lodging and travel ideas. We’ll take you by land
and water to explore the treasures of the Bay River and the Inner Banks
for any who desire to live on the water. Call Darrell (252-229-7077), Nancy
(252-229-7534), or Missy (252-670-9757) for all the details. Better yet,
come on down and let’s go boating and exploring the waters of the Bay River.

Labels: Bay
River Landing, Great
New Waterfront Community

Historic Home in Oriental A Rarity

2008 Oriental Tarpon Tournament a Big Success

Giant Dragon, the Grand Winner of the Croakerfest
Parade

Croakerfest and Parade, July 5, 2008, Oriental,
NC

Waterfront lifestyle in the Inner
Banks includes a lot of local participation. That includes participating
in and viewing the parades in Oriental, NC, the sailing capital of North
Carolina. The first weekend in July brings the Croakerfest, the Croakerfest
Parade and a carnival along the shores of the Neuse River in Oriental. Many
residents participate in the parade. Nancy and yours truly won the “Best
Choreography” award for a parade entrant one year when we were part of the
‘Bay River Lawn Chair Drill Team’. We practiced many long arduous hours
to perfect our lawn chair marching maneuvers. While not much of our finally
honed precision was apparent during the parade, we still won.
This years parade had a beautiful
queen, the local VFW for an honor guard, and the Hobucken Coast Guard station
in their 23′ inflatable to get the parade started. The parade lasted for
about a half hour and was enjoyed by all. The creativeness and the local
feel of our parade makes it a highlight of the 4th of July festivities.
The evening of the parade we always have a great fireworks display in Oriental
Harbor. The winner of this year’s parade was a wonderful smoke breathing
dragon. With the dragon being the symbol of Oriental, NC, this float was
the grand winner of this year’s parade! We hope that next year you can come
for the Croakerfest Parade and enjoy the waterfront lifestyle of the Inner
Banks of North Carolina.

Labels: Every
Parade Needs a Queen and a Martial Theme

Spring in the Inner Banks

Spring Time 2008 in the Inner Banks

This spring has been very pretty in Pamlico County and the Inner Banks.
Our weather warmed up into the 50’s to 70’s in early March. This year we
had the wisteria, azaleas and dogwoods all blooming at the same time. It
is unique that they were all in full flower at the same time. The Bradford
pears were first to bloom in mid to late February. We have had some good
spring rains so everything is lush and green.
Boaters have been out on the water all winter, particularly the speckled
trout fishermen. Now, in early May we are starting to see the cruising traffic
start to come thru heading north after their winter sojourn to Floriday,
Georgia, Charleston and the Caribbean. My neighbor in his 39′ C&C sloop
came into Ball Creek on my birthday, April 29th after spending the winter
in the Abacos.
Nancy and I took a spring trip to visit friends in Colorado. While we were
in full bloom in NC we were treated to another snowstorm in the Rockies.
I understand that everywhere north has had a lot of snow and that spring
is still just a day here and a day there. Come on down and let us show you
some great property and enjoy our wonderful spring weather.

Labels: Spring
Time not in the Inner Banks

Lot 24, Bay Shore Estates, The Best Waterfront Lot
and Value in the Inner Banks

Lot 24, Bay Shore Estates offer the waterfront lot purchaser the best
of all worlds. It is large, private, nicely treed, and yet the underbrush
has been cleared. The waterview is superb, and site for your dock is protected
and deep. The neighborhood is well developed with both quality
homes and friendly neighbors. The location of Bay River gives quick access
to the hunting, fishing and recreational fun of the Bay River, and for
cruising, you are just a few miles from the ICW, Pamlico Sound, Ocracoke
on the Outer Banks and the Atlantic Ocean. The Gulf Stream is easily accessible
for sport fishing thru Ocracoke, and it is ideal for cruising south to
Beaufort, Charleston, Florida or the Bahamas and Caribbean.

Labels: Bay
Shore Estates, Lot
24