Big Blend Radio
Debbie Stone - Exploring the Outer Banks of North Carolina
In celebration of Great Outdoors Month and Oceans Month, this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Global Adventures with Debbie Stone" Podcast, is all about the beautiful Outer Banks of North Carolina.
The Outer Banks is a chain of barrier islands along the coastline of North Carolina. It boasts 100-plus miles of wide-open shoreline, charming villages and towns, and plenty of historical attractions. From the history of flight to lighthouses, wild horses, beaches, shopping and dining, there’s something for everyone. Check out Debbie's article and video feature, here: https://nationalparktraveling.com/listing/lots-to-love-about-the-outer-banks/
Big Blend Radio's "Global Adventures with Debbie Stone" podcast airs every 4th Tuesday. Follow the podcast here: https://global-adventures-debbie-stone.podbean.com/
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- Duration:
- 31m
- Broadcast on:
- 25 Jun 2024
- Audio Format:
- mp3
Welcome to Big Blend Radio's global adventure show with travel writer Debbie Stone. Hey everybody today, Debbie Stone, you know, we call her the fire monkey, is taking us on an adventure to the outer banks of North Carolina. I love this because right now as we record this, we're actually in the state of North Carolina and it is a beautiful state. That everyone should experience. It's got a little bit of everything, really, mountains. It's got the coastline. It's got swampy areas with alligators. It's got those amazing farms and barns, you know, those old school barns that you're like, yeah, that's just awesome. I mean, it's just an awesome state, but she really got to explore an area that Nancy and I hoped we were going to get into, do more, but timing didn't work out for us. So she's going to fill us in and fill you in so that we can all plan an outer banks adventure. So welcome back. How are you doing, Debbie? Doing well and excited to talk and share my experiences in a very, very lovely place in the country. I excited to hear this because you even did a lot of the history and see you're doing the National Park units. Like we are the monuments and you went to the Wright Brothers National Memorial, but before we get into all of that, can you give everyone kind of a snapshot? Oh, where are the outer banks? Where it is? Where is that? Okay. Well, it's a chain of basically their barrier islands and it's along, of course, the coast of North Carolina and it's got about 100 miles or more of shoreline and along those shoreline areas are these lovely little towns and villages. And lots of historical attractions and of course beaches and plenty of good eating and yeah, it's wonderful. You can access the outer banks from, you know, a couple of places. A lot of people do it from the Virginia Beach area because you can hop over from that area right into the outer banks. Otherwise, you can, you know, go if you're like in Raleigh, it ticks maybe, probably about three and a half hours from Raleigh to the outer banks, you know, to where the bridge crosses over and you're actually, you know, considered in what you would be considered the outer bank strip, so to speak. And, you know, you can go way up North and you can go way down South and it's a place to base yourself wherever you want. You know, people, some people really like to be up North. People like to be in the middle of everything so they can access it. And some people like to be in a more quieter area, which is basically down South. We chose to be more centrally located because we wanted to go in both directions, so that worked for us. Hi, it's awesome where you start out, you know, going to the Wright Brothers National Memorial. And this is in the Kill Devil Hills. I mean, what a name, man, seriously. Yeah, it's probably the topic traction, I think, in the outer banks because it's, you know, just so well known. The Wright brothers are so well known. But they're, you know, they're from Dayton, Ohio, which also has sites with, you know, the house and sites that deal with Orville and Wilbur and the family. But this is where they did a lot of their experimentation. The dunes there, and this is where they actually accomplished the first successful flight, which took place on December 17th of 1903. And, you know, there's a wonderful little visitor center, which also is basically serves as a museum with a lot of exhibits and, you know, tells the story of the Wright brothers. And then there's also like a replica of the flyer that made that first flight. You can go outside and see the flight line and the spot where they took their flight, locations where they landed, and where they stayed in these camp buildings. And then you can actually walk up to the monuments that commemorates their achievement. And it sits right on top of the Kilda Devil Hill. And so, you know, it's like you're there and you can just imagine them, you know, taking these gliding tests. And it's really, it's a very a cool experience, I think, to see where this monumental achievement took place. I think it's pretty epic. I mean, because it always makes you remember, like, it wasn't that long ago. You think about 123 years, yeah, 121 years ago, right? Yeah, that is not that long ago. Oh, not when you're thinking, but you're thinking also that, oh, my gosh, you know, without these men, you know, we don't know when. I'm sure that eventually that either other people would have, you know, have done this. The flying and attempting and all that stuff. But I mean, when you think about it, you know, what our world would be like without airplanes, you know, it's just pretty insane to think about that. Yeah, exactly, because, you know, as travelers, right, we need our plane. But, you know, also thinking about how airplanes were used in the military, you know, in world wars. And, you know, so you've got to think, I mean, just even having, you know, that bravery encouraged to get in the plane. Like, think about it. And now we're looking at, you know, other planes with things falling off of them and opening up and all that, which we don't want to get into because we don't want any discouragement of travel, but even still airplane travel is safer than getting in your car. So you've got to think about it. Our skies, yes, they're full of planes, but they have amazing air traffic controllers and think about how many people are on the road. You could go in a parking lot in a big buck store and that could be it. You know what I mean, versus getting up in the sky. So every pilot I know always reminds us of that, that look, things happen, but things happen to cars more than we know. You know what I mean? Yeah. So things happen in any mode of transportation, you know, and to me, it's like, without airplanes, I wouldn't be able to really see the world and, you know, to go to all the many places that I've been that would have taken forever in a day to get to otherwise, you know, on some, on some ship for, you know, months, months at a time to get to some other continent. And so, you know, I, I for one, you know, I don't take them for granted. And when you're there at Kitty Hawk, you know, you're there and you're like, I understand this is this was an incredible achievement and don't take it for granted. So with this too, you, you mentioned hang gliding is a big deal over here as well and talk about Francis Rogallo, the father of hang gliding. So this was an area too that's not just flying, but actually people flying like, yeah, yeah, this is, you know, this whole thing, you know, led to, you know, hang gliding, paragliding, mort parachuting, stunt type flying. I mean, this, you know, his, his work, you know, really led to all of this. And this is the perfect place to, to hang light. And Kitty Hawk kites, which is a company that has been operating. I think it is the largest hang gliding school in the world at Jackie's Ridge State Park in Nag's head, another town right nearby Kitty Hawk. And I decided that, you know, I was pretty inspired to experience human flight. And so you can take hang gliding lessons there. And we took the very, very beginning one, which is basically a ground school. And you learn, you know, the basics of the sport and, you know, you get your harness and your helmet and you walk over to the boons and, you know, you get five different attempts to try it and to feel what it is like to really fly. And it's, I think it's spectacular. It was like so, so amazing to me. I, you know, when you get the hang of it, you know, the first time or two, you're like, oh, okay, that's what I'm supposed to do. And it's the next, then you start getting the hang of it and you're like, after the fifth time, you're like, no, don't stop. I want to keep going. It's just, it's such an incredible feeling to be up there and free and flying, even though, you know, you're not flying very far and you're not flying very high. But you are flying. Wow. What's it like compared to zip lining? Because I know you've done that quite a few times in like, Camino, Ireland. I think it's different because on a zip line, you're on a line and you're, you know, you're holding on and you just, yeah, you're hanging and you're, you basically, basically, you're not doing anything because the line is taking you. You know what I mean? You're going along the line and you're not doing anything to propel yourself in any way, shape or form. In hang gliding, you are doing stuff to help yourself balance. You're doing stuff to help yourself steer. You're doing stuff with the currents. You know, so there's a lot that goes on in hang gliding, but zip lining, you just can kind of turn off all of that because you're just, you know, hanging and you just go from one spot to another, you know. This is cool. Now, what about the beaches? I mean, because that's the thing. Nancy and I went to Cape Hatteras and the Lighthouse and it was just art. Oh, man, you know, reading your article and everyone, Debbie's article is up on nationalparktraveling.com. The link is in the show notes or just type in outer banks in the search box search bar on nationalparktraveling.com and you'll find the article. But, you know, the beaches out there are amazing. Oh, they're amazing. Yeah. And there's a lot of different kinds of beaches, like a Kildellville tail and Kitty Hawk. They've got, you know, some big waves and some winds. And so, you know, if you're into the windsurfing and the kiteboarding and the parasailing, you know, those beaches really are wonderful for that, you know. And then also, I mentioned, if you are really into fishing, there's a wonderful place called Jeanette's Pier, which is at Nag's Head Beach. And, you know, it's a great, this very long pier. It's the longest in outer banks. And you can, you see people fishing from there. And there's also a mini aquarium for kids to enjoy. And then, you know, there's a wonderful, you know, just kind of just wild beaches there. And there are the other thing that you mentioned. I mean, there are just, there are just lighthouses galore there. And I love lighthouses. And I've been to many lighthouses, whether they've been in Maine, whether they've been in Oregon and whether, you know, I just love them. I think that they're just, there's just some, they're historic, but there's also a sense of romanticism with lighthouses as well. And I just, I find them, they're each so unique and different. And Cape Hatteras, what was that like? I mean, did that, I didn't get in there. Yeah, it's the most famous in it. And actually, it's the tallest. It's got, you know, it's known for this black and white, bright design. It was, I think, 1870. It's the, I think it's the tallest brick lighthouse in the country. So, it's pretty special. And it's a part of the national seashore there. And it is very, very, very important because that area is the hazardous area on the Atlantic coast. And it's like the graveyard of the Atlantic there. And a lot of, a lot of shipwrecks. Yeah. Anyway, but normally, it is, I mean, normally you could climb the steps to the base, to the tower, but it is closed because of restoration efforts. However, I found it fascinating that this entire building, I mean, it's, it's 208 feet tall. It was wrapped in scaffolding. And it was insane how much, how, how they would do this and how long this would take. But they do have a visitor center, plus the Museum of the Sea, which is in one of their keeper's quarters. And so you can read about the history and natural history about our banks in there. But, you know, next time I go, I'm hoping that eventually it will be done. And I can go up there because I would love to go up there. I know that is cool. I'm going to go to the, the keeper's quarters. And I know some people, there's like opportunities to become like the lighthouse keepers for a weekend or something. Yeah. I want to do that. I want to stay. Let's see if we can, like, push someone around, like, come on, give it to him. We've got to nudge it. We've got to get honey out. We've got to get honey out, you know, so we've got to get honey. Like, come on. We want to go. We'll write a story. It'll be really cool. Come on to just be a light keeper for the day. And there's so many women that were lighthouse keepers. Oh, yeah. And, and when they, where they put lighthouses, it's just not that tranquil ever. And that's why the lighthouse is there. And that, that part of the coast, when you talk about it being the graveyard of the Atlantic, we've done a number of podcast interviews with historians about shipwrecks and things that went down. And not only there, but like, even the Midwest, the Great Lakes have had some crazy shipwrecks. You don't even think about that. The Pacific Ocean, Oregon, I mean, same thing. The Columbia River. I mean, the whole area. There was, there was a lot, there's, you know, a lot of very, very, I think, challenging conditions in certain parts of the country. And the whole lighthouses are extremely essential and important to the, the ship owners and the captains and anybody who's out there. You know, so, but if you want to climb, we did climb the Bodie Island Lighthouse, which is, I found it was, it's a nag head. And it's about 156 feet tall. And it is, it was recently restored. And so you can climb it at 214 steps and you can go up to the top. And the vistas are very panoramic. So that was, was really nice. I, I really enjoyed that. So, yeah, and then there's, you know, there's, I mean, there's one on Roanoke Marshes, which is on Roanoke Island, which is the smallest of the lighthouses. And, you know, there's, there's just, there's also one in Ocracoke Lighthouse on the Ocracoke Island, which is only accessible by ferry. And so, yeah, there's, there's plenty of places to see lighthouses, whether you go up in them or not. They're, you know, they, they're very photogenic. That's, it's neat to me. I just want to go learn more. And Roanoke Island has got some history. I mean, there's been so many novels written with that as the setting. Stuff went down there. It did. You know what I mean? It is. You know, they had a lot going down and it's the, the one major historical place there is the Fort Raleigh, which is, a lot of things happened there. You know, the, the British came and, you know, it's where they started to colonize North America back, you know, 1580s. And, you know, then the Union troops in the Civil War occupied the island. It also hosted a Freedman's Colony where formerly enslaved people found refuge there and prepared for life there after the war. And then, you know, there was a radio pioneer, his name is Regeline Reginald Fessenden. And he was the first to transmit the human voice using wireless technology. So there's, like, so much. And the visitor center there, I found fascinating because I really didn't know much about this lost colony, which is this really intriguing mystery about some English people, men, women, and children who came there to establish a permanent, settlement in what they called the New World at the time, and this was in the 1580s. And three years later, when English ships returned to bring them supplies, that island there was deserted and there was no sign of them. Except for this single word called Croatian, I think, was carved into a wooden post. And, you know, there's all these theories. It's still a mystery. There's all these theories that they were killed. They were abducted, perhaps by Native Americans. We don't know others that they tried to sail back and they got lost at sea. You know, maybe they met a bloody demise by the Spaniards, or maybe they moved further inland and were absorbed into a friendly tribe. But I found it fascinating, you know, and you can walk outside and you can see the monuments, the Freedmen's Colony, and then, you know, nearby is this incredible, the least Elizabethan Gardens, excuse me, and it's gorgeous. It's like this incredible, you know, magical place. It's very Edenesque, and we were there when the flowers were in bloom, so it's simply spectacular. Yeah, there's so much there, you know. Oh, and the wild horses. See, a lot of times we always think the wild horses of the west, and then this area also, and that's, you know, oh, I want to go and see that. You know, I want to see them. You know, I can't help it. I think to see them, it was nice to take a, like, kind of a safari wild, safari wild horse, safari with wild horse adventurers in Corolla, which is north on the island. But there are four herds. There's about 400 of the wild horses on the outer banks, and three of them live in the southern islands, and the other one is up north in Corolla. So they will, you know, a guide will drive you out there in these kind of, like, safari vehicles that are open, and you can, you know, then find the horses. And they're called banker horses, which I didn't know I'd never heard of, but it's a descendant of horses that were brought by the Spanish explorers to the islands. And they're very hardy, you know, they've survived or hurricanes, they've survived all the heat in the storms, and they eat these seagrasses, and, you know, they dig in the sand for fresh water. They're very smart, they're very adaptable, and they stay in these groups called, they call them harems, which is basically one stallion and alpha mare, and some other mares and maybe some younger offspring of the mares. And it was interesting to find out that it's not the stallion that it's in charge, it's the alpha mare. She goes, and the others follow. Wow, wow, that's amazing, right? Well, horses are like the, you know, I think they're like the true free spirit, the symbol of independence to me, that's what they represent to me. But did they tell you a little bit about how they're handling, you know, the management of the horses, because it's such a controversial topic, actually, across the countries that be in the West, and Nancy, I've covered so many stories about it. We've covered books, we've been out there with activists to see what's going on, and, like I said, it's controversial, but like they are, you know, their wildlife, and they are federally protected. And Johnson did that in 1970, the year the EPA, Nixon actually signed the law into protect these horses as important species. And they are, you know, they are beloved, and in Corolla, they have what's called the Corolla Wild Horse Fund, and the townspeople put this together as a management plan. So, you know, the whole area, you know, for centuries it was very, you know, the town existed very peacefully with the animals. But then this small little village of Corolla became a really bustling vacation spot in the '80s, and, you know, the horse's future, you know, it was endangered. And so the townspeople created this fund, they moved the herd to a less inhabited part of the island, and it's the responsibility of this group to prevent the horses from accessing the developed areas, and to relocate any of that that stray back into town or other private sites and everything. And so they're very beloved, they're very protected, and, you know, it's wonderful that the community has taken these steps to ensure the protection of these incredible creatures. I love that because it seems like they're trying to find that balance of coexistence, you know, what's good for all. Yeah, and I think when people do, yeah, I mean, and we as travelers have to be mindful too when we go to places like this. So having, you know, an actual tour company, they probably have the understanding of like, we don't need to get that close to the horses unless the horses go. No, you don't get out. No, you don't get out. You only see from the vehicle, you know, you're not allowed to, you know, get out and start going towards them or anything, you know. So, but what's nice about a tour company. Yeah, and a guide, you know, guide talks to you and explains to you about the breed and about the history and about what they're doing. And so, you know, without that knowledge, you wouldn't really understand what's happening there. So I once again, I do appreciate those kinds of guided tours, especially to see things that maybe are difficult to see on your own. I agree, I agree and get that understanding that knowledge of who these horses are. And so what's the lodging? Oh, we got to talk about the dining, but what's the logic? We're going to get to food because I know you're on the coast. I know. I know you and see food and fish. I know. But lodging wise, what was that like? And oh, you were talking about that. You know, the Outer Banks National Scenic Byway. That's what Nancy and I ended up doing. We just did that drive. And it's 138 miles. Yeah. Yep. And it could stop at all these historic markers. But like, I want, I need to spend like, I feel like I need to go there for two weeks, to be honest, to get. I do. I feel that way because I just, you know, if I'm doing horses, I want to do that all day. You know, I think it's one of those places that, that I think really offers such a wonderful range of experiences for all ages and all interest. And it's nice when you have the time, you know, 138 miles. You don't want to race down this. You want to take your time, stop. Maybe you'll do a part of the highway one day and a part of the highway another day. You know, it's not like something you have to race through because it's impossible. There's too much to see and you don't want to. It's a beautiful, beautiful place. I say, explored in pieces, you know, so you can appreciate it each of it and take your time and, you know, don't rush through it. But accommodations, there's everything. There's everything from, you know, hotels, motels, D&Bs, inns, you know, air B&Bs, condos, townhouses, rentals, campgrounds, you know. And there's just an enormous amount of accommodations available in the Outer Banks because it is a very, a very sought after destination for people. And it also, you know, for people not only in North Carolina, but surrounding states and elsewhere. And so I think the biggest thing that people decide is, okay, where do they want to be? It's location because it is a spread out area. So you, you pick your, you pick your place. You pick where you want to be and then you go from there, depending on your budget and depending on your, your, your need for how much room and whatever, you know, amenities, et cetera. Oh, I love it. And so, yeah, because, I mean, we're right now, it's June. It's a great outdoors month. So this is a, you know, a good piece for that. And, you know, for everyone to kind of remember, let's get outside and National Parks Month comes up in August, you know, National Parks Month or, so this is good to plan even for them. But summertime is here, which is going to be the most popular time for people. So, but honestly, I think you could go there year round, you know. You can. I do believe that this is a year round place. Of course, you know, some place, some spots will be closed, you know, some accommodations. Some restaurants or whatever it is, or they have seasonal hours or whatever. But, you know, we, we were there in April and, you know, which was, it's the spring, sort of spring kind of thing, but it doesn't have the masses that start to accumulate in the summer, you know, which, of course, with families and kids being out of school. And so they all come to the beach and I found it delightful because it wasn't very crowded. The beaches were like, I mean, you were basically very few people on them. You had them to yourself. So I, you know, I found it to be a wonderful time of year. I'm sure the fall is exquisite there as well. But, you know, once again, you can do beaches in the winter and they can be the most, you know, splendid place to be, you know. Well, I just, this reminds me of when you did Cape Cod National Seashore and, yeah, and you were up there in Massachusetts doing that area. And you, you know, you said spring is, you know, and you know what, the wildlife comes out too. So if you've got to go in the summer with your kids, yeah, that's a normal thing to do, do it. But if you can do off season, I think it's always cool and midweek, you know. Oh, it's great. I think a lot of us have been bargains. Yeah, yeah. Exactly. If you can. And with so many people working from home these days, you can work remotely. I think it's changing a little bit. People are traveling midweek. You know, I don't think restaurants know what to do for what day to take off anymore. It's definitely not Friday or Saturday. But, you know, it's like Mondays, people are spending, let's just spend that extra Monday. You know, it's like, yeah, spend it there. You know, if you have to do a couple hours of work in your hotel room or your vacation rental, so be it or your bed and breakfast, just saying we love bed and breakfast. But let's go to the actual food and shopping because this is another thing you really talk about. This is like a shopping district. You know, you know, I'm not a huge shopper, but we were told that, you know, definitely check out the waterfront shops in the town of Duck, which is also a very charming town. And it's a waterfront shopping village and has, you know, a lot of restaurants, eateries. But it has a lot of boutiques and kind of eclectic and beachy stuff as well. But there's a lovely boardwalk that you walk along to access these shops. And you get a view of the karatek sound and so you can, you know, take your time, poke your head in, have a bite to eat, sit down on one of the benches. And this walkway also connects to the town boardwalk, which I thought was an amazing thing that the town of Duck was smart to do, which is this lovely boardwalk that's right along the water as well. And you see a lot of people that, you know, walking with their dogs and, you know, it was a lovely place to be. And I really enjoyed it. Like I said, I'm not a big shopper, but I enjoyed the ambiance of the whole area, you know. And so that was definitely, I think, worthwhile for people just to even go and walk around. Mm-hmm. I love that. I love that. I like, like, seafront and coastal communities, harbor areas of little waterfront villages because it's just so ideal. It just makes you happy. It reminds you of childhood, you know, just kind of like, you know, you too could live happy like this. You know, you just want french fries and see if the seagull is going to steal it from you. You know what I mean? It's like, you know, I'm not big on those Hallmark movies. I know the majority of the world loves, but like, it is a Hallmark movie place. Wouldn't you say those kind of places? Oh, absolutely. And it just, you know, it just puts a smile on everybody's faces, they're walking around. And you want to, you want an ice cream? Come on, you have the ice cream, whatever. Yeah, taffy, salt water, taffy. Oh, come on. Yeah, I need the salt water taffy. It beg, it's one of those ones that begs to be, you know, just eating something and strolling along. You know what I mean? It just, so anyway, I really enjoy that. Oh, tell me the food. Tell me about this food. Oh, yeah, yeah. Well, you know, I'm, I'm, you all know that I'm a pescatarian. I've said it many, many, many times. But, you know, being on the coast is always such an incredibly wonderful experience for me, for all this seafood and it's all fresh and, you know, whether it's crab or shrimp or crab cakes or, you know, tuna or mahi mahi or whatever, and fish and chips and everything. I, you know, I kind of went, I went crazy because it was like every meal I wanted to have, you know, seafood and I wanted to eat my fill of it. And it was all very, very delicious. And they have something there that's called duck donuts. And of course, they're in several locations, but the original was in duck, so we had to go to duck donuts. And there's always a line and they're made right on site fresh. And there's like a, you know, a zillion different flavors and, you know, they're, you know, you eat them warm and everybody sits on these benches outside and you eat them, you get them and you eat them. You know, it's not like you're going to get them and keep them, you know, for a while. Like you can't, you just eat them. They're just, they're so good, you know. All right. Well, I think it sounds like an awesome, awesome experience all the way around. And you've got me at donuts, duck donuts, quack quack, have a donut and relax, you know, I love it. I love it. So everyone's got to go. And I want to give out the website for when you go to the Outer Banks, go to outerbanks.org for a hang gliding, check out kittyhawk.com. I want to do that. And for the wild horse is go to wildhorse tour.com. All of that is also in Debbie's article again, which is on nationalparktraveling.com. Everything is linked in the show notes. Thank you so much, Debbie. We can't wait for next month until everybody what we're talking about next month. What are we talking about next month? We are doing your going to your next destination Minnesota. So you're going to Minnesota and you're going to Michigan. Michigan. Michigan. Yes. One of those two we're going to hear about are both. Who knows? But those are both more national park kind of outdoors experiences, right? Right. Absolutely. We it's on our list to to to visit all of them in Michigan, which is Voyager. I mean, Michigan, which is a oil royal in Minnesota in Voyager. And so yeah, I'm looking forward to having some adventures in these watery parks. Watery parks. Awesome. Awesome. We love it. All right. Well, we'll talk soon. All right. Thanks so much and safe travels to you. Safe travels to you, too. Thanks, Debbie. Fire monkey and I didn't say travel monkey this time. All right. Thank you. All right. Bye bye. Thanks for listening to Big Blend Radio's Global Adventures Show with travel writer Debbie Stone. Debbie is here every fourth Tuesday. You can keep up with us at bigblendradio.com. [MUSIC PLAYING]