http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/index.htmlThe Daily Recordendsobotta@coastalnc.orgCopyright 2006 David Sobotta2007-11-04T22:09:48-05:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 Sun, 04 Nov 2007 22:17:17 -0500dsobotta@coastalnc.orgfishing2007-11-04T22:09:48-05:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/5517cfd941366d8acd129db28f336d98-92.html#unique-entry-id-92http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/5517cfd941366d8acd129db28f336d98-92.html#unique-entry-id-92I was driving by the Waterway Inn on Route 24 this evening and saw this fishing boat ready for action sitting out in the Intracoastal Waterway.

I am glad we live where there are still fishing boats.

Fishing boats equal fresh fish and great local shrimp.

I am not sure I could back to eating seafood from a grocery store.

It is just not the same as going down to Clyde Phillip's and picking one off the ice and waiting for it to be professionally cleaned.

I think the only way you get fresher fish is to catch them yourself which we do sometimes.

I will admit that this year my flounder has all come from Clyde Phillips and some of the other local markets. I have struck out on flounder so far.]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgfood2007-10-20T22:47:16-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/e46cd0168f872b47a7897fd8c2c26c11-91.html#unique-entry-id-91http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/e46cd0168f872b47a7897fd8c2c26c11-91.html#unique-entry-id-91A few weeks ago we sampled our first area Lobster Feast at Swansboro. The lobsters were delicious, and it was also a chance to meet some new people.

We were happy to find out that the September Swansboro Lobster Fest is followed each year by the Saint Francis by the Sea one in Salter Path. They both done by Episcopal Churches as fund raising events.

We really had a wonderful time at the Saint Francis event today. Everything was very well organized, and they even had plenty of parking. There couldn't have been a nicer day to have this.

I wonder if anyone is having one in November?]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgCrystal Coast2007-10-18T23:06:40-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/df74ca5ac2277056d7f6a5b41f1c3c68-90.html#unique-entry-id-90http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/df74ca5ac2277056d7f6a5b41f1c3c68-90.html#unique-entry-id-90We drove down to Beaufort recently to catch a glimpse of Blackbeard's Cannon which was raised from the Queen Anne's Revenge on Monday.

The cannon which you can see from clicking on the link was heavily encrusted with sea stuff for the lack of a better term.

It was quite the event with news media prowling the area.

I ended up being almost as impressed by the warm weather which came just after I read about the Arctic ice disappearing at a record rate. Seeing all these eighty degree temperatures in October has to make you wonder about climate change.

Still it was a beautiful day, and we always enjoy going to Beaufort for a visit so a good time was had by all.

]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgCrystal Coast2007-10-13T10:51:46-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/d179400f398ced5d54eddd3e430b0122-89.html#unique-entry-id-89http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/d179400f398ced5d54eddd3e430b0122-89.html#unique-entry-id-89As we finally start to see some cool weather, we can turn our attention to something besides the beaches.

That doesn't mean we won't be getting our feet wet in the surf.

It just recognizes that the weather lets us enjoy some other areas that might not be as much fun in warmer temperatures.

One of those things would be area trails.

We tend to hike the trails in fall, winter, and spring.

Just before sunset last night we went over the Cedar Point part of Croatan National Forest. There are some great trails there.

We only had time for the shortest, but we still had fun.

We only saw three or four mosquitoes so they must have sprayed in the area.

We have had more mosquitoes than in recent years because of some heavy rainfall in August.

We didn't come away with any bites last night perhaps because of the strong breeze.

The scenery was fantastic. The water is about as blue as it will get in a black water river like the White Oak.

You can get more detailed pictures (taken in the winter) of the trail at my accessible trails site or see some more pictures of the trail from last night at my Flickr site.

One of my favorite shots was one that I have called Blue Waters.

]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgCrystal Coast2007-10-11T01:38:14-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/7002d2c55bcb8a527a11c9011f7aa877-88.html#unique-entry-id-88http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/7002d2c55bcb8a527a11c9011f7aa877-88.html#unique-entry-id-88Everyone has their own definition of perfection. Since I live to take pictures, lighting is important to me.

I'm also not a huge fan of high humidity and hot temperatures. However, I have improved a lot in that regard over the last year.

I can mow my yard in some pretty hot weather without much difficulty.

When you look for perfection on a beach, you have to take into consideration water temperature, how well the sand holds up to your footsteps, the wind, and of course the water temperature.

Crowding is also important. Who wants to walk on a beach where you are stumbling over others all the time?

Of course access to the beach should be considered. If the parking lot is packed, that's not much fun either.

I think we got pretty close to perfect last evening at the Eastern Regional Beach Access on Emerald Isle.

There were only four vehicles in the parking lot including our truck. There might have been six or eight small groups of 2 to 3 people scattered up and down the beach.

The air temperature was in the seventies. The water temperature was 81 degrees Fahrenheit, and the sand for the most part was nice walking. There was even a nice breeze, and of course there was some fantastic light from the sunset.

All in all it was near perfect. There was not an iPod to be seen or heard. There wasn't even a broken beach chair by the trash can.

It doesn't get much better than that unless the Bluefish are running in the surf.]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgCrystal Coast2007-10-02T23:43:38-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/3c52c1f8809de52748e6e3a4d2fcefa7-87.html#unique-entry-id-87http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/3c52c1f8809de52748e6e3a4d2fcefa7-87.html#unique-entry-id-87You don't have to look very hard to find wonderful scenery here on the Crystal Coast. Today was another great late fall day.

It was warm enough for the air conditioners to come on late in the afternoon, but last night we slept with the windows open.

The White Oak looked to be be whipped up a little with some small whitecaps near the bridges in Swansboro.

Still it was a great day to be alive and enjoying the area. I didn't get a chance to get out in the kayak or the boat today, but I plan to remedy that tomorrow.

I guess having to spend the afternoon in the office can be forgiven once in a while. I got another great picture on the way home.
'
]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgSwansboro2007-09-30T23:09:39-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/67a316881d690cbe20a276128f22050b-85.html#unique-entry-id-85http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/67a316881d690cbe20a276128f22050b-85.html#unique-entry-id-85Late Sunday afternoon we were searching for new neighborhoods that might be of interest to real estate clients when we noticed the open sign in the building by Swansboro's park on the White Oak River.

We actually had stopped in a week ago when we saw them working on the Trattoria restaurant. At that time they told us they were going to have a limited menu before their scheduled grand opening on Friday, October 5.

Today when we saw the open sign, my wife immediately decided it was too late to go home to cook dinner, so we went to check out the area's newest eatery.

I ordered a bowl of Pasta Fagioli soup which turned out to be excellent especially when combined the delicious warm bread served with olive oil mixed with garlic. Also as an appetizer we ordered a single slice of pizza which turned out to a custom combination of fantastic olives, roasted red peppers, mushrooms, and sun dried tomatoes. It was excellent.

For our main course we had a few slices of Trattoria's White Pizza. The wonderful, crispy crust was brushed with olive oil and then covered with fresh Parmesan, Mozzarella, and Ricotta cheeses. We added spinach and Italian sausage. It was outstanding. I am looking forward to enjoying the rest of it for lunch one day.

We also got to taste a very decadent Cannoli from the dessert menu. Some of the other diners got salads which looked fantastic.

We are already confirmed customers and looking forward to enjoying our next meal at Trattoria. The prices were very reasonable.

It is always nice to get a new restaurant to enjoy during the winter.

]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgSwansboro2007-09-27T11:36:41-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/56f915512d0381dcfc8bc0510a20e0d0-84.html#unique-entry-id-84http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/56f915512d0381dcfc8bc0510a20e0d0-84.html#unique-entry-id-84Yesterday was another warm day. We did a little boating in the morning but the heat got to me, and I decided that there are better times to be on the water.

There were some big clouds beginning to build to the north of us so I decided we would come in and clean the boat up with the hope that better weather would show up this weekend.

Later in the day, I was taking sunset photos from the Swansboro bridge near Clyde Phillips Seafood when I saw a boat streaking across the harbor. I looked to the east and saw the cloud formation that had them moving so fast.

As you can see it was very impressive. I would want to offshore or even in the Intracoastal Waterway with those clouds bearing down on me.

I think they stayed off shore, but they were certainly impressive.]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgBeach2007-09-25T21:33:53-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/862d97b4bb0180fae8a671c9818e8b4d-83.html#unique-entry-id-83http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/862d97b4bb0180fae8a671c9818e8b4d-83.html#unique-entry-id-83It is definitely time to catch some fish on the Point at Emerald Isle.

We drove out today to catch the sunset. It was pretty spectacular.

I still can't get over how the Point has changed.

When I took this picture, I had pulled my truck to the top of the entrance ramp to get some height for the picture.

There so little room left to drive, I am wondering how much I will use the permit that I got for beach driving.

It looks a lot more challenging at some of the other entrances, but at least their beach hasn't disappeared.

There's actually more sand on the Point than there used to be, it just isn't where it was this winter.]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgArea Attractions2007-09-24T07:25:23-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/b87008599035152f0b60ece9dbb4f395-82.html#unique-entry-id-82http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/b87008599035152f0b60ece9dbb4f395-82.html#unique-entry-id-82It was a very warm September Sunday afternoon when we spent a few minutes checking out the fortifications at Fort Macon.

We go to the beach there once in a while just to watch the boats come in from offshore, but this is the first time we have been in the Fort.

It is an impressive spot with a commanding view and obviously a good place to lob shell at your attackers.

It must have been a tough place to build a fort.

Fort Macon reminds me a little of the Citadel in Halifax, Nova Scotia, but the Citadel has a lot more elevation.]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgEmerald Isle2007-09-22T22:52:11-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/1cd074390e485d7397d5880cff44c056-81.html#unique-entry-id-81http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/1cd074390e485d7397d5880cff44c056-81.html#unique-entry-id-81We dodged the afternoon torrential downpours and enjoyed a wonderful Lobster Dinner at Saint Peter's by the Sea in Swansboro.

My hat is off to congregation. It was better than a PEI Lobster Dinner.

After the rains stopped we decided to catch the last of Emerald Isle's 50th birthday party.

We got there in time to hear a speech by Mayor Art Schools who helped me with my Emerald Isle Travel Guide. I have to give the town staff and all their volunteers credit for doing a great job.

I also managed to sample some wonderful barbecue by Ice House Catering, and my wife got a half price burger and Orangeade from Andy's.

I assume the aggressive pricing was due to the afternoon rains keeping the crowds away.

Unfortunately the band had a lot of trouble tuning up. It was well after six pm when Mat Kearney, the famous singer of the day came on stage.

We still had a great time, and enjoyed our walk to the concert.]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgWeather2007-09-20T22:50:46-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/9250bb9afb3615546c669ceb12a81cdf-80.html#unique-entry-id-80http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/9250bb9afb3615546c669ceb12a81cdf-80.html#unique-entry-id-80Today, September 20, has been one of the first rainy days that we have enjoyed in ages.

Once I was done with work, we dropped by Clyde Phillips Seafood.

They were bagging up some Shrimp for the freezers. Our two pounds seemed pretty small compared to the large bags ready to be frozen.

We enjoyed some of those frozen Shrimp last winter. They were a fantastic winter treat. I hope I never eat imported Shrimp again.

We then headed across the bridge to Emerald Isle to see if we could find some excitement.

Today wasn't a great day for photography, but we have been away for a week. I was desperate to feel the sand and check the ocean.

We drove down to the Point and found that surf fishing season is definitely in full swing.

There were trucks parked in several places. The real excitement was that Bluefish were being caught.

In fact in the short time that it took me to walk over to the trucks, two Bluefish were landed.

Since I have become someone who enjoys fried Bluefish, I was curious if the fishermen planned to keep their catch.

The one guy I talked to said his wife only allowed him to bring home fish which have both of their eyes on the same side of their body.

I guess we know which fish they enjoy. Rumor has it there are some Flounder being caught in the Coast Guard Channel.

I was also impressed with the changes to the Point since I was there last winter.]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgCoastal Life2007-09-11T22:45:51-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/b908776b4de0d7f73323c6ffeb5d1c78-78.html#unique-entry-id-78http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/b908776b4de0d7f73323c6ffeb5d1c78-78.html#unique-entry-id-78Today as we crossed the bridge over to Emerald Isle to enjoy a birthday dinner at Rucker John's, it felt like things are getting back to normal.

We had a great, reasonably priced meal and saw some more locals who are beginning to come out of evening hibernation.

There are actually still a fair number of tourists around, mostly those with very young kids or with no kids at all.

The weather has been beautiful, but the wind has been blowing more today that it was when Gabrielle visited us this past weekend. In fact there is a small craft advisory for the area.

I had hoped to attack some dollar weed in our beds this afternoon, but it was too windy to spray.

Yesterday we had a nice walk on the beach. The waters were still stirred up but beautiful. The water is still really warm.

We are really lucky here on the coast. We have had a reasonable amount of moisture so things are still wonderfully green.

All you have to do is add in a gorgeous sunset and some blue waters for a beautiful picture.

Not far inland close to Kinston, I heard that a forest fire had closed Route 70. That is pretty amazing since just a few miles away in Beaufort, they got over 8 inches of rain Sunday night.
]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgWeather2007-09-09T22:33:57-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/67309ab323328574f0b9a0f968e540af-79.html#unique-entry-id-79http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/67309ab323328574f0b9a0f968e540af-79.html#unique-entry-id-79Gabrielle has come and gone.

In western Carteret County we got a nice rain and little more than that.

Sunday afternoon's sunset was a pleasing reminder that sometimes storm predictions are little more than best guesses.

We prepared for the worst and hoped for the best.

We got the best which was some moisture for the crops and our yards.

For me it was good practice for the time when we do have a storm. We secured the skiff to the lift and in general battened down the hatches.

More than anything we did some thinking about what we would do if a serious storm showed up.

I think we are better off for having had a visit by Gabrielle. I hope other areas are as fortunate.

I did post some storm shots in a web gallery.

Saturday I posted my revised Emerald Isle Travel Guide. I hope people planning their vacations find it useful

If your fear of hurricanes is keeping you from considering Carteret County as a spot for a second home or retirement, you might want to read my post on hurricanes.

Pictures are a great way to view our area, and I have created a web page dedicated to slides shows and images from the Southern Outer Banks.

If you want a quick tour of what it is like to live on the coast, check out this link to a brief tour of my first year on the coast.

I also have another web page with some of my favorite posts and recipes.
]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgWeather2007-09-07T21:10:03-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/31b6e56e2705f35e9c77b9bc89355264-77.html#unique-entry-id-77http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/31b6e56e2705f35e9c77b9bc89355264-77.html#unique-entry-id-77It is tough waiting for the storm off the North Carolina coast to make its move.

Still it is worth noting that the current weather is as nice as we have seen all summer. I guess we might as well enjoy it.

That is certainly what I did this evening as I kayaked out to watch the sun slide into the quiet, golden waters of the White Oak River. There was light, cool breeze. It could not have been nicer on the river.

I actually got in trouble with my wife who was waiting for me back on shore behind our house where she graciously uses a boat winch to haul my kayak up on the grass so I can have a safe exit.

Watching the sunset was so peaceful that I almost forgot what time it was. When I did a mad dash for our inlet, I knew I was in trouble when I saw her walking the boardwalk near our home.

Fortunately she is the forgiving type so I haven't had my kayak paddle taken away from me.

I did post some additional pictures in a web gallery.

This evening I posted my first Emerald Isle Travel Guide. I hope it will be useful to people headed our way.

I have put together a number of listings for those interested in browsing the property available in our end of Carteret County.

If your fear of hurricanes is keeping you from considering Carteret County as a spot for a second home or retirement, you might want to read my post on hurricanes.

Pictures are a great way to view our area, and I have created a web page dedicated to slides shows and images from the Southern Outer Banks.

If you want a quick tour of what it is like to live on the coast, check out this link to a brief tour of my first year on the coast.

I also have another web page with some of my favorite posts and recipes.
]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgBeach2007-09-02T23:05:51-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/c8d38dd5ea81f425b6f540cc9ceac803-76.html#unique-entry-id-76http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/c8d38dd5ea81f425b6f540cc9ceac803-76.html#unique-entry-id-76It is the last weekend of summer. The skies have cleared. The temperatures have moderated.

Anyone left on the beach is still enjoying their time there.

The water is still plenty warm and any crowding is mostly waiting for a seat at the area restaurants.

Today we drove up to Pine Knoll shores where this picture was taken. We took a short walk on the beach and then visited another beach access in the area.

After that we drove to Salter Path where we walked out the elevated boardwalk to the beach. It was so nice out there sitting above the beach in the breeze that we never made it down the steps to the beach.

On the way home I stopped to snap a picture of the Emerald Isle Bridge, the marshes at Croatan Park, and a beautiful White Oak River sunset. All the pictures are posted in a set on Flickr.]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgBeach2007-08-25T23:02:34-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/1b814720729b60d619d3438b7069279f-75.html#unique-entry-id-75http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/1b814720729b60d619d3438b7069279f-75.html#unique-entry-id-75Summer is beginning to slip away even as the heat hangs on along the coast.

It will not be many weeks before we will start experiencing cools breezes once again.

The air will clear. The beaches will empty, and the Crystal Coast will pretty much revert to the permanent residents.

It is a great time to come to the beach. I am already starting to hear from people who want to visit in the fall in anticipation of a move next year.

There is no better time to come than when we have warm days and cool evenings.

I have put together a number of listings for those interested in browsing the property available in our end of Carteret County.

Pictures are a great way to view our area, and I have a web page dedicated to slides shows and images that I have taken over the last year.

If you want a quick view of what it is like to live on the coast, check out this link to a brief tour of my first year on the coast.

I also have a new web page with some of my favorite posts and recipes.
]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgCrystal Coast2007-07-29T22:06:22-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/472fcefdb4d527a0f5645b411edd37d8-74.html#unique-entry-id-74http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/472fcefdb4d527a0f5645b411edd37d8-74.html#unique-entry-id-74One of the great pleasures of the Crystal Coast is that we have many different beaches.

Our coast is not just a single strand of sand dedicated to sun worshippers and swimmers.

If you move along the shore, you will see different things. If you are over near Shackleford Banks you might see a wild pony accompanied by a Cattle Egret.

Take a trip down the shore and walk onto the beach from one of the public access points. You will see some signs of people enjoying the beach, even setting up a shelter for their day on the beach..

The time of the day also makes a difference in what you see.

Just after sunrise, you might see runners, fishermen, and some dedicated shell collectors. Later in the morning the kids and their parents show up to enjoy the surf. In the evening, you'll often catch the fishermen again along with evening beach walkers.

We enjoy dropping by Fort Macon State Park which is pictured at the top of the post. We like to watch the boats come in from deep sea fishing. It is best done from the beach area that is away from the swimming area.

I love to watch the Hatteras style fishing boats cruise through the waves like they aren't even there. When we visited last Friday we also got to see someone fishing with a kite and another person doing a para sail trip in the distance.

As the sun started sliding down in the sky more people intent on fishing showed up.

It was another beautiful, bright day on the coast. I wish I could tell how the fishing was offshore by just watching the boats glide by.

Podcast
]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgBeach Safety2007-07-23T22:00:14-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/b633dbb0c7e7313025ce8290808f8486-73.html#unique-entry-id-73http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/b633dbb0c7e7313025ce8290808f8486-73.html#unique-entry-id-73The Changing Moods of the Beach

Recently there have been some incidents at the beach. We have heard about shark bites and drownings. While the shark bites are uncommon and we have not seen any deaths from a bite, each year there are people who lose their life in the water, sometimes while trying to save the life of another.

These losses are tragic and sometimes preventable.

I think many lose sight of the ever changing nature of the beaches. Few people stop to think that the ocean is still a wild environment. When you step into it, you are sticking your foot in another world where you foot might appear to be food to a predator. You are also putting yourself at the mercy of forces which have the power to pull you from safety to danger in seconds.

I have lived in the wilderness in Canada where bears were all around us. Yet I gave the bears plenty of room and had few problems. I did not go and position myself between a mother and her cubs. Being careful is a little more complex here on the beaches and in the ocean. Yet it is up to us to understand that complexity and factor it into our behavior.

The Crystal Coast takes its name from the clear waters that are often the rule on our beaches. Yet when winds whip up the ocean, it is hard for humans and marine life to make out what is actually in the surf.

When we humans are on our well deserved vacations, we often do not want to miss a day in the water. Sometimes weather and warnings are ignored. With the recent events, it is prehaps time to err on the side of caution when the waves and water are whipped up to the point that it is impossible to see what is in the water around you.

I guess the rule should be if you cannot tell what is around you, it is unlikely that marine life can tell what is around them. When the water is like that, it is time to be careful.

Podcast

]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgThe Beach, Crystal Coast2007-07-07T18:43:00-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/dcd56321da12e3b06e995a5e5923e227-72.html#unique-entry-id-72http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/dcd56321da12e3b06e995a5e5923e227-72.html#unique-entry-id-72I doubt that there was a nicer day anywhere than our 4th of July here on the Southern Outer Banks.

In fact it you could bottle weather, that would have been the day to capture.

We left home our home in Bluewater Cove by boat a little after 11 am.

Just as we were getting ready to turn left and head down the river to Swansboro, we saw Bucky and Teresa who work in the same Bluewater GMAC Real Estate office.

Bucky immediately offered to show me how to run the White Oak River up to Stella.

The river is much narrower, deeper, and exotic above Stella.

Being a novice boater, I jumped at the chance to follow someone up the river.

Bucky led us around the oyster beds up to his beautiful home on the water in Stella.

Then he showed us a short cut from the tidal portion of the river to the narrow portion of the river near the trestle and highway bridge.

He went a little way up the river with us, then gave me his cell phone and told me to call if I got in trouble.

The river was absolutely gorgeous and glassy smooth. We went almost to Haywood Landing before turning around and heading back towards Swansboro.

We anchored not far from Swansboro and fished a while before heading back home.

We got back around just in time for a bite of lunch and a quick nap before the neighborhood parade and watermelon feast.

As we all stood around the clubhouse and enjoyed each other's company, I had to marvel at how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful area filled with friendly people from all over the country.

We finally went home cooked some burgers on the grill, watched the neighborhood fireworks and jumped in the car to catch the show at Emerald Isle at 9:30 pm.

We stopped to get a cup of ice cream custard in Emerald Isle while the traffic thinned out.

When we got home, we called the kids and watched the last few minutes of the fireworks on the Mall in Washington DC.

It was pretty close to a perfect day. I even caught a nice croaker off the dock in the morning before things got rolling. I can't ask for much more.

View slide show of trip up the White Oak River

View slide show of Bluewater Cove 4th of July Parade

View slide show of Emerald Isle Fireworks

Podcast
]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgThe Beach2007-06-27T23:00:28-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/69e199364e2cb36243811d089ef157bb-71.html#unique-entry-id-71http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/69e199364e2cb36243811d089ef157bb-71.html#unique-entry-id-71It's almost the fourth of July. I can confirm the water is ready. As we walked on the beach tonight, the water washing over my feet felt almost felt warm.

There were actually a few people on the beach late this evening. It nice to see everyone enjoying themselves. That is what the beach is all about on the Crystal Coast.

I saw kites flying, kids digging in the sand, even a little girl fishing. Someone said the little girl caught a nice Bluefish earlier in the day.

It felt like summer today. The fact that I managed to get an early morning swim in before the heat came helped, but still it was a warm day.

When we were driving back from the beach late this evening, I noticed the temperature was still over eighty degrees. It is summer what can I say?

We when got out at home just as it was getting dark, the warm air with a nice breeze felt just about right.

I need to attach my flag holder bracket to the house, and I will be ready for the fourth of July. The fridge is stocked and plans have been made to watch fireworks either on the beach at Emerald Isle or in Swansboro.

I think the beach got ready for the fourth before I did. It certainly appears the Crystal Coast is ready and waiting for the holiday visitors. Except for Saturday, when thunderstorms are predicted, things look good for the fourth of July week.

For a larger image of the waves, click here.


Podcast]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgCrystal Coast2007-06-18T22:04:13-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/0135818609db05ab0a049a2106a6c493-70.html#unique-entry-id-70http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/0135818609db05ab0a049a2106a6c493-70.html#unique-entry-id-70I have been on the Crystal Coast for almost ten months now. I have been trying hard to capture the spirit of the area in a picture.

I think the one in this post comes pretty close.

As someone once told me, you cannot fully appreciate the Crystal Coast without getting in a boat.

This area is a land of almost horizon to horizon water. Some outside the inlets is very deep. The waters inside the inlets and even in the rivers are often shallow, that shallow water is often a bigger problem than deep ocean water.

Last night I went out our inlet in my kayak. I decided to explore outside the marked channel which we carefully follow with our boat. I soon found my kayak in six inches of water where paddling becomes very hard.

Yet all this shallow water is a nursery for an incredible variety of sea creatures and a very friendly human culture.

The shallower waters in the inlets and the shifting sands often create ad hoc beaches which are reachable only by boat.

I think the gatherings on those beaches really speak to the spirit of friendliness that permeates life on the Crystal Coast.

This is a magical place with opportunities for fun, friendship, and fishing that are hard to find elsewhere.
Podcast]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgCrystal Coast2007-06-07T22:04:59-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/017b8f441b75cf1a4a67c6b6e524ffab-69.html#unique-entry-id-69http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/017b8f441b75cf1a4a67c6b6e524ffab-69.html#unique-entry-id-69Most of us in our fifties can remember the days of drive-in restaurants. Seems like I can remember a few A&Ws that did roller skates.

Most of all I remember Odell's Sandwich Shop in Mount Airy, NC which continues to make its famous Big Moe and still operates as a drive-in though the food is delivered by young guys not on skates.

I first visited Odell's in the early sixties as teenager and was there as recently as last fall.

When I heard Emerald Isle and Andy's were going to recreate a drive-in restaurant to help celebrate their 50th birthday, it did not take much arm twisting to get me to put it on my beach schedule.

Of course the beach weather is so nice that we had to squeeze in a beach walk first. Last night's beach walk was the best of the summer so I was hoping for a repeat, and it turned out that we were not disappointed.

Since it was 7:30 pm when we got off the beach, we were a little worried that Emerald Isle and Andy's might have run out of food or closed, but we drove down Emerald Drive and had no trouble finding the spot since there were people in the street trying to flag down customers.

We didn't need any convincing. We soon had our big white truck parked, our order placed, and our heads in another time and place with great music and Andy's staff zooming around on roller skates.

We enjoyed burgers, fries, orangeade and lemonade. Our meal was less than ten dollars which was also a treat. Seeing a burger basket on the dash brought back memories.

I think we closed down the drive-in but it was still a lot of fun. The food was great, the atmosphere fantastic, and it made me wish Emerald Isle could have a big celebration every year.

We even bought a couple of the commemorative pins for the birthday celebration. They are also pretty neat.

]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgCrystal Coast2007-06-01T22:57:56-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/9ba2ab34674046546aa2fc7d43fc45dd-68.html#unique-entry-id-68http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/9ba2ab34674046546aa2fc7d43fc45dd-68.html#unique-entry-id-68Friday morning around 6 am, I snapped this photo as I came back across the bridge from Emerald Isle to Cape Carteret.. The spectacular sunrise was an appropriate beginning to Cape Carteret's birthday party.

There are a lot of reasons that I enjoy living on North Carolina's Crystal Coast, but the small town atmosphere is at the top of the list.

We have enjoyed a number of local festivals since moving here last fall, but I never expected to be treated with hamburgers and hot dogs cooked by the Mayor of Cape Carteret.

We did not need special invitations either. My wife, Glenda, had just noticed in one of the Wednesday papers that Cape Carteret was inviting everyone to lunch this past Friday to honor their 48th birthday.

Since we are trying to meet as many people as possible, we headed towards Cape Carteret's Town Hall a little after 12 noon. We really had no idea what to expect.

When we got to the town hall, we saw some smoke coming from a grill in the park beside the town hall. There were also a few people eating at a picnic table.

The friendly fellow flipping burgers directed us inside the town hall where we found a cornucopia of burgers, hot dogs, chips, and salads. A number of people were spread out enjoying the burgers in the town council meeting room.

It has been a long time since I had a burger grilled over real charcoal. I really enjoyed the treat. On top of that, there were some hot dogs that had been cooked to proper crispness.

It did not take us long to figure out that our burger flipper was Mayor Harvey Ellis.

We talked briefly with him about why Cape Carteret is such a great place to live. Mayor Ellis also warned us that it gets in your blood, and if you try to leave, you will likely be drawn back.

Though everyone has their own answer as to why they like living and working here, being a safe, friendly small town is almost always mentioned. My personal guess is that the willingness of people to accept outsiders is an important factor.

Perhaps another reason everyone is so happy aside from the beautiful setting on the shores of Bogue Sound and the great winter-free weather is that almost everyone is here by choice. Being in this area is part of a dream for most of us, so it is pretty hard to complain or be unhappy.

Also while munching on our burgers and dogs, we also to meet David Fowler, one of Cape Çarteret's commissioners, who also welcomed us to the area.

That makes it official, having met two people from local government here, I have met twice as many as I idid in Roanoke in nineteen years, and certainly no government official there, especially not the mayor, ever expertly cooked me a burger.

I also just put up a few pictures of the Cape Carteret Town Hall and surrounding area. While you are wandering the web and planning what to do for dinner, check out the article, On the trail of some treats from the sea, that I just posted on my Crystal Coast Restaurants site.

]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgCrystal Coast2007-05-27T15:12:36-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/4bdc8e0616ea6f5321a3f334a82a077a-67.html#unique-entry-id-67http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/4bdc8e0616ea6f5321a3f334a82a077a-67.html#unique-entry-id-67The photo sites that I maintain at Picasa Web Albums and Flickr should convince anyone that I love to take pictures.

I also have a site where maintain my favorite sunrises from our deck in Roanoke.

Since coming to the Crystal Coast last fall, one of my favorite spots for photos has been the bridge between Cape Carteret and Emerald.

I guess a little of what I find special about the photos is the challenge of getting them.

First you have to time your bridge crossing. Then I usually have to let traffic pass me just before I get on the bridge and be careful that no one is behind me before I stop.

Even with those precautions I can only get three or four shots with a fast camera so I have to work quickly while my wife watches for traffic. I have gotten some really nice photos including the one in the post.

I am looking forward taking delivery of our skiff so I can take sunset photos on the water while sipping a beer.

I think that qualifies as a great time especially if it is interspersed with some fishing.

I have gotten some really great photos other places such as down by Clyde Phillip's Seafood where I took this sun-drenched Pelican or at Emerald Wood's park where I snapped this fantastic sunset.

The beach is a great spot for sunrise photos if you can manage to get up early enough to beat the sun.

I also love to take pictures down by the Point at Emerald Isle near the intersection of Bogue Court and Inlet Drive. This sunset is a great example.

Still when I can hit the bridge at the right time, it is hard to beat. I have even managed to time it right for one sunrise.

]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgDining2007-05-18T23:11:30-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/0548709734f6e628f89b38e4e97efd20-66.html#unique-entry-id-66http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/0548709734f6e628f89b38e4e97efd20-66.html#unique-entry-id-66
We were at the Crab Shack in Salter Path the other night enjoying one of my favorite meals, the whole fried clams.

One of our fellow diners got served a bowl of Maryland style steamed blue crabs.

They looked delicious, and my questions to enthusiastic crab eater confirmed it. That was the tipping point for me.

I made my decision then to come back the next afternoon and tackle a bowl of crabs myself.

I tried to convince my wife to participate in my feast, but she would hear none of it.

The next day we got to the Crab Shack sometime after 1:30 pm, I ordered my half dozen crabs, and my wife, Glenda, in protest I suspect ordered chicken pot pie.

Since I knew it would be a long time before I got any significant nourishment from crab effort, I also ordered a bowl of clam chowder which turned out to be excellent.

I actually enjoy the Down East style chowders which have little or no milk in them. The Crab Shack's version has a rich clam taste.

My crabs finally arrived in all their glory just before 2 pm.

Sometime around 2:45 pm I managed to see the bottom of the bowl.

It took me until nearly 3:30 pm to finish the crabs off.

I had to really hurry towards the end since my wife was starting to comment that we might as well stay for dinner.

I can highly recommend the Crab Shack's Maryland style steamed crabs.

The Olde Bay spices with the crushed red pepper were just right as long as there was a beer not too far from my hands.

My Maryland friends were impressed that the crabs showed up with nothing more than saltines.

There were no mallets but other than that I would have to say this was a great way to eat North Carolina blue crabs.

The Crab Shack opens daily at 11 am, and their phone number is 252 247-3444. Just tell them David sent you, and leave a few crabs for me. They are right next to Willis Seafood.

]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgCrystal Coast2007-05-05T22:53:31-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/4b517bc0d5136862e14c1714ec5e7b6d-65.html#unique-entry-id-65http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/4b517bc0d5136862e14c1714ec5e7b6d-65.html#unique-entry-id-65...is actually probably on the mainland. While I have only been wandering the shores of Emerald Isle for a year in this decade, I have been eating burgers in the area for a number of years. Since 2003 I have eaten good ones as far east as No Name Pizza, Cubbie's, and Andy's in Beaufort and as far south as Wilmington's P.T.'s Grille.

The quest for a great burger is a life long journey. I first sampled a Big Moe at Odell's in Mount Airy in 1963. Fortunately for all of us Odell's is still cranking out great burgers. I have been lucky enough to sample Five Guy's Burgers from Northern Virginia. Recently I have enjoyed Cookout burgers on my travels to the coast. Still until walking in the doors of the Fairway Restaurant on Route 58, my favorite burger was from Burger in the Square in Roanoke.

Actually Fairway is a favorite spot of ours for lunch or dinner. I love some of their pork chop dinners, and I have written about them before, Dining along coastal side roads, The Fairway Restaurant.

However, it was just the other day that I had a burger there which confirmed the excellence of one that I had enjoyed there recently. I love grilled burgers, and the ones at Fairway definitely tasted grilled. We actually ended up there the day of the Lowe's Home Improvement Store's opening. Burgers were promised at Lowe's but were cut off at exactly 1PM so we bailed and headed to Fairway where we got a far, far better burger.

As I enjoyed the Fairway Burger, I compared it to all the great ones that I have enjoyed. Without a doubt it is the best that I have had along the Crystal Coast. I think for pure taste it may well outshine the Burger in the Square in Roanoke which is fried not grilled. Still I might have to validate that opinion on my next trip to Roanoke.

For now, I have no doubt that the Fairway Burger holds the crown for the best burger on the Crystal Coast. I am willing to investigate challengers, but I will look only at serious challengers that come highly recommended.


]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgCrystal Coast2007-04-28T12:13:32-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/e6bf4c312d39206608475cb50e9e966c-64.html#unique-entry-id-64http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/e6bf4c312d39206608475cb50e9e966c-64.html#unique-entry-id-64Last night we went over to the beach but the wind was blowing strongly. The folks on the beach seemed pretty wind blown, but the waves were definitely impressive. We decided that better weather was around the corner, and we could wait a few hours for some more heat. Maybe even the wind would die down.

Our patience was rewarded. It's just approaching 1 pm in Cape Carteret and the temperature is not far from 80 eighty degrees Fahrenheit. That will be good on the crop of hot house tomatoes.

I suspect that I will get more than my toes wet today. It looks to be a great day to be living along the coast. Of course in my opinion most of the days are great days to be living on the coast. At least I believe in the product, a piece of Coastal Paradise, that I am selling

]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgCrystal Coast2007-04-23T23:05:18-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/def0cdbf2c4e765f3c83ae324d16ae7c-63.html#unique-entry-id-63http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/def0cdbf2c4e765f3c83ae324d16ae7c-63.html#unique-entry-id-63We had friends from Boston visit us this weekend. I was really happy the weather decided to cooperate. They left home last Tuesday and woke up in Chincoteague on Thursday morning.

It was 40 degrees Fahrenheit and the wind was blowing. By the time they had wandered down to Cape Hatteras, the temperatures had improved to the sixties. They caught the 3 pm ferry from Ocracoke and after arriving in Cedar Island managed to find their way to Cape Carteret by 7 pm.

Saturday morning was a beautiful day, and we did a quick visit to Beaufort. Afterwards we drove down the beach from Atlantic Beach to Emerald Isle, where we stopped for a late afternoon walk on the beach at 3rd Street. The water was still a little cool but tolerable.

After a walk down the Emerald Woods trail to check out the sound, we went to visit the Pelicans by Clyde-Phillips Seafood between the bridges in Swansboro. Then we had a nice dinner at the Fairway on Route 58, and we hit the sack fairly early.

Next morning, we enjoyed the breakfast buffet at T&W's Oyster House, and then we did a little light shopping in Swansboro. Afterwards we bought some nice shrimp at Clyde-Phillips. After a swing by the house to fix the shrimp and put them on ice, we headed to the beach. It was nearly as perfect as the shrimp.

There were people in the water which was noticeably warmer. We spent three hours enjoying a perfect afternoon on an uncrowded beach at the eastern end of Emerald Isle. The water was very inviting and the horizon seemed to be nothing but waves.

We finished the day with a great meal at the Crab Shack in Salter Path, and then we caught the sunset over the sound at Cedar Street access.

We sent our guests on their way back to leafless Boston this morning. They could take some consolation from the fact that the Red Sock swept the Yankees this weekend.

]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgCrystal Coast2007-04-20T14:06:53-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/2d53d572a426943871a260c6a4e6e74f-62.html#unique-entry-id-62http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/2d53d572a426943871a260c6a4e6e74f-62.html#unique-entry-id-62For those who have been waiting for the weather to improve before heading to the beach, consider this your alert that all signs point to a great weekend with things even better next week.

I snapped this picture just up the street from the arrow on this Google map. It is the area referred to as the Point at Emerald Isle. We drove by after we had breakfast this morning over on the Island, and I hopped out of the car and took the picture before we headed to Buck's Corner Farm for some fresh strawberries.

The forecast for Cape Carteret, NC shows the temperature at seventy degrees or better for the next several days. That is a much better way to finish to the month of April. It is a big improvement over the cool temperatures we saw earlier in the month.

If you are looking for a last minute beach rental, you can always make a call to see if anything is available for short term. You can also check my Swansboro or Beaufort travel guides for recommendations on other places to stay and even places to eat if you make it here.

Speaking of food I happened to be wandering down the beach the other day and stopped for dinner at the Crab Shack in Salter Path. I had a wonderful fried clam dinner. They actually use whole clams which is unusual for this area. The view from the restaurant is pretty hard to beat. You can also grab some fresh seafood next door at Willis Seafood Market. It is not hard to feel like you are close to the ocean and sound when you are in Salter Path.

These warming temperatures make it an especially great time to come to the beach. You can expect fantastic weather for walking on the beach and other outdoor activities. This early in the season there should be no crowds either on the beach or in the restaurants.

]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgWeather2007-04-15T23:44:58-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/9640a1b37a751a160689a22c4e81e485-61.html#unique-entry-id-61http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/9640a1b37a751a160689a22c4e81e485-61.html#unique-entry-id-61This morning and early afternoon we got the soaking rain that we need for our yards and woods. I am not sure that what the local strawberries need, but that is the way weather works. It has pluses and minuses. We just have to live with it. It was pretty impressive for a while today. Still it was warm all today until the bottom fell out of the thermometer some time after 7 pm. By eleven PM it had dropped 20 degrees to 50 Fahrenheit.

We have had lots of wind today and this is the highest I have seen the water on our dock in a while, but a day like today is one that you just have to curl up with your favorite entertainment and enjoy. I spent more time reading newspapers than I usually do and even took a nap which is a nice Sunday afternoon kind of thing to do.

I did manage to stir myself to take advantage of the setting sun. I even wrote a post on my View from the Mountain blog contrasting the storm on the coast and in the Virginia mountains where some places saw some light snow this evening.

It looks like this weeks weather is going to be pretty nice. By the weekend we will be back in the mid-seventies.

]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgCrystal Coast2007-04-13T23:47:22-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/5f63e811244e849a113fdc268a4affe8-60.html#unique-entry-id-60http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/5f63e811244e849a113fdc268a4affe8-60.html#unique-entry-id-60The local strawberries are here. As far as I am concerned they are the first taste of summer. It is a delicious way to start the local produce season. This afternoon I dropped by Bucks Corner Farm, just off of Route 58 a little less than two miles before the intersection with Route 24 in Cape Carteret.

Bucks Corner Farm has signs out on 58 or you can call them at 252 241-2755, 241-2240, or 241-4854 for more information or to place orders. It is obviously a great family operation which works very hard to put quality fresh produce on our tables.

I managed to get to the farm just as they were about to sell out of today's berries, but the ladies assured me there would be lots more on Saturday. The buying experience does not get any better, fresh berries and friendly ladies.

We first discovered Bucks Corner Farm last summer when we were getting ready to close on our house in Bluewater Cove. We managed to sample lots of their produce including tomatoes and those famous watermelons. I really looking forward to enjoying all the vegetables as they come in this spring.

I believe I heard them say that there will some hot house tomatoes ready soon. They can't be soon enough for that first tomato sandwich of the year.

I certainly I enjoyed the strawberries this afternoon. It is not often you get produce right from the farm these days. Later this evening I made myself a strawberry-banana smoothie so I am down to half a box and will have try to get some more in the next few days.

We are really blessed to have strawberry fields this close to Cape Carteret. Folks who have lived here a while might take them for granted, but once you live in the city and are forced to accept strawberries shipped in from California, your really appreciate what our local farmers can produce. The California berries are not nearly as good as the local ones.

I am really happy that the folks over at Bucks Corner Farm were able to protect their strawberries from the big freeze and snow last week. The farmers up the central part of North Carolina or the mountain valleys near Roanoke, Va. where our other home is were not able to do anything to save their berries from what I've heard.

We need to enjoy wonderful berries. I have a feeling that fresh strawberries and other fruits are going to be valuable items this year thanks to that Canadian cold that hit us.

Now if I just had my old White Mountain ice cream freezer down here, I might be convinced to make some homemade ice cream. I am sure someone would prevent me from using all the cream that it needs so I would be content if we could just make some strawberry freezer jam like we did last year. When you open a jar of that in the winter time, it is like opening a jar of summer.

]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgCrystal Coast2007-04-09T23:29:40-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/ed8195e3a475908fc797ad684d8c4268-59.html#unique-entry-id-59http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/ed8195e3a475908fc797ad684d8c4268-59.html#unique-entry-id-59I snapped this picture on March 22 during some pretty good surf. I think almost all of us can stand and watch the surf for hours. If you give us a chair we will be there for days. I believe April 1 & 2 when I went for beach walks and actually got my feet wet for the frist time this year. The last weekend I visited Roanoke, Va. which is our other home besides Cape Carteret.

Our grass was in serious need of mowing. I spent most of Friday afternoon getting the yard in shape for the kids to join us for Easer.

After that I spent some time wondering about "What makes me happy." Then I started thinking about whether it is the mountains or coast where I want to plant my roots. That's a pretty hard to decision to make when you are surrounded by beauty in two different areas. This sunrise in Roanoke this weekend was impressive, but I don't like it any better than this coastal one. This time of year, there is lots of beauty to go around including some nice Dogwoods, Flowering Cherries, and Redbud trees.

]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgCrystal Coast2007-04-04T08:47:52-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/8b6b3a23cbec5f1aa1897eacd7411dcd-58.html#unique-entry-id-58http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/8b6b3a23cbec5f1aa1897eacd7411dcd-58.html#unique-entry-id-58I am hereby declaring it beach season. This weekend I actually waded in the water as we walked along the shore after we parked at the 3rd Street Beach Access in Emerald Isle. I thought it was going to be too cool but the water was not that cold for my hot feet.

Since our walk on the beach, we have had two really warm days so I expect things will improve until we get to this unfortunate cold snap that is headed our way for Easter weekend.

Yesterday marked the changing of the seasons for me. I showed up to work for our real estate caravan in tan pants as I have been doing since the first of the year. I was the only guy not in shorts. That is one mistake I will never make again.

I guess wearing long pants after April 1 in Coastal NC is against the rules. I am all for those rules.

When I got home at lunch and told my wife, she said that she might as well pack up my long pants since I will likely adopt the new business casual with any hesitation.

Sometimes you know that you have died and gone to heaven. To think I spent nearly twenty years wandering around Washington, DC in a suit. What was I thinking?

If you need help escaping from the rat race, call me. The advice is free if I can help you find some property.


]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgCrystal Coast2007-03-31T21:40:58-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/e5fd723651e4923e8dada70b3c2635da-57.html#unique-entry-id-57http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/e5fd723651e4923e8dada70b3c2635da-57.html#unique-entry-id-57Well I took another shot at getting over to the beach by sunrise. I almost made it. I did catch the sun rising on Bogue Sound. It was pretty spectacular. My wife actually said, "Does it really look like that?" I told her that folks who never get up to see the sunrise should not question those who do. Of course that meant I had to take her out to dinner tonight to make up for having a smart mouth.

Usually the dramatic effects come from zooming in on the area which is most exotically colored and then cropping out the rest of the scene. Sometimes putting pictures on the web distorts the colors a little, but usually it mutes them, and you have to adjust for that to get the image back to the way your eye saw it. Of course my eyes might see if differently than someone else's.

I got a really nice shot of the sun through the beach grasses just as I walked on the beach. Then there was this spectacular shot of the light from the rising sun catch the foam of waves that I had zoomed in on for a closer shot. Part of the reason I enjoy taking pictures into bright sunlight is that you get some very unusual effects as the camera lens adjusts for the very bright light.

Later in the morning, we took a run over to Newport and checked out the annual Pig Cooking Contest. I wrote a post, "Barbecue for breakfast," about the event on my View from the Mountain Blog. I also posted some pictures at "Newport's Big Barbecue Event."

]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgCrystal Coast2007-03-30T22:20:43-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/475de1a46fffbb71665cf7e3d2d1bdce-56.html#unique-entry-id-56http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/475de1a46fffbb71665cf7e3d2d1bdce-56.html#unique-entry-id-56There were a couple of days recently when I did not take any photos. It actually bothers me since I use my pictures to help with ideas for my writing. There is one time of day that is almost always wonderful for pictures. That's sunrise on a clear morning. As difficult as it is to roll out of bed early, I decided that I wanted to get a picture of the sunrise from Emerald Isle. Unfortunately our cat took a playing spell around five this morning and woke me up. When I fell back asleep, I overslept by about ten minutes.

When I got into the car, I knew that I would be late, but I figured it was worth the ride anyway. I was right. Each inland body of water was a mass of fog so dense that my camera's auto focus wouldn't work on it. I only got to the bridge over to Emerald Isle before the sun started coming up. It was a fantastic sight, and traffic was light enough that I was able to come almost a complete stop at the high point on the bridge. That is where I snapped the shot included in the post.

I could have turned around after getting to the island and been happy, but I went on over to the first public access and got a few more shots. It was worth the effort The first shot I call beachrise and the next one simply palmsunrise.

It was cold enough on the beach to have a coat on, but it turned out to be a gorgeous day later.

This morning Yardworks finished laying some sod around our house that did not get put down in the fall. Now I can start enjoying the patterned concrete patio we had done this winter. I also put our new gas grill together this week. The gas company hooked up the gas line, and I have a nice Porterhouse Steak in the fridge for Saturday night. I am looking forward to it.

Speaking of food we had a birthday lunch for a co-worker at Rucker John's on Emerald. I think we all had one of their delicious salads. We previewed a few homes this afternoon, washed my car, and still got home in time for me to go for a bike ride and water the new sod.

This is the weather that I moved to the Crystal Coast to enjoy. Today the high temperature was 66 degrees Fahrenheit with a low temperature of 34 degrees. There was widespread frost last night but tonight we aren't supposed to be so cold. By next week, the first week in April, the forecast is for us to be back in the mid-seventies which is pretty close to perfect.

The rain earlier this week did a good job of getting much of the pollen out of the air for a few days. So there is not much to complain about except we need more rain.

Tomorrow is the big Pig Cookout in Newport. With any kind of luck we'll get to sample that great vinegar based barbecue.

]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgCrystal Coast2007-03-26T23:00:07-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/92429dd2bee4151b207cbd8b7fe07c12-55.html#unique-entry-id-55http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/92429dd2bee4151b207cbd8b7fe07c12-55.html#unique-entry-id-55We were all young once. I can remember climbing out on the roof of my college dorm with nothing but an old copper gutter to keep us from falling four or five stories. I snapped this photo from one of my favorite beach houses.

After previewing hundreds of homes, on or near the water, I have to say the spot where I took this shot is one of my favorites since you can rotate 45 degrees and see a wonderful sunset.

I think it is really neat that people are drawn to some of the great spots for sunsets. It seems viewing the great ones is a daily activity for some of us. People often do little talking, mostly they just stand in awe of the natural beauty unfolding in front of them.

It is one of my favorite times of day. It's a little easier to take than sunrise which requires lots of effort to enjoy unless you have a home like we do in Roanoke where sunrise is part of your bedroom.

So far my favorite sunset is this one over Bogue Sound from the Emerald Woods trail pier. I like this White Oak River Sunrise. If you like the photos, I have some prints of other scenes in the area for sale at the Tidewater Gallery in Swansboro.

]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgReal Estate2007-03-21T22:34:03-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/f0d0130e4ef82187a3d579a12a83b586-54.html#unique-entry-id-54http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/f0d0130e4ef82187a3d579a12a83b586-54.html#unique-entry-id-54I just came back from Roanoke, Virginia. The local newspaper, the Roanoke Times, published an article today called, "On the upswing." It was about the real estate market. The article certainly had a different tone from the one entitled, "The real estate bubble," which was in the Careteret News-Times this past weekend. I guess the first question is whether or not the Roanoke, Va. real estate market is in that much better shape than the Carteret County one.

The Roanoke area has a much larger population, and figuring out how to compare apples to apples would be a huge challenge. Something that I do not think that I will try in a quick blog entry. I would likely end up swamped in statistics trying to equalize the two areas.

However, since I am a Realtor® and have homes in both areas, I have a pretty good idea of the market conditions. I think that I can safely say there isn't too much difference in the two markets, except in the newspaper coverage. Some home prices have come down in Carteret County, but they went far higher than they did in the Roanoke area. The average sale price here on the coast is still about 24% higher. My guess is that our waterfront properties add substantially to the average price. Living on the Roanoke River actually is a negative on selling price since the river often floods. Both markets seem relatively healthy to me.

Real estate is a very local business. It is also very dependent on the attitude of the buyers and sellers. Both Roanoke and Carteret County-Swansboro are attractive areas but for different reasons. Each area has its boosters and some wonderful things happening. It just depends on whether you like a little more urban environment with mountains or little more rural setting with beaches and lots of water access.

Buyers and sellers are the real ones to decide the prices for which homes sell. If you are happy with the area you live in and have no pressure to sell, you will likely not come down quickly in price on a house that you have placed on the market. If you want to live in a certain area, you will pay more for that area. The opposite can be true in both cases.

The wonderful thing about real estate is that different people love different areas. My guess is that both Roanoke and the Crystal Coast will see an improvement in the real estate market this year. Homes here are no longer selling before potential buyers even have a chance to see them. Prices have adjusted some but the average cost of a home continues to rise, just not as quickly.

A home is still a great investment in Roanoke or on the Crystal Coast. Now is a great time to be looking since there is plenty to choose from and as is always the case some people want to sell quicker than others.]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgReal Estate2007-03-18T23:00:47-04:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/c86e58540522a7b5811bb819325f23d8-53.html#unique-entry-id-53http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/c86e58540522a7b5811bb819325f23d8-53.html#unique-entry-id-53I pose the question of "Do you buy stocks based on editorials in the newspaper?," because Sunday, the Carteret County News-Times published an editorial entitled "The real estate bubble."

I am a newcomer to the area so I have no axe to grind with the News-Times. I have become a relatively faithful reader of their paper. I might disagree with some of the editorial writers that they choose to publish on their pages, but it isn't much of hardship to go online and find ones that I do like. I do not consider myself an expert on balancing editorial pages so I have not launched a blog campaign about how the News-Times handles their editorial pages. Actually I would far rather take pictures like the one above of Swansboro just after sunset on this past Saturday, than read most editorials.

In addition to taking pictures, I have spent the last nine months studying real estate intensively. On top of that, I have bought one house myself, sold another and helped my kids buy two other homes in very different markets over the last five years. I have lived through a so-called "real estate bubble implosion." We owned a home in Halifax, NS in the late eighties when the off shore oil boom collapsed. We ended up losing about 25% of our investment because the market became flooded with homes that the oil companies were trying to unload for whatever prices that they could get. We carried the payments for the Halifax house even after we moved to Columbia, Md where we bought another home near my new job. We sold our Columbia home less than twenty two months later before we moved to Roanoke, Va. It sold in six days. We actually gained back everything we lost on the Halifax home when we sold our Columbia home.

In the fall of 2004 we sold my mother's house in Mount Airy, NC. Our family had been living on that plot of ground since around the turn of the century. The house itself was built in the twenties with the help of some workers from National Furniture that my father kept employed during the depression by putting them to work on the house. Much of the woodwork including doors in the house is solid walnut. It was one of the first houses in Surry County to have electrical breakers instead of fuses. It even had a tile roof and solid copper gutters. The house also had a huge formal garden which was one of the reasons we had to sell the place. We just could not devote the time that was needed to keep the house in the shape that it deserved. We ended up selling the house for less than we wanted, but it is now a wonderful bed and breakfast and is called the Sobotta Manor.

At the same time we were selling the Mount Airy house which stayed on the market for over two years, we were striking out in finding a house on the water that we could afford somewhere along the Crystal Coast.

The point of this tale is that generalizations do not mean much in the real estate market. The News-Times says that "Carteret County's average home sales prices in recent months have been flat." The statistics which I am looking at tonight from January 1 through March 18 do not agree with that assessment. However that is beside the point. Anyone who has spent much time in Carteret County knows that there are widely different housing markets across the county. Before settling in Bluewater Cove, we gave up trying to buy a home in Beaufort. The market was so hot that by the time we got an email on a property, it was already sold. Things are not that way today in Beaufort.

The market that we face here in Carteret County is far different than the market that I faced in the late eighties in Halifax, NS. There are no oil companies here unloading homes for whatever they could get for them. I seriously doubt we will see something similar to the Halifax market correction since most people living on the Crystal Coast are not in a corner and being forced to sell their properties. In fact we have a number of properties where the pricing is relatively inelastic. The owners will sell them, but only if they get something near what they want for the property. They are trying to maximize their profits and are willing to wait.

I imagine most of them are well aware of tax changes over the years and have consulted their tax attorneys to figure how much profit they can shelter if their home qualifies as a principal residence according to IRS rules.

It has been widely reported in newspapers recently that North Carolina is one of the top destinations for retirees. In spite of what the News-Times says, most people coming here, myself included, find the tax rates, even the new ones, much less than what they are accustomed to paying. Our property taxes are about 20% of what they were on a similarly priced home in Roanoke, Va. People from Northern Virginia and other urban states have been paying even higher than what we pay in Roanoke.

We bought our home relatively close to the top of the real estate boom. Still we had looked for three summers before finding this house which ended up having almost everything we wanted.

I have looked at a lot of property in Carteret County since becoming a Realtor® with Bluewater GMAC Real Estate, I still have not seen a property that was a better value or where I would rather live. When I factor in the amenities of the Bluewater Cove subdivision, the growing services available within five miles, and the proximity to the Emerald Isle beaches plus the access to the Atlantic Intercoastal Waterway, I am confident that we made a good investment. Also as a purchaser of a single family home, the prices of high density condominium homes would have to change massively before it would impact my decisions. As much as the News-Times worries about that the condominium market impacting the whole real estate market, I would caution that your single family home is a different market.

To close I would say, talk to a Realtor® if you want or need to sell your property. Don't base your decision solely on what you read in the newspapers. Real estate is one of the most locally sensitive and personal commodities in the world. Realtors® spend all their time figuring out how to get you the most money for your home if they represent you as a seller. If you hire them as a buyer's agent they spend all their time trying to get your a great deal. One of the key factors in the real estate market is that it only takes one person to buy your home. When we sold our farm in New Brunswick, a lady from Singapore bought it and turned it into the Tay Ridge Farms bed and breakfast.

If you are waiting to buy because you believe there will be fire sale prices on homes in Carteret County, I think you will have a long wait. There are far too many people wanting to buy houses for the bottom to drop out of the market. The statistics which I am looking at suggest that some markets are doing well and that prices have not gone down in all markets. It is also important to remember that many of the buyers are not coming from around the corner. Some come and find our prices reasonable because they haven't been able to find the mix of amenities, quality housing, and water access that they want elsewhere.

Last summer there was even a NY Times article, "North to Canada, for an Ocean View," about people looking as far north as Prince Edward Island for beach front property. Let me say this clearly. The weather in Prince Edward Island in July is about like our March weather except the water is colder along their nicer beaches. Their only water that is swimmable by something other seals and Labrador retrievers is not nearly as nice as our beaches. We're a much better buy than Prince Edward Island unless you place a lot of value on property where you can also ice skate and shovel snow in the winter.

Remember the real estate advice you get from the newspaper might be worth the whole fifty cents that it cost you.

In the end newspapers care about selling newspapers.

The Carteret County real estate market is what the buyers and sellers make it, not what the newspaper declares it. Invite someone to the beach this summer. We're still the best kept secret on the East Coast.

]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgCrystal Coast2007-03-10T23:53:12-05:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/67bcc7a1d12b2f90fd2a0f6bb6208502-52.html#unique-entry-id-52http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/67bcc7a1d12b2f90fd2a0f6bb6208502-52.html#unique-entry-id-52Now this is the kind of weather I have been waiting to enjoy. It was actually a little warm when I went to get the newspaper this morning. I know it was in the mid-sixties even over near the beaches.

I had a great day. I wrote a little this morning, had a relaxing lunch, and did some email correspondence. Then I went to the office and worked for an hour or so getting familiar with some MLS listings before coming home for a great bike ride. It was even warm enough to switch to shorts. Lots of people were outside working.

There were also plenty of daffodils blooming and none of them were falling over from dampness like they often are early in the spring in the mountains. The other great news is that I saw same bait fish in the channel behind our house. When I did a little casting after coming back from my bike ride, the small fish even boiled the surface around a plastic bait.

It's nice to see something alive in the water besides a heron, pelican, or duck. The sighting of bait fish means that there is hope for some real fish in the not so distant future. I guess I better start thinking about that boat.

After my fishing expedition, I decided to go take some pictures of the sunset. I gambled that the light would be right from the ramp in Emerald Isle Woods Park. As you can see from the photo, it was a pretty good gamble.

I posted a few of the shots that I took on both Flickr and Picasa Web Albums. Someone even piped in as I was posting and asked me the location of this photo. I also tagged it on a map in Flickr so people could see where the photo was taken. You can go to this link and click on the map link to right of the photo to see for yourself.

Bogue Sound can certainly do a wonderful job with a sunset. When I got back to my truck, there was an Emerald Isle Policeman parked behind it. He told me that he was getting ready to close the park down for the night. Fortunately I escaped before the gates were locked.

I grabbed some takeout Chinese at Golden China and enjoyed a feast at home. It seemed appropriate to have food from Golden China to go with the golden sunset.

]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgCrystal Coast2007-03-08T11:48:41-05:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/691e6ef670fd8990516a5d145fa72cb0-51.html#unique-entry-id-51http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/691e6ef670fd8990516a5d145fa72cb0-51.html#unique-entry-id-51Though the weather seems to be reluctant to get warm, we cannot complain very much. The Washington, DC area had snow as I noted in a post I did on my View from the Mountain blog. Other areas are also still experiencing lots of really cold weather. It looks like we can expect some nice seventy degree temperatures early next week. With that in the near future, I'm not going to complain about some temperatures in the fifties since the snow isn't that far from us.

The local papers have articles about the planning process for the growth along the White Oak River basin. We know the growth is happening. I live in Bluewater Cove which is one of those new subdivisions along the White Oak. There are plenty more planned which as a Realtor® I believe are important to the economic health of Carteret County.

Still it is very important that we all work to not only keep more damage from happening to the White Oak but to also repair it the best we can. It's too beautiful a spot to let it be ruined by growth which doesn't factor in the health of the river. Te

]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgCrystal Coast2007-03-06T22:07:23-05:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/65c17bc5e0b35e627a069e8b20b9b9ff-50.html#unique-entry-id-50http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/65c17bc5e0b35e627a069e8b20b9b9ff-50.html#unique-entry-id-50I have been in the mountains for a few days and welcomed the coastal warmth today. While today might have seemed cool, all I can say is that you should have been in Roanoke, Va. on Sunday, March 4, 2007. The high temperature was 38 degrees Fahrenheit with wind gusts between 15 and 33 miles per hour. That translates to a very cool day with some snow flurries. You can almost feel the cold from this picture I took the next day. If that doesn't make you feel cold then this shot of snow showers across the Roanoke valley the morning of the fourth will probably do the trick.

Still it did get over fifty degrees Fahrenheit in Cape Carteret today so it was pleasant enough for me to make several casts from the dock behind the house. My left arm was a little sore so I considered it therapy. I was very surprised to see the fishing kayak paddle into the channel behind the house at not much before five pm. I asked the angler if he had done any better than I did a little earlier. His comment was that he suspected all the fish were home by the fire. Given how the temperature was dropping at that time of day, I suspect our kayaking fisherman wished he were there by the fire himself. I know it was cool enough this evening to turn the gas logs on for a while.

If fishermen are starting to flail the water, can warmer weather be very distant?

]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgCrystal Coast2007-03-02T11:11:46-05:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/12f08b065b4e412959ed1e79cc7f3f8c-49.html#unique-entry-id-49http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/12f08b065b4e412959ed1e79cc7f3f8c-49.html#unique-entry-id-49I'm hoping that it won't take many days to get back to clear skies and calm water like the that in this early morning picture of Swansboro that I snapped earlier in the week. The weather system and front which passed through today after walloping the Midwest and the South, is still causing trouble in the Northeast and Canada.

The fifteen day Accuweather forecast for the Cape Carteret/Cedar Point/Swansboro area has twice as many days in the sixties/seventies as it does in fifties. So we are making steady progress towards spring. I'll take fifties and sixties over snow and ice any day of the week.

This was a huge storm even when it moved off the coast. You can click this link for a current NOAA image. If you are a little late catching this post, I did a screen capture which I hope NOAA won't mind me posting for posterity.

The better weather forecast for the next couple of weeks and the warm weather we've already had should make for some improved fishing in to the not too distant future.

In the technology front, if you're interesting in real estate tools, I have had great luck building a home virtual tour for 126 White Heron Lane which is located in Bluewater Cove. The tour includes a walk thorugh. The software I used is called Mapwing and I highly recommend it. I'll be posting more on it later.


]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgCrystal Coast2007-02-27T23:28:35-05:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/20243a2ce389704da697bc9a79293e7e-48.html#unique-entry-id-48http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/20243a2ce389704da697bc9a79293e7e-48.html#unique-entry-id-48I decided to watch the sunrise from Swansboro this morning. It was a little nippy on the hands but I got some great pictures. My buddy the old Pelican was hanging around the dock with lots of friends. The pictures of the sun coming up over the White Oak River turned out really nice. This sunrise picture caught a flight of geese I believe. It was taken from the Swansboro Memorial park which made for an interesting shot itself.

I have found Swansboro a little more difficult to photograph than Beaufort. I think it may have something to do with the wide streets in Beaufort compared to the very narrow ones in Swansboro. I was hoping to have few cars on the streets this morning, but there were plenty including a truck towing a boat. If you know anything about Front Street in Swansboro, the last thing you want to drive there is a truck hauling a big skiff.

I did get a good early morning shot of Swansboro from close to the end of the bridge by Clyde Phillips.

I can offer no complaints on the weather. It certainly a nice day here on the coast and a taste of more good days to come I hope. I even wore shorts for part of the day. It was great to get back in uniform.

Late this afternoon while I was working in my office, I had to open the window to enjoy the cool breeze. Even the cat thought it was time to taste the fresh air.

]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgWeather2007-02-24T22:35:35-05:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/525fb0972e43f76ff7e763b04e71c205-47.html#unique-entry-id-47http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/525fb0972e43f76ff7e763b04e71c205-47.html#unique-entry-id-47This shot was taken at Hidden Bay this evening. We've spent most of the week wandering Emerald Isle. I have been surprised at how windy it has been over on the beach, but I guess that is just me being new to the area. Last week it seemed ten degrees on more cooler over on the island compared to Cape Carteret. This has been a good week to hope for a bridge without delays. There have been plenty. Maybe they are almost done with whatever they are doing.

We have been over on the island so much that we have managed to eat lunch twice at Mike's Place. There aren't many places to get inexpensive lunch food in this area, and Mike's is one of them except I am guessing that during the summer you probably can't get near it. I've tried one of their Greek specials and enjoyed their very tasty vegetable beef soup.

As long as you can get your lunch in before 2 pm, Mike's is a good spot to hit.

Carteret County is truly an amazing place. I actually don't know how I get anywhere on time. I am always stopping to take pictures. When I go around a curve there is always a new vista where I think I might snap the next great shot. This is the perfect time of the year for photography. The air is clear with no haze, and there are just enough people around to add some interest to the pictures. The pelicans also seem especially cooperative right now. If they can find a sunny spot, they aren't going to give it up just because someone is taking their picture. This shot which I call Clyde's Birds was taken over between the bridges near Clyde Philip's Seafood on Friday night. I took two others that I really like at the same time and spot. One I call Pelican on Fire and the other simply Gull and Pelican.

My new camera, which I got for taking wide angle shots in houses, is also great for landscapes like this picture from the point at Emerald Isle that I call Beach Light. The new camera is the reason I cannot seem to go around a curve without stopping to take a few pictures. It also does a great job on houses.

This Bluewater Cove house is still under construction and has not been cleaned up yet, but you still can see how well the wide lens shows off the house if you visit my website dedicated to 126 White Heron Lane.


]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgCrystal Coast2007-02-21T22:32:38-05:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/2beaffc4cd2e015da6a31a142115c47d-46.html#unique-entry-id-46http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/2beaffc4cd2e015da6a31a142115c47d-46.html#unique-entry-id-46Finally after a month of cold weather, we are now getting some warm temperatures once again We've had lots of Robins in our yard, and I've actually been out to get the newspaper two mornings in a row without a coat. Those are good signs. It's nice to see that the ice on channel behind the house didn't become permanent.

The last couple of weeks, I've been previewing homes throughout Carteret County. I am stunned by the selection of real estate available here on the Crystal Coast. There is everything from huge homes on the water costing in the millions to newly constructed homes priced under $270K. I am also surprised by the number of people interested in the Crystal Coast who have never even been here. People are searching for areas with low crime, great weather, pure water, and friendly people.

I feel pretty safe in saying the Crystal Coast meets those requirements with little trouble. There are lots of other advantages that come with living here. We have had a good time hiking in spite of the cool weather. I have created a web page with links to many of the wonderful accessible trails here on the coast that can be enjoyed even by those who need to use wheel chairs.

While we were checking out homes in Emerald Isle today, we decided to have lunch at Jordan's. I have given them my official award for the best piece of Flounder that I've had so far in Western Carteret County. They are located at 8106 Emerald Dr. and are closed on Tuesdays this time of year.

]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgWeather2007-02-17T22:26:39-05:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/09f5b170077db0695fbee0d1111465ea-45.html#unique-entry-id-45http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/09f5b170077db0695fbee0d1111465ea-45.html#unique-entry-id-45The warm weather has disappeared from the Crystal Coast this past week. Since those long ago sixties that we saw on Monday and Tuesday, we have struggled to even get into the fifties.

I felt sorry for the folks working on the Emerald Isle bridge yesterday. It was definitely cool in the wind. We got a chance to view a number of houses on Emerald Isle yesterday and the day before.

It amazes me how nice homes that there are in the area. One home turned out to be a real surprise. The people selling their home had just bought a home just up the street from us at Bluewater Cove.

We did take the time to stop and hike the wonderful trail at Emerald Woods. I'll try to get up a site with some pictures of that this evening. By the time we hiked down to the sound at around 5pm, the temperature had dropped to 39 degrees Fahrenheit. I had hoped to catch the sunset there, but my wife disappeared on me. She headed back into the woods to get out of the constant wind.

I convinced her to ride over to the Point at Emerald Isle which is where I snapped this shot. It was 36 degrees when I got back in the car. It felt great to warm my hands up a little.

It was good practice for this morning when the temperature got down to 20 degrees.

]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgWeather2007-02-14T22:39:40-05:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/d757df233a38e679f41a74590670166b-44.html#unique-entry-id-44http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/d757df233a38e679f41a74590670166b-44.html#unique-entry-id-44We have had some really warm weather recently. Monday and Tuesday, the temperatures were in the mid to upper sixties. With those temperatures in mid-February, the Crystal Coast was an even nicer spot than usual.

I snapped the picture to the left of the Swansboro bridge disappearing into the fog on Tuesday afternoon. I think the air was so warm that fog was forming just a few feet above the surface of the water. It made for an interesting picture. Earlier in the morning the sky had been a beautiful Carolina blue. The surface of the water leading to the White Oak River was also dead calm.

Later in the afternoon, we headed over to Emerald Isle to preview homes which are listed by Bluewater GMAC, the firm where I am a new Broker. We have some great houses listed over on the beach. This is the view from the upper deck of one of our listings over by the point at Emerald Isle. Now is a great time to be looking at beach property. Mortgage rates are low and many people are still waiting to jump back in the market. There is also plenty of inventory to view. The best properties always go first so don't wait if you're interested.

I have been surprised by my how many homes are rented this time of year. I think it is a great time to be at the beach, but I guess I thought I was the only one with that thought. I have had to wait to view a number of homes because they were occupied with renters.

I love all the small restaurants here which typically have far better food than your average chain restaurants. Tonight my wife and I had a special Valentine's dinner at Floyd's 1921 on Bridges Street in Morehead City. It's only 20-25 minutes from Cape Carteret. I had the Prime Rib, and Glenda, my wife, had the baked stuffed Salmon. Everything we ate was delicious. The service was excellent. We'll be going back, and I'll write a review once I've been a few times.

The weather will cool off over the next two days. We may even struggle to get few degrees about forty Fahrenheit on Friday. Still, we can't complain very much since the Valentine's Day Blizzard of 2007 was just some nighttime rain here on the coast. Some rain is a lot better than twelve feet of snow.

]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgWeather2007-02-11T22:11:08-05:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/f4e1a78688217941c02256f120450303-43.html#unique-entry-id-43http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/f4e1a78688217941c02256f120450303-43.html#unique-entry-id-43When I got up this morning, it didn't take long to figure out that the temperature had dipped below freezing. There was ice on Raymond's Gut which leads out to the White Oak River. Still it didn't take long to warm up. We decided to do another visit to T&W's Oyster Bar for their Sunday brunch. It was well worth the trip. The food was great, and there were a number of people there so business is good.

With warmer temperatures of fifty predicted for the afternoon, we decided to head out for some more hiking in Croatan National Forest. We had done part of the Tideland trail on Saturday, but we started so late it was a little cool to contemplate finishing the bigger loop. Today we got to the park in plenty of time to enjoy the warmth of the early afternoon sun.

We had a nice leisurely hike around the larger trail loop which takes you through the maritime woods and along the shore marshes. We stopped several times to take pictures and to say hello to a few new canine friends. In addition to the website with pictures from yesterday, I put up another website with some additional trail shots from today including one of the not so rare black-backed swimming cheetos eater. Lots of people were hiking today, but there was still plenty of room on the trail.

Tomorrow the temperatures are supposed to get into the sixties. I guess that will mean going for a hike on the beach.

]]>dsobotta@coastalnc.orgWeather2007-02-07T22:02:15-05:00http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/1324958eeca0375ced20bd0166cfaf72-42.html#unique-entry-id-42http://coastalnc.org/dailyrecord/files/1324958eeca0375ced20bd0166cfaf72-42.html#unique-entry-id-42It may come as a shock, but you only have to travel a few hours to find some significant snow that is the result of the recent east coast cool down. While it got to 54 degrees Fahrenheit in Cape Carteret today, just a little over five hours away in Roanoke, Virginia the temperature only managed to make it to 36 degrees Fahrenheit. That coupled with roads that had been chilled by temperatures as low as