BEACH FIRES & all that goes with them
Fall creates a looser vibe on the islands of the Outer Banks. You’ll find it easier to get around, and easier to get your OBX on. For instance, how about a beach fire? Sitting around a fire on the beach can be romantic and relaxing. Beach fires are allowed, with regulations, on beaches in Nags Head and along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. And speaking of the Seashore, why not drive your ORV on the miles of untamed beautiful beach? You’ll still need a permit, but more miles are accessible. The fall season also means 4x4s are allowed on the beach in Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head (some rules exist, though, so read before you ride). Even the rules for dogs ease a bit in fall depending on which area or town you’re in. Fido likes fall on the OBX, too!
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SKIES ablaze
The sunsets and sunrises have a certain scintillation during fall that is awe-inspiring. With the mild temperatures and dry air, more light particles reach our eyes faster. Or, is it just the magic of the OBX, creating a glowing hearth with purple clouds roaming free, and radiant hues of red and yellow hugging the shores? The daytime skies also provide colorful viewing for birders, as favorite spots like the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge offer the perfect vantage point to marvel at some of the 400 migrating bird species. During the night, experience the dark skies and tapestry of stars unblemished by city lights.
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GRILLED seafood
Grilling is not just for summer, especially not with oyster season heating up! We like to continue the fireside chat with fresh Bodie Island Lighthouse Oysters cooking on a bed of warm embers. Big, sweet crabs from Wanchese are another highlight of the season. OR cast your own line at the peak of in-shore and pier fishing to wrangle a red drum. Hey, and rockfish can’t be far away! For those land-lovers, fire-roasted pizzas are sure to spark an appetite!
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FIRING up the still
…and refining rum. The OBX is steeped in rum history and pirate legend. The OBX Distillery is using fall-favorite ingredients, molasses and pecans, in copper vats to create an amber-colored beverage that warms and delights. This rum that could “kill the devil” references the once shipwrecked rum barrels that were retrieved by locals from the Graveyard of the Atlantic and then buried in the hills of current town, Kill Devil Hills. Quite a different use for the hill than when the Wright brothers launched their first powered flight!
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HEROES rise from burning seas
Our robust history is exemplified by coastal sentries – lighthouses and lifesaving stations. In fact, one of the most famous rescues in Coast Guard history happened off the shores of the Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station in Rodanthe. The Mirlo, a WWI British ship carrying massive amounts of oil was torpedoed by a German U-boat and burst into flames, also igniting the ocean and surrounding the ship. Despite the longest of odds and the most dire conditions, 42 men were rescued by Captain John Allen Midgett and the Surfmen of the Chicamacomico. Visit the Lifesaving Station and learn more about these heroes and guardians of our shores. And those are our top 5 reasons to be fired up about fall on the Outer Banks.
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