The weather this weekend along the Crystal Coast is forecasted with anywhere between a 50-80% chance of rain, depending on who you ask. 
But most all the weather sources I checked call for at least scattered thunderstorms. It totally bums me out too. Unlike many of the vacationers heading to Emerald Isle who get all week to hang out at the beach and enjoy some fun in the sun and sand; I live here and spend most of the week at work.
Wednesday after dinner in Emerald Isle, 14 year old Baileigh Foster was swimming in the ocean. She stated she felt a sharp pain in her right foot. At first she thought it was an oyster shell. She then realized a shark had bit her. She was swimming in waist-deep water and was about 10 feet away from the rest of her group. It was around 7:30 pm when the attack took place.
A few days ago someone sent me an email after their vacation in Emerald Isle and attached a photo of a little girl walking down the beach. These vacations in Emerald Isle create fond memories that will last a lifetime. 
Yesterday after hanging out at the beach in Emerald Isle all day, I had worked up a serious appetite. I hadn’t eaten at Flipperz in a long time. I figured it was time to pay them a visit. While staying in your Emerald Isle vacation rental why not let someone else cook and clean? I mainly had to get into some air conditioning yesterday and get some food in my belly. When I went inside I was greeted by the always friendly staff.
The Carteret Community College Foundation is proud to host the First Annual Spanish Mackerel Tournament. The event will be held on Saturday July 12, 2008. The weigh-in will be held at Radio Island Marina. This fishing tournament is a very low cost tournament compared to some of the fishing tournaments you’ll find around the Crystal Coast.
There are many real estate management companies here on the Crystal Coast. If you’re looking for a vacation rental in Emerald Isle, or anywhere on the Crystal Coast, now is a great time to take advantage of the many specials being offered. Often properties are rented and the guest has to cancel the reservation for whatever reason. Other properties just don’t rent as well as the property owner would like so they offer specials or discounts.
Andy’s in Swansboro is one of my favorite Crystal Coast Restaurants. The laid back, fifties style diner has some of the best cheesesteaks you’ll find in our area. Their menu is full of other tasty items too. When you’re walking in you can usually see one of the friendly staff members running to open the door for you. Not too many places do this for their patrons these days.
Yesterday the weather men were way off. I had seen reports that it would rain most of the weekend, including yesterday (Sunday). But to my delight Sunday was gorgeous. There was a gentle breeze and the temperature was nice and warm. I called my buddy Steve, the Island Gardener, and we decided to throw the kayaks in the water after a long off-season. Both of our ‘yaks had a large amount of decaying leaves and insects living in and around them.
Yesterday after dinner my dad and I decided to ride down to Emerald Isle’s Bogue Inlet Pier and see what the fishing action was like. Well due to the excellent weather and the fact it was Saturday, there was a LOT of folks on the pier trying their luck.
Wednesday at around 9:30 pm a fire broke out in building “A” of the Ocean Club Condo complex in Indian Beach. Damage estimates are over seven million dollars. Three firefighters were also reported to have been injured, two of which were sent to the hospital. All occupants made it out safely despite the speed of the flames.
This alert comes about after samples collected from Core Banks near Barden Inlet revealed elevated levels of bacteria. Officials from the North Carolina Division of Environmental Health will test the waters again today. These test results will determine how the division proceeds. The advisory
Today the slow moving system responsible for bringing all this rain to the Crystal Coast and Carteret County will continue its slow drift away from the North Carolina coast. It’s a good thing too if you ask me. Last week we were teased with really nice spring weather that reminded us summer is not far away. Then this week it turned fairly chilly some nights and rained almost everyday it seemed for almost a week.
For this Crystal Coast restaurant review, I went to Cedar Point to get some breakfast. Many visitors to our area probably remember the Cedar Point Grill as the spot for good, fast, and reasonably priced food. Well there are new owners now and to be honest, I was worried they would turn the place into something none of us would enjoy. But to my delight, the food seems even better, and the prices are still about the same.
Tomorrow is the 11th Annual Spring Homes Tour & Art show. The event is sponsored by the friends of the Western Carteret Library. The homes tour and art show run from 10am to 4pm. Tickets are $12 before the day of the show and $15 the day of.
Wednesday April 9th, Morehead City police descended upon a detached building at O’Malley’s Pub and Grill on Arendell St. Five men were in the middle of a poker game when the authorities arrived. The police confiscated a poker table, chips and cards, as well as ledgers indicating gambling was involved.
The weather was absolutely perfect yesterday along the Crystal Coast. Plus when I checked the tide I was right at 3 hours before low tide. Areas around Emerald Isle have been holding redfish all winter long. Fishing for them is fantastic fun. Even the smaller size fish put up a bullish fight. Personally I’m glad I can now fish in shorts and flip flops. All winter we’ve been fishing with winter coats and gloves. Not anymore though!
For this Crystal Coast restaurant review we ventured out to Ribeyes Steakhouse in Cape Carteret. When I pulled in the parking lot was nearly empty, usually a bad sign right? Well lucky for me it was just a slow night there. The restaurant is decorated very nicely and makes you feel right at home.
Emerald Isle restaurants are as diverse as the people that visit the Crystal Coast every year. Tonight I went to El Zarape and enjoyed some Mexican food. Just as you walk in there’s usually a waiter or waitress to get you seated or waiting with a beeper. Tonight was the busiest I’ve seen the place all winter. I guess spring has really arrived (though it’s still pretty chilly).
My current landlord has family moving to the area, and needs the room I currently rent. This is both reasonable and understandable. Since he informed me of this I have been feverishly looking for a pet-friendly annual rental or long term rental in Emerald Isle or Morehead City. I currently live on the island, and would prefer to remain there, especially since I made it through the dead winter and have been looking forward to spending another summer in Emerald Isle.
Friday, March 28th the Coral Bay Club in Atlantic Beach hosts the Crystal Coast Culinary Challenge. This event will feature the best cuisine and chefs from around the Crystal Coast. The Coral Bay Club is normally a private club, however at 6pm it opens its doors for the challenge. Food service will begin around 6:30. Each chef is expected to create five mini-meals.
After a great morning of fishing on Saturday, I decided to roll over to the Emerald Isle St. Patrick’s Festival at the Emerald Plantation Shopping Center. As I expected the great weather we were having would draw the masses to the festival. I sure was glad I rode my scooter since all the good parking spots were already occupied by cars and trucks. I knew the turnout would be good, but I had no idea it would be as big as I’d ever seen it.
This morning I looked outside and noticed it was looking like another fine spring day was headed for the Crystal Coast. I then checked to see what the tide was like. To my delight it would be falling for the next two hours. I thought to myself, “Man, I need to get out and do some fishing today.” So I grabbed my rod and headed to K&V in Emerald Isle to grab some bait.
Way back in 2006 a fellow by the name of Nelson Paul decided he wanted to put a windmill project on his farm in the town of Bettie in Carteret County, North Carolina. It seems back in 2006 there were no restrictions on height that pertained to cell phone towers or wind turbines. But being a smart project manager, he decided it best to open a dialogue with Carteret County zoning officials. And he was met with little opposition.
When I woke up this morning at 6 am it was thundering and lightning. It seemed that were would be no Crystal Coast Half Marathon or 5K. I was slightly disappointed too, since I was even prepared to run in the rain. But I knew the run would be cancelled if necessary due to lightning. So I hit the snooze button a few times and by the time 7 am rolled around the thunder had ceased. My spirits rose and it looked like we would get to run today.
The Crystal Coast was blessed with some excellent weather today! When I awoke this morning in Emerald Isle to let my dog out I noticed it seemed a little warm. So I walked outside and was greeted by an absolutely beautiful morning. The air was actually warm on my skin for the first time in a long time. I wore shorts yesterday, but it was still a little on the cool side to really enjoy it. Today was another story though. Before heading to Morehead City for work I threw on some shorts. And when we went outside at ten o’clock for our break I wasn’t the least bit uncomfortable.
This past weekend Mother Nature was kind enough to bestow the Crystal Coast area with some incredibly nice weather. Both Saturday and Sunday, though windy, were very nice days to be outdoors and enjoying the weather. I even managed to get out and do some Emerald Isle Fishing both days. The winds made things a little chilly, but it was obvious spring is rapidly approaching.
This Saturday I heard there was a party at the Emerald Club in Emerald Isle. It was hard to believe, but someone told me there would be free beer/wine and free food from 7-9pm. The words “free beer” are usually enough to get me out and about. So I went and checked it out. The deal was Will from Crystal Coast Outdoors was having a little get-together for his advertisers. Crystal Coast Outdoors is a new magazine covering the Crystal Coast. Thanks for throwing one heck of a party Will!
Yesterday I was talking to my friend Scott who was at the sandbags on the point in Emerald Isle. He and another fellow were fishing down there and it didn’t sound like they were catching much. After I got off the phone with him I went to the Emerald Grill and grabbed an order of hot wings. I thought maybe I could catch a drum while eating my lunch so I stopped in at K&V to get some finger mullet.
The Crystal Coast will be the setting for a half-marathon on March 8th. BTR Management and NCRaces.com are sponsoring the run through Morehead City and Atlantic Beach. A half marathon is not for the faint of hear, and it is recommended all participants to have trained for the event. For more information see an earlier post about the Crystal Coast Half-Marathon.
In the month of February alone I have seen two vehicle rollovers on NC highway 24 between Morehead City and Cape Carteret. The first I saw on way my way from Morehead City to Emerald Isle after stopping by the pet store. I had my friend from Missouri, Rob, riding shot gun. This wreck involved a pickup truck hauling a trailer with several engine blocks on it.
The beaches of the Crystal Coast attract thousands of visitors each year. For those visitors that are handicapped though, they weren’t very wheelchair friendly. That is all changing with a grant from the Carteret Community Foundation. The foundation has helped purchase several beach wheelchairs. The wheelchairs were given to Atlantic Beach, Fort Macon State Park, and Pine Knoll Shores. Emerald Isle now has six of the lightweight beach chairs. Fort Macon has three chairs now that are available to handicapped visitors to the park. This donation by the foundation gives Pine Knoll Shores its first beach chair.
By now your Crystal Coast rental property should be rented for many of the weeks this summer. If not there are some things to think about. Ensure your rental is getting seen by potential guests. Make it easy for people to book your property. Be sure that your rental is attractive to guests.
Yesterday the weather was rather warm so I decided to take Nitro for a walk around the Patsy Pond Trail. The trail is off highway 24 just outside of Cape Carteret. The 1.75 mile trail attracts many of the Crystal Coast’s visitors. You can spot a wide variety of local wildlife while walking the trail. There is usually plenty of parking.
The Emerald Isle Police Department has grown considerably since I moved to the Crystal Coast back in 2003. Tonight I was making my way home from Morehead City after visiting some friends. I thought for sure the police in Morehead City would stop me considering the hour of the night. I didn’t hit the road until right at 2 a.m. and everyone knows this is when the bars close and folks who have been drinking hit the road.
The Point in Emerald Isle has seen better days as far as sand is concerned. The town deployed the sandbags back in 2001 due to Bogue Inlet Channel eroding the sand there. Some houses were losing their decks and stairs that used to lead to the beach. Other houses like the octagonal shaped Carousel were near falling into the channel.
That all changed in 2005 as a result of an expansive effort to shift Bogue Inlet westward. For a time it looked as though the engineers had achieved the unachievable and tamed the rushing tides as well as their impact to Emerald Isle’s shoreline. The sandbags became buried under the newly “accreted” sand. Native plants even started taking root on the new real estate.
Yesterday my mother offered to take me to lunch. We both work in Morehead City and she suggested El Zarape in Atlantic Beach. There aren’t many Mexican restaurants in our area, and I think they’re pretty much all an El Zarape anyway. When we arrived at El Zarape, I was shocked that the parking lot was fairly empty. Usually this place has a lot more cars in the parking lot at lunch time, even in the winter. So we parked and headed on in.
It occurred to me today that I have been neglecting my Crystal Coast upcoming event posts. This is really quite a shame and I apologize if you have been looking for events in our area. My real job has been keeping me pretty busy, and I was entertaining a friend from out of town last week. At any rate here are a few things happening in our area you may want to check out.
Morehead City council members agreed to apply for a $1.15 million dollar grant from the NC Waterfront Access and Marine Industry, or WAMI. The WAMI is supposed to procure waterfront property and improve or develop public waterfront access areas. This project if all goes according to plan will construct a boat ramp as well as extend the public fishing pier on Radio Island, which is just over the bridge from Morehead City to Beaufort.
Last week I had a friend visiting and I knew I had to take him to Yana’s Restaurant in Swansboro. It’s a nice little 50’s style diner with awesome food. We went there for lunch, although I still ordered breakfast. I think the last time I went to Yana’s was last summer, and I remember they had a full house that day, which is typical for summer. The restaurant was at near capacity, but the food still came out like clockwork. No wonder it is a favorite dining destination for the visitor to the Crystal Coast.
I wasn’t surprised at all when I learned Morehead City had been named among the top fishing towns in the US. It is hardly a secret that the fishing along the Crystal Coast is truly second to none. We’re blessed with excellent inshore fishing, offshore fishing, and surf/pier fishing. The warm waters of the Gulf Stream keep different fish species within range year round. We’re known for record catches of redfish. They can be found in many types of water from the marsh to the surf. If you want to catch something a little bigger the giant bluefin generally pass by our coast each winter.
I woke up from a cat nap last night around 9p.m. I was so tired after all the driving I did yesterday, I had to get some rest before heading to the Dive in Cape Carteret. There was going to be some music there I wouldn’t be able to hear anywhere else around the Crystal Coast. There was a Drum N Bass event there, which to me seems like a great option for diversifying the area nightlife.
You can always count on the Dive to provide you with great specials, good food, and all kinds of music to enhance the atmosphere for any night. I noticed there were many improvements to the Dive. I could see they are a lot more of a restaurant. There is also now no smoking in most areas. There is a small bar in the back called the speak-easy which does allow smoking. The place is a lot more of a restaurant than in the past. I noticed on their website (thencdive.com) that it’s now called the Dive Hard Times Café.
I had to work in Raleigh last night from 11:30p.m. to 3:30a.m. this morning. I of course still had my best friend Rob visiting from Missouri visiting the Crystal Coast. I felt bad for dragging him with me to Raleigh since I am basically unfamiliar with the city and would be working most of the time. So needless to say, there wasn’t much sight-seeing going on during his trip to Raleigh. But I hope the week spent visiting the Crystal Coast and staying in Emerald Isle may have made up for the stay in Raleigh.
My friend Rob from the Show-Me-State is still visiting me in Emerald Isle. Yesterday I managed to get off of work early so we would have some time to do some tourist type activities. It turned out to be a very nice day. I opted to take him to the NC Aquarium in Pine Knoll Shores. The aquarium is a great place for visitors to our area. There are a lot of educational exhibits. Hopefully aquarium visitors leave with an increased appreciation for our coastal waters as well as their own.
Yesterday my good friend from Missouri, Rob, arrived in Jacksonville. He agreed to help one of his friends from back home move down here. I guess his wife’s friend’s husband is in the Marines and stationed in Jacksonville. Rob was kind enough to offer to drive her down here so she wouldn’t have to make the trip alone. I guess it ended up to be like a twenty hour drive for them.
Today in Morehead City, I had to get something to eat, and get out of the office and walk for a bit. I decided to head over to Beach Bumz Pub & Pizzeria. Its only a few blocks from where I work in downtown Morehead City. Beach Bumz is a great lunch spot. They have incredible sandwiches, good pizza, and lots of beers to choose from.
If you’re traveling around the Crystal Coast and find yourself approaching Cape Carteret, make sure to adhere to posted speed limits and buckle your safety belt. This town is infamously known by many travelers as a speed trap. You’d be well advised to slow down, make sure your belt is fastened and not even think of drinking and driving if you’re coming through this town.
Hopefully by now your property has been booked for most of the year. Though it seems rentals are going to come in late across the board for many Crystal Coast properties as well as along most of the East coast this season compared to last. I imagine this is due in part to the sub-prime lending crisis as well as other economic concerns. But just like in years past, the same folks who could go on vacation last year will manage to go on vacation this year.
That being said now is the time to get your rental property up to par for the upcoming season. If you have been thinking of adding an outside shower, carpeting or tiling a floor, even adding a pool; now is the time for these projects. If you can’t count on one hand how long the sofa in your beach house living room has been in there, you should consider replacing it. People spend good money to occupy your home at the beach and should be able to sit on a nice sofa. Or they won’t rent your home next year.
There are many things a home owner can do to entice renters. It shouldn’t be hard to rent a beach house. I mean it’s at the beach and people are willing to travel thousands of miles to arrive at the Crystal Coast. So think of some of the little things that could improve bookings.
The Emerald Isle night life can get pretty dead in the depths of winter. However, there’s still plenty of fun to be had. My friend Jason invited me out to Ballyhoo’s for a couple beers to which I agreed, since it would be the first time I had been out lately. Crystal Coast News is keeping me pretty busy these days. So anyway we headed out for an evening in Emerald Isle.
Today was absolutely gorgeous along the Crystal Coast. My friend Steve and I decided to once again test our luck pursuing the often elusive redfish. We have been pretty successful down at the point in Emerald Isle the last few weeks as you can see from the previous fishing reports. The Weather Channel had forecasted highs of around 70 degrees today, and there was almost no wind. A big difference compared to last weekend. So we planned to take full advantage of it.
This morning I went to the beach in Emerald Isle to try and catch the sunrise. I was shocked to find the winds were almost non-existent. The skies were mostly clear too. Today promises to be a gorgeous winter day along the Crystal Coast.
