OBX advice?

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zzholt's picture
zzholt
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OBX advice?

Good morning all (and happy new year!!)

so after finding out the new "jug handle bridge" construction is going on immediately in front of a house our family had rented for late June (with big plans for windsurfing, kiting, kayaking, dinghy saiing, etc), we are scrambling to find an alternate location. The Salvo/Waves area had been our go-to, but we are late at this point in season and nothing suitable, on the soundfront, seems available for our week.

Can anyone offer any advice or experience, relative to their suitability for all these windsports, on 3 alternate areas where we are finding houses available?

They are, from south to north:
1) Hatteras/Frisco area
2) Kitty Hawk Bay (between KDH and Kitty Hawk)
3) Corolla area

things I'm curious about (if anyone knows) - is water deep enough (mainly for kitesurfing/windsurfing. dinghy sailing is secondary), prevalence of weeds (floating, or growing on the bottom), loud/busy crowds on the water (like the motoring kind), and/or anything else anyone may want to offer.

Google map shots show pretty accurate locations of our current houses of interest, and their immediate waters.

Thanks in advance!

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webguy
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Re: OBX advice?

Well... that's unfortunate. Yeah, work on that has been underway for some time. Most of the windsurfers haven't stayed up there in years because it's increasingly become silted up and difficult to sail especially on a NE.

Just a few observations as I haven't stayed directly at any of those spots - Lol which somehow doesn't prohibit me from offering my poorly informed opinion :

Generally, from my limited experience, that time of year, the further north you go, the more zoo-like the atmosphere owing the to access by more people from the North and Midwest. It's just much more crowded especially for those of us used to the fall and spring seasons. I've heard of sometimes people going up to Corolla but 99.9% of what I know and have heard from, everyone takes a right on NC 12 in Nags Head. Biggrin

The KDH baylet is interesting. Certainly seems deep enough as a fair number of docks have boats (probably on lifts). Paradoxically, this may mean it's deeper and not quite as "fun" as the shallow spots for windsurfing or kiting that we are accustomed to. The docks themselves may present a small issue in launching as you have to somehow swim or sneak out between. Not a big issue on a windsurfer but may be a little less kite friendly. Barrett has rented a house in Nags Head for years just south of the dunes. The sailing/kiting, etc is very good there.

Frisco is generally considered a pretty good spot. Maybe someone who's camped there can chime in some more.

Are you looking for a place to sail directly from or just a base camp and then drive to a launch (which that time of year will be considerably cheaper)?

You may also want to post on the Triangle boards as they are much more familiar with OBX in general: http://triangleboardsailing.com/forum/index.php?board=1.0

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Re: OBX advice?

Generally anywhere south of Frisco Woods Campground in not easily windsurfable (very shallow for long ways out), unless you happen be on day two of a hard NE wind. In June, you will most likely be getting SW thermals. There are kiters down there though. It would not be my first choice for a backup if windsurfing is a priority.

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webguy
zzholt
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zzholt
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Re: OBX advice?

oh man. Those are good points, especially the typical SW winds doing no favors for water depths just off the Hatteras house I was ogling, and the encroaching zoo animals from the north.

to answer your question, Webguy - we were looking for a place to launch from directly. But we might ought to settle for something just off the sound back in the Salvo area. (this is kind of a large family thing. Only one windsurfer (me) and one kitesurfer.) Or we may well be stuck with the house in Rodanthe, which appears to be just inside the curve of the jug handle. Bad

argh. (sa la vie) Scratch one-s head

But thanks for chiming in!!! Yes 3

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Re: OBX advice?

The Salvo Day Use Area works well either SW or NE. Have no idea how crowded it gets that time of year. We've stayed at a house right beside it. Gets a bit shallow on NE for longer fins (nowhere as bad as Rodanthe) but fine for anything SW.

I forgot to mention that SW thermals tend to work better the more north you are on Hatteras Island, iirc. It may be decent in either Salvo or Nags Head and not so much down in Buxton. If it's a cranking SW, it'll be good everywhere, though. Can anyone else confirm?

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zzholt
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Re: OBX advice?

The owner of Ocean Air Sports tells me that thermal winds are generally better in Nags Head, where we rent, than further south in Avon and Frisco. He frequently drives between his house in Nags Head and Avon were the shop is located. I've found that Nor-easters can be stronger further south toward Avon and Frisco.

Barrett

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webguy
zzholt
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Re: OBX advice?

This is where a lot of us stay

https://www.surforsound.com/property/655/availability/

Available 2 weeks in June
Right beside Salvo day park

Alan

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zzholt
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Re: OBX advice?

Yeah, we’ve rented kickin back on two other occasions with larger groups.

At the moment, though, the realtors of the house we’ve already rented are not being sympathetic to the issue, so far being unwilling to let us out of the contract (Their house listing, btw, mentions nothing of the bridge project and it’s impact on the house’s sound appeal, nor do any of their pics show any hint of the project. I’ve seen that other houses adjacent to it DO alert would be renters of the bridge.)

Still a developing issue.

Anyway, I’m appreciating all the input. Hopefully we’ll get the chance to apply some of it.

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webguy
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Re: OBX advice?

Seems to me that you need to find out first if you can get out of the deal you have. If the realtors refuse to do anything (and I have to wonder why they would- maybe no one want to rent there anymore) it may be time to "lawyer up."

What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.

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zzholt
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Re: OBX advice?

"(this is kind of a large family thing. Only one windsurfer (me) and one kitesurfer.) "

Trying to get out of the rental is going to be a major pain, I'm sure the owner is not happy about the situation and has to keep it rented.

While not ideal, the Salvo Day Use area is just a few minutes south, and it is a decent launch and it's only crowded when kiters use it for for a downwinder take out or starting point. But it may be more crowded because of the bridge and might actually turn out to be a fun place to sail/kite as more people to sail with.

Gene

Gene Mathis

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zzholt
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Re: OBX advice?

Barton's is even closer and they let people launch from there. Also - I wouldn't write off trying to sail from your house. I sailed in Merlo beach in fall 2018. Not sure what William is talking about regards silt but there no problem sailing from there. For kiting the bridge may not be a big problem as the kites will be above the bridge unless windsports will banned or something like that inside the bridge area.* It may also be possible to get under the bridge,

*Just don't get a kite wrapped around a car.

What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.

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zzholt
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Re: OBX advice?
Randy wrote:

Barton's is even closer and they let people launch from there. Also - I wouldn't write off trying to sail from your house. I sailed in Merlo beach in fall 2018. Not sure what William is talking about regards silt but there no problem sailing from there. For kiting the bridge may not be a big problem as the kites will be above the bridge unless windsports will banned or something like that inside the bridge area.* It may also be possible to get under the bridge,

*Just don't get a kite wrapped around a car.

Maybe it flushed back out but it started really becoming a problem on NE like 15-20 years ago where you'd have to walk out a pretty long way to get enough clearance even with a short weed fin. Not like "not quite deep enough" but like "I have to almost carry my gear out the 100 yds". Maybe it's improved since but, unfortunately, there are other issues taking front stage.

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zzholt
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Re: OBX advice?

Thanks again, everybody, for the thoughts and info.

Just to update: the matter appears to be resolved (realty company agreed to swap houses with one of their others.) We’ll now be just off the sound, in the Wind over Waves community between Salvo and Waves.

It’s been two years since I’ve been down there, and I was def. not up to speed on this new bridge project. It certainly could be called a “growing pain” at the least, but in the long run may be better for everyone(?) Always hard to say or know. But I certainly do feel for those dozen or so house owners who will be boxed in, and have their view greatly changed by, this bridge.

I’m including two short YouTube videos for whatever they may be worth to anyone else for whom this is news.

And for now...thanks again!!! And hope everyone who gets on the water this weekend has a good/safe time!

From late December. Good overview of current status:

From November 2018 - alarming demonstration of the noise (audio starts around 45 second mark)

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Re: OBX advice?
zzholt wrote:

It’s been two years since I’ve been down there, and I was def. not up to speed on this new bridge project. It certainly could be called a “growing pain” at the least, but in the long run may be better for everyone(?) Always hard to say or know. But I certainly do feel for those dozen or so house owners who will be boxed in, and have their view greatly changed by, this bridge.

Anyone trying leave or arrive on the island last October knows that it necessary! The road has the potential to be washed out for days. Fortunately I was stranded on the side I wanted to be on. Randy was not so lucky. https://windsportatlanta.com/content/hatteras-hwy-12-update101119-101119

Definitely sucks for house owners on the sound side though!

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zzholt
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Re: OBX advice?
nitro wrote:
zzholt wrote:

It’s been two years since I’ve been down there, and I was def. not up to speed on this new bridge project. It certainly could be called a “growing pain” at the least, but in the long run may be better for everyone(?) Always hard to say or know. But I certainly do feel for those dozen or so house owners who will be boxed in, and have their view greatly changed by, this bridge.

Anyone trying leave or arrive on the island last October knows that it necessary! The road has the potential to be washed out for days. Fortunately I was stranded on the side I wanted to be on. Randy was not so lucky. https://windsportatlanta.com/content/hatteras-hwy-12-update101119-101119

Definitely sucks for house owners on the sound side though!

And when the road "opened", that still meant driving through a foot of salt water the next day. Water was on the roads for the better part of a week down in Avon. Hatteras is a temporary sand bar masquerading as something solid. Love the place but the geology is brutal.

zzholt, glad you came to some sort of compromise. We hope your trip is enjoyable and we'll be annoyed if you don't share any pics. Biggrin

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zzholt