Beach Nourishment is a Fascinating Process to Watch!

Everyone was excited and a bit nervous about guest reaction to the Beach Nourishment in the Town of Nags Head. I, for one, have become addicted to monitoring the process. I plan to attend the progress meeting at the Town of Nags Head tomorrow morning at the Fire Station.



I am always amazed at what men and machines can create. The dredging company is from the Great Lakes area and has traveled all over the world, including Dubai. Not sure that they created the “Palm Tree” islands but they have sure done pretty amazing work here.

They began in the Nags Head area, near milepost 15.75 at Forbes Street in the Forbes Candy shop area. They placed a T section of pipe on the beach and headed north. The hopper dredge travels out to the “goldmine of sand” a few miles off the coast, sucks the sand up into the hopper in the vessel, then returns to shore and pushes the sand through pipes on the bottom of the ocean through the T pipe and then north or south through a pipe parallel to the dune line. As one area is filled up, another section of pipe is added and the process continues. After they go a certain distance north, they pull up the pipe, return to the T section and proceed south.


There is an engineering machine called “The Crab” that is about 20-30 feet tall, has 3 legs with huge rubber wheels, that travels along the beach and out into the ocean to measure the height, and “lay” of the sand that is projected onto and spread along the shore. As the project moves up the beach, workers go out into the ocean, literally up to their chests and necks, and place survey type poles into the water as a “guide” as to where to extend the sand and to what height. That is amazing to see, waves breaking on survey poles where tomorrow there will be an extended beach.

When the sand first comes through the pipes it is of course full of water and looks like ocean water, but after a few minutes the sand starts to flow and actually puddles up onto the shore. After the sand is pumped, the dozers begin to push the sand into designated locations. This process continues 24 hours per day. At night, there are large panels of lights set out which light the beach up like a baseball field.


Believe it or not, MOST guests have not called to complain, even when it was in their front yard. I have had only 4 groups of guest who have been “very unhappy.” The contractors have made the process very “guest friendly.” The ocean front direct beach accesses from homes and from the public beach accesses are open and the guests may go on the beach and walk parallel to the ocean and dune lines to a beach area that is not roped off. This is usually a reasonable distance.


The project moves very quickly and is only behind 5 – 6 homes for a day, two days at max. There are exceptions, however. The dredge had a generator go bad last week and was down for a few days, so some guests had the blocked off area in their front yards for 3-4 days. That is the exception.

Another dredge is coming to the far South Nags Head area and is to begin pumping today. My understanding from talking with some of the crew is that this second dredge will operate as a true dredge which has pipes directly to the sand mine and will pump to shore without moving back and forth.

The dredging company figures out obstacles along the way. Last week they ran into a “hole” in the beach area at about milepost 16 and because it was taking longer to fill, they decided to split the pipe into a fork and have 2 pipes extending south toward the new Jennette’s Pier. That allowed for more sand to be spread in a wider area from dune to ocean. That also reduced pushing time for the dozers. These guys are real pros, great problem solvers.

When the project reached Jennette’s Pier, you should have seen the guests hovering at the edge of the pier watching the process. It really has been a learning experience for everyone. Many of our guests share their stories about beach nourishment with us when they are checking out. It is well worth visiting one of the 2 sites while you are here this summer. And by the way, the sand is “beautiful, a perfect match to what was there.”


I am a beach nourishment “geek”. Man working with Nature, what an Awesome sight!

2011 Independence Day Celebrations

July 4th Celebration with the Town of Manteo - 8:00pm

Outdoor Pavilion at Roanoke Island Festival Park.

Featuring the North Carolina National Guard’s 440th Army Band. The celebration will also include fireworks provided by the town of Manteo. The celebration is free and open to the public. Seating at the Pavilion is on the grass, so blankets and lawn chairs will add to the relaxed holiday environment. So, bring a picnic basket for all of your family and friends and join Roanoke Island Festival Park in a celebration of America. Gates open to the public at 6 p.m. After 5 p.m., only handicap parking will be allowed at the park. (252) 475-1500 or roanokeisland.com.  Roanoke Island Fireworks

Town of Nags Head Celebrates Independence Day with Fireworks Spectacular - July 4, 2011 at 9:25pm

15th annual Independence Day Fireworks Spectacular on the ocean pier located at Mile Post 11.5 on NC Route 12, S. Virginia Dare Trail in Nags Head. A rain date has been set for Friday, July 8, 2011. All persons attending the show are encouraged to park east of U.S. Highway 158/S. Croatan Highway. Those choosing to park west of U.S. Highway 158/S. Croatan Highway should use extreme caution while attempting to cross this heavily traveled roadway. The following public beach accesses are recommended for access to the beach for fireworks viewing:

South of Nags Head Fishing Pier:
Curlew Street / Hollowell Street / Conch Street

North of Nags Head Fishing Pier:
Bladen Street / Bittern Street / Bonnett Street / Blackman Street / Barnes Street

Jockey’s Ridge State Park is another ideal spot for viewing the fireworks. The park will be open late July 4th to accommodate visitors. Please call the park at 252-441-7132 for more information.

Whalehead Club / Currituck Heritage Park – July 3rd, 2011 5pm - 7pm
Patriotic Salute Featuring the 440th Army Band

Bring your blankets or lawn chairs and spread out on the south lawn in front of the historic Whalehead Club. The 440th Army Band will be performing many patriotic anthems and songs to kick off the Independence Day Celebration a bit early! Concessions will be available. Admission and parking are FREE. Pets are welcomed as long as they are leashed.

Whalehead Club / Currituck Heritage Park – July 4th, 2011 6pm-10pm
19th Annual Independence Day Festival of Fireworks

Fireworks begin at dusk but arrive early to enjoy food, fun activities, great music and find a place for your blankets and chairs to settle in for the best fireworks on the Outer Banks! Admission & Parking are free.



Photos by Allie Hawkins/Island Photography


Town of Duck Parade - July 4, 2011 9:00am

Downtown Duck. The parade will be held on Monday, July 4th, with a concert and community social being held immediately following at the Duck Town Park. The after event includes music by Ruth Wyand & Friends, refreshments, the awarding of parade trophies, and a very special Flash Mob.

The one-mile parade route is the same annually and begins at the crest of the hill on Scarborough Lane. The route follows Scarborough Lane towards the ocean, turns left onto Ocean Way, and then heads down Christopher Drive ending back at Duck Road (NC 12). If you are attending the parade, please arrive early so you can get a good spot on the parade route. Remember, NO PART OF THE PARADE IS ON DUCK ROAD (NC 12). and parking is at a premium, so please plan to walk or ride your bicycle and be in Town well in advance of the parade start time of 9:00 a.m.

You're Invited!

A Message from the Real Estate Division at Beach Realty & Construction / Kitty Hawk Rentals

Join us every Wednesday at 10:00am in the sales reception of your check-in office to learn about investing in Outer Banks real estate. This is your opportunity to have your questions answered casually and with absolutely no pressure. You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers.

• Short sales

• Bank-owned properties

• Market conditions

• Rental income

• New construction

Stop by for an hour and find out how you can stay for a lifetime! For more information or to schedule a private consultation call (252) 261-3815 or email beachinfo@beachrealtync.com.