Seagull Says: Thursday is hot, choppy, and slightly unhinged.

🌊 TODAY’S TIDE (Weather + Surf Report)

• 🌞Weather

  High of 91°, humidity doing its best impression of a wet blanket at 71%, and a WSW breeze at 12 mph that barely qualifies as helpful. It’s a partly cloudy scorcher, perfect for melting flip-flops and making strangers argue over who packed the cooler. UV Index is 10 of 11—this is not a drill, people. Lather up or crisp up. Sunset clocks out at 8:17 pm, just in time for your third shower of the day.

  Tonight dips to 79°, with 83% humidity and partly cloudy skies still pretending it’s cooler than it is. No moonrise, just vibes—and that last quarter moon dipping out at 1:04 pm like it’s avoiding responsibilities.

• 🏄‍♂️ Surf Report
  Thursday delivers chunky, surfable waves for those chasing size, but don’t expect silky perfection. Arrive early for cleaner patches before the wind really cranks up. Good for mid-tier surfers wanting some action; beginners, wander the pier instead unless you're down to log it out in the chop.

📰 HEADLINES + CHATTER

Because someone has to keep tabs on the island real estate and the manatees.

• 🏨 Ocracoke’s Silver Lake Motel Headed to Auction
  Nearly 50 waterfront rooms, two inns, docks, and what’s left of the old Jolly Roger Pub? All up for grabs on July 29 in New Bern. Bidding starts at $2.9 million, but you’ll need pre-approval—and nerves of steel. Waterfront real estate on Ocracoke doesn’t hit the market often, so expect this one to get spicy.

• 🦦 Mind the Manatees, Y’all
  Florida’s most chill houseguests are back in OBX waters. Manatees have been spotted cruising the coast and they’re not here for your selfies. No touching, no feeding, and no revving your engine near the marinas unless you want to meet federal wildlife law. Let’s not turn vacation into a PSA.

• 🏊 Pool Project Still Treading Water
  The dream of an indoor aquatic center on Hatteras Island has resurfaced—again. Local champions have the nonprofit, the plans, and the passion, but what they don’t have is a website or blueprints. Translation? No funding. If you've got web skills or an engineering brain, Anita Bills wants to hear from you.

• 📜 Wildlife Rule Changes Open for Public Comment
  The NC Wildlife Commission is reviewing 2026–27 hunting, fishing, and game land regulations, and they actually want your input. You can comment online or show up virtually in August to pretend you don’t have questions about bag limits but just like being included.

🎟️ THURSDAY EVENTS

From sunrise yoga to lifeguard showdowns—Thursday’s booked.

• 🧘 Free Beach Yoga
  📍Jennette's Pier, Nags Head – 7:30 am

• 🌳 Yoga in the Park
  📍Historic Corolla Park, Corolla – 7:30 am to 8:30 am

• 🏃 Nags Head 5K/1 Mile Race Series
  📍Outer Banks Running Company, Nags Head – 8:00 am

• 🌊 Stand-Up Paddleboard Yoga
  📍Ride The Wind Surf Shop, Ocracoke – 8:30 am

• 🐢 Sea Turtle Assistance & Rehab Tour
  📍NC Aquarium, Roanoke Island – 10:00 am

• ☕ Latte Dance Party
  📍Alien Java Co., Frisco – 11:00 am to 1:00 pm

• 🎨 “Corolla Queen” Painting Session
  📍Artsy Octopus, Nags Head – 2:00 pm

• 🚨 South Atlantic Lifeguard Championships
  📍Jennette’s Pier, Nags Head – 4:00 pm

📍THE BEAK OF APPROVAL

✍🏻OBX Ink- serving bold lines and Outer Banks pride, one needle at a time.

Whether you're in the market for a custom piece or walking in on a whim, this Waves-based tattoo shop delivers the art and the attitude—no seashell tramp stamps required (unless that’s your thing).

📍26200 Vista Dr W Unit 1, Waves, NC

Come for the ink, stay for the stories you’ll probably tell with slightly more drama than necessary.

🚨 CRIME + SAFETY CORNER

Messy choices, minor felonies, and maximum side-eye.

• 🚦 Red Light, Wrong Call
  Donald Wood, 45, allegedly ran a red light at the NC 168/NC 34 intersection and collided with a tractor-trailer. He was seriously injured and airlifted to Norfolk General. Charges include Failing to Stop for Red Light and Failure to Wear a Seatbelt—because apparently, he thought traffic laws were just suggestions.

• 🚔 Major Arrest in Kill Devil Hills
  Sherald Kenneth Ward Jr., 43, was arrested on 10 felony counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, plus a fugitive warrant from Minnesota. The bust was part of a months-long joint investigation with the FBI and multiple agencies. He’s being held on a $900K bond, and yes, more charges could be coming. (Good.)

• 🤦‍♂️ Bumper Cars: Parking Lot Edition
  Two drivers backed out at the same time and collided—because spatial awareness is a lost art. One fled the scene, but thanks to license plate readers, officers tracked the car to Currituck County. Next time, maybe just exchange info like a grown-up?

• 🍻 Underage + Unconscious = Not a Vibe
  Officers were called for a welfare check and found an underage subject passed out at a local business. EMS transported the person to Outer Banks Hospital, and a fake ID was confiscated. ABC enforcement is investigating. Parents were called. So was reality.

  

  This section is sponsored by Southern Oak Artisan

⛱️ VACAY OR STAY

🏡FOR SALE: Pirate’s Cove Canal Condo

Turn-key, tastefully furnished, and ready to rake in rental income—or just keep it all to yourself. This 1-bed, 1-bath condo in Manteo sleeps six (thanks to bonus bunks + sleeper sofa), and comes with a screened-in porch that basically whispers, “sip your coffee here.” Updated kitchen, airy open layout, and did we mention the 25-foot private boat slip?

📍123 Pirates Way #123A, Manteo, NC — Now $345,000 (just dropped $5K!)

Two minutes from the beach and downtown, yet blissfully removed from the tourist swarm. It's the kind of place that makes you wonder why you're still renting.

🌊 VACAY: King’s Landing – Canal Views, Deck Access, and Tiki Breaks

This four-bedroom beauty in Pirate’s Cove sleeps up to 11 and comes fully prepped for your next sun-soaked family takeover or low-key crew getaway. Think: two king en suites, canal and sound views, a deck on every level, and a kitchen ready for your seafood feasts. Bonus: Mimi’s Tiki Hut and Blue Water Grill are a short flip-flop stroll away.

📍King’s Landing, Pirate’s Cove – Manteo, NC

Whether you're chasing dock walks, pool dips, or that post-beach nap under central air, this one’s got you covered—and the 6 parking spaces mean no one's fighting over who parks where.

🕵️‍♀️ HEARD AROUND, IN, OVER, or UNDER THE DUNES

Because the seagulls see everything, and they’ve got zero chill when it comes to gossip.

• 🛺 A golf cart was spotted cruising the bypass loaded with an inflatable flamingo, three beach chairs, and what appeared to be... a crockpot. Outer Banks tailgate or coastal chaos? Unclear.

• 📸 A paddleboarder in Nags Head claims a manatee tried to join their selfie. The manatee, allegedly, smized for the camera.

• 🏴‍☠️ A pirate flag was flying from a mailbox in Corolla with a “For Sale” sign right below it. Real estate listing or elaborate lifestyle branding? Either way, we're watching.

🔗 QUICK LINKS

• ⛴️Ferry Schedule – You can’t teleport to the Outer Banks (yet), so here’s how to float your way here the old-fashioned way.

• 🐾OBX SPCA Pet of the Week (more like every 10 days): Sid’s a medium-to-large ham with major main character energy. He’s the kind of dog who turns a backyard into a sitcom—and yes, you will be the sidekick.

• 🌊Live Surf Cams – For “checking the surf,” but really just spying on beach traffic and seeing who already claimed your favorite spot.

• 💬Submit a Tip or Event – Got a hot lead, weird sighting, or something the seagulls should be squawking about? Slide it our way.

🧂FINAL PEEP FROM THE PERCH

If you made it through today’s newsletter without yelling at your neighbor’s fireworks leftovers or googling “manatee legal advice,” you’re doing better than most.

Forward this to someone who thinks Pirate’s Cove is just a ride at Disneyland—we’ll wait.

Sign up. Stay salty. Be nosy.