Seagull Says: Crabby, Chatty, and Overcaffeinated

🌊 TODAY’S TIDE (Weather + Surf Report)

• 🌞Weather

  It’s giving wet blanket. We’ll start off just moody and overcast, but by afternoon, we’re talking thunderstorms with VIP passes—gusty winds, lightning cameos, the whole chaotic ensemble. High of 85°, with enough humidity (76%) to curl hair that isn’t even yours. UV index is still a spicy 8, so slap on sunscreen between storm dodges. Tonight? 74°, chance of scattered boom-booms, and 91% humidity. Basically, a sweaty sleep soundtrack brought to you by Mother Nature.

• 🏄‍♂️ Surf Report
  Waves are out there—1 to 2 ft, more like “spit-ups” than barrels. Winds are whipping from the SSW at 20–28 mph, making the water choppy and the experience more like white noise than thrill ride. Maybe just stroll with the board and call it a day.

📰 HEADLINES + CHATTER

Updates include smarter dunes, sassier skies, and a reminder that nature has a better long-term plan than most HOA boards.

• 🌬️ Smarter Dunes, Smarter Development
  A new NOAA-backed study out of the Outer Banks suggests that beaches with low wave drama and less erosion are the VIP lounges for sand dune growth—and that could mean serious long-term flood protection. Translation: if your beach isn’t constantly throwing a tantrum, your dunes might actually get taller and tougher over time. Researchers used a 100-year model combining wind, storm, and sea level data to figure out where dunes might thrive (or wither). TL;DR: wide, chill beaches = nature’s flood insurance.

• 🔭 Night Skies in July: Meteors, Mars, and the Milky Way
  If you're up late (or just emotionally awake), July’s skies are showing off. Highlights include the Veil Nebula—remnants of a 7,000-year-old supernova six times the size of the full moon—and two meteor showers peaking July 29. The Southern Delta Aquariids could bring 20 shooting stars per hour, and the Alpha Capricornids might toss you a few yellow fireballs for flair. Also, catch Venus at dawn and Mars at dusk. The universe is basically your fireworks show—minus the fines and fire hazards.

• 🥎 OBX Student-Athletes Shine at NC BODYARMOR State Games
  It was hot, humid, and packed with talent—but OBX athletes held their own at one of North Carolina’s top high school sports events. Players from Manteo and First Flight hit the field at the BODYARMOR State Games, competing against the best of the best in softball and baseball. While the Region 1 softball squad didn’t bring home medals, they brought the hustle—and some serious attention from college recruiters. Special shoutouts to Bailey Dickerson, Peedee Berry, Bella Huntingford, Calleigh Busch, Riley Gilreath, Drew Brown, and Nemo Govan for repping the beach and leaving the field sweat-soaked and proud.

🎟️ WEDNESDAY EVENTS

The schedules are packed, and yes—someone will still forget sunscreen. Here's what’s happening across the OBX:

• 🧘 Fitness on the Green
  Duck Town Park | 7:30–8:15 AM
  Start your morning lunging and pretending you aren’t already sweating.

• 🎆 Ocracoke Independence Day Celebration
  Visit Ocracoke | 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
  All-day Americana, island-style. Expect flags, fun, and at least one person who starts dancing too early.

• 🦎 Alligator River Open-Air Tram Tour
  Alligator River NWR, Manns Harbor | 9:00–11:00 AM
  Take a scenic ride with a side of wildlife gossip. Gators might be involved.

• 👻 Morning Ghost Tours
  Whalehead, Corolla | 9:00 AM
  History, haunts, and the possibility of a salty old spirit judging your outfit.

• 🏄‍♂️ Surf Camp
  Ride The Wind Surf Shop, Ocracoke | 9:00 AM
  Waves optional. Vibes mandatory.

• 🛍️ Tri Villages Market
  Camp Hatteras Resort, Rodanthe | 9:00 AM–1:00 PM
  Stock up on local goods, beach snacks, and regret-free impulse buys.

• 🐴 Mustang Mornings at the Farm
  Corolla Wild Horse Fund, Grandy | 10:00 AM–2:00 PM
  See OBX’s most iconic residents up close (and no, you can’t take one home).

• 🐾 Waggin' Wednesdays
  Town of Nags Head | 10:00 AM
  Bring your pup, meet the neighbors, and hope your dog doesn’t pee on anyone’s cooler.

• 🌽 Native Foods Experience
  Frisco Native American Museum | 11:00 AM–2:00 PM
  History you can taste. No, you can’t DoorDash this.

• 🔥 Workshop Wednesday: Firetender Pizza-Making
  Firetender, Manteo | 4:00 PM
  Build your own pizza like a culinary wizard. Bonus points for not burning the crust.

• 🐻 Bear Necessities Program
  Alligator River NWR, Manns Harbor | 5:00 PM
  Meet the real locals—black bears who want snacks but deserve respect.

• 🔔 Sound Bath Under the Sea
  NC Aquarium on Roanoke Island | 6:00 PM
  Meditate with the fishes. No metaphor—we mean it literally.

• 🎭 The Lost Colony Show Night
  Manteo | 8:30 PM
  Outdoor drama, historic mystery, and the one guy who keeps whispering plot theories.

📍THE BEAK OF APPROVAL

🍦John's Drive-In – Milkshakes & Mahi with Nostalgia on the Side

A Kill Devil Hills institution where the milkshakes are thick, the dolphin boats are hot, and the seagulls are just as aggressive as your appetite. Family-run since 1977, John's is the kind of place where your order hasn’t changed in a decade—and neither has the charm. Go for the mahi sandwich, stay for the people-watching in the gravel lot.

📍3716 N Virginia Dare Trail, Kill Devil Hills, NC

Because some things don’t need a glow-up—they just need extra napkins.

🚨 CRIME + SAFETY CORNER

Drugs, donuts, and a kid hiding in plain sight—just another day in paradise.

• 🧪 Mushrooms, Meth & Mayhem on NC12
  A Virginia man’s OBX vacation took a sharp turn after a traffic stop on NC12 turned into a mobile pharmacy bust. Todd R. Hulings, 31, of Blackstone, VA, was arrested after officers found marijuana, meth, and psilocybin mushrooms in his vehicle. He’s now facing a laundry list of charges, including drug trafficking, DWI, and maintaining a vehicle for controlled substances. His passenger, Brittany Grady, 32, was also arrested for possession. Lesson? Don’t treat your beach ride like a chemistry set.

• 👶 Lost Kid Found Upstairs—Not on the Beach
  Officers responded to Duck Landing Lane after a report of a missing child, initially believed to be on the beach. Cue the search party… which ended when the child was located by mom, safe and sound on the second floor of their rental. Plot twist: the beach was never involved. Just a rogue game of hide-and-seek.

• 🚲 Driver vs. Bicyclists Gets Heated in Duck
  Police were called to a reported altercation between a driver and two bicyclists on Duck Road. Witnesses gave conflicting descriptions of the suspects, and no one was located. No word on whether it was a beach rage moment or just a three-way misunderstanding involving sand, sweat, and side-eye.

• 🍩 Sticky Fingers at Donuts-On-A-Stick
  A 19-year-old learned the hard way that OBX donuts are not self-serve. Caught shoplifting by the business owner, the suspect was issued a citation on the spot. Sweet treats come with a price—literally.

  

  This section is sponsored by Southern Oak Artisan

⛱️ VACAY OR STAY

🏡 FOR SALE: Retro Ranch on the Ridge in Buxton

This 3-bed, 1.5-bath ranch-style slice of calm is perched high on a ridge in the X flood zone (read: no flood insurance drama), with peaceful canal views and cork flooring that’s easier on the knees and the planet. There’s a garage for your beach gear, central air to battle the July swamp air, and you’re minutes from the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, local eats, and probably someone selling shark teeth in a Ziploc.

📍49536 NC-12 #3, Buxton, NC | $509,000

It’s mid-century charm meets coastal convenience—and with a price per square foot that makes other listings sweat.

🌊 VACAY: Brooks Island Refuge – Nature’s Quiet Flex

This 5-bed, 3.5-bath waterfront hideout in Frisco is what happens when you mix seclusion with just enough civilization. Tucked away on a teeny-tiny island in Brigands Bay (yes, there’s a bridge), this soundfront stunner sleeps 10 and serves serious sunset views, screen-porch hot tub vibes, and a soundtrack of wind, birds, and your own deep sigh of relief.

📍Brooks Island Refuge #78-F | Frisco, NC

No pets, no noise, no drama. Just you, a hot tub, and enough kitchen supplies to pretend you're on a cooking show. Oh, and you’ve got access to the Club Hatteras pool, if you feel like being social.

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

Because beach rumors travel faster than a gust on NC12.

• 👣 Someone in Nags Head swears they saw Bigfoot jogging near Jockey’s Ridge. It was later confirmed to be a sunburned tourist in Tevas with a Bluetooth speaker and zero shame.

• 🕯️ A Duck vacationer called 911 after “seeing flickering lights in the sky” above the sound. Locals believe it was the Milky Way. City people, we love you—but please Google it next time.

🔗 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): Onyx is a sweet, energetic guy who loves toys, car rides, and dishing out hugs like it’s his job. He came to the shelter after his family lost housing, and now he’s ready to love hard all over again.

• 🌊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 this forecast of fireworks, fugitives, and phantom crab snacks without slamming your laptop shut, we salute you.

Forward this to someone who still thinks the dunes build themselves—and tell them the seagull said, “you tried.”

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