Seagull Says: It's Monday. Lower your expectations.

🌊 TODAY’S TIDE (Weather + Surf Report)

• 🌤️ Weather
  Gray skies are in charge today with a high of 75°F and a low of 69°F. Humidity is clinging at 70%, so prepare for a gentle dew or full frizz—dealer’s choice. Winds out of the southeast at 10–15 mph, just enough to make your beach towel flap like it’s trying to escape your bad decisions.

• 🏄‍♂️ Surf Report
  Not huge, but not hopeless. We’re talking knee to waist-high waves with the occasional stomach-high surprise. Light southeast winds are throwing a little texture into the mix—nothing too dramatic, just enough to keep it interesting. Bring your longboard or groveler if you want to catch anything without looking like you’re chasing ghosts.

📅 WHAT’S LEFT AFTER THE WEEKEND

The confetti’s gone, the chairs are folded, but hey—there’s still stuff happening.

• 🦀 KICKOFF: Soft-Shell Crab Week Begins
  Welcome to the Outer Banks National Soft-Shell Week, where local crabs show their softer side (literally). From shedders to sandwich—these crustaceans are the real taste of OBX. Participating restaurants and markets will have you questioning your loyalty to shrimp.

• 📝 Open Poetry at Front Porch Café
  Mon, May 12 | 3:30–5:30 PM | Nags Head
  Spill your soul or sip your latte—either way, poetry night is back. Bring your rhymes, your heartbreak, or just your curiosity. No judgment (unless your haiku mentions pumpkin spice).

• 🦦 Happy Otter Hour at the Aquarium
  Mon, May 12 | 2:00 PM | Roanoke Island
  Help prep snacks for the river otters and learn what makes them tick (besides being adorable). For $19, you get an otter-ly wholesome experience that’ll melt even the saltiest beach heart.

• 🎸 Open Mic at McGrath’s Burger Shack
  Mon, May 12 | 6–9 PM | Kill Devil Hills
  Your shot at stardom (or secondhand embarrassment). Hosted by Laura Harrell—show up with a guitar, a poem, or just the nerve to grab the mic after your third beer.

🗞️ COASTAL CHATTER + QUESTIONABLE PRIORITIES

From crabby time capsules to retirement mic drops, here’s what people are clucking about across the Banks.

• ⚾ Cape Hatteras Ends Season, Drops Mic
  The Hurricanes didn’t win their playoff game (ouch, 10–0), but they did get to play their hearts out at the historic Durham Athletic Park. They wrapped up the season 11–9, and Coach Keith Durham wrapped up a decade-long career with enough baseball wisdom to fill a Kevin Costner sequel. Legends leave dirt on the cleats and metaphors in their wake.

• 🌊 Hurricane Season: The Real Drama Starts After the Storm
  Just because the wind stops doesn’t mean you should fire up the margarita machine. Half of hurricane deaths happen after the skies clear. Floods, busted power lines, and shady floodwater full of bacteria (and probably some eels) are still very much a thing. Also: generators are for outside, and if you're near the surf—watch for sneaky rip currents. Stay salty, not sorry.

• 🎶 John Buford: Music Teacher, Cancer Warrior, Total Badass
  After kicking leukemia’s butt and making it back to the classroom, Dare County’s beloved music teacher just snagged the Mollie Fearing award. His recovery? Fueled by science, spirit, and a whole community that refused to let him fight alone. OBX came through big—and John kept making waves.

• 🐢 Turtles on Deck!
  The Outer Banks just got its first sea turtle nest of 2025. Meanwhile, three rescued turtles that were once cold-stunned are now living their best beach lives post-rehab. Shout-out to the crab who tried to claim one of them as a roommate. Nature is wild.

• 🍾 Message in a Bottle (But Make It 1956)
  A giant blue crab in Hatteras Village recently handed over a bottle from nearly 70 years ago. Inside? A note from a local gal named Betty Jean, thrown into the Pamlico Sound when she was 11. The bottle made its way back home—because of course it did. OBX magic, folks. Even the crustaceans are sentimental.

📍THE BEAK OF APPROVAL

Gray’s Outer Banks — Outfitting the OBX Since Before Corolla Had Wi-Fi
Family-owned since 1948, Gray’s has been slinging beach style, duck logos, and vacation outfits that actually fit the vibe. If you don’t leave with a cute top or at least a sticker, did you even go? 📍Kitty Hawk, Duck (x2), Corolla

🚓 HEARD AROUND THE SQUAD CAR

Where crime, confusion, and coffee dates collide.

• 🚨 Tip Your Cap, Not Your Drink
  It’s National Police Week, May 11–17, honoring those who serve and protect (and put up with us). Peace Officers Memorial Day is May 15. Hug a cop (with permission, of course)—or just don’t give them extra paperwork.

• 🔥 Duck Blaze = Total Chaos, Zero Injuries
  Lila says there’s “definitely something sus” about this one. A late-night house fire in Duck turned into a full-blown blaze. No address shared, but it lit up the sky like a beach bonfire gone rogue. Everyone got out safe (or so we’re told), thanks to what sounded like every emergency vehicle in Dare County. If your dog was pacing at 1 a.m., mystery solved (for now).

• 🚗 Car Hoppers in Southern Shores
  Suspects have been ID’d in a round of attempted vehicle break-ins along Palmetto Ln. If you saw something, say something. (Unless it was your neighbor checking to see if their car was unlocked again.)

• 💡 Stop Signs Are NOT Optional
  Those blinking reds at 1st and KDH are still sparking local rage. Leah says a guy in front of her just froze. Dave says anyone confused by a four-way stop should “retake the test.” Civil discourse is alive and well.

• 👻 Avon’s Got a New ‘Friend’
  Watch out for Tori on Facebook. Locals say it’s a scammy friend request—and not the “I saw you at Food Lion” kind.

• 🏕️ Sheriff Summer Camp: Taser Demos + Trust Falls
  Currituck’s free youth summer camp is back with archery, K-9s, mock scenarios, and just the right amount of “team-building” to scare your teen into cleaning their room. Want your kid to come home quoting Miranda rights? Contact the Currituck County Sheriff’s Office—just maybe not with your full name.

• ☕ Wrong Coffee, Right Cops
  A loyal reader thought she was attending “Coffee with a Cop,” pulled up to a table of officers and started chatting… only to realize it wasn’t the official event. No one corrected her, but cops seemed to enjoy the interrogation. The real deal is May 15, noon–1 p.m. at Waveriders in Nags Head. Bring your questions. Maybe ask before sitting down.

⛱️ VACAY OR STAY

🏡 FOR SALE: DUCK, DECKS, AND A FOOSBALL TABLE—YES REALLY
This top-floor condo in Barrier Island Station has ocean views so good you’ll forget you still have emails to answer. With two queen bedrooms, two updated baths, and a bonus loft with bunk beds and a foosball table, it’s equal parts chill and chaos—just like the Outer Banks. New floors, new kitchen, soaking tub, resort-style amenities, and walkable to all the Duck eats and shops you pretend not to love

📍1245 Duck Rd Unit 212, Duck | $663,000 | MLS #128859

Bonus: Recent building upgrades = less worry, more beach.

🌊 VACAY: WAVEHI! OCEANFRONT + DECK VIBES INCLUDED
This one-bedroom condo doesn’t just sit near the beach—it’s on it. Say hi to the surf each morning from your private deck, then pretend you’re “working remote” between kayaking, jet skiing, and flipping through that suspiciously untouched stack of beach reads. Full kitchen, washer/dryer, shared pool, tennis courts, BBQ grill, and more beach gear than you’ll actually use.

📍Duck, NC | WaveHi!
Bonus: No pets allowed = no sandy paw prints. Just you, the waves, and a blender with your name on it.

🗣️ HEARD AROUND THE SOUND

• 🏄‍♂️ A paddleboard washed up in Duck with no rider, no leash, and no explanation. It’s now a shared neighborhood conversation piece.

• 🚴‍♀️ A family parked in the bike lane “for a minute” and created a traffic tangle that ate 45 minutes and at least one relationship.

🔗 QUICK LINKS

• ⛴️Ferry Schedule – Because you can’t teleport to the Outer Banks, yet.

• 🐾OBX SPCA Pet of the Week: Ember and Lumi- these bonded sisters are ready to meet you!

• 🌊Live Surf Cams – For pretending you care about the swell while actually checking beach crowds.

• 💬Submit a Tip or Event – Got gossip? We’re all ears (and beaks).

🧂FINAL PEEP FROM THE PERCH

Monday showed up uninvited, wearing Thursday’s cologne and Friday’s confidence. Sort of like your Uncle Frank. Sorry about that. Just hang in there—your cool cousin Friday is only a few days away.

Sign up. Stay salty. Be nosy.