Moving the Lighthouse

Feb 1, 1999 Cheryl Roberts HATTERAS ISLAND, NC Photo courtesy Scot Geib

A visit to the lighthouse relocation site lets us see the progress on the move: The pathway to the new location has been cleared (the "move corridor") and graded. Each day more of the pieces important to achieve the relocation arrive by truck: wood (oak) cribbing, steel beams, gravel, etc. Sensors are being installed from top to bottom on the tower. The sensors will alert workers to changes or a shift to a fraction of an inch in the tower. They are connected to a central system where signals are relayed to receivers worn by the movers and their team ... whether on site or having lunch in Buxton.

A unified jack system will be the first to react with an evening of pressure to adjust should there be a change in tower position. Numerous backup systems are in place to keep the process running smoothly.

Sign Up for Lighthouse Society Announcements
Feb 1, 1999
Staff Report

The Outer Banks Lighthouse Society will update the progress of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse move throughout the Spring ... sign up to receive e-mail updates.

New Chamber Site
Feb 1, 1999
Staff Report
KILL DEVIL HILLS, NC

The Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce recently announced a new internet site which contains the complete Outer Banks Relocation & Investors Guide, a directory of the Chamber's 1100 members, economic and demographic data, calendar of events, local history and information about Chamber membership services.

New Coastal Wildlife Refuge Society Drive
Feb 1, 1999
Staff Report
MANTEO, NC

The Coastal Wildlife Refuge Society has announced a fund raising drive to build a new Visitor's Center / Administrative Complex in Manteo. Memberships in the Society and donations are used to benefit Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge and a host of other programs and activities throughout Northeastern North Carolina as well as fund the construction of the new Center. Contributions may be made on line at the Coastal Wildlife Refuge Society site or by mail:

New Provisioning Service for Visitors
Feb 1, 1999
Staff Report
DUCK, NC

Over 5,000 vacation homes on North Carolina's Northern Outer Banks change occupants each weekend during the Spring, Summer and Fall creating a mammoth group of shoppers at local markets. Vacationers, after traveling hours to reach their vacation destination have had to endure an hour or more in crowded markets to select their groceries and necessary items for their cottage.

Now a new company in Duck offers an alternative. Outer Banks Provisioners will stock your cottage with most of the "staple" items to get you through your stay ... or at least make it possible for you to wait until later in the week to shop when the stores are not as crowded. Outer Banks Provisioners allows vacationers to order on-line in advance of their arrival date and will deliver to the cottage on the day of their arrival.

The entry granite steps have been removed, numbered and stored to be replaced after relocation.

The brick walkways have been numbered, stored, and will also be replaced exactly the same after the move.

Photo courtesy Bruce Roberts

Five years ago, the Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce became one of the first (if not the first) chamber of commerce in the state of North Carolina to have its own homepage. In late December of '98 the Chamber announced a new homepage which offers more information than ever before to its members, the Outer Banks Community and those around the world who share an interest in the Outer Banks.

The new site can be found at http://outerbankschamber.com and offers a listing (with addresses and phone numbers) for all 1100 member businesses, the complete "Outer Banks Relocation Guide" and a handy "History Book" containing information on the Outer Banks most popular sites, derivation of many of the Outer Banks names and an amusing lexicon of Outer Banks expressions. It's a real "power house site" for up-to-date information on all of North Carolina's Outer Banks ... from Corolla to Ocracoke!

New Provisioning Service ...

Outer Banks Provisioners was conceived and started during the early spring of 1998 and began provisioning their first vacation homes during the summer season.

For years Webb Brown and Claudia Buchanan traveled to North Carolina's Outer Banks for vacations in the summer and chartered sailing vessels in the Caribbean in the winter. One of the chores they found taking too much of their precious vacation time was grocery shopping. That was something they had to do at home ... not something they wanted to do on vacation. They thought, how much better to arrive at your destination and have the cupboards stocked instead of bare. With this in mind, Outer Banks Provisioners was started.
Webb Brown grew up in Virginia Beach. He owned and operated a traditional mens and ladies clothing establishment, Websters, for over twenty five years. He was one of the originators of The East Coast Surfing Championship, which is in its 36th year.

Claudia has always lived by the ocean ... as a child, on Long Island, then on the Outer Banks, Virginia Beach and now back on the Outer Banks. She has an extensive retail and outside sales background. Claudia was part of the 'core staff' at The Galleon Esplanade in Nags Head during its heyday of the '70s & '80s.

When Webb and Claudia moved to the Outer Banks, they looked for a service business that pampered the public and was unique. "Far too many vacationers drive hundreds of miles to find gorgeous vacation homes devoid of almost everything ... nothing to drink or eat. It's unpack the car and go to the grocery store ... just so you can have dinner that evening and breakfast the next morning" says Webb. Claudia and Webb have made it possible for you to stop by your realtor's office, pick up the key, unlock the front door and go to the beach, for a bike ride or go fishing. Everything is there ... all you need do is enjoy the rest of your day! There are cold drinks in the refrigerator, snacks to eat and the charcoal is ready to light for dinner. There are eggs, bacon, milk, juice and cereal for breakfast ... and everything you need for your stay.

You can visit Outer Banks Provisioners on their internet site at http://outerbanksprovisioners.com. Enjoy!