Croatoan Archeological Society - Cape Hatteras Motel

Digging History on Hatteras Island

Join our home-grown Hatteras Island family and volunteer historians with the Croatoan Archaeological Society, finding international fame for the OBX with what they’re digging up.

Lost Colony found?

See for yourself the new artifacts on display at the Hatteras Village Library!

Video produced by Aaron Tuell with the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau.

Cape Hatteras Motel is a proud sponsor of the Croatoan Archeological Society and enjoys supporting the team and their work on Hatteras Island.

Easter new update - Cape Hatteras Motel

What’s NEW For 2017 At Cape Hatteras Motel

Easter is almost here and that means the 2017 Beach season is upon us. We are looking forward to a season filled with happy vacation memories for our guests. It’s time to review a few items as you prepare for your visit, and also update you on a few changes at the motel.

As always, it’s a good idea to take a look at our website before your arrival, especially if you are a first-time guest. Give us a call at the motel [(252) 995-5611] if you have any questions about your reservation, room type, or activities here on Hatteras Island or nearby.

While traveling here you will note the work ongoing at the two bridge sites — one at Oregon Inlet and the other on Pea Island. Depending on the time and day you arrive there may be some lane closures so allow for that in your schedule. These bridges are extremely important to the life and vitality of Hatteras Island so we hope you will not let the minor inconvenience of slower traffic burden you. We will be here at the end of your journey! The construction is truly fascinating to see.

This summer beach re-nourisment will be ongoing in the Buxton area frm June 1- August 31, but we do not yet know from the contractors about the time-frame the work will be done in front of our motel. Please take a look at our previous blog-post about the “More Beach to Love” project and if you are vacationing with us during June, July or August stay tuned to the website or Facebook for more information. We are planning several family-friendly fun activities for the 5-6 days when we will experience the work. We want to make it a special time for all our guests, one that you can say upon reflection quite happily “I was there when they grew beach in 2017.” It will be an interesting process, and the end result is a more stable beach that you and your family and friends can enjoy for years to come. It also means Highway 12 is a bit more secure and less vulnerable, which is a very good thing!

During the winter we moved our office! So when you arrive please look to the end units on the lower level of the soundside. The office is clearly marked and we now have a ramp to the office as well. We’re excited about this new space and we think it will make your check-ins and check-outs go even more smoothly. What’s more, we’ve added some gallery space to the office and we are featuring not only artwork but also some local products that you can enjoy here or take home, include “Hatteras Sea Salts” and “Skeeter Beater.” The Clifford Morrow portion of the gallery celebrates the life and art of a man who made Hatteras Island his retirement home and whose work captures the essence of the natural beauty here. You’ll find great ideas for special Christmas, birthday or anniversary gifts.

We look forward to welcoming you in 2017! Don’t hesitate to call us at [252-995-5611] if you have questions or need additional information. See you soon!

The Cape Hatteras Motel Team

Easter new update - Cape Hatteras Motel

Easter new update - Cape Hatteras Motel

10 Best Islands - Cape Hatteras Motel

OBX Voted Southern Living’s No. 1 Best Southern Island

The votes are in: here is a video presentation of Southern Living’s ten best islands below the Mason-Dixon line for 2017.

Guess who won No. 1!?!

 

More Beach To Love Re-Nourishment - Cape Hatteras Motel

“More Beach to Love” Restoration In Buxton

That’s the catch phrase from Dare County for this summer’s beach re-nourishment projects in several coastal communities including Buxton.

Plans for the project were explained to community members and property owners at a meeting at the Fessenden Center in Buxton Tuesday evening. The Buxton project is a collaborative effort which includes Dare County, the National Park Service (Cape Hatteras National Seashore), Coastal Science and Engineering, and Weeks Marine.

The following are important take-aways not only for guests of Cape Hatteras Motel, but anyone planning to visit our area this summer.

1. The project will be 2.9 miles in length from just south of Avon near Canadian Hole to the old lighthouse foundations.
2. Approximately 2.6 million yards of sand will be relocated.
3. The borrow area (where the dredging will occur) will be about a mile and a half off-shore.
4. The project will proceed in sections. During the time the work is being done in a given section (about 5-6 days per 1000 foot section), the beach will be closed off. If a section of beach is wide enough there will be a back-shore corridor for public access. The pubic is welcome to view the work from that corridor but Weeks will maintain strict safety guidelines in and around the work area.
5. The primary staging area will be at the south end of the entire project at the decommissioned USCG facility.
6. The end result will be an additional 140 feet of sand on the beach.
7. The timetable is all approximate and is subject to change as the project is weather dependent. As of now the start date is June 1 and end date is August 31.
8. AT THIS TIME WE DO NOT KNOW WHEN THE WORK WILL BE IN FRONT OF THE CAPE HATTERAS MOTEL. WE WILL KEEP YOU ADVISED ONCE THE PROJECT BEGINS AND WE HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF THE PROGRESS.
9. During the time the work is in front of the motel, guests can expect to see large pipes and heavy equipment. The work will be 24/7. There will be construction lights on overnight. There will be the sound of bulldozers backing up. However, AC units will likely drown out some/all of the noise overnight. The dredge (which is the noisiest part of the operation) will be too far off-shore to be heard. The work will progress 200-250 feet a day in a 1000 foot section.
10. Dare County has created a website “MoreBeachToLove.com” with information, updates, and FAQs. Please visit this website often. The County will also be developing a mobile app to track the progress of the work. On the website you may sign up for e-mail notifications specific to the Buxton project. It will be easy to unsubscribe from the notifications once the information is no longer pertinent to your vacation.
10. You may also get information from the Cape Hatteras Motel Facebook page, the Island Free Press, and/or Radio Hatteras.
11. There will be required sea turtle monitoring during the duration of the project.
12. The quality of the sand will be closely monitored and will be equal to, or better than, the sand currently on the beach. They are not pumping rocks and mud.

We know that there will be a certain amount of disruption during the days that the work is in front of the motel. We ask our guests to remember how long we in the Buxton community have waited for this work to occur, and how important Highway 12 is to the viability of our island community. Especially at our motel we are weary of ocean over-wash and the expense of sand removal. Some of you have been here during storms. Many of you have seen videos and photos of what a hurricane or ‘nor-easter can do.

We will do everything we can to make sure your vacation is enjoyable. An amount of flexibility and understanding will be required. There will be beach access to the north or south depending on which way the work progresses.  The work will be fascinating, and it will be exciting to be here and be a part of the energy surrounding the entire endeavor. The entities involved will have individuals on site to answer questions or concerns. We will also have contact information at the County level to address questions and concerns that we at the motel can not answer to your satisfaction.

Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding. We know how much you love the Buxton area, and we also know you want it to be sustainable in the years ahead. This re-nourishment effort, which has to occur in the summer months when the weather is least likely to be severe, will go a long way to insuring our stability for the next several years. We look forward to seeing you in the summer of 2017!

Please contact the office and ask for Jan or Dave if you have any questions at 252-995-5611. We will do our best to answer them for you or get you the answers you need.  Thank you!

 

Beach Restoration - Cape Hatteras Motel

Beach Nourishment - Cape Hatteras Motel

Beach Restoration - Cape Hatteras Motel

Beach Nourishment - Cape Hatteras Motel

Hatteras-Ocracoke Ferry Service Meeting - Cape Hatteras Motel

Seashore Invites Public Comment On Proposed NCDOT Passenger Ferry Service Projects

Cape Hatteras National Seashore (Seashore), in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), will host two public meetings in late March to obtain public comments on projects related to a new NCDOT passenger ferry service from Hatteras Island to Ocracoke Island. Several projects are proposed on park lands and the Seashore has been collaborating with NCDOT on planning to accommodate certain aspects of the passenger ferry project. Specifically, within park boundaries, the Seashore and NCDOT are working on:

1) The location of enhanced parking for passenger ferry vehicles on Hatteras Island,
2) A location for a shade/rain shelter for passenger ferry patrons at the Silver Lake/visitor center area,
3) A possible restroom capacity enhancement at Silver Lake or the  park visitor center area, and
4) A minor modification to the Silver Lake boat docks to accommodate passenger ferry docking and safe maneuverability.

The Seashore will be completing an Environmental Assessment to fully analyze a variety of these proposed project actions. The Seashore would like to invite the public to the following meetings to discuss the proposed actions:

· Wednesday, March 29, 5-6 pm
Education Room
Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum
59200 Museum Dr
Hatteras, NC 27943

· Thursday, March 30, 11am-12pm
Ocracoke Community Center
999 Irvin Garrish Hwy
Ocracoke, NC 27960

The Seashore will be taking public comments at the meetings and online from March 15 until April 13.

Comments can also be mailed to:
Superintendent
Cape Hatteras National Seashore
1401 National Park Dr
Manteo, NC 27954

 

NC 12 Closed Mar 12 - Cape Hatteras Motel

Section Of NC 12 In Frisco Closed Mar 12, 2017

A heads up for anyone planning to be on Hatteras Island on Sunday, March 12:

NCDOT will be replacing culverts underneath a small section of roadway in Frisco that day, so Highway 12 will be closed in that area from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

There is an 8.3 mile detour route for 4×4 vehicles ONLY.

The southbound detour will begin at Ramp 44 off of Lighthouse Road at the Cape Hatteras Light Station in Buxton. The northbound detour will begin at Ramp 49 off Billy Mitchell Road in Frisco. The detour will be clearly marked from N.C. 12 and along the detour route in both directions. Motorists using the detour should follow the posted speed and directional signage.

Use of the detour route is at the driver’s own risk, and NCDOT is not responsible for towing stranded or stuck vehicles.

NCDOT Facebook Page

The Virginian Pilot Article

Please plan ahead for this road closure.

Buxton Beach Nourishment - Cape Hatteras Motel

Informational Meeting for Buxton Beach Nourishment Project

Dare County will host an informational meeting for the Buxton Beach Nourishment Project at the Fessenden Center in Buxton on Tuesday, March 7 at 6 p.m.

All are invited and encouraged to attend. This session will provide an opportunity for property management companies, business owners and employees, homeowners and citizens to learn details about every aspect of the nourishment project, the construction process, what’s involved and what to expect.

Representatives from the contracting company, Coastal Science and Engineering and the dredging company, Weeks Marine, will present an overview of the project followed by a question and answer session. Staff members from Dare County and the National Park Service will be in attendance to answer questions and review the “More Beach to Love” website that will be the go-to source for updated information about the project, once construction begins.

Construction of the Buxton Beach Nourishment project is scheduled to begin this summer and includes approximately 2.9 miles of beach from the “Haul Over” north of Buxton to the oceanfront groin near the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.

For more information, call Dare County Public Relations at 252.475.5900.

Beach Nourishment Release - Cape Hatteras Motel

Hatteras Drum Fishing - Cape Hatteras Motel

Reel Vintage Hatteras Drum Fishing

Enjoy this delightful throwback, a ‘News Reel Short’ from back in the day when you went to the movies to get your entertainment.

Red drum fishing at Cape Hatteras begins about 2:00 minutes in on this historical gem of a VIDEO!


Can any of you fans share more memories about Harry and Snowball?

Hatteras Odyssey - Cape Hatteras Motel

Finally Arriving In Hatteras Was Like Waking Up Christmas Morning!

The story has been repeated time and again for decades. The characters have changed and they have come from all over the nation, but they have all packed loads of excitement and anticipation for this one and only destination.

Strap on the boards, fire up the van and take a spin back in time to relive a version of the journey that tweaks the chords of thousands of similar treasured beach memories from this vintage VIDEO, featuring classic soundtracks by Wishbone Ash.

Perhaps you even have details to share of your own Hatteras Odyssey?

 

 

Hatteras Beach Dads - Cape Hatteras Motel

Hatteras Beach Dads

Beach Dads are everyone’s super heroes. With Fathers’ Day weekend coming up this the perfect time to honor the guys who make our vacations extra special.

Beach Dads are the men who love to wear funky clothes on vacation; shirts and shorts that suddenly emerge from the darkest corners of the closets where they reside during the rest of the year. And they like to wear hats — lots of cool and interesting hats not seen at any other times or places. Footwear is a whole different topic, but yes, we love our Dads with socks and sandals too!

Beach Dads know how to make sand castles, fly kites, put bait on hooks, and find ghost crabs with flashlights. They are expert car-packers and know all the crazy songs to sing coming down Highway 12. Whether your memories are of Dad looking at a map to find the best route here from faraway places, or your Dad uses a GPS today (which usually can’t find us!), Dads tend to be the drivers for most of the journey. They know exactly which restaurants have the best lunches and snacks, they remember all the gas stations where they always stop, and sometimes they miraculously drive all night so that when you open your eyes, you’re almost here!

When you first ventured into the water, Beach Dad held onto you for dear life as you learned to play in, and respect, the ocean.  Beach Dad taught you about tides, and how to find the Big Dipper in the beautiful, dark Hatteras sky. Beach Dads with four-wheel drives locate the perfect spot to spend the day on the beach.  Beach Dads can grill the best burgers, catch the biggest fish, and tell the best stories.

Beach Dad mellows out by the end of the vacation, and it’s so good to see Beach Dad and Beach Mom really relax.  Dads who work hard all year deserve a break, and an OBX vacation often is the perfect place for that wonderful vacation. But just like Beach Moms, whether you have a Beach Dad, a Mountain Dad, a Lake Dad, a City Dad or a Dad who is now just a precious memory – be sure to pause on Fathers’ Day and say “thank you’ – in person or in your heart.

Happy Fathers’ Day from all of us at Cape Hatteras Motel!