WELCOME TO BUBBA'S
PRETTY FAIR O.B.X. SITE.
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I am also looking for a new place to store fishing and vacation pics so pardon the lack of grafics here for now.
I want to reach folks "NEW" to the OBX, or who may be planning that ever so wonderful "FIRST" visit. You will find data on weather, tides, local fishing, camping, rentals, motels & restaurants. Also ferry info, and much, much, more.
I am not looking to be a tour guide either, but work the links and you will "visit" the Parks, Lighthouses and all the Banks has to offer. I will update and expand it as I learn to use this machine,
(as well as to type and spell).
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For more than 12 years my son, James, (AKA-Caleb, to those of us who love him), and, who is now grown, and I...have camped and surfed and fished here. We explored Civil War sites, lighthouses, and pirate haunts. We saw where the Wright Brothers flew, and where the first English settlement was in the New World and so much more. I hope you will visit here with your youngsters too, and have as much fun as we did.
These days at 50 {:^(}, I am retired (military disability, U.S. Army, 1970-75) and I have lots of time to fish, explore, hang out, and the like. Sometimes with my lovely companion, Patzy, but more often by myself.
What "I do" in part, as Caleb would say,( joke is at the closing :^) is loaf up and down the OBX, in trinket and tee-shirt places, eateries, bait and tackle shops, in an occasional tavern, on the piers and the beaches. Mostly repeating someone else's fishing lies, while trying to pass myself off as a sportsman.
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So, as I go along I will add great places to see, eat and stay...for the guy on a budget, or the family who wants to get the most vacation for the investment.
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Most of our time is spent on Hatteras but I will try to add some info on what is north of the Whale Bone also.
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Let me recommend some real good BBQ to you; BUBBAS' BBQ , in Frisco, 6 miles south of the now moved Hatteras Light on Highway 12. A newer location is in Avon in the "Flood Lion" Plaza. Ph. 995-5421.
(There is no relation by the way.)
I no longer recomend the Cape Sandwich CO, in Buxton as a family restruant. I have in years past.
I do recomend the Red Drum Tackle as a first class tackle shop. Here is their message board link... Red Drum Message Board
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Speaking of tackle shops I also like the Frisco Rod and Gun, south on HWY. 12 at Frisco.
Frisco Rod and Gun is near the old Frisco Pier, ($7.00 to fish all day), and across the road from the Frisco Campground, (NPS-$13.00 A NITE).
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A major fishing site, not one helpful with camping but a good link to view is...the NCBBA, site to see whats going on in the surf and with NPS. Click on the "Buggy BOard" for current postings.
After a few years with kids along, I have found we save a LOT of money if we stop at Wall Mart or K-mart as we arive on the banks. (located at the Kitty Hawk end of the Banks). They have everything the junk shops and beachwear shops do at much less. You save big on camera and film, sun tan lotion, pop and all like that but consider buying your tackle at a full service tackle shop, such as the Red Drum or Frank and Frans, to name but a few.
If you aren't real good with saltwater tackle you may need help or advice. The kid at K Mart won't cut it when it comes to baits, knots, leaders and line & hook sizes.You may or may not find those $39.00 cat fish poles there of value. My expierence is you leave them in the garage the next year and buy a better rod at the real tackle shop where you are usualy steered in the right direction. Ofcourse, you may only use it a few times and find it worth while.
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Here is a tip for humid summer afternoons: to cool off in the heat of the day or amuse fussy kids take a ride on the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry. It lasts 20 minutes and it is free. One departs every 15 minutes each way. Call 1-800-BY Ferry for other areas and costs. You may need reservations for trucks and coaches on over to the mainland, but between Hatteras and Ocracke Islands just pull up to the dock and wait your turn.
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When in Buxton our choice of acomodations is the Falcon Motel.
Modest rates, clean pool, and quite nice in every way. It is on the main drag, (Highway 12, the only main drag for anywhere south of the Whalebone), and right on the sound so you can walk a few yards and fish. It is opposite the Cape Sandwich and Red drum. The phone if I have it is .. 1-800-635-6911. They have no room phones, and that is sort of nice.
On the North end beaches, the See Sea Motel is Patzy's favorite as she likes that area rather than Hatteras. The See Sea is in Kill Devil Hills on the beach road about at MP 9 1/4, and I realy recommend it. It also has a extra nice pool, a gas grills, an under roof, out side dinning area and is the most reasonably priced motel we have found. They have all the amenities from free local phones to ice boxes, that is "Frirdgid-eers" if you aren't from W Va. You will find laundry facilities, pop and candy machines. They have rooms, effeciencies, apartments and cottages. WE are departing for there in 2 days in fact. Try them at 800-928-7487 & 252-441-7321. As I have said, we get no consideration of any kind for their mention, just sharing what has made our trips fun and low impact.
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Near by is a new place to eat. We love it and take many meals there. It is the Crabby Shack. Check it out. A great family spot for dinig during the day and getting together with adultsin the evenings and also a good place for the late night and weekend crowd. The happy hour crowd can be a little noisy soleave the small fry at home in late afternoons. It is just a block north of the motel.
Also close by is a cross over to the beach (across the street from the See Sea), a post office and general store as well as a hardware store.
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I once recomended the Gritts and Grill on the By Pass at MP12 or so but no more. YOu will get good food and service but I found my waitress rude a number of times so I axed them. Bubbette says I must remid the old girl of an ex husband. I noticed other dinners had no complaint...you be the judge.
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And on surfing, the sport I mean...there are several web sites on OBX surf shops and surfing. If we can't access them from here I will post their URL's in this narrative at such time as I can find them for you. Copy and paste this in your broswer:http://surfline.swell.com/servlet/com.swell.surfmap.getSurfmapSurfBreakReport?alias=capehatteras< he he he I could never type that and get it to go, I am to dissslexxxexict, :^) it has a surf cam and up to date surf reports.
Looking for great nautical decorating items? Try this guys eBay site, it belongs to my pal and I will vouch for the quality and service.
*** TOLL FREE and OTHER NUMBERS OF INTEREST ***
I will add to these as I find them.
1-800 ASK FISH ; current fishing reports,location and licenses. ***
1-800-336 BOAT : boating safety classes in your area.
1-800-BY FERRY : ferry info and reservations.
Some websites, E-Mail addresses, and/or more phone numbers of possible interest:
Teache's hole, (252)-928-1718 & a pirate trinket shop & learning center you and the kids will love on Ocracoke.
As to pets, I got this on the Frisco message board, "Mary Ann" recommends the Hatteras Island Pet Resort (252)-995-4851, if you choose to board your pets on the Island and be close to them. I expect they can put you onto a good vet service too, but let us trust, you won't need that. Thank you Mary Ann for that helpful info.
Bike rentals : The Bike Barn ; sales, rentals and repairs, in Hatteras, 986-BIKE...I am just listing these for reference and I may or may not have given them my trade, so check them out as you would if you read an ad or something.
Double L Bird Ranch and Petting Zoo, on the back road in Buxton, 995-5494. This place is a new one to me and I have not heard of it, but that don't mean much.
A must vist is: The Chicamacomico Life Saving Station on Highway 12 in Rodanthe. On Thursdays the reenact a life boat drill. (252)-987-1552.
Capt. Clam. a party or head boat, 1/2 day fishing on the sound for about $30 for adults. Bring some drinks and snacks and have fun. All else provided. Reservations are required so call ahead. Patzy likes this one and we fished on her 3 or 4 times, had fun and caught our dinner to! It is in Hatterass and I cant find the number for them but I will. Tip the mate, those guys work soley for tips, rain or shine, good weather or bad.
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A note on NPS attractions..The thing is, this year there are new fees and increased fees and fees on top of fees. If you are retired or disabled, you are entitled to a Golden Eagle Pass. That admitts you and your family or car load, the case being, to enter free any federal facility that charges an access fee. The encludes light house tours, the First Flight center and so forth. It also gets you a 50% discount on camping. This is good anywere that the Federal Gov. has a park or monument. Even Corp of Engineer camp grounds or the Washington Mounument, it is all coverd. If you are a disabled Vet or a Vetern of any lenght of sevice and of retirement age, go for it and take those grand kids along. As I said it isn't limited to Vets, anyone retired or disabled is qualified but brother if you are a vetern of our country's service, then you deserve it and in spades.
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The Piers:
Jennett'a Pier 441-6116
Nags Head Pier 441-5151
Kitty Hawk Pier 261-2772
Avon 925-5480.
Cape Hatteras Pier (aka old Frisco Pier) 986-2533.
Hatteras Island resort Pier, at Rodanthe, 987-2323.
The links will give you info on more and whats north/south of the Whalebone junction as to fishing piers and marinas etc. You can rent poles at the piers and they will get you all fixed up if you want to fish but didn't come just for that.
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A word about Jim McMahon and his antique and classic tackle shop. I was so impressed with his site that all summer I thought about doing one of my own. Recently discussing one of the several short comings I may appear to have, son Caleb added "...but Dad, nobody is as good as you, at what you do." Only smiling when asked to qualify that assertion.
But, back to Jim, Caleb says as much as I like to collect stuff: decoys, shot guns and fishing tackle, a bug I got from being on the Banks, I should do a page too. I did just that and here we are.
Jim has closed the shop and does a mail order business in collables and nautical decor items on the web.
The days when the hunt clubs and Life Saving Service were here and lighthouses had keepers instead of tour guides. Fishing poles were hand made of split bamboo and shoot guns had two barrels, while sporting names like Purdy, Hamilton and Parker.
Thank you Jim for keeping some of those traditions alive.
Drop in and see him***
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Thanks for viewing, email any suggestions or comments. They are always welcome. Bubba