Carolina tourism up

Tourism is up in our great state, according to the Charlotte Observer, who says the "beach is beckoning this year - good news for North Carolina's tourism industry."

AAA Carolinas predicts a 12 percent increase over last year in Fourth of July holiday travel. And along the coast, businesses say they're seeing more tourists than in the past two years. ...

It's too early to tell whether the trend will carry through the summer - school hasn't been out that long. But Caroline Meeks, who runs Victory Beach Vacations in Carolina Beach, said her rentals recently jumped again after a strong early spring, then a lull in May.

"If I look at the numbers for the whole year, we are up," Meeks said. "Unfortunately, some of our reservations are from the Gulf Coast. People are saying they had to cancel their reservations there and make new ones."

Like it did last summer, the company is still getting a lot of last-minute reservations, Meeks said. Customers also are asking for shorter rentals.

"We've adjusted," she said, by cutting required lengths of stay and by staffing the office until 9 p.m. "If the mom says, 'OK, we can go. Let's see if we can find a place,' and they want to go tomorrow morning and it's 8 o'clock on Thursday, you want to have somebody there to answer the phone."

We have noticed some of these trends as well. In fact, a recent visitor changed up his original Alabama Gulf Shores trip because of the Gulf oil spill and instead came to Carolina Beach. We're always happy for the business -- just wish it was for another reason.

We are also getting many more "last-minute" requests. Whereas a year ago people were planning their vacations a couple of months ahead of time, now we're getting those calls and emails just a couple of weeks before. And instead of week-long stays, we are seeing more and more 3- or 4-night sojourns at OBP.

State planning to deal with oil (if necessary)

Oil from the BP spill in the Gulf may or may not make its way up to the North Carolina coast. But if it does, state officials are ready.

"North Carolina has a plan for dealing with the possible incursion of the BP Deep Horizons oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico into the state’s coastal waters," says the Washington News.

"That plan may be found on the N.C. Department of Crime Control & Public Safety’s Web page under the heading for the Division of Emergency Management, said department spokesman Ernie Seneca. The department’s Web page may be found at www.nccrimecontrol.org. ...

The plan was developed in the “remote chance some of this oil will make its way up here,” Seneca said in an interview with the Washington Daily News. ...

Meanwhile, the state is preparing to act if oil threatens its waters.

“North Carolina has an oil spill-response plan that defines roles and responsibilities for responding agencies,” Seneca said. “The state of North Carolina is closely monitoring BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. State and federal agencies are coordinating plans to be fully prepared to respond in case the oil reaches our state. The U.S. Coast Guard is currently projecting that there is a remote chance that the oil could reach this far north and threaten North Carolina’s coast.”

North Carolina’s plan makes the Coast Guard the lead agency in charge of oil threatens coastal waters, with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency the lead agency in charge if oil threatens inland waters. The N.C. Department of Crime Control & Public Safety, which includes the Division of Emergency Management, is the lead state-response agency. The N.C. State Emergency Response Team, headed by the state’s emergency-management director, assists federal agencies, coordinates state preparations and response activities and works with local communities and responders.

Glad to hear that state officials are planning ahead. Hopefully it is unnecessary planning.

Britt's Donuts: Well worth the drive

The Raleigh News & Observer begins its summer "Open Road" series with a look at a CB institution: Britt's Donuts.

Traveling 129 miles from Raleigh to the beach to try an 80-cent doughnut is to put faith in those who have come before, to trust in their ability to judge grease and glaze.

Because even with rhapsodic testimonials posted across the Internet, driving that far to eat Britt's Donuts is a gamble because there are no choices. If you prefer chocolate, and your buddy eats jelly-filled, that's fine, but you can't have either. Britt's sells only fried glazed doughnuts.

There is a simple reason for this, insists owner Bobby Nivens.

"When we get busy," he says of his airy, hand-cut delicacies, "we don't have time for other doughnuts."

After the first one, you might not either. ...

The doughnut has devoted fans, but Nivens isn't the sort of cook who shares his techniques with friends. Only he and his wife, Maxine, know the exact recipe. One of them has to mix the dough so the employees can make the doughnuts. Even their daughter isn't privy to the doughnut's innards, although she knows where the recipe is written down in case anything happens to the secret-keepers.

Nivens dreamed years ago of expanding his deep-fried empire to include shops in other cities, but he eventually decided against the plan. Money, he says, isn't everything. Plus he and Maxine enjoy their time off, which is pretty much October through March.

The shop opens at 8:30 a.m. every day during the summer. It closes each night when business slows, and Nivens never shuts the garage doors if there are people in line.

"I don't want to get killed," he says, laughing.

Raleigh-to-Wilmington train eyed

Now THIS could be very cool.

From uber-reporter and hell of a guy Chris Baysden:

N.C. DOT's Rail Division "has applied for almost $7 million in federal planning funds that would allow for the expansion of intercity passenger rail service in the state – including between Raleigh and Wilmington. ...

"The funds, from the Federal Rail Administration, would be used to conduct environmental studies, engineering and design work for future intercity passenger services, NCDOT said in a written statement. These studies would assess ridership, revenue, construction and operating costs on two routes: between Raleigh and Wilmington and between Salisbury and Asheville. ...

"North Carolina already won a large chunk of federal money for rail improvements this year. In January, North Carolina announced grants of $545 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for further development of sections of the Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor located in the state."

Granted, it would be tough to hit the train in Raleigh, get off in Wilmington and then find our way to CB, but it's at least a start.

The rides are back and a new Thai restaurant has opened

The rides at the Carolina Beach boardwalk are now back, just in time for the busy summer season.

"This year there are about a dozen more rides, including the 'Ring of Fire' which will go 70 feet in the air. There will also be bungee jumping and new kiddie rides," says WECT.

"After last year's success, the Town of Carolina Beach worked with the ride company to expand, which is good news for the bad economy.

"The prices will remain the same, but there will be rides on three different lots near the boardwalk.

"The rides will be open by Friday night and could be open as early as Thursday night if the inspections are complete by then."

Ida Thai now open

Chef Jackie Bongkotmanee’s Ida Thai is now open in CB. The Thai restaurant is named for Bongkotmanee’s toddler daughter, Ida.

"Ida’s menu features easy Thai favorites such as satay, spring rolls, pad Thai, and all the correct curries but also Paradise Ginger, a stir-fry containing ginger, mushrooms, celery, carrots, bell peppers and onion," says the Star-News. "Garlic & Pepper Chicken brings chicken sauteed with fresh garlic and ground pepper topped with cilantro. Prices range from $5 to $10. Take-out is available. Call (910) 458-8136."

Well, darn

Wrightsville Beach has apparently decided against banning smoking on the beach. I was really hoping this would go through, and that WB would set a precedent for other beach communities. Oh, well.

Instead, the WB Board of Alderman have decided "to raise the fine for littering, including those who drop cigarette butts.

"The fine is going from $100 to $250."

The board heard from about a dozen supporters and opponents and Mayor David Cignotti then asked for a show of hands. More than 30 people favored the ban, and about 10 people opposed it.

But Alderwoman Susan Collins said she wanted to tighten the litter ordinance by handing out more tickets instead of banning smoking.

Whoo-hoo! There's now more beach to enjoy!

Just in time for the busy beach time of the year, comes these photos courtesy of the missus, showing the beach renourishment process as it is underway. We are particularly excited because while we've enjoyed being able to see the OCEAN from the porch of Our Beach Place, we can now see the BEACH as well. Yippee!

Here is the before photo (from a year or so ago) ...

... and here is a photo as of May 1.

Note the pipeline on the beach in the second photo. The wife says the beach goes well even beyond it. Nice.

In other words, now is a good time to get down there and enjoy the sand and surf. (Hint, hint.)