Mountains to Coast bike tour ends in CB

About 1,000 amateur cyclists from more than 35 states and four countries finished up the 14th annual Mountains to the Coast Bike Tour on Saturday. They crossed the finish line in Carolina Beach.

From WECT:

The riders started their week-long trek across the state in the mountains of Brevard to the coast of North Carolina. The event is designed to promote physical fitness and health, economic impact and publicity to communities across the state, as well as showcasing the state's scenic attributes.This year's participants range in age from 5 years old to 84 years, with an average age of 56 years. According to the North Carolina Amateur Sports, Cycle North Carolina risers are environmentally conscious.

Wing Fling a success, next comes a celebration of chowder

The 16th annual Wing Fling took over CB on Saturday. According to reports, thousands attended. WECT's Jon Evans won the wing eating contest by devouring 12 wings in one minute and three seconds. Well done, sir.

The next big event for CB will be the 16th annual (what was it about 16 years ago?) Chowder Cook-Off, which will be Saturday, April 14.

The 2012 Pleasure Island Chowder Cook-off is a family-oriented event that is all about delicious food, good music, and fun for all ages. Chefs from Carolina Beach, Wilmington, and beyond will prepare their best seafood chowder recipes between the hours of 12:00pm and 4:00pm. Children will enjoy the park's playground and a Kidz Zone with face-painting, a giant inflatable house, and more.

During the cook-off, enjoy live music and chowder-tasting (and voting) between 12:00pm and 4:00pm, but make sure to arrive early while the chowder is abundant. Area restaurants that are participating this year include: Havana's Fresh Island Restaurant, The Lazy Pirate, Seaside Grille at Courtyard by Marriott, SeaWitch Café & Tiki Bar, and the Veggie Wagon in Carolina Beach. Wilmington restaurants include Cape Fear Seafood Company and O'Charley's. The Grille in Shallotte is a first-year contender. The day-long chowder showcase features live entertainment by the Mark Roberts Band (variety dance band) at Carolina Beach Lake Park's Stingray Amphitheater. At approximately 5:00pm, be sure to join in the celebration of People’s and Judges' Choice awards.

Want to go? Gates open Saturday, April 14 at 11:30am. A modest admission charge of $5 for adults will provide a taste of some of the best chowder this area has to offer during a friendly culinary competition. Admission is free for children ages 12 and under. No coolers permitted, as beverages and food will be available for sale. Chairs, blankets and children are welcome, but please leave pets at home.

Filmmakers look to promote Pleasure Island

There will soon be a new "welcome to" video to promote Carolina Beach and Pleasure Island, according to the Star-News.

Albert Hedgepeth III, founder of Rendered Communications and a producer, is hiring seven or eight people who have experience in the local film industry to help him with the video. They'll be shooting at various events and venues in Carolina and Kure beaches for the next several weeks, including inside one of the tanks at the N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher.

"Our objective is to give a modern, hip overview of the island to show the activities that are going on here," Hedgepeth said.

While he already has some of the footage on file from summer months, one of the biggest challenges will be shooting warm-weather activities now, such as surfing, paddleboarding and kiteboarding, he said.

The video should be a part of the site by mid-February, Hedgepeth added.

Blu Zeus Interactive Marketing of Wilmington is designing the new website. The last time it was updated was in 2007, said Gail McCloskey, president of the chamber. ...

"Our goal is to get people across the bridge, and once they do that they'll see all the things we have to do," [Chamber Assistant Director Greg] Reynolds said. "They'll say, ‘Wow, I didn't know that about that place. I didn't know there were so many things to do.'"

It's the most wonderful time of the year ...

Well, if you're at the beach, perhaps SUMMER is the most wonderful time. But, aside from that. the holidays can be nice too.

From a press release ...

Celebrate the season coastal-style and experience the color and pageantry of holiday events that reflect the traditions, creative culture and independent spirit of Wilmington, North Carolina's historic river district and island beaches. Visitors can choose from more than 40 holiday events to create a meaningful vacation or memorable getaway in Wilmington, N.C. and the island beaches of Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, and Wrightsville Beach. Annual traditions include candlelight home tours, light displays, Colonial & Victorian celebrations, flotillas, cruises, parades, and fireworks. And that's not all-the arts are alive with music and theatre galore! To download a holiday events brochure, visit www.GoWilmingtonAndBeaches.com/holiday or call 1-866-266-9690 to request a free copy. For holiday specials, featured events and experiences, visit www.GoWilmingtonAndBeaches.com.

Among the CB items highlighted are:

-Nov. 25-Dec. 17-Christmas by the Sea. Boardwalk lights up at 8pm on Nov. 25. Then on Saturdays from 5pm-9pm, enjoy family holiday activities & entertainment. Carolina Beach Boardwalk, www.boardwalkmakeover.org

-Nov.25-Dec.31-Island of Lights Festival. Holiday lights & events. Carolina/Kure beaches. www.islandoflights.org.

-Nov. 25-Dec. 31-Light-Up Celebration & Walking Tours of Lake. 7pm. Ceremony (Nov. 25) begins "Island of Lights Festival," Carolina Beach Lake. Lit nightly for walks thru Dec. Free. 910-458-6885. www.islandoflights.org

-Nov. 26-Dinner Cruise to view NC Holiday Flotilla. Board at3pm. Admission charge. Advance reservations. Royal Winner Princess, Carolina Beach Marina. 910-458-5356; www.winnerboats.com

-Dec. 2-Island of Lights Christmas Parade. 7:30pm. Extraordinary nighttime lighted parade announces Santa's arrival on the island. Lake Park Blvd/ Hwy 421 S, Carolina Beach. Free. www.islandoflights.org

-Dec. 31-Island of Lights New Year's Eve Countdown Party. 9pm-12am.Music, fireworks, lighted beach ball drop. Carolina Beach Boardwalk. Free. www.islandoflights.org

CB keeps its character

From a press release:

There’s always something new and nostalgic to discover in Carolina Beach (http://www.carolinabeachgetaway.com), a North Carolina beach destination known for its vintage and authentic appeal.

Thanks to the vision of community leaders, Carolina Beach is experiencing a revitalization of its boardwalk that helps to preserve the vitality and originality of this classic beach town. These efforts will also ensure that Carolina Beach remains a fun, safe and clean place for families and future generations to enjoy. Family-friendly events and new businesses help to keep things fresh and exciting for visitors, all the while enhancing the personality and allure of Carolina Beach.

While the classic Carolina Beach Boardwalk evokes nostalgia for the past, a variety of shops and activities put this local and visitor favorite very much in the present (http://bit.ly/jKDdqW). New shops, restaurants and rental stores provide visitors with a fresh alternative to the “same old, same old” beach trip. Families can enjoy everything from riding around in surrey carts to tasting the best of the beach’s culinary delights.

Carolina Beach businesses, residents, and civic groups are committed to an ongoing “boardwalk makeover” campaign to restore the Boardwalk’s charm and to keep people coming back year after year. As a result, visitors now enjoy a Boardwalk with park space, aesthetic improvements, blossoming local businesses, and year-round activities.

This fall and holiday season, fishing tournaments and holiday events draw visitors to Carolina Beach, including the annual Christmas by the Sea celebration and month-long Island of Lights Festival, which both kick off in November.

For fall visitors who enjoy supporting local farmers and producer growers, the Pleasure Island Fresh Market serves up a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables at the Carolina Beach Marina each Saturday through early December (http://bit.ly/rr8xfa). Fresh food and a fun atmosphere contribute to the constant renewal and community evolution of Carolina Beach.

Click here for more.

Towns pitching in for CB Inlet

Like many inlets along the N.C. coast, Carolina Beach Inlet is filling in with sand and is in need of some serious dredging.

Unfortunately, the Army Corps of Engineers has no money to dredge, so the towns of S.E. N.C. are being asked to pony up, according to reports.

Carolina Beach on Tuesday agreed to pay as much as $55,000 for the $450,000 project. Other communities in New Hanover County will consider money for the dredging at meetings in the coming week. The state has already said it will pay half the cost of the project.

Pleasure Island known for the water sports

(From a press release)

Visitors to Carolina, Kure and Wrightsville beaches find ample opportunities to dive into water sport activities. Whether it is taming the area's world class surf, trying something new like stand-up paddle boarding or simply grabbing the boogie boards with the entire family, the three communities offer a variety of options for all ages and skill levels entering the last weeks of summer fun. Area residents and visitors alike are expected to flock to this year's 15th Annual East Coast Wahine Surfing Tournament, held at Wrightsville Beach Saturday, Aug. 20 and Sunday, Aug. 21. The nationally-recognized tournament draws almost 200 women surfers and even more surfing fans each year to the renowned Columbia Street surf break. The area is also known for the annual Southeast SUP Championship, drawing stand-up paddle surfers from around the region since 2009 for the nationally-recognized competition. Those considering a trip to one of the beaches might want to check out the rich local surfing culture. At Carolina and Wrightsville Beaches, families can take advantage of a number of surf school and camp options that make life easy for adults and children alike. Both private and group lessons are available for novice as well as advanced surfers. At Kure Beach, the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher hosts summer surf camps for children ages 10 and up. ...

Carolina Beach, part of North Carolina's coast, remains a uniquely "original" beach. With a classic boardwalk, fascinating festivals and colorful characters, the beach remains an enjoyable destination for the entire family all year. For more information, visit http://www.carolinabeachgetaway.com or call (800) 641-7082. ...

Don't believe us? Then read this!

We LOVE Carolina Beach. (Of course we do; we wouldn't have Our Beach Place if we didn't.) But don't just listen to us.

With temperatures and gas prices on the rise this summer, many families are planning affordable getaways to Carolina Beach, N.C. Coastal breezes and free seaside activities combine to offer great value, family fun and a refreshing break for everyone. With a conveniently-accessible location, Carolina Beach is also easy on the gas. Major highways make the trip there quick via I-40, US-74, or NC-421.

Carolina Beach offers the best of a North Carolina beach experience. A variety of free events and affordable activities create a destination that is literally music to the ears. In June, vacationers can dance barefoot in the sand at the Pleasure Island Beach Music Festival—the largest and only music festival held on the beach along the North Carolina coast. There are also free concerts every Friday evening throughout the summer at nearby Fort Fisher.

One of the “must-sees” of Carolina Beach summer vacations is the free “Film & Fireworks Series.” On Sunday evenings, visitors grab beach chairs or blankets and head over to Carolina Beach Lake Park for free, first-run, family-friendly movies. On Thursday nights, the place to be is on the beach, near the boardwalk, where there's a spectacular display of fireworks. And, any night of the week, families can take in the sights and sounds of Carolina Beach's classic seaside amusement park.

Whether combing the beach for shells or treasured sea glass or taking in all the shopping, dining and arcade activity along the boardwalk, there's something to engage and delight everyone. There are water sports galore including surfing, boating and fishing. Or enjoy a slightly slower pace of life at Carolina Beach Lake by renting a paddleboat, canoe or kayak. Landlubbers can enjoy a hike along the many scenic trails at Carolina Beach State Park or rent a surrey bike and pedal through the center of town. ...

For all shaggers and beach music fans, the 26th Annual Pleasure Island Beach Music Festival on June 4 is an opportunity to sway to the beat. Widely recognized as the biggest and only beach music festival actually held on the beach on the North Carolina coast, this fun festival is hosted by the Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce. ...

With so much to see and do in Carolina Beach and its surrounding areas, it's no wonder visitors call it the summertime headquarters of sun, sand and smiles!

Click on the link at the top for more.

Report: Snakes, Venus fly traps and pirates - oh, my!

A nice piece from the Miami Herald about the Cafe Fear Coast.

We thought we’d done every “trail” imaginable, from wine trails to art trails to birding trails. But...a Venus flytrap trail? Sure enough, Wilmington has 12 sites devoted to this carnivorous plant, since this city is the only place in the world, they say, where you can see the Venus flytrap in its native (boggy) environment. That attraction alone was enough to draw us to Wilmington, a city that’s never been on the top of our “must-see before you die” list.

Our young traveling companions were skeptical. “Plants?” Raevin, 7, asked. “Seriously? We’re going to look at a bunch of plants?” She gave us a look that said “Totally lame!” We promised her we’d make a trip to the beach after we visited the flytrap trail at Carolina Beach State Park.

Once Raevin saw the bug-eating plants, with their teeth-y leaves, she was captivated, busily snapping photos. When we decided to check out some other walking trails at the park, there were no complaints from Miss Raevin.

It turns out that Wilmington had other surprises. Far from a snooze, we found Wilmington to be wildly kid-friendly.

Among the highlights were, naturally, the beaches.

The Cape Fear Coast has 31 miles of beach, and they’re a big draw. Everyone raves about Wrightsville Beach, but we found it full of co-eds in teensy bikinis. (What Mom needs that? We were here to have fun, not to feel self-conscious about the muffin-tops sprouting under our tankinis!) So we spent most of our beach-time at Carolina and Kure beaches — especially the fishing pier at Kure Beach, one of the oldest on the East Coast. We didn’t fish ourselves, but it was fun to see what other fisher-folk were pulling out of the water. Carolina Beach has a retro-looking boardwalk (circa 1896) with carnival rides (in season), Trolley Stop Hot Dogs, a local landmark, and Britt’s, one of the top donut shops in the U.S. What’s not to like?

Pleasure Island among best beaches in the state

According to Yahoo, Carolina Beach is among the best beaches in North Carolina. (Well, duh!)

"Back on July 1, 2010, Yahoo contributor Tricia Sabol wrote an article titled 'The Best Beaches in North Carolina' and she chose the beaches of Pleasure Island as the best in the state. The three beach areas of Pleasure Island were lumped into one due to their close proximity to each other," writes Carolina Beach Today.

Ms. Sabol noted in her article that because North Carolina is filled with so many wonderful beaches that it can often be difficult for visitors to chose one for their vacations. To help them out, she came up with her list of the top three in the state and here is what she had to say about naming the beaches of Pleasure Island as her top pick:

This is my pick for the best beach area in North Carolina. I have lumped Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, and Fort Fisher into one entry because of their very close proximity to one another on the southeastern coast of North Carolina. This area is less commercially developed than nearby Wrightsville Beach, so there are not many great options for shopping. However, what you will find at Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, and Fort Fisher are fewer crowds, gorgeous beaches, and a very relaxed atmosphere.

Both Carolina Beach and Kure Beach have small fishing piers, and Carolina Beach even has a small boardwalk with an arcade. A visit to Britt's Donut Shop on the Carolina Beach boardwalk is a must!

No more 'Cape Fear Coast?'

There's a move afoot from Carolina Beach, Kure Beach and Wrightsville Beach to move away from the branding of "Cape Fear Coast." But it has received some push back.

Tourists want to plan a vacation using easily accessible information, and those who loyally choose to vacation on Pleasure Island want things to stay familiar, said Judy Randall, owner of Randall Travel Marketing, told the Star-News.

She suggested the town spend less time focusing on re-branding the area – despite the ongoing mission by the county's three beach towns to phase out the "Cape Fear Coast" logo to better identify each town.

Town boards in Carolina Beach, Kure Beach and Wrightsville Beach each adopted a joint resolution this month that addresses desired changes to the way the Cape Fear Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau markets and promotes each town.

The resolution, which came out of a meeting Nov. 18 of the three towns' mayors and other representatives, states the towns' leaders believe the CVB's marketing and public relations efforts "may not effectively represent the respective beach communities in their best possible light and could hamper their full potential for their growth and development in tourism."

The resolution recommends phasing out the term "Cape Fear Coast" as the official brand name for the three beaches and placing each beach name along with Wilmington in official logos and marketing materials.

But Randall, who works out of Charlotte, said research showed most people vacationing in the area refer to the area collectively as "Wilmington."

Someone sitting on the beach, she said, won't necessarily say they are in Kure Beach or Carolina Beach but will say they're in the Wilmington area if asked.

Councilman Dan Wilcox argued that the issue to bring the names of the beach towns to the forefront of advertising campaigns was not about creating a slogan but about recognizing the beaches' identities.

"When we talk about branding we're talking about our name as the beach and being advertised as Carolina Beach, not a subsidiary of Wilmington," Wilcox said.

The joint resolution is awaiting signatures of all three beach towns' mayors and will be submitted to the CVB and other agencies for consideration.

The Gazzetteer and Carolina Beach

The highly entertaining and educational North Carolina Gazetteer has been updated for the first time since it was first published in 1968. (Kudos to Michael Hill at the N.C. Office of Archives and History for undertaking the updating of William Powell's monumental publication.)

So what info does it have in there about Carolina Beach?

Carolina Beach, town in (southeast) New Hanover County on the Atlantic Ocean. Alt. 5. Settled about 1885; inc. 1925. Sugar Loaf, a former community at or near the site, was the scene of an engagement between Confederate and Union forces after the capitulation of Fort Fisher, January 15, 1865.

Also ...

Carolina Beach Inlet, (southeast) New Hanover County, an artificially created inlet from the Atlantic Ocean through the barrier bar about 2 1/2 mi. (north) of the town of Carolina Beach. A dredged channel extends from the inlet to the Intracoastal Waterway.

Consider yourself "edumacated."

The North Carolina Gazetteer is published by UNC Press. To order one, click here.

Don't miss the Island of Lights New Year's Celebration

Carolina Beach and Kure Beach are proud to offer the Island of Lights celebration each holiday season. The event(s) features a host of activities: a flotilla, a Christmas parade, a homes tour and much more.

New Year's Eve will be celebrated Pleasure Island-style with the "dropping of the lighted beach ball." (And we in Raleigh thought our Acorn was nifty.) The beach ball drops at midnight followed by "spectacular" fireworks.

This free family-friendly event will feature a DJ and dancing with refreshments available for purchase.

In an Island of Lights tradition, there will be a raffle, with the winner taking home the original artwork for the Christmas card and ornament.

Bring the family to the Boardwalk at 9 pm to join the festivities.

Sorry -- Our Beach Place is already reserved for this wonderful event. Maybe next year ... Of course, you could try to catch the fashion show in the spring. If interested in renting our unit, email us at collards12@yahoo.com or call us at 919-325-2941.

(Photo of the flotilla from islandoflights.org)

Meeting held to clear up re-nourishment confusion

From the Star-News:

Officials with the Army Corps of Engineers, a private engineering firm and New Hanover County met with Carolina Beach and Kure Beach officials Tuesday to discuss the details of beach nourishment in the island towns.

The meeting was intended to clear up confusion about the current Carolina Beach project, including the re-nourishment scheduled for 2010, as well as options available to the town after the federal project expires in 2014, said Town Manager Tim Owens.

Concerns had been raised about the scope of the re-nourishment planned for 2010; though mobilization costs will be combined where possible, the scope has been scaled back and will likely not include parts of the beach originally planned to receive nourishment, town officials had previously said, as a variety of factors have combined to raise cost estimates above those previously expected. ...

Economy slows travelers

Because of the economy, fewer people are visiting the Cape Fear region, according to the Star-News.

More than 15,000 fewer commercial passengers have flown into or out of Wilmington International Airport this year. Through May, 311,852 passengers flew ILM, down 4.6 percent from 326,947 a year ago. Gary Broughton, ILM operations director, said discretionary travel is down because of the economy. But, he added, June’s numbers are looking up.

“I’m hoping now that schools are out the vacation travel might start picking it up pretty well,” he said. ...

From February through May, 49,026 vehicles took the Southport-Fort Fisher ferry across the Cape Fear River, down 13 percent from 56,234 in 2008. The ferry was shut down in January for maintenance.

The biggest hit to ferry travel is coming from out-of-state travelers. From February through May, 2,793 out-of-state vehicles crossed the Cape Fear River on the ferry, a decrease of 48 percent from 5,320 vehicles during that time last year, according to N.C. Ferry Division statistics.

All the [hint] more reason [hint hint] to look for an affordable [hint hint hint] vacation option in Carolina Beach!

Pleasure Island: A NY Times 'Summer Destination' spot

The New York Times recently featured Pleasure Island in its "One Summer, 14 Weekends" piece.

"The Cape Fear River rambles past the historic and picturesque city of Wilmington, N.C., widening and creating slivery barrier islands with the river on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other," says the paper. "Pleasure Island, about 12 miles south of Wilmington, has the towns of Carolina Beach and Kure Beach as well as pleasurable beaches for catching a tan.

"But you can tackle the area by hiking in Carolina Beach State Park (910-458-8206), home to the carnivorous Venus’ flytraps. Or you can rent a surfboard or body board at SandBarz Surf and Skate Shop on the Boardwalk in Carolina Beach. ..."