Oak Island Beach Day

The N.C. 4th of July Festival Beach Day is a full day of activities on Oak Island designed for the whole family. If sand sculpture building, volleyball, skateboard, bocce ball contests sound like fun then you will really enjoy Beach Day. But the fun doesn’t stop with the contests, there is also evening entertainment, shag contest and anniversary fireworks.

Held annually on July 1st, the celebration combines the merger of the Towns of Yaupon Beach & Long Beach into the Town of Oak Island with the celebration of our Independence Day festivities. The anniversary fireworks display in will be held on July 1st from the Oak Island Pier (705 Ocean Drive, Oak Island) at approximately 9:00pm. Beach Day activities are organized and sponsored by the Oak Island Parks & Recreation Department.

The Shag Contest is organized by the Society of Brunswick Shaggers. What is shag dancing? The “Carolina Shag” originated along the area between Myrtle Beach, SC and Wilmington, NC in the 1940s and is still popular today. A couple’s dance, the Carolina Shag, a descendant of the Carolina Jitterbug, is performed while enjoying beach music. Registration for the Shag Contest is from 6:00p.m.-6:45p.m. at Middleton Park Extension Soccer Field. The Shag Contest will be held during the band’s break around 7:00p.m. in Middleton Park Extension. Free to enter but registration form required.

Oak Island Open Pier Fishing Tournament

The Oak Island Open Pier Fishing Tournament is a unique pier fishing tournament for all levels of fisherman. Participants can fish on their favorite pier, on Saturday, May 21st anytime between 6am -5pm and on Sunday, May 22nd from 6am-12pm.

Categories are 1-Spot, croaker, whiting, spade, pompano, pinfish. Category 2—Spanish, blue, sheephead, trout, red drum, black drum, flounder. Category 3—King mackerel, cobia, jack crevalle, amberjack. Fishermen may enter one or all three of the species categories.

For information on how to register call the Oak Island Parks & Recreation Dept at 278-5518 or visit www.oakislandnc.com

Phlock to the Beach: A Buffett Style Beach Bash

Celebrate island style with a weekend of Jimmy Buffett-inspired high-spirited merriment at the beach on April 16th from 9am to 9:30pm. Phlock to the Beach includes events such as: Oak Island Lighthouse 5K, 10K & Half Marathon, all-you-can-eat Pancake Breakfast, Art on a Apron, EAA Chapter 939 Wings & Wheel automotive and airplane show, and Phlock to the Beach Concert, held on the apron all afternoon with live Music by Mango Boys and Coco Loco Party Band. There will be catered food, beer, wine, fun contests, and entertaining games for all.

Contact Southport-Oak Island Area Chamber of Commerce for more information or visit www.southport-oakisland.com. Advance Concert Tickets also on sale at the Southport-Oak Island Area Chamber of Commerce, 4433 Long Beach Road, Southport.

Bald Head Island North Carolina Shell Guide

One of our favorite beach activities is collecting seashells! They’re a great reminder of time spent at the beach! You can find shells here year-round, but the best times are after a storm, early morning, or late evening; particularly, an hour before and an hour after low tide.

Here’s our Bald Head Island North Carolina shell guide for some of the most common shells you’ll find on North Carolina’s beaches!

Keyhole Sand Dollar: This round sea urchin is tan to light brown and ranges in size from 5 to 6 inches. Its five slots look like keyholes.

Scotch Bonnet: The creamy white-colored shell has yellowish brown squares in rows and 20 spiral grooves on the body. It ranges in size from 1.5 to 4 inches. The Queen Helmet is a giant version of the Scotch Bonnet that can be as big as 10 inches. Its shell is mostly cream-colored outside with a rich chocolate brown interior. The lip, also called the shield, is large and contains 10 “teeth.”

Coquina Clam: Generally less than 2.5 cm (1 inch) in length, and is characterized by its smooth surface and its dual shell. They can range in color from orange, to brown, to purple, or pink with banded white or cream stripes.

Soft Shelled Clam: This clam is found living approximately 6–10 in (15–25 cm) under the surface of the mud. These shells are very thin and easily broken, hence the name “soft-shells.” They can be white, cream, brown, gold, or gray.

Banded Tulip: This smooth, gracefully shaped beauty has a moderately thin shell. Colors range from pearly gray with splotches of olive green or tan. It may also have dark brown bands in parallel lines around the shell, and can be from 2 to 4 inches.

Atlantic Bay Scallop: The shell of an Atlantic bay scallop is broadly fan shaped with more than 14 radial ribs. They usually have a molted pattern incorporating dark grey, black, or brown with orange, red, or yellow hues

Calico Scallop: This species grows up to three inches in maximum width, and is similar in shape and sculpturing to the Atlantic bay scallop. Both valves of the shell are cupped. The stripes are often more pronounced on the Calico and the colors feature pinks, reds, purples, oranges, and browns.

Lightning Whelk: This grayish-white shell has uneven purple brown streaks and can be recognized by its left-handed spiral. It can range in size from 4 to 16 inches.

Lettered Olive: The shell can be about 6 cm (2½ in) long (maximum size reaches 9.1 cm). It is a smooth, shiny, cylindrical shaped shell with a short sprire. The shell coloration can vary from cream to a greyish exterior with reddish-brown zigzag markings.

Saw Tooth Pen Shell: Look for this rough-and-tumble shell after a winter storm. Also thin and fragile, it has a 6- to 10-inch shell that’s ridged and colored a deep, smoky brown.

Atlantic Jackknife Clam: This shell is most noted for its length. It is primarily a silver, gray color and is shaped like a straight razor. Also know as a razor clam, it gets its name from the rim of the shell being extremely sharp.

Moon Snail: The carnivorous creature that left behind this shell consumed three-to-four small clams per day. A moon snail shell measures 2 to 3.5 inches, has four or five whorls, and is typically lead gray with a glossy finish.

Click to Download the Bald Head Island North Carolina Shell Guide

MARCH MADNESS $120.00 All Inclusive Golf!

MARCH MADNESS $120.00 All Inclusive!

This March stay at the area’s premier oceanfront resort and play top area courses for $120 per golfer all inclusive!

3/1/16 – 3/31/16: $120.00 Per Person Per Day All Inclusive – Package includes:

Lodging
Daily Hot Southern Breakfast Buffet
Daily Round of Golf On Great Courses (See list below)
Cart Fees
Greens Fees
Daily Housekeeping
Rates based on 4 golfers in a 2 bedroom/2 bath suite, 8 golfers if a 4 bedroom/4 bath Resort House or 2 golfers in a one bedroom/one bath Deluxe Room or one bedroom suite (when available).

2016 Courses Included: Azalea Sands, Brierwood, Brick Landing, Carolina Shores, Eagles Nest, Lockwood Folly, Lions Paw, Meadow Lands, Sandpiper Bay, Sea Trail Byrd, Sea Trail Maples, Valley of Eastport, Whispering Pines

$10.00 more

Magnolia Greens, Panthers Run

$15.00 more

Brunswick Plantation, Carolina National, Pearl East, Pearl West, Sea Trail Jones

To book this golf package please call the The Winds Golf Desk Toll Free: 800-334-3581 or Email: [email protected]

Run Oak Island

This will be the first annual “Run Oak Island” event on February 13th, 2016 at 7:30am, which will include a 1 Mile fun run/walk, 5K & Half Marathon followed by a BIG after party at the park.

All friends, family, and neighbors are invited to come out and enjoy the event on race day. There are several great places for watching runners during the race and runners are encouraged to bring a cheering squad.

There will be a packet pickup on Friday, February 12th from 3pm – 7pm at the Oak Island Parks & Rec Center – Click Here For Directions. We strongly urge you to pick up on Friday if at all possible.

There will be a limited time for packet pickup the morning before the race between 5:30 – 6:45am on February 13th Saturday morning before the race.

The Non-Profit benefiting from this race is the Oak Island Parks & Rec. This organization services so many important programs in Oak Island such as the Turtle patrol, kids programs, public park management and much more!

You register for this race online at www.coastalraceproductions.com/run-oak-island, registration fees range from $25 to $75 depending on the race.