This weekend was a beautiful one in the Outer Banks.  Temperatures were high with clear and sunny skies both Saturday and Sunday.  However, the water temperature and the surf were not in our favor despite the summer heat. Two weeks ago we were swimming in the cold but pretty Corolla ocean water.  But water temperatures can be a fickle thing, especially with the Labrador Current, winds and other factors that change the Outer Banks water temperatures.  This weekend it was c-o-l-d.  Cold enough that we gave it a “two arms up.” The wind came off the land for part of the weekend, bringing in a few biting flies to devour the ankles of every unsuspecting gu...

Today is Saturday, May 22 2010 and the Outer Banks water temperature is now 64 degrees.  It was the first time I have seen people actually going in the water and staying for more than a minute. We jokingly gauge the temperature of the water by the number of arms raised in the air.  If you see people going in the water with their arms above the surface, you probably won’t be swimming long. Saturday was sunny and hot, making the cool water temperatures bearable if not pleasant.  My teenager stayed in the water for about an hour at a time body boarding.  My younger daughter rode a few shore break waves without complaining about the cold. After another w...

Haven’t you always wanted to try surfing?  But to buy a board that may or may not ever get used?  That is an expensive experiment, to say the least.  After all, what if you don’t like surfing once you start? I pondered this very thing when my young teenager told me he wanted a surf board.  And then I learned that my favorite Outer Banks Surf Shop, Corolla Surf Shop, rents surfboards for a very reasonable price.  Perfect! We arrived for our summer week at the beach on Friday night.  I was on the phone with Corolla Surf Shop first thing in the morning, asking about rentals.  The staff have always been both friendly and helpful at all of their locatio...