Oceanfront On Ocean Isle

Oceanfront On Ocean Isle Beach! 249 W First St

One-half of duplex in premier oceanfront location on west part of beach. Extra wide and extra deep lot.

Completely renovated and beautifully appointed. This is your affordable way to own a gorgeous 4 BR/4 bath oceanfront home and share 50% of the expenses. Read more

Beach Renourishment!

More than 500,000 cubic yards of sand is coming to the Ocean Isle Beach strand during 2010.
The town is scheduled for another beach nourishment project, which Mayor Debbie Smith said should be the largest project of the year.
“That’s always a welcome addition to the storm protection strand out there,” she said.
The renourishment project, which is in conjunction with Carolina, Kure and Wrightsville Beaches, will bring 509,200 cubic yards of sand to the beach, according to the town’s Web site. The sand will be placed as far east as Shallotte Boulevard and as far west as Concord Street.
“This will go the furthest west than any renourishment has gone since original construction in 2001,” Smith said.
Ocean Isle Beach has contracted with the Corps of Engineers in a 50-year, $150 million contract for beach renourishment.
Smith said the beach renourishment project is coming at a good time for the east end of the island, which has had quite a bit of erosion recently.
“Right now most of it’s OK, but some of the eastern regions are getting narrower where they don’t offer the protection they need in case of a storm,” she said.
Smith is also hopeful about hearing a positive response from The Coastal Resources Commission (CRC) regarding the possibility of the town building a terminal groin at the east end of the island. The CRC has undertaken feasibility studies, which Smith hopes will help persuade the General Assembly the structures are necessary in the effort to fight beach erosion.
Currently these structures are not permitted by law.
Thee studies began earlier this year after a bill to make terminal groins legal stalled in the N.C. House. House Bill 709 was meant to “address erosion control issues,” and would give permission to the CRC to conduct a study of the feasibility and advisability of a terminal groin as an “erosion control device.”
Mayor Debbie Smith said that she hopes the House take positive action.

$18 (each way) Spirit Airlines

Spirit Airlines is now offering a special fare of $18 (each way) on flights to nearby Myrtle Beach International Airport. Flights must be booked by March 29th.

A great choice for your travel plans, Myrtle Beach Airport is only a short drive away, most major airlines offer flights to Myrtle Beach International. Only a short drive away, most major airlines offer flights to Myrtle Beach International.

This special is not offered on their regular website so click here to go to a special website to learn more.

Local Surfer Wins Pro-Am

Local Ocean Isle Beach surfer and UNCW graduate Michael Powell won first place in the pro division of the sixth annual Reef/Sweetwater Pro-Am Surf Fest at Wrightsville Beach on Sunday.

This comes on the heels of his big win along with his brother Ben Powell at the NSSA Collegiate Surfing Championships in Dana Point, CA.

With the first place title Powell, took home the prize winnings of $5,000!

The 22-year-old Ocean Isle Beach native, and recent UNC-Wilmington graduate, said he wasconfident about his performance, but wasn’t sure about his standing.

“I had no idea I was going to win,” he said. “I felt like I did alright. I just tried not to think about what the other guys were doing.”

Most of Powell’s waves came in the first 10 minutes of the 30-minute final. He attempted to ride a few toward the end of the session, but couldn’t gain enough speed to complete any.

“Nothing really came my way,” he said. “I was waiting for a wave to come that would put me over the top.”
Powell garnered the loudest cheers from the crowd throughout the competition. The applause became even louder when his name was called as the champion.

“There are a lot of people that came here to watch me, so that feels great,” he said. “I was just doing my best out there and everybody said afterward that I did really well.”

Descendent Buys Orton!

A direct descendent of Roger Moore, who built the original Orton Plantation home in 1725 is the new owner of the antebellum plantation house and the gardens!

Louis Moore Bacon, who now resides in London but was born in Raleigh, has purchased almost the entire 5,000-acre property – including the historic plantation house and its famous gardens – from the Laurence Sprunt family who have owned the Brunswick County landmark since 1884.

The Plantation and Gardens will close indefinitely on May 31st while plans for the future and other renovations are made. Hurry to see this incredible place while this years gardens are still available to you!

Current Orton manager David Sprunt, will retain that position, said the family has kept the land around the plantation’s pond.

He said he’s excited about the plans for the plantation, but it is hard for the property leave his family’s ownership after all of these years.

A press release states that Bacon is directly descended from Roger Moore, who built the original Orton residence in 1725. Bacon’s mother’s family has strong ties to nearby Wilmington.

Many are relieved to hear that Mr. Bacon has a reputation for buying historic properties such as Orton Plantation and keeping them in their natural state. Also the N.C. Coastal Land Trust holds conservation easements covering much of the Orton property. The executive director of the Land Trust states that Bacon is noted as a conservationist and a supporter of numerous environmental organizations.

Forbes magazine notes Bacon, age 53, is a native of North Carolina who manages several hedge funds and now resides in London, and the London Sunday Times notes that that he is the richest hedge fund manager in Britain having a nearly $1.7 billion fortune.

Orton Plantation, which recently opened for the 2010 season, is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the gardens. Extensive renovations were made in the gardens to open up panoramic views to the Cape Fear River, remove competing vegetation, redesign and enhance the flower beds and restore and preserve the colonial rice fields.

Among the predominant species in the garden are live oaks, camellias, azaleas, flowering fruit trees, daphne, hydrangeas, crape myrtles, dogwoods, and colorful spring and summer annuals. Lawns and water gardens lend variety to the lush vegetation.

Plan to come spend a day at Orton Plantation! The gardens are in their glory right now! The historic landscape designed around the 1735 mansion and colonial rice fields overlooking the Cape Fear River and 20 acres of secluded walking trails surrounded by hundreds of acres of rice fields make Orton Plantation Gardens a wonderful place to visit.

One of the oldest plantations on the Lower Cape Fear and the only one with a manor house still standing, Orton has become a privately owned tourist attraction, celebrated for its elaborate gardens. In recent years, the plantation and its grounds have served as locations on a number of motion pictures.

The house and grounds are located at 9149 Orton Road S.E., Brunswick County just off N.C. 133, close to the Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site.

Get directions click here!

Hours are 8am to 5pm March – August and 10am – 5pm September – November (except they close for Thanksgiving Day).

March Madness

This March stay at the area’s premier oceanfront resort and play top area courses from as low as $110.00 per golfer All Inclusive from 3/01/2010 to 3/31/2010!

Courses signed up so far are Azalea Sands, Brierwood, Carolina Shores, Carolina National, Eagle Nest, Farmstead, Meadowlands, Pearl East, Pearl West, Sandpiper Bay, Sea Trail Willard Byrd and Sea Trail Dan Maples Read more

Local Author’s Books: Huge Hit!

Local Author and Illustrator Miller Pope has spent a lifetime as an artist Read more

Sharky’s New Year’s: “Epic”

IF you weren’t there you really missed a lot! Sharky’s Waterfront Restaurant was the scene of an epic, all time New Year’s Party the likes of which Ocean Isle has never seen!

It was an a evening of live music, dancing and partying to ring in 2010, the NEW YEAR!!! Music was provided by “Bail Out” – Ocean Isle’s newest super group!!! This is a combination of The Cousin Homer Band and The Notorious Clam Slammers with special local celebrity musicians to appear on stage with them. In particular singer Angela Causey brought down the house with her golden voice.

Rick and the girls couldn’t serve the drinks fast enough – they looked wiped out by the end of the evening!! Owner Ray Harris gave a special News Years toast as the 15 foot lighted Shark was lowered from its 3 story platform in unison with the clock in Times Square, NY which was shown  on all the LCD TV’S.

What more could you have asked for?? Ocean Isle’s newest super group playing for your enjoyment, a island atmosphere with all your good friends and the biggest of big city party’s on the LCD’s for you to watch if you chose!!! Oh, don’t forget Ray’s toast! It will live on as a night to always remember!!

SEE YOU AT SHARKY’S NEXT NEWS YEARS EVE 2011!!!!!!!!!!!