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Construction of the Hilton Garden Inn should commence in four weeks.
Work on the Gateway Beautification Project should commence by the end of April.
Picture Credit
(Click any pic to enlarge)
(Basin stillness)
(Morning reflections)
(Eleven pelicans in flight--one could not be faulted for thinking they were watching the Blue Angles)
(American Oystercatchers patrolling the beach)
(Laughing Gull taking beach reservations)
(Ahhh, so this is where Pelicans hang when they are not fishing. Just off to the right you can faintly see the Bald Head Island lighthouse.)
(Enough with your pics, time to move on)
(Two Ibises and a Great Egret on the breakfast hunt. The building in the background is the Fort Fisher Aquarium.)
(12 foot piece of driftwood. It has been on the beach for several months awaiting the next storm tide.)
(Kayaks weaving through the creeks that lead to the Basin)
(The welcome home party. Kayakers -in the background- returning to the Fort Fisher boat ramp area)
(It may be cloudy but this group of school children found the right breeze to test their kite skills in front of the Park's Visitor Center.)Looking to do something different this weekend, check out these free guided hikes being offered by Rangers at the Fort Fisher State Recreation Area:
Bird Hike: Sat, March 28, 2009
Spend some time viewing the magnificent shore birds that live in our coastal community and discussing what we can do to protect them. This hike takes us over soft sand that is of moderate difficulty. Meet at the park office at 2:00 p.m.
Basin Hike: Sun, March 29, 2009
Take a hike and discover the basin. On the way learn about the significance of the basin area and the plants and animals that live there. This hike is about 1.5 miles and of moderate difficulty. We also ask that you wear shoes that may get muddy just in case. Meet at the park office at 2:00 pm
You can check for future events at the park website.
Gates Open at 11:30
11:30-4:00pm-Chowder Tasting & Live Music
5:00pm-People and Judges Choice Awards
Cost: $5/person
[EDIT- 04/18: Click here to see who won]
Wilmington, NC – March 2009 – With warmer temperatures and money-saving shoulder season specials and packages, springtime is ideal for an affordable getaway to Wilmington & NC’s Cape Fear Coast. Need another good reason to visit the coast this spring? Consider planning a trip to Carolina Beach during the 13th Annual Pleasure Island Chowder Cook-off on Saturday, April 18th. A modest admission charge of $5 will get you into the tastiest festival in town where you can savor the flavors of the area’s best seafood chowder. 
One of the best ways to experience the flavor of a destination is to sample its regional foods and music. The 2009 Pleasure Island Chowder Cook-off is all about delicious food, good music, and family fun, so bring the kids along to this family-oriented event. Chefs from southeast North Carolina’s finest restaurants will prepare the region’s best seafood chowder recipes between the hours of 11:30am and 5:00pm. Folks can sample a taste of Cape Fear during this friendly chowder competition held at Carolina Beach Lake Park in Carolina Beach. Children can enjoy the park’s playground and a Kidz Zone with face-painting, balloon art, a giant inflatable slide, contest, and more. And for an additional fee, there will be paddleboat rides for the entire family.
During the chowder festival, enjoy live music and chowder-tasting (and voting) between 11:30am and 4:00pm, but make sure to arrive early while the chowder is abundant. Area restaurants that have already committed to participate this year include: Jack Mackerel’s Island Grill, Harbor Masters Restaurant, Michael’s Seafood Restaurant, Olde Salty’s, Seaside Grill at Courtyard by Marriott, Tangerine Caribbean Grill, and Rucker Johns restaurants. The day-long chowder showcase also features live entertainment at the park’s Stingray Amphitheater by the bands Category 4 and Triple Play. At approximately 5:00pm, be sure to join in the celebration of People’s and Judges’ Choice awards.
Want to go? Gates open at 11:30am. Admission fee is $5 (children 6 and under are free). No coolers permitted, as beverages and food will be available for sale. Chairs, blankets and children are welcome, but please leave pets at home. Park for free at the Federal Point Shopping Center, then ride the free trolley to Carolina Beach Lake.
Festivals and events provide a fun and affordable way to experience the history, culture, and food traditions of a region. This annual event is one of many presented throughout the year by the Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce. For additional information on the 2009 Pleasure Island Chowder Festival and other events, please call 910-458-8434 or visit http://www.pleasureislandnc.org/. For a free 2009 Visitors Guide, please call the Wilmington/Cape Fear Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau at 1-866-266-9690 or 910-341-4030. Please visit website http://www.gocapefearcoast.com/ for a complete Calendar of Events.
The Grind has been a comfortable venue for Everly to practice as they prepare for their upcoming concert in Nashville, TN on April 4th. For details on the 17th Annual Songwriters Festival and to get details on their scheduled performance, click here.
If you followed the news this year about Right Whale beachings, you might get the impression that the future for this species is rather dismal. But that is not the case, things are beginning to notably improve for our slippery friends.
This year, researchers recorded the births of 39 Right Whale calves which surpassed the 2001 record of 31.
“It’s a bumper year for calves,” Richard Merrick, an oceanographer for NOAA’s fisheries service, said in an interview. “That’s a good sign.”
Actually, it’s one of so many good signs that researchers are beginning to hope that for the first time in centuries things are looking up for the right whale. They say the species offers proof that simple conservation steps can have a big impact, even for species driven to the edge of oblivion.
Click here to read the full NYT article which includes photos & videos
Click here to read past blog stories about beached whales in the Carolinas.
Photo Credit: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(e-mail from the Carolina Beach Makeover group)
HELLO, YE OLE BOARDWALK SUPPORTERS ! !
Its time to begin our 2009 program for improvements and entertainment!! This is going to be one great summer at our "island's living room" (The Boardwalk). While we have several substantial Boardwalk improvements scheduled for this year, we have increased our efforts on activities and entertainment events for our visitors and locals. This includes the following:
•Thursday night Bands and Fireworks.
•Friday evening Shag/Beach music at the Gazebo with dancing and demonstrations.
•Saturday kids open air bingo (early evening), Jazz Under the Stars (at the beach stage late evening).
•Sunday Trop-Rock (Jimmy Buffet type music) at the Gazebo before the Sunday movies at the lake, 
•Tuesday family nights, with amusements and activities for families.
•Wednesday evening, adult open-air bingo.
So you see we have a lot of great events planned!
The updates will be coming more frequently now as we launch our volunteer teams and finalize the improvement and event calendars. 
The first thing we want to get everyone involved in is the creation of the Boardwalk Summer Slogan, to brand the Boardwalk and our Summer Season of Events. (See Below)
Once we have the slogan we will be having another contest to incorporate the slogan into a new t-shirt/merchandise design.
SUMMER SLOGAN CONTEST
The BWM Group would like you to submit slogans for this summer's promotion of the Boardwalk. We would like a slogan that can be used on our advertisements, t-shirts, etc. that conveys the spirit of the Beach and Boardwalk, especially as it relates to this years events.
We are awarding a gift basket of cash and prizes valued at $150 for the winning slogan. We are looking for a catchy slogan, that will brand this years events, but that people would also like to see on t-shirts and other novelty items. The slogan could be nostalgic and reminiscent of past days when we had amusements and the Boardwalk was crowded, or it could be something more current.
We'd like your suggestion no later than next Friday (March 27). The winning slogan will become this years promotional phrase so please submit your name and contact information along with your slogan!!
These slogans will be associated with the Boardwalk Makeover Project. As an example: The Boardwalk Makeover Project presents "Classic Beach Days" at the Carolina Beach Boardwalk, etc...
So let's fire up those creative brains and find our slogan !!!! To enter, please email your suggestion to D.Wilcox
• To visit the Boardwalk Makeover Website, click here.
• To read more posts on the boardwalk makeover effort, click here.
• To read about the boardwalk pier effort, click here.
• To get the latest on the boardwalk Hilton Garden Inn, click here.
• To read about other beautification efforts in town, click here.
Photo Credit:
Beach & Water picture
Boardwalk & Marriott
Boardwalk pictures
Date: Saturday April 11, 2009
Music: Starts at 4:00. Live music begins at 6:00 p.m. 
Looks like the 2 Wine Guys have created some Island buzz for Carolina Beach. In Shawn's weekly email, he mentioned that the music duo of Everly had an impromptu practice session at their wine bar Friday night. In case you haven't heard of Everly (check out the lower right side bar), they are a duo featuring the talented Bethany Joy Galeotti (of One Tree Hill fame) and Amber Sweeney (a long standing performer hailing from Washington state).
After putting out his email, the blog entry was picked up by the Wilmington Star and then the story went viral as the Everly/One Tree Hill fanbase picked up the story. Shawn mentioned that his blog is now getting flooded with hits from all over the globe reflecting the wide appeal of Everly.
It's nice when a local island shop can garner this type of attention and it showcases the wide range of attraction that our island offers. In other words, Carolina Beach is a pretty cool place!
So in case you haven't seen the 2 Wine Guys blog entry (including pictures of the performance), check them out. http://www.2wineguysatthegrind.com/
Everly will be performing at Nashville Songwriter festival on April 4th:
The Rutledge
April 4, 2009
6:30pm
Tickets $10.00
Performances by Jeff Cohen, Jaron (Evan & Jaron), Lila McCann, Everly (Bethany Joy Galeotti & Amber Sweeney)
For more information: http://www.tinpansouth.com/pearlysat.asp
(Click icon on lower right of screen to view full size.)
Bring your camera and binoculars to view nesting areas of many coastal water birds including white ibis, great egrets and herons. Pack a picnic lunch if you would like. Soft drinks will be sold aboard ship. Our guides for this narrated event include area experts like Dr. James Parnell retired Professor Emeritus of Biology from UNCW, Walker Golder and Andy Woods of the North Carolina Audubon Society.
When: 
Where: 
(The 10k runners in full stride)
(The 5K runners/walkers begin)
(Irish music for the finish)
(People gathering for the award ceremony)
(The finish times are posted)
(Handing out the awards--now to the beer!)
In case you haven't visited Bella's Life on the Island blog, now is the time. She is a wonderful local blogger and her site has many thoughtful essays about life on Pleasure Island. In addition, she has a strong eye towards photography and her site has a fantastic collection of Island photos (the photo here is from a post she did today on Fort Fisher Weddings). So check out her blog and make sure to spend some time going over her earlier posts as well...they are all very rich with information and date back to 2006. Just be careful with her Feb 24th post of this year, if you read that one you'll find yourself running down to The Fudge Boat for an immediate fix!
Bella's Life on the Island
Her post on the Fort Fisher Hermit was very informative (definitely worth a read):
http://merrymermaid.com/2007/06/16/the-fort-fisher-hermit/
Gareth McGrath of StarNews has an interesting article on spotting the Space Shuttle and/or International Space station with the naked eye from Wilmington. In his article he referenced the NASA website, spaceflight.nasa.gov, which gives viewing locations and times for NASA assets.
The following are the times for spotting the International Space Station:
Tue Mar 10/06:24 AM
Thu Mar 12/08:32 PM
Fri Mar 13/08:58 PM
Sat Mar 14/07:50 PM
Sun Mar 15/08:18 PM
Mon Mar 16/08:46 PM
Wed Mar 18/08:05 PM
The following are the times for the Space Shuttle:
Fri Mar 13/08:58 PM
Sat Mar 14/07:50 PM
Sun Mar 15/08:18 PM
Mon Mar 16/08:46 PM
Wed Mar 18/08:05 PM
Sat Mar 28/09:26 PM
For very specific and technical descriptors as to where to look, visit their website: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/cities/view.cgi?country=United_States®ion=North_Carolina&city=Wilmington
Here is an article from Starry Skies Network that offers some additional pointers: http://starryskies.net/articles/2007/06/iss-sightings.php
Here is a very helpful Youtube video which shows exactly what you are looking for (make sure to check some of the related videos, very cool stuff):
This year's Fashion Show will be held on Saturday, March 28, from 11 am to 2 pm, at the Courtyard by Marriott in Carolina Beach. Fashions featured will be from Island Colors, Linda's Fashions and the Unique Boutique.
The featured speaker will be Marsha (Mo) Linquist. Marsha is recognized as a Certified Feng Shui Professional by the Feng Shui Institute of America (FSIA). The title of the presentation is “Fun with Feng Shui-What Is Your House Saying?”
Lunch will be provided and in addition there will be a Silent Auction and Raffle.
Tickets for the event are on sale at the following businesses on Pleasure Island: Linda’s Fashions, Unique Boutique, Island Colors, The Checkered Church, Le Soleil, and Blue Water Realty.
The price is $20 and all proceeds from this event support Holiday Events sponsored by Island of Lights.
For information call Linda Cheshire at 617-5945
http://www.islandoflights.org./fashionshow.html
Aquanauts, Detectives, Explorers, and Crusaders Trained At North Carolina Aquarium
By Amy Kilgore, Public Relations Coordinator
Kure Beach, NC - Are you wondering what your kids are going to do for this summer? The NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher has a great idea: summer camp!
Aquarium summer camps provide fun and safe learning opportunities with knowledgeable and competent leadership. Camps run simultaneously for ages 5-6 or Aquanauts, 7-9 or Marine Detectives, 10-12 or Ocean Explorers and 13-14 or Coastal Crusaders.
Diverse summer camps themes include:
* Sensational Senses: campers discover how their senses help animals survive.
* Circles of Life: campers discover how animals are born, reproduce, and return their resources to the planet.
* Junior Naturalist: campers learn basic observation skills and gain an appreciation of what nature has to offer.
* Animal Keepers: Campers get a glimpse of the work required to provide proper animal care.
* Coastal Crusaders: Campers gain a better understanding of how to investigate and preserve the environment we all share.
Summer camp fees for Aquanauts, Marine Detectives, and Ocean Explorers are $180 for NC Aquarium Society members or multiple- siblings and $200 for individual campers. Coastal Crusaders is $225 for NC Aquarium Society members or multiple- siblings and $250 for individual campers. For more information please contact the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher at 910-458-7468 or visit www.ncaquariums.com/fort-fisher/programs/summer-camp.
NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher is located just south of Kure Beach, near the mouth of the Cape Fear River, on U.S. 421. The site is less than a mile from the Fort Fisher ferry terminal. Hours: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm daily (closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day). Admission: $8 adults; $7 seniors; $6 ages 6-17. Free admission for: children under 6; registered groups of N.C. school children, and NC Aquarium Society members. General information: www.ncaquariums.com.
900 Loggerhead Road, Kure Beach, NC 28449 * (910) 458-8257 * Fax: (910) 458-6812
www.ncaquariums.com
Photo Credit: Detective Turtle
Article Credit
[Edit... 04/03/2009-Britt's is now open!
Summer Hours:
8:30am until 11:00pm
7 Days a Week
Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day
1 Dozen = $5.75.
Off Season: (April - May & Labor Day to Oct 1st)
8:30am until 11:00pm
Opened only on weekends
To view a snapshot of their menu, click here
...End Edit]
-----------------------Original Post Below--------------------------
That seems to be the question with many people. Recently, there has been a notable jump in the amount of Google "Britt's Donuts" searches ending up on this site. And then today, the Wilmington Star had an article about a growing number of inquires to the paper looking for the Britt's opening date (Wilmington Star: Mmmmmmm, Donuts! ). The Star contacted the Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber stated that Britt's opens in April. The paper theorizes that they may be open on the weekend of the 4th in conjunction with the Azalea Festival. But Britt's has opened as late as Easter in some years. So to answer the original question, Britt's will open in April (aren't we helpful?). If someone does know an exact date, please leave a comment or send us an email. Thanks.
In the meantime, here's a fun YouTube video of a family's visit to Britt's:
For more info/posts on Britt's, click on the "Food/Drink: Britt's Donuts" label below.
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