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NAGS HEAD, N.C. — Construction is underway for a house that up to 16 Nags Head Ocean Rescue Lifeguards will someday call home for the summer.

The project is something the Town of Nags Head has wanted to make happen for years.

“It's been a topic of discussion since I took over this position 20 years ago," Chad Motz, Nags Head Ocean Rescue captain, said.

Motz has been involved in ocean rescue in the Outer Banks for a long time. Though Nags Head Ocean Rescue does its best to help its lifeguards find housing, it remains a challenge each year.

“Occasionally, every year, there are people that want to accept a job but just can't, at the last minute, find a place to live, and ultimately, have to decline a position," Motz said.

The Town of Nags Head is working to change that.

“We decided we would take matters into our own hands, and we would build a facility where we could house at least, in this case, up to 16 of our lifeguards. So that's almost a third of our force would have the option of living here," Ben Cahoon, mayor of Nags Head, said.

The project has been years in the making. The project costs around $1.5 million and is included in the town’s budget.

“We were fortunate as a town to have this piece of land with space available where we could construct a facility. So, we made it part of our master planning effort a few years ago and finally, we were able to bring it to fruition," Cahoon said.

Cahoon hopes these efforts can be a model for other towns in the Outer Banks to follow in their seasonal workforce housing challenges.

“That's something I've really been an advocate for in my term, is that the town find a way to serve as a model for housing our seasonal employees, not just for our sister towns here on the Outer Banks, but also our business community. To be able to show them that, yes, it can be done," Cahoon said.

It's still up in the air if the house will be available at some point this summer, but it will be completed in time for next summer. Rent will be determined when the project is completed. For Motz, it’s a weight off his shoulders to know that his staff, a vital part of the seasonal employees in the Outer Banks, will be able to have the housing opportunity.

“Having a facility that we can offer out that we know is going to be consistent year after year, and a safe, affordable place for guards to live in town is going to be a huge asset," Motz said.

People tend to speak about the Outer Banks, often referred to simply as OBX, as if it’s one singular place. In reality, the beloved destination is a string of barrier islands that stretches for more than 175 miles (roughly the distance from Nashville to Louisville) along the coast of North Carolina, encompassing four counties and more than a dozen towns with charmingly odd names like Duck, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, and Nags Head. While each of OBX’s distinctive communities has a feel and personality all its own, one thing the area universally claims is gorgeous scenery. From historic lighthouses to peaceful docks, sprawling resorts to wild horses on the beach, the Outer Banks are teeming with postcard-perfect sights. While you’re bound to find something stunning no matter which parts of the destination you explore, we turned to the experts, folks from the Outer Banks Visitor’s Bureau and Currituck County Travel & Tourism, to get the inside scoop on the Outer Banks’ most picturesque places.

The entire town of Duck is as quaint as can be, but its waterfront boardwalk that’s sandwiched by a slew of inviting restaurants and boutiques on one side and peaceful boat docks on the other is the epitome of a perfect vacation scene. The weathered wooden boardwalk, the deep blue Currituck Sound, and the added bonus of nautical-themed shops with cedar-shake siding—it’s almost too dreamy to be real.

Sand dunes at the beach you might expect, but the kind found at Jockey’s Ridge State Park are guaranteed to be beyond anything you may have imagined. You’ll find that this natural wonder is more akin to the towering sand dunes of New Mexico’s What Sands National Park than the gently rolling hills of other east coast beaches. As the tallest living sand dune system on the Atlantic Coast, the state park is a hotspot for hang gliding, kite flying, and sunset watching.

There’s something extra romantic about a seaside shack that’s stood the test of time. Stilted above the sea oats with wraparound porches and shingles made from driftwood and other scraps, the historic oceanfront cottages in Nags Head are a sight to behold. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the majority of the remaining late 19^th century and early 20^th century structures have been passed down through the generations and are still owned by family members of their original owners.

Outer Banks is a bit more “salt of the earth” than “glitz and glam,” especially when compared to more luxurious Southern beaches like Palm Beach and Alys Beach. One place you can find a taste of the sweet life is at The Sanderling Resort, a long-loved beachfront stay nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the Currituck Sound. The rooms are elegantly appointed, but the resort’s expansive grounds—complete with vegetation-covered dunes and peaceful stretches of sandy beach—are the real star.

One of the Outer Banks’ biggest draws is how wild and natural they are. Nowhere exhibits this quality better than the Pine Island Audubon & Sanctuary Center, which encompasses 2,600 acres of preserved marsh, upland maritime forest, and sandy beaches in the northeast portion of the barrier islands. It’s a great place to go birdwatching and spot all kinds of wildlife. A kayak tour through the intricate marsh maze connecting lots of tiny islands is a must.

This historic lighthouse dates to 1875, when it played an important role in keeping mariners safe in the choppy seas. Today, it presides over Historic Corolla Village as the last brick-and-mortar lighthouse in North Carolina. The 162-feet-high red brick structure gives not one but two gorgeous views. From below, you can marvel at the wonder of this imposing tower. Or for $13, you can climb its spiral staircase and enjoy awe-inspiring views of a never-ending sea of blue thanks to the Currituck Sound and Atlantic Ocean.

Perhaps the most iconic scene to be associated with the Outer Banks, the famous wild horses of Corolla have a worldwide fan base. If you’re keen on seeing these Colonial Spanish Mustangs galloping through the salty spray (and who wouldn’t?), head to Corolla. There, book a tour with outfitters like Wild Horse Adventure Tours or Bob’s Wild Horse Tours, where you’ll jump in a four-wheel-drive vehicle and take a sandy safari to spot these majestic creatures.

One of the area’s newest developments, this luxury property in the southern Outer Banks’ town of Hatteras Island, has made quite the splash since opening in June 2024. Its 14 Jonathan Adler-designed suites are a study in understated coastal-cool design, and a dedicated concierge service offers everything from massages to a private chef to boat and jet-ski rental. Visiting with a whole crew? Check out Edgecamp’s waterfront villas.

Head to the wild and unfettered Cape Hatteras National Seashore to see the striking Bodie Island Light Station. As you approach the classic black-and-white-striped beacon, take in the gorgeous surroundings of marshy grasses, winding boardwalks, and rippling water. If you visit in the summertime, you can purchase a ticket to climb to the top.

This 1,000-foot-long pier extending into the Atlantic Ocean has been a landmark for generations of Outer Banks vacationers. Though it has seen many iterations since 1939, succumbing to the combined forces of storms, wind, and waves, its current profile may be the most impressive yet. Find a spot along the guardrail to cast a line, or enjoy a sunset stroll to see the sun slip down behind the horizon.

NAGS HEAD, N.C. — Summer is here in the Outer Banks, and so are seasonal workers who'll call the beach home for the next four months.

“My dream is to pay back my student loan. I don't really have a lot of support. It's only my mother and she's struggling a little bit, but [she] always tries to make sure that I'm good. And if I need anything, she will do anything for me," said Damonique Martin, an international student from Jamaica working at Dirty Dick's Crab House for the summer.

Martin is one of the at least hundreds of international students that will call the Outer Banks home for the summer season.

“I came here on the J-1 Work and Travel program. So you come up here and you work, and then you go back home," said Martin.

Dirty Dick’s Crab House in Nags Head has 18 of the students working at the restaurant this summer.

“I would not be able to maintain being open for lunch and dinner seven days a week if I did not have them," said Robert Barker, general manager of the restaurant.

The process of being able to bring the students here is one part of it; another is being able to house them. The students pay rent, but it’s the restaurant's responsibility to orchestrate that housing.

“The housing, it's really tricky. I have a standalone property, and then I have two kind of split properties. If you were to come here to open a restaurant, you would pretty much need to figure on buying one or two houses," said Barker.

A tricky situation that coincides with workforce housing in Dare County in general, including some of the local employees at the restaurant.

“There are people that drive 45 minutes to an hour to get into work because that's where they have to live in order to be able to afford housing," said Barker.

A situation that Barker says is, and will continue to be, a challenge in the Outer Banks.

“Everybody knows that we need housing, but every town doesn't want apartments or any kind of bulk housing going in their town," said Barker.

For international students like Martin, she’s thankful housing isn’t something she has to worry about.

“It really means a lot. It's really nice to know that we have people around us to always keep us safe," said Martin.

By Connie Leinbach

An Ocracoke institution and destination since 1979, Howard’s Pub has been sold to Colin Wiseman of Nags Head.

The sale was completed in May to Wiseman, who owns Mulligan’s in Nags Head, The Rundown Café in Kitty Hawk and Oscars of Summerville in Summerville, South Carolina.

“The Pub is such an iconic destination that he was familiar with it and he knew how successful it had been, and he was looking to acquire an additional restaurant,” said Ann Warner.

The two are working together to put all the pieces together and will continue to make the transition as smooth as possible.

The staff and menu will stay the same, she said.

“There’s a great legacy here and I really want to continue that going forward,” Wiseman said.

It’s been 35 years since Warner became part owner of the establishment, and it was time for her to pass the torch to the younger generation, she said.

Since her husband, Buffy, died 21 years ago, she’s operated it on her own.

“I’m 67 and I just thought it was the right time for me to find somebody from the next generation, that had the expertise and the leadership and the ability to take on the Pub,” she said.

While Wiseman said he will be working between his businesses, the Pub should fare well.

“We have a great team and support staff,” he said.

Restaurant work is in his blood.

“It’s all I’ve done,” he said, “from a (table) busser, then a server and a bartender.”

He’s looking forward to being a part of the community.

The following historical account is from Philip Howard’s online newsletter at http://www.villagecraftsmen.com.

In 1978 Ron Howard, direct descendant of an early colonial owner of Ocracoke Island, decided to build a pub on his property at the edge of Ocracoke village on the southwest side of Irvin Garrish Highway.

He opened Howard’s Pub in April 1979.

For the first time in more than half a century Ocracoke islanders and visitors could order a cold beer in a local restaurant.

Ron’s 77-year-old father, Edgar Howard, remarked, “We’ll have hard-core hippies, hard-core Yankees, and hard-core Southerners. We’re going to mix them all and I hope they all get along!”

After some initial rowdiness from inebriated customers, for the 1981 season Ron decided the Pub needed a makeover.

Ron opened in the spring as a bar and deli, with no band. However, his father Edgar, a talented banjo player, was available to entertain his son’s clientele.

In the 1920s and 1930s Edgar played the vaudeville circuit in several large cities, including New York and Philadelphia, with such notables as Gene Autry, Milton Berle and Al Jolson.

After several years of the Pub changing hands, in 1991 Ron sold his business and property to George (Buffy) and Ann Warner.

The new owners considered changing the business name but decided to keep it.

Under their management, as Buffy did a lot to advertise it, Howard’s Pub and Raw Bar Restaurant continued to flourish, becoming one of the best-known and most popular eateries on the Outer Banks.

“I’m excited that someone is willing to take on the pub and its personality,” Warner said. “It’s an iconic destination.”

An advisory against swimming was posted Thursday at a soundside site in Dare County, where state recreational water quality officials found bacteria levels in the water that exceed the state’s and Environmental Protection Agency’s recreational water quality standards.

The advisory is for an area at Jockey’s Ridge Soundside Access in Nags Head where test results of water samples indicate a running monthly average of 37 enterococci per 100 milliliters of water. This exceeds the state and federal standards of a running monthly average of 35 enterococci per 100 milliliters, based on five samples taken within a 30-day period.

Enterococci, the bacteria group used for testing, is found in the intestines of warm-blooded animals. While it is not known to cause illness, scientific studies show that enterococci may indicate the presence of other disease-causing organisms. People swimming or playing in waters with bacteria levels higher than the standards have an increased risk of developing gastrointestinal illness or skin infections.

This advisory is not a beach closing, nor does the advisory affect the entire Nags Head area. Swimming advisories are for waters within 200 feet of the sign. The sign posted reads as follows:

ATTENTION

SWIMMING IN THIS AREA IS NOT RECOMMENDED. BACTERIA TESTING INDICATES

LEVELS OF CONTAMINATION THAT MAY BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH. THIS ADVISORY AFFECTS WATERS WITHIN 200’ OF THIS SIGN.

OFFICE OF THE STATE HEALTH DIRECTOR

State officials will continue testing the site, and they will remove the sign and notify the public again when the bacteria levels decrease to levels below the standards.

Recreational water quality officials sample 221 sites throughout the coastal region, most of them on a weekly basis, from April to October. Testing continues on a reduced schedule during the rest of the year, when fewer people are in the water.