Local Author’s Books: Huge Hit!
June 20, 2010 by gary
Filed under Cool Stuff
Local Author and Illustrator Miller Pope has spent a lifetime as an artist Read more
Local Surfers Rule In CA Again!!
June 20, 2010 by gary
Filed under Recreation
Local surfers Mike and Ben Powell have once again ruled the waves the in the NSSA Collegiate Surfing Championships in Dana Point, CA!
Michael Powell took 1st Place and his brother Ben Powell 3rd Place NSSA Nationals Mens Division! What a way to represent the Sunset Beach / Brunswick County NC area!
SunsetNC.com salutes the Powell brothers (from Ocean Isle Beach) significant accomplishment.
Mike and Ben Powell came to the NSSA Collegiate Surfing Championships in Dana Point, CA with the hope of proving to the California-dominated contest that East Coasters schools could surf too. Instead, the brotherly duo from Ocean Isle Beach (surfing for UNC-Wilmington) almost took the whole thing!
Last year the brothers took second and third place and they ruled the national contest again this year,
Brothers Michael and Ben Powell together operate The Carolina Surf School which offers private and group lessons.
With more than twenty years of surfing experience combined they are semi professionals that can really are help you push your ambitions to the next level as a surfer.
Contact Michael and Ben Powell: 910.233.8908 or 910.233.4004 http://www.carolinaschoolofsurf.com
Local Artist Paints Sunset Beach
June 20, 2010 by gary
Filed under Around The Town
Local artist Joyce Hanson Anderson has been painting scenes of Sunset Beach and the surrounding area for years. We thought we’d share this videoof some of her work.
“I love to photograph and paint scenes of the Sunset Beach & Ocean Isle Beach areas near my home. The video shows some prints of my work.”
Sea Trail & Charlestowne Hotels
June 16, 2010 by gary
Filed under Lodging & Dining
Sea Trail Golf Resort & Convention Center at Sunset Beach selected Charlestowne Hotels as the exclusive onsite lodging, rental management operator.
Charlestowne Hotels has also assumed operation of the Village Activity Center and is offering memberships to the facility.
Members and guests of the resort may enjoy the indoor pool, fitness center and the spa treatments offered there.
Sea Trail Golf Resort & Convention Center encompasses over 2,000 acres on the mainland at Sunset Beach, North Carolina’s southernmost barrier island.
Sunset Beach sits conveniently between the history and quaint 
shops of Wilmington, NC and the numerous entertainment and shopping venues of Myrtle Beach, SC.
In addition to luxury resort accommodations, the Sea Trail Convention Center, voted 2009 Best of the South by Meetings South.
The Convention Center features 58,000 square feet of convention and event space.
The Village Activity Center offers additional locations for social 
events and gatherings around the beautifully landscaped pool or inside in the Sunset Room.
Sea Trail also boasts three award winning golf courses by renowned designers Rees Jones, Willard Byrd and Dan Maples. The Oasis Pool Bar, Brassie’s Pub and Magnolia’s Restaurant provide a variety of dining options for guests as well.
“We are excited to partner with the owners of Sea Trail to enhance one of the premier vacation and meeting destinations in the Southeast” said Michael Tall, Senior Vice President. “We will be working not only with all of the onsite amenities, but also with attractions and golf courses in both North and South Carolina in an effort to provide the perfect vacation package or business retreat for our guests.”
Charlestowne Hotels, Inc. is a full-service hospitality management company which has become one of the most successful firms in the hospitality industry, and one of the largest hotel management companies on the Southeast coast currently working with 24 properties.
Sea Trail Golf Resort & Convention Center encompass over 2,000 acres in Sunset Beach, North Carolina. Located in the southernmost barrier island and town, Sea Trail is a beautiful and relaxing setting surrounded with lush fairways and peaceful lakes. Offering over 500 condominiums and villa-style suites to fit every lifestyle, they range from one to four bedrooms and feature full kitchens with large living/dining areas. Convenient to the full array of Sea Trail amenities, guests can enjoy 54 holes of championship golf, pool and fitness facilities, several on-site restaurant options and even activities for children.
Click here to visit their website and check availability here: http://www.seatrail.com/resort
Ingram Planetarium
June 16, 2010 by gary
Filed under Attractions/Events
A few minutes drive, between Sunset Beach and Ocean Isle Beach, Read more
The Sunset Inn
June 16, 2010 by gary
Filed under Lodging & Dining
The Sunset Inn offers its guests an unforgettable North Carolina romantic getaway. Come spend your special occasion at one of the nicest coastal gems in the Carolinas.
There are few places that offer a better setting for a romantic getaway than Sunset Beach North Carolina.
It’s a beautiful area that offers great weather, breath taking views, fun activities, and first class amenities and accommodations.
The Sunset Inn is located just across the Causeway at Sunset Beach, North Carolina. Situated along the marsh at Sunset Beach, the Sunset Inn is just minutes away from great shopping.
The immediate area affords you over 16 challenging golf courses and excellent dining.
Comfortable and roomy with a relaxed atmosphere, our spacious coastal home awaits your arrival.
Experience the Sunset Inn. It’s the perfect way to begin your day.
910.575.1000 Email: info@thesunsetinn.net Web Site: http://www.thesunsetinn.net
The Winds Resort Beach Club
June 16, 2010 by gary
Filed under Lodging & Dining
A Tropical Escape Closer Than You Think! A small, intimate island resort.
Ideal for vacations, romantic getaways, weddings, honeymoons, reunions, golf excursions or small meetings.
The Winds is set oceanfront surrounded by palms, bananas and flowering hibiscus on nearby Ocean Isle Beach (15 minutes from Sunset Beach).
Oceanfront rooms and suites overlook lush tropical gardens and the breathtaking island beach.
Also Four, Five and Six Bedroom Resort Cottages with full kitchen, living room and large whirlpool spa.
Rates include complimentary hot breakfast buffet & use of all amenities Three Pools (one indoor), Whirlpools etc.
The Garden Bar and poolside Tiki Bar both feature a light menu & mixed drinks.
The Winds also offers year round golf packages on over 90 top area courses as well as a FREE SUMMER GOLF program!
310 E. 1st St, Ocean Isle Beach, NC 28469 1-800-334-3581 http://TheWinds.Com Email: Info@TheWinds.com
Museum of Coastal Carolina
June 16, 2010 by gary
Filed under Attractions/Events
If you think museums are stuffy, quiet places that people visit for research, contemplation, or when there’s nothing else to do, then you haven’t visited North Carolina’s only natural history museum on a barrier island. New exterior murals predict some of the things you’ll see inside the Museum of Coastal Carolina at nearby Ocean Isle Beach (15 minutes from Sunset Beach, NC).
Happy, interactive voices are encouraged! One might hear toddlers calling out “Boat, Daddy, boat!” as they climb into the wooden strip boat made here in Brunswick County. Staff and volunteers often hear “Whoa!” when visitors approach the shark jaw exhibit. Carolina residents track their local rivers to the sea and parents teach their young children to keep the beach clean and protect the animals from trash as they pass the Litterbug Hall of Shame.
Imagine getting up close to the area wildlife on display in the Green Swamp diorama. Then touch or hold a sea star, an urchin, or a hermit crab at the touch tank. Learn the inside story of shells at the newly updated Carolina Shells and Fossils exhibit. Don’t forget to bring your beach treasures to identify.
Hear “oohs and aahs” as you take a walk through the Ocean Reef Gallery that depicts a reef habitat about 65 miles off the coast of North Carolina. The toddler area in the Barrier Island Gallery has puppets, toy ocean animals, puzzles, and lots of happy noise. Then there’s silent awe at the Legacy of the Loggerhead sea turtle exhibit’s short video filmed on Ocean Isle Beach about the life cycle of the loggerhead turtle that includes a mother turtle laying eggs and the hatchlings crawling to the sea.
In the Coastal Plain, visitors exclaim “Wow!” when they see the American bald eagle up close and eye-to-eye. Identify the shorebirds you saw on Brunswick beaches. Children like to pretend they are a coyote or a bear with the pelts thrown over their shoulders. Fisherman are heard to exclaim that they learned to fish with a bamboo rod just like the one in the antique fishing equipment exhibit.
A visit to the Museum of Coastal Carolina is a treat for the young and the young at heart. Many vacationers include it as a multi-generational activity for the whole family. Local residents know that it is one of Brunswick County’s best family activities.
Summer afternoon family programs are held at 3:30 p.m. on Monday—Friday from June 14 through August 20. The programs include Know Your Knots on Monday, “What Kinda Fish Is That, Mister?” on Tuesday, Seven Steps to Shoreline Safety & the Firetruck on Wednesday, Megabites! on Thursday, and Touch Tank Feeding and Shell ID on Friday.
Evening programs are Ghost Lore and Legend Walk on Wednesday at 7 p.m. and Snakes Alive! on Thursday at 7 p.m. Come early to tour the Museum before the program. Family vacation passes with unlimited Museum visits for one week are available for $49. (Family vacation passes are for a family that resides together year-round, not multi-generational families vacationing together. The Plus membership may be a better value for multi-generational families.) Annual memberships are also available.
The Museum of Coastal Carolina is located at 21 East Second Street, Ocean Isle Beach beside the playground and just a block from the beach and the pier. Enjoy coastal natural history . . . for the fun of it! Summer hours are June 1—September 4 on Monday, Tuesday, Friday & Saturday from 10—5, Wednesday and Thursday from 10—8:30 and closed Sunday. All-day admission includes programs. $8 for adults, $6 for senior adults 60 & over, $6 students K-12 & College ID, and $4 Preschool ages 3-5, Ages 2 & under are free. Check www.museumofcc.org or call 910.579.1016 for further information.
For educational and entertaining gifts and toys, visit Nature’s Treasures Gift Shop at the Museum or Galaxy Gifts at the Planetarium.
Sunset Flyover Video
June 16, 2010 by gary
Filed under Cool Stuff
OK so this guy gets a kite and attaches a small video camera and … well lets let him tell us:
This is my 2nd attempt at KAV (Kite Aerial Video). The video was shot in the evening on July 21st, 2009 at Sunset Beach, NC. I would estimate that the camcorder was probably 75ft – 100ft in the air, and winds were probably 10mph – 15mph.
The first and last couple minutes of the video are considerably more shaky because I’m letting out and/or bringing in line at the time. Otherwise, I’m pretty happy with the minimal shakiness of the video, especially considering the whole camera/video rig consists of a couple nuts and bolts, sheet metal, a servo, and string, all dangling from a kite line. The video is a bit lengthy, but whatever, I thought it was cool to see the entire flight from start to finish. I also thought it was pretty cool to see birds flying BELOW the shot, as well as hearing the howl of the kite line at times. It also never gets old seeing Myrtle Beach in the distance when the camcorder is facing south-west.
TECHNICAL STUFF
••• Kite •••
10ft. Alpine DC by Into The Wind
••• Line •••
100# braided Dacron, 500ft
••• Accessories •••
2 x 20*ft. Gomberg inflatable tube tail
2 x 15ft. Gomberg ribbon tail
••• KAP/KAV Rig •••
Brooxes HoBEAK kit
••• Camera •••
JVC Everio GZ-MS120 Digital Camcorder
••• Location •••
Sunset Beach, NC @ 37th Street
Chance Of Oil In NC “Remote”
June 15, 2010 by gary
Filed under Around The Town
With the tragic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico some people are concerned that it might come here to Sunset Beach in NC. However, scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have told state officials the possibility is remote.
All NC beaches are open at this time and no closures are anticipated at this time. However, just to avert any fears the N.C. State officials have launched a new Web page dedicated to providing information and useful links regarding the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
The web site features information about the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the potential impact on the coast.
North Carolina Department of Crime Control and Public Safety spokesman Ernie Seneca said the website provides daily updates on the spill as well as links to models that predict where the spill could go.
“We just felt like it was good to get it out there. More information is better than less and this is obviously something that concerns a lot of people. The nation’s eyes and the world’s eyes are on the Gulf right now and what’s going to happen,” said Seneca.
The information is available at nccrimecontrol.org. Seneca said visitors can click on the Gulf Oil Spill tab on the web site.
