Outer Banks: An Outdoor Sportsman’s Paradise
Hang Gliding
Prospective aviators can fly near the same location where the Wright Brothers took their historic flight in 1903. To date, more than 260,000 students have learned to hang glide at Kitty Hawk Kites, the world’s largest hang gliding school. After sitting through a ground school class, students trek over to Jockey’s Ridge State Park, the largest sand dune on the East Coast. After some additional instruction, it’s launch time. With a constant breeze at their backs and the sounds of the waves in their ears, students run into the wind. Once their feet no longer touch the ground, they soar over the rolling sand dunes, until they glide down and come to rest on the soft, forgiving sand. Thanks to the invention of tandem aero-towing, there are no physical restrictions other than weight limits for anyone who wants to touch the sky and fly.
Water Sports
Since 1981, Kitty Hawk Sports has been offering a range of water sports, including windsurfing and kayaking programs for beginning to advanced adventure enthusiasts. Kayak nature tours take visitors on two-hour, four-hour, all-day or overnight tours of Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, Cape Hatteras National Seashore and the Kitty Hawk Maritime Forest. As kayakers glide through the salt marshes, sounds, tidal creeks and even the ocean, they have the opportunity to spot a diverse range of marine and animal life including osprey, deer and dolphin. Also, Carolina Outdoors, a division of Kitty Hawk Kites, offers kayak rentals and eco-tours, as well as sport wall climbing, parasailing, surfing, wave runner rentals and tours, and jet boat dolphin tours. Other active water sports available through area outfitters include jet skiing, canoeing, diving, sailing and recreational boating.
Fishing
Hundreds of blue marlin, white marlin and sailfish are caught in the waters of the Outer Banks each year, thus making this region the Billfish Capital of the World. The International Game Fish Association lists numerous world records for fish caught in waters from Kill Devil Hills to Ocracoke, including a 405-pound lemon shark, a 67-pound amberjack, a 41-pound bluefish, a 72-pound red drum and a 348-pound bluefin tuna, along with record-size black sea bass, Spanish mackerel, bigeye tuna, kingfish, and sheepshead. Additional species anglers can target include albacore, wahoo, speckled trout, gray trout, flounder, striped bass (or rockfish), black drum, largemouth bass, tautog, cobia and a variety of pan fish.
Flyfishers, spincasters and bait rodders looking for some action closer to shore can check out close-range ocean and inlet fishing. While most anglers fish these shallow waters in a skiff or shallow bottom boat, kayak fishing is gaining popularity for those who wish to get up close and personal as they target their prey. Also, the Outer Banks offers some of best wade fishing on the East Coast. Anglers can surfcast into the Atlantic Ocean’s rocky waves, wade into the quieter waters of the sound or cast their lines from one of the public fishing piers. Freshwater enthusiasts can check some of the Outer Banks’ interior freshwater ponds.
A freshwater fishing license is needed to fish any freshwater species. Starting January 1, 2007, a saltwater fishing license has been required as well.
Historic Sailing
Visiting sailors can explore Roanoke Sound from the deck of the Downeast Rover, a replica of a 19th century coastal schooner. During a daytime or sunset cruise, guests help trim the sails, take a turn at the helm, or just relax along on waters made famous by the first English settlers to the new world. The Elizabeth II, a replica of a 16th century sailing vessel, allows hands-on adventure, such as setting a sail for visitors touring Roanoke Island Festival Park in Manteo, North Carolina. In addition to sponsoring a summer Learn-to-Sail program for youth and adults, the North Carolina Maritime Museum on Roanoke Island offers a variety of maritime related educational programs and interpretive exhibits throughout the year.
