Treasures of the Outer Banks: Recent Episodes
John Van Lunen
In this podcast John Van Lunen will talk to the people on the Outer Banks that make this place so special. Topics will include people, places, history, and activities. Listeners will be entertained by how things used to be and what it's like to be a local on the Outer Banks.
Delia D'Ambra hosts CounterClock Podcast, which investigates unsolved murders. Ranked by Rolling Stone Magazine as a Top 25 True-Crime Podcast, CounterClock is a cutting edge podcast that takes listeners on a journey throughout the criminal investigation.
Clark Twiddy discusses his book, Outer Banks Visionaries: Building North Carolina's Oceanfront. Twiddy researched and interviewed the people that helped turn the Outer Banks from a sleepy, ocean outpost, to the successful destination it has become today.
Marc Corbett is an explorer and adventurer. He dives shipwrecks adjacent to the Outer Banks. Known as The Graveyard of the Atlantic, these waters are difficult to dive due to wind, waves, and currents. He's dived many of the popular wrecks here and he continues a quest to explore new dives.
Joan Collins talks about the Pea Island Life Saving Station and the legacy left behind by the brave crew.
Daryl Law used to be a local sports journalist and has played all of the local golf courses on the Outer Banks. We sit down and talk about each one and what makes golfing on the Outer Banks special.
Kilmarlic, https://kilmarlic.com/golf/
Carolina Club, https://www.thecarolinaclub.com/
The Pointe, https://www.thepointegolfclub.com/
Holly Ridge, https://hollyridgeobx.com/
Currituck Club, https://www.invitedclubs.com/clubs/the-currituck-club
Duck Woods, https://duckwoodscc.com/
Sea Scape, https://www.seascapegolf.com/
Nags Head Links, https://www.invitedclubs.com/clubs/nags-head-golf-links
Katherine Schuster, https://clemsontigers.com/sports/womens-golf/roster/katherine-schuster/
John Wright is the General Manager of Sanctuary Vineyards in Jarvisburg, North Carolina. https://www.sanctuaryvineyards.com/. It's part of the farm his family has owned for several generations. They also own and run a small chain of stores called the Cotton Gin which you can only find on the Outer Banks. http://cottongin.com/.
We talk about his family's history, Currituck County, agriculture, wine production, and more. This weekend is Sanctuary Vineyard's The Big Currishuck event which provides great food, beer, wine, and entertainment. Tickets can, and should, be purchased early. https://outerbanksthisweek.com/sanctuaryvineyards/events/big-currishuck.
Audra Krieg is author of The Parker House, co-owner of 12th Street Photography, and runs Outer Banks Mom. You can find her at www.outerbanksmom.com and www.12thstreetportraits.com.
In this episode we talk about her story writing, owning a summer business, and more. Find out what's coming soon from this mom of four (apparently she has too much free time).
Will Thorp is a legend among restaurateurs on the Outer Banks. He opened Tortuga's Lie, Rundown Cafe, and High Cotton BBQ. We sat down and talked about opening restaurants, what it's like operating a restaurant on the Outer Banks, and how things have evolved. https://www.highcottonbbq.com/
Angel Khoury is an author from Manteo, NC. Her novel, Between Tides, is a love story based on real people who lived in Manteo and Cape Cod. We mostly focused on the back story of this book and how certain ideas were threaded within.
You can learn more at www.angelkhoury.com. The book can be purchased online or in local bookstores on the Outer Banks.
In this episode I talk about a few Outer Banks authors, the books they've written, and which book stores are my favorite.
Audra Krieg, The Parker House.
John Railey, The Lost Colony Murder on the Outer Banks: Seeking Justice for Brenda Joyce Holland and Andy Griffith's Manteo: His Real Mayberry.
Angel Khoury, Between Tidesand Manteo: A Roanoke Island Town.
Downtown Books in Manteo and Duck's Cottage
Island Bookstore in Kitty Hawk, Duck, and Corolla
Joe O'Grady has been doing kayak tours on the Outer Banks for over 20 years and has great stories about seeing bear, alligators, and places to paddle. You can contact him at www.coastalkayak.org.
In this episode I talk about the time we evacuated for Hurricane Bonnie, no relation. Our hands were full in 1998. We were the new owners of a watersports business, the new owners of a baby girl (Alivian), and Bonnie was starting a new job at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UT-C). Some parents worry about hoarding formula. We were worried about falling asleep at the wheel and driving in to a ditch. Enjoy, John
Butch Stone and I talk about him helping me during Hurricane Irene, his life on a sailboat, and adventures with the JetPak.
Butch Stone and I talk about him helping me during Hurricane Irene, his life on a sailboat, and adventures with the JetPak.
Edward Duffey is a local realtor who spends his free time reuniting people with their lost jewelry. People will contact him when they lose valuables, typically on the beach or in the water. Edward will show up, say a prayer, and start hunting.
It should be noted that there are plenty of individuals, both locally and from outside the Outer Banks, who are happy to find your lost items for their personal gain. Edward's pleasure in metal detecting is seeing the joy in people who get their lost valuables back.
Edward has an Instagram account with the handle OBX_Ed, https://www.instagram.com/obx__ed/, where he promotes local real estate and shares his success stories. In this episode Ed and I talk about some of those stories, what to do if you lose something, and the best equipment to use.
Enjoy, John.
Edward Duffey is a local realtor who spends his free time reuniting people with their lost jewelry. People will contact him when they lose valuables, typically on the beach or in the water. Edward will show up, say a prayer, and start hunting.
It should be noted that there are plenty of individuals, both locally and from outside the Outer Banks, who are happy to find your lost items for their personal gain. Edward's pleasure in metal detecting is seeing the joy in people who get their lost valuables back.
Edward has an Instagram account with the handle OBX_Ed, https://www.instagram.com/obx__ed/, where he promotes local real estate and shares his success stories. In this episode Ed and I talk about some of those stories, what to do if you lose something, and the best equipment to use.
Enjoy, John.
This is a story about me finding the Norris Baum Cemetery in Nags Head Woods. The cemetery contains the grave of David Baum, a former slave. This is interesting to me because there were laws that prevented black people from being buried in a white person's cemetery. Also, slaves were rarely given a properly marked grave.
This is a story about me finding the Norris Baum Cemetery in Nags Head Woods. The cemetery contains the grave of David Baum, a former slave. This is interesting to me because there were laws that prevented black people from being buried in a white person's cemetery. Also, slaves were rarely given a properly marked grave.
Meghan Agresto is a force of nature. The energy she brings to her job is infectious. To call her a site manager of the Currituck Lighthouse is a gross understatement. She is part historian, part event planner, part manager, and part problem-solver. In the end, Meghan is a person of action.
Meghan works for the Outer Banks Conservationists who maintain and preserve the compound at Currituck Lighthouse as well as the Island Farm on Roanoke Island. Her office is a renovated storage shed on the compound and she lives feet from the facility. https://obcinc.org/
Her knowledge of the Lighthouse is amazing and her energy helps create an outstanding experience for visitors.
Meghan also holds the title of President for the Board of Directors, Water's Edge Village School (WEVS), a separate non-profit charter school created to educate the youth in Corolla so they wouldn't have to drive over two hours to a school located on the Currituck mainland. https://www.watersedgevillageschool.com/
This talk with Meghan reminded me I need to get up to Historic Corolla Village and take the time to look around.
Enjoy.
Meghan Agresto is a force of nature. The energy she brings to her job is infectious. To call her a site manager of the Currituck Lighthouse is a gross understatement. She is part historian, part event planner, part manager, and part problem-solver. In the end, Meghan is a person of action.
Meghan works for the Outer Banks Conservationists who maintain and preserve the compound at Currituck Lighthouse as well as the Island Farm on Roanoke Island. Her office is a renovated storage shed on the compound and she lives feet from the facility. https://obcinc.org/
Her knowledge of the Lighthouse is amazing and her energy helps create an outstanding experience for visitors.
Meghan also holds the title of President for the Board of Directors, Water's Edge Village School (WEVS), a separate non-profit charter school created to educate the youth in Corolla so they wouldn't have to drive over two hours to a school located on the Currituck mainland. https://www.watersedgevillageschool.com/
This talk with Meghan reminded me I need to get up to Historic Corolla Village and take the time to look around.
Enjoy.
Owning a business in an unfamiliar area can be a handful. After moving to the Outer Banks I was fortunate to meet three professionals who made my life easier and became good friends. A CPA, a welder/builder, and an electrician/HVAC/mechanic. These people were personal treasures for me.
Owning a business in an unfamiliar area can be a handful. After moving to the Outer Banks I was fortunate to meet three professionals who made my life easier and became good friends. A CPA, a welder/builder, and an electrician/HVAC/mechanic. These people were personal treasures for me.
In this episode I talk about how I wound up on the Outer Banks. It starts with an uneventful visit to Hatteras after my freshman year of college, progresses to road trips as a windsurfer, is practically sealed by working-honeymoon summer with my wife, and finalized when we buy a watersports business back in 1997. Fate? Maybe. Opportunity? Definitely. Enjoy, John Van Lunen
In this episode I talk about how I wound up on the Outer Banks. It starts with an uneventful visit to Hatteras after my freshman year of college, progresses to road trips as a windsurfer, is practically sealed by working-honeymoon summer with my wife, and finalized when we buy a watersports business back in 1997. Fate? Maybe. Opportunity? Definitely. Enjoy, John Van Lunen
There’s a Facebook group I belong to called Outer Banks Vintage Scrapbook and as I would scroll through the posts, one name kept popping up. After a while I realized this guy would be perfect to have on the podcast. John Railey is a writer and author who spent his summers on the Outer Banks as a child and young man during the ‘60s and ‘70s. John’s recall and ability to tell a story are amazing. You can probably tell he’s a professional writer. Our conversation winds around the Outer Banks like a gentle, sea breeze. John Railey mentions many of the people and places that remind him of the good times he had here and he speaks fondly of the people who have been nice enough to share their experiences and stories with him. He remembers that in 1967 a friend of the family told him about a murder that had occurred that year in Manteo. In 2021 Railey published The Lost Colony Murder on the Outer Banks: Seeking Justice for Brenda Joyce Holland. As an investigative journalist, John Railey was well-suited to research and write this story. I have since read the book and enjoyed how he painted life on the Outer Banks, in general, but specifically the dynamics and quaintness of Manteo. His upbringing on the Outer Banks gives him immense credibility and insight. It also allowed him to quickly create relationships with the people he interviews. During our interview John also talks about his latest book which has since been released, Andy Griffith’s Manteo: His Real Mayberry. As a child, I was a big watcher of Andy Griffith show reruns so I always thought it was pretty cool that he lived in Manteo. By the way, he was still alive when I moved here. The fact that Andy Griffith was just a regular guy who would walk around barefoot makes me like him even more. I purchased the Andy Griffith book and it is currently in line to be read very soon. Hopefully, I can do a follow-up interview with John Railey so we can discuss the Andy Griffith book in more detail. John Railey’s books can be purchased at Downtown Books in Manteo, Buxton Village Books, and Amazon. John wanted to give a “shout-out” to the great friends, relationships, opportunities, and experiences that made his time on the Outer Banks so special. Specifically, the Nunemakers, The Joe Lamb crew, The Seafare Restaurant crew, and The Coastland Times. Sit back and relax as John shares his experiences, stories, and friends from the Outer Banks.
There’s a Facebook group I belong to called Outer Banks Vintage Scrapbook and as I would scroll through the posts, one name kept popping up. After a while I realized this guy would be perfect to have on the podcast. John Railey is a writer and author who spent his summers on the Outer Banks as a child and young man during the ‘60s and ‘70s. John’s recall and ability to tell a story are amazing. You can probably tell he’s a professional writer. Our conversation winds around the Outer Banks like a gentle, sea breeze. John Railey mentions many of the people and places that remind him of the good times he had here and he speaks fondly of the people who have been nice enough to share their experiences and stories with him. He remembers that in 1967 a friend of the family told him about a murder that had occurred that year in Manteo. In 2021 Railey published The Lost Colony Murder on the Outer Banks: Seeking Justice for Brenda Joyce Holland. As an investigative journalist, John Railey was well-suited to research and write this story. I have since read the book and enjoyed how he painted life on the Outer Banks, in general, but specifically the dynamics and quaintness of Manteo. His upbringing on the Outer Banks gives him immense credibility and insight. It also allowed him to quickly create relationships with the people he interviews. During our interview John also talks about his latest book which has since been released, Andy Griffith’s Manteo: His Real Mayberry. As a child, I was a big watcher of Andy Griffith show reruns so I always thought it was pretty cool that he lived in Manteo. By the way, he was still alive when I moved here. The fact that Andy Griffith was just a regular guy who would walk around barefoot makes me like him even more. I purchased the Andy Griffith book and it is currently in line to be read very soon. Hopefully, I can do a follow-up interview with John Railey so we can discuss the Andy Griffith book in more detail. John Railey’s books can be purchased at Downtown Books in Manteo, Buxton Village Books, and Amazon. John wanted to give a “shout-out” to the great friends, relationships, opportunities, and experiences that made his time on the Outer Banks so special. Specifically, the Nunemakers, The Joe Lamb crew, The Seafare Restaurant crew, and The Coastland Times. Sit back and relax as John shares his experiences, stories, and friends from the Outer Banks.
004. Steve The Dream was an Outer Banks original who entertained locals and visitors with his mobile DJ show. In this interview with Steve's sister you'll learn about an entirely different side of Steve Thomas.
004. Steve The Dream was an Outer Banks original who entertained locals and visitors with his mobile DJ show. In this interview with Steve's sister you'll learn about an entirely different side of Steve Thomas.
In this episode I sit down with local newsman Sam Walker. Sam's family has been here for generations and he gives excellent insights to the locals, politics, and more.
Sam Walker is news director for OBXToday.com, Beach 104, 99.1 The Sound, Big 94.5 WCMS and Z 92.3. Reach him at swalker3@jammediallc.com
003. Wikey Wise is an 82 year-old friend of mine who was nice enough to share with me what it was like growing up on the Outer Banks in the 1950's. Highlights include his heritage, Nags Head Woods, attending the school house in Corolla, driving on Jockeys Ridge, and working at the casino.
http://www.treasuresoftheouterbanks.com
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001. In this episode I talk with my friend, Daryl Law, about his experiences visiting the Outer Banks as a child in the 1970's and living here after high school in the 1980's. Daryl has some great stories about how simple things were back then and some of the characters he met. We talk about working in a very sleepy Corolla, living near the Avalon Pier in Kill Devil Hills, and diving wrecks just off the shore.
Check out http://treasuresoftheouterbanks.com/ if you'd like to find more information.