We have seen the Devastation It seem that nothing is left. Enlighten us Kimco with you knowledge and give us some pictures of what's left it can¡¦t all be like what we see. What hotel's are open now so we can go see for our selves and how's the traffic now? Would you advise any one to come down to just look or would we be in the way?

No body wants you here "just to look". What a moron! Plase stay home and look at your TV

You don't need to be so rude that's why I asked!

But I can't believe your a local most are a bit more pleasant.

Tonight coming home there was plenty of traffic as we have thousands of second home owners here now on an unscheduled visit. But many, many places are open, and well stocked. It seems business as usual in many places. If you were new to the area and simply rode down the bypass you might not even know there had been a hurricane except for the piles of trash along the road awaiting pickup. Restaurants are open, the weather is gorgeous. RV's Shrimp was dancing in his parking lot! So I'm going to the beach this weekend and get some rest and thank God we still have such a beautiful place to be in and enjoy. See y'all Monday!

I don't know what motels are open so I can't address that issue. I haven't been up to the northern beaches as I have been too busy helping Hatteras Island recooperate. Perhaps The Comfort Inn is open here but not much is open as far as motels on Hatteras, if anything.
I have mixed emotions, as a local, about the return of tourists on Monday. The shops, restaurants etc. that can open are suffering. I almost went to sleep today in the convenience store where I work. I could not find anything else to clean. The businesses could use the income tourists bring.
However, many people are really suffering. My daughter just got back from 2 days in Hatteras Village and she said that the locals there are tired of being the object of someone's photo op. They just want to be left alone to remake their homes and businesses without being gawked at.
If you come down they will not let you within a mile of the new inlet in Frisco. There are plenty of police in the area and they have said they will arrest anyone who tries to go past them.
South Nags Head has the same restrictions and will continue to have them next week. In the village of Hatteras there are poice and National Guard restricting access to certain areas of the village. They are trying to restrict boat access only to those who are coming to help, not to gawk.
I had an upsetting incident in my store. A home owner from away came in and said that he didn't see much damage and he didn't see what the big deal was. He guessed that Hatteras Village had some damage but it didn' seem that bad here to him. I tried to explian what it was like and I told hime about the number of people out of work because businesses were gone etc. I told him of a lady who had been in an hour before him concerned about how she would survive because the restaurant she worked in was gone. She had her rent to pay. His comment in an annoyed tone: She can get another job. I tried to explain that at the start of the off season on an island 24 miles into the sea there are no new jobs to get. This kind of insensitive person we do not need here. I could see a fight between a local and the visitor if someone takes that attitude with a local who is suffering.

That insentative non-resident is truly one of those "not nice persons". I've seen the devastation and note that some of those mini-motels are also damaged. I love all of the Outer Banks and hurt for everyone....mostly a touron, but also was a resident.

Good for you!!! it's easy if you don't have to live with it isn't it.

Beach Girl, you must be a saint. I would have let him have it.
Yesterday, I was rebuilding a set of steps to the beach for one of the developments in Duck.
Most of the tourists were polite and said sorry for us having to stop for them to go to the beach.
We were polite and said no problem and let them pass.
One guy with a noticeable accent, not southern mind you, walked up from the beach with a chair in one hand and a cooler in the other. Looked at me as I was nailing on the hand rail and says, "Move your saw"! No please, no would you, Just, "Move your saw"!
I went off. I cant tell you everything I said or else this would be an nc17 board.
But he's real lucky he didn't end up with the claw of my hammer buried in his scull.
After the tongue lashing he got, I can guarentee he'll think the next time before he opens his trap.
You're absolutely right, we don't need those kind of people here.
I won't take it and you shouldn't either.

It is hard to be specific with "visit or not" information. When we are at OBX we often travel from the Whalehead Club down to Howards Pub. We enjoy all parts of the area. Even to Swan Quarters and Lake Matamuskeet. While I would think that any visitor that does not have current reservations...should give all the locals and owners some time to repair and get some rest, there are certainly areas of the OBX that are ready and willing to have their renter show up! The best way to avoid the "local vs tourist" problems...would be for EVERY visitor to show the respect for ANY work area...and off limit areas. The same respect you would want if it were your house and neighborhood! How simple would that be? Get some binoculars if you need to be a "looky loo". Take some books and just hang out at "your" house. RELAX and don't become part of the problem.

Hey Cos, if all you want to do is just be sarcastic and try to bring everyone else down to the level you are obviously on, why don't you just stay over at the other board and leave us alone? Some of us try to see a green near every sandtrap but you obviously see things the opposite way!
go cry in your beer!!!

Good for you.
Since I was at work in a store that I do not own I felt I must use contraint with my own opinions. I told the owner the story and he was upset by the customer's behavior. Now I don't feel that I need to hold back the next time just because I am at work.
You wonder how some people were brought u[p when you here these stories.

HAHA if everyone over here was like you I would, but thank god their not. You better learn to read there's NOTHING in that post that should cause a normal person to respond the way you did. To be honest with you I wasn't even talking to you was I?

Yes - there were houses completely removed from about 5 miles of oceanfront in Kitty Hawk. 3 of the 5 piers are gone. But! Most of the beach is intact (albeit with some serious flooding damage and some roof damage). We just returned from a week in Southern Shores and I would encourage people to check with their realtors about the specific house that they're renting - then, GO!!! and help support the businesses and employees who rely on the tourist trade for their incomes.

Hatteras & Ocracoke are still recovering and you can't get there by car anyway (don't go this month). There is still a curfew on the worst stretches of Beach Rd. But the bypass is navigable to Whalebone Junction (and I'm assuming Roanoke Island - we didn't go that far; next year). Most of the clean up is done. There is still a massive rebuilding effort required for stretches of beach road (Byrd Avenue south) - and they're still moving an incredible amount of sand - some of the amenities that you take for granted may not be available - but for the most part, the beach is still there. It hasn't changed THAT much...

I was shocked at how many houses on the northern beaches were empty...I'm guessing people chickened out. We had a very normal vacation and contributed more than our usual to the local economy this year (extenuating personal circumstances) and that's when I realized that it wasn't doing the beach any favors for the visitors to stay away. Just be conscious and conscientious of the people who actually live there. As the English say, "Give Way"....

Your needs are not so great - and a great vacation can STILL be had.