Roanoke Island Aquarium Archives - Joe Lamb Jr. & Associates

A Mostly Good 2016 Year in Review

2017-a mostly good year. — 2016-a mostly good year.

2016 was certainly an interesting year. Most of it was really positive and and there is not doubt the Outer Banks is still the best place anywhere for a family vacation.

Some of the headlines, though, were not as pleasant as others, and a lot of those unpleasant headlines were all about the weather.

From cold-stunned turtles in January to the surprise visit from a powerful Hurricane Matthew, the weather was in the headlines on the Outer Banks.

Still, it was a good year on the Outer Bank. Here are some of the highlights…and yes, the lowlights of the weather.

Replacement for Bonner Bridge Breaks Ground

Long overdue, but at long last the replacement span for the Bonner Bridge is finally moving forward. Here’s what we wrote:

“Three years from now and a few hundred million dollars later, a replacement span for the Bonner Bridge over Oregon Inlet will finally be in place. Today marked the official beginning of the process as politicians came from Raleigh and Washington, DC to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new bridge.”

100th Anniversary of the National Park Service-New Citizens Welcomed

Receiving the certificate of citizenship.

With such a large presence on the Outer Banks, the centennial of the National Park Service was important. There were a number of special events in conjunction with the celebration, none more compelling than a swearing in ceremony for new citizens.

“Thirty-nine new citizens were welcomed to the Outer Banks yesterday at a swearing in ceremony at the Wright Brothers Memorial.

It was an amazing event—emotional, awe-inspiring and perhaps a little bit intimidating with the realization of what these newest Americans coming from 23 countries have gone through to follow their dream.”

Roanoke Island Aquarium Gets a Facelift

Delayed a year to get the budget for renovations in shape, the payoff was a spectacular result.

“After a false start and a couple of construction delays, the renovation of the Roanoke Island Aquarium–the Outer Banks only aquarium–is almost complete. It’s open now and even though a couple of the exhibits aren’t quite ready yet, what there is a really exciting.”

The Weather

The weather for 2016 can easily summed up. When it was good it was very good. When it was bad, it was very bad

Cold Stunned Turtles Early January

loggerhead turtle — Cold Stunned Loggerhead at Roanoke Island STAR Center

“The STAR Center at the Roanoke Island Aquarium was designed as a care facility for injured and sick sea turtles, but never anything on this level. The problem, according to Christine Legner who oversees the facility, with all the warm weather, the turtles “ . . . just didn’t get the cue to leave.”

Tropical Storm Hermine

“It looks as though we have another day of high surf battering the Outer Banks as Tropical Storm Hermine spins away out in the Atlantic. All sign point to her meandering a bit and then moving out to sea, but it does look as though tomorrow, Monday, is not going to be a good beach day.”

Hurricane Matthew

Hurricane Matthew was an unwelcome and unpleasant surprise. We knew it was going to rain a lot; we knew the winds were going to be strong, but the Outer Banks seemed to get more than expected.

Ribbon Cutting at Renovated Roanoke Island Aquarium

The Jellyfish gallery. A soothing and quiet corner of the Aquarium.

With North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory on hand to cut the ribbon on the renovated North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island, the final step was taken to introduce a remarkable transformation of one of the most popular sites for visitors on the Outer Banks.

With over 300,000 visitors annually, the Aquarium is an important part of the Outer Banks experience, a point McCrory referred to in his remarks noting how important tourism is for the economy of the entire state.

The renovations were long overdue—the last major work on the facility was 16 years ago, although the STAR (Sea Turtle Assistance and Rehabilitation) Center was put in place two years ago.

The cost of the renovation was put at $6.5 million with almost all of that—$5.5 million—coming from private donations funneled through the North Carolina Aquarium Society. The success of that public/private partnership was a key point in McCrory’s address.

“The government can’t do it by itself, the private sector can’t do it by itself, but by working together is a win win for everyone,” he said.

Mostly, though, the Governor talked about the wonder of walking through a facility that combines some of the best features of technology with a very hands on experience for visitor—especially children. “When you come here, the first thing you notice are the children,” he said.

#joelambjr

Roanoke Island Aquarium Renovations-Better Than Ever

After a false start and a couple of construction delays, the renovation of the Roanoke Island Aquarium–the Outer Banks only aquarium–is almost complete. It’s open now and even though a couple of the exhibits aren’t quite ready yet, what there is a really exciting.

We should stress that the few exhibits that are not open do not detract from the experience—and the experience is marvelous.

Walk in the lobby and overhead there is a giant high definition TV that shows everyone in closeup. The coolest part of the lobby though are the 3D fish that are swimming by the hole time everyone is looking at their image.

The designers did have the good sense to leave the really good stuff alone, so the otters are still there, playing—seemingly—all day long. The Graveyard of the Atlantic tank—285,000 gallons of seawater, hasn’t been changed.

What has changed, though, is how interactive the whole experience is. There are some great mini-movies explaining the local environment and history. Instead of signs telling visitors about the various animals, designers went to a push button system where users decide how much information they want.

There are some great new exhibits as well. The Delicate Drifters Gallery will feature jellyfish surrounded by soothing light and comfortable seating. Parents may appreciate the gallery more than their children, but it will be a nice break from the excitement of the day.

A very tentative date of August 10 has been given as a grand reopening, although Aquarium officials stress that date is somewhat fluid.

#joelambjr

Tag: Roanoke Island Aquarium