How about some Surf Fishing?

Dad or Grandpa helps pack up the car and rustle the kids into the back seat. He drives all the way down to Surf City, then hauls everything up stairs. They're barely done when Mom asks if they'll take the kids out swimming. After chasing the kids around, he tiredly brings them back inside for meals, showers and eventually that night, bed.

The good thing is that the kids will sleep in - at least longer than Dad or Gramps will. But what can Dad or Gramps do with those early morning hours of peacefulness?

How about fishing the surf? He can catch small sharks, jacks and other ocean delights while he sits back and enjoys the peacefulness of the morning. Yet, unlike deep sea fishing, with surf fishing he can reel them in and join the family when they get stirring and ready to do something.

He can rent equipment for the week and get a license at East Coast Sports in downtown Surf City. Click on East Coast Sports or click here for more places to buy or rent fishing gear on Topsail Island.

Snow on the Beach??

Can you believe snow on the beach in Surf City and Wilmington? It's rare because the ocean acts to modify the land surface weather. That's why you like to come in the summer, because when it is HOT where you live, the ocean breezes make it very comfortable on Topsail Island.

But in the fall, winter and early spring, the opposite happens. When it is cold where you ive, the ocean warms up the beach. That's why so many people come to visit in the "off-season".

Here are some pictures taken of snow on the beach sent in by watchers of WECT TV in Wilmington.

Fresh Shrimp on the Grille

One of the great things about coming down to Topsail Island and Surf City is the fresh shrimp. In the picture above you can see one of the local shrimp boats fishing the waters by the drop off for some fabulous Carolina shrimp.

How about cooking your own fresh shrimp? I mean fresh - right off the boat. There is a seafood market located in the parking lot of the Crab Pot and it has what they are catching. Shrimp, flounder, sometimes shark, and more. Click here for a picture of the Fresh Seafood Market.

If you're not good with preparing fresh fish, try this. Get some shrimp and skewers. Boil the shrimp until white. Rinse and place on the skewers - kabob style - with sliced green peppers and some quartered onions. Braise with butter and put on the grill. Take off the grill when they have grill marks and enjoy with a "sundowner"

What's The Best Place to Beach Vacation on the East Coast? Yahoo Voters Say Topsail Island!!

Yahoo Answers is a forum where people post questions and then other people - regular people - respond. People can either give an answer or vote on the best answer already given. Well when somebody posted a question about where the best beach vacation was on the East Coast, somebody answered Topsail Island and enough other people voted for that answer, that it won.

Here is the exchange (which can be found here.)

Resolved Question

What East coast beach would you recommend for a family vacation? Any suggestions on where to stay?

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

We are on the way to TOPSAIL ISLAND in North Carolina next week. It is a family beach WITHOUT a carnival atmosphere and theme park attractions. There are many good and inexpensive seafood restaurants, small shops for souvenirs and two large grocery stores. If you put TOPSAIL ISLAND on Google, you will find more information than you want to know. If you are looking for a "beach" experience with miles of sand and a gentle surf, this is the place to look.

Good News - Bad News: Growth

The Wilmington Star News reports that Census data shows that North Carolina is one of the fastest growing states in the nation and Surf City is one of the fastest growing in the state. Full story here.

We absolutely love it here. I can say with a truthful chuckle that I have had more than half a dozen people from time to time tell me - when I was telling them how much more I liked NC than California - to "please don't tell anybody...we want to keep it this way".

Well, the word is getting out. I lived in my beach house for part of the year last year and my teenage son attended Topsail High, ranked one of the 5 best high schools in the state. I have a good friend from Columbus who bought a beach home here 5 years ago, called Answer to Prayer, and she books out the entire month of September just for her family and friends. So many come down from Ohio now during the same month that they rent other houses and have a reunion of sorts.

Surf City and Topsail Island. Life doesn't get any better than this.

We Love Surf City So Much We'll Swim in the New Year: The Dolphin Dip

WECT TV 6 reported on the Dolphin Dip which occurred on New Year's Day:

Reported by Casey Roman - email--croman@wect.com
Posted by Debra Worley - email--dworley@wect.com

SURF CITY, NC (WECT) - Wearing bikinis and winter jackets, thousands made a New Year's resolution to help a local charity by taking an icy dip in the ocean.

Brian Moxey started Topsail's Dolphin Dip seven years ago to benefit the Lower Cape Fear Hospice Center. Their goal is to bring people together to celebrate life.

Organizers said a quick dip in the ocean gives people an opportunity to challenge themselves and help others.

Each year the crowd comes with donations, costumes, and determination.

"Oh its cold in there, its flat out cold, there's no denying that," said Moxey. "People come out and you'll see some great facial expressions on the way out!"

Some families recruit, or maybe trick, visiting relatives into taking the plunge.

"I'm just going about knee level and my son is going to go in for me," said Al Wolitski who was visiting from Alberta, Canada.

The crowd lined up, the countdown began, and the crowd raced into the waves and right back out.

To read more, click here.