Features 



Coastal Tidings . 



Wings Over Water 



Finding Feathered Friends in Eastern North Carolina 



Every autumn, flocks of migrating birds settle in North 

 Carolina's ponds and pocosins, making the eastern part of the 

 state a hot destination for bird-watchers and other naturalists. 

 These out-of-season tourists enjoy breathtaking wildlife while 

 they bolster the local economy. Join Renee Wolcott Shannon on 

 a three-day bird-watching, kayaking, bear-sighting exploration 

 as part of the annual Wings Over Water celebration 6 



SurPs Up at Cape Hatteras: Big Waves Make Hot Surfing Spot 



Why do surfers flock to the Outer Banks? And how has surfing 

 changed in North Carolina? Ann Green answers all your ques- 

 tions about this fast-growing sport and shows how surfers make 

 waves in environmental activism 14 



"Dr. Dan" ... Estuarine Explorer 



Dan Rittschof s all-encompassing curiosity has led him to study 

 everything from hermit crabs to flounder. Explore our state's 

 complex estuaries and the mysteries of chemical communication 

 with this fascinating Duke University researcher 18 



People & Places: Getting to Know the Coast 

 An Education for Teachers 



Teachers never stop learning, and COAST/Operation Pathfinder 

 is a great way for them to find out the latest on coastal processes, 

 environmental hazards and marine biology. See how the 

 North Carolina coast brings new skills and knowledge to the 

 classroom 23 



Legal Tides: Who Owns the Beach? 



North Carolina has a long tradition of letting the public use its 

 230 miles of beaches. Now some homeowners challenge public 

 beach access, saying the dry sand belongs to them. Take a look at 

 the history — and possible outcomes — of this controversial 

 issue 26 



Sea Science: Fatter Flounder Down on the Farm 



Fat flounder make more money. Join a North Carolina Sea Grant 

 researcher and a fish farmer who are fattening flounder to get 

 the best market prices. Are fat, farm-raised flounder the wave 

 of the future? 28 



COASTWATCH 1 



