Monday, May 6, 2013

May Monthly Mingle

So you think our spring temperatures have been cool?  Discover a mysterious place with cooler spring temperatures than ours -- come on out to this month's OBX Green Drinks to hear about research being conducted in Antarctica by the UNC Coastal Studies Institute (CSI)!

David Sybert, Education Associate at CSI, joined a team of scientists and graduate students in December to travel to Antarctica to study the rate of submarine groundwater discharge around the Western Antarctic Peninsula.  The research expedition, led by Dr. Reide Corbett of UNC CSI, focused on quantifying the rate of discharge and evaluating whether it contributes to the concentration of iron in the Southern Ocean, an ocean which has shown to be iron and light limited.

David joined the expedition as an outreach specialist and interacted with local area schools before the team left North Carolina, during the expedition, and upon returning.  During the expedition, he spent two weeks aboard the 230-foot R/V Laurence M. Gould, documenting his experience with photos and videos. Relive David's experience vicariously through his presentation Thursday night!

Note that this final meeting before our summer break is at a different location:  Room 242 in the Research-Education-Administration building on the new UNC CSI campus in Skyco, located about 0.8 of a mile from the intersection of Highways 64 and 345, on the right as you head towards Wanchese.  Because we are not at a shop, bar, or restaurant, this evening is BYOB -- and bring a snack to share if you want.  Plates, napkins, and wine glasses will be furnished.

Please RSVP by sending an email to obxgreendrinks@gmail.com so we know how many people will be joining us.  See you Thursday evening!

When: Thursday, May 9, 2013
7:00 pm – meet, mingle, network, sip wine/beer
7:30 pm – "CSI Studies in Antarctica" -- Dave Sybert, 

                  Education Associate, UNC Coastal Studies Institute

Where:  Room 242
             Coastal Studies Institute
             850 Highway 345
             Wanchese, NC

Monday, April 8, 2013

April Monthly Mingle cancelled


Greetings to all OBX Green Drinks members!  Hope you're all having a great spring -- of course the weather has gotten awesome now that spring breaks are over, right?

Due to circumstances beyond our control, we need to cancel our April Monthly Mingle.  I am very sorry to disappoint anyone this month, and I promise to have something very special planned for May (our final meeting until September).  So keep checking your email and our web site for news of our May Monthly Mingle!
Oh, by the way, if any of you are on Facebook, we do have a Facebook group listing, so please "like" us if you haven't yet.  Find us at this URL:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/129389374681/
Enjoy this month -- and we'll see you in May!

Friday, March 8, 2013

March Monthly Mingle

Heads up -- because of the upcoming Taste of the Beach event, our March Monthly Mingle will be on WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, instead of the usual Thursday!  Please make a note of this so you don't miss the program!

Spring is almost here -- and so is St. Patrick's Day -- so come on out to this month's OBX Green Drinks to hear more about the red wolf reintroduction program!

Becky Bartel, assistant coordinator for the US Fish & Wildlife Service's Red Wolf Recovery Program, will update us on the status of the red wolf population in Dare County.  Learn about the history of the red wolf, lessons learned from the restoration efforts, current threats, and opportunities for partnerships.


Red wolves are currently one of the most endangered canids in the world.  The reintroduced red wolves in northeastern North Carolina, consisting of 100 to 120 animals, comprise the only wild population of the species.  Don't miss this opportunity to learn more about this unique species!

Please RSVP by sending an email to obxgreendrinks@gmail.com so we know how many people will be joining us.  See you Wednesday evening!

When: Wednesday, March 13, 2013
7:00 pm – meet, mingle, network, sip wine/beer
7:30 pm – "The Real Red Wolves of Dare County" -- Becky Bartel, 

                 Red Wolf Recovery Program, USFWS

Where: Chip’s Wine and Beer Market
2200 N. Croatan Highway, Unit D
Mile Post 6 Plaza
Kill Devil Hills, NC

Saturday, February 9, 2013

February Monthly Mingle

Happy Valentine's Day to you all!  Speaking of L-O-V-E -- think about how much we love and appreciate our coast!

Join Erin Fleckenstein, coastal scientist with the North Carolina Coastal Federation, on Valentine's Day to discuss how you love your coast and the various ways we can work together to keep it healthy and vibrant.  You’ll learn about what the NC Coastal Federation is doing to protect the coast and how you can get involved.

Erin will share stories from several recent restoration projects including the living shoreline project at Jockey’s Ridge and oyster sanctuary work in the Pamlico Sound.  Both of these projects involve the restoration of the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, an important species in our sounds.  Discover why the oyster is so important and why everyone should love this critter, even if you don’t like to eat them on the half-shell.

Please RSVP by sending an email to obxgreendrinks@gmail.com so we know how many people will be joining us for our holiday social!  See you Thursday!

When: Thursday, February 14, 2013
7:00 pm – meet, mingle, network, sip wine/beer
7:30 pm – "Love Your Coast" -- Erin Fleckenstein, North
                 Carolina Coastal Federation

Where: Chip’s Wine and Beer Market
2200 N. Croatan Highway, Unit D
Mile Post 6 Plaza
Kill Devil Hills, NC

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

January's Monthly Mingle

Happy New Year to you all!

Yes, it's time to get started with OBX Green Drinks for 2013.  Don't miss this month's talk by Sara Mirabilio, Fisheries Extension Specialist with North Carolina Sea Grant.

Bycatch ... the word conjures images of immense killing and great waste of valuable fisheries resources.  Yes, bycatch can harm marine ecosystems and injure or kill protected species, but it can also have negative economic implications for fisherman; and it occurs to some degree in most fisheries. 

Join Sara Mirabilio, Fisheries Extension Specialist with North Carolina Sea Grant, to learn the truths and myths surrounding bycatch.  Get an overview of how fishery managers, academics, informal educators, and industry are working together to develop technological devices and other conservation engineering changes, as well as value-added products, to minimize and utilize bycatch.

Please RSVP by sending an email to obxgreendrinks@gmail.com so we know how many people will be joining us for our holiday social!  See you Thursday!

When:  Thursday, January 10, 2013
            7:00 pm – meet, mingle, network, sip wine/beer
            7:30 pm – "The Hows and Whats of Bycatch" -- Sara
                                Mirabilio, NC Sea Grant
                                
Where:  Chip’s Wine and Beer Market
              2200 N. Croatan Highway, Unit D
              Mile Post 6 Plaza
              Kill Devil Hills, NC

Monday, December 10, 2012

December's Monthly Mingle

Holiday Social Time

This month's OBX Green Drinks Monthly Mingle is a holiday social!  Since we don't get too much time to socialize during our usual meetings -- due to the fact that we're usually learning something about our unique OBX environment -- we're going to eat, drink, and be merry this month! 

Feel free to
bring an appetizer to share -- and drop an email to obxgreendrinks@gmail.com to let me know what you're planning to bring to the Mingle -- don't want too much duplication!  Might be a good idea to label your appetizer -- in case we have members with special diet restrictions!

Please RSVP by sending an email to obxgreendrinks@gmail.com so we know how many people will be joining us for our holiday social!  See you Thursday!
When:  Thursday, December 13, 2012
             7:00 - 8:30 pm – meet, mingle, network, eat, 
                                          sip wine/beer, repeat 
                                
Where:  Chip’s Wine and Beer Market
              2200 N. Croatan Highway, Unit D
              Mile Post 6 Plaza
              Kill Devil Hills, NC

Monday, November 5, 2012

November Monthly Mingle

Tales from the Gulf Stream

This month's OBX Green Drinks offers a light-hearted look at the sport-fishing industry of the Outer Banks.  Enjoy "Tales from the Gulf Stream" with Captain Marty Brill on Thursday evening, November 8.  As the Commercial Port Agent with the state's Division of Marine Fisheries, Marty serves as the liaison between the state and licensed seafood dealers.

After 30 years of offshore fishing, 16 of those with the Oregon Inlet fishing fleet, Captain Marty has a ton of tales to share.  His legendary stories of big fishes, epic battles, and tricks of the trade entertain listeners of Beach 104 FM daily.  Join us November 8 at 7:00 p.m. for "Tales from the Gulf Stream" with Captain Marty.  Sea you there! 

Please RSVP by sending an email to obxgreendrinks@gmail.com so we know how many people will be joining us for the program.

When:  Thursday, November 8, 2012
             7:00 pm – meet, mingle, network, sip wine/beer
             7:30 pm – "Tales from the Gulf Stream" -- Captain
                                Marty Brill, Beach 104 FM
                                
Where:  Chip’s Wine and Beer Market
              2200 N. Croatan Highway, Unit D
              Mile Post 6 Plaza
              Kill Devil Hills, NC

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

October Monthly Mingle

Lyme Without a Rash

According to the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS), Lyme disease is the leading vector-borne infectious illness in the U.S.  Known as the "great imitator," the spirochete-shaped bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi, can infect multiple organs and can produce symptoms that are wide-ranging, from fever and chills, headache, nausea, and sleeplessness, to depression, vertigo, or even facial paralysis.  Achy muscles and swollen, painful joints are also common symptoms of a Lyme infection.  The tell-tale indication of a Lyme infection is a red bull’s eye rash around a tick bite.  But what happens if you never develop "the rash"?


Liv Cook, local science educator and wife of an advanced Lyme disease victim, shares her family’s journey through the Lyme paradox.  Learn about Lyme prevention, symptom recognition, and treatment options available in the Eastern NC region.

Please RSVP by sending an email to obxgreendrinks@gmail.com so we know how many people will be joining us for the program.

When:  Thursday, October 11, 2012
             7:00 pm – meet, mingle, network, sip wine/beer
             7:30 pm – "Lyme Without a Rash" -- Liv Cook, 
                                local science educator
                                
Where:  Chip’s Wine and Beer Market
              2200 N. Croatan Highway, Unit D
              Mile Post 6 Plaza
              Kill Devil Hills, NC

Contact us at obxgreendrinks@gmail.com