Welcome to Buxton…

Welcome to Buxton…. Outer Banks National Scenic Byway. …the home of the “wave Magnet”., Since the 1950s, surfers have been playing in Buxton’s waves and have come from all over the world to ride the legendary waves in the shade of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse., It took a group of island kids to harness the waves that sunk ships and stranded mariners on the fabled “Graveyard of the Atlantic”. The early core of Hatteras Island surfers were teenagers John Ochs and Buddy Hooper. They were eventually joined in the water by brothers Stewart and John Couch, Ray Gray, Elvin Hooper, Shelley Rollinson, and Asa Gray., In the 1970s, Buxton’s johnny Conner started renting surfboards from an abandoned mobile home that eventually became J.C.’s Surf Shop. Soon after, surf shops opened in an old post office and a burger joint and board manufacturing took place in garages and a tanning salon. Drawn to the island’s consistent waves, some surfers decided to relocate to Hatteras Island. To survive, surfers became commercial fishermen, photographers, a screen repairer, real estate agents, servers, restaurant owners, a writer, carpenters and contractors., The great surf drew accomplished surfboard builders. Celebrated in the East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame are two Hatteras island board builders; Ted James (Class of 2008) and Scott Busbey (Class of 2018). Both families started surfing-related businesses on the island that continue to this day., Eventually traditional surfing led to the invention of other dynamic watersports such as wind surfing, kite boarding and stand-up paddle boarding., Watch all these watersports in action along both sides of the North Carolina’s Outer Banks National Scenic Byway, NC 12., A Taste of Buxton... , Hatteras-Style Clam Chowder, 2 cups of chucked clams, chopped, and juiced (about 12 chowder clams) , 1 cup diced potatoes , ½ cup diced onions , 1 cup of cold water , ¼ pound salt pork, fried and grease rendered , Black pepper and sea salt to taste, Drain juice from clams and reserve. Chop clams and set aside. Combine water, clam juice, potatoes, onions and salt pork grease in a medium-size pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer until potatoes are tender. Add chopped clams and simmer for about 10 more minutes. Add a pinch of sea salt and a few good grinds of black pepper., Traditional Community Recipe. Serves two., (sidebar) , Outer Banks National Scenic Byway , The Outer Banks National Scenic Byway traverses one of the nation’s great coastal landscapes. Tidal marshes, wind-swept dunes, lonesome beaches and beautiful sounds line the 138-mile route. Two national seashores are home to four lighthouses. Two national wildlife refuges highlight the region’s rich biological diversity. You are invited to experience the maritime heritage of 21 traditional villages and communities., (captions) , Surfer in a barrel Daniel Pullen , Original Hatteras Island Surf Shop (an old post office) Michael Halminski , Original Natural Arts Surf Shop (previously a burger joint) Natural Arts Collection , J.C. Conner’s Surf Shop Logo Conner Collection