All posts by eoconnell

Spring products are here!

We’re excited to announce some new products that we’ve brought into the shop this spring:

Flowfold wallets- Flowfold creates authentic, long lasting carrying gear.  A couple of years ago, Brian won one of the Flowfold billfold wallets through one of their facebook campaigns, and has had it holding strong ever since.  Flowfold products are built with the same high tech racing sailcloths used by the world’s sailing elite.  These cloths are composed of Carbon Fiber, Kevlar, Pentex or Polyester matrixes sandwiched between Mylar films.  They are the toughest, lightest and most resilient cloths in the world due to their high tensile strength to weight ratios and ideal modulus of elasticities.

 

We’ve got three types of wallets in the shop now- the Tarjetero, the Billfold, and the Trifold.  Come by the shop and check them out- we’re really happy to carry them this year!

 

We also have some new products from our favorite artist Stephanie!  This year, we’re carrying her new bracelet cuffs, magnets, and floor mats.  They are all a wonderful addition to her beautiful line.  Come down to the shop and check out her new pieces!

 

 

Stay tuned this spring for some more excited Dancing Turtle products that we’ll be carrying…

 

On the nutrition front, The Dancing Turtle is expanding our healthy choices with a few new products.  For a hot breakfast option, we have Canyon Oats Oatmeal.  All oatmeal flavors are delicious and also gluten free.  Grab one on your next trip to the Turtle…

For that sweet tooth, we also have Santosha Raw Chocolates, which are stoneground from all Certified, non-GMO, Vegan ingredients.  They are crafted with the finest, fair-trade, organic,  raw cacao beans. These heirloom-variety beans from Peru make up less than 5% of the world’s cacao production.  All 6 flavors contain 60% + raw cacao.  Come try some REAL chocolate at the Turtle!

 

 

Island News- April

 

So far this spring, we’ve been lucky to have some beautiful beach days here on Hatteras Island.  The weather has definitely been fickle, but it seems to be on the upward trend now, and we couldn’t be happier.  The pups and us have been to the beach daily, enjoying everything it has to offer.

 

As always, Hatteras has delivered its spring breezes that the kiteboarding enthusiasts from across the country flock to.  Last week, the annual Wind Fest at Frisco Campground brought in people from around the world for the festivities.  Warm south west winds accompanied by the occasional honking north east have made it an exciting spring.

 

The surf casting this spring has been unreal- delivering a mix of drum and blues, all along the shore.  Charter boats have been heading out, throwing their share of black fin, grouper, and triggers on the dock.  There’s still lots of slots open to book your charter, so call your favorite captain to book your reservation, before they are all gone!  You won’t regret it…

 

Next weekend (May 2nd- 4th) is the Hatteras Storytelling Festival- check out their facebook page https://www.facebook.com/HatterasStorytellingFestival for all of the weekend’s festivities.  On Saturday, May 3rd and Sunday, May 4th, there will be Bluegrass Music at the Hatteras Civic Center – check out hatterasyarns.com for more info.  Should be a great weekend!

 

For more information, stop by the shop or give us a call, we’ll be extending our hours after the 12th of May.  Currently, we’re open Tuesday through Sunday, 6:30 am till noon.  Thanks for tuning in to this week’s Island News!

 

Island News- February

 

While the majority of the north gets hit with snow storm after snow storm, down here on the Island, we’ve had a wonderful start to February.   We’re expecting to see many days in mid 60s, great surf, warm trade winds, and the Island starting to wake up.  With Valentines day quickly approaching, some of the restaurants are planning to open back up (Dinky’s and Sandbar, for example) and let’s not forget places like Hatteras Sol, The Hatterasman, Teach’s Island, and of course the Turtle have had our lights on most of the winter supporting the local crowd and the few travelers passing through.

 

Hatteras Sol did their first oyster roast this past month, and because of its success, they are planning another on Feburary 16th.  Lee Robinson will be opening their doors this Valentines Day weekend as well, and are hosting a wine-tasting on Saturday, the 15th.  To give our locals and visitors more options to grab their Turtle fix, The Dancing Turtle Coffee Shop will also be open on Sunday, February 16th from 6:30 am- noon!

On the kiteboarding front, we’ve been in the water a good amount since the New Year, enjoying the recent SW winds.  Evan’s had a few extra solo sessions on the south side due to her size, and has been killing it in the waves!  Quoting a fellow kiter, if January was the new April, we’re hoping that February will be the new May.  So if you’ve got a free weekend, load up the gear and head south to get your fix.  If you are looking to paddle out, the swell has been good and with that warm gulf water pushing in, 4-3’s are all you need.

 

For the pup-date, last month Jackson turned 4 and Haddie is quickly approaching her 2nd birthday, later this month.  Evan’s been training with her two running partners, enjoying the open trails of the Buxton woods and the beaches.  Stay tuned… for all the pet lovers out there, The Dancing Turtle will be bringing in some new pet products this Spring… more to come on that later!  Happy February!

 

Valentines Day Weekend- Spread the Love

 

Because we want to give everyone a chance to spread the Turtle love, the pups decided for the weekend of February 14th- 16th, buy any one pound of coffee and receive the 2nd at 25% off.  One weekend only, so get it while it lasts for you or that loved one…

Stop in or give us a call to place your order (252-986-4004)!  We’ll be OPEN Friday, Saturday, AND Sunday for Valentines Day and Presidents Day weekend (Feb. 14, 15, 16th) from 6:30 am to noon.

Island News- October

When it comes to wind, Hatteras always seems to deliver for wind enthusiasts.  This past month has been no exception.  With warm water and the beginning of our breezes from the north, the Island is starting to fill up with the usual kiteboard/windsurf fall crowd.  The swell has been fantastic, which has put everyone in a pretty good mood.  Because it’s fall, house prices are cut in half, so it’s the perfect time to snag that quick trip to the Outer Banks.

This month is the NASSC (North American Speed Sailing Championship) Event in Martha’s Vineyard.  Although we were invited to compete against the worlds’ fastest, we need to stay in the shop to keep things running.  Don’t worry, Team Dancing Turtle will still be represented strong by our team rider Brock Callen.  With new boards being developed and some hard training, we are poised to do extremely well at this event, keeping up momentum to become the fastest team in the world.  We will have weekly updates on Facebook, and you can follow the live blog during the two week event.  Wish us luck…!

On the running front, Evan’s marathon is quickly approaching, and the training has been intense.  To date, since July 17th, Evan’s clocked in a total of 467.78 miles, and with her set of new kicks, things are getting exciting.  Just this past Sunday was the longest run to date, with a 20 mile adventure around the island.  Brian has been practicing handing out water, and the pups are ready to cheer her on, so keep up to date on what’s happening through our Facebook page.

Just a quick note on fishing: it’s been amazing island wide.  Tuna, Dolphin and marlin are everywhere.  The words “world class” are being tossed around the docks daily and people are lining up to get on a charter or a spot on the beach.  In September, the point at the lighthouse opened up, letting people get closer to the currents resulting in more fish on the grill.  Hit up any of the local docks or tackle shops to get the word on whats bitin’ where.

We leave you with a snapshot of a recent sunset reflecting through the shop….

 

 

 

Outer Banks Fall

The number one question that we’re asked here in the shop is: “What do you do in the off season?”  We thought we’d take a moment to tell everyone about our wonderful fall season on Hatteras Island.

A very common day starts off with a cool morning full of activity long before the sun even peaks into the sky.  We start off heading into the shop around 5am to get the Turtle up and running so we can help the island wake up with our morning brews.

The Harbor wakes up around 4:30 am with all the fishermen heading down to warm up the boats, prep the gear, and head off to the gulf stream.  Most mornings there is a gentle hum to the diesel engines as the boats leave the dock.  Coasties, captains, and the ferry workers are riding through the village to start up the waterfront, while the few visitors awake this early wander around checking out all the action.  The shop lights come on at 6:30 am and once the muffins are in the oven, Evan heads off for her daily run with the pups.  One at a time is the way to go with two dogs, so after a few miles around town, she swings through the lot and switches out pups.  The nice, cool air brings out a few more runners and bikers than the hot summer months.  By 7:30am, the boats are gone off to the gulf stream one by one, and the town settles down for the start to another beautiful day on our sliver of paradise.

Believe it or not, we are not playing everyday.  The locals start filling up the shop before their workday gets going.  A couple teachers, the local painter, and a true Hatteras couple are the early ones, then the round table follows: a great group of winter residents that come in daily and discuss what’s new in the world.  Sometimes we are joined by a captain or two lucky enough to get a day off the water.  The pace is calm and the atmosphere lively, so the lucky visitors around at this time can expect to hear anything from what happened in the news to trying to figure out what super power would be better.  We love our morning crew.

As the temperature rises outside, the beaches start filling up for the day.  The great thing about this time of year is there is always tons of room so you can find a private section of sand to stake claim too.  Shops are open all over the island and the park is full of guests from all over the world.  Having a 206 ft striped lighthouse down the street will bring people a long way… we promise!  If you’re looking for a lazy day, or a paddle board tour, you can find lots to do around Hatteras Village.  When we can, we will sneak off to grab a quick paddle or kite session but if not, no worries, there is still plenty of light left for games.  Oh yeah, did we mention temperatures in the low 80’s quite a bit?

As the sky starts to turn pink and the sun lowers down, you can really start to get the sense of peace this island brings out in everyone.  Other than the die hard fisherman and the surfers catching their last rides, the beach starts to clear and the houses start to rumble.  You can smell barbecues firing up, jacuzzis bubble, and that familiar hum of boats as the fleet returns to town with the daily catch.  If you have never seen the boats arrive back from the gulf stream, we highly recommend it.  Lots of folks swing by the shop for a smoothie or frozen mocha before going for a stroll to see what the boys brought back to the harbor.

By this time of day we are winding down in the shop.  Our minds have shifted to play, the pups are ready to romp on the beach, and the excitement is palatable.  Like we said, we don’t play everyday, but we do play most.  As the lights turn off and the espresso machine cools down, our fun begins.  Not that we don’t love our little shop, but to us it is just one piece of the puzzle that makes us happy here on Hatteras island.  If you have never been down this way in the fall, we highly recommend it.  The water is still warm, sunsets are plentiful, and nature is waiting for you around every corner.  If you do, swing by The Dancing Turtle for some good laughs, advice on what’s happening, and… oh yeah, a great cup of java….

 

 

 

 

Where’s your Turtle?

Where’s your Turtle?

 

 

We want to see where you take your Turtle.  So, for the month of September, we invite you to show us pictures of where you have gone with our gear.  Post a picture on our Facebook page of your favorite Dancing Turtle souvenir at one of your favorite spots and be entered to win some new DT gear.

 

How it works:

  • Grab your favorite DT Gear (Mugs, clothing, stickers, tattoos…)
  • Head to your favorite spot
  • Take a picture and post it!  It can be of you, friend, or family, as long as we can see our logo in your picture.  Add a slogan and get creative!  Make sure to tag The Dancing Turtle Coffee Shop in your post.
  • We’ll put each picture in front of the special board to decide who wins.
  • If you win, you receive a free pound of coffee, a DT Sweatshirt to keep you warm this fall and a DT Travel Mug to take your brew with you.

 

It’s that easy.

Island News- September

Sports:

It’s been a slower couple of weeks for kiteboarding, which has been nice, because it’s allowed us to spend more time around the village.  Remember when we say ‘slow’, we’ve still been honored with a good amount of days of riding.  Brian passed the 45 mph mark on a kiteboard just this past week, a great step forward on his quest for a world record.  Evan’s been training hard for the OBX Marathon, which takes place up the beach in November.  She just clocked in 15 long ones on Sunday.  Her support team is training also:

 

Events:

August was packed with lots of live events happening all over.  Open Mic Nights on Thursday down at Stowe on 12, Live music at Hatteras Landing on Wednesdays, and the Wailer’s dropped into Avon last month along with Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band.  September doesn’t look like it’s going to slow down too much.  On September 21st, Day at the Docks happens right here in Hatteras Village: an annual celebration to honor the waterfront heritage of this great little village.  Fishing contests, demonstrations, and lots of good food are just a part of this fun day.  Read more here: http://hatterasonmymind.com/HVCA/DayAtTheDocks/

On September 28th, the first ever “Summeritaville” goes on at The Koru Village Beach Klub in Avon bringing in live music and performances.

If you’re missing the Island, we thought we’d leave you with one of our favorite views: