8,000 Reasons for You to Get Off the Fence!

There’s never been a better time to buy a home. Really.
That’s because, thanks to the efforts of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (NAR), Congress is offering $8,000 tax credit to help first-time homebuyers, like yourself, purchase a home.
If you qualify and buy a principal
residence before April 30,
2010, then you’re eligible for
the credit—allowing you to
subtract 10% of the purchase
price of your home up to
$8,000 from your tax bill. Also, the FHA at the urging of NAR has changed the rules to make this money available to you at closing! Visit www.HousingMarketFacts.com for more information.
So, why wait? Please contact me for more information about this can’t-miss

Holden Beach Memories

Have you seen this mailbox before? If you are a regular to Holden Beach, the answer maybe yes (if you know where to look). It is actually located ON the beach. If you take a stroll to the far east end of Holden Beach, keep walking as the ocean meets the ICW, and look up into the dunes, you'll see it.

This mailbox is just what it says "Golden Memories". Open the door and inside is a notebook and pen. Vacationers and locals alike share their memories and experiences of Holden Beach. Anyone is welcome to leave a memory or sometimes the local fishing report. All that is asked is to leave the notebook and pen for the next person.

It's amazing the stories you will find inside this mailbox. Memories of years gone by, love stories, children's first trips to the beach, and stories of locals who call the beach "home".

Next time you are in Holden Beach, be sure to check out this unique memory mailbox and be sure to only leave your footprints and memories.

Devil's Pocketbook found on Holden Beach

On my walk on the beach yesterday, I found several "Devil's Pocketbooks" washed up on Holden Beach. These "purses" are actually skate casings.

The Skate is a wide, flattish, non-bony fish which has “wings” or fin-type projections on the sides of its body. The Skate is almost as wide as it is long, and has a whiplike tail which it uses as a rudder. It can weight up to 100lbs. It is related to the Stingray, and is a bottom feeder, where it eats crabs and other crustaceans, worms, bivalves, and small fish. The Skate itself is a food source for humans.

The Skate egg case is a small (3-4 inches long), leathery, rectangular sort of pouch with long, thin, horn-like projections sticking out from each corner. The egg cases are made of keratin, the same substance of which human fingernails are composed. An egg case forms around each individual skate embryo just before the mother deposits the cases on the sea floor.

The long, curved projections on each corner of the egg case are covered with a gummy material. The “horns” tend to catch on seaweed or other objects, helping to anchor the egg case to the bottom. The horns serve to extract oxygen from the water, and to release waste back into the water. The egg cases are very tough and hard to penetrate, thus detering predators.

Interestingly enough, initially the egg cases are waterproof because the embryos do not have gills until after three weeks of development. Then small holes open in the tips of the horns, admitting seawater, and the baby learns to live as an underwater creature.

When the time comes for the young skate to escape its natal confinement (anywhere from 3-15 months), the egg case splits open at one end and the youngster emerges.

Empty egg cases may wash up on the beach. These dark, blackish containers are sometimes called “devil's pocketbook” or “devil's purses;” “mermaid's purses;” or “sailor's purses.”

Holden Beach Sea Turtle Program

Sea Turtles and their nests are well known on Holden Beach. Each year many mother's return to Holden Beach, lay their eggs and return to the ocean. We are very fortunate to have a wonderful caring group who looks after the nests and helps lead the new arrivals to the ocean.

Holden Beach Turtle Watch Program offers these interesting facts:

•Sea Turtles Predate Dinosaurs and have existed for over 200 million years.
•Sea Turtles have lived to be over 100 years old in captivity.
•Sea Turtles love to eat jelly fish, sponges, algae, sea grasses and crustaceans.
•A mature female turtle (20-30 years) will return to her natal beach every 2-3 years
to lay 1 to 7 nests with an average of 4 nests.
•The temperature of the sand determines the sex of the hatchlings (hotter sand-more females-cooler sand-more males)
•Bright house lights that face the ocean will confuse nesting mothers and hatchlings.
•The population of Sea Turtles are threatened by pollution, poaching, and habitat loss.
•There are 8 species of Sea Turtles. 5 visit North Carolina: The Loggerhead, Green,
Kemp's, Ridley, and Leatherback.
•Mature Loggerhead Turtles weigh up to 400 pounds
•A Fine of up to $100,000 and or 1 year in prison is the penalty for harassing a Sea Turtle or disturbing its nest.

Beach Bums in the Snow!

We have snow!! About 2 inches fell during the night and everything is a winter wonderland this morning. Hope you enjoy the photos.

Beach Bums in the Snow?

Could it be? Snow in Holden Beach? Snow is predicted for Holden Beach tonight into tomorrow morning. Depending on the track the front takes, we could see nothing or 1-3 inches.

Everyone is so excited here. Snow is very rare at the beach, so we all become little kids when they talk about coming our way. Of course no one here really has heavy winter clothes; except for those who moved from the north and haven't tossed them yet. But don't worry, we'll make do and wear layer of swimsuits to battle the cold in order to build a snowman instead of a sand castle.

I'll keep you posted on if we do get the white stuff, I'll be sure to share photos.

Holden Beach is the Best Beach

Facebook is all the rage these days. I'm sure you have a page too and have caught up with all those long lost classmates, boyfriends, girlfriends and even some of those you weren't really crazy about back in the day.

I too have a page for myself where I have done all the same things but decided to take it one step further. I created a fan page called "Holden Beach is the Best Beach". It has taken off quickly with more and more fans joining daily. This is the place is find out upcoming events, happenings, post your vacation photos, experiences, tips. Anything and eveything Holden Beach is here.

Holden Beach seems to draw people in with it's quite, reserved presence and then, gently shows her guests the time of their lives. She may be small and off the beaten path, but the treasures she holds are greater than any other.

If you aren't a fan, join today. Share and experience the atmosphere so many others experience every day or on those annual family vacations. I look forward to seeing you on Facebook.