Despite their name, spoil islands are hardly a wasteland. These man-made islands offer remote and protected nesting habitats for birds and wildlife β and for our Ramblin' Man, a reminder that the beach is meant to be shared.
North Carolina, Naturally: Waves
05/13/2026 | 5 mins.
On the easternmost edge of North Carolina's Outer Banks, the waves off Hatteras hold their power longer than anywhere else on the East Coast. In this episode, Dr. Eleanor Spicer Rice meets surfer and waterman Pat O'Neal, who helps her understand this natural phenomenon and the fun and fury the tides bring.
Hidden History: Navigating Our Eastern Waterways
05/13/2026 | 10 mins.
In the shallow waters of Currituck, Albemarle, and Pamlico sounds, a waterman's best insurance is a long, wooden shove pole used to propel boats and small skiffs from duck decoys to their destinations.
A Taste of Our State: Mayonnaise
05/13/2026 | 6 mins.
Southerners possess a particular passion and proclivity for using mayo β¦ in pretty much everything. While food writer Sheri Castle won't reveal her preferred brand (too dicey), she does celebrate this do-all ingredient and its ability to hold foods (and people) together.
From Elizabeth: Holding the Line
05/13/2026 | 5 mins.
A blue crab sandwich reminds our editor in chief that North Carolina's delicate coastline fuels the journey from water to hand β creating a seasonal flavor that brings us back time and again.
Listen as the pages of the magazine come to life in the Storytellers podcast, a new series featuring the voices of six Our State writers, including Editor in Chief Elizabeth Hudson. Each podcast episode features a writer reading their column aloud, allowing each distinct voice to shine. You can experience Our State wherever you go β in the car, on your walk, or while cooking dinner.
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