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Summer 2024

Letter from Susan White, Executive Director

Summer 2024: Heat, Safety, and Resources

image: sunlight in water.

Summer temperatures are upon us, and tip-toe racing across hot sand and into the ocean is this season’s NC Olympic competition. We have some great resources to help you and your family and friends’ balancing act for indoor and outdoor activities.

The updated and expanded Seashells of North Carolina brings great opportunities for reading — and then exploring. With new photos and descriptions, you’ll be prepared for a late evening stroll along the beach or sound. The wonderful work of North Carolina Sea Grant’s former communication director Katie Mosher — along with our coastal educational specialist Erika Young, science communicator Carrie Clower, our colleagues at UNC Press, and a number of partners — is available at NC aquariums and many bookstores.

image: Susan White.
Susan White, Executive Director, North Carolina Sea Grant. Photo courtesy of Roger Winstead.

If you’re heading into the water during this peak beach season, check out our Rip Current Safety poster or this video with the Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue. Know your options, and help spread the word.

June marked the start of another hurricane season, and NOAA has projected above-normal Atlantic hurricane activity through November 30th. It’s never too early to review and prepare in advance of storms. You’ll find helpful information on hurricane preparation (and recovery) from NOAA, the National Weather Service, and ReadyNC.gov.

Summertime also can heighten the health effects of climate change. Heat-related health impacts in particular are only increasing across our state, and being aware and prepared is critical. The NC Office of Recovery and Resiliency Heat Action Plan includes a new toolkit for local governments and communities. In addition, the NCDHHS’s Division of Public Health has developed a Heat Health Alert System, which sends out warnings by email when forecasts call for unhealthy temperatures.

With all the heat, maybe you’d prefer to stay indoors and try a new recipe. This issue’s edition of Mariner’s Menu not only includes new dishes but also videos about how to prepare them.

I also wanted to remind you that the NC Coastal Conference returns this year. The Riverfront Convention Center in New Bern will serve as the site of this year’s conference. Whenever the conference takes place at our coast, demand is always high. Register here.

This year’s conference includes a special “Shape of the Coast” event on opening day. We’ll post the agenda soon, and sponsorship opportunities are still available. You can check for updates on the Coastal Conference here.

The Summer and Fall will bring many more events, too, not to mention all the other latest news from North Carolina Sea Grant.

Stay cool and safe. We look forward to seeing you at the coast. Keep us posted on your whereabouts, and please always feel free to send your ideas: snwhite3@ncsu.edu.

Susan White, Executive Director
North Carolina Sea Grant

FROM THE SUMMER 2024 ISSUE