As the former mayor of Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina and a resident for over 40 years, I have developed a unique appreciation of our state’s beach communities. North Carolina’s beaches are some of the most beautiful and pristine beaches in the country. The beach towns that dot our coast are not only natural havens of marine wildlife but also vacation destinations that support thriving economies.

David CignottiOctober 31, 2020North Carolina, Surfing, offshore drilling

Beach Closed: OIL SPILL

Back in the early 60s, I surfed in the U.S Open of Surfing (back then, it was called the Huntington Beach Championships). During one particularly memorable year of the competition, we all got slimed by an big oil slick. We had so much black on our jerseys that the judges couldn't see who was who, making it impossible to judge.