Archive for December, 2009
Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009 by Teresa Diaz
What weighs 40 tons, eats over one ton of food a day but is not afraid to be seen at the beach? Fin and humpback whales! And they are making an appearance in Virginia Beach this winter. From December 27th through March 13th, 2010, you can be witness to humpback or fin whales as they frolic along the our shoreline.
Thanks to the food-rich mouth of the Chesapeake Bay and warm Atlantic Ocean waters, surprisingly acrobatic humpback and fin whales can be seen diving, breaching, spyhopping and lobtailing off our coast each winter. These massive creatures can weigh up to 70 tons, range up to 79 feet long and consume an impressive 1 ½ tons of food each day. With speeds up to 23 mph, humpback and fin whales display amazing behaviors when in search of food and when communicating with other whales.
(more…)
Tags: Virginia Aquarium, Virginia Beach, Whale Watching
Posted in Adventure Travel, Living the Life, The Great Outdoors, Travel Deals, With The Kids
Thursday, December 17th, 2009 by Mike Halperin
A Perfect Recipe for Large Striped Bass:
Start with lots of salty Chesapeake Bay water
Slowly blend in large schools of fat menhaden
Carefully mix in a dash of windswept waves
When all is prepared, add one knowledgeable captain
You now have the perfect recipe for Large Striped Bass!
(more…)
Tags: bass, Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, Fishing, Rockfish, striped bass, Striper, Tautog, Virginia Beach
Posted in Fishing, Living the Life
Friday, December 11th, 2009 by Mike Halperin
With most anglers hunting striped bass, why not target the wily tautog instead?
Local captain Skip Feller holds the leading entry for largest tautog for this year’s Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament. His prize tautog weighed a whopping 20 pounds 13 ounces, and below he shares some tog information.
Q: Tell me about the day you caught your tournament leading fish, Skip.
A: I caught my tog in March southeast of the Chesapeake Light Tower using a Shimano revolving spool reel with 50- pound braided line. It was a great day. We had six tog that weighed over 14 pounds. I used blue crab for bait, but clam will work too.
(more…)
Tags: Fishing, saltwater fishing, striped bass, Tautog, Virginia Beach
Posted in Fishing, Living the Life
Friday, December 4th, 2009 by Mike Halperin
 Striper mania is in full swing here in Virginia Beach! As Chesapeake Bay water temperatures drop, our resident and visitor striped bass populations increase daily. With bass favoring water temperatures between 45 and 60 degrees, we are moving into a prime fishing period. Night striper fishing is hot with rock following smaller bait into lighted areas near piers and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT). Striped bass up to 12 pounds have been landed between the 1st and 2nd islands of the CBBT. Migrating stripers are entering the bay seeking eels and menhaden. Try drifting live eels around the high level part of the CBBT near Fisherman’s Island. Cast artificial shad baits between bridge pilings or rely on cut mullet and menhaden to score. Don’t discount the surf and inlet entrances, particularly at night.
(more…)
Tags: ballyhoo, bass, blackfin tuna, bluefin tuna, bluefish, Flounder, grouper, puppy drum, speckled trout, striped bass, tilefish, Virginia Beach, wahoo, yellowfin tuna
Posted in Fishing, Living the Life
Thursday, December 3rd, 2009 by Teresa Diaz
 The holiday lights at the beach is fun for all ages! Opening night of this year’s Holiday Lights at the Beach was all I hoped it would be and more. I had the unexpected pleasure of being accompanied by my son, Joe. Like most 20-something adults, Joe is always on the go so it was pure chance and a real treat to spend some quality time together enjoying one of our favorite holiday pastimes.
From the time we pulled into the line of cars on 2nd Street until we passed the stunning 40 ft. holiday tree on 34th Street, it was like we’d stepped back to the mid-90’s when Virginia Beach made history as the only city in the U.S. with a boardwalk holiday light show. What a reality check…had it really been almost 15 years since we first dared to try this new attraction and drive on the Boardwalk? Fifteen years??!!
(more…)
Tags: boardwalk, Christmas, holiday lights, Virginia Beach
Posted in Events, Living the Life, With The Kids
|
|
