North Carolina’s Ocean Fishing Piers by Al Baird

Hello from Topsail Beach! This post is to celebrate the release of a book written by our friend Al Baird about a topic that is dear to the heart of almost everyone I know. Fishing Piers on the North Carolina coast. As we all know, these childhood memories are quickly becoming lost to soaring property values along our coast which is making it practially impossible for these piers, most of which have been family owned for generations to remain in business. Al has been successful in saving these memories, and indeed, maybe even some of these piers. I know we will all enjoy this book. I for one, already have a copy reserved. If you get one from Al's website, or one of his book signings, which will be annonced soon, you can get an autographed copy, which I plan to do. Thanks Al, and Thanks to all our readers for your support.

North Carolina’s Ocean Fishing Piers

From Kitty Hawk to Sunset Beach

Al Baird

From the sweltering summer heat to the biting winter chill, thousands of dedicated anglers flock to North Carolina’s piers to cast lines into the salty depths, hoping to reel in anything from whiting and shark to the highly prized sheepshead, red drum and even the elusive king mackerel. Fishing pier enthusiast Al Baird recounts the history of these windworn structures, from the incredible story of the oldest pier in North Carolina to the tales of the destructive hurricanes that ripped through the Outer Banks. Discover how seaside towns have grown and changed while their piers remain the same, as Baird recounts the memories and accomplishments of the men and women who have visited and loved these slowly disappearing landmarks.

Media review copies, high-resolution photographs and interviews available upon request.

Al Baird resides in Fort Mill, South Carolina, with his wife, Mary, and their two children, Katie and Chris. He began fishing the North Carolina coast as a child in the 1960s when his family would go on their annual family vacation there. Jennette’s Pier was the first pier he ever fished. In 2005, he started the North Carolina Fishing Pier Society to promote pier fishing in the state. In 2006 and 2007, he conducted a weeklong fishing pier marathon, during which he fished every pier in the state. In 2008, he co-founded, with Mike Marsh, the North Carolina Public Access Foundation, a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to preserving access to North Carolina’s natural resources.

The book will be available in March 2011. Signed copies can be purchased at www.ncfps.com   If you would like to schedule an interview with the author, please contact Dan Watson at 843.577.5971, ext 114 or dan.watson@historypress.net 

ISBN: 978-1-60949-148-2 • Paperback • 128 pages • $14.99 • 2011