Hurricane Florence hit the North Carolina Coast with an unprecedented amount of rainfall which has impacted our area and region. Overall, our area weathered the storm and we are structurally intact but there are pockets of areas that are still dealing with flooding and do not have essential services. Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation, and all the Public and private utility workers have done a herculean job restoring essential services. Our communities are awakening as roads open to our area and region, but we are sensitive and are praying for those who are still in harm’s way across North Carolina as flood waters rise.

Thirty-eight years ago a small group of community leaders met and decided that they needed an event to showcase the great fall fishing Southport-Oak Island area has to offer. The prizes and expenses for the first tournament were guaranteed by those community leaders signing a promissory note at a local financial institution - thus the U.S. Open King Mackerel Tournament was born. The U.S. Open King Mackerel Tournament now attracts almost 400 boats annually and is held in high esteem by the community and anglers.