Can someone explain the OBC and its connection to this site? A lot of people have mentioned it and all I know is it is a defunct website that wouldn't load.
@Sandbar dude Basically obc aka outer banks connection was somewhat like here. I lurked there but didnt join. My understanding is website crashed and burned and Will (guy who set it up) couldnt save it. Craic n crab a member there out of his kindness took it upon hisself to set up this site and through whatever means reconnections are being made along with new folks. Speaking for myself i googled everyday for an obx forum and wala. I lurked here to feel out atmosphere (old site too much drama) for couple months before joining. So far friendly people here and i enjoy fellowship here. This is my opinion -may differ mind u from others.::flag-us::
Here's my 2 cents ... The OBC was the OBX Connection. A web site with information on the outer banks and a discussion forum. It developed a friendly and devoted following. We had great discussions and information sharing from people with deep knowledge of the area. There was a lot of help for new visitors, and exchange of important information during storms for locals and home owners. This pre-dated some of the Facebook groups. Some people developed close friendships and arranged in-person gatherings at local places. The mood shifted as some newer members stirred up controversy and hurled insults. Some old time members left. The quality of the discussion declined, then the site crashed, and could not be recovered. I'm thrilled that an attempt is being made to bring the spirit of the old forum back, and glad that some of the old members have found this site.
It was an old message board that had lots of members that crashed out of nowhere. And the guy that built it couldn't rebuild and walked away. It was a good site. Think this is pretty good too, so far.
I'm glad a lot of former members of OBC have found their way here. But most here now have no connection to OBC. Our numbers are still on the small side but growing. I'll post some analytics later so y'all can see. If you're a member that is just into reading or an anonymous user I'd encourage you to jump right in. We could use all the input we can get.
@gfury excellent summary!
You can use the Internet archives (wayback machine) to see some of the old content. Here is the main message board page from 2013: https://web.archive.org/web/20130805072143/http://www.obxconnection.com/outer-banks-forum
@gfury Wow! Look at all of these users online back in 2013. I didn’t remember that Will made the local politics page members only. It might have been best if it had a stayed that way. A lot of people left because of the banter and brawls.
I'm missing something. OK, looking at the way back machine for the OBC, the date shows 2013 and I counted the member list. A little over 160 signed in. Who knows how many lurkers. The OBC started in 2000. When did that site fall apart? Because their numbers stunk for being around for 13 years. Was it the financial crash of 2008? People sold their beach homes and didn't need the site anymore? Why did they have so few members using after so many years? Anyway, enough with the rant I wasn't a part of that site and it looks pretty basic to me. Maybe Facebook killed it. I don't have a clue. Can someone explain this? Editing, Facebook may keep this site from growing too.
The old site was a combination of everything: trip reports and photos, general obx information, perils of ownership, how to make a butter roast, appreciation of rust, anything and everything mostly beach related. It was a friendly place for many years before internet trolls came aboard.
@Sandbar dude The old site was started around 2000, I joined in 2003. It was hugely popular and it had way more lurkers than posters. The person that ran and owned it was Will and around 2018 or 19 he became bored running the site so he backed away from loging on or posting. The site still ran fine and was very popular. In 2025 the server the site was on crashed and was unrecoverable. Since Will had gotten bored with the old site it just never was started back up after the crash. Then this site started and many from the old site are here and I am sure a lot of lurkers too. Your comment about everyone here selling their homes in 2008 made me laugh out loud. I have been in real estate for 35 years and I assure you that never happened. Less homes were sold here in 2008-10 than ever before.
I wouldn't say the 08 crash had anything to do with the site getting cold . I will say that the beach access issue and the arguments/ criminal stalking most certainly did have a huge effect on many people leaving the site.
@Alexy and the untimely passing of Bob B