VIDEO: Shark Week blimp ‘swims’ over the Outer Banks

June 30, 2021 Sam Walker
Laurie MacFarland Waytovich of Manteo, sent a photo of beachgoers in Nags Head watching the Shark Week blimp fly overhead on June 30, 2021.

Discovery Channel’s Shark Week is coming in July, and the television channel took the opportunity to promote the shows by flying an airship over the northern Outer Banks on Wednesday.

The blimp flew in from the Raleigh-area this morning, then crossed Roanoke Island before making a couple of trips over Nags Head and Kill Devil Hills, including laps around the Wright Brothers National Memorial.

Shark Week airship passes the Wright Brothers National Monument pylon atop Big Kill Devil Hill on June 30, 2021. [courtesy Town of Kill Devil Hills]
It then flew up the beach to Kitty Hawk, Southern Shores, Duck and Corolla before heading to the Elizabeth City Airport for the night.

Television’s longest-running summer event returns for its 33rd year with bigger sharks and record-breaking breaches on Sunday, July 11 and continues through Sunday, July 18, according to a Discovery Channel news release.

Christina Cison’s five-year-old child got us this photo.

The 128-feet long, 44-feet high airship took two weeks to wrap, and is scheduled to fly over much of the East Coast through July 20.

Video from Jennette’s Pier courtesy Casher Haggerty:

 

This particular blimp set two Guinness World Records in March 2018 for water skiing with a blimp and is one of only 15 airships flying today.

Video courtesy Laurie Waytovich:

Shark Week blimp sightings can be posted on social media using the hashtag #SharkWeek. And make sure to tag @OBXToday as well!

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About Sam Walker 1513 Articles
Sam Walker was news director for OBXToday.com, Beach 104, 99.1 The Sound, Big 94.5 WCMS and Z 92.3 from August 2011 to March 2022.
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