I, too, have a trip planned for the Outer Banks (07/28-08/04) and it looks like I'm going to lose out on the opportunity again!!! I was down there in Sept. '99 and, at that time, the move was complete, but they hadn't reopened the tower at that point (it was a really eventful trip...saw Hatteras but couldn't climb it, got engaged, and then got evacuated by Hurricane Floyd).

I figured that this trip would be my first opportunity to climb it in about 10 years...but that's not going to happen . Well, I guess this gives me yet ANOTHER reason to plan a trip down there next summer .