From sleds to snowboards: Cape Fear residents make the most of the snow

CAPE FEAR REGION (WWAY) — The Cape Fear region is blanketed in snow, and community members took full advantage of the rare snow day.

Body boards, pool floats, and snowboards; anything was game for a sled, as long as it got you down the hill.

From hills in Rocky Point to Wrightsville Beach, people made the most of the winter wonderland.

“I love it,” said Chad Nichols.

Chad Nichols is the owner of Salty Acres Moto Airbnb, it’s used normally as a dirt, motocross park, and he turned it into a ski slope.

“Like everybody’s out here having a good time,” said Nichols.

Nichols invited the community to his property for the day, giving kids a gnarly hill to sled down.

He says seeing kids out in the snow brings back memories of his own childhood, growing up in Colorado.

“Feels like the old days, like, that’s how I grew up; we had a local hill that we would all go to on someone’s property, and it’s a good time, so

I’m glad to see people out here enjoying it,” said Nichols.

And some people’s ‘enjoyment’ was taking a leisurely dip in the Atlantic.

“It’s probably the most intense thing I’ll do all year,” said Josef Shocker.

Josef Shocker and some of his friends took to the ocean to partake in a popular cold-weather activity.

“Post snowstorm, we’re doing a polar plunge. We got seven of us together, we’re about to jump into the ocean,” said Shocker.

While golf is not associated with winter sports, the hills at Wilmington Municipal Golf Course served as a prime sledding location.

“I think it was amazing, yeah,” said Olivia Graf.

Olivia Graf was one of dozens of people who ignored pleas from the city to refrain from sledding on the course, fearing it would damage the greens.

However, most people say this weather is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

And the fact that nearby Long Leaf Park was closed, some parents said it was okay to disobey orders, much to the relief of Graf, who reveled in the snowy moment.

“I wish it happened every year,” said Graf.

For two years in a row, the Cape Fear had a blanket of snow covering the ground.