Nags Head’s beach replenishment project, the first of its kind on the Outer Banks, was named among the best in the nation by the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association. The ASBPA chose Nags Head because it is a survivor – figuratively and literally. The first of its kind on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, even before construction began the Nags Head’s project had to overcome hurdles such as the perception that beach nourishment was not a feasible alternative for the area. Before Nags Head’s nourishment project was completed in the fall of 2011, it had to survive its first test – Hurricane Irene. With no loss of sand from the nourishment area during the storm, the project provided much needed protection from Irene’s high surf. A little more than a year later, the project again proved its worth when Hurricane Sandy skirted Nags Head, resulting in little damage and negligible overwash into the streets.