You can’t go home again

Former USS Enterprise (CVN 65) Enterprise-class aircraft carrier being towed out of Newport News, Virginia for dismantling in Mobile, Alabama - November 2, 2026 SRC: X-@AirAssets

A drone pilot captured the heart-stopping moment a huge shark got close to a pair of surfers off the California coast, before splashing one with its tail as it swam away.

Leading up to the 2026 Tommy Gifford Award Ceremony tonight, October 29th, we're highlighting the incredible accomplishments of this year's inductees. Today, we're proud to feature Captain Rom Whitaker. Captain Rom Whitaker has been a full-time charter fisherman in Hatteras Village for more than three decades and is widely regarded as one of the most respected captains in the sport-fishing industry. He has operated Release, a 53-foot Bobby Sullivan sport-fisher, since 1999 and routinely fishes close to 200 days per year out of Hatteras Harbor Marina. Whitaker’s love for fishing began in early childhood, sparked by long days on Atlantic Beach piers with his grandmother, who helped nurture his passion for the ocean. Raised in Kinston, North Carolina, he learned freshwater techniques from his father and grandfather while fishing Broad Creek on the lower Neuse River. His first offshore trip to Hatteras in 1970, aboard a 19-foot Thunderbird, opened his eyes to the scale and challenge of bluewater fishing. In the years that followed, he owned several small boats, including a 23-foot SeaCraft, trailering to Hatteras nearly every weekend. After earning a business degree from East Carolina University, Whitaker built a successful corporate career before realizing it couldn’t compete with life on the water. With the full support of his wife, Elaine, known throughout the village as “Shugg”, he moved permanently to Hatteras in 1987 and began fishing professionally. Whitaker’s catches include blue and white marlin, bluefin tuna, wahoo, dolphin, king mackerel, striped bass, and red drum. He is a longtime advocate for fishermen, having served more than 14 years on the Highly Migratory Species Advisory Panel and other South Atlantic Fishery Management Council committees. A proud member of the Hatteras Marlin Club, he remains deeply involved in the local community. In 2024, Whitaker achieved a career-defining milestone when Release won the Fabulous Fisherman category and $2.2 million at the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament with a 504-pound blue marlin, an iconic victory that cemented his legacy. Learn more: event.gives/26igfatga/

This and a few hundred acres.