Welcome >>
Welcome to OBX Skim Camps! The camp was founded in 2013 by former professional skimboarder Watkins Holt and avid skimboarding instructor Matt Preston.
Over the past fifteen years, Matt and Watkins have watched the sport evolve exponentially on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The purpose of OBX Skim Camps is to provide a safe, fun environment for campers of all ages and skill levels to enhance their board riding abilities and expand their knowledge of the sport.
The love and respect that Matt and Watkins have for the sport of skimboarding and their hometown of Nags Head, North Carolina are important aspects which they vow to pass on to their campers.
About the Owners >>
Matt Preston is a native of Nags Head, North Carolina, and his passion for the outdoors and water stem directly from his coastal upbringing. While Matt spends his summers on the Outer Banks teaching people how to surf and skimboard, he is also a high school Physical Education teacher.
A college athlete and graduate of Christopher Newport University, Matt came back home to the Outer Banks every summer to work as a surf and skimboarding instructor, while also working at a youth basketball camp. His desire to be a positive influence for children is visible through his years of work either in the water, or on the basketball court.
Watkins Holt is also a native of Nags Head, North Carolina. At age thirteen, he competed in his first skimboarding contest and immediately fell in love with the sport and tight-knit culture that came with it.
In 2005, at the age of sixteen, Watkins won the Skim USA’s east coast tour for the first time. The following year, he was ranked first overall on the Skim USA east coast tour for the 17-21 year old amateur division. One of his proudest accomplishments is being given the Skim USA Sportsmanship award in 2005. After winning back-to-back east coast amateur titles, Watkins competed on the professional tour for three years.
After a short stint in California, he returned to the east coast and completed his education at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Prior to starting these camps, Watkins worked for the city of Virginia Beach’s Parks and Recreation department.
Location >>
The camps will be located at Milepost 16.5 at the E. Gray Eagle Street Public Beach Access. This access is one block north of Jennette’s Pier. The access is close enough to park at Jennette's Pier and walk to the site (if you're facing the ocean/pier, the camp is to the left). Known for having a deep sandbar near the coastline, the beach breaks around Jennette’s Pier provide optimal conditions for all skill levels. In addition to a universal skimboarding wave, the area provides ample parking (for free!), public showers and bathrooms, and a great selection of local restaurants within walking distance.
The pier itself is owned by North Carolina Aquariums, and provides interesting and educational attractions for people of all ages. Rebuilding began in early 2009, and the grand reopening occurred in May of 2011. Jennette’s Pier is now one of the elite fishing piers and surfing destinations of the east coast.