Memorial Weekend

In the course of 24 hours, the park went from being fairly quiet to being a little city in itself.  Almost every site was taken, and there were families everywhere.  They had lots of fun activities and the beach was packed, so it looked like people have a great time. 

Out Little Beach Bum

Dinner Is Served

Bodie Island Light Station

Today we headed over to visit the Bodie Island Lighthouse.  It is the second tallest lighthouse on the OBX. 

Quick Facts

• Popular folklore says that the island got its name because of the many bodies that were found around it, washed up from shipwrecks
• The inside plaque reads “Body Island” – no one is certain on the spelling change
• Bodie Lighthouse stands 156 feet tall
• The height of each stripe is 22 feet
• It has 214 stairs to the lantern
• The beacon is visible up to 19 miles
• It currently has One 1000 watt lightbulb activated by photocell
• The land for Bodie Lighthouse cost $150 in 1846
• The total cost of construction was $140,000
• The first keeper of Bodie Island Lighthouse was paid an annual salary of $400.
• The tower still houses a 1st-order Fresnel lens

 The brick lighthouse with alternating stripes of white and black that we see today is not the original lighthouse on Bodie Island. There were actually two lighthouses that came before it. Because Oregon Inlet continually shifts southward, the remains of the two original lighthouses have since been washed away.

 The lighthouse is currently awaiting funds so a restoration can take place.  The gentleman working there told us all about that.  I missed most of it because I was fascinated (grossed out) by a snakeskin on his desk.  I did get the impression that you might be able to walk inside of the building once it is restored.  We had fun just touring the outside today.

I love lighthouses so it is a real treat to me when we can visit them up close and personal.   It was a great day!

Living the life in North Carolina!

Afternoon at the Beach

It is still pretty quiet here on the beach, and we are really enjoying that.  We know that will change very quickly.

More Ocean Waves

I think one of the things that is so relaxing about the beach is the motion of the waves.  That endless rolling motion would have to relax even the most uptight being.  I can (and have) watch (ed) them for hours and hours and hours. 

And one of Miss Ava, who loves the beach as much as we do!

Pirate Hideout and Ocean Waves

Ahoy! This is where the pirates be hiding!

And this is the beautiful ocean, full of big waves today!

Evening Walk on the Beach

Today they had a meet and greet for the employees where we had food and conversation with each other.  It was nice to see everyone together and be able to get a picture of what the staff is here.  We had a great time.  Afterward, we walked the beach and then hung out in our beach chairs.

The evening light was just gorgeous.  It started out with that crisp, clean light that brings such definition to everything.

Then it faded to that lovely soft and warm light that gives everything a nice glow.  Just beautiful!

It happens so gradually, you almost miss it if you aren't paying attention.  It's like nature's way of letting us slowly unwind at the day's end.  Nothing abrupt or jarring about this process.  Just nice and easy.

It's almost as if it is saying, almost done here for the day folks.  We'll be here all night.  But you might wanna go ahead and head on home now. 

G'night.  Take care.  We'll see you tomorrow.

Living the life in lovely NC!

Morning Beach Walk

If I actually manage to get back to regular blogging, it will most likely seem very boring and monotonous.  Because I imagine it will begin to look the same each time I do.  Here is our morning beach walk, at 6:15 am.  Compliments of God and Ava.

We did manage to leave the beach for a short while today.  To go and buy beach chairs, sunblock and sunhats.  We joked that it was our entire entertainment for the summer.  That's not entirely true since I will also hoop, read and scrap.  At the beach.  While using the beach chairs, sunblock and sunhats.

Ok, so we might also need the sun umbrellas that we have been dragging around for three years and only used once up till now.  What can I say, we were hopeful this time would come where we'd need them every single day.  And now that time is here!

Living the life at the beach!

Outerbanks of North Carolina

Last night we arrived at our destination.  It was late so we didn't really have a chance to see anything.  Ava woke us up at 6 am so we could see everything very well this morning.  Since we were up and anxious to see the beach, we hurried out there.  Good Morning Beach!

South of the Border

Every time we travel up and down the east coast we crack up at the 999 billboards advertising South of the Border.  For the longest time we only knew of this place from driving by it.  At some point we actually stopped and stayed at the campground.  To say this place is bizarre is truly understatement. 

It starts out innocently enough.  It looks a little dated, but still kind of cute and sweet.

 

 Then as you look around, it seems dated and a bit strange.

If you look closer, you can see what begins to be really strange.

When we stayed here, Auburn joked that it looked like the set to a really cheesy horror flick.  The fact we were the only people we saw, beyond the workers, made it seem even more that way.  There is just no other place like this unique little complex.

The last time when we visited, I forgot to snap any pictures.  I'm glad I remembered this time.

Poor Ava, who had been lying down for the entire car trip so far had to stand up to figure out exactly what was going on.  After staring out the window for a few minutes, she turned around and looked at me as if to say...what the????????? 

 

I don't know, Ava.  I just don't know!

Living the life in SC!

Finally Back on the Road Again

After many, many months of sitting in the same place we hit the road again.  We left tonight after Nathan finished his work day, which meant we didn't get very far.  Ironically enough, we landed at the same place that we stayed at for our very first official night "on the road".  In Brunswick Georgia, at the exact same campground.  Pretty cool!

A Trip Full to See Friends

This week was supposed to be our vacation week.  We were going to go down to Ft Myers beach to meet up with some friends and to spend some beach time there as a family.  Then I got a job offer to spend the summer at the beach, and I needed our vacation week to work out some of my two week notice.  So we took my two days off to go down instead.  We landed at Peace River and drove down to Sanibel Island for the day.

At Sanibel, I was able to see my dear friend Barb and her husband John.  I haven't been able to visit with Barb in person for a few years now and it was so wonderful to catch up in a face to face way.  She is one of the neatest people I know and someone who has had profound impact on my life, so the visit was uplifting and nourishing to my soul.  We grabbed a bite to eat at a restaurant there and the food was very good, so my body was nourished well too.  I would have liked more time together, but the time we did have was very precious to me.

Since we were at Peace River, we also had a too short visit with some very special friends.  As soon as we returned from Sanibel Island, Rich and Donna had a cookout for us.  I've shared here before how Donna is one of the main reasons I stuck with pickleball.  Beyond pickleball, I just enjoy her as a person.  She is one of those rare people that is sweet and interesting all rolled up in one.

We had the treat of sharing the cookout with some newer pickleball friends, Russ and Jody.  They went to Capone's with us the night we visited there, so we had already shared that fun night together.  We enjoyed getting to know them better tonight too.  We decided to head out tonight instead of waiting until the morning, so we didn't get to play pickleball together.  We loved what time we did have together though.

Living the life in Florida!