Friday, July 15, 2011

Oregon Inlet

While driving home from our trip, we enjoyed the scenery.  I started to get emotional as we got closer to OBX.  As soon as we hit the first bridge, I yelled out, "We're home". 

I got really excited when we hit the Oregon Inlet, because I knew we were really close to home.  I think the inlet is so beautiful.  Something about the contrast of the blue water with the green and tan grass is just peaceful to me.
It has an interesting history too.  From Wikipedia:

Oregon Inlet is an inlet along North Carolina's Outer Banks. It joins the Pamlico Sound with the Atlantic Ocean and separates Bodie Island from Pea Island, which are connected by a 2.5 mile bridge that spans the inlet. As one of the few access points to the ocean along this stretch of coast, Oregon Inlet is a major departure point for charter fishing trips, with a nearby harbor serving as the base for many large boats that travel miles out towards the Gulf Stream almost every day. The area is also home to a U.S. Coast Guard station.

Oregon Inlet was formed when a hurricane lashed the Outer Banks in 1846, separating Bodie Island from Pea Island. One ship that rode out that storm in Pamlico Sound was named the Oregon. After the storm the crew members of this ship were the first to tell those on the mainland about the inlet's formation. Hence, it has been known as Oregon Inlet ever since.
Akin to many other inlets along the Outer Banks, Oregon Inlet moves southward due to drifting sands during tides and storms. It has moved south over two miles since 1846, averaging around 66 feet per year.
 It's just beautiful, isn't it?

Living the life in North Carolina!

2 comments:

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Heavenly -- and of course we took a zillion pictures of this and even the sign saying "Oregon Inlet" . We got a real kick out of the Oregon connection.

Unknown said...

Looks absolutely beautiful