The Beauty Around Us

Our Outer Banks Vacation – Manteo and Jeanette’s Pier

By Linda G. on September 27, 2017

[NOTE:  I uploaded this blog post late afternoon on October 6 but backdated the published date to September 27, the date of the day’s activities detailed in this post.]

Bob and I slept in this morning, not getting up until 7:15 am.

I came downstairs in my pajamas, made a cup of tea and sat in the living room with Bob, Maggie, Sam and Shawn, Denise, Terry, and Nancy. We chatted about a wide variety of subjects to include shopping for clothes, other hurricanes/tornadoes that we have been present for, photography, Apple phones and Apple TV, travel, musical instruments, and the number of computers, phones, tablets, and Kindles that we each have.  Each household has lots of devices!

Today’s breakfast included biscuits, sausage gravy, strawberries, and eggs.

Maria was a Category 1 hurricane as it moved northward in the Atlantic, but it weakened to a tropical storm on Tuesday. I heard that some parts of the Outer Banks were reporting power outages (we didn’t lose our power here in Corolla). According to The Weather Channel, Hurricane Maria had strengthened overnight and had regained its Category 1 status. Maria is still moving away from us, so that is good. There is a tropical storm warning still in effect. It is still quite windy; the ocean is still rough.

While contemplating whether or not it would be sensible to go on a sightseeing venture, given today’s weather, I snapped some pictures inside our beach house.

Sandy captured a couple pictures on my camera of me, playing with Wrigley.

Deciding to brave the storm Jim, Sandy, Bob and I left in our car at 11:30 am en route Manteo. Arriving in Manteo an hour later, we found parking at the Roanoke Island Festival Park. We walked across the Cora Mae Daniels Basnight Bridge and along the waterside boardwalk to the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse. The wind was blowing so hard, while we were walking along the boardwalk, had I had wings I could fly. Sandy and I extended our arms and pretended to fly.

Our flying didn’t last long.  I flew into a park bench and crashed to the ground. Other than a scratch on my elbow, I wasn’t hurt.

This small lighthouse jets out 40 yards into the Roanoke Sound.

At the base of the weather tower is a sign indicating a high water mark. The water would have almost covered Sandy’s head.

Before leaving Manteo, Sandy and I decided that we wanted our pictures taken sitting in a huge Adirondack chair.  It wasn’t difficult climbing into the chair; getting out of the chair was a different story! Jim helped Sandy out of the chair; Bob helped me.

We ate lunch at Big Al’s Soda Fountain & Grill. According to its website, Big Al’s was born after the original owner visited the Coca-Cola museum in Atlanta.   Big Al’s is a fun 50’s theme restaurant, complete with music and memorabilia.

We enjoyed looking at the Coca-Cola memorabilia.  The food, ice cream shakes and Sandy’s root beer float were enjoyable as well.

After lunch, at 2:30 pm, we drove to Jeanette’s Pier in Nags Head.

What an experience we had at Jeanette’s Pier. As we walked toward the pier, blowing sand hit us hard. We ended up with sand in our hair, in our mouth, in our ears and in our nose. On the pier big, big waves were crashing into the pier and there was a consistent very strong wind. It took some work to stand upright and walk!

From Jeanette’s Pier we returned to Flights of Fantasy (our vacation beach house), arriving there around 4:30 pm.

Before the evening meal Sandy, Denise and I enjoyed time in the hot tub. When we came in, dinner was almost ready. It is Mexican night. Food selections include Spanish Rice, Chicken Enchiladas, make-your-own fajitas, and tortilla chips.

I went to bed shortly before 10:00 pm, lulled to sleep by the sound of game playing in the dining room underneath our bedroom.

Jim’s account of the day may be found by clicking here.