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Our Outer Banks Vacation – Bodie Island and Wright Brothers National Memorial

[NOTE: I uploaded this blog post during the afternoon on October 8 but backdated the published date to September 28, the date of the day’s activities detailed in this post.]

I appreciate the force of nature. The past two days we have experienced consistent strong winds and angry seas. Today, as I watched the sun rise while sitting on the beach, the wind was calm and the waves seemed almost normal. I haven’t seen one yet, but I heard that the pelicans are back.

The dawning of a new day

The wind is calm, and the waves seem almost normal.

If you are not able to view the embedded video, please click here for the direct link.

Bob took this picture of me sitting on the sand, capturing today’s sunrise.

The sun has risen!

What a fine day for sightseeing!

We were en route Bodie Island shortly after 9:00 am, arriving there around 10:00 am. For the next 45 minutes we admired the lighthouse from various vantage points.

Bodie Island Lighthouse

A boardwalk that leads to an overlook of the wetlands offers very nice views of the lighthouse.

Sandy is walking on the boardwalk toward the wetlands overlook.

Sandy and Jim on the wetlands overlook

Bodie Island Lighthouse, as seen from the wetlands overlook

Before leaving Bodie Island I heard a National Park Service employee say that the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry would begin crossings again at 1:00 pm today. This information was good to know, as we are planning a trip to Ocracoke tomorrow.

From Bodie Island we attempted to drive to Pea Island Wildlife Refuge, but the Herbert C. Bonner Bridge was closed until 1:00 pm to allow for time to remove sand and water from the roadway on Hatteras Island. We made a U-turn at the bridge and drove to the Wright Brothers National Memorial, located in Kill Devil Hills.

After paying the admission fee of $7.00 each, we found parking in the parking lot in front of the Visitor Center. The Visitor Center for the Wright Brothers National Memorial is closed for a renovation project. The visitor center has been closed since November 2016 and expected to reopen in late summer/fall of 2018. A temporary facility near the parking lot has an information desk where you can speak to a National Park Service employee, five small poster-style exhibit panels to learn more about the Wright brothers’ story, and a bookstore.

During our visit we walked to the First Flight Boulder and Flight Line which mark the location where the Wrights first flew, peeked into the reconstructed Wright brothers’ camp building and hangar, walked to the top of Big Kill Devil Hill to the base of the Wright Memorial, and saw the 1903 Bronze Sculpture of the First Flight featuring a life size model of the 1903 Wright Flyer.

Wright Brothers Flight Line

The numbered markers mark the landing spots of the Wright Brothers’ first four flights on December 17, 1903.

First Flight Boulder

The boulder marks the spot from which the Wright Brothers’ first flight was made. The picture displayed above shows the flight path as well.

Sandy and the First Flight Boulder

Wright brothers’ camp building and hangar

Big Kill Devil Hill and Wright Brothers Memorial

Sandy stayed inside the car, while Bob, Jim and I hiked to the top of Big Kill Devil Hill.

Wright Brothers Memorial on top of Big Kill Devil Hill

The view from the top of Big Kill Devil Hill was spectacular!

Jim is photographing the view from the top of Big Kill Devil Hill.
We could see all the way to the Atlantic Ocean.

Life size model of the 1903 Wright Flyer

1903 Bronze Sculpture of the First Flight
(Wright Memorial in the background)

This sign provides information about the first flight witnesses. I read the sign, but was more interested in recreating the scene shown on the sign. As I positioned myself to take a picture, other tourists began walking up to the bronze sculptures for a closer look. Getting the picture I wanted meant waiting until those people departed the grounds.

Jim, Bob and Sandy found the only shady spot to wait for me,
while I waited to take my picture.

I like to think that I am a patient person. My patience was just about running out, when the grounds were vacated. I had to quickly compose my picture, as I noticed more tourists arriving.

My recreation of the photograph of the first flight witnesses

We were glad that it was possible to drive to the base of Big Kill Devil Hill, as well as to the Sculpture of the First Flight. The three points of interest were spaced far apart!

Prior to leaving on vacation, Jim learned that a friend (another member of the Vulcan Riders and Owners Club of which Jim and Bob are members) would be vacationing in the Outer Banks at the same time as the four of us. “Rabbi” and his wife Vonna were vacationing in Salvo on Hatteras Island, until they were evacuated earlier in the week. We didn’t think we would be able to meet up with Rabbi and Vonna because they had gone home to Virginia. Jim received a message (today I believe) from Rabbi that they were back in the Outer Banks and staying in Kitty Hawk. Jim and Rabbi made plans for the six of us to meet for lunch at 1:00 pm at Mama Kwans Tiki Bar & Grill in Kill Devil Hills.

The first thing I noticed at Mama Kwans was the old van covered with stickers. I took a picture of Rabbi, Vonna, Jim and Sandy beside that van, after we had eaten lunch.

Sandy, Jim, Rabbi and Vonna at Mama Kwans

Rabbi attended at least one VROC motorcycle rally that Bob and I attended. That rally was the Wolfman Wandering Rally #3 held in Richmond, Kentucky in June 2009. Rabbi doesn’t recall meeting Bob or me at that rally; we don’t recall meeting him either. Rabbi is planning to attend the 20th anniversary of the Southeast Vulcan Riders and Owners Club (SEVROC) rally in May next year. Bob and I plan to attend that rally as well. So, we will meet again….

After lunch we returned to Flights of Fantasy (our vacation beach house), returning there around 3:00 pm.

Much of rest of the afternoon and evening was spent relaxing in (or sitting on a deck of) the beach house. Sandy and I did go for a short walk to beach access 7, a boardwalk that leads to the beach.

Sandy at the Beach Access 7 Boardwalk

The view from the end of Beach Access 7
The green house is our beach house.

Sandy at the end of Beach Access 7
The green house is our beach house.

Sandy and I returned back to our beach house just in time to see the sun set.

I photographed Brenda photographing the setting sun.

Tonight’s dinner was leftovers.

I retired to our bedroom around 8:30 pm, as many of my fellow vacationers were sitting down to watch the football game—Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers.

For Jim’s account of the day, please click here.

Our Outer Banks Vacation – Sightseeing in Historic Corolla

[NOTE: I uploaded this blog post on the evening of October 5 but backdated the published date to September 26, the date of the day’s activities detailed in this post.]

Today is our 19th wedding anniversary. I am sure that we will remember our 19th wedding anniversary as the year Hurricane Maria brushed the North Carolina coast, as it moved past the Outer Banks. We are having a wonderful time together and with friends.

We awakened shortly before 6:00 am. As he did yesterday, Bob made me a cup of tea and brought it up to our room.

The original plan for today was to take the ferry to Ocracoke Island. That plan was scrapped, when Ocracoke and Hatteras were evacuated yesterday. We thought the new plan for the day would be to stay put.

After breakfast (yogurt and a hard boiled egg for me), Jim and I walked out the boardwalk to the sand dune stairs. The ocean is angry. The wind is stronger than yesterday: the surf is breaking much closer to the base of the sand dunes. The conditions are supposed to worsen.

Late morning there is a break in the weather….no rain, partly cloudy and sunshine. The wind seemed to die down some too. Bob, Jim, Sandy and I decided to “hit while the iron was hot” and do some sightseeing. We drove to the northern reaches of the Outer Banks to Historic Corolla. Historic Corolla is home to Corolla Park the centerpiece of which is the Whalehead Club, the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, as well as several other historic structures dating back to 1885.

Our first stop was at the Currituck Beach Lighthouse.

Currituck Beach Lighthouse

Admission to the lighthouse grounds and parking are free. There was a $10.00 admission fee to climb the 220 steps to the top of the lighthouse. The four of us opted not to climb to the top of the lighthouse. Bob and I made that climb in May 2007. I told Jim and Sandy that I would post a picture of the view from the top of the lighthouse, when I published a blog post of the day’s activities.

The view from Currituck Beach Lighthouse of Currituck Sound
and the Whalehead Club in Historic Corolla Park is grand. (May 2007)

From the lighthouse we walked north along Corolla Village Road.

The Waters Edge Village School in Old Corolla Village

The Corolla Schoolhouse is an operational elementary school.
It is North Carolina’s smallest public school, with over 30 students and two classrooms.
School was in session at the time we visited Corolla Village.

Our last stop in Corolla Village was at the Corolla Chapel.

Corolla Chapel

The inter-denominational chapel was built in 1885. Since then the chapel has been moved from its original location across the street to its present location. It was expanded to accommodate the increase in attendance.

As we approached the front door of the chapel, a man (the pastor?) asked if we would like to see inside. He had a key and invited us inside the chapel.

Corolla Chapel (Interior View)

The stained glass window was designed and commissioned by Pastor John Strauss to honor his late wife, Ruth Strauss, who played a pivotal role in the development of the chapel in the late 1980s. Note the pelican depicted on the stained glass window?

The Pelican Legend

We saw fellow vacationers Eric and Alexis, while walking through Corolla Village. Not expecting to see anyone whom we knew, I didn’t think to take a picture of the two of them!

After strolling through Corolla Village, we followed a boardwalk trail through wetlands to Currituck Sound.

Boardwalk to Currituck Sound

At the end of the boardwalk is a large observation platform looking out at the Currituck Sound.

Sandy, Bob and Jim on the Currituck Sound observation platform
See the young couple in the background?
The young couple have been married for 2 years.
Where did they get engaged?
Here, on Currituck Sound, with the Currituck Beach Lighthouse in the background.

The young couple asked me to take their picture in this direction.
I happily did, as requested, with their cellular phone.

The Currituck Beach Lighthouse served as a backdrop for the picture.

Returning to the parking lot, we decided to drive the short distance to the Historic Corolla Park.

Ten years ago, on May 12th, Bob and I attended the wedding of our friend Denise’s daughter, Stephanie, and Jeff in this park. In 2007 the park was known as the Currituck Heritage Park. The vacation beach house that we are staying in this week was the same beach house at which we stayed 10 years ago.

We took a short walk around Historic Corolla Park, noting points of interest.

Sandy and Jim are on the park’s historic footbridge.
The Currituck Beach Lighthouse is visible throughout the park.

Stephanie walked over this footbridge on her wedding day.

The centerpiece of the park is the Whalehead Club.

Whalehead Club

In 2007 Stephanie and Jeff’s wedding reception was held in a tent in front of the Whalehead Club.

Boathouse with Currituck Beach Lighthouse in the background

Stephanie and Jeff exchanged their wedding vows on park ground in front of this boathouse.

The Historic Corolla Park contains several Live Oak trees.
Sandy posed in front of one of the Live Oaks to show the size of the tree.

We were headed back to Flight of Fantasy (our beach house) by 1:00 pm.

We ate lunch at the beach house. I had a ham, roast beef, turkey and cheese sandwich. I had a slice of chocolate bundt cake too.

Jasper, Eric’s friend, arrived at 1:30 pm. He arrived, as Eric and Alexis were putting together a puzzle.

Jasper (in the middle) worked with Eric and Alexis on the puzzle.

Jim, Sandy, Bob and I walked out the boardwalk to the sand dune stairs early this afternoon.

Jim and Sandy on the sand dune stairs

Hurricane Maria is bringing intense and consistent wind to the Outer Banks. The surf is touching the base of the sand dunes up and down the coast.

If not able to view the embedded video, please click here for the direct link.

See the sea foam on the beach?
The surf has reached at least that far.

There is not much beach left!

The storm is expected to intensify this evening.

Work continues on the United States of America puzzle.

Denise, Nic, Sandy and Brenda work on the puzzle.

Six hours after the puzzle was started
Denise, Brenda, Nic, Sam, Nancy, Sandy and Jim work on the puzzle that is nearing completion.

Tonight’s dinner was prepared by Jasper (who is a chef), Eric and Alexis. We began with an appetizer that included shrimp (Vuelve a La Vida) that was scooped up with crackers or tortilla chips. Our main course was steak, ribs, chicken, sweet potato salad (yummy), and mixed vegetables (zucchini and summer squash). For dessert I had a slice of lemon bundt cake.

Vuelve a La Vida

Eric and Jasper BBQ

Tonight’s dinner

After dinner some of us played Tenzi. Everyone gets ten dice. Someone says “Go.” Then everyone rolls and rolls as fast as they can until someone gets all their dice of the same number. That is only one rule; there are others. I joined in and played several rounds of this game. What a fun party game!

Bob and I went to bed shortly before 11:00 pm to the sound of people playing Tenzi, rain hitting the windows and the wind howling.

For Jim’s account of the day, please click here.

Our Outer Banks Vacation – Relaxing at the Beach House

As it turned out, I didn’t go to bed last night until 12:30 am. I stayed up and edited pictures. Bob awakened me at 6:00 am this morning, bringing me a cup of tea.

I watched the sun rise at 6:54 am from our third floor balcony.

The weather has been on my mind today. Hurricane Maria is approaching the Outer Banks. Maria is not expected to brush the Outer Banks coast, bringing tropical force winds and flooding here. I obtained the following information from a news article from WAVY-TV.

“Mandatory evacuations, closures and tropical storm advisories are being issued in the Outer Banks as the region braces for impact from Hurricane Maria. More than 200 visitors left Hyde County’s Ocracoke Island amid a mandatory evacuation order imposed early [this morning] on that fragile barrier island jutting into the Atlantic. Authorities warn that high winds and flooding are possible threats as Maria passes well offshore. Neighboring Dare County also ordered an evacuation of visitors from neighboring Hatteras Island starting at midday. …The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami has issued a tropical storm warning from Cape Lookout north up the coast to the Virginia line … The storm surge will likely lead to ocean overwash along flood-prone North Carolina Highway 12. Dare County Emergency Management advises drivers to stay off Highway 12 during high tide…”

The surf was rough today, and the wind was strong. Red flags were flying when we got in yesterday afternoon. Red flags mean to stay out of the water. Conditions are dangerous even for the most experienced swimmers.

We spent the day at the beach house. We enjoyed a breakfast of eggs, sausage, fruit and toast.

Nancy cooked the sausage.

Brenda cooked eggs.

I prepared the blog post for yesterday’s activities. I published the post, backdating it to last evening. For lunch we made sandwiches. I participated in several conversations throughout the day. I walked on the boardwalk to the dune stairs a few times and looked out at the swelling surf. It is a beautiful view, regardless of the weather.

I stayed on the dune stairs.
Jim wandered down on the beach for a closer look.

Jim and Sandy in the living room

I think Jim and Sandy are reviewing a video that Jim captured,
while he was on the beach.

Bob and I went for a mid afternoon bicycle ride in the neighborhood, using Denise and Nic’s bicycles.

We saw Prickly Pear cacti on our bicycle ride.

Our vacation beach house is located on Great Gap Point.

Late in the afternoon several of us played an entertaining game of charades. There was lots of laughter. I laughed so hard, my eyes watered. Eric and Alexis arrived, while we were playing charades. They brought with them Wrigley, Eric’s English bulldog. Wrigley made his rounds, making sure he said hello to everyone.

Wrigley is saying hello to me.

Tonight’s dinner was spaghetti and meatballs, tossed salad and bread. Bob and I retired to our room before dessert. We watched one episode of “Beyond”, using Bob’s Fire Stick to connect with Hulu. Bob and I went to bed shortly after 10:00 pm.

You can read Jim’s account of the day by clicking here.

Our Outer Banks Vacation – Fredericksburg VA to Corolla NC

We ate a later than usual breakfast at 8:00 am. No need to hurry today, as the drive to our beach house will take only 4 1/2 hours without stops or any other type of delay. Check in time at the beach house isn’t until 4:00 pm. We have plenty of time for the final leg of our trip to the Outer Banks.

Breakfast was complimentary, in a room off to the side of the lobby. As is customary at Best Western hotels, a large selection of breakfast items were available to include scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage patties, waffles, cereal, yogurt, pastries, breads, coffee, tea, orange juice, and fresh fruit.

Best Western Fredericksburg lobby was decked out for the Autumn season.

Best Western Fredericksburg

Our Best Western Fredericksburg accommodations were on the second floor. Sandy and Jim’s room was one door away from our room. You can see Bob walking toward our room and Sandy standing in the doorway of her room.

We checked out of the hotel, after breakfast. The woman in front of me was asked if her stay was OK. She said that the bed was soft and too high. The hotel clerk apologized. The woman then said that the dogs liked the bed. All three of us laughed.

Leaving the hotel, Jim led the way to the nearby Walmart. The four of us picked up a few supplies that we had forgotten (or purposely left) at home.

Bob at Walmart

Next stop was at the Walmart gas station to fill up.

At 9:35 am we began our drive to Corolla, NC.

We stopped and took a walk on Prince Street in Tappahannock, VA. According to a Wikipedia article, Tappahannock is the oldest town in Essex County, VA. It is located on the Rappahannock River and is the county seat of Essex County. Tappahannock’s name comes from an Algonquian language word lappihanne, meaning “Town on the rise and fall of water” or “where the tide ebbs and flows.” In 1608 John Smith landed in Tapphannock but was driven back by the local Native American tribe.

Essex County Courthouse
with Confederate Memorial

The statue commemorates Tappahannock and Essex County’s native sons who fought and died during the American Civil War.

Confederate Memorial

Rappahannock River

A building that looked like an old theater caught my eye. I asked a man approaching us if he was from the area. When he responded “yes”, I asked what this building was. The building is the Daw Theater and is in the process of being restored.

Daw Theater

Tappahannock is an inviting town.

Before leaving Tappahannock we made a bathroom stop at Sheetz. The stop provided an opportunity to pick up a mid-morning snack too. Bob purchased water and a Slim Jim. I purchased a Diet Coke. My mid-morning snack was the banana that Jim brought to me from the breakfast room, when he and Sandy checked out of the hotel. I wanted a banana, when we ate breakfast. The bowl was empty, though.

We were back on the road at 11:23 am.

We stopped for lunch at McDonald’s in Chesapeake, VA (off route 64). At the time we were approximately 2 hours (89 miles) from our vacation beach house. We were back on the road by 2:15 pm.

We crossed over the NC border at 2:40 pm and arrived at our vacation beach house, Flight of Fantasy, which is located on Pine Island in Corolla NC, at 4:00 pm.

After greeting Denise and Nic and Brenda and Terry and being given a tour of the beach house, we began to unpack our cars. We used the elevator to take everything up to the third floor. Sandy and Jim have the king master bedroom facing the sound side of the house. Bob and I have the king master bedroom facing the ocean.

We have a deck with a great view of the ocean.

After depositing our stuff in our bedroom, I helped Denise and others organize the kitchen and then unpacked and put away my clothing.

Later in the day I caught Denise, Brenda and Nancy in the pool area on their way to the beach.

Nancy, Brenda and Denise on their way to the beach

They asked me to join. I declined. Sandy and I did go to the beach a little later. We didn’t put on our swimsuits. I did roll up my jeans and put on water shoes. Sandy put on a pair of crocs.

Sandy on our boardwalk to the beach

Denise and Nancy were sitting in chairs on the beach. Brenda had gone for a walk on the beach, returning with a bag of shells.

Brenda and her bag of shells

Denise, Nancy and Brenda didn’t stay long, after Sandy and I arrived at the beach, as they were getting cold. Brenda did, though, take a few pictures of Sandy and me before returning to the beach house.

Hooray! We are on the beach!

Sandy and I

I don’t usually like pictures of myself.
I like the pictures that Brenda took!

Oh, I almost forgot. Denise, Nancy and Brenda put together gift bags for each couple. The gifts bags included Kleenex, a roll of toilet paper, two bags of cracker jacks, two bags of peanuts, two Slim Jims, playing cards, two small flashlights, a 4×6 photo frame (Denise wants me to take a picture of everyone. She wants to have 4×6 prints made and give to each couple before we leave to go home.), a large squirt gun, a bag in which to collect seashells, a flip-flop bottle opener, liquid hand soap, a bottle of Poo-Pourri Before-You-Go Toilet Spray and a beach towel.

Sandy, Jim, Bob and I watched a beautiful sunset this evening from the front side Currituck Sound balcony.

Sunset

Tonight’s dinner was pizza and homemade cake (sweet potato cake). After dinner Denise, Sandy and I chatted with each other for quite a while.

Lots of people are sharing our vacation beach house. Here are the couples who have arrived so far:

Jim and Sandy
Bob and I
Nic and Denise
Terry and Brenda
Donny and Nancy
Shawn and Sam

Still to arrive are:

Eric and Alexis
Jasper (one night)
Michael and Maggie
Sharon (possibly)
Jeff and Stephanie (who plan to spend Friday and Saturday nights)

We are keeping an eye on Hurricane Maria. A tropical storm watch was issued at 5:15 pm today for Corolla. Wind is forecast at 30-40 mph with gusts to 55 mph. The window for tropical storm force winds is Tuesday morning until Wednesday evening.

Bob and I and Jim and Sandy came up to bed around 9:30 pm. Michael and Maggie arrived sometime after we had retired to our room.

Please click here for Jim’s account of the day.

Our Outer Banks 2013 Vacation: Day 5

Bob and I visited two lighthouses on Thursday, September 19th. Before sharing photographs from our visit to the lighthouses, though, I have to share these two sunrise pictures.

Sunrise South Nags Head Beach

What a gorgeous sunrise we had that morning. I had never personally witnessed such a beautiful sunrise!

The first lighthouse we visited was Bodie Island Lighthouse. This lighthouse was located only 2 miles from the beach house at which we were staying. In fact we could see the lighthouse from the south side of our ocean-front deck.

Bodie Island Lighthouse

We hadn’t seen Bodie Island Lighthouse since 2007. Scaffolding covered the lighthouse during our Outer Banks vacation last year. The lighthouse looks brand new.

Bodie Island Lighthouse

A new-to-us boardwalk (the boardwalk was laid in 2009) provides great views of the lighthouse.

Bob and I at overlook at end of boardwalk

Bodie Island Lighthouse and Boardwalk

The second lighthouse that we visited was Currituck Lighthouse. This lighthouse is located north of Nags Head, about an hour’s drive from where we were staying.

Currituck Beach Lighthouse

After “lunch”, which was a peanut buster parfait at Dairy Queen, we stopped at Jockey’s Ridge State Park in Nags Head. The park contains the tallest natural sand dune system in the Eastern United States.

A boardwalk is located near the parking lot. Interpretive displays along the boardwalk offer information about the plants and animals in the area.

We walked to the end of the boardwalk, where we found a deck with a bench with a great view of the dunes. From the deck there were steps that led to the sand. Bob climbed the sand dune to Jockey’s Ridge, where he enjoyed a wonderful view of the surrounding area.

Bob walking to Jockey’s Ridge

Bob took this picture of the view from atop Jockey’s Ridge.

Bob took this picture on his way back to the boardwalk.
See the deck in the distance?

I opened this blog post with two gorgeous sunrise pictures. Not to be outdone, the moon put on a spectacular show in the evening!

Full Moon Shining on Ocean Waters

Our Outer Banks Vacation: Day 2

I awakened early enough on our second day of vacation (Sunday, September 16) to watch the sun rise. What a marvelous sight it was!

Later in the morning Bob and I drove north to Corolla,, to the Currituck Heritage Park where we enjoyed a walk in the park. Among the points of interest at the Currituck Heritage Park are the Whalehead Club, the Boathouse and the Currituck Beach Lighthouse.