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Our Outer Banks Vacation – Manteo and Jeanette’s Pier

[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.

Remember Wrigley?
I introduced him a couple blog posts ago.
Wrigley is Eric’s English bulldog.

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

Wrigley wanted his belly rubbed.

Wrigley and me

Denise and Wrigley

This is Maggie.
She just came inside from looking at the ocean waves.

Denise and Nic on our sand dune stairs, looking out to sea

the lovely Brenda

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.

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

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.

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

Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse

Manteo Weather Tower
We were under a tropical storm warning, so I believe that is what the flag on top is signaling.

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

Look out Jim! Sandy appears enamored by this handsome pirate.

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!

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

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.

Big Al’s Soda Fountain

Coca-Cola Vending Machine

Coca-Cola 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!

Sandy at Jeanette’s Pier

This is the only pelican that I photographed, while on vacation.

Jim and Sandy at Jeanette’s Pier

Big, big waves crashed into the pier many, many times.

Here is a video of one of the waves crashing into the pier.

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

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.

Our Outer Banks 2013 Vacation: Day 4

We did not wander far from our Outer Banks vacation home on Wednesday, September 18th.

That morning Bob and I went to Roanoke Island. We stopped along the waterfront in Manteo. I walked along the waterfront, taking photographs of the lighthouse and other points of interest, while Bob waited at the gazebo.

Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse
and the gazebo where Bob relaxed while I was taking pictures

Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse

Spirit of Roanoke Island

Elizabeth II 16th Century Representative Ship

This ship is anchored at Roanoke Island Festival Park, located across from the Manteo waterfront. We have not visited this park during our three Outer Bank vacations. It doesn’t appear that an opportunity to visit the park will come anytime soon, as we are not planning another vacation at the Outer Banks in the near future.

The Sea Gypsy IV provides a pirate adventure for children.

From the Manteo waterfront we continued along Route 64 to The Elizabethan Gardens. The Elizabethan Gardens was created to honor the first English colonists who lived on these shores. We spent a couple hours there exploring the gardens, statuary and fountains.

The Gatehouse was designed to resemble a 16th-century orangery. It was built with handmade bricks from the Silas Lucas kiln in Wilson, NC.

Pineapple Fountain

Queen Elizabeth I Statue

American sculptor Maria Louisa Lander carved this statue in Rome, depicting how Virginia Dare may have looked as a grown woman.

The Colony Walk honors the famed lost colonists who trod these same sandy shores. The walk ends at a Water Gate.

This 16th-century Gazebo replica was constructed with period tools and techniques. The reeds for the thatched roof came from Norfolk, England.

the Sunken Garden

Jupiter, ruler of all gods

This is one of four statues in the Sunken Gardens. The other three statues represent Apollo, Diana and Venus. All four statues are from the Whitney collection. I didn’t take pictures of the other statues, as their faces have fallen off.

The central focal point of the Sunken Garden is the ancient Italian fountain and pool with carved balustrade from the Whitney collection.

A closer look at the ancient Italian fountain

These four statues were in Woodland Garden.

In the center of Woodland Garden was this fountain.

We sat and listened to the falling water for several minutes. It was very relaxing and peaceful in Woodland Garden.

The Lion Couchant Birdbath sits atop a column with a reclining lion at its base. Cherubs and other decorative elements adorn the bowl.

In the afternoon, back at our vacation home in Nags Head, I went for a walk on the beach. I met a nice young man by the name of James. He is a lifeguard who rides a 4 wheeler up and down the beach. I took a picture of him a ways down the beach. He saw me taking his picture. He turned around and asked if I had taken his picture. I said yes and showed the picture to him. He asked if I would take a picture of him by the no swimming sign and email it to him.

This is the picture that I took of James, which I did email to him. The “no swimming” sign was up for several days during our Outer Banks vacation. No swimming was permitted as the sea was rough. You will see in a later post, though, that the sign did not deter surfers.

Full Moon shining on ocean waters

The moon was so lovely this evening. Words cannot describe how beautiful it was to see the moon light shining on the ocean waters.

Ocean waters lit up by full moon

Stay tuned; more posts about our vacation in the Outer Banks will be forthcoming.

Our Outer Banks Vacation: Day 3

On our third day of vacation (Monday, September 17) Bob and I visited the town of Manteo, located on Roanoke Island, and the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. En route Pea Island, we did stop at the Bodie Island Lighthouse but did not take any photographs. The lighthouse is in the midst of a restoration project, which was begun in 2009.

This is the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse.
The lighthouse is located in the town of Manteo.

A major attraction in the town of Manteo is the Roanoke Island Festival Park. We did not visit the Festival Park this year; however, I did capture a photograph of one of its attractions.

Elizabeth II at Roanoke Island Festival Park

Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge

We spent most of our time at the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge watching turtles. The little turtles were pushing this bigger turtle out of the way.