NATIONAL SEASHORE
Leann and I had my dream trip planned for the first 2 weeks in July, a hiking trip around Mount Blanc taking us through France, Switzerland and Italy. Damn COVID. Since it was my trip to pick there was no doubt where I wanted to go. I asked the girls if they and their husbands/boy friends were interested in a family road trip. I told them I know a place with great beaches, no crowds where we can all escape COVIID for a week. They knew I was talking about Ocracoke Island and all said yes. On the agenda: beach, reading, relaxing, bike rides to the ferry, lots of great food and quality time with the family. It’s a long drive but all of your troubles are washed away when you get on the ferry to the island. Added bonus Ocracoke is part of the Cape Hatteras NS, check.
I decided to post a few pictures from each one of our 8 visits, I guess we do like this place
1995
On the road again
Kitty Hawk
Hatteras Light House that was actually moved
Daughters and Dad riding the ferry on our first visit to the island.
2001
Buried alive by my own daughters
2004
My girls
OK, I am a dork but I liked the view from our room, looked like we are on a boat.
Puzzle time when the weather goes bad
2007
Girls are growing up
All of the Whytes, not many pictures of all of us
2009
Leann relaxing on the beach
We usually head to the beach for at least one night to look for ghost crabs and satellites
2012
Jenny & Mike, we take turns cooking and it looks like their turn
This house came with Kayaks and there was water access in the backyard
Leann talking to the birds
My girls with Leann’s mom
2014
For some reason guys started coming on these trips, the girls picked well
This was a great little restaurant and we usually made a point of stopping for lunch. unfortunately it was closed on our last trip, another victim of COVID
2020
Why we love Ocracoke, most of the island is National Seashore
Parental selfie on one of our bike rides to the ferry
Completing at least one puzzle is on the agenda. I ordered a custom puzzle of previous vacations, task completed by the 3J’s with help from the boys
The boys bought me a nice bottle of Blue, all were happy when I shared.
This was not my dream trip to the Alps, this was better.
Blaze goes to Ocracoke
This might have been the shortest wait ever for the Ocracoke ferry. We pulled into line and were waved aboard about 5 minutes later. It is first come first served so apparently the demand is a lot lower in March. The captain said the water level was low and we might hit bottom, we didn’t.
Brown Pelicans
Most of the campsites are wide open with little privacy. We got one of the better one’s. Nice job Leann.
I am the world’s tallest human
Dunlin, little guy in the back? Willets in the front.
Sammy showing off his beach body. He did not care for the waves coming towards him.
The beach was packed
Ocracoke lighthouse and keeper’s house were completed in 1823 for a cost of $11,359.
The “wild” ponies of Ocracoke.
Hammock Hills Nature Trail: we tried doing this hike on previous trips and the bugs ate us alive. No bugs at this time of the year so we actually finished the hike.
Somebody had some time on their hands.
Another hike we tried previously and had the same bug issues as above. We were able to do it and keep all of our blood.
Leann and Sammy after summitting the high point on the island.
The “high” point, it was a brutal climb.
We always took the ferry on the North side of the island since we were always coming form the North our headed back home to the North. We had more time on this trip so we took the Cedar island Ferry, we wanted to explore parts of the Carolina’s we had not previously seen. This was a 2 hour ferry ride.
I got horrible news in late 2023. Ocracoke was named the best beach in the country. Crap.
HAPPY TRAILS, STEVE