Outer Banks 2003

Grandma and Joey playing Jenga	Megan	Katie and friend	The shade is inviting	Joey in sand
Joey in pool	Joey and Katie in pool

July 21,2003

Today we went looking for a fishing boat that I could take out in the big pond. We found out that the weather was going to be bad (8 to 10 foot waves) offshore and that getting out was going to be doubtful for the next few days. We decided to take a ride down to Hatteras Village and scout around. At Hatteras Lighthouse I climbed the tower while mom was in the gift shop. After the lighthouse climb we listened to a ranger talk about the Civil War on the Outer Banks. Interesting that the Union controlled the Outer Banks from 1861 through the end of the war.  At Hatteras Village we got to see that the motel we stayed at on our honeymoon was still there. We were tempted to see if we could get a room for an hour. (HaHa). On the way back we also stopped at the Bodie Island Lighhouse. In the evening we went to see the local play "Lost Colony". It is the longest running outdoor play in the US. Some 60 years. The play was interesting dealing with the settlement at Roanoke Island that ended with no survivors found. However it was 2.5 hours long. Amazingly the kids were very good in sitting through this evenings show. At one point the action showed a fight between the colonists and the natives which depicted fatal results. At some point in the action Joey said real loudly - "Dad, are those men really being killed?" This broke up a large part of the surrounding audience.

Cape Hatteras Light	The lighthouse used to be at the edge of the water.	Cape Hatteras Light	Burrus Motor Court -Where it all began 41 years ago	Bodie Island Light
Megan waiting for the show	Joey waiting for the show	The Lost Colony show begins	The Queen	Part of the Lost Colony Show

July 22, 2003

Today was a lazy day. We got a late start by going to the K-Mart and then heading back towards the National Seashore. Yesterday we had wanted to stop at a model house but did not have enough time to stop. We decided to go back today and see what we could not afford. We thought the model home was in Rodanthe which is about 40 miles from our place. It turned out that the model was in Avon which is another 20 miles below Rodanthe. The model of the house we looked at was approximately $1.4m. The real estate agent said that it would probably rent for 7,000 per week during the high season. Even with the rental income, you would wind up about 30,000 out of pocket. Kind of too rich for our blood but it was interesting. We stopped at the Salvo Post Office to take a picture. It is unchanged from when we first saw it in 1962 although it looks like it is not in use anymore. Somewhere in our paper photos we have the same photo.  For dinner we were joined by Ken and Jeanne Stutt while Greg and family were returning from a journey from Ocracoke and Hatteras Lights.

Salvo Post Office

July 23,2003

The plan for today was to visit Jockey Ridge - the tallest sand dunes on the east coast, and also to visit the Wright Brothers Monument and First Flight Visitors Center. At Jockey Ridge we took a tortuous walk up the soft sand dune and walked over to the hangglide flying school. Joey was fascianted by tadpoles in a large pool of water below one of the dunes. At the flying school we learned that the beginners get 5 runs down a gentle incline with two instructors holding on for $85.00. Some fun. After this effort we came back for lunch and then let Megan take a nap before heading off to the Wright Brothers Memorial. This being the 100 year anniversary of the first flight on December 17, 1903, the place was very busy with visitors. Mom and I listened to two talks about the Wright Brothers efforts and also learned that a replica of the 1903 flying machine is in progress for the re-creation of the flight this December. The funny part is that the Wright Brothers first flying machine is recorded to have cost the brothers $300.00. The replica under construction right now for use in December is estimated to wind up costing 1.5 million. In the evening we watched the kids while Greg and Marybeth partied at a friends house. Grandparents do come in handy.

Jockey Ridge Sand Dunes	The tadpole biology class	Megan on the dune	Joey on the dune	Greg and family
Greg knicker deep in sand	Flying lessons	Ma and Joey playing Connect Four	Future Astronauts	The Wright Brothers memorial

July 24 and 25, 2003

On Thursday July 24 we were picked up by the Stutts to do some shopping in Manteo and other places. It was a fun day. At Manteo we stopped at the National Park Visitors Center and learned more about the Lost Colony. We learned that when the colony failed the English came back a few years later to find nothing but some writing on a post indicating that they had gone to Croatoan. However the search party was led by privateers who didn't want to look for survivors when there was loot to be had elsewhere. Thus the lost colony was forgotten. No other English came until a hundred years later in 1701 when a scientific exploration party landed on Roanoke during a storm in search of shelter not the lost colony. We lunched at Manteo. Friday, the 25th we were greeted by strong rainstorms in the morning. We just relaxed during the day, played pool on the biliard table and started to gather the belongings for packing and departure in the AM. Grandma and Grandpa feasted on some crabs from a local crabhouse- "We got our Crabs from Dirty Dick" In the evening Greg amused and entertained the kids with a marvelous fireworks display. So it is over on the Outer Banks. It was a fun time. We really enjoyed the kids.

Civil War marker on Manteo	Blacksmith shop in Manteo	Pirate Ship in Festival Park Manteo	Greg about as active as he was all week	Megan in the pool
The remnants of the crab fest.

 

 

 

 

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