We could not leave the Outer Banks without one more drive down the National Seashore. The beauty of this landscape is mesmerizing, and I needed a little more time to explore. In addition, we had spoken ALL winter long about just parking the car and walking over the dunes at some random point and seeing what was there. So, with a few hours to spare one morning, we decided the day was the THE day.
Off we went. First we did a stop at the Bodie Lighthouse again. We wanted to do the FULL MOON TOUR - but it was all sold out. If you are ever in the area for a FULL MOON TOUR, make sure you are at the lighthouse at about 7 AM to get tickets. They sell out SUPER fast, but I hear it is worth it. Then we set our odometer to 0 and off we went. AT first we were in search of a shipwreck that was said to be 7 miles from the campground. We tracked that, pulled off and first went straight for the sound. This side of the Outer Banks is quite lovely, and we don't really explore it as we are beach people. we put our feet in, saw little schools of minnows and chased them until...bam...what is that? Yes something in the water, far off, half decayed. Turns out, we had found, although others have too many, many times prior to our discovery, the New Inlet Bridge. Little history lesson so get your school uniform out...Back in, I think, the 30's, there was a hurricane (shocker). That hurricane opened up a NEW INLET on the OUter Banks. In order to connect Pea Island to Hatteras, the New INlet Bridge was constructed. However, prior to it being completed, the New INlet closed up (heavy sigh here) and so the bridge was never completed. Just abandoned, given a sentence of decay. And so it has. We marveled in it, wonderred if we could climb on it, decided since we had the Little One that might not be very safe, and so we ventured tot he beach.
While on the beach, we found no shipwreck at this spot. What we did discover was this: a whole expanse of beautifully untouched beach that was just simply magnificent No people for miles, beautiful seashore, shells like you could not believe, birds of all kinds. We wandered up and down the water's edge, picking up shells, scooting back and forth so as to not get our clothes wet and then decided to venture on.
The Man of the House claimed, "One mile down the beach, by the dunes is a shipwreck." IN teh car we went, setting the odometer once again to 0 and off we went. There was little room to pull off, so I got dropped off. I walked a bit, found an untouched dune to climb over and right there, was something. I don't know what ship it is or if it is even a ship, but I think it looked like the flooring and metal of a ship. I am calling it a shipwreck whether you like it or not, so, a shipwreck we found. I called the other two of our trio to the beach, and running down dunes that marveled Mt. Everest (I exaggerate a tiny bit). we all explored. Little girl imagined pirates with eye patches and I have to admit I did as well. We tried to uncover more around the sands around the finds and then walked this barren land. We stayed for a bit, realized how late in the day our adventures had taken us and rounded up the troops. We headed out of the National Seashore to civilization with smiles on our faces and sure of the fact that we would be dreaming about pirates and mermaids for the days to come. Thank you to my in laws and my husband and to the Outer Banks for a most enjoyable trip. Until we meet again...
Off we went. First we did a stop at the Bodie Lighthouse again. We wanted to do the FULL MOON TOUR - but it was all sold out. If you are ever in the area for a FULL MOON TOUR, make sure you are at the lighthouse at about 7 AM to get tickets. They sell out SUPER fast, but I hear it is worth it. Then we set our odometer to 0 and off we went. AT first we were in search of a shipwreck that was said to be 7 miles from the campground. We tracked that, pulled off and first went straight for the sound. This side of the Outer Banks is quite lovely, and we don't really explore it as we are beach people. we put our feet in, saw little schools of minnows and chased them until...bam...what is that? Yes something in the water, far off, half decayed. Turns out, we had found, although others have too many, many times prior to our discovery, the New Inlet Bridge. Little history lesson so get your school uniform out...Back in, I think, the 30's, there was a hurricane (shocker). That hurricane opened up a NEW INLET on the OUter Banks. In order to connect Pea Island to Hatteras, the New INlet Bridge was constructed. However, prior to it being completed, the New INlet closed up (heavy sigh here) and so the bridge was never completed. Just abandoned, given a sentence of decay. And so it has. We marveled in it, wonderred if we could climb on it, decided since we had the Little One that might not be very safe, and so we ventured tot he beach.
While on the beach, we found no shipwreck at this spot. What we did discover was this: a whole expanse of beautifully untouched beach that was just simply magnificent No people for miles, beautiful seashore, shells like you could not believe, birds of all kinds. We wandered up and down the water's edge, picking up shells, scooting back and forth so as to not get our clothes wet and then decided to venture on.
The Man of the House claimed, "One mile down the beach, by the dunes is a shipwreck." IN teh car we went, setting the odometer once again to 0 and off we went. There was little room to pull off, so I got dropped off. I walked a bit, found an untouched dune to climb over and right there, was something. I don't know what ship it is or if it is even a ship, but I think it looked like the flooring and metal of a ship. I am calling it a shipwreck whether you like it or not, so, a shipwreck we found. I called the other two of our trio to the beach, and running down dunes that marveled Mt. Everest (I exaggerate a tiny bit). we all explored. Little girl imagined pirates with eye patches and I have to admit I did as well. We tried to uncover more around the sands around the finds and then walked this barren land. We stayed for a bit, realized how late in the day our adventures had taken us and rounded up the troops. We headed out of the National Seashore to civilization with smiles on our faces and sure of the fact that we would be dreaming about pirates and mermaids for the days to come. Thank you to my in laws and my husband and to the Outer Banks for a most enjoyable trip. Until we meet again...