Flowers along Howard Street by Jeff

Vacation: Day 12

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

First, thank you to those who participated in my poll. I was not surprised to see that 70% would rather have an ocean front home on the Outer Banks as opposed to world peace. There's some profound statement regarding our society with those results, I'm just not sure what it is.

Jennifer & I decided to hit Ocracoke Island for the day. Even though the ferry was directly across the street from us, we still didn't time it right and had to wait for the next loading. I don't mind sitting in line for the ferry .... it definitely could have been worse, as these old photos show .....

You see a lot of interesting things as you sit in line. Here's a motor home with a decidedly red neck motif.

I love riding the ferry between Hatteras and Ocracoke. And, instead of paying $30 for an hour boat ride from one of the marinas, you get a 45 minute ride for free! There's usually some sort of activity in the sound ..... folks with their rakes, clamming, or boats anchored for fishing. Often, dolphins swim along side of the ferry, leaping out of the water.

After landing on the north end of the island, we drove south towards the little village of Ocracoke. To our left, we caught glimpses of white beaches and azure waters, between the dunes. On the right, acres of salt marshes stretched to the sound. Crossing numerous creeks, we'd occasionally observe small boats tied up at the shore. A few miles north of the village, a grande allee of loblollies tower over the road. The sight of these pines never cease to amaze me. They look so out of place on this wind swept strip of sand.

Route 12 ends at Silver Lake, once known as Cockle Creek. In 1931, Cockle Creek was dredged to form the picturesque harbor. Narrow lanes meander throughout Ocracoke, seemingly with no rhyme nor reason in their direction. Many of the streets are little more than sandy pathways, lined with massive live oaks. Small cottages are tucked behind weathered picket fences, with family cemeteries in their side yard.

Our first stop was at the Jolly Roger. It's a great place to grab lunch and a beer, all the while watching the busy little harbor. We had the same waitress we've had for the past 3 years. Jen & I ordered a platter of nachos and some burritos. They were very good! Of course, the resident ducks were begging for a hand out. It's verboten to feed the quackersin the dining area. I always feel so sorry for them.

After lunch, we began our tour of Ocracoke. I shall continue with Ocracoke in my next post.