Carolina Towns and Trails: August 2009

Images from Colonial Williamsburg

Our heavy travel schedule in the earlier part of the year prevented us from taking a few days off to celebrate our wedding anniversary, but that didn't stop us from exploring. We traveled to Colonial Williamsburg, VA hoping to spend the day in the old town. But temps near 90 degrees and a humidity level that surely matched quickly conquered us.

After visiting a few bookstores and sharing an anniversary dessert of Crème Brûlée at the Blue Talon Bistro, we walked around as long as we could, then headed home. But we managed to snap a few photos, of course. We'll return in cooler weather to explore more of what the Williamsburg area has to offer.

For more information on Colonial Williamsburg, go to www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/

Cape Lookout Lighthouse and the Ponies of Shackleford Banks

In the past year, we tried to travel to Shackleford Island on two occasions. But since it's accessible only by boat, conditions have to be right. And in the past, the imminent threat of rain canceled our plans. With only a 30% chance on this day, we took a risk and traveled Downeast.

To my knowledge, one can catch a ferry to Shackleford and nearby Cape Lookout from Beaufort, NC, and Harkers Island. We tried Beaufort first. The operator I checked with had two options: a trip to Shackleford, where we would have been dropped off and picked up when we wanted, or a trip to Cape Lookout Lighthouse. I wanted both.

Since reservations were required for the Lookout trip, we headed to Harkers Island, to the Local Yokel ferry service. Funny name, good service. While they also offered a trip to Cape Lookout, they travel on the sound side of Shackleford Banks. When I told them I wanted to see the horses, they said no problem.

Cape Lookout National Seashore and Shackleford Banks form a check-mark at the bottom of the string of barrier islands known as the Outer Banks. After paying the $15 per person (read the rest of this post before you dismiss that as being too costly for such an outing), we climbed aboard the ferry and began our journey across the Core Sound.

And what a journey it was. We flew across the sapphire water, skirting shoals that gave this area the nickname, Graveyard of the Atlantic. True to the ferry operator's word, we saw some of the Shackleford ponies on the way to our destination. We'll get to those in a minute.

CAPE LOOKOUT

According to Lighthouses of the Carolinas, the present Cape Lookout Lighthouse was built in 1859, and the original keepers had to lug heavy containers of oil 163 feet up to keep the light burning.
Today, a 1st-order Fresnel lens guide mariners around the shoals, and the lighthouse keepers have been replaced by volunteers who donate their time greeting guests and manning the Visitors Center. We met two such volunteers, Mack and Alice, from Salem, Virginia, and spent a fair amount of time chatting with them about the lighthouse and the volunteers' role at Cape Lookout. I applaud them, and the rest of the park's volunteers for braving the elements to keep this treasured landmark running.

Mack and Alice at Cape Lookout's Visitors Center

We spent a couple hours exploring the area around the lighthouse, the sea-oat and flower covered dunes, and the Lighthouse Keeper's House:

Copyright K Buffaloe

Copyright K Buffaloe

Copyright K Buffaloe

FINALLY, THE PONIES

The ferry arrived on time, and we began the journey back to Harkers Island. As with the trip over, we saw a few of the magnificent Shackleford Island horses, whose origin on the island is unknown, grazing in the marsh. And this time, the dear fellow from Local Yokel (who, btw, is anything but) positioned the ferry to enhance the view:

Copyright K Buffaloe

What a sight. What a birthday.

For more information on Cape Lookout Lighthouse, go to www.nps.gov/calo/index.htm

For more info on Shackleford Banks, go to www.originaldowneast.com/shackleford.htm

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Topsail Beach

Topsail Beach (pronounced Tops'l by the locals) is located on North Carolina's coast at the southern tip of Topsail Island, below North Topsail and Surf City. It's a great place to visit, not only because the atmosphere is laid back and friendly, but because, located at the southern-most tip at the confluence of the sound and the Atlantic Ocean, is a long stretch of quiet, pristine shore, much of which is reserved for nesting wildlife.

I can't top that in words, so I'll show you in pictures:

THE TOWN:

Maritime forest coat lots and dunes around the island, protecting it from surges and storms:

Sand, brush, and Sun Blankets (wildflowers) occupy empty lots. I'm told past hurricanes have destroyed the buildings that once stood here.

But the vacant lots give the island an open feel. We stopped to take pictures several times, earning the attention of local law enforcement personnel. This happens more often than I care to admit. I just smile (for I'm fond of law enforcement personnel, and don't blame them for protecting their hometown) and show them the camera.

Topsail Beach is the home of the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital, which I covered in a post of that name:

The blue tanks are temporary homes for sea turtles recovering from injury or illness. One of these days, I hope we'll get to witness a patient's release:

Sun Blankets (aka Indian Blankets) grow on some of the dunes, stabilizing them:

THE BEACH:

Topsail has a great beach, and it stretches for what has to be a couple of miles. Below is the pier-which we've managed to overlook on all our visits:

Other beach scenes:

There should be a sign: Warning--Beaches are Patrolled at All Times!

Look closely along the horizon, you'll see the pier:

I took this shot for my blog banner:

This is the northern edge of the southern tip of Topsail Beach, where the pristine part begins:

The pier can barely be seen at this point. We're at least a mile away by now, if not further: