Photos:Cedar Point Tideland Trail

Last week, we spent a few hours along the White Oak River, first in Swansboro, and then hiking along the river's estuary at Cedar Point Tideland Trail. Cedar Point is a nice, short, scenic hike, and we particularly enjoy the view of the estuary from the boardwalks.

It was our first trip to Swansboro, and found the little fishing village both charming and inviting. As an added plus, it's located near Hammock's Beach State Park.

A Week on the Bogue: Atlantic Beach

Along the southern edge of Croatan National Forest, south of Highway 24 and the blue waters of Bogue Sound lies Bogue Banks. Like the Outer Banks, this sliver of land is long and thin. So thin at points, stretch your arms and you feel as if you could touch water with both hands.

A slight exaggeration, but you get the point. We visited Bogue Banks in the fall of 2008 in an adventure that took us from Emerald Isle to Fort Macon. You can read about that visit in my Bogue Banks post.

Because there is so much to do on the island, we marked it for a return visit. I did that twice last week, once with my husband, and again when I had the privilege of attending a week-long writers retreat with four amazing Carolina authors. There's much to talk about, so I'll break it into separate posts.

Atlantic Beach

Atlantic Beach lies on the eastern section of Bogue Banks, near Fort Macon and across from Morehead City. After crossing the Atlantic Beach Bridge, we continued straight, and parked in a sand-gravel parking lot. From there, we meandered around the boardwalk, checking out the beach shops, restaurants and concession stands. Beach goers lay in the sand or bobbed in the chilly surf, while several men constructed a volleyball net. Given the presence of three other nets, we assumed they were either preparing for the weekend or a volleyball tournament.

But we weren't there to sunbath or play volleyball, so we continued eastward until we reached the Oceanana Fishing Pier, visible on Google Maps at 34.697362,-76.726886.

Located behind the Oceanana Family Resort Motel, the pier stretches over the beach and into the Atlantic Ocean. From the looks of it, a favorite spot for those who enjoy fishing. Because we were taking a quick stroll, the manager allowed us to walk on the pier without charge. It wasn't clear if this is the norm, so be prepared to pay a fee.

Fisherman lounging on wooden benches lined the slat railing on both sides of the pier, and a few pulled up their catches during our visit. One prize didn't seem to appreciate the disturbance, or facing the paparazzi so soon after his capture.

After swimming with sting rays on Cayman Island, I have a better appreciation for those creatures. I'm glad the man who caught this one released it shortly after I took this photo.

Note: if you're afraid of heights, the Oceanana Pier may not be the place for you. The boards are spaced enough to get a good look below, and are also weathered. Many have been replaced, and it appears a few will soon be. The railing on both sides aren't as sturdy as some I've seen, and while my husband didn't have a problem walking the planks, I did, so beware.

Several people have said they used to hang around Atlantic Beach during their teen years. From what we saw during our visit, with its beach, restaurants, piers, and close proximity to Fort Macon, the NC Aquarium, Morehead City and Beaufort, this NC attraction still holds its allure.

Next stop: the NC Aquarium on Pine Knoll Shores.

Fort Fisher Part III: Historic Site

Upon arriving in Fort Fisher, we stopped at the Historic Site to check out the Visitors Center located just off Hwy 421. A difficult decision since the Atlantic Ocean, a wide walkway that ran parallell to it, and an abundance of sunshine were visible to our left through a stand of trees.

With a promise of returning soon, we went inside.

Fans of history, in particular, NC History or of the War Between the States ('tweren't nothing civil about that sad event) will enjoy the Fort Fisher Historic Site. Behind the Visitors Center are three mounds—the remains of the old fort that once protected ships spiriting supplies to Wilmington's port. From the NC Historic Sites website:

Until the last few months of the Civil War, Ft. Fisher kept North Carolina's port of Wilmington open to blockade-runners supplying necessary goods to Confederate armies inland. By 1865, the supply line through Wilmington was the last remaining supply route open to Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. When Ft. Fisher fell after a massive Federal amphibious assault on January 15, 1865, its defeat helped seal the fate of the Confederacy.

www.nchistoricsites.org/fisher/fisher.htm

Inside the Visitors Center are numerous displays, photos, and even a fiber-optic battle map recreating the heroic efforts to (from the Confederate standpoint) keep the supply line open so they could end the d*#n war, or (from the Union perspective) take the fort, cut off supplies, and end the d#*n war.

The war ended four months later.

You don't have to be a history buff to enjoy the Historic Site. A short trail circles the mounds, with an oak forest on the north side, and marshlands on the south. Warning, I forgot to reset the exposure compensation on my camera, so the colors are a bit odd:

At the end of the trail, we spotted another memorial, and the Atlantic Ocean, across the street:

After a quick visit to the bookstore inside the Visitors Center, we crossed the two-lane street and soaked in the view:

A satisfying start to our day. But we longed to get closer to the water, so we headed down the road to the Fort Fisher Recreational Area. However, we plan on returning to this spot soon. An elderly North Carolina native with ninety-one years behind her expressed her desire to see the ocean one more time. With convenient parking and a level path—not to mention a terrific view—this seemed the perfect spot to take her. We look forward to sharing this moment with her in the immediate future.

For more information on all attractions at Fort Fisher, go to www.pleasureislandnc.org/fortfisher.asp

Fort Fisher Part I: State Recreation Area

Thanks to the recommendation of, and outstanding photos taken by fellow CarolinasAdventures member, Skip, we recently traveled to Fort Fisher on aptly named Pleasure Island, located just south of Wilmington, North Carolina. Wedged between the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean, Fort Fisher offers plenty of beach, but we quickly learned there's more to see on this sliver of land, and we're already making plans to return.

We made three stops during this visit, including one to Fort Fisher State Recreation Area. We pulled into the paved parking lot, and stopped at the Visitors Center to look around. According to NC State Park's website, the rec area has over six miles of beach, which I later learned extends south along a bay called The Basin, clearly seen on Google Maps or Google Earth at 33.952189,-77.941132.

You'll notice a line on the western edge along the Cape Fear seems to enclose The Basin (which includes Zeke's Island and an island called No Name.) From the NC Park's website, I learned this is a long, manmade jetty called "The Rocks", which was built in the late 1800's. To read about its original purpose and history, go to www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/fofi/history.php

Skip mentioned exploring The Basin by kayak. Until we do, we'll have to take the Fort Fisher-Southport ferry to get a closer look at The Basin.

But that's a future visit. On this day, anxious to get out after long months of cold weather, we crossed the boardwalk and strolled down to the beach. While far too chilly to stick our toes in the sand, we did enjoy the sun, the waves, and watching plenty of the rec area's native inhabitants enjoying the beach life:

That alone is worth a return visit. But fortunately, both the Fort Fisher Historical Area and the NC Aquarium Fort Fisher are a short distance from the beach. More on that in upcoming posts.

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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Copyright 2009 All Rights Reserved. Do not use or distribute text or images without written permission.

Morehead City, NC

We recently went down east (which may actually be part of Downeast, I'm still working that out) to Morehead City. We've passed through the city on numerous occasions in the past. Fleeting impressions gleaned from the car as we traveled to Beaufort or other places along the Crystal Coast told me it seemed like a nice place. Clean, modern, a port city with massive boat facilities, it looked interesting, so of course we had to check it out.

I brought along The Natural Traveler and Coastal North Carolina, both of which usually provide some direction about activities at a destination. Well...not this time. I learned a bit about the history (Union Forces occupied the city after Fort Macon fell) but that was about it.

So it may surprise you to learn we had a nice time.

We decided to start with lunch. Our thinking, beyond filling our stomachs, was that we'd double check the books and chat with anyone willing to talk about the town while we tasted local fare. We do this often, and to a great degree, the folks are friendly and more than willing to chat.

On the recommendation of The Natural Traveler, we chose the Sanitary Fish Market and Restaurant. The sign for this establishment is visible from the road, and in the past, we snickered at the name as we drove by. But the book used the phrases "clean", "fame", and "seafood", so we went.

I have to warn you, I accidentally left our camera at home, so I had to take pictures with my cell phone.

Opened in 1938, the restaurant sits on the waterfront overlooking Bogue Sound (if I'm reading it correctly, my Gazetteer indicates it's Money Island Bay.) Bits of framed history paper the walls, and we took in what we could as we followed the hostess over the glistening planked floor to a seat beside the window. Yes!

As the book indicated we would, we enjoyed a good meal for a good price, though because I can't eat fried foods, I ordered grilled chicken. Either the owner reads this blog and recognized us, or he firmly believes in providing customers with a quality experience--I believe the latter--because he stated such in a conversation we overheard.

You can bet we'll stop here more often.

Like most things in Morehead City, the restaurant overlooks the water. One can view it while dining, or while strolling along the boardwalk we spotted behind the eatery:

As I've mentioned in the past, it's often difficult to get a pulse on the local culture during an initial scouting trip. As I once told NC native and poet, Julie Buffaloe Yoder, until we're familiar with an area, I can "get the basic recipe, but I lack the secret ingredients that make the dish savory". Julie's poetry gives me a deep, vivid look into the soul of many Downeasterners, so I turned to another native skilled with a pen for insight into Morehead City. After sharing a bit about the history, Sarah Salter told me:

The Morehead culture is one of hard work, dedication, deep love and loyalty. Those folks are the salt of the earth. Literally. They have salt water in their veins. A lot of that is reflected in their language, their laughter, and their zest for life.

She went on to tell of the transformation from a predominantly fishing village, to one heavily reliant on tourism. No surprise there, since the entire NC coast is a favorite tourist destination. Nevertheless, fish and water are still the lifeblood of this town. In addition to serving as a state port, sport fishing and boating are popular activities. Their annual seafood festival is quite popular, and along the paved waterfront is a marina where one can charter a boat to fish or take a day cruise:

The waterfront also has a nice selection of shops, including at least one bookstore. If you haven't noticed, we love bookstores. Local shops are the best because they tend to carry regional books not available at chain stores; items one wouldn't know existed to search for on Amazon. I've picked up half a bookshelf worth of publications during our trips, and on this outing, I found Island Born and Bred: A Collection of Harkers Island Food, Fun, Fact and Fiction. I may toss the recipes (I so don't cook) but I'll definitely keep the pages of hand drawn maps, recollections, poems, and information provided by Harkers Island Natives. I'd love to quote a few lines from a page I randomly chose while typing this, but I best get permission first. No sense being a copyright hound only to break the law myself.

In short, Morehead City is a great place to stop if you're in, or passing through the area, especially since it's conveniently located near Bogue Banks and Beaufort. We'll definitely go back to check out that half-day cruise. We've yet to explore the Carolina waterways, and it's time to rectify that mistake. And if my husband can find the tangle of fishing poles I stored somewhere so we can do some decent fishing, we'll run down to Morehead City to see what options are available there.

Until then, for more information on Morehead City, go to www.downtownmoreheadcity.com/

For more information on the good restaurant with the funny name, go to www.sanitaryfishmarket.com/

Bogue Banks on NC's Crystal Coast

Though we had another destination in mind for this week's outing, we canceled all plans when we decided to check out Bogue Banks on NC's Crystal Coast.

Twenty miles long, Bogue Bank is a pencil of an island south of Croatan National Forest. As a barrier island, its job is to protect the raggedy NC coast from Morehead City to the White Oak River Basin, but as it turns out, it's a great outdoor destination.

From the mainland, we crossed the B. Cameron Langston Bridge (Hwy 58) near Cape Carteret, and immediately went to the Bogue Inlet Fishing Pier located on Bogue Inlet Dr in Emerald Isle. The pier is free if you just want to stroll along and admire the view of roiling turquoise waters skimming brown-sugary sand. If you want to fish, stop at the entrance and check out the fees (link is above.) Restrooms are available in the little store that serves as the entrance, and a restaurant opened during the high season is next door.


After walking to the observation tower and watching a few people pull in some nice catches, we headed back to the car and resumed our journey.

With large gift shops displaying beach towels and flip-flops in their windows, Emerald Isle appears to be a typical coast town. But it's clean and the main drag is nice and wide. We continued northward on that road toward Indian Beach and Salter Path. These communities are well developed, but according to the author of exploring north carolina's natural areas, which we brought along, the area is a mix of preservation and development. A thick maritime forest and shrub thickets can be seen throughout the island. In some places, homes have been built within the forest. Many times, we saw only the tips of rooftops and breaks in the trees indicating a driveway exists there.

We drove past those cities toward Pine Knolls, home of the North Carolina Aquarium. We didn't visit on this occasion, but it's on our short list of places to go. Also in Pine Knolls at the aquarium: the Theodore Roosevelt State Natural Area and Nature Trails. According to exploring, the Alice Hoffman Trail is less than a mile and is accessible from inside the aquarium. The second trail, the Theodore Roosevelt Trail is over a mile. Check hours and accessibility before you take small children, strollers, or wheelchairs. Since this is part of the aquarium, I expect one has to pay an admission fee to enter the trails. An attempt to call during this writing failed--the office is apparently closed on Saturdays, so call in advance. I'll update this post as soon as I confirm the information.

Also in Pine Knolls, the Hoop Pole Creek Nature Trail, which winds through maritime forest and marshes. The book states the trailhead is across the street from Hardees. It is, but it's across the small side street, not the main thoroughfare.

I was hungry by this time, but low season has begun along the NC coast which means many of the restaurants are closed, at least during lunch. Fortunately, the 4 Corners Diner, located at 100 E Fort Macon Road in Atlantic Beach, was open. I'm fairly picky when it comes to restaurants, and though the interior has a diner look to it, it's clean, has plenty of seating, and has good food for a decent price. I ordered a crab cake sandwich with a side of fries and a badly needed iced-tea, and my husband ordered breakfast, which is served all day. This will be a return stop on our next visit. Many thanks to them for allowing me to charge my camera battery while we ate (without my mentioning I planned to include them in this report!)

I should mention the fact that we saw beach access in various places along the highway. Emerald Isle isn't the only spot on the island to enjoy the beach experience.

Our last stop on this journey was a place I learned about shortly before we began our trip: Fort Macon State Park, located at the northern tip of Bogue Banks. We were shocked to see that Fort Macon really is a fort, and a rather sturdy one at that. Barely visible from the road, the old pentagon structure built in 1826 is below ground and has quite a history. I found the following on the North Carolina Division of Parks site:

Construction of the present fort began in 1826. The fort was garrisoned in 1834. In the 1840s, a system of erosion control was initially engineered by Robert E. Lee...At the beginning of the Civil War, North Carolina seized the fort from Union forces. The fort was later attacked in 1862, and it fell back into Union hands. For the duration of the war, the fort was a coaling station for navy ships.

More rich history occurred after that time but eventually, the old fort was later abandoned, and then restored. For more information, go to the NC Parks site.

Since it is on the tip of the island, Fort Macon has a beach, a pavilion, and a view of nearby Shackleford Island and Morehead City. It's a great place to picnic, fish, stroll along the beach and watch gulls and other coastal birds. One disadvantage: construction is currently in progress. The fences and equipment are unsightly but fortunately, they're not visible from the beach.

Surprisingly diverse when it comes to outdoor activities, Bogue Banks is a great day or weekend destination for eastern North Carolinians and visitors to these shores. For more information, go to http://www.boguebanks.com/