I had never heard of Outer Banks, NC before I heard Dave and Drusie discussing it. Apparently it has always been on Dave's "bucket list", but he didn't really see himself ever getting there (it is a bit out of the way!!). And Duck, a community on the narrow strip of land known as the Outer Banks is a favourite vacation destination of Drusie's - so before I knew it, we were headed to Duck, North Carolina.
What/where the heck are the Outer Banks?
"A 200-mile stretch of barrier islands just off the coast of North Carolina, the Outer Banks is a different kind of place. Beautifully natural, formed by centuries of wind, water and sand blown from the Atlantic Ocean, and home to a rich history, it's a place that inspires a true sense of adventure. From Duck down to Hatteras, each town and island along the banks offers a unique experience not soon forgotten."
It took us about 6 hours to get there and (ultimately) we were so glad we did. Things got off to a bit of a rocky start when the resort we were headed toward advised that they no longer take pets (apparently the CAA booklet went to press before they advised them of this change in policy Grrrr). And our good ole standby Best Western was full. But they were kind enough to recommend a Ramada Inn in Nag's Head that was pet friendly and we happily settled in there. Karma was restored and all was good.
Pictures really can't do justice to the amazing beaches all along the east coast of the Outer Banks, but I'll try to give you a feel:
(not sure why this dude's smiling - he's washed up and dead, but what do I know??!!??)
(now this guy has reason to smile, he's on vacation and the sun's shining, but he'll have the smile wiped off his face when the police catch him for breaking the laws)
Now, to be clear, Outer Banks is not only about beautiful beaches!
It is the site of the first powered flight!! Kill Devil Hills, NC - ever heard of it? No, probably not and the reason is, another community is credited with the fame:
"Kitty Hawk became famous after the Wright brothers of Dayton, Ohio, selected a nearby site to make their first controlled powered airplane flights on December 17, 1903. The site of the flights is four miles (6 km) south of the town, near the sand dunes known as the Kill Devil Hills, a location the Wrights had used for practice with their gliders. Kitty Hawk is often mistakenly credited as the site of the powered flights. After the flights, the brothers walked back to Kitty Hawk, where they sent a telegram from the Weather Bureau office to their father informing him of their success."
Housed on the site of the historic flights is an amazing museum and memorial to the Wright Brothers
Here's to happy trails and soft landings!!
Among many of the other attractions on the Outer Banks are:
1. Cape Hatteras Lighthouse (look closely and you will see Dave in the very bottom, left hand corner of the picture). This is the tallest brick lighthouse in the world
2. Jockey's Ridge State Park, home of
"... the tallest
active sand dune system in the Eastern United States, and the most striking of the remaining dunes on the Outer Banks. Shifting winds are constantly reshaping the dunes. Because the Ridge is always changing, it is often referred to as "The Living Dune."Honestly, we were more impressed with the sand dunes along the Oregon and California coasts, but have to admit that this one was huge - just less impressive with it's height, breadth and view of the open ocean. Having said that, it was large enough and the winds are consistently high enough that it houses a hang-gliding school - and that's pretty impressive!!!
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