Outer Banks - North Carolina

[giradman]

Today (May 31, 2017), Susan & I arrived on the Outer Banks of North Carolina (NC) for a 7-night trip that will start in the north at Sanderling (just above Duck) and continue to Buxton & Ocracoke Island; then we will take the ferry to the mainland (Cedar Island) w/ a one night stay in New Bern before going home. We did this loop back in the mid-1970s but in the other direction. The annotated map below shows the plan described - in my Carolina Shore travelogue which is now 12 pages, there are a number of posts about the Outer Banks (which are 'buried' in the thread), which I would like to duplicate here and then add some new ones, which will be clearly evident - in that way, someone looking for information on this coastal NC area can simply use this new travelogue. Dave
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[giradman]

Outer Banks North Carolina - Part 1 (Carolina Shore Travelogue, Aug 2016)

The Outer Banks of North Carolina is a major tourist attraction - brief description below. The first map shows the geographic extent of these islands, north from the Corolla area, through the communities of Duck, Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, and Nags Head, all near Roanoke Island (just a reminder to visit the Roanoke Island Aquarium, one of three in NC) - continuing south over the bridge at Oregon Inlet and toward the Hatteras Lighthouse; finally a short ferry ride connects the southern portion of the Outer Banks on Ocracoke Island.

In the northern portion of the banks, there are plenty of places to stay and some excellent restaurants - up near Corolla, wild horses can be seen and my favorite of the half dozen or so major NC coastal lighthouses is there, i.e. the Currituck Lighthouse - love the exposed brick (being such a lighthouse lover, I'll put together a post on these structures). Of course, there are plenty of outdoor activities, too numerous to mention. And finally, at Kill Devil Hills near Kitty Hawk, in 1903, the Wright Brothers made their famous flight(s) w/ Wilbur on the plane, which is now in the National Air and Space Museum, as shown below.

In the second part of this Outer Banks posting, I'll continue south to Ocracoke Island - Dave

The Outer Banks is a 200-mile-long (320 km) string of narrow peninsulas and barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina and a small portion of Virginia, beginning in the southeastern corner of Virginia Beach on the east coast of the United States. They cover most of the North Carolina coastline, separating the Currituck Sound, Albemarle Sound, and Pamlico Sound from the Atlantic Ocean. The Outer Banks are a major tourist destination and are known around the world for their subtropical climate and wide expanse of open beachfront. The Cape Hatteras National Seashore has four campgrounds. The treacherous seas off the Outer Banks and the large number of shipwrecks that have occurred there have given these seas the nickname Graveyard of the Atlantic, and the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum is located in Hatteras Village near the United States Coast Guard facility and Hatteras ferry (Source).

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[giradman]

Outer Banks North Carolina - Part 2 (Carolina Shore Travelogue, Aug 2016)

For a general introduction, check the link in the previous post - the Outer Banks consists of a series of low lying fragile 'sand' islands; the one near Roanoke is Bodie Island which connects to Pea Island via the Oregon Inlet; then quickly over a short bridge along HW12, Hatteras Island is next w/ a number of communities and also the famous Hatteras Lighthouse - from Hatteras, a short ferry ride connects to the northern end of Ocracoke Island - finally from Ocracoke Village, a much longer ferry ride reaches the mainland at Cedar Island - the first two aerial maps below show these islands and ferry options. The fragility of these Outer Bank Islands is evident in major storms and hurricanes where the islands can be damaged extensively - one pic below of the results of Hurricane Isabel in 2003 on Hatteras Island.

Before reaching Oregon Inlet, the Bodie Island Lighthouse comes into view (black & white horizontal stripes like 'life savers' - see the following images) - a number of other lighthouses are present further south, as shown in the diagram. The current Herbert Bonner Bridge dates from the early 1960s and will be replaced soon (see first quote below). Once on Hatteras Island, the lighthouse comes into view (spiral black & white stripes like a barber's pole) - the pic shown is from the early 1990s before the structure was moved (more on that later). A short ferry ride is needed to land on Ocracoke Island and then a drive to Ocracoke Village, a wonderful visit and yet another lighthouse. From the Village, a much longer ferry trip can be done back to the mainland on Cedar Island. Dave

Oregon Inlet is an inlet along North Carolina's Outer Banks. It joins the Pamlico Sound with the Atlantic Ocean and separates Bodie Island from Pea Island, which are connected by the 2.5 mile Herbert C. Bonner Bridge that spans the inlet. On December 16, 2015 crews from Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative began moving underground electric cables, which are subsequently attached to the old Bonner Bridge, that connect Hatteras Island to the cooperative's power supplier Dominion North Carolina Power. This was done in order for construction of the new bridge to begin and signaled the beginning of the bridge construction process. The official groundbreaking for construction of the new Bonner Bridge was held on March 8, 2016. The project is expected to cost $246 million and be completed by 2019.

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[giradman]

Wright Brothers National Memorial

Our last visit to the Wright Brothers National Memorial was about 20 years ago - unfortunately, the Visiting Center was being renovated, but the National Park Rangers were giving informative talks, as usual. Brief opening paragraph quoted below from the link - the park map shows the location of the monument on Kill Devil Hill; many of the pics are my own taken today - Susan walking up to the monument and standing next to Wilbur - beautiful view of the Atlantic Ocean in the background (Roanoke Sound in the other direction).

From the panoramic view (web origin), the relationship of the monument to the actual area where the first flights took place is shown, along with the reconstructed hangar and the quarters/shop buildings. Final three pics of the beautiful First Flight Centennial Sculpture dedicated on December 17, 2003 (additional figures added two years later, as in the second quote below), and not present on our past trip to the Outer Banks. Dave

Wright Brothers National Memorial, located in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, commemorates the first successful, sustained, powered flights in a heavier-than-air machine. From 1900 to 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright came here from Dayton, Ohio, based on information from the U.S. Weather Bureau about the area's steady winds. They also valued the privacy provided by this location, which in the early twentieth century was remote from major population centers.

The First Flight Centennial sculpture is comprised of 7 life-size bronze figures – that of Orville Wright who flew that day, Wilbur Wright running alongside the planes as it outran him and John T. Daniels, an Outer Banks native who photographed the plane just as it went aloft. The plane is a full-scale replica of the 1903 Flyer with a 40’ 4” wingspan. It was fabricated in stainless steel and weighs 10,000 lbs. The 4 other witnesses on hand that day, Cephus Brinkley, Will Dough, Adam Etheridge and Johnny Moore, were added to the Memorial and dedicated two years later on December 17, 2005. The memorial is located below the large dune that holds the 1932 Wright Brothers Monument. Four story boards tell the story of the Wright brothers and their experiences with the people of the outer banks. (Source)

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[scifan57]

I've seen a replica of the Wright flyer at the Museum of Science and Technology in Chicago. It actually flew a short distance.

 

[giradman]

I've seen a replica of the Wright flyer at the Museum of Science and Technology in Chicago. It actually flew a short distance.

Yes, I recall that we may have discussed that in my other travelogue - amazing how much progress the Wrights made in their early airplanes - in the National Park brochure, in 1908 &1909 the brothers were awing audiences in America and Europe; just one example w/ a photo was of Wilbur in the air making a 20-mile circuit flight from Governor's Island to Grant's Tomb and back in those years! Dave

 

[giradman]

Sanderling Resort & Kimball's Restaurant

For our first three nights, we are splurging and staying at the Sanderling Resort in Duck, an upscale resort area just north of Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil Hills - this is a LARGE complex w/ multiple buildings of different types, so many rental options - we are located in the Beach House, 3rd floor w/ a view of the ocean which can be heard easily from our room (Susan loves this type of room!).

Tonight, we ate at their 'fancy' restaurant across the street (see pic below) - beautiful place inside - our table was next to the window w/ a great view of the sound and the sun going down. Their oyster selection was fantastic w/ 6 selections, all from Virginia (so right up the road) - we chose a half dozen from York River and another half dozen from Hog Island - they were prefect. Also, both of us had their special for the night, fresh line-caught red snapper w/ a tart lemon sauce and a delicious lump crab salad. We will probably dine in Duck tomorrow night, but may just return to Kimball's Kitchen on our third night. Highly recommended if one is in the area - not cheap though. Our remaining hotels and likely dinners will even out our budget for the trip - Dave

P.S. Have a new oyster book on my iPad (last pic below) and currently on the Virginia and Carolina oysters!
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[giradman]

Currituck Beach Lighthouse & Wild Horses

On our first full day, we drove north on HW 12 first to visit the Currituck Beach Lighthouse located in Corolla - this is probably my favorite North Carolina (NC) lighthouse because the bricks used to make the structure were left natural rather than painted. Some facts quoted below from the link and also in one of the pics.

Other pics of the lighthouse, keeper's house, and the gift shop (w/ Susan resting - she did not do the climb) - also, I decided to ascend the 220 steps to the observatory deck ($10 fee + a waiver for personal injury) - with each 20 steps or so, there are semi-circular platforms w/ information exhibits on the lower levels. The views from the top were spectacular (the last 4 images below) - the outside was being painted, i.e. the black metallic portions.

The next post was borrowed from my Carolina Shore travelogue and has a brief description of the NC lighthouses - we will be visiting three others on this trip - NOW, whether I'll climb any more will be decided at the time of visiting - Dave

This red-brick lighthouse towers above the northern Outer Banks landscape in the historic Corolla Village. Visitors can climb the winding staircase, 220 steps in all, to the top of the lighthouse for a panoramic view of Currituck Sound, the Atlantic Ocean and the Currituck Outer Banks. Inside the lighthouse, at the base and on the first two landings, there are museum-quality lighthouse exhibits. On the way up or down, stop to learn about the history of coastal lighthouses, the Fresnel lens, shipwrecks and the lighthouse keepers.

The Currituck Beach Lighthouse is known as a first order lighthouse, which means it has the largest of seven Fresnel lens sizes. With a 20-second flash cycle (on for 3 seconds, off for 17 seconds), the light can be seen for 18 nautical miles. The distinctive sequence enables the lighthouse not only to warn mariners but also to help identify their locations. Like the other lighthouses on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, this one still serves as an aid to navigation. The beacon comes on automatically every evening at dusk and ceases at dawn.

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[giradman]

North Carolina Coastal Lighthouses (Carolina Shore Travelogue, August 2016)

As stated previously, I’m a major lighthouse fan and North Carolina has about a half dozen ‘major’ ones extending from Corolla, upper Outer Banks to the Oak Island Lighthouse near Southport, North Carolina, south of Wilmington - the diagram below shows most of those in this post.

Currituck Beach Lighthouse is near Corolla Village, also an area with wild houses. This is my favorite structure because of the red-brick exterior, was the last major brick lighthouse build on the Outer Banks. The structure is 162 ft high w/ 220 steps.

Bodie Island Lighthouse is near the Oregon Inlet - this is the third lighthouse in the vicinity and opened in 1872 (the second one was destroyed in 1861 by Confederate troops retreating from the Union Army during the early Civil War). The structure is 165 ft high and is one of three w/ the white-black paint design over bricks (the others are Hatteras & Cape Lookout).

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is located on Hatteras Island near the town of Buxton - it is 210 ft in height with 268 steps, and is the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States; the original lighthouse was constructed in 1803. Due to the fragility of these barrier islands, the lighthouse was threatened by the Atlantic Ocean (see pic below from 1991); in 1999, the entire structure was moved 2,900 feet (following pic) - we have not been there since its relocation - I guess an item to add to my travel list!

Ocracoke Lighthouse is on the island of the same name and located in the Village, shown previously. The structure was built in 1823 and stands 75 ft tall - it is the oldest operating light station in North Carolina.

Cape Lookout Lighthouse is on the southern Outer Banks and can be reached only by boat (our first trip there was on a speed boat via Harker’s Island - took a guided jeep tour once there - will likely repeat the experience on our upcoming visit). The first lighthouse was completed in 1812, and the current one is a replacement. The structure is 163 ft high and offers beautiful views of the surrounding islands and water - highly recommended!

Bald Head Lighthouse (Old Baldy) is located on Bald Head Island and is reached by a short boat ride from Southport (see map and also the location of the Oak Island Lighthouse). Old Baldy is the oldest standing lighthouse in North Carolina; just 110 ft in height. The island is a resort-residential retreat that we’ve visited just once - only golf carts are allowed for transportation which can be rented - worth a visit!

Oak Island Lighthouse was constructed in 1958 and is 153 ft tall - have seen many times but have never done a visit - for me, the least attractive of the NC coastal lighthouses.

Note - all facts above taken from the Wiki articles of each lighthouse.
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[scifan57]

North Carolina Coastal Lighthouses (Carolina Shore Travelogue, August 2016)

As stated previously, I’m a major lighthouse fan and North Carolina has about a half dozen ‘major’ ones extending from Corolla, upper Outer Banks to the Oak Island Lighthouse near Southport, North Carolina, south of Wilmington - the diagram below shows most of those in this post.

Currituck Beach Lighthouse is near Corolla Village, also an area with wild houses. This is my favorite structure because of the red-brick exterior, was the last major brick lighthouse build on the Outer Banks. The structure is 162 ft high w/ 220 steps.

Bodie Island Lighthouse is near the Oregon Inlet - this is the third lighthouse in the vicinity and opened in 1872 (the second one was destroyed in 1861 by Confederate troops retreating from the Union Army during the early Civil War). The structure is 165 ft high and is one of three w/ the white-black paint design over bricks (the others are Hatteras & Cape Lookout).

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is located on Hatteras Island near the town of Buxton - it is 210 ft in height with 268 steps, and is the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States; the original lighthouse was constructed in 1803. Due to the fragility of these barrier islands, the lighthouse was threatened by the Atlantic Ocean (see pic below from 1991); in 1999, the entire structure was moved 2,900 feet (following pic) - we have not been there since its relocation - I guess an item to add to my travel list!

Ocracoke Lighthouse is on the island of the same name and located in the Village, shown previously. The structure was built in 1823 and stands 75 ft tall - it is the oldest operating light station in North Carolina.

Cape Lookout Lighthouse is on the southern Outer Banks and can be reached only by boat (our first trip there was on a speed boat via Harker’s Island - took a guided jeep tour once there - will likely repeat the experience on our upcoming visit). The first lighthouse was completed in 1812, and the current one is a replacement. The structure is 163 ft high and offers beautiful views of the surrounding islands and water - highly recommended!

Bald Head Lighthouse (Old Baldy) is located on Bald Head Island and is reached by a short boat ride from Southport (see map and also the location of the Oak Island Lighthouse). Old Baldy is the oldest standing lighthouse in North Carolina; just 110 ft in height. The island is a resort-residential retreat that we’ve visited just once - only golf carts are allowed for transportation which can be rented - worth a visit!

Oak Island Lighthouse was constructed in 1958 and is 153 ft tall - have seen many times but have never done a visit - for me, the least attractive of the NC coastal lighthouses.

Note - all facts above taken from the Wiki articles of each lighthouse.
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A few years ago I watched the TV show about the move of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. Given the fragility of such a tall brick structure, it's amazing that the move was completely successfully.

 

[giradman]

A few years ago I watched the TV show about the move of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. Given the fragility of such a tall brick structure, it's amazing that the move was completely successfully.

Agree completely - in my 'Carolina Shore' travelogue, I discussed that move and believe put up a video - we'll be moving further south in two days and will visit the Hatteras Lighthouse on its new site - I'll check the other thread and repost the video. Dave

 

[giradman]

Wild Horses of Corolla - Part 1

After a light lunch at the North Banks Restaurant & Raw Bar (shared a dozen oysters again!), we entered the old Corolla Village and went to the Corolla Wild Horse Fund Museum and Gift Shop - signed up for a 'horse tour' which is done in an open 4W drive truck w/ seat belts definitely needed - HW 12 ends as a paved road and continues on the beach for 10+ miles to the Virginia (VA) border (see pics and map below).

There are several communities living 'on the sand' w/ sand roads - pics below show a number of these houses w/ several from the web that are obviously expensive properties. One of the larger of these housing collections is the town of Carova near the VA state line - this was a BUMPY 2-hour tour in which we learned about the wild horses, which wander the beaches and the towns - we saw nearly 3 dozen horses and pics will be shown in the next post. Dave
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[giradman]

Wild Horses of Corolla - Part 2

The wild horses of North Carolina (and elsewhere, as in Virginia) are present in a number of coastal NC areas - quotes below from HERE - according to our excellent driver/guide (who lives on the sand in Carova), there are nearly a hundred horses in the Corolla district - these are strictly monitored and studied. The pics below are all mine from our tour today - enjoy a unique sight! Dave

The Wild Spanish Mustangs of Corolla - Possibly the most celebrated among North Carolina's wild horses are the Spanish mustangs of Corolla, though they no longer actually roam the village of Corolla and surrounding areas as they did for hundreds of years. After highway NC12 was completed from Duck to Corolla in the mid '80's, it brought speeding cars, population growth and explosive development that proved too dangerous for the horses.

Through the efforts of the non-profit Corolla Wild Horse Fund and other cooperating agencies, the wild Spanish mustangs were given protected status and were moved north of Corolla to the last remote and mostly undeveloped land on the northern-most reaches of Currituck Banks. Though the wild mustangs are mostly safe there for the time being, their future is still threatened by the pressures of incessant development.

These rugged and hardy wild horses are proven to be descendants of the Spanish mustangs brought to the New World by explorers and colonists as long ago as the early 1500's. Expert examinations of their physical and physiological characteristics, as well as DNA testing confirm their lineage.

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[giradman]

Roanoke Island - Many Attractions

On Friday, we spent the day on Roanoke Island visiting the Festival Park in Manteo, the NC Aquarium, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, and the Elizabethan II Gardens - these will be upcoming posts w/ many of my own photos plus pics from the web; but quoted below is a post that I left about the island in my Carolina Shore travelogue (August 2016), followed by another post from the same thread - nice introductions to the history of this first English attempt to settle the eastern Atlantic Coast. Dave

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Roanoke Island - First English Colony on North Carolina Coast Found Deserted in 1590?

In 1585, the first attempt to establish an English settlement was on Roanoke Island (about a 4 1/2 hr drive for us - see maps below) - Sir Walter Raleigh was the impetus w/ the help of Elizabeth I behind the colony although he never traveled there - our state capital is named after him (and the state of Virginia after Elizabeth I, the Virgin Queen). The island lies between the mainland and the upper Outer Banks of North Carolina (site of the 1903 flight of the Wright Brothers).

Virginia Dare (grand daughter of John White, the governor of Roanoke Island) was the first 'English child' born in the American colonies. White was also an excellent artist and made many watercolors of the American Natives, their culture, and the nearby flora & fauna - an excellent exhibit of his original paintings was held at the NC Museum of History not too long ago (I may have posted pics in one of the forums here?). The Spanish Armada in 1588 delayed a return to Roanoke Island and on this day in 1590, White finally arrived and found a deserted colony which remains unexplained to this day.

On Roanoke Island today, there is a National Historic site (pics below) which has a number of attractions, including an outdoor drama, The Lost Colony - the now deceased actor & television star, Andy Griffith performed in the drama from 1947 to 1953 in the role of Raleigh. Also, one of the three NC Aquariums is located on the island and is worth a visit. Dave

The Roanoke Island colony, the first English settlement in the New World, was founded by English explorer Sir Walter Raleigh in August 1585. The first Roanoke colonists did not fare well, suffering from dwindling food supplies and Indian attacks, and in 1586 they returned to England aboard a ship captained by Sir Francis Drake. In 1587, Raleigh sent out another group of 100 colonists under John White. White returned to England to procure more supplies, but the war with Spain delayed his return to Roanoke. By the time he finally returned in August 1590, everyone had vanished (Source).

John White, the governor of the Roanoke Island colony in present-day North Carolina, returns from a supply-trip to England to find the settlement deserted. White and his men found no trace of the 100 or so colonists he left behind, and there was no sign of violence. Among the missing were Ellinor Dare, White’s daughter; and Virginia Dare, White’s granddaughter and the first English child born in America. August 18 was to have been Virginia’s third birthday. The only clue to their mysterious disappearance was the word “CROATOAN” carved into the palisade that had been built around the settlement. White took the letters to mean that the colonists had moved to Croatoan Island, some 50 miles away, but a later search of the island found none of the settlers (Source).

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[giradman]

Roanoke Island - John White - David Stick (author) (Carolina Shore Travelogue, August 2016)

Well, I've reactivated this travel thread w/ a discussion of Roanoke Island, the first attempt to establish an English colony in the Americas in the 1580s; of course, the first 'permanent' one was Jamestown on the James River in Virginia in 1607 (all named after the English King, James I). John White (c. 1540 - c. 1593) was the governor of the Roanoke colony, and the grandfather of Virginia Dare, the first English child born in the Americas - he was also a wonderful watercolor artist and left numerous paintings of his observations of the Native Americans of the area and their culture, along w/ images of the flora and fauna in the vicinity. He returned in 1590 (delayed by funding issues because of the Spanish Armada of 1588) to find his colony deserted and never found his family.

White's paintings are preserved in the British Museum and nearly 10 years ago were on tour, including a visit to the NC Museum of History, which Susan & I attended - BOY, these are much better seen 'in person' and are in remarkable condition for watercolors from the late 16th century! Pics below are just a few of the examples of White's art - some are the paintings while others are engravings, especially from Theodor de Bry, as described in the quotes below.

Finally, David Stick (1919-2009), a resident of the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and a local historian who has written a number of books about the Banks - I own several of his publications, including the one shown below, Roanoke Island - The Beginnings of English America (1983, almost 400 years after the colony was started) - if you plan to visit the island, then the book is highly recommended. Dave

White’s work is widely known through adaptations by other artists, especially Theodor de Bry, whose engravings after White’s watercolors illustrate a 1590 edition of Thomas Harriot’s “A briefe and true report of the new found land of Virginia.”

All of White’s drawings are in the British Museum’s collection and are on public display as an entire group for the first time in 40 years. Described by the United Kingdom’s Telegraph as “an enthralling exhibition” that “emphasizes not just the cultural importance of the works, but the humanity of the artist who made them,” “A New World: England’s First View of America” debuted at the British Museum from March to June 2007 and also will be shown at the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh, N.C., and the Yale Center for British Art in New Haven, Conn.........(Source)

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