• About
  • History Writings

Water and Me

Water and Me

Tag Archives: North Carolina

North Carolina October 2020

01 Sunday Nov 2020

Posted by Ronald Parks in boating, Family, Hiking, nature, Photography, Road Trips, Trails, Travel, vacation

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

boating, bridges, Cape Lookout, Dismal Swamp, Fog, LSD50, North Carolina, shells, Shrimp, SpaceX, Sunset, Swansboro, Tern

Another great road trip to North Carolina. Kathy already there for a week before I headed down to pick her up. I was to stay a week also but the weather took a turn for the worse and we came back a couple days early.

It was very foggy when I left Salisbury, Md. to head south. The fog did not dissipate until well after Edenton. I missed the windmill farm, but Kathy got a photo of it.

One of my favorite stops is at the Dismal Swamp. About 1/2 way there.

Arrived at Indian Beach, N.C. and we took a walk. Shrimp boat.

The seagulls here are unlike the ones in Maryland that will hover over you waiting for food.

A Royal Tern

The next day John came down to take us out on their boat. That was very nice of him. With all this Covid stuff going on, we hardly see each other.

Heading under the Atlantic Bridge Causeway.

Easing past Sugarloaf Island, headed towards the N.C. Port. Docked there for the time being is the USS 50 (LSD-50), Carter Hall. Landing Ship Dock.

Here she is a little while later pulling out of port.

Not far from her is this interesting vessel – Go Ms Tree. Formerly named Mr. Steven. GO Ms. Tree – often shortened to Ms. Tree – is a fast, highly maneuverable vessel that was chartered by SpaceX in 2017 to support their fairing recovery program. The ship has been heavily modified by SpaceX so that it now has a large net structure designed to catch fairing halves as they descend. The name ‘Ms. Tree’ is a pun of the word ‘Mystery’. (from SpaceX website)

Pass this area of the port and ran smack dab into a fog bank.

Made it through there and we all, except John, got off onto Shackleford Banks.

Nice driftwood.

My shot of Kathy and Gail, from up on a dune.

Kathy stepped on a couple Hermit Crabs.

Left Shackleford and headed over to Beaufort. You need to swing around Rachel Carson Island. Shrimp boats everywhere.

Sea Tow is like AAA of the water.

The CaryAli. Wow! A steel and aluminum ship. Built by Alloy Yachts in 2013. For just $25m she can be yours.

Looking through the Watercraft Center at a ship painted on a wall…

Went up Taylor Creek for a bit, looking at all the boats and quaint little houses. Turned around and headed to Pivers Island Road.

We made it under the bridge but then the water started getting shallow so we headed back to the Beaufort Channel and then towards Bogue Sound. Passing NOAA on the way. There are a lot of colleges and government research centers down here.

I guess it makes a good kayak launch?

After John and Gail left, to go back home, Kathy and I went over to Swansboro to find a nice place to watch the sunset. Saturday night and the town was packed! So we left and the sun was heading west fast, so I pulled over at Dudley’s Marina on Rte. 24 and Kathy took a photo of me taking a photo of the pelican sunset.

The ‘New Norm’ I hope not for too much longer. The next day we went back to Swansboro to look around

Domestic Muscovy Duck.

Another shrimp boat. Shrimp burgers from the food truck were huge, along with their oyster burgers and soft crab sandwiches.

Love the water – when it isn’t freezing. Or knocking me on my butt!

Our next adventure was to Cape Lookout Lighthouse, via a tour boat, where everyone was practicing social distancing, for the most part.

We cut over to the beach, hoping to find some 1/2 way decent shells. No luck.

Even some of the better shells were being fought over. This guy wasn’t giving up his shell find.

We leave the ocean side of the isle and head over to Wreck Point. Trudging through the dunes and marsh.

Balancing the Light.

Heading back towards the lighthouse.

Checking out under the dock…

Boardwalk to the lighthouse area.

This guy was going close to shore and other boats blasting his horn and making all kinds of noises.

On the way back, on Shackleford Island. Scratching an itch with his food.

Another day, another adventure. Off to the side of the Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium is a nice little hiking trail. About 1.2 miles.

We thought this coloration was the tree itself (Holly)

But it is lichen. Nice info signs along the trail.

One side of the trail is a marsh. The other side is the Bogue Sound.

Sign in front says End of Trail. Sign behind it says Last Marsh Overlook Ahead?

Foot bridge to the end.

And at the end, a nice bench to rest on.

Who Dat? Go ahead Ron, stick your head in there..

To the beach one last time.

Another nice vacation, thanks to John and Gail.

Cape Lookout

18 Friday Oct 2019

Posted by Ronald Parks in Hiking, National Parks, nature, Photography, Road Trips

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Beach Life, Cape Lookout, ferry, Hiking, Lighthouse, National Parks, nature, North Carolina, photography, sea shells

While at Indian Beach, North Carolina, we decided to visit the Cape Lookout National Park. To get there we needed to catch the ferry from Harkers Island. They have a nice visitors center there. A few blocks away is/was a museum, Core Sound Waterfowl Museum. It is still closed from the storm of a year ago.

Visitor Center, anchor from ship that sank in 1902
Beach artifacts

it was about a 4-1/2 mile ferry ride, making one stop at Shackleford Banks. People like to stop there and look at the 100+ wild horses on the island. Kathy and I visited the western end of this island back in June. Nice trip. Didn’t see any horses though.

Pelicans doing pelican stuff.
One of the shy horses

Arrived at our destination and stopped at the Keepers House first.

We missed being able to climb up to the top by about a month.

Black diamonds face north and south. White, east and west.. So, not only does the light shine 24/7, you can also get your bearings by the diamonds.
Random black and white

Instead of taking the boardwalk to the ocean, we took a service road.

The ocean. Too many people before us so the pickings were slim for seashells.

So, Kathy decides instead of us walking back up the beach, we should cut across to the bay side. “Are you sure?” “Yes” Ok!

Sand first…
…and then all marsh.

Not just a marsh but also a bunch of inlets of rushing water. I didn’t know we were doing this kind of hike or I would have worn my water shoes and not my Tevas!

Spooked this guy
The lighthouse looks far away
Looking back from where we came from. It was actually a nice hike.
Finally to the beach
Unknown structure
Getting closer
And so we rest
Back to the dock
Random camera colorization of image. It does this sometimes.
The ferry coming to drop off people and pick us up.
The map of our trip

Although I was only at the beach for about 4 days, it was so nice to get away! Ha! Get away from what??!! Kathy and I always go to the beach! A wonderful trip. Thanks Gail and John.

Indian Beach Vacation

01 Monday Jul 2019

Posted by Ronald Parks in Photography, State Parks, vacation

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Beach, Beach Life, boats, Bogue Inlet, dolphins, Fort Macon, North Carolina, tours, turtles

After months of retiring, selling our homes, moving, working on the new house…we finally were able to take a vacation. Kathy’s sister let us stay at her place on the Crystal Coast of North Carolina. Thanks Gail and John for a much needed break.

On the drive down we stopped for a rest at the Dismal Swamp Canal. Place has an interesting history. Google it. We also stopped on our way home.

While there, the hydraulic bridge was being moved for a couple of boats to go through. Boats have the right of way.

Raising the bridge

Molly needed a rest area too!

History

The canal

Whatever happened to this guy?

Onto Indian Beach. Some favorite shots.

Portuguese Man-o-War Jellyfish

Replacing dune grasses
50 cent
Turtle Nest
Wave Dancer
Peace

Night time, sun sets.

One night we went for a bike ride.

Bike ride sunset

Emoticons – Emoceans.

Headed over to Beaufort for a boat ride to Shackleford Island.

A beauty amongst the flowers
Putting a boat on a boat
Tour boat
Plane pulling a para-glider
On their own
Duke University lab
Lots of dolphins
Landing site for our adventure
Heading towards the horse paths
Higher than they look
I fell on this one. Saved my camera!
Skate
Fort Macon
Coast Guard yard
Fool

Bogue Inlet Pier

Thanks Gail and John! what a great vacation!

Favorite Photograph of 2016

31 Saturday Dec 2016

Posted by Ronald Parks in nature, Photography, vacation

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

art, Hiking, nature, North Carolina, ocean, photography

…and it’s not even one I took!

007

Taken by Kathy’s sister Gail, in North Carolina. Love the water tower in the background…and Kathy’s not bad either!

Brock Mill Pond NC

04 Monday Apr 2016

Posted by Ronald Parks in HISTORY, Photography, Travel

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

engineering, Hiking, kayaking, mills, North Carolina, photography, water history

Took a road trip to Indian Beach, North Carolina the other day. On the way we stopped at an old mill, c1700s. Nice.

P1060471

Too bad it was closed for the day – would like to see the inside workings.

The dam

The pond – Kayak adventure waiting to happen!

Blogroll

  • Flouride Action Network
  • lulu
  • My Book
  • WordPress.com
  • WordPress.org

Recent Posts

  • ICELAND April 2023
  • George Chalmers of Fochabers
  • In Search of The Skipjack Ada Mae
  • Trap Pond Kayak
  • Pusey Trail and Cemeteries

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Follow Following
    • Water and Me
    • Join 226 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Water and Me
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...