Another Stop

After lunch we also stopped at Green Top, a hunting, camping and fishing store north of Richmond.  We stayed at the same hotel outside of Fredericksburg.  Sunday's traveling was harrowing, with heavy rains, thick fog and traffic jams off and on just about the whole way.  We dropped Mom and ted off at about 4:00.

Wrapping It Up

Friday night it rained, with extended thunder and lightening.  The next morning we were on the road by 7:30, the first to leave.  We stopped in Petersburg, VA, to tour this house, which was used during the filming of PBS's Mercy Street.   

Gramma and the Boys

Meisha's Family

Kris's Family

Friday Morning Swim

Oleander

For some inexplicable reason I had been putting off taking pictures of this oleander bush that was just along side of the house.

Friday Morning

Friday morning a got up just a little too late to catch a technical sunrise, but the display was no less stunning.

A Stunning Moon

The moon arose over the Atlantic horizon in an orange spectacle.  I was so glad I had decided to be on the beach at that moment.

Thursday's Sunset

Thursday evening's meal was a grab-what-you-can affair.  We have run out of many things and have an abundance of others--particularly cheese.  After a break storm we enjoyed a beautiful sunset.

Jigsaw Puzzle Number Two

Storm

Not too long after we returned, a storm rolled in from the northwest.

Everene Magic

When Everett heard of our dead boat engine, he created a "magic" device out of Popsicle sticks that was design to make the engine work again and get us home safely.

Lunch

We ate lunch in Moorhead City at Sanitary Restaurant.

Our Boat

Our guide, Captain Taylor, waited for us while many hit the bathroom during our stop at Hackers Island.  Little did we know that we soon would be stranded near the other end of Shackleford Banks when the engine died.  Another boat had to be sent out to pick us up.  Everyone remained surprising calm.

More Wild Horses

The wild horses on Shackleford Banks are descended from those who escaped a shipwrecked Spanish ship from the early nineteenth century.

Cape Lookout Lighthouse

Had the ocean not been so rough, we would have gone on the south side of Shackleford Banks.  It was not easy getting a good shot of the lighthouse, with the waves and the people bobbing up and down to get their own pictures.

The Map

From Beaufort we headed east and then southeast to Cape Lookout to get a closeup view of the lighthouse.  On the way back we ran along the northeast side of Shackleford Banks and then did a pit stop at Hackers Island.  On the way back we ran along the northeast side of Shackleford Banks.

Dredge

We also passed a dredge which was just about finished filling up and ready to head out to sea to dump its load.

Wild Horses

As we passed the Rachel Carson Reserve, an island across from Beaufort, we saw some of the wild horses, descendants of those that had been put there to graze back in the forties.

Fellow Passengers

Crepe Myrtle

I have been meaning to get a shot of some of the profuse crepe (or crape) myrtle down here, particularly the darker red.  When I some this specimen across the street I trotted over before we got on the boat.

Disembarkation Point

Hot Little Number

I picked up this hot little number right before we boarded the boat.

Thursday's Sunrise

Thursday morning I got an earlier sunrise shot because we were going out early for a boat tour out of Beaufort.

Parents' Night Out

The two oldest generations took over child-care duties while their parents went out for dinner.  We all had a taco feast, everyone's favorite.  Afterwards, I was the pool life guard while all the kids took a swim.  Dan came in toward the end to assist.  After that they all. settled in for some popcorn and Scubby Doo.

"The Inconstant Moon"

Every evening the moon has been rising over the Atlantic right in front of us.  Wednesday night it was just short of full.

A Frog

Ted managed to get a few shots of an egret but all I got was this muddy guy.  After lunch Nancy and I looked to do some shopping.  We found a decent mall in Jacksonville, where I bought a music book of Elvis Presley songs and Nancy bought some tops.

Lichen of the Boardwalk

I am sure this lichen dropped from a tree.

Spanish Moss

We did not see a lot of it, but there was some Spanish moss here and there.

Sea Shore Mallow

We did not see much fauna but these sea shore mallows caught my eye.

Looking to the West

A View of the Bridge

The Map

The green area on the map is the park.  We could see the bridge from both docks.

Bogue Sound

The park consisted of mainly wooded areas dotted with swamps, but on two occasions we found docks that went out into Bogue Sound.

Emerald Isle Woods Park

After breakfast Ted, Dan and I headed off to Emerald Isle Woods Park on the west end of the island.  I caught this interesting tree trunk.

Wednesday Morning's Sunrise

We got up a little earlier in hopes of seeing dolphins but none made themselves known to us.

Morning Cloud Formations

After the swim, Ted and I took the car to Swansboro, to Battlefield Tires to have the tire fixed.  There was a sheet metal screw in it and we had been losing air since Friday afternoon.  All the females, except Sydney, went shopping Tuesday afternoon.

Buddies

Everyone was up bright and early Tuesday morning, including the little buddies.  Just about everyone went for a swim in the ocean after breakfast.  These two love floating on the waves.

Moonlight over the Atlantic

Monday's Sunset

After getting back from dinner, Nancy, Meisha and I went for a sunset walk on the beach.

Jigsaw Puzzle

Led by Donna's efforts (Is that her spooky image in the table?), the first jigsaw puzzle was completed early Monday evening.

On the Board

Tish and Jay rented a big board and by Tuesday morning all their family but Sydney had met the challenge of standing up on it.  This is Emery.  I took the picture from the porch.